December « 2007 « The Parent Bloggers Network

Gone Eggnoggin’

Monday, December 24th, 2007

Even bloggers must take a break, and so we here at Parent Bloggers Network will be on hiatus until January 2, 2008.

2008 — Can you believe that?

We’ll be back with some exciting new products, services, and Blog Blasts to start of the new year with a bang.

If you’re a potential client interested in working with us or a blogger interested in applying to be a part of our network, please contact us via our contact form. We will be taking new applicants for our network, but please be advised of the requirements before you apply.

And if you’d like to keep up with what’s going on within our network (including our monthly newsletter as well as in-your-email-box Blog Blast opportunities) make sure to sign up for our mailing list. We’re giving away a $100 amazon gift certificate to one random person who signs up between December 1 and December 31.

Happy Holidays!

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Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 7+) - Well Worth the Wait

Friday, December 21st, 2007

I almost feel guilty, writing a post describing the fabulous Discovery Channel Store toys that our bloggers have been reviewing, when both of those toys - the Discovery Tornado Lab and the Discovery Slide and Shoot Digital Camera - have grown so popular that they’re now on backorder until the end of February. But on the other hand, I can’t help but be excited that we were able to get first crack at them.

Given the mass popularity of these two items, it’s not at all surprising that our parent bloggers and their kids loved them too. As one blogger commented: “This isn’t the first Discovery toy I’ve owned, and it won’t be the last. I’ve always found them to be well made, and above all, educational.“ So while these toys may not be found under your tree next week, they’ll be worth the wait.

The Discovery Slide and Shoot Digital Camera is “a great introductory camera for a kid to have.“ While “this camera does not do well in low-light situations,” “in bright sunlight, the picture quality is quite good,” and the kids weren’t “at all deterred by this limitation and remained just as interested in snapping shots.”

The camera comes with software that includes basic photo editing options. One boy, who’s “all about taking the pictures, not playing around with them after the fact,” preferred to keep snapping. But another really got into the editing: “He was excited at being able to do stuff with his pictures and once I showed him how to navigate his way around, he was quite able to create some things on his own…We have some major plans to do up a 2008 calendar that he can keep in his room.” And one mother has “promised [my daughter] she and her pals will have their own custom stickers soon! That was an especially alluring feature and her friends are already clamoring to come over and give it a whirl.”

And since we had a few boys who checked out this camera, it’s worth mentioning that it has pink accents (and there’s no “blue version” available). The boys themselves didn’t care a whit - “[he] could have cared less that it had pink on it” - but the bloggers made the valid point that “…a camera is a genuinely unisex toy deserving of a unisex color.“ But one feature that was definitely boy-friendly was the attached lanyard: “It’s on a lanyard, so that he can’t possibly lose it. He is prone to losing things unless they are somehow affixed to his person. So, the whole lanyard aspect of it is the BEST. IDEA. EVER.”

All in all, the camera comes highly recommended: “…this is a great way to introduce the younger children in your family to digital photography. I had scoped out other “children’s” digital cameras…and I was not able to find any in that price range - they were more like $60-$70.“ Another mother agreed: “Definitely a product I would buy or recommend for a kid who is maybe a little hard to buy for. You’re getting them a hot, new, techy gadget without the big price tag.”

The Discovery Tornado Lab was also a tremendous hit. One blogger described how her daughter had seen a homemade tornado simulator, constructed from two-liter soda bottles and duct tape, and had been asking incessantly for the same thing, much to her mother’s chagrin:

“I don’t trust the combination of large amounts of water, duct tape, and the willy-nilly arms of a nine-year old. I just knew that the toy would work fine for a few minutes, and then I’d spend the rest of the day cleaning up blue-tinged water off my couch and off the walls. And most importantly, I don’t consider myself a “crafty” person. You may not consider taping two pieces of plastic together a craft, but for me it may as well be needlepointing an entire set of living room chairs.”

Unsurprisingly, both she and her daughter were thrilled to check out the professionally-constructed Discovery Tornado Lab: “Not only is it a hundred times more attractive than two Sprite bottles taped together, but at the touch of a button it makes tornado noises and has different speeds to simulate five different tornado strengths.”

Likewise, a blogger whose son received the lab - proclaiming it “the best toy…EVER” - explained that her son was already fascinated by tornadoes, thanks to the Discovery Channel: “…he and his dad have become fans of the show Storm Chasers…” He “was so enamored of this tornado machine, he insisted on taking it to school to do a demonstration.”

“He and his dad teamed up and explained how tornadoes are formed when high pressure and low pressure mix. They did a visual demonstration with dad as the high pressure, boy as low pressure. When the two met and linked arms, they spun around like psychotic square dancing partners and made a tornado…They then showed the tornado machine and let the kids stick their hands in it, turn it on different speeds, and showed how the heavy and the light particles react. It was quite a hit with the second grade class.”

