Disney Carnival {Free App} Simple & Fun for Little Kids

 

 

My girls are always begging me to download new apps on my iPad and iPhone for them to play and secretly, okay perhaps it’s not such a big secret I really like to play most of them too. I received an email this morning about a new Disney Carnival App that was FREE! Who can pass up a free app, especially a Disney one?! So I downloaded it to check it out and thought I’d share with you my thoughts on it.

The Disney Carnival App allows you to discover fun Disney themed activities including puzzles, coloring and music. This is a very simple app and my four year old really liked it. I think it would probably be good for ages 3-6, you might get your 7 and 8 year old to play it for a little while but I think with the limited amount of advanced activities they would get bored fast.

Puzzles:

The puzzles have an option to make them simple or harder (three different levels) which means the piece sizes are different – although the puzzle is printed on the screen in low opacity so you just grab each piece and put it in it’s matching spot, which makes this a great activity for the younger crowd. The level one puzzles have only 4 pieces while the level 3 puzzles have 12 pieces. There are six different puzzles to choose from.

Painting:

As with any app I really like the painting programs that have a bucket where you click on the part of the picture and it fills it in. This app doesn’t have that. There’s a paint brush, a colored pencil/marker, an eraser and 11 different colors to choose from. The pictures seem to be a little more complicated and not as simple so I think it’s pretty hard to stay in the lines when using your finger. There are six different pictures to choose from.

Music:

I expected the music section to have a little more to it but it’s just a mickey themed piano with an octave of keys that you can play to your heart’s consent. No music to follow, or songs, it’s just use your own creativity so I got bored fast and I think my older children would too.

Digital Books:

This is probably my least favorite part of the app. As with most free apps they always have a section where you can click on something to purchase. Personally I’d rather just pay for the app and have unlimited use to whatever is included. I hate the games where you play and then al of a sudden they want you to buy more things to be able to continue. The Digital Board Book section has a whole slew of books available. When you click on the book it shows you a written description of the book and then you can click on the video clip and i t will show you all the great things about the book. Now I’m not saying the books aren’t great but I’d prefer a section like this not to be included in the app. I guess that’s what you get with free apps- advertising to spend money, its where they get us as parents. When you click on the purchase button it takes you to the Apple store where you can purchase each board book individually for $4.99.

PROS:

• Free
• Great for young kids
• Bright Colors
• Fun Background Music
• Disney Themed

CONS:

• Simple- not good for older kids- in fact my 4 year old got bored pretty fast
• Fun Background Music- is repetitive and could get annoying quickly
• No Paint Bucket Option
• Music section- needs a little more detail and interactive options
• Book to purchase option

MY RECOMMENDATION:

So if you’re looking for a good free app to keep your 3 year old entertained while you’re out and about running errands or sitting in the doctor’s office waiting room and you like Disney then download this right now for your iPhone or iPad but if you’re kids are a little older then I think I’d skip this one.

 

 

Iron Man 3 {Sneak Peak}

 

 

So excited for this new movie!

IRON MAN 3 releases in theaters on May 3rd!

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic- Pinkie Pie Party DVD

I’m excited to announce that TODAY – January 29th the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic- Pinkie Pie Party DVD hits Wal-mart shelves! This DVD also includes the episode “Too Many Pinkie Pies” from Season 3!

You can create the perfect Pinkie Pie Party for your most precious princess with party products at your local Wal-mart in both the DVD & Toy section! So run to your local Wal-mart today to create the perfect party with this fun new DVD and enjoy the special clips below!

PBS KIDS: Study Proves Math Skills Learned Through Online Games

As a a mom of four kids I highly agree with the article below from PBS. My oldest was reading at the age of 4 and now she’s in 3rd grade and reading at least at a 5th grade level. She’s also advanced in math and other areas. I have lots of moms ask me what I did to work with her so that she had these skills and was ready for kindergarten. I can honestly say that I didn’t work too much with her on my own but that letting her play on the computer when she was little on sites like PBS Kids definitely helped give her the boost she needed. Part of me thinks she is just naturally a little more advanced but that these programs helped her accelerate. I believe it’s important for kids to get the exercise they need and not have too much screen time but I don’t believe in limiting screen time. I believe in balanced physical exercise and screen time.

