Friday, September 3, 2010
Paper Jamz is a series of faux instruments—guitar, drums and amps—that lets kids pretend they are rock stars. They are remarkably thin, portable and a joy for kids to play loudly—much to the chagrin of Mom and Dad.
Better, a number of these back-to-school education app lists come from teachers or involved parents. Indeed, there are a number of app lists for teachers to help prepare for the coming school year.
Is this the year I finally go to the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago? I’ve been wanting to go, but, you know, being a responsible parent and all, it seemed like a bad idea to head off to a 3-day concert. The babysitting expenses alone were enough to scare me away. Now I have a better [...]
This story was first published in Vegas Seven When networking gear maker Cisco Systems bought the Flip line of pocket-size camcorders last year for $590 million, people thought Cisco had lost its sense of good business. The nation was mired in a recession and Flip’s competition was mounting. But Cisco made a bet on what [...]
I love gadgets and modern technology as much as anyone, but there are some things in life that are fine just the way they are. For me, that includes the glorious Mold-a-Rama machine, a staple at Chicago’s museums and zoos. You’ll find them elsewhere around the country, too, and for me, they make for the [...]
I’m a big believer in letting children use digital cameras to take pictures. Kids will experiment with cameras in ways adults don’t consider, which often translates into unique and entertaining images. (I suggest giving your kid an old digital camera to call his own — but don’t buy a kids’ themed camera.) Now I’m letting [...]
Last weekend’s Free Comic Book Day was a huge hit in my household, as the boy, a neighbor and myself visited three local comic book stores to grab fun stuff and meet interesting people. Yet the goodness need not end, as comic book writer Trevor Mueller pointed out when I met him at Chicago’s Brainstorm [...]
Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, and if you don’t think it matters, tell that to Hugh Jackman. Listen to his message or he’ll poke you with his adamantium claws. Related Posts, Bendable Gadgets:A camping tool also shines for reading at nightReading with Pictures brings comics to the classroomWant to encourage reading? Go to Free [...]
If my six-year-old son has a favorite day of the year outside of his birthday, it’s probably Free Comic Book Day. The excitement is building in our house since Free Comic Book Day is Saturday (May 1) — it’s always the first Saturday in May, as my boy would explain. The day provides just what [...]
Spring is a great time to get out and walk, ride your bike or just head to the local playground. As parents, we revel in getting outdoors to enjoy the weather and get some exercise. Indeed, my wife and I love to walk around Chicago. The kids would much rather hang out at the playground [...]
If you’re interested in a toy that will entertain and exercise your kids indoors or out, the Wahoo is a great choice. This inflatable puppy is made for bouncing, similar to the sit-on bouncing balls you probably used as a kid. The difference: The Wahoo has four legs, making it is easier for little kids [...]
If you read my post on iPhone games for kids, you’ll realize I’m cheap. I won’t spend much for video games because kids — well, at least my 6-year-old — are fickle when it comes to video games. My son, for example, will play some games repeatedly and others only sparingly. Plus, as a parent [...]
I have one rule when it comes to downloading an iPhone game for my kid: It must be free. Now, I know many parents will not download games for their kids, believing that one, having your kid play with your iPhone is a recipe for disaster, or two, video games are addicting and they don’t [...]
This post first appeared on Mydadnme.com. Those first warm, sunny days of spring are a wonderful time for families. We want to go outside and shake off the winter chill and welcome the warming weather. If you have a new toy to share with the kids, even better. We just had one of those days, [...]
I had an interesting conversation with Jim Donio after I posted a blog about children’s music mom and dad would like. Donio is the president of NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, a group made of of music industry executives and retailers. NARM occasionally holds its annual conference in Chicago, an event I’ve covered [...]