Even at home, the lab was a source of great amusement. The first blogger reported: “It comes with some small objects to drop in to the water to see how they react to the vortex effect, but my kids filled it with everything - small sticks, a little bit of dirt, some leaves. At one point I even saw a Polly Pocket purse and a small rubber wig twirling around in there…”

The lab includes a DVD “that explains how tornadoes form, and has footage of actual tornadoes,” as well as an instruction manual “…filled with tornado facts and maps. It even has several experiments that you can do, and poses questions relating to the outcomes of those experiments.“ So while the Tornado Lab is lots of fun, it’s most certainly educational as well.

Check out both the Discovery Slide and Shoot Digital Camera and the Discovery Tornado Lab at the Discovery Channel Store, and place your orders now. Based on the reviews, these toys will be worth the wait!

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Posted in Elementary School, Kids, Toys | No Comments »

HP Photo Printer and Photo Books - Liven Up Your Holiday Gatherings!

Thursday, December 20th, 2007

The bloggers in the second half of this campaign have been just as thrilled with the products as the bloggers in the first half. As before, their photo editing and printing skills and experience range from novice to expert, so their feedback is varied. But all in all, the HP Photosmart A626 and the accompanying Photo Books have been a grand success.

In this final round-up, the blogger feedback will be grouped into the same three components as in the mid-campaign post: 1) Printer functionality; 2) Printer-based photo editing; and 3) the Photo Books and their associated photo editing software.

Printer functionality

Setting up the printer is unbelievably easy, whether you’re shaking in your boots at the sight of new technology or ready to plug-and-play:

A few bloggers even quoted how many minutes it took to set up and print a photo:

The bloggers had very individual preferences as to how they chose to print their photos. While many were disappointed that the USB cable wasn’t included (but was provided separately by HP for review purposes) - “I would say the only downside is that the required USB cable doesn’t come with it. Just my opinion, but include the cable, HP. It makes the consumer like you more when you can buy something and everything is in the box.” - one blogger is going to use the USB cable to tie back her curtains, because she “…used the printer without hooking it up to my computer. For me, this is the way to go, as it makes the printer truly portable as a stand-alone device…I did try using the printer in tandem with my computer, but I have to say that for me it defeated the whole purpose of having a photo printer. It took the novelty and fun out of being able to point and print out an image directly from my memory card…”

One blogger explained her need for the USB cable quite well: “…if you’re making a photo book of your child’s first year of life (as I was) and that child is now 4.5 years old, you’re going to need the USB cable to get those photos off of your computer.” But another blogger, who also agrees that the USB cable should be included with the printer, reported: “…while USB cord-less I came up with an easy work-around. I saved photos I’d edited with iPhoto to a memory stick and printed directly from it.”

The touch screen and stylus were winners with this group too:

Although the touch screen is surprisingly large (since the printer is so small), one blogger admitted: “My one gripe with the touch screen is that I’d prefer to view the pictures on the large screen of my computer to determine how they’re going to look before I print them.”

And the size of the printer was also cause for much comment. A blogger who owns a HP PSC commented: “It’s so compact, as I had it sitting next to my HP PSC, I thought, if my PSC had somehow mated and had a preemie, this would be the result.” Another agreed: “The coolest thing about the HP printer is how small and portable it is. It only weighs a little over 3 lbs and is about 10″ wide. Perfect for mobility and small spaces…” In fact, that same blogger “took it over to one of our shelters and offered to take pictures for folks who wanted them and was able to print them right then and there for some people, many of whom hadn’t had a photo taken of themselves in years.”

Another blogger also took her printer out for a spin: “To test out the HP we took it with us to a friend’s wedding. I happened to be the 2nd photographer for the event so I had opportunity to take many pictures of her beautiful day.” And yet another one plans to do so, thanks to the printer’s size: “I love how light and portable the printer is and I plan on bringing it to my daughter’s next dance competition so we can print photos on the spot.”

But with the compact nature comes some limitations. One blogger admitted: “Secretly I wish that the HP Photosmart A626 printer could accommodate up to a full-sized sheet, but I realize this would cut down on its portability factor.”

Still, the bloggers were greatly impressed by the printer - its ease of use: “As I tested this printer I never found cause to refer to the troubleshooting and support section of the user’s guide, but I read it anyway and found it to be very simple to understand, which can’t be said about many tech products these days.” - the recycling forethought: “One aspect of my test of the HP Photosmart A626 that really made me smile was that when I switched my introductory cartridge to the full cartridge, I noticed that the new print cartridge came with a postage-paid envelope in which to return the used cartridge - instant recycling. I love it!” - and its [ahem] durability: “…would the HP Photosmart A626 Compact Photo Printer throw itself off a desk at the sight of me?…After I plugged in this clock/radio-sized handy and resilient [cough] little photo printer and inserted the memory card from my camera, my six-year old son grabbed the reins. Let me do this, mom.”

