We used to hit the road a lot as kids, and the soundtrack of these adventures were largely dictated by my parents. That’s how I came to have an appreciation for the oldies and even learned enough of the words to sing along. We had a big blue case of cassette tapes that would form the background noise of our big drives. My parents were big on exploring new places, but the music was usually the same.
When we watch Netflix, my kids are on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next. It makes you wonder, what would happen if they were in charge? Well, thanks to Netflix’s new interactive story telling for kids, you don’t have to wonder anymore. You can see for yourself! It’s like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, but on the big screen. How cool is that? One of the first stories you can try it on is Puss in Boots.
This is how it goes:
Are you looking for something fun for the kids to do over summer so they can make some great memories and learn new things? Have you considered a tech camp? We did this summer and sent our son to LevelUp Minecraft Camp at BCIT. My son is a huge Minecraft fan so when he heard about the camp he desperately wanted to go.
No, he didn’t just sit in front of a computer all day (after all, he can do that at home!) – they had outside time for fresh air and healthy movement and they also did hands on STEM activities.
About to embark on a March Break trip with kids, what makes it into the carryon bags is crucial. We’ve got the swimsuits, the loveys and airplane activities. We’ve got books, flip flops and first aid kits. But one thing I’ve just discovered has been added to the roster of travel essentials for us. The Philips goLITE BLU energy light is a portable light therapy device designed and clinically proven to help increase your energy level naturally and help fight Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), winter blues and jet lag. JET LAG. Do you know what’s worse? KIDS with JET LAG. I know. They’re like a cross between Gremlins and heavy rocks. Here are 7 ideas to combat jetlag in kids so the gremlin thing doesn’t happen.
If you have kids, chances are you are aware of the epic game that is Minecraft. It took me a while to figure it out, and chances are if you are new to the scene you need to have the intricacies of Minecraft explained as well. Available in gaming console or computer version or on tablets, this spatially-rich building game allows your character to build a three-dimensional world while avoiding zombies, creepers, spiders, skeletons and endermen. Our whole family plays and the experiences we’ve had have given us bonding time and amazing memories.
As the amount of information on the internet multiplied by infinity every day, much of that vastness is an uninspiring wasteland made mostly of cat videos and epic fails at it’s best and venomous hate and degrading pornography at it’s worst. Some days it’s hard to find the one gem that’s worth learning from. But there is a lot of great content out there, and I’ve found YouTube to be a particularly great resource, especially to enhance my children’s understanding of the world. Will education on YouTube work in your home? My guess is yes.
Recently I attended the Pokémon Sun and Moon launch event here in Toronto. This year is the 20th anniversary of Pokémon. Did that make you feel old? Thankfully I had my next generation Pokémon fan with me to talk me through the games.
In case you’ve been living under a rock this year, Pokémon saw a huge resurgence with the wildly popular PokémonGo. While that game has pulled in the masses, the true fans have been wait for the launch of Pokémon Sun and Moon games for the Nintendo 3DS.
I’ve always found grandparent gifts really hard to choose. They love sentimental, heartfelt items, but often your family photos are buried on hard disks and you’re not quite organized enough to find that great art piece that was painted last year. Hopefully these grandparent gift ideas strike a chord!
Testing a microwave is a tough one for me. I tend to use few features, and when I use my microwave I’m in a rush. Manuals seem unnecessary, and, really, aren’t all microwaves the same? I thought so until now. Breville has come up with a new model called the Quick Touch Crisp that not only does the normal stuff like popcorn and eggs very well, but comes with a crisper pan for use in the actual microwave that gets food crispy on the bottom. No more soggy pizza with burnt cheese on the plate.
Raise your hand if you’re a Star Wars fan, married to a Star Wars fan or raising a Star Wars fan. If your hand is up, you probably know that Force Friday is the day when all the new Star Wars toys, gadgets, and gizmos are released for the holiday season.
Last year, Sphero took the world by storm with their BB-8 droid. This little robot toy rolled it’s way into the hearts of kids, leading tech writers and regular old Star Wars-loving moms like me. This year, it’s even better. I had the chance to attend a special sneak peek of Sphero’s lineup for Force Friday and it does not disappoint.