Piggyback Bandz {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Mama Hen!}

Fortunately for me, most of the toy fads and crazes that have swept across the country haven't managed to catch my kids' attention too much. I'm sure as they get older I won't be so lucky... but for now, it's a good thing.

I have to admit that I don't really understand some of the hit items sometimes anyway. What does it do? And why is that fun?

I'm pretty sure I thought both of those questions (and a few more) the first time I saw kids getting into the silicone rubber bandz that come in various colors and shapes. I mean, sure, it's cute that when it's sitting on the table that you can see the animal's form (or food or princess or whatever)... but it's a bracelet. So when you put it on, it doesn't look like anything except a band around the wrist. What am I missing here to make this exciting?

Well, now I know. A bracelet is a bracelet... unless it is Piggyback Bandz, the next level of silicone bandz that include a perpendicular aspect that kids instantly love.

Currently available in eight different themes, Piggyback Bandz combine everything that kids have already been loving about silicone bandz (their ability to be affordable, portable, traded and collected) and have taken it up a notch by adding the "stand up" feature that is nothing like the rest.

Knowing that these were something that Big Sister E would really enjoy, the hardest part was narrowing down which of the styles she would like the most. And when I thought I finally knew... she came by and expressed her love for the Cool Rides (she is very into trucks and motorcycles) so then I had to include that design as well.

As well as the vehicles, Piggyback Bandz in Safari, Alphabet and Extra Letters arrived only a day or two later and the interest level from both Big Sister E and Little Sister B was definitely high.

Pulling these out of the package, I thought the concept was so... simple. Instead of just making the actual bandz a particular shape, Piggyback Bandz has a second, duplicate shape attached right to it. The result is that when the bracelet is slid onto the wrist, the small shape actually stands right up - how cool!

You can wear one Piggyback Bandz or you can layer them to make a design or spell a word or your name (which was why I chose the Extra Letters)... the possibilities are endless! Best of all, they're so easy to take on and off that kids don't have any problem playing and trading these all on their own.

Since the time that these have arrived, we've laid them out and played with the adorable animals from the Safari collection...

Spelled out all sorts of things with the fun Alphabet letters...

And of course we have had a blast putting these on and off and seeing just how fun it is when the Piggyback Bandz stand on our wrists and arms.

Even though Little Sister B is slightly on the young side, she has loved these just as much as her older sister. At any given time, I'll turn and see her standing there with a serious expression while carefully putting on one band at a time (with 25 to a package, it does take her a while to make her way through all 100!) and looking something like this:

Not exactly organized enough to be able to enjoy each cute shape "piggybacking" in line next to another one, but she ends up extremely thrilled nonetheless. I have to admit that I've had a great time with these as well - it's a lot of fun to spell things out or create a mini adventure through different shapes all right on your wrist!

Retailing for $4.95 a pack, Piggyback Bandz can be found right on their website or at specialty stores across the U.S. and Canada... and I have no doubt that they're going to be showing up on little wrists near you very soon. These are a great idea for fun and everyday as well as a cute gift or creative party favor that is sure to be a hit!

And, thanks to the generosity of Fungrins, LLC (manufacturers and marketers of Piggyback Bandz), one person will be able to see their child's face light up at these innovative bracelets as well, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of four packages of
Piggyback Bandz! ARV $20!

To enter to win: Visit Piggyback Bandz and tell me which designs you would choose if you win.

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 follow Piggyback Bandz on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
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!

WIN 4 packs of Piggyback Bandz - the bandz that kids love! @PiggybackBandz are a hit! http://bit.ly/e24KZb #thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
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 Piggyback Bandz. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on February 4th 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 big thank you to Fungrins, LLC for providing four packages of Piggyback Bandz to review as well as four packages of choice for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.