Still not enough information here to convince you? Check out this tutorial video made by one of our bloggers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug72s7OZORc

Printer-based photo editing

A wide array of photo editing features are available using only the touch screen, such that photos can be “…edited in a myriad of ways: red-eye reduction, brightness control, cropping, addition of decorative frames, captioning, or freehand drawing. Of course I tried everything.”

The basic features passed the tests of both novice and expert photo editors:

The more elaborate features, such as framing and captioning, were definitely a lot of fun:

But as before, the bloggers lamented: “The only drawback is that you can’t save the edited pictures…” Likewise, one blogger commented: “As fun as the on-the-printer editing features are, I do enjoy looking carefully at my enlarged photographs to tweak them. Also, as the editing on the printer isn’t saved, anything I hope to post online (or share through email) will be edited first on my computer.” However, many agreed that: “The editing software is perfect for the novice scrapbooker…”

Photo Books and software

The Photo Books “…are a scrapbooker’s dream, literally allowing you to create a beautiful digital scrapbook layout, add personalized items or journaling, and pop together into a very well made hard backed cover. I was surprised at how nicely the books work…The formatting of the photo book allows you to not only create a fun and unique gift idea, but a keepsake that you can continue to update and change in time up to 25 pages.”

The novices loved them: “It was a breeze. A snap. Easy as pie. The photos snap right into these attractive, fabric-covered books and - hallelujah! - will make an excellent gift for the grandparents this year.” - and so did the experts: “The HP Photo Books are incredibly easy to use…Once the cover and back are in the proper position, the pages do not slide out: they are secure…The software includes photo gifts, calendars, prints, CD labels, greeting cards, and other projects in addition to the layouts for the HP Photo Books. I could definitely spend a lot of time making funthings for my family out of pictures of my boys.”

Once again, one of the bloggers timed herself: “Start your stopwatch. I got the software added. Worked around in the software to familiarize myself with the options, finding picture folders to add to the Library. Then, literally TWENTY MINUTES LATER, I had a completed 5×7 photo book, with theme pages, printed, ready and popped into the binder. Officially, this is the quickest photo project I’ve ever done on my computer (because I can never manage to keep anything simple) and also, this is a gift that will receive the most rave reviews when I give it to the recipient at Christmas.”

The bloggers did voice some dissatisfaction where it came to the associated software - ranging from system compatibility: “I did experience a minor snafu when attempting to install the software CD, but this I attribute to the fact that my computer is OLD and lacking in RAM. I was therefore unable to fully experience the many additional photo editing features and designs available through HP.” to design and layout issues: “Another aspect of the Photo Book that I found a bit puzzling was that there is no added left margin to the page to accommodate for the binding. For full-size photographs, this means part of the photo is cut off. Similarly, a centered picture isn’t really centered anymore once the binding is taken into consideration.” One seasoned photo editor prefers to stick with her usual design programs, commenting that: “…the software is far too limiting for even the modestly creative type.”

However, another designer really liked how all of the components fit together, noting that it “…made me marvel at how ingenious the whole HP photo system is.”

Summary

As we noted in the mid-campaign post, the HP Photosmart A626 printer and Photo Books are a simple and relatively inexpensive way to finally get those pictures out of your computer and onto photo paper, whether they’re printed as individual photos or gathered in a Photo Book as a gift. The printer is exceptionally user-friendly, and its size makes it even more attractive.

But most importantly, these products are about having fun with photography. One of our reviewers described a perfect example of just how much fun she and her family have had with them:

“My two daughters, ages 9 and 11, couldn’t get enough of the Photosmart and turned into photo-printing maniacs; I had to put my foot down when I realized they were going through all of my paper printing pictures of my daughter’s stuffed rabbit in various forms of inebriation while holding a wine bottle Christmas tree ornament.”

While those shots probably won’t make it into the Photo Book for the grandparents, our blogger is now “…considering purchasing them a Photosmart of their very own…”

Why not? At less than $150 (check circulars for sales and rebates!), the HP Photosmart A626 makes a fabulous gift, not to mention an entertaining holiday activity in itself!

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Autolite Flareglo and Spotglo: I’m Gonna Let it Shine

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Thanks to shorter days and very dark car rides, our bloggers have had plenty of opportunities to try out the Spotglo, a light that conveniently attaches to a seat belt allowing passengers to safely read books, maps, or whatever else they need. We hope, however, that they only had to test the Flareglo, a fantastic and reusable alternative to real flares.

Of course, with kids and long holiday rides, it’s definitely better to be safe that left out in the cold. And for only 11.99, it’s a great way to make sure you’re prepared without having to mess with traditional flares.

