Tech Archives - Busy Moms Helper

What is Minefaire?

March 26, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

We received passes to Minefaire to facilitate this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Having just completed the third city in their 2019 tour, Minefaire – the #1 Minecraft event in the U.S. – is just getting started. Being big Minecraft fans, we were eager to learn more – but admit that before attending, we weren’t sure what it really was. Today, I’m answering ‘What is Minefaire’ in case you’re also wondering about this awesome event!

As you probably know, my kids and hubby have loved playing Minecraft for years. My boys have even had a Minecraft themed party before! I didn’t get as into it until recently, but did know much of the ‘lingo’ and such to keep up with my kids’ excitement. Not knowing really what to expect when we attended the Minefaire in Dallas last weekend, we just went into it with open minds and ready for some ‘geeking out’. It was a lot of fun – with all sorts of things to do and see!

What it has:

Several areas where you can play Minecraft – some also have help if you need some tips
A VR Minecraft experience (though the line was about 90 minutes when we arrived Saturday morning)
A themed Escape Room – we were there at 11 (it opened at 9am to higher ticket levels, at 10am for the regular tickets) and all time slots for this were already gone for the day
Well-known YouTubers and Minecrafters to sign autographs and take photos
Backdrops and signs for fun photo opps (my kids loved these)
Various tech booths – such as ‘driving’ a little robot on a tablet
We saw at least 3 stage areas doing a variety of talks, discussions, fun activities, or helpful tips all day long (check the schedule each day)
- Some we saw were: Building mini-games inside Minecraft
- Family game night
- Dance-off
SHOPPING – from Minecraft books and LEGO sets, Creeper sequin pillows, ‘enchanted’ bow and arrows, and much more more, there was plenty of my kids were adding to their wish lists
LEGO area, complete with a tall Steve form completed entirely in LEGOs

I’m sure there was plenty more we didn’t get to see and do, but it was really fun. We do wish we’d gone early enough to get in some of the lines (like VR) before they got too crazy, and especially for the Escape Room! We would’ve also done more research into the different YouTubers there, so the kids would feel better going to say ‘hi’ and get excited about their autographs.

The Minefaire event in Dallas was the 3rd stop along their 2019 Tour route, with the following still coming up:

Los Angeles, California – April 13th & 14th
Seattle, Washington – May 18th & 19th
Charlotte, North Carolina – July 13th & 14th
Edison, New Jersey – August 3rd & 4th
Hartford, Connecticut – August 17th & 18th
Chicago, Illinois – September 21st & 22nd

If there’s a Minefaire near you, be sure to check out the fun!

Teaching Kids about Internet Safety

February 7, 2019 by Danielle 3 Comments

Thank you to Google and Mom It Forward Influencer Network for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine alone. #SaferInternetDay #BeInternetAwesome

It’s crazy the differences between when we were growing up, and now our kids – especially with technology and constant, instant access to the online world. While in San Antonio on Monday celebrating Safer Internet Day, I learned several ideas and tips from our Be Internet Awesome adventure that will help parents and families learn more about Internet Safety. After all, despite all the good the internet gives us, there’s plenty of bad to keep an eye out for!

It was really creative the way they set up their Be Internet Awesome event, making it interactive and playful (while still educating – woot woot!) so that the kids were really pulled into the topics. To make it simple and cover the most important aspects of internet safety, there’s the ‘5 Zones of Internet Safety & Digital Citizenship’.

Here’s a breakdown of each of them:

Alert: Don’t Fall for the Fake

We all know those pesky phishing scam emails that seem to be constantly hitting our inboxes – but do your kids? Especially with email addresses being useful – or even necessary – at younger ages in school now, we need to make sure our kids are aware and being ‘alert’ to these possible scams.

The kids got several cards that had an ’email’ written on them, they then put the card in either the REAL slot or the FAKE slot. The machine then told them if they were correct, and if so then why it seemed more real or what made it suspected as fake. At the end, they got to shoot the ‘fake’ email!

Smart: Share with Care

While this covered a couple different topics, overall it was about what type of documents/information are ‘smart’ to send online. Kids were given different types of things (photo of baby cousin, school paperwork, etc.) and then had to decide if it’s something to share wherever online, just with close family and friends, or to not share online at all.

Teaching kids that once something is online, it may be there forever, can help them think twice before once they share (hopefully!)

Kind: It’s Cool to be Kind

I absolutely LOVE that they included this zone of internet safety, because there’s seems to be so much hate and mean words online. It’s bad enough kids get bullied at school so much, there’s a further reach online waiting to attach them, too. This station let the kids send ‘hearts’ to help fellow kids who were being ‘attacked’ by mean things (little pink spiky balls), as well as ‘block’ and even tell a grown up – such as a teacher or parent – if things didn’t get better quick enough.

