Fort Building Kits: EZ Fort by Toobeez

EZ Fort by Toobeez
Images are Clickable for current information and pricing at Amazon

Most kids love imagining, and pretend play often leads to adventures in imaginary buildings.  Older kids love the idea of having a fort, but the construction of a real fort is often limited by the availability of space or materials.  Further, an 8 year old doesn't have the construction skills needed to turn plywood into a solid and safe construction. 

Fort building kits can be a great way of encouraging that pretend play, and equipping your youngsters with manageable tools and materials to create.  Further, the fort can be put away, stored compactly, and kept for another day. Fort building is a great way to develop spatial skills in your children, giving the kinesthetic (hands on) learner a great way to work in his preferred style.  Younger children may need some assistance, older children have the opportunity to be innovative with the materials.

EZ Forts are suitable for ages 3+, and include rods, and connectors, along with coordinated sheet covering suited to the theme.  In addition to the basice EZ Fort, you will find the Fairy Tale Castle, The Bunker, and the EZ Fort Playhouse.

















Toobeez also has other construction kits available, including the helicopter kit.

Find Teambuilding Activities for Toobeez

Cash Register Toys Develop Math and Money Skills

Cash Register Toys for Kids are made in many styles and colors,
great for accomodating a child's favorites, in terms of these attributes.
Images are clickable, for up to date pricing at Amazon.

Cash register toys have been popular for decades, though styles change and evolve with the times.  More recent cash register toys for kids include scanner devices, and credit card slots, quite often.  While many parents berate these toys for encouraging credit card use, a parent can truly make good educational use of such a toy, by interacting with a child, and using it as an early learning teaching tool.

Supermarket Cash Register by Constructive Playthings

There isn't a set age at which your child will be officially ready for a toy cash register, but if you plan to use it as an instructional tool, you should be sure that your youngster is able to handle coins, and that he or she won't try to consume them.  Ages one and two are really not ready for the process, and trust me, having a coin extracted from the esophagus of your overzealous toddler is not pleasant.  Wait until at least age 3, for a cash register which will involve real money use.  There are some safer versions for very young children, with large plastic coins that are swallow proof, but even these are generally labeled for 3+.

This Fisher Price Fun 2 Imagine Cash Register
uses large, chunky plastic coins, which fit into slots.

From the point at which your toddler/pre-schooler can count, it's great to use things to count, and coins work well.  Money math is a great way to instill the values of different coins, practicing with pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.  Fifty cent pieces, and bills can be incorporated as your child gets older, and learns to handle bigger quantities.  Play and practice are very informal, with coins being counted, and traded for those of equal value.

Just Like Home Cash Register Toy

For example, set up a little shop, and price everything in cents, appropriate for the counting abilities of your child.  If something is priced at 8 cents, pay in pennies.  Have your child try trading some of those pennies for a coin of greater value.  Make it a game of how to pay best.  A child at this stage may not be ready for making change, but is capable of learning coin exchanges.  The cash register toy is merely a fun element of the game...and yes, make the activity a game, because learning is so much more fun when it's relevant, or enveloped in the context of playtime!

Melissa and Doug Play Money Cash Drawer

The play money set, featured above, can be a fun way of providing that same experience, without a cash register.  Play money is fine, if you want to work in big quantities, but it's also good to use real coins in order to help your children become familiar with value, feel, and use of real money.  

Coin Counting Money Jar

When one of my youngsters was learning math, I gave her a penny for every correct problem.  At the end of the week, we had a trading day, where we traded in pennies for larger value coins.  This helped her to work well on her math, but also reinforced money values in the process. 

For your early learners, ages 4-6, a cash register toy is a great gift, lending itself to fun pretend play, as well as to formal learning.  You can find a full selection of toy cash registers here, and a full selection of money counting jars and banks here.

Tablet Toys: Touchscreen Tablets for Kids

LeapPad Explorer Tablet vs. VTech InnoTab Tablet

***Update:  VTech Innotab is now available for pre-order from retailers such as Amazon, due to be available September 15 of this year.  If you are ready to pick one up, be aware that the pre-order allotments on LeapPad Explorer ran out quickly, and whether you plan to pick up Innotab, or LeapPad Explorer, these will be hot sellers in the coming holiday season.

VTech InnoTab in Pink, available for pre-order at Amazon.

VTech InnoTab in Blue, available for pre-order at Amazon.

***Update:  LeapPad Explorer Tablet Learning Systems are currently available for purchase from a variety of retailers, including Amazon, linked below.