As far as Spotglo was concerned, the bloggers appreciated its convenient size. “I like how small it is. The Spotglo stores easily in the glove compartment - even an overcrowded one like ours. It clips easily over the seatbelt and doesn’t add a huge weight to the shoulder belt.” Another added “It is small. At about 2X3 inches, it fits easily in my glove compartment, seat back pockets and any other storage spot - even my purse. Even storing three is no problem.”

Additionally, bloggers noted that it was easy to use — always a plus! “It is easy to use, even for my youngest son. It unfastens and fastens easily with no fancy do-hickies or snaps. Just pops open and shut, but stays shut securely.” Another blogger stated “Why would you want an LED light? Simple. It creates no glare off of the other windows and does not distract the driver, both absolute necessities in my van. It clips easily onto the seatbelt and remains there, without sliding around and therefore it didn’t get lost. ”

And for something so small, even the low setting of the light was adequate. “It’s a bright, white light - I was impressed with the light strength.“And it lasts! “Because it’s so lightweight, the light didn’t seem to be heavy enough to last longer than a few days, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised that we’ve have it for close to two months now and it is still going strong.”

If you’re planning a long trip, or just like to be extra prepared, make sure to check out these, and the other products from Autolite!

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Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 5+) - Science Is Their New Favorite Subject

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

“I’ve got a riddle for you. What’s blue, talks, and keeps my kids busy for an hour at a time?

The Spark Talking Telescope!”

She’s not kidding; both the Spark Talking Telescope and the Spark Talking Microscope from the Discovery Channel Store have been top favorites of our parent bloggers and their children too.

The telescope was beloved just as much by this group of bloggers as it was by the first group. The kids loved gazing at the pictures - “…beautiful - very colorful and clear. They actually feature NASA images.” - learning about the bodies featured on the slides - “…[he] was particularly enthralled to hear facts about each.” - and testing themselves - “his competitive nature meant he was eager for the quiz…”

The parents were impressed too. They loved the slide drawer: “The slides are held in a tray that slides in and out of the main body of the telescope. I like it when you can easily keep all the pieces together!” and were pleasantly surprised to find that “…the talking is not too loud or obnoxious (like other learning toys I’ve had to lose to retain my own sanity).”

Another blogger figured out how to switch between slides without turning the telescope off and back on again (this question was brought up by a few bloggers in the first group):

“Once the telescope is in a particular mode - facts or quiz - it remains that way until switched. This can possibly cause some confusion if the child switches the slide right after being quizzed about the previous slide; however, it is easy enough to simply switch back to facts mode with a new slide before attempting the quiz.”

In other words, pop the new slide in place and hit the facts button, then enter the new slide’s code when prompted.

One blogger who reviewed the telescope reported: “I’m so impressed that I’m going to purchase the Spark Talking Microscope as a birthday present for my oldest when she turns six.” And judging by the blogger reviews of the microscope, she will be just as thrilled with it as she is with the telescope.

The Spark Talking Microscope operates much the same as the telescope: “The microscope comes with slides that your child can slide into the microscope and look at under 5x magnification. Then the microscope tells them all about it. When they are done, there is a quiz mode. Learning and fun all wrapped up into one!” Another blogger commented: “The microscope is surprisingly sturdy, made of very well constructed plastic and the slides are also quite durable. [My son] was thrilled to remove the items from the box and was soon on his way to exploring all kinds of new creatures including a flea, brine shrimp, scorpion…”

The microscope was even a hit with a little girl whose mother wasn’t sure how she’d react: “She loves it! She will put a specimen (insects that she would never go near if they were not on a slide) under the microscope, learn all she can about it, then she races to me to tell me all about her new discovery. She not only learns more about the world around her, she is having fun doing it!” She went on to reassure her readers: “Do not let the talking aspect of this product deter you. It is actually a fabulous feature! The microscope narrates incredible facts about what she is looking at. Truth be told, I have learned a thing or two myself.”

As with the telescope, although it’s geared toward ages five and up, a few younger siblings were intrigued by the microscope as well:

In fact, the only wistful feedback from this group came from a mother who hopes “that perhaps the Discovery Channel Store will release more slides in the future…”

Finally, two bloggers lauded these toys for their accessibility and ease of use:

No doubt about it - the Spark Talking Telescope and Spark Talking Microscope are “perfect option(s) for families of younger kids who are hungry for a magnified view, with parents who don’t want to micromanage the learning experience.”

Buy them for your own budding scientists at the Discovery Channel Store!

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Posted in Elementary School, Kids, Toys | 1 Comment »

Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 7+): Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

Monday, December 17th, 2007

With only a few days left for holiday shopping and many folks still scrambling to purchase toys, may I suggest the Discovery Channel Store? If you’ve not had a chance to peruse their site, I can almost guarantee that they’ve got something for everyone, including toys for the young and the old.
But what we’re focused on today are the Discovery Slide and Shoot Digital Camera and the Discovery Tornado Lab, both aimed at kids 7 and older.