Strong: Secure Your Secrets

How strong are the passwords for YOUR accounts? The statistics we learned about passwords was pretty shocking, and made me grateful that I’ve always been a little paranoid so set really unique and wacky passwords. This showed kids WHY it’s important to have a secure password (that you shouldn’t share with others, other than parents). No matter if you’re middle aged or a tween, you should have a STRONG and UNIQUE password, not just name or nickname (which about 24% of 16-24 year olds use – yikes!). They should be at least 8 characters long, and use a mixture of letters and numbers.

Brave: When in Doubt, Talk it Out

This one’s super important to discuss with our children, because it talks about being brave enough to come to an adult – either with a question, concern or for help. Not only adults, but for other kids who are aware of something negative to be brave to go to a grown up, even ‘anonymously’ that can then help whoever is having the problem.

The most important thing about internet safety is TALKING with your kids about all of these topics, and helping them feel comfortable in case they do ever need to come to you with a concern. I’m so grateful Google held this event – join us in celebrating Safer Internet Day with this awesome NEW Family Guide full of tips and learning so we can all work Together for a Better Internet! Kids will be able to put their new skills to the test with Interland, and your family can enjoy a much safer, better online experience.

Another great suggestion is to help your child’s school get involved by sharing Be Internet Awesome with their teachers, principals and leaders. The more people who learn this helpful information and help guide our children safely online, the better it will be for all of our families.

What’s your biggest internet safety tip?

Balancing Digital Entertainment for Kids

November 1, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by the Mom It Forward Influencer Network on behalf of Explore, Discover & Grow. All opinions are mine alone.

Hubby and I were discussing the differences of when we were kids, and now our children’s youth. At school a lot of things were paper and pencil, not tablets. We had way more recess than schools now seem to, as electronic time is slowly taking over. Last year at school, there were so many days my kids would say ‘we didn’t do recess outside today, they had us stay inside and watch a movie’. And if you’re wondering the same thing I did, no it was not an educational movie, just a fun one that’s only purpose is to entertain. What about movement, or learning? This is why parents need to be mindful of Balancing Digital Entertainment for Kids – because although technology, movies, games and such are great and fine, there needs to be a balance with the kids actually being active and learning, too.

Growing up, the norm was for parents to send their kids outside to play – often times until the street lamps would turn on in the evening. Now, kids spend more and more time in front of a screen. Y’all know I love movies and games, especially with my family, but I also know how important it is to not overdo it. Television stations now aim for an 80/20 ratio, with 80% being just entertainment and 20% being education entertainment. If you ask Greg Page – known globally for his role as the original Yellow Wiggle from the children’s entertainment group, The Wiggles – he thinks it should be closer to 50/50. It’s all about balance! In an effort to bring more quality, educational fun to kids’ screen time, he’s leading a revival of children’s educational television with Explore, Discover & Grow.

Greg knows from his many years in early childhood studies and as a teacher that kids learn better by DOING. Too many shows just entertain while the child just sits there. But shows such as Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues have shown us how much more excited kids are when they can feel like a part of the show, and be active along with the characters. By involving the kids in the story or activities, they’re also more likely to LEARN and actually retain the information – plus have fun along the way! The more senses they use, the better what they learn is stored in the brain, plus the better they understand it. That’s why he’s been working hard to bring Explore, Discover & Grow to kids – this series of 104, ten-minute videos will be released directly to subscribers 2X per week, making it the perfect length for young kids’ attention spans.

Parents can help bring some balance to digital entertainment for kids with this great series, which will use music, movement, language and play – making it a great ‘edutainment‘ experience for young kiddos. Kids as young as 2 will enjoy the colors, sounds and active motions included, and preschool children will have fun, engaging and educational content that’s designed to teach the whole child. Since it’s created by a teacher with actual experience in applying educational theory in entertainment for over 27 years, you know it’ll be high quality and be perfectly catered to the learning abilities of these younger children.

And guess what? YOU can be a part of this amazing revival by backing their Indiegogo campaign – and you’ll get access to all of the content created! The campaign is now live, and they’re counting on parents like us to help them bring good, educational entertainment back to today’s kids. The closer to their funding goal they’re able to get, the higher quality they’ll be able to produce, so we’re trying hard to help raise awareness – not just here, but all over the world for English-speaking families! Greg’s determination is remarkable, and after having a really great chat with him (at 2am his time, since he’s in Australia – thank you Greg!) to learn more, I really believe this will be the next great screen time show for preschool kids! He’s working hard to make this a reality, and has already created about 60-70 songs for the series.

