Bookmark
Webkinz and and the new Webkinz Jr.
Webkinz is a fun game for kids who are less than ten years old. I think Webkinz is better than Club Penguin. On Webkinz.com, you can buy more rooms, you can send packages, you can even chose your own wall paper and flooring and much more! Webkinz has more advantages then any other computer game. Webkinz, unlike Club Penguin, has another site that is good for kids who are just starting to read. Webkinz is a fun game for all children!
By Hadley (age 9), owner of Julianna, a 
Webkinz Golden Retriever.
Dad’s POV: Webkinz Jr. is for pre-readers so a lot of it is easier for them to do. As a parent, I’m kind of amazed that they have the motivation to play sorting games with little “wow” factor and dead-slow animation, but it’s a testament to Webkinz that kids seem to stay intrigued. The concepts are pretty easy to grasp, so a lot can be done without mom and dad’s involvement, which may or not be a good thing.
Webkinz Jr., like the regular Webkinz cost from $20- $30. They have a “cute” factor that kids love, though adults might find they are not as well made as other plush toys. The kids are more interested in the game in this case, and I haven’t seen my kids anyway, focus to much on the similarity of their real live doll to the one featured on the screen.
Like Club Penguin, there are security features so that kids can’t chat with other kids (or adults) unlimitedly. Kids are limited to a selection of simple phrases and questions, such “hello.”
A deluxe membership will soon be available that includes more activities and a section that allows parents to track their child’s involvement with different parts of the site. It would seem that at this price, this would be included.
Popularity: 1%
Best building toy yet….
This will surprise you, but Citiblocs are just a bunch of pine blocks, all cut in 1 X 4.5 X 1/4 inch rectangles. But they are perfect for creative play for little hands, and dads. When I opened the box, I was surprised not to find extra pieces like triangles and rounded edges.
Citiblocs has none of that. They are just simple blocks.
But my son (5) loved them. He built a house right away and explained all the crazy features it had. Unlike Legos, he wasn’t locked into a rectangular or almost literal representation of something, so he felt more free to let things hang out and let his imagination take over. While my classic design at steps that lined up perfectly and involved some fine engineering to support an overhanging porch, his was more figurative.
I was a bit dismayed when he dissembled my colonnaded entryway to our house, but I overcame my frustration to let him just play the way he wants to play. The only solution though for next time is to buy another set so he can build his dream house and I can build mine.
Set of 100 for 27.50 at Amazon. Larger and smaller kits available as well.
Popularity: 1%
Up to dad to teach AMERICAN Values to kids
The end of summer is in view, but there’s still time to pack in some more outdoor activity while we have light, warmth, and maybe a little extra time. My kids are 5 and 9, and I’m suddenly feeling panic that neither of them has a baseball glove, and neither can throw a football. Like a lot of elementary schools, we’re big on soccer, but I guess it’s up to dad to make the kids AMERICANS!
Baseball mitts are a big investment these days, so after my sticker shock, I’m researching alternate shopping choices like Craigslist. We already have a couple of footballs, but tossing a regulation-size pigskin to a five year old is like pelting him with a watermelon. He can’t catch it and he certainly can’t throw it.
Someone sent me a one of those Nerf Vortex footballs. It’s a football with an arrow out the back. This one is a “pocket” version, so a lot lot smaller. The second throw my son made was a perfect spiral over ten feet in distance. I said, “What an arm!” and meant it, though I suppose there’s a little engineering behind the ball itself.
Meanwhile, I still have to find a glove for my little girl (age 9). There’s still an opening for the “first woman in the Majors” category and we’re going to find out if she’s got the arm to fill it.
Popularity: 1%
Finally, a video microscope for the rest of us – the Eyeclops Bionic Eye SE
The Eyeclops Bionic Eye SE is out at $40, so if you’ve been waiting for an affordable version of the video microscope for yourself, or another budding scientist in the house, now you can jump in. This is a super cool device that allows you to point a lens at anything within reach and see images at 200x power.
This might be billed as a toy, but it’s a pretty powerful device for looking at anything right up close, including a coin, your finger, or a strand of hair. And, the images really bring that 42″ TV to life.
Popularity: 1%