The bloggers trying out the Slide and Shoot Digital Camera were impressed. “This one takes digital photos, with a color preview screen, and a web cam to take live video. It is small and compact and easy to for their little hands to maneuver — and it really works!!” “This camera seems like a great first digital camera for kids since it just slides open and you can easily look at the screen to take the picture.”

One mom noted her daughter’s creative use of the camera: “Best of all, she can annoy her brother by stalking him with her camera, paparazzi-like, while he screams, “STOP IT!” at the top of his lungs.”

A few noted the durability of the camera — a particularly important feature for a kid’s camera. “Third, it’s durable. It’s a wonderful camera for kids who may not be ready for a grown-up digital camera, but who genuinely want to learn how to take, store, print, and edit photos.”

In addition to the camera, the bloggers commented on the editing software that comes with it. “The software comes with its own “activity center” with stickers for each of the holidays so they can create cards, artwork and scrapbook pages, using the graphics that comes with the software, as well as their own photos.”

Our resident photography expert Tracey Clark had much to say about the camera as did her daughter who demanded her mom give it a glowing review.
a. Definitely better when shot in bright light (outdoors).

b. Very simple editing software (maybe too simple for photo editing junkies, but easy enough for kids).

As for the Tornado Lab, we had several fans. “Blake thought this product was so cool, he brought it his 4th grade class the very next day. he said that the teacher let him show it, and the kids all got to play with it and do mini experiments with it.”

One mom’s kids even dropped their video games to check it out.

And much to my surprise, they put down the controllers and ran into the kitchen. Let me repeat that-they PUT DOWN the VIDEO GAME controllers to play with a toy! It was a freaking miracle, I tell you.

The lab was simple to use, with very quick instructions. “The product is nice and compact, and it would be easy to store for future fun. I was surprised, because I expected to unfold a novel’s worthy of instructions, but pleasantly found two pages of easy how-to’s for the lab.”

The parents agreed that it was a great teaching tool, with many talking to their kids’ teachers about it. One even reco’d it for homeschooling parents. “After we finished playing with the tornado lab, I emailed my son’s teacher. I’m think I’m going to donate it to his classroom if she is interested. Because I could see this being a great tool for teaching about the weather. Honestly, it is easy enough to use for even the younger kids.”

A few felt that this was definitely geared for the science-obsessed, but even the kids that didn’t classify themselves as such enjoyed playing with it.

Make sure to check out the rest of the reviews, and peruse these and other great toys at the Discovery Channel Toy Store!

Mon 12/17 - Slouching Mom, The Silent I Speaks,
Tues 12/18 - PunditMom
Wed 12/19 - Lather Rinse Repeat
Thurs 12/20 - Views from the Pants
Fri 12/21 - Round-Up Review on PBN

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Posted in Elementary School, Kids, Toys | No Comments »

That Baby DVD & That Baby CD: Stuff Those Stockings

Friday, December 14th, 2007

For the past month, many of our parent bloggers with kids in the range of 0-5 have been checking out Rob and Lisi Wolf’s new release That Baby DVD (and the accompanying CD). Known for their religious production Oy Baby!, this Seattle based couple (and partners in parenthood) together with singer/songwriter Stephanie Schneiderman, have put together something that parents will really enjoy.

Oh right. And the kids too!

Featuring arrangements of wonderful songs like “These are the Days” by 10, 000 Maniacs, and Pony Boy, a Bruce Springsteen favorite, That Baby DVD and CD pushing the kid’s music envelope a bit further by providing parents with something they’d already have on their iPod.

Our first round of bloggers had rave reviews of both the CD and the DVD, both of which can be purchased in time for Christmas at 20% off (code PBN). This last group of bloggers shared similar sentiments.

As far as the CD went, bloggers were so happy to hear some of their favorite tunes. “The best part of the CD and DVD is these are songs Fly can grow up with.” Another added “So That Baby CD is obviously a better option than most of your child’s favorite music, unless you have a really cool kid who likes the original versions of this song, in which case, you’re doing OK.“

And of course, the true test — bloggers were listening to it even when their kids weren’t in the car. “I have actually enjoyed it as well - it does not grow boring and I find myself turning it on, even when alone in the car.” Added another blogger “The kids love bopping to the songs, but let’s face it. The most important listener is me. I love the music.” Or take this blogger “Ok. Cara loves it too, but I’m the one who has to deal with it being on repeat. So, shouldn’t I get a say too?”