They have a full plan for the coming year to produce and release these great videos, and his hope is that if they can make the first year successful and as high-quality as planned (with your help by supporting their Indiegogo campaign), the second year can help open up possibilities for others out there with great ideas on quality, educational entertainment for today’s little ones. With more and more non-educational screen time being thrown at our youth all the time, this could really be the start of showing the world that us parents want better for our kids – that we WANT balance in digital entertainment for our children!

See more fun for Explore, Discover & Grow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

My New Perspective on PC Gaming

October 26, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Turtle Beach. All opinions are mine alone.

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to attend a local gaming conference with my hubby. I’d been getting more and more into PC gaming, and the idea of a few days (and nights – sleep was more of a early morning until noon timing here) with no responsibilities, just games, sounded amazing. It was a complete blast, and now I understand why he looks forward to it annually! One thing we enjoyed during the conference, when we needed to stretch our legs, was seeing what equipment other gamers were using – their PCs, monitors, keyboards, and – of course – their headsets. While I use to think that whatever accessories I had available would be the same, I have a whole New Perspective on PC Gaming and what really makes a difference. Especially when you’re spending that long on a game, you need quality equipment – which is why I’m thrilled to have the Elite Atlas Pro Performance PC Gaming Headset!

If you remember from last month, I shared why my family loves gaming so much. It’s great for having fun together, working together to solve a problem, build something, or reach a goal – plus it can teach the kiddos to get along better! It’s also a wonderful way for hubby and I to bond. Now that we’re also attending an actual event outside of our home, where we play PC games for such an extended amount of time, it’s even more crucial that we have better equipment that not only works amazing, but will be comfortable. That’s one reason I love the Turtle Beach® Elite Atlas headset for our PC gaming, because it’s designed for players of any level (my kids love the sound quality!) – but especially pro-players and hardcore PC gamers.

It’s durable (yet sleek) metal headband features a suspended pad, ProSpecs™ glasses-friendly design AND has upgraded magnetic memory foam ear cushions with an athletic fabric and synthetic leather. All the pieces work together to block out all that external noise (there’s a LOT during a gaming conference, trust me), plus make it super comfortable for long periods of PC gaming. Plus it works to take with you wherever you go (because who knows when an awesome PC game will happen), with included 3.5mm and PC-splitter cables that connect to any PC setup.

The Turtle Beach® Elite Atlas sets a whole new level for esports audio on PC, and the amazing audio performance centers around it’s pro-tuned 50mm Nanoclear™ speakers deliver immersive Windows Sonic for Headphones surround sound – which is practically a necessity when PC gaming, because you want to feel fully involved in the game. For those games where you need to talk with your team (or opponents!), the removable high-sensitivity mic with TruSpeak™ technology offers flawless communication. It was a bit ridiculous at our conference how the headset I had then struggled with the mic, making some of the games super frustrating as we tried to communicate from different PC stations. No worries now that I have the Elite Atlas, though!

Hubby is so glad that I finally realized why it matters what type of equipment you have – I guess I hadn’t played quite long enough to notice, or kept brushing off the idea that there was really great stuff out there that made a huge difference when you’re playing a game. Whatever the reason, it’s so neat seeing (and hearing) the difference a quality keyboard, mouse and PC gaming headset make to really pull you into a game, plus make the actual play of it more smooth!

What’s your PC gaming must-have?

Why We Love Family Gaming

September 7, 2018 by Danielle

This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx.com on behalf of Turtle Beach. All opinions are mine alone. #Recon200GameLouder

I was talking to a friend the other day, and I guess she had been ‘scolded’ by someone for allowing her kids to play video games. While I fully agree there should be parent guidance, and not all games are appropriate for everyone, I’m definitely a fan of video games, as is my whole family. Every parent should have rules that best fit their family, and I know everyone has different opinions. I thought I’d share a bit about Why We Love Family Gaming, and how it’s not JUST about fun and games!

First of all, I didn’t use to be too big into video games – I got more interested when hubby and I got together, since it was a great way to bond and spend some fun time together. Now with our kids, we’ve progressed to not just gaming as a couple, but also as an entire family. Now, don’t be thinking one ridiculously-noisy house full of all the sounds of seven different devices – luckily we have our Turtle Beach® Recon 200 gaming headsets that allow us each to hear our own game. But guess what? We can still talk to each other over the microphones, which means not just fun gaming time, but also family activity time. You’d be surprised how many quality conversations we’ve had with our kids over a game of Minecraft or something!

Plus, with this awesome gaming headset (which becomes available for all starting September 9th) we’re able to adjust the volume of not just the sounds, but also your VOICE from the microphone – so you can clearly hear yourself from the mic, or turn it down as you desire, even to mute by simply flipping it up. The high-sensitivity mic does well at picking up your voice loud and clear, so we don’t have to sit there saying ‘what?’ for the whole game. It’s as easy as adjusting the dials on the headset, so even the kids can change it to best fit their desired sound level (because we know some kids are more sensitive than others, or prefer more or less input).

