Reviews for 1-3 years old
Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby$24.99 at Amazon.com |
We tested this Giggles Computer Funtime software with babies (its intended market), as well as toddlers and preschoolers, to see how they like it. It was a big hit with all three groups! This is due to the expertly designed, entertaining graphics that are set to a variety of kid-friendly music that you can select for baby, or that a toddler can select for herself. There are three packages to choose from (ABC’s & 123’s, Shapes, and My Animal Friends), each featuring 14 activities and more than 50 songs. When your grandchild hits any key or moves the mouse, something fun instantly happens. For instance, in ABC’s & 123’s, when you hit a key, a number or a letter immediately pops out, floats up, or somehow appears. Cause-and-effect relationships are introduced in all of the activities through these instantaneous visuals, as well as zany little sounds that indicate that a key has been pressed and that something fun has “happened.” In an ABC’s & 123’s Activity called “123 - What Do You See,” babies and toddlers are even passively (and age-appropriately) exposed to some basic counting principles, whereby the number 3 may appear on the screen with three adorable little bugs. As a grandparent or parent of a baby (6-24 month old), you’ll certainly appreciate how engaged your grandchild is, sitting on your lap at the computer, having fun and simulating something he or she sees mom & dad (and you) doing all of the time. You’ll also appreciate the fact that your important computer files are protected and safe while the Giggles software is running. Babies can press several keys at once and nothing but more onscreen fun happens! And the music choices are also appealing to both children and grown-ups, from very recognizable kid favorites (toddlers and preschoolers will boast that they “know that song!”), to classical, jazz, and even cowboy music. This software has won too many awards to mention — you can’t go wrong with this gift purchase, whether it’s for your own computer time with your grandchild, or for time at home with parents. Go ahead and “Get the Giggles!”
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This Boca Beth bilingual CD is great for the car, where young children are a captive audience and tend to sing along to music. Our kids have been picking up some key Spanish words and phrases pretty quickly, such as “Hola Amigo” (Hello Friend), “Por Favor” (Please), “Gracias” (Thank You), and “De Nada” (You’re Welcome). They’ve also learned to count in Spanish, and know many of the Spanish words for colors. One reason it’s easy for young kids to learn the Boca Beth songs and their intended lessons is because they’re set to classic melodies that your grandchildren already know and enjoy, such as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” Skip to My Lou,” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” They can focus on the words and their meanings without having to worry about the tune. Boca Beth has plenty of other bilingual education media products for young children, including more CD’s, DVD’s and videos, as well as Boca the Puppet and mini-maracas. Boca Beth products are educator-created, and have won numerous awards, including the iParenting Media Award and the 2007 Teacher’s Choice Award.
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This one’s actually for you, grandparents! Forward this along to your children or purchase it yourself and share it with them. It’s a new, simple way for you to instantly see photos of your grandchildren on your computer. One great example of its use is when your children and grandchildren are on vacation. They can take photos using their cell phone and then email the photos from their phone to their Kangadoo account. As a member of the family’s Kangadoo account, those photos will then instantly be available to you on your own family’s homepage! And if you choose to have Kangadoo as your “Start Page,” (a simple click of a button if you use Internet Explorer), the latest photos will instantly pop up when you start your web browser. Each family’s homepage is private and secure, and you can invite anyone you like to have access to it via email — yet you do not need to use a password. If you’re interested in signing up for Kangadoo or having your children sign up, just click on our “Learn More” link and when on the Kangadoo homepage, click on “Product Tour” and “Instruction Guide” to learn more. You can purchase the product by clicking “Purchase” and following instructions. (Note: You don’t need to enter your “Activation Code” when you’re first purchasing Kangadoo). Enjoy every moment and every photo!
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Dazzlin Dough was essentially developed for the educational market, but we found it for you at the 2008 Toy Fair. It’s far superior to other play dough or modeling dough, and it’s a great activity to do with your grandchild. When stored properly, its shelf life is longer than any other dough out there. And that means fewer dried-out messy crumbs! It comes in many vibrant colors and 10 different long-lasting fruity scents (our kids love to guess the smell!). And for budding artists, it can be air-dried, microwaved or oven-baked, and then painted with watercolors or acrylics — yet it’s completely non-toxic! This assortment set includes patties of five colors and scents, each in one-pound buckets. Those are the facts — you and your grandchild can take it from there!
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Deglingos are the most creatively designed plush stuffed animals on the market today. Whether you choose familiar creatures, like Nonos The Dog, Ronronos The Cat, Lapinos the Bunny or Milkos the Cow — or less traditional friends, like Molos The Lobster (see photo), Pikos The Hedgehog, Ratos The Rat, BigBos The Wolf, or Chikos The Hen — be prepared to adjust your thinking on what plush toys, or stuffed animals, are all about. Yes, Deglingos are perfect for cuddling, but they’re also conversation starters. These animals have personalities (sense of humor included), giving you and your grandchild a starting-off point for imaginary play. We could go on and on about the wide varieties of colors and quality fabrics used to create these unique designs and personalities, but you should see for yourself. Deglingos are sure to delight!
