Why Your Child Should Play with Paper (Ages 4-8)

Glue Dots and eeBoo Corrugated Fancy Paper  How amazing is this?

WHAT: FOLDING PAPER- Why everyone should do it!  Including You! 
 
Starring: Storygami by Tuttle Publishing
              eeBoo Fancy Paper-Corrugated
              eeBoo Play Papers
              eeBoo Fancy Scissors
              with special guest: GLUE DOTS!!!- Removable, Poster, Craft, Craft Mini

DOES: Sharpen fine motor skills, hand-eye skills, designing skills, spatial skills, math skills, and maybe a little existential thinking too? Seriously, I kid you not.
INVEST:  Your time + prices of product ranging from $1 to $17 (eeBoo scissors are $4.99, Papers are $12.99 and $7.99; Storygami boxed set is $16.95, Glue Dots range from $1 and up)

AGES: 4+? This is hard to say.  Apparently children are supposed to know how to use scissors by age 3.  Either way, be prepared to help out.  There are still lessons to be learned if we learn to help them "just enough"... believe me!

GIVEAWAY PRIZE: $100 Approx Value!  Super Paper Craft Basket of Awesomeness for One LUCKY Winner!  (Storygami + eeBoo Fancy Corrugated Paper + eeBoo Play Paper + eeBoo Fancy Scissor + OMG 4 Value Packs of Glue Dots- a total of 2,400 dots! [Craft,Craft Mini, Removable, and Poster])

Review + MEGA Giveaway: LEGO StoryStarter and StoryVisualizer: Toys Tell the Best Stories

Use this curriculum and you will see less scenes like this in the classroom.

 
WHAT: LEGO Education's StoryStarter Core Set and StoryVisualizer and Curriculum Pack (Basically Everything)
DOES: Teaches storytelling and writing alongside Common Core Standards- dream curriculum!!!!
INVEST: $115.95 for set and $124.95 (the curriculum need only be purchased ONCE by a school

AGES: 6+
EXPERTS:  Annie Kim, Learning Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, New York City (and the official Toys Are Tools Tutor!)

GIVEAWAY PRIZE: One extremely lucky winner will win both the StoryStarter Set and StoryVisualizer Program and Curriculum. Value $238!!!!!

Review & Giveaway: The Educational Triple Threat (Vista Explorer Tripod + Case Star Clip + Tablet/Phone)

Presentation skills are often NOT taught in school and yet this scary activity is required of them throughout their academic years.  Tiffen has something that can help.

WHAT: Vista Explorer 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod with Tripod Bag by Davis & Sanford, a division of Tiffen
WHAT: Case Star Universal Clip/Clasp Holder for Tripod
WHAT: Your camera, tablet, smartphone..... (Cameras do not need the Case Star Clip)

DOES: inexpensive, lightweight, and easy-to-use equipment can be handled by kids to encourage them to record themselves on video; offers potential speech and language benefits; practice brings confidence and competence

INVEST:  $32.02 MSRP for Tripod; $6.99 Clip Holder (price at time of posting)

AGES: maybe 6 years old? depends on the family and child...

TOOLS: Express Yourself, Foment Love of Language, Remember to Learn, Social Scene Helper 

GIVEAWAY:  Win your own lightweight Vista Explorer tripod.  Give it to your kid to star in his own videos!  Give it to yourself to blog?  Make your own movies without the shakies.

Camera accessories like this Vista Explorer by Davis and Sanford have TREMENDOUS educational potential!

Review + Giveaway: Squishy Prints Make Happy Feet

It is play or it is exercise or is he about to make me do some acrobatics?

WHAT: Squishy Prints- Foot Prints by Abilitations

DOES: play walking games, Twister-type follow-direction games, make up your own game, give them something to walk on besides your sofa!

INVEST:  $49.99

AGES: Not sure but I would think somewhere between 1-99 year(s) old

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner,  My Body Needs to Move, Remember to Learn
EXPERT OPINION: Mike Pfeiffer, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Owner/Director, Leaps and Bounds Pediatric Therapy

GIVEAWAY:  Win your very own set of Squishy Prints  (U.S, addresses only please!)

Review + Giveaway: Talking Tom- Kids' Newest Study Buddy

Who says he can't study for his test with Talking Tom? Sometimes my cockamamie ideas do work!

WHAT:  Talking Tom and Talking Ben by Cuddle Barn

DOES: This app-to-real life toy can be way more useful than your average poop joke outlet.  Some kids may find it useful to access and enhance their memory before test dates just by telling Ben or Tom what they need to remember!  It works for us!