While my kids like it a bit quieter, hubby is all about the volume! I agree with him, that you can get more immersed into the games with quality amplification – and great Bass Boost! You don’t want to just hear it, but really feel it, too. And don’t worry, the Turtle Beach® Recon 200 gaming headset is battery-powered but RECHARGEABLE, giving you a whole day (12 hours) of great sounding game time! If you’re like us and have an Xbox One, the headset is even optimized, so you get fully immersive surround sound with Windows Sonic for Headphones.* I’m really picky with my gaming headphones, since I have some hearing struggles already – but these nice 40mm speakers (that are actually COMFORTABLE over my ears) give really nice, crips high volumes along with the boomy lower sounds.

So besides the enjoyment of gaming, as well as the conversations, we also strongly believe that game time can be a LEARNING experience. My kids may not realize it yet (and I’m not about to tell them!), but we often are able to teach things to them while we’re all playing games. Whether it’s building in Minecraft (just point out differences in the gaming play versus reality), or teamwork by making a family goal then delegating tasks to accomplish it. We also use it to teach patience, or good sportsmanship (have you seen a 7 year old lose recently? It can be ugly!).

Along with that, since this day and age is so full of technology, especially in many careers, it’s helping them learn to switch between different platforms and programs so they’re more prepared for whatever their future holds. I really appreciate that the Turtle Beach® Recon 200 gaming headsets can easily switch platforms with them, being compatible with not just Xbox One and PS4TM, but also the Nintendo SwitchTM, PCs and our mobile devices.

Another perk to gaming that we enjoy, is it can be a reward or consequence – they can EARN (or lose) gaming time based on either attitudes and behavior, or perhaps by doing extra schoolwork, active play time, or taking on more household chores. We adjust it as best fits our family at that time, keeping our rules a little flexible – because life’s always changing, so it can be difficult if things are too rigid.

Since the Turtle Beach® Recon 200 gaming headsets are priced at $59.95 MSRP, you may be like ‘wow, that’s a lot for a headset that my kid may ruin’. You know your kid best, and while I don’t think a toddler (they seem able to destroy ANYTHING), would be ideal, my kids are great with headsets – and since the Recon 200 has a headband that’s metal-reinforced, it has that added durability that makes me worry even less about it getting ruined – or even worn out anytime soon!

Okay, I have to say this part that I enjoy about family gaming because I know many of you other parents will appreciate it as well – it’s been a great way to get my kids to play TOGETHER! It’s amazing how well my kids do when doing video games together – talking things out, splitting projects or tasks, helping when needed. There’s very rarely fighting (you know there’s some occasionally – this IS reality and they ARE still just kids, after all), so I love seeing them build those relationships and really get along with each other!

Check out the Turtle Beach® Recon 200 gaming headsets online here or on Amazon for your own family gaming!

*Windows Sonic for Headphones provided by Microsoft for Xbox One (and compatible Windows 10 PCs). Also compatible with Dolby Atmos® for Headphones (sold separately).

Tips for Sharing a Workspace at Home

December 4, 2017 by Danielle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveYourPC #Intel8thGen #CollectiveBias

While hubby doesn’t work from home daily like I do, he does have a couple days a month – plus some evenings or weekends when he ‘brings work home’ with him – where he needs to use the office, too. I’m sure I’m not the only one who deals with the potential frustrations that come with having a co-office, sharing their work area with their spouse or significant other. Or maybe sharing with a child who homeschools or has more online work! Whatever the reason, it doesn’t have to be a huge headache – here’s some Tips for Sharing a Workspace at Home to help you out!

Tip #1: Have a Reliable & Flexible PC

Even before I became a full-time blogger (so I practically LIVE on my PC some days), I relied heavily on it for photo editing, online shopping, paying the bills, managing our spreadsheets and family calendars, and so much more. Since I can’t do without it for so many things – and often am multi-tasking on there anyway, I can’t handle if it’s slow or unresponsive, and don’t get me started on the frustrated of a PC that freezes on you! When hubby and I learned about the 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on one because there’s a 40% performance jump between it and the 7th gen, plus 2x better performance compared to a 5-year-old PC. If you’re still dealing with that, it’s time to make the switch like us!

