Tag Archives: alex

Parents@Play 2016 Gift Guide #1: Make It Yourself

Where has the year gone? It seems like we just finished ushering in 2016. But here were are, already getting ready for the winter Holidays. To help you through the often-daunting task of gift buying (and giving), here’s our first Gift Guide.

Dinosaur Skull Dig (Discovery Kids)

discovery kids dinosaur dig If you have a budding archaeologist around the house, he, she, or you will have great time excavating this scale model of a T-Rex skull. The skull itself is encased in plaster, and you’ll use the included tools (a wooden mallet, paint brush, and chisel) to gently liberate it. Besides learning about how archaeologists work (including how they clean up), you’ll also learn plenty about dinosaurs from the large poster. The kit also comes with a display stand. It’s for ages 12 and up and is available for $19.99 exclusively at Michael’s. Discovery Kids also makes two other science-based kits (Rock & Gem Dig Kit and Crystal Growing Kit). https://www.michaels.com

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Arts: The A in Steam

It would be hard to find anyone these days who doesn’t know about STEM—science, technology, engineering, and math—which are the skills our children need to learn if they’re going to become the leaders of tomorrow. But many people (including everyone here at Parents@Play) believe that the arts, in all its many variations, are also critical skills. Hence STEAM, which adds an A to the mix. If you’ve been searching for some great art-related activities to do with your family, look no further—we’ve got you covered.

Fab Foil Nail Roller (Alex)

fab foil nail roller Who would have thought that there’d be so many ways to decorate nails? With this kit, attach a double sided sticker to the nail, roll some foil onto the exposed side of the sticker, and you’re ready to hit the town with nails a-shimmering. No nail polish needed, which his good news for people who have trouble with the smell (although you can add topcoat to protect your manicure). Comes with 30 foil strips, a storage pouch, and instructions. For ages 8+. Under $22. http://www.alexbrands.com/

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Games for Tweens and Teens

One of our biggest challenges here at Parents@Play is to find games that tweens and teens will not only be willing to play with their family, but that they’ll actually want to play (and that don’t involve cell phones or anything else with a screen). Here are four that we’re confident will soon be on your family’s list of game-night hits.

Disgusting Anatomy Brain (Scientific Explorer)

disgusting brain This kit is part chemistry experiment, part anatomy lesson, part art project, and all disgusting. It starts innocuously enough in the kitchen, where you cook up some gooey gelatin and pour it into a mold to create a slimy, life-sized model of a human brain. While you’re waiting for it to set, read the booklet and find out the basics of brain anatomy and function. And since your eyes use 65% of the brain’s pathways (a fact we learned from the booklet), there’s also a mold for a monster-sized eyeball (which, along with the brain, you can paint as revoltingly as you’d like). A fun, engaging, educational project to do with your kids. For ages 9 and up. www.alexbrands.com

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Shooting Stars

Little kids have access to more technology than ever before. And one of their favorite activities is taking pictures. For parents, the challenge is finding inexpensive, good-quality, easy-to-use cameras. This week we look at two devices that satisfy all three requirements, as well as some toys that make use of an alternate definition of “shoot,” and something that’ll help instill some order into your spring and summer.

Kidizoom Smart Watch DX (VTech)
VTech has packed an amazing number of features into one kid-friendly smart watch. For example, your little one can take photos, shoot videos, play games, and record his or her voice. He or she can also use the Smart Watch DX as a pedometer, timer, alarm, and, gasp, as an actual watch (choose a clock display from among more than 50 analog or digital options). It’s all accessible through an easy-to-use touch screen display. The rechargeable battery lasts anywhere from a day to two weeks, depending on usage. And the internal memory can store a day’s worth of pics and vids that Mom or Dad can USB over to your computer for editing. The DX watch is splash- and sweat proof, but not intended for underwater use. Ages 4+. $44.99 www.vtechkids.com

Snap Pets (WowWee)
Snap Pets are cute, easy-to-use, Bluetooth cameras that are great for taking selfies, group shots, and more. It all starts by pairing the free app with your Pet (they come in a variety of colors and animals). Once that’s done, you can start shooting. Sometimes it’s hard—especially for people with small hands—to hold the phone for a selfie and push the shutter button without messing up the shot or dropping the phone. But Snap Pet gives you several options. The Pet is small enough to fit in a child’s hand and all you do is hold it at arm’s length and push the button on its head. Your selfie is automatically Bluetoothed over to your phone or tablet. Want to include yourself in a group action shot? No problem. Just put your Pet down, set the timer, and start dancing. Phone ran out of juice? No problem there either. The Snap Pet can store up to 20 pics that you can download, edit, and share with your besties later. Ages 6+. About $29.95. www.wowwee.com

