Technology, 2e Kids, and the Pursuit of Happiness

The Useless Box from the Makershed is useful technology because it is useful to laugh.  

by Jenn Choi (Doug Mercier contributed to this article)

Does your child hate writing?
Does your child avoid reading?
Then give me your attention for just a few. I promise to be assistive and then some.

Review + Giveaway: Constructive Eating: No More Fights at the Table

Mindful eating promotes joyful eating and joyful eating promotes healthy eating

WHAT: Constructive Eating's  Construction and Garden Fairy Set
INVENTORS: Carter and Jackie Malcolm
DOES: allows your child to be more actively involved in feeding himself/herself

INVEST:  $19.95 (for utensils only) plate ($14.95) additional items available
AGES: 1+ ? (depends on you and your child)

GIVEAWAY PRIZE: One set includes the utensils, plate, and mat!  Woo-hoo!Your choice theme (garden or construction)

Review + Giveaway: Pre-Holiday Spotlight: Makedo with Abundance (Energy, Creativity, Resources)

This is the Windball by Tanaka Satoshi... and guess what.. there are instructions! You can find lots of ideas (with instructions) at mymakedo.com

WHAT: Make Anything Kit for Three and Box Props (People and Pets) by Makedo
INVENTOR: Paul Justin

DOES: you can make anything you want- even pets (not alive though)

INVEST: Box Props kits are $10-15; Kit for One starts at $25 (prices vary depending on retailer)
AGES: If you're under 5, kids will need help.

TOOLS: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Express Yourself, I Can Take Care of Myself, Like an Executive

Giveaway: Giving Away Kit for One- so you can make anything you want (U.S. only please)

Review + Giveaway: Multiplication Slam: Extract Attention From Tension

Is this the cure for Table-itis or even Table-phobia?  Educational Insights decided to throw out the table and make slammable bubbles instead.  Works for us! For sure!

WHAT: Multiplication Slam by Educational Insights
INVENTOR: Fred Lusignan

DOES: delivers math learning through different roads which may be better suited for your child's knowledge factory 

INVEST:  $39.99 
AGES: they say 8+ but if your child is starting to skip count then you might want to consider this sooner than that.

TOOLS: My Body Needs to Move, I Can Take of Myself, 

GIVEAWAY: Yahoo! One Winner will get ONE Multiplication Slam! Canada and U.S. addresses only.

LOCKLACES: Free Ship Coupon Code Extended!

WHAT: LOCK LACES

FREE SHIPPING CODE ---- Extended!!!  see below for details...


And a special thank you to Rachel for your comment on LOCK LACES' commitment to customers! 


"My son broke the tab off the top and I contacted lock laces about how I could buy just that piece and they emailed me right back and told me that they didn't sell this piece but if I wrote back what color we had they would send it to me ---

It thought they would send just that but they sent a whole new set! They didn't even ask where I bought them."

Review: Great LEGO Storage Ideas Inspire Creativity

THE PROBLEM

THE SOLUTION: PHASE 1

THE SOLUTION: PHASE 2 Part 1

THE SOLUTION: PHASE 2 Part 2  

Could this be the final phase?

WHAT: IRIS 6-Case Craft Storage System and The LEGO Build-It Book Vol. 1 (actually many of the No Starch Press LEGO books are awesome for kids)
INVENTOR: LEGO Build-It Book: Nathanaël Kuipers and Mattia Zamboni

DOES: peace and quiet; more building and better building

INVEST:  $14 - 61 (Book is 19.95 with free e-book if purchased at No-Starch Press)
AGES:  3+ but material and needs are more geared for 6+, I would say

TOOLS: Express Yourself, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Family Fix-It, I Can Take Care of Myself

Review + Giveaway + FREE SHIP Code: LOCK LACES: Because You Have Bigger Fish to Fry

WHAT: LOCK LACES
INVENTOR: Eric Jackson

DOES: gives you freedom from the tyranny of shoelace-tying instruction or service, especially in the AM. 

INVEST:  $7.99  (have free ship code for you!!!!!!!!!!!!)
AGES: if they can lock them or you can lock it for them, then they can wear them.Usually my kids don't unlock them, they just slip off or wiggle out of their sneakers instead.

TOOLS: I Can Take Care of Myself- Morning sanity is one giant step closer to reality!

World Maker Faire 2013

KIDS made this.  I KID you not.

WHAT: World MAKER FAIRE 2013

DOES: Inspires the maker in all of us while you eat the best food in the world

INVEST:  door price $35 adult -single day; $20 Youth (2-17)- single day (but if you buy in advance it is soooo much cheaper
AGES: I saw little babies there but I am assuming they didn't make anything.