Maybe I’m just impatient for wanting things instantly in this modern life, or just want to utilize my time the best I can since us moms have SO MUCH TO DO, and effort can’t be wasted on old computers. Since Intel’s new 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor is designed to help you and your computer keep pace in this crazy digital world, it allows you to get things done fast and easy – plus you can shop with built-in security and even immerse yourself in leading-edge entertainment. We can’t ALWAYS be working when on our PCs, right? 😉

Our new ASUS ZenBook Flip UX370 we got from our local Microsoft Store, containing the 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, was the perfect purchase for us in our dual-person home workspace because:

Exceptional performance – unprecedented power and responsiveness, which is crucial in a mom’s (or dad’s) fast-paced digital world
- Editing photos, creating videos, or multi-tasking on all the To-Dos on our list, it makes it faster, easier and more enjoyable to check things off!
- Instant wake experience means no more sitting around waiting for it to start up so you can begin your tasks
- Instantly sync to other devices, which is great for hubby to sinc from home to work!
Security is made simple – the built-in security adds a layer of protection to make password logins, browsing and online payments safe and simple
- The finger pad makes payments simple and secure
- Don’t gamble on old computers with your data – the built-in password and payment security features of the 8th Generation Intel® Core™ processor make logging-in and online purchases safer and simpler
Exciting entertainment – we both love the amazing entertainment hub, which can stream 4K UHD vidoes, power virtual reality and allows us to play our favorite games.
- Theater-like entertainment at home or on-the-go (airports will no longer be a bore – yay!) with a thin & light computer with a long batter life
- No more ‘buffering makes me sad’ or aweful lags
- binge watch Netflix or Hulu for up to TEN HOURS without plugging in (yes, go get one NOW and start that new TV show marathon!)

Tip #2: Have Separate File/Storage Areas

I have planners, bills and notebooks with random notes and thoughts galore – while hubby has software books and office letterhead documents. It’s a nightmare trying to find your stuff amidst the jumbled piles, so get some file folders, shelves, racks, paper towers, etc. so you can each have a spot for YOUR stuff. This way you know exactly where the thing you need is, saving you time (and sanity!). This also comes in handy for cords – like my camera cable – or USB drives. Random objects can easily to in ‘yours’ or ‘theirs’ baskets, keeping things separated. Marriage is often about joining, but some things are best kept separate – like your work and office accessories!

Tip #3: Keep it Mobile & Flexible

Remember when desktops were pretty much the norm, and if you weren’t at your desk then too dang bad? Since we use our PC for so many aspects of our work and home life, we rely on 2-in-1s and laptops because they’re so easy to take on-the-go when needed. When sharing a workspace at home, sometimes you just CAN’T make it worth with both of you at the desk at the same time. Or when I wanted to browse online to purchase hubby something for Christmas, I didn’t want him looking over my shoulder at the desk. My new laptop is perfect for just taking on the go – and I’m absolutely LOVING the flip feature, taking it into mobile-mode for some extra ease and fun!

Oh, and the pen/inking allows you to write, draw or erase as naturally as your creativity – maybe the next school science project will be done easily during a break at karate class, or editing family photos for Christmas cards done while waiting at the doctors office! When at home, if you need an extra monitor or larger screen, just get an additional monitor and plug it into your PC – best of all worlds!

Tip #5: Keep it Neutral While Still Adding Personality

Hubby doesn’t care tons for pops of color or decor, while it really helps my mood and productivity to have some attractiveness to my workspace. Try to find a good balance – a little pop of color on the big desk calendar, plus a cute mug for holding the pens, pencils and highlighters was a good compromise when we started sharing a workspace. You could also have different backgrounds on your PC, so depending on who logs in shows a different picture or image – mine’s a bunch of family photos, while he prefers a slideshow of artistic fantasy or sci-fi scenes. That helps keep your space YOURS, while still being just as good for the other person.

Tip #6: Clean Often & Keep it Simple

If I’m not careful, I tend to let papers, notes and printables take over my entire desk space, making it really distracting and difficult to be productive. Just like an old computer clogged with stuff from who-knows-when, a new PC with the 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor can be simple and clean (making it that much faster and easier to work and find things on your computer!). Be sure to clean off your desk and work area often, and utilize filing systems or scanner – I love scanning things into my computer, then filing them accordingly. It saves so much space! And while you do need all your work accessories (pens, pencils, paper, markers and notes), try not to over-clutter with unnecessary stuff. If you let that happen with ONE person’s desk it’s frustrating – with TWO sharing a workspace, it’s just a total nightmare.

Tip #7: Don’t Be Afraid to Have YOUR Chair

For awhile hubby and I shared the same desk chair – which was an awful idea! He liked it to be free to lean all the way back, so when I got into it I’d about fall over when it startled me leaning back. He finds a different level of cushioning and back support comfortable than I do. It’s crucial that you feel comfortable when sitting at your work area, so don’t hesitate to get two different chairs that you can just switch out for whoever’s going to use the desk next. This could save a lot of arguments – and sore backs!

