Finding the right toys for your children can be difficult, especially when you have different age groups to consider. When the summer comes around it makes sense to spend as much time outside as possible. Obviously you need to decide what’s safe and what’s appropriate and we’re taking a closer look at the toys you can consider for each age range from 1 year to 9. The toys we’re discussing are appropriate as both girls toys and boys toys and can be enjoyed by all kids within that age group.

1-3 Years
Toddlers need to be introduced to a wide range of toys that they can engage with. Every new toy will bring new excitement. The main concern for parents of toddlers is stopping them putting things in their mouths so avoiding small or intricate outdoor toys is a good start. All toys need to be bigger than their hands and have no small parts. The best toys for outdoors for toddlers include balls, trucks, buckets and spades. You could also use an inflatable paddling pool and enjoy it together. Obviously pools are quite slippy so you need to be careful and supervise closely to make sure your child doesn’t fall and hurt themselves.

3-5 Years
Preschool children can have a bit more choice when it comes to their toys and they can have more fun whilst they’re at it. Smaller toys can be enjoyed under supervision as they will be more aware about safety and how to handle toys. Fun outdoor toys for this age group include trolleys, ride-on cars and bicycles with training wheels. You should always supervise any ride-on toys and bicycles at this age and you should ensure you push and don’t let go. Give them the riding experience but a safe way. You should also introduce safety at this early age by providing helmets and knee pads and protecting them if they do fall. You can still use paddling pools with children of this age and you can add additional water toys like boats and watering cans.

5-9 Years
Children are now ready to be introduced to more complicated and intricate toys. They will obviously have their own likes and dislikes by this age so this will probably dictate many of your choices. Their learning development is at its height so you can introduce toys which help their learning process. It’s the perfect time to introduce sporty toys such as tennis rackets, baseball bats and more. You could even install a basketball hoop. Sporty games help build muscle strength and hand-eye coordination which are both important for later life. Your child can also move on from their training bicycle to a regular two-wheel bike with lots of support and practice.

The toys you choose for your children is a completely personal choice but taking into account these points will ensure you buy toys which are age appropriate and beneficial for your child. There are many different types of toys to consider and playing outside is a fantastic way of introducing your children to the world beyond your home.

Emily Steves. is a freelance parenting writer from Colchester. She specialises in reviewing girls toys and providing advice for new parents.

The sheer number of cartoons and games available on the internet today is simply astounding. Children can do anything they wish; they can watch Ben 10, play Star Wars games, and so on and so forth. However, the only issue is when it comes to really young children.

A lot of parents look for games they can play with their young children online because they want them to get accustomed to the interactive side of things as soon as possible. Of course they imagine them to be highly fun too. Yet, when parents get onto the internet they are often disappointed because the games are too complex and therefore they cannot enjoy them with their child.

But, don’t fear any longer, as all the hard work has been done for you. The following games are suitable for parents and youngchildren to enjoy together.

     1. Scooby Doo Painting Game

Most children love to draw and make pictures when they are younger. This game allows them to do so, but instead they canpaint online. This is great for you too because it means your home won’t end up messy. You and your child will definitely enjoy creating some masterpieces together.

     2. Gwen Dress Up

If your child likes to watch Ben 10 then they will love this dress up game. A lot of the Ben 10 games online are very complex because they involve action and defeating the enemy. However, in this game you and your little one can simply have fun picking numerous outfits for Gwen.

      3. Gumball Character Creator

The Amazing World of Gumball is one of the more recent cartoons on television at the moment. It was first shown on screens in 2011 and is still in production today. The characters on the show are unique, colourful, and vibrant. This game allows you and your child to create your own characters for the show.

      4. Food Bash

The concept of this game is very easy. You and your little one canhave fun throwing food at several cartoon characters. From Johnny Bravo to The Powerpuff Girls, you will have to make sure you come out on top against some of the very best.