In February of 2011, two of the top companies involved in creating educational electronic products for kids, LeapFrog and VTech, made announcements related to their upcoming releases of Tablets for Kids.  The touchscreen technology, so popular in smartphones and tablet pc's for adults, is now moving into the realm of educational electronics for kids. 

In reality, touchscreen technology has been close, with stylus interaction in several children's educational gaming systems in recent years.  My own youngsters use their fingers when the stylus is misplaced or inconvenient, in their Leapsters and in Pixters from several years ago.  The arrival of the tablet for kids is a great step, or leap, in electronic learning systems.

Both the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Tablet, and the VTech InnoTab, will have 5" color touch screens, and both are built with sturdy protective housing, perfect for handling by kids from ages 4 to 9, who sometimes struggle with manual dexterity.  Whereas your iPad might be in jeopardy in these small hands, the LeapPad Tablet, and the Innopad Tablet, will be able to stand up to the rough and tough nature of children. 

The LeapPad Explorer tablet will have more than 100 learning games available when it launches, as well as e-books, flashcards, and videos. As well, the LeapPad Explorer will be compatible with the Leapster Explorer library.  Launching in summer of 2011, the LeapPad tablet will retail at $99.99, with game cartridges priced at $24.99, and downloadable applications priced at $7.50.  The LeapPad tablet will integrate with the LeapFrog website, to track learning progress.  LeapFrog's tablet will include a broad span of curricula, with the ability to adapt to the skills of the user as he interacts, so that your child will learn at his level.  Creativity is enabled with built in camera, video recorder, and microphone, as well as an animation studio.  Read more in the LeapFrog press release.


VTech InnoTab is slated for release in the fall of 2011, with a retail price of $79.99.  At launch, there will be 9 software cartridge titles available, several featuring popular Disney characters, and other favorite childhood characters, priced at $24.99.  There will be the ability to download additional learning games and activities from VTech's website.  Ability to listen to music, with MP3 integration, and watch videos, are highlights, as well as a caluculator, calendar, address book, notepad, and clock.  USB and SD technology permit transfer of data from a PC.  Read more in VTech's press release.

Both tablet toys for kids are promising in terms of providing a great educational experience, while giving children the thrill of using a device similar to that of their parents.  LeapPad Explorer Tablet is slightly higher priced, but available sooner, giving it a slight edge over VTech InnoTab in getting a jump on exposure.  For those looking toward the 2011 holiday season, however, the InnoTab has the edge in pricing. 

As an educator, and parent of children who have used toys by both LeapFrog and VTech, I'm certain that both will be great for kids, and both will facilitate learning across all learning styles.  Tablet PC's are great at involving the kinesthetic learner, through the interactivity and manipulative element of using fingers to interact with the system.  Further, the visual learner is well-suited to electronic systems such as these, which allow them to visualize spelling, models of math concepts, and other learning activities.  The auditory learner processes sound, and the use of a tablet toy will permit the auditory learner to hear concepts being reinforced.

I tend to prefer LeapFrog's products, particularly because they have produced so many great educational toys with interactivity through the years.  Some of my favorite LeapFrog learning toys have been retired, but I always find the LeapFrog products to have good sound and visual quality, and the capability of adapting through computer interface is a plus. For the additional cost, I would lean toward LeapFrog's tablet system, in my own purchasing.  However, at this time I, like you, will be waiting for the touchscreen toys' release, before I will have a full opinion.

You can keep your eyes out for both systems on Amazon's Hot New Releases Page in Educational and Learning Toys.

Kindle with Special Offers

Have you been thinking about purchasing an ereader to have in your home, as a means to encourage reading in your family?  Perhaps you are homeschooling, and would love to have access to the public domain works, available through Amazon's extensive library, many of them free?  Amazon just sweetened the deal, with its top rated, top selling ereader.  Kindle with Special Offers releases May 3, 2011, but is now available for pre-order.

Kindle with Special Offers incorporates sponsored screen savers from Amazon's partners.  As well, you will have access to some sweet deals from Amazon, and partners such as Audible.com.  MP3 downloads at discounts, bargain deals on audiobooks, and discounted Amazon gift cards are some of the initial deals mentioned. 


Kindle is great for all modalities, if you are familiar with learning styles.  For the visual learner, the child who interprets and retains best those things he sees, a reader of any type is a great learning tool.  For the auditory learner, what a wonderful opportunity to reinforce learning, by providing access to books and materials in audio form, as the auditory learner best processes information that is heard.  For the hands on learner, the interactivity of a Kindle is an outstanding feature.  Further, the portability of the Kindle makes it a device that can go outside...your tactile learner can use the Kindle while swinging, sunning on the trampoline, or sitting on the edge of the fort.  My tactile learners take to video games quite well, and I find the Kindle a much better investment than a video game system.  Further, my children are leaps and bounds beyond me, in terms of ability with small handheld devices.