TOOLS: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Express Yourself, I Can Take Care of Myself

Shop ARK and Be Victorious!

Constructive Plate $14.95
Garden Fairy Plate $14.95
Constructive Utensils $ 17.49
Garden Fairy Utensils $17.49

Cool idea, actually, brilliant, genius idea, you say.... but the price is too high?  If you thought that then you are not alone.  So I tried to think of some questions that help me decide whether or not to cough up $32.44.

1. Do you fight at the table?
2. Do you think "Neanderthal" when you see your kid eat?
3. Does your child have trouble writing? Writing and self-feeding are connected skills.
4. Do you worry that your child will still eat like this even when he is an adult?*
5. Does your child use his other hand to assist his fork in bringing food into his mouth? Think shoving spaghetti in mouth vs. slurping it in.
   
6. Would you want to buy this for your favorite niece or nephew or your best friend's kid who could really use some encouragement at the table?
7. Does your child insist that his foods remain in isolated compartments?

If you answer Yes to 5 or more questions, then I say to you as I say to myself. What the heck are you waiting for?...............

Ok, here's more encouragement.... How about a confession?

Review & Worldwide Giveaway: MeMoves: Prepare the Body For Learning

Why is very cute boy's arms glowing?  I can explain.

WHAT: MeMoves by Thinking Moves
INVENTORS: Roberta Scherf and Chris Bye

DOES: works to prepare the mind and body for learning; calming; midline work

INVEST:  $59.95 for DVD Program (The iOS app is $9.99)

AGES: 3+

TOOLS: I Can Take of Myself, My Body Needs to Move
EXPERT OPINION: Karin Buitendag, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Director, Occupational Therapy, STAR Center (Sensory Therapies and Research Center) and Amy Baez, Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Founder of Playapy

GIVEAWAY: TWO Winners will each receive a MeMoves Program complete with DVD, Music CD, User Guide, and Puzzle Cards! 

Review: Bathroom Independence is Possible!

Do your kids NOT know how much shampoo/body wash to use?

WHAT: Soap Saver and Mom Calmer
DOES: no more yelling at the kids for using half a bottle of shampoo in one day

INVEST:  $ Super cheap
AGES: I would guess 4/5+

TOOLS: Family Fix-it, I Can Take of Myself

Review: Woodmobiel: Ultimate Toy Shopping Secret Revealed

The Woodmobiel Standard Kit can make at least two different sizes of See-Saws- the playground toy that has all but been banished in many playgrounds. Why?

WHAT: Woodmobiel distributed by OOTS!
INVENTOR: Ben Fritz

DOES: allows you and your child to build the toys and furniture that she/he can use everyday!

INVEST:  $300 for Standard Kit; $165 Starter Kit
AGES: 3+

TOOLS: Express Yourself, I Can Take of Myself, More Make-Believe Please, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

EXPERT OPINION: David Wells, Manager, Creative Making and Learning, New York Hall of Science

Review & Giveaway: Start Eating Smart with Doodle Aprons!

Good eating habits have a better start in the kitchen.

WHAT: doodle aprons (Adult Size and Child Size) by doodle by Stitch
INVENTOR: Chrissie Probert Jones

DOES: can be the start of some new eating habits; an excellent executive functioning activity, cookout with the kids this summer!

INVEST:  $21.86 for child size; $25.86 for adult size.  A set of markers come in every package- what a great deal!
AGES: 2+?  Whenever you want to give them non-toxic washable markers?

TOOLS: Express Yourself, I Can Take Care of Myself, Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner, Family Fix-it

EXPERT OPINION: Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Integrative Nutritionist, Susan L. Roberts, MDiv, OTR/L 

GIVEAWAY: Two doodle aprons of your choice! (Child and Child) or (Child and Adult)

Review & Giveaway: Creativity Week: Part 1: Can Creativity Be Canned?

LOOKOUT for a Giveaway ($30 value) of some very awesome looking OTish fidget/accessory and look at the amazing cans. Creativity for Kids wants creativity to make a comeback but can we get it from this little can? There is only one way to find out.

 
WHAT: Creativity Can by Creativity for Kids

DOES: according to many people who take time to observe and reflect, there is a crisis in our country.  It's been dubbed the "Creativity Crisis" and so this week Toys are Tools is kicking off Creativity Week. 