Having an organized, attractive and USABLE desk area can make a huge difference when you’re sharing a workspace at home – for both you AND your other half. Even though it may be frustrating at times, compromising and communicating well with each other will go a long ways to make it as hassle-free as possible. I love when my hubby gets to work from home, even if it does mean sharing my beautiful office!

What’s YOUR best tip for sharing a workspace at home?

Check out Intel on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to learn more about the new 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor!

Furby Connect: Perfect Interactive Holiday Gift

December 10, 2016 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Furby Connect as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Christmas is fast approaching, despite my ridiculous begging to nobody in particular that it be pushed back so we can enjoy a few extra weeks of holiday excitement (and prep time!). I’m just about ready, or at least as ready as I’m going to be – especially with the kids out of school for 2 weeks soon! They were thrilled to get a fun family gift early, and I highly recommend the new Furby Connect – it’s the perfect interactive holiday gift to please anybody!

I remember getting one of the original ones growing up, and while it was really cool and fun, it also had limitations. This new Furby Connect works with your tablet or phone using the Furby Connect World app. Yes, it’s available on both the App Store and Google Play, so you’re not limited with the type of device you can use.

In this little ‘world’, you get to do all sorts of creative things right along side your Furby Connect – such as hatching new babies, called Furblings, from their eggs! Once you get an egg from the ‘egg machine’, it pops and once the countdown ends, you tap on it really fast to help it hatch. “Awwww” says our guy, whom we named May-Doo (means Fluffy Marshmallow)!

My kiddos love seeing what type of baby they got, so far there’s a ‘wrestler Furbling’, a ‘sweet tooth’, a ‘sun’ and a ‘lazy’ that’s a sneezing Furbling. There’s even dinosaur Furblings, but we haven’t gotten one of those yet. You can also choose various foods to feed your new magical friend from their world. Choose a food from the side, and it loads into the food canon. Make sure your Furby Connect is placed above your device, then scroll down the lever and release – it shoots the food ‘into’ your little guy’s mouth! Watch his eyes to see how he likes what you picked out for his snack 🙂

The eyes are one of my personal favorite features, since he can show you his expressions and thoughts with the LCD screen eyes that display over 100 animations! The kids get a kick out of how he talks, and love looking up what the different words mean – it does over 1000 phrases! This was especially fun as we choose his name – scrolling through different word combinations to finally agree on one.

These friendly and silly guys come in a variety of colors – and you can easily see (and feel!) the fur at the top of the box, making it simple to find the right friend for your kids.

I think the Furby Connect is the perfect holiday gift and is a must-have on this season’s Christmas shopping list because it combines creative play with technology – something kiddos these days sure love! It’s so fun how the Furby brand grows with the times to bring revolutionized, digitally-integrated play with this fluffy new friend and his world full of surprises. You can see how thrilled my kiddos were when they unboxed their special surprise in our video here.

In the world, the Furby Connect can interact right along with your kids with it’s own hilarious take on songs, videos and much more. New surprises are delivered via the Bluetooth®-enabled app, Furby Connect World. You can help him learn lyrics to songs, and teach new phrases, by watching the videos together at the virtual Movie Theater. It’s like getting a new playmate in your stocking, or under the tree!

And for those wondering if you can turn it off – they made that super simple, too, by including a special (and cute) sleep mask! Just clip it on, and your Furby Connect gets a nice little rest. This comes in handy when the kids just don’t want to stop playing – tell them he needs a little rest so he can play more later 🙂

Don’t forget to check out their Facebook page for more fun!

Lots of Circuit fun with Circuit Scribe

November 22, 2016 by Clayton Reeves

We received a Circuit Scribe kit free to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are mine alone.

One of my favorite parts of being a Dad is being able to share things with my kiddos. When opportunities to do that with science, imagination, and curiosity come around I like to grab them by the horns and hold on tight. One such opportunity was Circuit Scribe, an electrical kit that lets you draw on paper and turn it into an electric circuit. How AWESOME is that!

Before I get much farther I probably should introduce myself. Hi, my name is Clayton and I am a Nerd. More importantly I am a Husband, Father, Dad, (yes I think those 2 things are different, so they both must be listed) and many other things to boot. I hope to soon fill up The Nerd Dad with all sorts of questions, comments, suggestions, and concerns, but am starting here today.

So without further fluff and stuff let me tell you why I think that the Circuit Scribe is one of the best things you could get your family.

