Contest Alert | WIN $250 in Peekaboo Beans Play Money!

It's been a while since we have hosted another fabulous opportunity for one of our VIPBs to WIN some Peekaboo Beans Play Money!  So why not today?  Seems like a good day to do it right?  We want to see your happy Beans playing, jumping, singing, dancing, skipping, hopping or whatever it is that they do best, while wearing their favourite Peekaboo Beans or CiCi Bean outfit! Go ahead and post your photos to either our Facebook Page, Instagram or Twitter and don't forget to use our special hashtag... #PBbacktoschool.  (Please note: You won't be entered in the contest unless you use the hashtag) 

So get playing and post those photos this weekend to be entered to WIN $250 in Peekaboo Beans Play Money. Happy Friday Bean Lovers and remember to play this weekend!  

Tiny print:  Contest ends September 4th, 2014 at 10pm PST. Winner will be drawn at random to win $250 in Peekaboo Beans Play Money. Limit up to 5 entries per person. Winner will be announced in our BeansTalk newsletter on September 5th, 2014. Peekaboo Beans Play Stylists and staff are excluded from this contest.

Anatomy of a Look Book

In addition to our quarterly catalogues, we recently began publishing monthly Lookbooks to showcase our products in fun, playful environments with some really awesome kids! The experience has truly been blast and we've received such great feedback on the new lookbooks that we thought we'd give you, our VIPB's, a insiders peek into the creation of our latest Back-To-School LookBook!

Super Beans - Cohen's Story

My name is Tammy, and I'm a mom of 3 boys. Cohen is our youngest and previously healthy son.  On August 20, 2012 he was admitted to the Stollery emergency with a high fever, vomiting, severe lethargy and 2 different types of rashes.  We thought he had the symptoms of meningitis, but it was a severe blood infection.

By the late evening of August 22, 2012, Cohen was admitted to the PICU.  We were told that Cohen had suffered 8-10 strokes and the infection was further attacking his heart.  August 23, 2012 was the day our little Cohen had open heart, by-pass surgery.  And it was a success.  The surgical team was able to take off the growth, but they needed to replace one of Cohen's heart valves as it was severely damaged by the bacteria.  Cohen will have to have at least 2 other heart surgeries as he continues to grow to replace the valve.  As Cohen started his recovery in the Cardiac section of the PICU, he seemed to be improving.  He was still on many IV antibiotics and drugs, but he had started speaking again and had about 8-10 words before he was moved to the ward and out of PICU.  

I'll never forget the night of September 7, 2012.  The Rapid Response Team took Cohen back to PICU.  Cohen had had an aneurysm and his head was swelling from cerebral spinal fluid, still another aftermath of the blood infection.  Cohen had a tube inserted into his brain to drain this fluid and relieve the pressure.  He had also suffered seizures.  Soon after, doctors sent Cohen in for an angiogram and glue was inserted into his head to hold the aneurysm in place to prevent further brain damage.  The aneurysm burst under the pressure of the glue, but the glue held the clot in place.

Just as this seemed to have been brought under control, Cohen then developed vasculitis and was put on high doses of steroids.  This seemed to have cleared up so Cohen was taken again for another angiogram to get a better look at his vessels and arteries.  We never thought he'd have an allergic reaction to the angiogram dye, especially since he's already been exposed to this only a week before.  Cohen had an anaphylactoid reaction.  Another completely unexpected and horrific event.  His run of “very bad luck” never seemed to end and he couldn’t catch a break.

Throughout this second stay in PICU, we still weren't sure how Cohen's vision was affected and what exactly he could see.  We knew his right side was severely affected by his first set of strokes and now the left side of his body was severely impaired from the aneurysm.  If that wasn't enough, we were extremely worried as Cohen hasn't said a word or acknowledged any sort of understanding for weeks after the aneurysm.  Because Cohen still required the tube in his head to help drain the fluid, our options were fairly limited and it looked like Cohen would need a shunt.  So, after many conversations with our neurosurgeons, we tried a 3rd ventriculostomy surgery.  Although initially his pressures looked like they were dropping, Cohen ultimately still had to have another surgery for the VP shunt placement.