INVEST: $ Only.Your.TIME  (Costly but high returns highly probable!)
AGES: hmmmm... supervise if under 3 but if over three, don't supervise, join, play, encourage, assist and document them but don't be like me (talk too much and ruin it)

TOOLS: Express Yourself, I Can Take Care of Myself

EXPERT OPINION: Petra Pankow,  Manager of Tours and Gallery Interpretation, Montclair Art Museum and independent museum arts educator at various institutions (MoMA, Guggenheim)

 

GIVEAWAY:  Win Color Cord Bracelets Kit AND Make Your Own Paracord Bracelets Kit  (valued at $14.99 each but really, have you tried buying one of these?  They're not cheap!)

Extreme Motherly Stunts

A bit extreme? Yeah, I know but hear me out!

WHAT:  How to Keep Kids Playing with the Good Stuff? 

DOES: makes them invest in their toys, gives ownership, slows all of us down... in a good way

INVEST:  You pay for the toy.

AGES: 4+? Have to ask an expert.

TOOLS: Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, I Can Take Care of Myself, Family Fix-its

Review + Giveaway: Peapod: Squeeze to Focus, Hug to Calm

Have you been wondering what it is like to go inside of an Abilitations Peapod?  We will tell you everything we know.

 
WHAT: Peapod (MEDIUM) by Abilitations

DOES:  envelop your child with indescribably comfortable pressure.  Helps them do certain tasks independently like.... READING... (and playing video games.. oh wait, they don't need so much help with that)

INVEST:  $89.99

AGES: This (pictured) is the medium that is well suited for 2nd and 3rd graders.  If you have a third grader, I'd say to go for the XL. If you have two kids, go for the XL.  The Peapod Jr fits PreK - 1st grade.

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, I Can Take Care of Myself, My Body Needs to Move
EXPERT OPINION: Pediatric Occupational Therapist Susan L. Roberts, MDiv, OTR/L

GIVEAWAY:  Win your OWN Peapod!!! Shipped FREE to your home!

Review + Giveaway: Super Fidgets: Caterpinch & Mini PushPathz

Push Pathz helps him transition to sleep. 

WHAT: Caterpinch and Mini PushPathz

DOES: Fidget to focus, fidget to transition, fidget to balance, and fidget to strengthen, and more...

INVEST:  $17.99 (for one) and $19.99 (for a set of 5 different pathz)

AGES: Any number between 1 and 100 (says me)

TOOLS: My Body Needs to Move, Social Scene Helper, I Can Take Care of Myself
EXPERT OPINION:   Aimee Prainito, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Prainito Pediatric Therapy and Mike Pfeiffer, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Owner/Director, Leaps and Bounds Pediatric Therapy

GIVEAWAY:  Win both the Caterpinch and Mini Push Pathz ($38+ value!!!)

Review + Giveaway: FlyGrip: Don't Just Do More, Do Better

Something so little can help you do soooooooooooooo much.  That's the FlyGrip.

WHAT: FlyGrip

DOES: allows you to use your phone and sometime iPad Mini with just one hand- comfortably, safely, and confidently.

INVEST:  $29.95

AGES: (FlyGrip has children's sizes but I've only tested the one for grown-ups) but they do come in three sizes

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, I Can Take Care of Myself

GIVEAWAY:  Win a FlyGrip for YOU!  (U.S. addresses only please)

Review and Giveaway: Zipfy: Speeding But Still in Control? Yes!

Why do kids like it?  It's Fast!!  Parents like the safety!  Kids secretly will like the safety too.  photo: Great Circle Works

WHAT: Zipfy by Great Circle Works (makers of Oblo)

DOES: FAST sled that lets you feel and be SAFER. 

INVEST:  $39.99 MSRP

AGES: 5+  (capacity up to 250 lbs.)

TOOLS: My Body Needs to Move, I Can Take Care of Myself

GIVEAWAY:  Win a Super Cool RED Zipfy (Canada and U.S. Addresses Only Please) Winner announced in a WEEK!

Review & Giveaway: Time Timer Watch PLUS: Be Fearless and Help Yourself

How are those New Year Resolutions coming along? Don't Give Up.  Time Timer Watch Plus Can Help!  photo: Time Timer LLC

WHAT: Time Timer Watch Plus - Adult by Time Timer LLC

DOES:  wearing your reminder gadget means seeing it and seeing it reminds you that you HAVE A GOAL!; model to your children (or your colleagues) that you help yourself too; now don't have to dig through your bag to find your timer app or find out the time.

INVEST:  $74.95 MSRP for sale only at TimeTimer.com  (check out the coupon code below)

AGES: For big kids and grown-ups 

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, I Can Take Care of Myself,  

GIVEAWAY: Yes, one person is going to win this beautiful thing! U.S. Addresses only please