Jessica from My Five Little Monkeys had a special message for Rob and Lisi. “Thank you Rob & Lisi Wolf. You’ve saved Me. You’ve saved me from a lifetime of singing the same inanely repetitive songs over and over and OVER again my head.”

One blogger found that her son was totally soothed by the cd.

And then… the real miracle came when I dropped him off, no fighting. No tears. No yelling. Just happy little boy, jumping out of the back seat and running quickly into school, singing “Pony Boy” in his adorable, if muffled voice. And it’s been like that every day since.

Bloggers enjoyed the DVD, and offered a variety of comments.

- “I think the DVD is a great idea for little kids. The songs are paired up with video images filled with kids, nature scenes, puppets and animation.”

- “What I loved about this DVD is that the music is so pretty and most of the songs are songs I already knew.”

-…”But most important, they’re all palatable for the adults, but engrossing enough for kids that you could probably sneak in some magazine reading while they watch.”

- “Even better, my children didn’t settle onto the sofa beside me. They twirled and danced right along with the show.”

- “The DVD also uses a nice technique, presenting a gallery of photos that one by one come to life, giving young children a chance to process the change. This is a nice alternative to the faster-paced videos and TV shows being produced for little ones.”

The bloggers admired Rob and Lisi for taking their dream and making it a reality. Plus, it’s nice (especially during these times) to support a family-run and operated business.

Make sure to check their website to view and listen to samples! Check out One Chic Mama’s interview with Rob and listen to Rob’s guest appearance on Motherhood Uncensored Blog Talk Radio Show.

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Posted in Baby, Kids, Media, Music, Toddler | No Comments »

Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 3+) - A Pre-Schooler’s Dream

Thursday, December 13th, 2007

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that a kid’s enjoyment of a toy and their parents’ enjoyment of that same toy are inversely proportional, but I will say that most parents, myself included, are big fans of peace and quiet - and preserving the integrity of our baseboards. But when we see our children absolutely enraptured by a toy day after day, it makes the scuffed baseboards and screaming headaches a little more bearable.

Paz’s Radio Control Fire Truck from the Discovery Channel Store is a pre-schooler’s dream - “It’s fun! It lights up, it’s brightly coloured, the ladder goes up and down when the truck’s in motion and it makes noise. When you’re two and a half, it’s hard not to love a toy with those qualities.” One mother confided: “I don’t generally buy plastic toys but I caved when I agreed to do the review after showing [my daughter] a picture of it online and watching her lose her mind.”

Another mother is saving it for her son’s birthday, which falls just before Christmas: “I couldn’t resist testing out the radio control car before I wrapped it. One thing I hated being a kid was that I would get this fantastic gift but then had to wait what seemed like forever for my parents to assemble it, so I like to try to go ahead and get the toys working before I wrap them.” And she’s right on track - this toy is packaged extremely securely: “The thing was locked down tighter than Fort Knox; at one point I had to bust out [my husband's] pliers to get those wire twist tie thingies undone. PLIERS. To open a plastic fire truck. Seriously, does it really need to be packaged that heavily?”

In the interest of full disclosure, the bloggers admitted that the fire truck does have drawbacks, insofar as parents are concerned anyway. It’s noisy - “It has a siren. A loud siren. A few minutes of the siren blaring is all I can handle before I want to bash my head against the wall and as far as I can see, there’s no volume control.” - and other parents should be forewarned that it needs to be shut off via a switch - “It’s got an easy on/off switch, but because [my daughter] insisted on SLEEPING with the truck on the night it arrived I happened to find that switch around 3am the next morning…” And the kids tossed aside the accompanying “firefighters”: “The four plastic characters that come with it are useless. It’s almost as though they were thrown in with the truck as extras instead of being made to fit it exclusively - in short, they’re awkward. [My son] had no interest in them whatsoever…”

But the kids adore it: “This truck is all about movement. It’s got an easy to use remote control that enabled [my daughter] to learn how to practice hand eye coordination and even a dose of patience while she figured out how to maneuver the control to steer the truck around the kitchen without smacking it into walls.” And the durability and indoor/outdoor nature make it a winner: “It’s durable…[My son] had the fire truck bashing around all over the place and it kept coming back for more. It can be used outdoors. We first got the fire truck when it didn’t feel like a deep freezer outside, so I let [my son] rip it around in the driveway for a while and he had a blast.”

The Lift-Off Rocket went over big with kids and parents alike, especially in terms of how it sparks imaginative play. One blogger commented: “It’s a toy that does take a couple batteries in order to power its blast-off sounds, but it is mostly powered by imagination.” Another agreed: “If you’re sick of toys that your kids just watch, the toys that don’t require interaction, this is a nice compromise. It has a bit of flash and show (with the lift off noises and lights), but your kids will really need their imaginations to bring this toy to life.” And a third felt the same way: “I’m often not a huge fan of toys with batteries, but this one is a very nice compromise because its compartments and gadgets offer so much room for creative play.”

