Parents, want a cool hack to keep your kids learning over the summer and avoiding the summer slide? Try the Flocabulary app. It's packed with over 800 hip-hop learning videos that engage kids in a unique way. Also, just a quick note about the summer slide --it's is when kids, on average, lose two months of reading and math skills over summer break. In good news, Oxford Learning says that just … [Read more...]
8 Fascinating STEM Picture Books
STEM picture books introduce young children to science, technology, engineering, and math. Not only that, some of these picture books actually teach the STEM concepts which is big fun within a story. 8 Fascinating STEM Picture Books I Lost My Sock! A Matching Mystery by P.J. Roberts, illustrated by Elio Help Fox and Ox find Fox's missing sock. Fox tries to describe his sock exactly -- it's … [Read more...]
15 Cool Apps for Kids
Ready for 15 cool new apps for kids that are super fun and generally educational? Cool Apps for Kids Fido and Pumpkin Position Words $1.99 Meant for small children, choose from 8 questions to learn about position (over, under, behind, etc.) Kids see writing but can hear it read, too if they're not yet readers. Find Pumpkin the cat and pick if she's behind the flowerpot, under the bush, or in … [Read more...]
Circle with Disney Helps Parents Manage Kids Screen Time
Circle with Disney is a pretty amazing tech tool for us parental units to manage and monitor our kids on screen time. What can Circle do? It can set screen time limits (it actually can turn off a device's access to WiFi!) track kids' tech usage including websites and apps so that you can see it filter and/or block websites and apps either using the preprogramed age restrictions or … [Read more...]
Reading (and Writing) Apps for Kids
If you're like me and want to keep technology as educational as possible, you'll want to know about these new reading and writing apps for kids. See if any will be a good fit for your child's age and stage. (All links are to the app store unless Android is specified.) Reading (and Writing) Apps for Kids Endless Reader READING Free / In-App Bundles of Words Android ages 5 - 8 Learn … [Read more...]
Good Storybook Apps for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Early Elementary Kids
Looking for good storybook apps for your toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary students? You'll want stories with excellent narration, word highlighting, and both read-to-me and read-to-self options. These apps should help get your kids reading and enjoying stories. Also, I look for apps that have words and also am careful about the size of those words. There are many apps whose text is … [Read more...]
Kids’ STEM Holiday Gift Guide 2016
Since you want to encourage your kids in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), my first holiday gift guide is new and awesome STEM (and STEAM) gifts (toys and kits) for 2016! I'm including building with engineering so all the building blocks and building kits are on this list, too. See last year's STEM Gift Guide here. Kids' STEM Holiday Gift Guide 2016 Lauri Toys … [Read more...]
Impressive New Tech Toy for 2016: Code-a-Pillar
Code-a-Pillar Think & Learn is an impressive new (2016) STEM learning toy for preschoolers. In fact, after reviewing it, Code-a-Pillar now tops of my list for educational holiday gifts for preschoolers and older. (Ages 3 - 8) Impressive New Tech Toy for 2016: Code-a-Pillar Each segment of the Code-a-Pillar is a mini program for how the toy will move, straight, turn right, turn left, with … [Read more...]
Osmo Pizza Co for Budding Entrepreneurs
Osmo is launching a cool new game for budding entrepreneurs called Pizza Co. so kids (ages 5 - 12) can learn financial and entrepreneurial skills through engaging play. Osmo Pizza Co for Budding Entrepreneurs Last week I saw a demo of Pizza Co.. Here's what I think: kids will love this hands-on game! And parents, we will love the math and entrepreneur learning components. After you … [Read more...]
Minecraft Stop Motion Animation
Minecraft Stop Motion Animation Studio was a recent reward for my Minecraft loving daughter. It came with 1 movie stage, 6 different backgrounds, 3 exclusive mini-figures, a device holder, and over 18 other accessories. It's been a fun way to make Minecraft stop motion movies. (Not to mention the bonus of getting cute collectibles.) Minecraft Stop Motion Animation To set up your … [Read more...]
The Best Screen Time Rules for Families
If you're like me, your kids' screen time can easily get OUT OF CONTROL! And it's time to make some new rules and better screen time guidelines. My kids don't watch TV but they do have iPads and my 14-year old has a phone. ALL COUNT as screen time. Screen Time Rules and Guidelines for Kids and Families Sp I've instituted a EARN your screen time plan for the summer. My kids get 1 minute of … [Read more...]
Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo
Osmo Coding takes the computational thinking of programming and makes it easy-to-learn, hands-on, totally fun, and gamified so that even the youngest learners can develop coding knowledge within a playful format. I'm sold on this as a fun way for kids to develop foundational programming skills! Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo When kids learn to program, they start with … [Read more...]