In an eight-week summer program implemented by WestEd, families participated in weekly parent meetings where they learned about available PBS KIDS math games and other hands-on learning activities they could easily do at home with their children.  Parents were encouraged to use the Ready To Learn collection of PBS KIDS cross-platform activities with their children at home for 30 minutes a day, four days a week. The project examined whether playing PBS KIDS “transmedia suites” (digital games that span platforms and are connected by storyline and curricular goals) can help families enhance their children's early math skills. Together, parents and children played online and mobile versions of games like Huff Puff-a-Tron,  Meatball Launcher, and Weather Surprise.

The study showed that children who were exposed to Ready To Learn’s content featuring PBS KIDS transmedia suites and related support materials outscored their comparison group peers on the Test of Early Mathematics Ability, a widely used measure of young children’s mathematics learning.

You can read the rest of the article HERE and be sure to check out the activities and games available at PBS Kids.

 

PBS- Wild Kratts “Lost at Sea” on DVD

If you and your kids love watching Wild Kratts on PBS then run not walk to your local retailer and grab the latest copy of Wild Kratts “Lost at Sea” on DVD so you can enjoy this science special whenever you want. My kids have only seen Wild Kratts a few times but now that we have it on DVD they watch it all the time and are asking to see more on PBS.

PBS KIDS MAKES A SPLASH WITH WILD KRATTS “LOST AT SEA” SCIENCE SPECIAL

Kratt brothers learn to speak “dolphinese” and explore the deep blue sea

in new science special premiering on-air January 21 and available on DVD January 22, 2013; new related science games and science videos to launch online

ARLINGTON, VA, February 4, 2013 –PBS KIDS’ popular WILD KRATTS series will have kids and parents diving into a creature adventure on Monday, January 21, with the premiere of a new science special — WILD KRATTS “Lost at Sea.” During the one-hour event, brothers and wildlife explorers Martin and Chris Kratt go under the sea in two new episodes filled with humor, excitement and a whole lot of science. Kids will also be able to explore natural science with the Kratts through new science games and science videos online, and new videos on mobile. In addition, the on-air special will be available on DVD starting January 22.

To kick off the adventure, the Kratts head to the most populated and diverse habitat on Earth — the coral reef — in “Blowfish Blowout.” Then the Wild Kratts decode the secret language of dolphins, among the smartest creatures on Earth, in “Speaking Dolphinese.” 

“In ‘Lost at Sea,’ families will go on a creature adventure with Martin and Chris Kratt, trusted guides who bring science concepts to life,” said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Programming, PBS. “In this on-air special, as kids swim with dolphins and explore the bustling habitat of the coral reef, they will learn important science concepts along the way, such as animal life cycles and methods of communication.”

On-air special:

“Blowfish Blowout”

When the miniaturized Kratt bros are swept up and lost in a swath of plankton, they become part of a crowd of fish larvae all headed to the most populated and diverse habitat on Earth — the coral reef. As Aviva and the gang search for them, the lost bros take up residence on the reef alongside a newfound porcupinefish friend, who will hopefully show them how to survive in this fish-eat-fish world until they are rescued. But when Donita shows up searching for a special Sea Crown fit for a fashion queen, the gang must return the favor and rescue their friend.

“Speaking Dolphinese”

The Wild Kratts team is on a mission to decode the secret language of one of the smartest creatures on Earth — dolphins! With the help of Aviva’s experimental Dolphin Decoder and two young dolphin tutors, Chris and Martin join a pod and try to speak “dolphinese.” But when their newfound friends are caught in a jam with the dolphins’ only true creature enemy — a hungry shark — the bros are embroiled in a hair-raising rescue mission that tests their new creature language skills.

The one-hour science special premieres on Monday, January 21, on PBS KIDS (check local listings).

Online and on mobile:

A new online science game, “Dolphin Dive,” is the first PBS KIDS online game to include real animal sounds! In the game, players can extend their experience in learning about dolphin communication, as they help the Kratt Brothers use their dolphin Creature Power Suits to reunite lost dolphin babies with their pod. Kids can earn their own dolphin Creature Power Suit and then explore a new Coral Reef Habitat. Players will encounter amazing sea animals, as they swim alongside a sea turtle and shark. “Dolphin Dive” will launch in the coming weeks, joining WILD KRATTS’ collection of popular science games.

Both full episodes and clips from “Lost at Sea” will be available on the PBS KIDS Video Player at PBSKIDS.org/video and on the PBS KIDS Video App on January 22, 2013.