INVEST:  $34.99

AGES: 3+  (although, I don't see how two year old would not love this!)

TOOLS: Express Yourself, Foment Love of Language, Remember to Learn
EXPERT OPINION: Alison Berkley, Co-owner, Special Education Teacher, Emerge and See Education Center, Blogger, Breaking Barriers at Psychology Today

GIVEAWAY:  Win your very own Talking Tom or Talking Ben (winner decides!)

Review & Giveaway: CUBU: How Well Can Your Eyes Pay Attention?

If I can find something affordable that is also interesting and new and DIRECTLY helping with visual perception, then I’m really happy - Amy Baez, OTR/L Founder, Playapy.  photo: Funnybone Toys

WHAT: Cubu by Funnybone Toys

INVENTOR: Julien Sharp
DOES:  Artsy squares entice the eyes to pay attention and sharpen visual perceptual skills that support academic skills; "action cards" in the game encourage strategic planning and taking risks
INVEST: $14.99 MSRP

AGES: 8 and up 

TOOLS: Lose and Win Gracefully, Flexibility is My Superpower, Remember to Learn

EXPERT OPINION: Amy Baez, OTR/L, Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Founder of Playapy

GIVEAWAY: One Cubu game to one lucky winner. (U.S. only)

Review & Giveaway: Cart Before the Horse: "Control Your Mental Effort"

"You have to control your mental effort," said one of Susan's students about Cart Before the Horse.

WHAT: Cart Before the Horse by Mindware
DOES: allows you to work on skills including: working memory, following directions, spatial reasoning; excellent bonding activity with child
INVEST: MSRP  $17.95 

TOOLS:  Think Like a Scientist/Engineer (super visual-spatial), Lose and Win Gracefully - this one player game can be played with friends too, Remember to Learn, Foment Love of Language

AGES: 8+  (younger kids can definitely enjoy this too)

EXPERT OPINION: Susan Schwartz, MAEd, Learning Specialist, Friends Seminary
GIVEAWAY DETAILS BELOW 

Review & Giveaway: Zingo! Sight Words: Learning is Easy When It's Fun!

"Zingo is amazing!" said Alison Berkley, one of my fave education experts and co-owner of Emerge and See Education Center

WHAT: Zingo! Sight Words by ThinkFun

DOES:  Third rendition of the popular Zingo! game; Uses nifty tile release gadget, colorful boards, fun themes to encourage and improve sight word recognition

INVEST: MSRP  $19.99
TOOLS:  Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, Foment Love of Language, Lose and Win Gracefully, Remember to Learn

AGES: PreK- Grade 1  (Read how we've made it easier and harder!)
EXPERT OPINION: Alison Berkley, Co-owner, Special Education Teacher, Emerge and See Education Center
GIVEAWAY DETAILS BELOW  

Review and Giveaway: Q-bitz: A Virtual Skill-Building Blitz

Speed, manipulation, sharpening recognition... all are thrilling elements of Mindware's Q-bitz.   photo: Mindware

WHAT: Q-bitz  by Mindware
DOES: have fun while sharpening skills involving recognizing, manipulating with your hands, and using both of your hands to work together (in big talk: visual perception, bilateral coordination, visual motor)
INVEST: MSRP  $24.95
AGES: Suggested is 8+ ( it can go way lower when play is modified)
TOOLS: Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner (there are add-ons and sequels), Lose and Win Gracefully, My Body Needs to Move, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Remember to Learn
EXPERT OPINION:  Aimee Prainito, Prainito Pediatric Therapy, Snellville, Georgia
Giveaway Details Below

Review & Giveaway: Acuity Game: Sharpen Your Scanner, Speed Up Your Register

photo: Fat Brain Toy Co.

WHAT: Acuity game by Fat Brain Toys

DOES:  sharpens how you register the information that your eyes collect; allows you to practice "scanning" as quickly as possible, encourages you to move things with your mind's eye

INVEST: $ 19.95 MSRP

TOOLS:  Flexibility is My Superpower, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Remember to Learn

GIVEAWAY Details Below

Review & Giveaway: Qwirkle: Strategy 101

Simple rules and simple tiles allow for very complex play, especially if your opponent is skilled!  photo: Mindware

WHAT: Qwirkle by Mindware
DOES: simple rules allow for easy and fluid starts;  game scenario is ever-changing thus forcing you to be flexible
INVEST: $24.95
TOOLS: Flexibility is My Superpower, Remember to Learn, Lose and Win Gracefully (because points are on the side, you don't really tally until the end, so you're focused on shifting strategies instead)
EXPERT OPINION included:  Heather Goldman, PhD, Child Psychologist & Psychology Consultant, The Quad Manhattan
Giveaway Details below 

Review and Giveaway: MotivAider: What Walking the Walk Can Really Accomplish

For the price you might want it to play music or flash messages but I think that single-function gadgets are highly effective and very classroom-friendly.   photo: Behavioral Dynamics Inc.