On November 4, 2012, Cohen was discharged from the Stollery after 77 days, 55 of which was in PICU.  Cohen is truly our miracle child. Our ultimate goal for him is to be able to walk again and I know some day that will happen, just not for a while.  But for now, he is a happy child learning to move again on his own terms and in his own ways.  Cohen is very motivated, stubborn and determined.  All amazing qualities to have for someone who recently became very ill, recovered and is now on a new journey of rehabilitation.

Way to go Cohen!  You truly are a SUPER BOY BEAN!! 

Our quest to develop happy, healthy human Beans!

I'm sure most of our VIPBs (thats you!) have had the opportunity to view our fabulous new Fall 2014 collection in our Look Book, but we have to take a moment and point out one new addition that we are extremely excited to share with you.  

This season we have added a new element to our catalogue based on our continued quest to bring awareness on the importance of PLAY for our children.  As you flip through our pages you will find our Play Maven, Andrea's, Seal of Approval on various pages. Here's a peek...

We are constantly striving to help our children achieve the highest level of development within their individual range of possibility.  We want children to experience the world and feel good doing so. We support childhood development by promoting the importance of play for healthy development and by offering clothing that facilities play.

Play is a child's work and provides the best opportunities for learning. We encourage families and communities to recognize the necessity of play for our children. Peekaboo Beans knows the importance of understanding children's sensory preferences, creating opportunities for independence, helping them feel good about themselves and letting them express their own unique style. We keep these goals in  mind as we develop new products, ensuring all our clothes contribute to children growing up into happy, healthy HUMAN-BEANS! We are thrilled to have Andrea on our team to help support us on our playful journey. 

Here's a quick peek of our catalogue pages and what you can find throughout our Fall catalogue...

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Want to know more about Andrea?  Visit www.achildssong.ca to find out what Andrea is up to and how she is making amazing changes in peoples lives! 

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Don't forget... join in all the PLAYFUL FUN with our Summer Break Play Challenge!  Get all the details HERE

Summer Break Play Challenge... lets get playing!

Peekaboo Beans is on a mission!!  We're on a mission to prevent the kids of today from experiencing a childhood void of unstructured free play.  It's extremely important that we bring awareness to the importance of play and the current lack of it.  We need to get our Beans playing outdoors and having fun... constantly. They need this free time and free play in order to become happy healthy human beans! It's not a option, it's a necessity!

What is UNSTRUCTURED FREE PLAY? 
Unstructured free play is a set of activities that children create on their own without adult guidance. Children naturally, when left to their own devices, will take initiative and create activities and stories in the world around them. Sometimes, especially with children past the toddler stage, the most creative play takes place outside of direct adult supervision. Unstructured free play can happen in many different environments, however, the outdoors may provide more opportunities for free play due to the many movable parts, such as sticks, dirt, leaves and rocks which lend themselves to exploration and creation.

Unstructured play give children time to use their creativity, find out what they really like, acquire and practice their social skills, take risks, practice cause and effect, independence, and solve problems... just to name a few. Play will ultimately define our children's personalities for when they become adults.  Yup... PLAY has a pretty important role.

So, we encourage you to join the Summer Break PLAY Challenge with your family and embrace the opportunity to experience some creative outdoor activities and fun adventures during this last month of summer. Peekaboo Beans Summer Break PLAY Challenge is here to help bring fun back into your life and connect with your children through sharing time together, having fun with one another and PLAYING!

Click to download your free printable

Challenge Instructions:Print off a copy of the Summer Break PLAY Challenge, post to your fridge, bulletin board or anywhere that keep it easily accessible and over the month of August see how many of these fun activities you can accomplish.  Check them off as you go and feel free to update us with summaries of your adventures.  Share with us your stories, which ones your kids enjoyed the most, how did you make each activity your own?  Whatever you want to say, we would love to hear!  Most important of all, have fun and enjoy the time you will spend with your family!   Now get out there and PLAY!  Post photos of your BEANS at PLAY on our Facebook page HERE