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Young children want computer time these days, whether to use educational software, or access great kid-friendly websites such as sesameworkshop.org or PBS.org to play games and learn. The challenge for grandparents and parents, however, is that we use our computers for other things, and want to prevent kids from mistakenly getting into work files or accessing inappropriate websites. This is where Peanut Butter Software comes in! It’s a very simple program that you load into your computer (easy to do) that provides a child-friendly “screen” for your grandchildren. This screen sits on top of your normal desktop (which you can re-access easily) and makes computer time safe and stress-free. The Peanut Butter Software screen allows kids as young as 3 to log on themselves and access websites, games and educational software that you’ve pre-selected for them, without them ever going anywhere near your important files or inappropriate websites. My husband and I have always been insistent on being with our children (ages 3 and 5) during computer time, but with Peanut Butter Software, they’re now enjoying some independence, and loving every minute of it! The desktop or “launch pad” (which gets placed over your Windows desktop), is designed to look like a backyard. You can install a photo of each of your grandchildren for them to click on and load their personal settings, and then the programs you’ve pre-selected for each of them. Once the kids are logged on, the Peanut Butter Software Browser takes over. It’s just like our desktop and browser, yet extremely simple and intuitive, making it possible for very young children to navigate. For instance, they don’t need to know the addresses for their favorite websites, or use a search engine to find them (and you don’t either). They just click on the icon for that website which is right in front of them on the screen. No more frustration and no more getting lost in grandma & grandpa’s files! And I should mention that it’s quite simple to install (trust me, if I can do it you can), and even simpler to exit back to your Windows desktop (simply click “CTRL,” “ALT,” & “P”). This is a great investment for $24.95 that your younger grandchildren will love, and that will give you peace of mind. Click on the link below to go to Peanut Butter Software’s website where you can learn more, see a demo, and even download a free trial version of the software to try it yourself!
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If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway vacation with your children and grandchildren and, please excuse the cliché, “fun for the whole family,” then you may want to consider a Disney Cruise. It’s not the first cruise we’d recommend to adults without children (although plenty of couples choose it as their honeymoon destination!). Since we’re talking about an intergenerational vacation, however, and since most kids are fascinated by all things Disney, chances are you won’t regret this choice. Of course, the cruise is another vehicle for disseminating the Disney message, and you’ll need to embrace that fact prior to embarking. More importantly, it’s a way of enjoying a first-class cruise and all that it offers for adults, plus plenty of top-notch activities (some Disney-related and some not) for your grandchildren. The nice thing about the Disney Cruise is that in addition to having lots of luxurious amenities for all ages, children are treated like “little adults” on board, each age group with their own space to play, or “hang out” — all day, and well into the evening, if they wish. Younger children are supervised and escorted by qualified counselors. Disney puts great effort into pleasing kids in every stage — from tots to teens. There are 2 ships (Disney Wonder and Disney Magic), and a variety of cruising options — as short as 3 and 4-night Bahamian Cruises, to 7-night Caribbean and Mexican Riviera Cruises, to a 15-night Panama Canal Cruise. Most of the cruises include a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, equipped with all things Disney… island style. And let’s not forget the food (now we’re talking!). All-family dining includes 3 differently-themed restaurants that you rotate through at dinnertime. Also included is an “adult only” restaurant for those who need a little break from the kids, or simply wish to indulge. Finally, as you’ve probably already guessed (or heard from others), the Disney Cruise is not an economy vacation — as with anything, you pay for quality, which this cruise line does provide. For more information, follow on our “Click Here” button (below) which takes you to Disney, then click on the “Travel” button at the top of the page, and then the “Disney Cruiselines” button on the left. Of course they make it easy to shop for other Disney toys and gifts while on their site.
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This rocket ship by International Playthings is great for toddlers, as there are no small or complicated parts. It’s also great for preschoolers who are at the height of their imaginary play phase. Although made of plastic, it’s of quality construction with lots of fun accents you might find in a real space shuttle (cockpit, cargo hold, microwave, Murphy bed, toilet, etc.). In addition to the rocket ship, the set includes 2 astronauts, space dog, alien, dune buggy, and moon crater. And, of course, there is a button that when pushed, takes kids through the “lift off” sequence (10, 9, 8… lift off!), simulates other rocket sounds, and lights up the “boosters.” A really fun and popular toy!
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“This is Bear’s house and this is the key. Open the door and what do you see?” Both of our kids can recite this entire book on the spot, as can my husband and I. Bear at Home is one in a series of “Bear” infant and toddler books published and sold by Barefoot Books, a publishing house focused on quality, creativity and cultural diversity. The “Bear” series, which also includes Bear About Town, Bear’s Busy Family, Bear in Sunshine, Bear in a Square, and Bear on a Bike, are simple rhyming books that surprisingly cast an immediate spell on babies, toddlers, parents and grandparents, drawing them in time and time again. One of the things that makes Bear at Home and all of Barefoot Books’ titles so alluring yet comforting are the vibrantly colored illustrations, which, at the same time, are simple, and somehow familiar. Babies and toddlers love them. When reading this to my kids, I’d often joke that I would love to live in Bear’s house! Bear’s house, with “big cozy chairs,” and “walls painted bright” seems to be the kind of safe, fun place where we all want our children and grandchildren to be.
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Dolce Mia Designs, a family-owned business, has been creating beautifully crafted gifts since 1995. Their vintage inspired designs bring smiles to our faces — we own several pieces! Their children’s and baby lines, in particular, boast a unique combination of playfulness and warmth reminiscent of the toys and activities of earlier generations. Choose from several new Wall Art pieces (shown here), frames, clocks, note cards, photo albums, brag books, placemats and growth charts. And you can combine different pieces within the same theme — for instance, a picture frame and clock both with the “construction truck” pattern. Themes range from “princess,” “fairies,” and “ballerina,” for girls, to “space,” “firefighter,” “race cars” and “trains” for boys, among others. And if you’re in need of a baby gift, look no further! Noah’s Arc, a baby chick, little lamb, and even a little “Cupie,” make appearances in this adorable collection of memorable gifts.
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