Kids gamesLittle Sally will be spending the day learning architecture and exploring other cultures while she builds a scale replica of the Louvre. Timmy will be splicing tomato seeds to create a new species more resistant to the summer heat. Suddenly the smell of Pop-Tarts burning in the toaster wakes you from your reverie to the realization: you have an hour to make it into the office, and the kids will most likely spend the day zoning out in front of the TV. How do busy parents balance the fantasy of keeping kids active and educated over the summer, with the reality of work and life demands? Nerd Chicks have found some great games, techno gadgets and applications that your kids will love, but will also keep their brains working. Before you hand over your prized handheld electronics or let your kids loose on your computer, check out Zoodles (zoodles.com)
a free program you can download to any device with an Internet browser. This program is designed to allow you to put any device into "kid mode," showing only age-appropriate content (you enter your child's age upon installing the application), including a customized selection of educational games (from Nick Jr., Sesame Street, etc.) and videos. The simplified interface makes it difficult to navigate out of the program, so no more accidental clicking on the wrong Web page, launching a program you don't want accessed, or early morning phone calls to your boss from your fumbling 5-year-old. There is a premium edition ($7.95/month or $59.95/year) that offers more extensive parental controls, time limits, interactive storybooks, and an art/doodle mode so kids can create and save their own artwork. Premium members can also use the "promote subjects" option to steer youngsters toward the topics they want kids to focus on, like math, reading or creative skills. One word of caution: the games are predominantly Flash based, which greatly limits the usability on Apple devices.
If I told you there is a way to keep your 3- to 6-year-old entertained and active, all the while working on letters, numbers, shapes and colors, I bet you'd tell me I'd lapsed back into the fantasy I described a moment ago. It exists! Check out the Fisher-Price Fun-2-Learn Smart Fit Park, available at Amazon for about $35. This is a "learning mat" that plugs into your TV, like a Wii Fit for your toddler, but with no controller or game cartridges. Eighteen learning games and races will prompt your child to walk, run and jump their way through games that teach letter identification, numbers and counting, addition and subtraction, spelling and shapes. While those with high-definition large screen TVs will be punished with low-resolution graphics, your little one will be having too much fun to care.
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