Quicksand Dash: Trace Your Thoughts Out Loud

Find out if Number 1 really wrote this to me.

WHAT: Quicksand Dash
DOES: Allows parent or teacher to make dashed letters (to trace) using whatever words they like; you can even make a thank you card.
INVEST:     freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
TOOLS: Foment the Love of Language; Express Yourself; Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, Social Scene Helper, Remember to Learn; Family Fix-it

GIVEAWAY:Tetris Link - Where a Diversity of Smarts Can Flourish

You always know what's your score  photo courtesy: Techno Source

WHAT: Tetris Link  (NOT a video game- for real)
DOES: capitalize on your strengths as you improve any of the following skills: being flexible, mentally moving objects before moving them in real life, and math skills
INVEST: $26.99 Suggested Retail ($22 on Amazon today)
TOOLS: Lose and Win Gracefully, Social Scene Helper (if you are great at this game and like teaching), Think Like a Scientist/Engineer (for thinking spatially)
SEE details for giveaway below

Squishy Circuits: Learning and Expression Go Hand in Hand

We Made All Kinds of Things from david wells on Vimeo.


WHAT: We Made All Kinds of Things by David Wells
DOES: inspires a child to keep the learning alive through different media: music and video; maybe they will want to make their own song and/or video too; either way, this video inspires this parent to keep thinking outside of the box
INVEST: under tres minutos of your precious time
TOOLS: Express Yourself, Foment Love of Language, Remember to Learn, Family Fix-it (fix Mom's behavior)

Tegu Blocks: Let Your Child Tell His Own Story

Tegu blocks are great for storytelling

WHAT: Tegu Block Sets
DOES: Magnetic wooden blocks snap on easily, hard to lose, create anything in seconds, easily represents living things as well as objects, can help for easier storytelling
INVEST: $32- $140
TOOLS: Express Yourself, Foment Love of Language, More Make-Believe Please, People are People, Social Scene Helper, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy

Read about Tegu's Design Contest: click HERE  ends 1/31/12

Tegu Mobility: Real-Life Benefits of Make-Believe Play

Blocks connected by hidden magnets.  The wheels just snap on by magnetic force -making virtually anything mobile.  (photo courtesy: Tegu)

WHAT: Tegu Mobility Line 
DOES:  newest addition to Tegu blocks (see that review tomorrow); wheels snap easily onto any Tegu blocks, kids build cars, structures, animals, people, and more with unique blocks and wheels
INVEST: one set of 4 wheels- $15; cars range from $19 - $38
TOOLS: Express Yourself, More Make-Believe Please, People are People, Think Like A Scientist/Engineer

CLICK TO Find out about Tegu's How Do You Roll? Sweepstakes: HERE  Ends 1/31/12

Daring to Win (or Lose) Doing Something You Love: Tegu's Design Contest

You can enter without drawing but one sketch equals 25 entries.  We have about 300 entries worth of drawings at home.  Go to the Tegu site to get the snazzy template.

WHAT:  Tegu's How Do You Roll? Sweepstakes  ends 1/31/12
DOES:  gives your child an opportunity to: flex designing skills, work and rework an idea, dream that he/she can win, validate their visual-spatial skills, talk about environmental needs and corporate responsibility
INVEST: It's totally free.  You don't have to buy anything to enter.
TOOLS: Express Yourself, Lose and Win Gracefully, Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

Read my post about Tegu's Mobility line here.

CURIOUS ABOUT: CUBELETS

The cubes work together to become a robot

This is a news alert and not a review.  If your child likes robots..... watch this video and know that technology never sleeps!

WHAT: Cubelets
DOES: Cubes are snapped together to become your child's robot; functions vary with which cubes are used and how they are snapped together; no programming and no wires
INVEST: $160 for 6 cubes, charger is separate
TOOLS: Have to play with it first but at the very least: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

Swish: A Slam Dunk for Kids (and Grown-Ups Too)

A Dream Game for Spacial Thinkers (photo courtesy: ThinkFun)

WHAT: Swish

DOES: Fit dots into holes on transparent cards to make a match (swish); challenge is to do it all in your head first, players can choose to challenge themselves further by making 3 or 4 card swishes

INVEST: $12.99

TOOLS:  Express Yourself, Lose and Win Gracefully, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

Can Junior Be Just as Fun?

Can this Junior lessen the difficulty without lessening the fun? (photo courtesy: Plasmart)

WHAT: Perplexus Rookie
DOES: It's just like Perplexus but easier; more primary colors.  It's even slightly smaller than Perplexus- better for smaller hands.
INVEST:  $17-23
TOOLS: Express Yourself, My Body Needs to Move, Social Scene Helper, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

See first post on Perplexus (Original) here

Discovering a Maze's Secret: You

The Perplexus  (photo courtesy of Plasmart)

WHAT: Perplexus (Original)
DOES:  A 3-D maze within a sphere; 23 Feet of track; Go from start to end through twists and turns;  Make one wrong move, your ball falls and you have to start over.  You have to concentrate!
INVEST: $18- $25
TOOLS: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Express Yourself, My Body Needs to Move, Social Scene Helper

(Part 2 of Perplexus Review coming tomorrow)

Practice Being Cool at Home First

Take turns or just practice next to each other.  2 boys + 2 Yo Babies

WHAT: Yo Baby Kick Flipper

DOES: Allows you to do tricks with a skateboard-like toy but you can do this at home OR outside;  Video instruction allows for private practice;  Can alleviate symptoms of Look-at-Me Syndrome

INVEST: $10-20

TOOLS: Social Scene Helper, My Body Needs to Move, Express Yourself

Electrify Learning with Playdough: Five Squishy Circuit Kits to Giveaway!

Would your child want to learn about electrical circuits using this type of teaching material?

photo: AnnMarie P. Thomas

photo: AnnMarie P. Thomas

 ....or would she rather use some playdough instead?








WHAT: Squishy Circuits Kit
DOES:  Perhaps the most non-intimidating and playful hands-on way to teach and learn about electrical circuits- even the little ones can do it!  Grown-ups should still stick around to supervise.
INVEST: $19.99
TOOLS: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Express Yourself

SEE Giveaway Instructions at the bottom of post