      5. Scooby Doo Dress Up

The Scooby Doo dress up game is great because it is suited to both boys and girls. You can have great fun dressing up Scooby and the other characters in a range of fun, exciting, and electric outfits.

      6. Ben 10 Alien Maker

This game is one of the most popular Ben 10 games online at the moment too. The show revolves around lots of intriguing and unusual aliens and now you can create your own with this game.

      7. Funk Box

If your child is a fan of music and a fan of the show Class 3000 then they will love this game. Little explanation is needed; the name ‘Funk Box’ pretty much says all that you need to know. Get ready to groove.

      8. Meat the Mayor

This is a game based on the Powerpuff Girls series. In this game you will act as the mayor and you have to catch special items. Fail to do so and the poor mayor will turn into a piece of meat.

The eight games mentioned in this article are not only good because they are suited to youngsters but they are highly entertaining as well. You are bound to enjoy some great fun with your child. There is only one thing left to do; get playing!

Author Bio

Emily is a copy-writer associated with some of the best Kids communities. She has written on a whole host of cartoon and game related topics. She recommends kids to watch ben10 Ultimate Alien online when they are taking breaks from their studies.

Download it here for iOS!

If you’ve ever wondered what, exactly, kids apps are teaching your children, one app has made it quite clear. The extensive research-based model for the app “Smart 4 Kids” by Isabelle Duston really makes it an outstanding educational tool, with the added bonus of engagement value. The publisher modeled the units of the app after the “Big Five” focus areas outlined by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: vocabulary, fluency, phonemic awareness, systematic phonics and comprehension.

The activity units, of which there are 36 in the full version, are made up of five levels covering three objectives. The first activity is an introduction to the lesson taught, usually spoken by a friendly bird. The next three levels are games intended to practice the lesson, for example, helping Chico find starfish labeled with a word that matches the sound he’s looking for, or popping (letter) bubbles while giving your dog a bath. The final activity is an illustrated mini-story to help children identify, solidify and practice the letter sounds they just learned. Here, stories are read by a human voice actor and words are highlighted alongside the narration.

In addition to clear, engaging voice acting throughout, there are also fun sound effects and intuitive transitions in the activity units. Logically, all instructions are spoken (not written) in the app, as it is designed for pre- or early readers of about the first-grade level, so make sure to turn on your device volume or use headphones.

For a full list of the 36 activity unit objectives, find the publisher’s outline on the app description page here. The units span from alphabet review, common long and short vowel sounds, blends, patterns and digraphs, and even silent consonants — your kids will be masters of this curriculum in no time!

If that wasn’t enough, there are also six beautiful, illustrated mini-books in the library menu of the app to help introduce the characters who have been helping your kids learn. The characters and their backstories are culturally enriching with an international appeal — your kids worldview will expand even as they learn more about their native language.

After combining the six minibooks and the five activities in each of the 36 units, you will receive 186 levels of learning within this single, relatively small, app. The full version is priced at $4.99 in the iTunes store, but it’s well worth the cost (cheaper than any single book). If you’re still not sure, there’s a free introductory version with plenty of units to change your mind.

After downloading, this app is offline compatible, so your kids can learn and play while they’re in the car, on an airplane, or if you simply prefer to turn off internet browsing while your children are using your devices.

We’re proud to add that “Smart 4 Kids” is YogiPlay-enabled, so their accomplishments will earn them YogiWorld coins (while also earning in-app awards!). Additionally, parents will be able to see their children’s progress through the YogiPlay Parent Center on the home menu.

See the video below to get an even better feel for the learning experience:

Download “Smart 4 Kids” for Apple Devices Here!

Your YogiFriend,

Tessa R.

Click to Download

By: El Taller Diseno Grafico y Publicidad, S. L., © Buhobooks Editorial

Price: $1.99

For: Apple iPad

Rating: 4+ stars (iTunes)

Category: Education

Whether you’re familiar with the Oscar Wilde short story “The Selfish Giant” or not, this picture book app is the perfect opportunity to (re)visit a classic tale about generosity, sharing and friendship. This time, however, you can use it as a tool to learn and practice English, Spanish or both!