Establish some guidelines, of course, as an irresponsible child could mean disaster, if you allow him to tote the Kindle about, without limitations.  If the Kindle goes out of doors, make sure it does so, with your permission, and awareness.

You may find that the Kindle provides an interesting incentive, for your youngsters.  For example, finishing school work early might earn some time reading on the device.  It's novel enough, if your children aren't inundated with electronics, that it will be interesting. 

If you aren't sure about Kindle, this special offers version of the Kindle is an opportunity to try it out, at a lesser price.  Maybe you will want to consider this, down the road, as a Christmas gift or birthday present for your tween, or teen.  This is a great way to check it out extensively, and to even let your youngsters give it a whirl. 

More Kindle Versions

Kindle Wireless Reading, with Wi-Fi, 6" Display

Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device, with free 3G + Wi-Fi

KINDLE CLASSICS:

Ereaders for Tweens and Teens

Kindle for Tweens and Teens

Ereaders have become very popular among many cross-sections of life, and ereaders are great, as well, for tweens and teens. The advantage of an ereader, over an iPod or smartphone app, is size, as the small screens of these devices can stress and strain the eyes. While an iPad is a larger source for using these apps, the expense is significant. Maybe you don't want to spend quite that much on a tween ereader! Your teen, no doubt, would love the iPad, but it may not fit the budget. When my tweens and teens set their sites on high priced items, I start talking about their future job lives, and suggest that they are more than welcome to have an iPad when they can afford to buy it for themselves!


Computer access to ereader materials is another option, as the ebooks are able to be used from the same account, across multiple devices, making your household computer the most viable option for ereading. However, it's important to recognize that a desktop computer is not portable, and a tween or teen is anchored. If you have more than one young person who uses that computer, then you know that computer time is at a premium, and your tween or teen ereader is limited in the time they can devote to reading. A netbook or laptop, likewise, include higher costs, and bulky size.

Ereaders are light, portable, and comfortable in size. Some people prefer a real book, when it comes to reading, and this is truly an issue. An ereader for your tween or teen, however, makes a lot of sense if some of the following are the case:



***Household storage space is limited.

***Access to ample reading material is limited (for example, if you live in a rural community with a small library, and no book stores).

***Budget for reading materials is limited (Many classic books are available for ereader download, free of charge).

There are several ereaders available, and most are able to be used by tweens and teens. Kindle, by Amazon, is a great choice, with anti-glare technology. Your tween or teen can read outside, without the difficulty of seeing well in the sunshine. I can't say the same for my iPhone, which causes tremendous glare problems when I try to see anything in our sunny Desert Southwest setting. Amazon Kindle also has options for either a wireless connection, or a wireless/3g connection. With the slightly greater cost of the 3g model, you have free internet access wherever 3g signals exist, through ATT. This free 3g connection is a great plus.

Kindle has become slightly more economical, as well, with the wireless version being made available with sponsored offers and screensavers, which provides a $25 discount on the price of the wireless version. If you are interested in the best ereader, at the lowest price, the Amazon Kindle with wireless will make a great value, at $114.00. Your tween and teen bookworms have a world of reading at their fingertips, and it's better priced than ever! Audio books are also available, through Audible, for use on Kindle. Kindle is able to store up to 3500 books, and has a book lending feature, as well.

Sony's Ereader is comparable in price, to the Amazon Kindle with Special offers loaded, but without these offers. The Sony model has a 5" screen, but lacks a keyboard, as well as many of the extensive features of Kindle.

Nook is slightly greater in price, than the Kindle WiFi, with primarily touchscreen operation. While Kindle is not compatible with epub books, Nook is. Nook batteries are changeable, whereas Kindle must be sent away for a battery change. Nook storage is expandable, with an SD card, while Kindle is not. Nook comes in wifi, or wifi/3g versions, as well as color.

If you are looking for an inexpensive ereader for your tween or teen, then Kindle is the most cost effective, for the quality. If you are dealing with a reluctant tween, or teen, reader, the investment in the Kindle is not going to stress your wallet. However, if you are interested in an all-out effort to encourage your tween or teen to read, and an ereader is your solution, money not being the top consideration, then Nook Color is the most attractive of the ereader selections. Everything depends on budget and goals