HearthSong {Review & Giveaway} Come Climb Inside the Great Big Outdoor Playball

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

Considering the amount of toys that my girls and I have seen over the years, I would have thought it might be hard to find one that could still really impress us. After all, if you combine the toys from the baby showers, birthdays, holidays, clearance sales, LOTS of garage sales and Grandma visits that have occurred around here, our house actually already resembles a toy store in itself.

Don't get me wrong, my girls love and appreciate the toys that we have and, without fail, are still interested in playing with them each and every day. However, from the time I began browsing the HearthSong website, I knew that I had discovered someplace great.

And when we received a Great Big Outdoor Playball (they even included an Electric Pump) from HearthSong, saying that we were impressed doesn't cover it. We were downright jaw-dropping, eyes-bugging, speechlessly blown away.

A whopping 52" in diameter, the Great Big Outdoor Playball (GBOP) encourages imaginative play and pure enthusiasm that is unmatched in the world of toys. What else is out there that can begin to be compared to something like this? If another toy exists that allows children the opportunity to run and laugh and experience the world from a new perspective while instilling wonder every time that they see it... well, I sure haven't found it.

Unfortunately, it was a little too cold and snowy outside for us to play with the GBOP in the yard but I wasn't going to let that stop us from having a blast with it. As I moved a few pieces of furniture, my husband spent about 20 minutes inflating the GBOP with HearthSong's Electric Pump (each section is separate, making them stronger and so that if there ever was a leak, the entire thing wouldn't deflate).

When it was finally ready, Big Sister E could barely contain her excitement.

She climbed in, she climbed out, she called, "Roll me! Roll me!" over and over and laughed continually the entire time her body flipped and turned inside the GBOP, which easily withstands being actively tugged or pushed around. Big Sister E also took turns rolling the ball (even though it's quite a bit taller than she is) and giving various stuffed animals rides throughout the room, all the while commenting on the fun they were having inside.

My husband thought that Little Sister B might be scared of the GBOP, seeing as it was a mountain compared to her, but, after contemplating it for a while and giving it a few pats, she also ventured in.

Little Sister B loved the GBOP as well and even though we didn't roll her around in it, she still had a great time climbing and exploring. The holes were great to play peek-a-boo through and, because the blue and green plastic was translucent, she had a blast getting up close to look through at me. Later on, she and Big Sister E spent well over an hour going in and out with toys and books and I was informed that their "house" was extremely comfortable.

There are so many HearthSong Exclusives, the toys that you can't find anywhere else, that are unique and exceptional that really show the company's commitment to helping parents provide their children with educational, entertaining, high-quality playthings. Their slogan, Toys You'll Feel Good About Giving, is more than accurate because of the level of enjoyment that they will bring for years to come.

Whether shopping for your own children or for a gift, HearthSong's items actually end up being enjoyed by the whole family, which is a big bonus when making a purchase. Even though the GBOP is recommended for ages 6 and up, Little Sister B and Big Sister E have been in love with it since the first day we inflated it (Mommy and Daddy think it's pretty fun, too) and everyone who has come to our house to see it is amazed.

"The bubble! The BUBBBBBLLLLLLLE!" Big Sister E cries, getting a running start, as soon as she glimpses the blue and green colors while Little Sister B crawls right inside without hesitation. What will their imaginations have it be today? So far the GBOP has been a bus, a train, a rocket, a boat, even a bed... and of course the coolest ball we've seen. Sure, it has the word Outdoor in its name, but that definitely hasn't stopped it from being a year-round toy at our house.

Think the GBOP might be a little too big for your kids? In that case, there is the GBOP Jr. (shown at left), a red 36" ball that can still be rolled, raced, thrown or kicked as well. Or, think the GBOP isn't quite big enough? Coming next month, HearthSong will offer the Incred-A-Ball, a yellow and orange 65" version! I can't imagine what kids and adults could come up with in that one!

From their huge selection to their competitive prices to their stellar customer service, visiting HearthSong always continues to amaze me. They accept nothing less than your complete satisfaction and guarantee it with no conditions and no time limits. If, at ANY time and for ANY reason, you aren't happy with your purchase, you can exchange it or receive a full refund. I don't think I have ever seen a company stand behind their products to that degree and it says an awful lot about HearthSong that they not only care about their customers but that they fully believe in the long-lasting value of their collections.

Also, thanks to HearthSong's tremendous generosity, I am really excited that one person will get to bring running, rolling, turning, and spinning joy into their home because...

One lucky person will win a Great Big Outdoor Playball AND Electric Pump of their own! ARV $90!

To enter to win: Check out all of the amazing items that HearthSong offers and tell me which one(s) you would love to own. It will be hard to choose just one! Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted)

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you request a HearthSong catalog and/or subscribe to HearthSong's emailed newsletter. If you enter your email address when requesting a catalog, that will subscribe you to their newsletter, so you get both entries!
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Come PLAY INSIDE HearthSong's Great Big Outdoor Playball!! Win one + Pump (ARV $90) @thxmailcarrier! http://bit.ly/a3ETFE #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and HearthSong. Please leave an address where it can be found.


Giveaway will end on March 11th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A great big GIANT thank you to HearthSong for providing a GBOP and Electric Pump for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. We are so smitten with your company and products, it's ridiculous! The opinions shared are my own and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.