Bilingual app-maker El-Taller and publisher Buhobooks created a beautiful, engaging app for kids out of this story — in which a selfish, reclusive giant creates his own forbidden garden apart from all of the friendly town children, but is inspired to tear down his thick wall when the kids show him that only sharing will bring spring and life to his otherwise desolate garden.

Although the story itself can be credited to Wilde, the experience of the book is greatly enhanced by the truly beautiful illustrations by designer Kike Ibañez. His illustrations evoke the painted papers of Eric Carle or watercolor textures. His choice of color to show Spring vs. Winter, friendly vs. selfish, etc. is particularly notable. Each scene is gracefully animated and offers delightful, new engagement with already beautiful art.

The fantastic audio also adds to the mood of the story and resonates as impressive but well-placed. Additionally, the narration is extremely well-done and engaging, and the voice actor can easily play different characters and moods well.

The read-along voiceover and background music can both be turned off if the reader wants to challenge his/herself, or if parents just desire a quiet activity.

The app is primarily a simple ebook that allows readers to fully engage with the content, but there is some interactivity with a bounce-able, playable animated soccer ball that appears on each scene of the story, with tie-ins to the beginning and end of the book.

Overall, this is one of the most beautiful and well-made new kids e-books we’ve seen.

Unique from any other app telling the same story, this version is a work of art with a uniquely bilingual option.

View the book trailer here, or download the story for iPad for $1.99 here in the US market.

Appy reading!
Tessa

When looking at a page of alphabet letters and saying “ruh” kuh” and “yuh” gets a little tiresome, i-Itch by Teachers With Apps has made a fantastic educational kids app to teach your kids the sights and sounds of the ABCs!

“Want your child to read? This is the app for you!” -i-Itch

This app is three levels of difficulty in one. In the “play” mode of ABC Shakedown Plus, a picture for each letter of the English alphabet is presented alongside its letter sound. All of the letter sounds are enunciated, articulated and properly spoken with guidance from a speech pathologist, according to the i-Itch educators. Younger children can practice on this level, where they can consecutively touch, for example,  the letter “Oo” or the picture, an octopus, to hear it said aloud.

In the “See It, Say It” mode, players get to choose which of three letters matches the picture/word they practiced with in the first level. They are rewarded for a correct answer with an adorable animation, a YogiPlay coin, and a pleasing sound. There is no penalty sound/response for a wrong answer, which was part of the design by i-Itch, since they report children are often confused by buzzer sounds.

In the most challenging mode, “Hear It, Hit It,” pre-readers are presented with a picture that they can click on to hear the word, and three unlabeled, colored dots that each play a letter sound when clicked. Players must match the sounds without ever seeing the letters.

Overall, this app encapsulates a range of pre-reading skills, from practicing alphabet recognition to letter-word association to sound-letter matching. It is a well-designed, artistically-centered app that does what it intends to do: teach your kids the alphabet. The app is great for pre-readers, but according to the developers, it is also:

“Perfect for the reluctant, challenged, or struggling reader, and proven successful with the special needs population and ESL learners.”

ABC Shakedown Plus is one of the 40+ YogiPlay-enabled, educator approved apps across platforms. This means that parents can tap the YogiPlay Parent Center button to get: a) insight into their child’s learning and progress on their favorite YogiPlay-boosted app, b) custom recommendations for fun learning apps from our educational experts based on their child’s preferences, and c) fun ways to motivate their child’s learning. Kids will collect coins in the second two modes that can be used in the YogiWorld — a space where they can make and interact with virtual pets, watch safe kid videos, and more.

ABC Shakedown Plus is available for iOS and is currently $1.99. Get it from iTunes here!

Appy New Year,
Tessa