These kits start talks. You get to sit down with your kids and talk about what to build, why things work the way they do, and how to build what they want. If you are lucky during all of this you will get to talk about all sorts of other things too!
Electricity is important! so being able to understand it and talk about it is a very good skill to have as well. The kit we got, the Ultimate Kit, has loads of stuff in it. We used LED lights, buzzers, switches, dimmers, knobs, blinkers, and the list can go on. All of this is powered by a simple 9V battery. The whole time we did it we found ways to add more to a circuit we had already built, ether giving us more we could do or creating something bigger.
Problem solving skills are one of the best things you can help your kids gain and these kits are a great tool to help with that. There where many times that we would place the last piece on the paper only to find that the circuit didn’t work. Then we would have to go through step by step to see what could have gone wrong.
Science is fun! All too often I have heard kids say or boring science is, and I understand why a bit. If I had to learn about things the why some of our kids do I would probably think so too. With this kit you could even wrap things up with the scientific method:
1. Ask a question – What would happen if we put all of the LED bulbs into a parallel circuit vs a series circuit.
2. Research – Talk about how it would affect the voltage and wattage at each light in each case.
3. Hypothesis – Have the kid(s) write down how they think the lights will be in each case.
4. Experiment (The funnest part) – draw out both types of circuits.
5. Data/Analysis – Have them look at the LEDs and decide together their brightness.
6. Conclusion – Decide whether they should accept or reject their hypotheses.

There is so much more that can be done that what I have listed here, the Circuit Scribe kit we have allows for you to link into an Arduino making your abilities practically endless. I am super excited to get this kit out again with the kids and do something else with them and let them slowly take more control as they learn what they are able to do.

The Best Family Apps – Free on Amazon Underground

September 30, 2016 by Danielle

My kids’ youth is so much different than when I was young. They LOVE their screen time, and I’m often amazed at how skilled they can be with today’s technology at such a young age. Now, we try to moderate how much time they get to spend playing on their tablets, and use it as rewards quite a bit. Since it’s not a daily thing, we want the time they DO spend on it to be valuable – but of course fun at the same time! My biggest thing? I don’t want to spend money getting new apps! Luckily we can find The Best Family Apps FREE on Amazon Underground! Yes, even awesome ones for us adults, too.

When I first heard about Amazon Underground from hubby awhile back, I just shrugged it off, thinking there was probably just a few random apps in there and nothing of real quality. Boy, was I wrong! There’s TONS of choices – perfect for back-to-school season. All of the 100% FREE apps & games from Underground have an “Actually Free” sash on them….

Amazon Underground is generally compatible with all Android phones with version 4.0 or greater. Just go here and follow the instructions – again, it’s FREE! You never have to worry about your kids downloading apps or games that will cost you money – they’ll now have access to more than 3,000 apps and games that are 100% FREE with your Amazon Fire tablet or Android smartphone. You can look at your ‘recommended’ items, or check their ‘most played’ section…

You can search more specifically, too – I found several great apps for myself and hubby in the ‘productivity & lifestyle’ area!

I was thrilled about finding ‘Cut the Rope: Experiments’ because my kids absolutely LOVE that game! I’m not too bad at it, either 😉

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So many great FREE apps in Amazon Underground! #ad #amznunderground #apps
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I’m really fond of games that are really fun for them, but also help them use their minds – like ‘Where’s My Water?’ They have to arrange things just right to get the water to the waiting alligator.

Since some of my kids are now in dual language programs, I was really glad to find ‘Learn Spanish Pro – Phrasebook’ in Amazon Underground. Now I can learn with them, and understand what they say!

I’m eager to try this ‘iRewardChart’ – no more running out of stickers or having to find a place for reward sheets! I can just track their rewards and progress easily in the app.

The Amazon Underground catalog of 100% free apps & games is part of the Amazon Appstore. It gives you access to great content that you’d normally have to pay for in “other” App and Play Stores, but now it’s yours for zero cost! You’ll have access to premium apps & games that provide fun, convenience and a break your family’s busy day.

Since we’re huge Disney fans around here, check out this NEW breathtaking puzzle game – Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot – from the makers of Disney’s #1 mobile games! Join Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Olaf and even a few mischievous Snowgies on a little journey – shoot snowballs with ice magic, earn unique boosters and discover special surprised around every turn. For the ‘first time in forever’, you can enjoy Frozen like never before with 100+ enchanting levels across the Kingdom of Arendelle. Get Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot here!

Learn more about the Amazon Appstore, the Amazon Underground catalog of 100% free apps & games or to get access on your Android smartphone VISIT HERE!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

IDo3D: Easy 3D Drawing for Kids!

September 27, 2016 by Danielle

I received an IDo3D kit to assist this post. All opinions are mine alone. #3DPen #FunWith3D

When I was a kid, I never would’ve thought about drawing with a pen to make 3D creations. It was about all I could do to shade my drawings the right way so they’d look somewhat 3-dimensional! Little did I knew we’d spend a weekend letting my kids create their own projects – in 3 dimensions. IDo3D is a great kit for Easy 3D Drawing for Kids!