Air Warrior blasters (Buzz Bee Toys)
Taking pics isn’t the only kind of shooting kids like. And Buzz Bee (now part of the Alex Brands family—and you know how we love Alex!) has a whole collection of fun, safe, blasters for the whole family. All of them shoot foam suction darts and offer a wonderful opportunity to talk to kids about gun safety. The Predator launches those darts up to 30 feet; the Snipe sends them flying up to 72 feet; and the Tyrant blasts as far as 80 feet. Ages 6+. Prices vary. http://www.buzzbeetoys.com

LabelWorks Label Printers (Epson)
Winter is barely underway, but we’re already starting to think about spring cleaning and even plan for the summer, both of which involve plenty of organization. For those of us with not-very-legible handwriting, creating labels for files or trying to put a child’s name on the inside of a piece of clothing is a frightening prospect. Epson’s LabelWorks line makes that a lot easier. Depending on the unit and the label material, you can create just about any kind of label, including crack-and-peel, tape, and iron-on. Kits generally come with several label cartridges and a keyboard that prints letters, numbers, symbols, emojis, and a lot more. Prices vary. www.epson.com/labelworks

All Yours, Baby-Toys for Toddlers

When it comes to play, toddlers are a pretty accommodating group, capable of having fun with almost anything, almost anywhere. (As a toddler, Armin’s oldest daughter’s favorite toy was a 29-cent dish scrubber). But finding toddler toys and games that will keep adults engaged too is harder. Here are four toys that you and your little one will definitely be able to enjoy together.

Kids’ Picnic Table (American Plastic Toys)
The name of the company—American Plastic Toys—says it all: Everything they manufacture is made of plastic and it’s all built in America. The only things they left out are that, while their toys aren’t fancy, they’re sturdy, safety tested, fun to play with, and surprisingly affordable. (The “Unpretentious, Sturdy, Safe, Fun, Affordable American Plastic Toys company” seems a little cumbersome). Their new picnic table is no exception. Adult assembly is required, but it takes only a few minutes and you won’t need screws or tools. Once it’s built, it becomes the perfect table for messy activities. Cover it with sand, spill a glass of grape juice, or knock over a cup of finger paint? Did the kids turn it on its side to use it as a fort? No problem. Just hose is off, let it dry, and you’re good to go. Ages 2 and up. At major retailers or http://americanplastictoys.com/

Kids’ Sand and Water Play Set (American Plastic Toys)
The Sand and Water Play Set has two sections; a canal for water use, and a sand pit. There’s also a working crane for moving cargo from one area to the other. We especially liked the snap-on wave maker that kids can use to create a current to move boats up the canal. The Set also comes with cargo units, trucks, barges, and speedboats. It’s aimed at kids as young as 18 months, but you’ll love playing with it too. $14.99 at Target and other retailers.

Tots Fluffy Friends (Alex Toys)
Let’s face it, crafts can be messy—especially when they’re being done by a toddler. Tots Fluffy Friends changes all that. It’s a great way to give your little ones a chance to show off their creativity without you having to worry about glue, scissors, cleaning up, or finding glitter in your hair two weeks later. The kit comes with four crack-and-peel collage boards (shaped like a duck, cat, bear, and bunny), four packages of colorful, shredded paper, and 40 stickers. Once you’ve peeled the board, your toddler can make his or her own one-of-a-kind creation using bits (or handfuls) of the shredded paper and the stickers. Ages 18 months and up. $17.99 at major retailers or www.alextoys.com

Flip Flop ABC Blocks (Mirari/Patch Products)
As kids, most of us had ABC blocks, but you’ve never seen any like these. On one side of these clear plastic cubes is a bold, colorful letter. Turn it around and dancing on a string inside is an adorable animal or object that starts with the same letter (unicorn for U, star for S. grapes for G, and so on). There’s also a magnetic “magic wand” that your toddler can use to control the figures. These blocks are incredibly engaging (for adults and kids) and they’re great for building fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and of course, letter recognition (who knew that learning the alphabet could induce so many giggles?) They also introduce the concept of case and effect. Our only complaint is that not all of the letters have a corresponding figure (the ones that don’t feature a dancing letter instead). For ages 12 months and up. $49.99. At your favorite retailer or http://www.patchproducts.com/