As before, both parents and kids were entranced by the detailed interior of the rocket, which easily led to play scenarios: “In [my daughter's] imagination, the little animal astronauts would have breakfast in one of the rocket’s compartments and take a nap on the fold-down bed in the other. Maybe while Commander Bunny Astronaut was talking to Houston, Commander Lamby-kins was rolling along on the space buggy exploring the little moon crater (all included with the Rocket).” Interestingly, one blogger’s children “love not just launching the rocket, but pretending to be living on the moon” using the moon crater, but another blogger reported that: “My 4 year-old had no interest in the moon crater.”
It’s also durable - the kids liked to “fly the rocket around the house, but unfortunately it has frequently fallen back to earth. It looks none the worse from its travels.” And the detachable doors were also mentioned briefly: “The doors to the rockets do come off, but they’re intended to do so and pop back in easily. The doors really need to pop off to keep kids from breaking them off during play, so don’t be concerned if one pops off on your child.”

Finally, one mother was especially impressed when she found “the library has the exact same rocket in the Discovery Room, except instead of animal astronauts, they have people astronauts…Because I adore our library and our children’s librarians, I see their endorsement of the rocket as a good sign.”

The Discovery Channel Store has definitely scored with both the Radio Control Fire Truck and the Lift-Off Rocket. While one may be better suited to your child than the other, they’re both winners!

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Posted in Kids, Pre-school, Toys | 1 Comment »

Special Discounts and Contests for PBN Readers!

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

The folks at Brighter Minds Media are offering 40% off (HELLO!) on everything! Just use the code “BLOG” at checkout. If you’re not familiar with BMM, check out the reviews our bloggers had of their products.

Also, you can enter to win a Portable DVD Player from Pick Pack Go, a site we worked with a few months back.

And as always, make sure to check out the PBN Holiday Must-Haves List if you’re stuck in the gift department, or search our archives. We’ve got plenty of gift-type items that our bloggers have reviewed over the last year.

Cool Mom Picks has a whole slew of discount codes that are updated almost daily under “Here’s Something Cool” — and don’t forget to shop the Safer Toy Guide.

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Day Runner Family Matters - To Each Their Own

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

“It’s not ME that’s disorganized, it’s my kids.”

Ain’t it the truth? Along with those whirlwinds known as children, I expect many women would point the finger at their spouses too. Because as one blogger put it: “As the Chief Operating Officer of this family, I am the one to whom the fliers for school activities come, the bills, the junk mail, and the miscellaneous pieces of paper that life somehow manages to distribute to me on a daily basis.”

The second set of parent bloggers to review the Day Runner Family Matters line were no less hungry for organization than the first set. None of us enjoys feeling as if our lives are out of control, but as one blogger commented: “I love organization, but had no role model for this, so I clean and clean and have no tools or understanding of how to KEEP things tidy and neat. So, within a day or two, I’m back in full clutter mode. Yes, it is a vicious cycle.” She needed a system, and Day Runner Family Matters provided that system with its wide variety of organizational tools.

The flexibility of the Day Runner Family Matters line allows families to pick and choose what works well for them. Judging from the range of feedback we saw among the reviewers regarding the various items they received, the old adage “to each their own” certainly applies.

The erasable wall planner was a godsend to one blogger who’s dedicated to keeping up with all the writing and erasing and re-writing: “I love the one that Day Runner sent me because (1) at 17″ x 24″ it’s big, (2) I can include notes to myself in the sidebars, and (3) I can look at it and always see 35 days out. For me, this means that it doesn’t look like a traditional calendar with day 1 at the top because I’m weekly erasing the old week and inserting the new week that is still four weeks away.” But another blogger found that the dry erase approach didn’t work as well for her - or her family: “I did have a bit of a problem with the erasable calendar. No sooner would I get something written than it would need to be changed, and in my zest to erase the old info, I’d also erase part of something else. Also, there was the time that one of my kids erased the entire calendar and filled it in with such delights as Buy me candy and Eat at McDonald’s.”

Still another blogger is on board with the dry erase routine, but had logistical challenges: “I am the queen of dry erase, I use a similar calendar in my office to keep everything straight. I take great joy in actually erasing things…[But] I can’t find a convenient place to hang it in the kitchen/family room which is (dis)organization central at our house. I’ve decided it does have great potential as a chore keeper-tracker for my girls. I think it will be perfect on the closet door in their room.”

And just to illustrate how different personal perspectives can be, one blogger explained that the erasable calendar wouldn’t work for her family because “I want all calendar-related things in one place: my agenda book! I don’t want to have to check two places every time I need to know what’s going on this week.” Meanwhile, another blogger loved it for that exact reason - she had everything in one place: “The thing I liked best about using the Family Matters system, is that the information was all in one obvious, clear, easy to access place. I hung the erasable wall planner with all of our monthly plans in a central location that the entire family could glance at and see what was happening on a certain day.”