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If you recall, last week I shared about the Atmos Flare 3D Drawing Pen, which is aimed a bit more for older kids and adults. The IDo3D is much easier to work with for the younger bunch, so our boys had a blast! One thing I loved was it came with some molds – so you could create arched pieces, then put the pieces together….such as a chest piece, globe, or even a curved hand!

The instructions were clear and simple to follow. You can use the different colored pens on a surface, then when you’re done with the flat you use the LED light to cure it into a solid. Then peal it off and you can use the pen and light to fasten things together at joints.

This IDo3D pack came with purple, green and orange pens, then that blue thing is the light. It can be used on the pens, or we just held it separately sometimes for convenience.

Here’s an example – they drew the alien or astronaut pieces flat, cured them with the light, then peeled them off. They then used the pen/light to fasten the arms to the body, feet sticking out, etc. to make it a more 3D figure.

Here’s the boys’ awesome first creations! They had so much fun, and can’t wait to try more complex projects. Maybe we’ll tackle the T-Rex project on the box next – they’d sure love that!

Grab the IDo3D HERE and make your own 3D creations!

3D Printing in Your Own Home?

September 20, 2016 by Danielle

We partnered with The Women Bloggers to bring you this awesome post. All opinions are mine alone. #3DPen #FunWith3D

When we were teenagers, 3D printing seemed like something from Star Trek. When it became a bit more common, we still never thought it’d be realistic to actual do 3D Printing in Your Own Home – but it’s now true! With the awesome AtmosFlare 3D Drawing Pen, you can create so many things, all according to your imagination, in the comfort of your own living room!

Yup, you heard it right – this new 3D pen allows you to build – well, technically, DRAW – 3 Dimensional creations without some fancy machine or heavy equipment! We gave it a good test, and after a few minutes got just the right speeds and angles needed to make it sturdy.

Black Widow even got in on the fun and created her own AT-AT (Star Wars, for those that don’t know – and if you don’t, I’m so sorry!) with the blue color ink! Her biggest issue was just going slower, since she’s use to regular drawing at whatever speed she wanted. This requires a little more patience, but once you’ve got that down you’re set to go.

So how does it work? We were eager to open the box to find that out, too! First, it comes with the large ‘pen’ portion, which has an Ultra-Violet light (there’s a button you can turn it on/off as needed) that heats the pen ink when it comes out to ‘cure’ it so it’s then a solid. You can switch out the ink cartridges to your desired color – this pack came with red and blue. Just hold the pen, squeeze the sides of the ink cartridge and it comes out! One trick – you can draw portions of your overall design flat with the light off to give you time, then cure it with the light. Then connect your different sections upright with a little more ink/light. Viola!

I was pretty proud of my palm tree I created – it was my first try with the pen, so entirely judge my artistic capabilities on this one project 😉

While it’ll take all of us awhile before we’re 3D drawing things like the amazing creations on the AtmosFlare 3D website (check out their turtle!), I know we’ll get better as we practice.

For some bonus help – they have FREE courses for 3D drawing at Create In 3D! It really makes a difference being able to SEE the tips and tricks, plus some other projects starting at beginner (yup, that’d be me right now!) on up to advanced. You can nab your pen on Amazon, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com and Toys R Us, so hurry!

What’s the first thing YOU’D make with a 3D Pen?

Skylanders World Games Coloring Pages

August 11, 2016 by Danielle

Are your kids Portal Masters? Do they LOVE the awesome Skylanders characters and game? Mine sure do, so when I showed them these Skylanders World Games Coloring Pages they were so excited! You can nab these free printables and let your kids share their love of Skylanders with their love of the summer games in Rio!

This post is NOT sponsored – we just love Skylanders & wanted to share these fun printables!

There’s several different fan favorite Skylanders you can choose, plus cut outs of flags, jerseys and more so they can decorate these fab characters to feel like they’re part of the team!

Plus check out this EXCLUSIVE Opening Ceremony Skylander – a great version of the torch!

Skylanders wants to help you train for 2020! Share your (or your kiddos’) training videos, especially if they’re using Skylanders toys to get there! Here’s more details on how to get in on the fun:

“Calling all families! Inspired by this year’s games? Skylanders invites you to participate in a global campaign to get kids moving and #TrainingFor2020. We want you to share photos or short videos of your children training for the 2020 summer games. Here’s the challenge: they have to incorporate a Skylanders toy into their training. For example, if they’re doing a pushup, they have to go low enough for their nose to touch a Skylander stationed on the floor. If they’re running a relay with siblings, they can hand off a Skylander instead of a baton. Like Skylanders Imaginators itself, the creative possibilities are endless! Show us what your future athletes are made of as they get inspired by this year’s World Games in Rio!”

To participate, please post your photos and videos to Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using #TrainingFor2020 #Skylanders. Please keep videos within 15 seconds. Show us your videos before the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 21st!