Kids Apps and Games

kid gear

Ga Ga or Gag: iPhone Cases For Toddlers

This is a tech world!

This is a tech world! Our kiddos are growing up in the digital age, where everything in our lives is digitized — and the truth is that many toddlers are able to manage technology with much more ease than their grandparents. And what is a toddler's coveted tech toy of choice? Mama's iPhone.
iPhone Cases for Toddlers
Since tots love iPhones so much, many companies have jumped at the lucrative opportunity to manufacture tech products that cater to both moms and tots — case in point, iPhone cases for toddlers. The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case ($20), Infantino's HappiTaps Beary Happi Character Cover ($20), and Woogie 2 ($20) also have toddler iPhone apps to go along with the smartphone cases. While the lovable Stitch iPhone case ($20) makes a cute hard cover that protects your phone from the trenches of toddlerhood.

We want to know what you think about this new tech trend. Will you be rushing out to get one, or do you think iPhone cases for toddlers are a waste of money?

CES

5 Great Tech Finds For Moms and Kids at CES 2012

If you thought the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week was about products for geeks, you were right — geeky moms, that is!

If you thought the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week was about products for geeks, you were right — geeky moms, that is! The integration of technology and parenting is more exciting than ever before as programmers and engineers are setting their sights on moms who can't put down their smartphones. From wireless video baby monitors that you can view on your phone to plush animals that turn your iPhone into a toy, here are some of the newest tech products for moms and kids!

Best of 2011

Best of 2011: The 20 Best Apps For Kids

Parents with curious young ones quickly realize that what's yours — including your iPhone and iPad — is also theirs.

Parents with curious young ones quickly realize that what's yours — including your iPhone and iPad — is also theirs. But, hey, sharing is good (right?), especially when you stock your technology with kid-friendly apps guaranteed to keep your tot entertained for hours, or at least wait for the doctor, fold the laundry, or chat with your bestie. Check out our 20 must-have kid apps for 2011, some free, and start downloading now!

Video games

Lil Gift Guide: 10 Fun Gifts For Lil Gamers

Game on! Not the sole territory of antisocial teenagers and reclusive 40-year-olds living in their parents' basement, video games have totally gone kiddie, with fun — even educational — options for tots.

Game on! Not the sole territory of antisocial teenagers and reclusive 40-year-olds living in their parents' basement, video games have totally gone kiddie, with fun — even educational — options for tots. Whatever your family's gaming console of choice, read on for a fun selection of age-appropriate video games for even the littlest gamers.

Sesame Street

Bert and Ernie Tell You How to Get to Sesame Street and Everywhere Else

Guess who knows how to get to Sesame Street?

Guess who knows how to get to Sesame Street? Given Bert and Ernie's new job, it's a safe bet that they know their way around town. The Sesame Street duo are the latest to lend their voices to TomTom navigation system, making a traffic jam a lot more fun for everyone in the car.

For $13, parents can download the popular characters' voices to help them navigate their way anywhere from grandma's house to the local gymnastics class, adding a lil humor to the ride, such as, "U-turn ahead, Bert. Just me turn? All of us Bert." Take a look at a clip of the characters trying to record for the system and tell us, are they a fun distraction for antsy passengers or a headache waiting to happen for mom?

kid gear

Chanel Goes Kiddie This Season With an Interactive "Kids Space"

Coloring books are so last season.


Coloring books are so last season. Not content to merely appeal to women of a certain age and financial standing, Chanel recently launched a "Kids Space" on its website, where lil ones can virtually color in Chanel classics like purses, blazers, and shoes, then print out the finished product. It's not just about drooling over accessories, though; Chanel has also installed a memory game where lil ones test and improve memory skills by matching as many pairs of Chanel icons as possible before time runs out.

Warning: it's very likely that Chanel fans a little older than the Kids Space's targeted demographic will have a little too much fun daydreaming about Chanel heels and quilted bags with their ideal color combinations. The kiddies might just have to wait their turn.

Ingenious marketing ploy targeting very young future customers? Or just another fun, harmless activity for tots?

Halloween

10 Spooky-Fun Halloween Apps For Kids

The countdown to Halloween has officially begun.

The countdown to Halloween has officially begun. If pumpkin carving, spooky party snacks, and costume preparations aren't enough, there are several Halloween-inspired apps to satisfy tots craving for all things Halloween. Check out these kid-friendly apps that will keep the Halloween spirit alive and well — before and after the big day.

Poll

Disney AppMATes: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

We know that kids love mom and dad's technology, but is mama ready to hand it over to her kids, outright?


We know that kids love mom and dad's technology, but is mama ready to hand it over to her kids, outright? Disney is hoping so! The soon-to-be introduced Disney AppMATes is a free iPad download that works with specially designed Cars 2 characters to convert the device into a virtual Radiator Springs for tots. Sold in two-packs ($20), the characters have sensors on their bases that activate the app to transport lil ones into the virtual world. Once the toys are placed on the iPad, kids can explore the town, go on missions designed for each character, race, and play games.

celebrity moms

Tori Spelling on Texting and Facebooking in Front of Your Family

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling!

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week Tori sounds off on technology and children.

These days we use our phones for everything, from finding directions to reading the news, to pretend-texting. Yep! Want to avoid an awkward convo or look busy at a party? Pretend text. Or annoy your friends by sending real texts like “Trying to avoid convo with weird guy right now.” Our phones have the ability to save us in many scenarios.

I think we can all admit we rely on our phones for both convenience and emotional support. Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with my phone. If I lose track of it, even for a moment, I go on a panicked hunt. My phone is like another child. I even wake up in the middle of the night to attend to it. It’s not uncommon for my friends and colleagues to respond to my 2 am emails with a kind-hearted “go to bed, T.”

Related: Fall Is (Almost) Officially Here!

So yeah, I’m working on it. But one thing I am conscious of is putting my phone away when I’m spending quality time with my kids and people I love. What’s worse than spending a weekend at the beach and doing nothing but answering emails? Or going out to dinner with a friend you haven’t seen forever and watching them text their other friends? How rude! Sure, I’ll take my phone out to take pictures, but that’s it.

It’s important to do the best you can to set boundaries about when you check your emails or Facebook, tweet, and text your friends. Make sure there are at least two hours each week night when you’re doing something else, like cooking and eating dinner with your family, going for a restorative walk, or even watching your family’s favorite TV show. Focus on the show, make fun of the characters, throw popcorn at each other! Just don’t allow anyone to check their phones.

Same goes for weekends. No checking emails during your kids’ soccer games or ballet recitals, or spending all afternoon on Facebook when you could be going on a hike, attending a local event, playing catch, or walking the dog. Many of us have to check work emails after hours and on weekends. If you do, make time for this, and stick to the schedule. Early morning before the kids are up can be a great time if you’re an early riser. Then it’s out of the way for the rest of the day. Or if you’re a night owl, wait until everyone’s in bed. Some people concentrate better at nighttime – it just depends on your preference! One tip though, if you check work stuff at night, make sure you do something relaxing afterward, like taking a bath or reading a light book. A restful night shouldn’t include dreams about missed meetings or typos.

How do you monitor everyone’s phone use in your family? Do you catch yourself checking your phone when you shouldn’t be?

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