To each their own, right?

Moving on to the wirebound appointment book, which generated more excitement among this group - perhaps because 2008 is less than a month away! Some bloggers were already dedicated planner users:

And one blogger hadn’t even realized how much use she would get out of such a planner until she received this one: “”My favorite Family Matters product is the wire bound monthly/weekly appointment book that I had no idea how much I needed until I had it. The planner is also color coded and is divided up into monthly and weekly sections…I prefer the monthly view but I can see the weekly view being useful during very busy weeks.”

All told, this appointment book was a big winner:

Next up, the folders and storage cases. As before, these were put to excellent and immediate use:

While I wouldn’t go so far as to characterize them as miraculous, they’re not only drawing compliments from visitors - “The storage cases and folders are color coordinated to go with the set as well…(I have had more people comment on how clever I am to color code the kids’ paperwork. I totally take credit for the ingeniousness of it!)” - but they’re promoting marital harmony too - “…now [my husband] knows the new system and doesn’t have to wonder where I might have filed away some paper of his. He can also file papers into the color-coded folders on his own without worrying that he might mess up my filing system.”

Finally, those erasable door reminders - it seems they’re either a home run or a strike out, and better suited to families with older children. One blogger lamented: “When I tried to put a door reminder to use, I realized the pen covered up 1/3 of what I wrote…I was planning to use this as a reminder to keep [my daughter] from dying of Tidy Bowl poisoning or dropping an iPhone in the toilet. Instead the bathroom door stayed open more than ever since it was impossible to close with this thing hanging from it.” Another mother with young ones simply uses the reminders in a different location: “Kitchen cabinets at eye level are so much more effective for me: right next to the phone and the keys to the car so I can write both phone messages as well as reminders of things not to forget before heading out the door.”

On the other hand, one blogger (who does have older kids) noted: “I can see this being an incredibly useful tool for down the road when my teenage kids are arriving home and perhaps I’m not here, the door reminders would be great for leaving messages and hoping they actually get noticed.”

As in the first group, there was a request that these reminders be magnetized too: “I think a magnetic strip on the back would be a great addition to the hangers so they can be placed on the refrigerator when not hanging on a doorknob. My kids use theirs to remind them of things they need to take to school. They are the perfect last minute reminder as we walk out the door to the garage.” But another blogger may have already found the solution: “A really big hit with my daughter was the erasable door reminders. These are terrific! We hung one on each of the kids’ doors as well as one on the refrigerator. (Suction cups, baby.)”

Not only were they deemed useful for kids:

But they’re a great reminder to adults too - “These are by far my favorite of the Day Runner Family Matters products. The cute little reminder men hang right on the door handle and virtually whisper in my ear as I try to escape the house in the morning. I have them hanging on the front and garage doors so that I don’t leave things behind.” - and aesthetically welcome - “The door hangers are wondrous. My usual method is to tape a giant note to the door, but these hangers are a more pleasant and attractive alternative.”

The Day Runner Family Matters line includes five colors, which works well for many families. But a couple of our bloggers with larger families weighed in as to how they modified the system somewhat to fit their needs. One took over the entire range of colors for herself:

“Each category of my life has a color, and when there is something coming up in my life, like a review for example, I don’t have to do anything more than lift my eyes from the computer and see my huge dry erase poster I’ve placed in my office for the answer. The cardboard filing units are neatly arranged near my desk, and I am now reminded of what the surface area of my desk looks like. It has transformed the way I conduct my personal business, and significantly reduced my time spent doing so as I now spend a lot less time searching for papers.”

Hey, if Mom’s organized, the rest of the family has a much better shot at being organized too.

Another blogger explained: “We have more members than colors! I solved this by doubling up, but I wish that there had been a way to add additional members/colors.” She went on to conclude: “All in all, I think that Day Runner has a great product, and this system is great for small to medium size families. Parts of it work for large families, you just need to be creative.”

Thanks to the flexibility of Day Runner Family Matters and some creative thinking on the part of our bloggers, each of them found a way to make it work for their family.

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The Parent Bloggers Network

Archive for December, 2007

Gone Eggnoggin’

Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 7+) - Well Worth the Wait

HP Photo Printer and Photo Books - Liven Up Your Holiday Gatherings!

Autolite Flareglo and Spotglo: I’m Gonna Let it Shine

Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 5+) - Science Is Their New Favorite Subject

Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 7+): Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

That Baby DVD & That Baby CD: Stuff Those Stockings

Discovery Channel Store Toys (ages 3+) - A Pre-Schooler’s Dream

Special Discounts and Contests for PBN Readers!

Day Runner Family Matters - To Each Their Own

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