WHAT:  MotivAider
DOES:  simple tool can be worn on your person and send you reminders via vibrations at a timed interval of your choice; single-function gadgets can be simply powerful.
INVEST: $59.50 (prices may vary with retailer)
TOOLS: Family Fix-its, Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, I Can Take Care of Myself, Remember to Learn
EXPERT OPINION: Beverly Whalen-Schmeller, School Psychologist, Metro Nashville Public Schools
See Giveaway Details Below

Review and Giveaway: Find Your Way Gnome: Be A Great Synthesizer

"The tin is adorable," said Number 5's mom.  It also gets an A+ for storage support!  This tin holds all 100 puzzles and two markers perfectly- each in its own pocket. No swishing around in the box!  Yeah!  photo: Mindware

WHAT: Find Your Way Gnome
DOES:  just like Lab Mice, this game also encourages practice in planning, self-monitoring, and looking at "the big picture"
INVEST: $ 17.95
TOOLS: Remember to Learn, Flexibility is My Superpower, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer
All new giveaway today.  Enter to win your choice of Find Your Way Gnome or Lab Mice
See review first part of this review here (for both Lab Mice and Find Your Way Gnome)

Review and Giveaway: Lab Mice: The Gift of A Clean Slate

It's not easy to encourage children to "see the big picture" but it's easier to make analogies to that if you are using Lab Mice and Find Your Way Gnome.  photo: Mindware

WHAT: Lab Mice
DOES: encourages practice in planning, self-monitoring, and looking at "the big picture"
INVEST: $17.95
TOOLS:  Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Remember to Learn, Flexibility is My Superpower

Review and Giveaway: AquaNotes: It's the Thought That Wows

Yes, it really exists and it really does work.  photo: Calmar Consulting Corporation

WHAT: AquaNotes  (Waterproof Paper Pad Set)
DOES:  you can write in the shower, you can write underwater- yes, completely underwater
INVEST: $7.00 per set includes pad of 40 waterproof sheets (write on either side) that comes with suction cups for pad and 1 waterproof pencil with suction pencil holder  (I bought mine on sale- 5 pad sets for $28 thus buy 4 get 1 free)

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

Note: Aqua FunNotes Review (separate from this) has also been published now.  Remember to click there to ensure your chance at winning all three AquaNotes pads. http://www.toysaretools.com/2012/05/review-and-giveaway-aqua-funnotes-mazes.html

Review & Giveaway: Trucky 3: He Said, "My Brain is Good"

photo courtesy: Smart/Tangoes USA

WHAT:  Trucky 3 by Smart/Tangoes USA
DOES:  Allows you to take different shaped blocks and make it fit into transparent truck containers;  Unfinished or finished, the three puzzleboards (trucks) are excellent toys
INVEST: $24.99 MSRP
TOOLS: Remember to Learn, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, More Make-Believe Please, My Body Needs to Move (manual dexterity, move around to play)

Giveaway: Palette Game: Because the World is Not Always Black and White

photo courtesy: Fat Brain Toy Co.

WHAT: Palette Game by Fat Brain Toy Co.
DOES:  how well can you discriminate with your eye?; gives an opportunity to practice self-talk memorization skills,
INVEST: $22-25
TOOLS:Remember to Learn, Lose and Win Gracefully

Guidecraft 3D Feel & Find: Practice Making the Right Decision

If these went into an opaque sac, would you be able to discern which fits in each puzzle plate? In your first try?  If so, I want video proof.

WHAT: Guidecraft's 3D Feel & Find

DOES: children place their hands into an opaque sac to find and match 3D shapes to a single wooden puzzle plate; keyword: they must "feel" it to find it and no peeking!
INVEST: $18-30 (we saw it on Amazon today at around $18)
TOOLS:  Lose and Win Gracefully, Remember to Learn

Toy Fair 2012 - Curious About: Distraction

6,8,3 What month was it two months ago? December. Okay say the numbers again. 6,9,3? 

TOY FAIR 2012 COVERAGE:

WHAT: Distractions by Think Fun

WHEN: now, yes, now!

DOES: Works on working memory (they are good at this) while throwing in some fun distractions along the way.

INVEST: $11.99

TOOLS: Tools will be identified after we do a review.

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)