The Smart Walnut | The Talking Walnut

gung hay fat choy: blue orange games

Jan 252012

Happy Chinese Year! In our house, we don’t just celebrate this holiday by munching on egg rolls, but trying to immerse ourselves in a bit of culture. That means picking up some special library books for bedtime, wearing red (for good luck, of course) and seeking out games like Dragon Face. If you’re a checkers or chess player, you’ll appreciate this game of strategy. But there’s a bit of a twist to this version: when you jump over your opponent’s piece, you not only capture it, but with a flip of a disc, the piece becomes your own. Because, like most holidays, Chinese New Year is largely about celebrating with loved ones, Dragon Face is a great excuse to make a Family Game Night. This is a beautifully designed game that deserves to be played all year long.

In a Nutshell: In honor of the Year of the Dragon comes a game that any chess/checkers player will relish. Polish off your Chinese New Year festivities with fortune cookies, tea and Dragon Face .

Tags: Blue Orange Games, celebrating Chinese New Year with kids, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year games, Dragon Face, family game night, Yeat of the Dragon

elmo celebrates school: sesame street app

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut, Wired Walnuts

Jan 052012

One week into the New Year, and it’s already almost time for the 100th Day of School (for most kids, it takes place later this month). How apropos then that everyone’s favorite furry, red monster has his own interactive book app out, just in time to celebrate. Specially designed for Nokia Smartphones, the 100th Day of School takes Elmo, Abby Cadabby and the rest of the Sesame gang through a fun-filled day of learning with more than half the school year behind them. Kids will love hearing Elmo ask them questions about the story as they touch the screen. If you’re using this app along with your kids, check out the text-highlighting feature that indicates which words are being read aloud. This free download is a great one for preschoolers who can’t get enough Elmo–and need a more age-appropriate alternative to their big brother’s Angry Birds.

In a Nutshell: Elmo loves school, and now he’s got another app to prove it. The 100th Day of School is a virtual class party that can be played long after school has let out.

Tags: 100th Day of School, apps for kids, Nokia, Nokia apps for kids, Sesame Street, Sesame Workshop, smartphone apps for kids, Symbian

weather or not: backyard safari weather pod

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut

Dec 192011

I must confess: I am a weather geek. Nothing gives me quite a thrill as the words “five-day forecast.” Just ask my husband. He says I refer to rain as “precip” (do I really?), and that I smile when I hear the weather man say, “High pressure will dominate.” Naturally, when we had children, I hope to spread my love of all things weather and eventually cultivate my own little storm chasers. What better way than with a kid-friendly weather station? If you’re looking for a last-minute holiday gift for a kid who’s more at home outdoors than in, we predict you’ll love the Storm Chaser Portable Weather Pod. Part of the Backyard Safari Outfitters collection, this handy gadget goes wherever the wind takes you to figure out the forecast. A built-in anemometer measures wind speed, while a weather vane tells you the direction it’s blowing. Trying to find out just how much rain, sleet or snow is headed your way–or whether Santa’s ride will be a smooth one this Christmas Eve? Set this baby up outside on a flat surface (it has three extendable legs) and see how much precip collects in the pull-out water gauge. No matter if it’s a White Christmas or a wet one, you’re bound to have a budding meteorologist on your hands.

In a Nutshell: The forecast calls for holiday toys that go the distance. This toy is one that keeps kids engaged, no matter the weather.

Tags: Backyard Safari, educational toys, kids' weather station, last-minute holiday gifts for kids, outdoor toys, science toys, Summit Toys

it’s a wordgirl life: pbs kids

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut

Dec 142011

Christmas movies have become my favorite quotables these days, and “It’s a Wonderful Life” happens to be at the top of that list. I can’t decide what I like best–the scene where a young George offers to get Mary the moon (“Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down”…”I’ll take it. Then what?”) or when a more mature George begs for his old life back (“Get me back, I don’t care what happens to me. Get me back to my wife and kids!”). The intense emotion and powerful drama of these moments is easy to get swept up away in. It not only makes for good television watching, but it puts the season in perspective. Maybe we just have George Bailey on the brain, and that’s why we can’t help but think that the new holiday episode of “WordGirl” is the perfect way of introducing a holiday movie classic to a new generation of viewers. In “A World Without WordGirl,” Becky wishes for a world without her superhero pal. But when Chuck turns into a king with unusual rules, she suddenly longs for the way things used to be. Sound familiar? Any kid who has tired of their own version of Bedford Falls will surely relate to this show. PBS Kids will be airing this special episode of “WorldGirl” on Friday, December 16. Check your local listings for times.

In a Nutshell: Whip up some hot chocolate, sit down with your favorite word sleuth and enjoy this George Bailey-inspired episode of “WordGirl.” And if you hear a bell ring, an angel may just get her wings (or, at least, an A on her vocab test).

Tags: holiday television, kids' holiday TV shows, PBS Kids, WordGirl

van gogh on the go: starry night

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut

Dec 082011

Astronomy has long been a favorite subject of mine, a passion for the planets that dates as far back to when I was 7 and wished I could ice-skate on Saturn’s rings. While I now know that’s just not possible (at least not in my lifetime, anyway), I enjoy sharing this memory with my daughters. (The little one laughs, while the older one simply rolls her eyes.) Just earlier this week, while at the bus stop, my 7-year-old told me that Pluto was no longer considered a planet, and we got to talking about outer space and the solar system. Little did I know, a few days later, my preschooler would point out a solar system model suspended from the ceiling at her play group and begin asking me about the different planets. How fitting then that I should stumble upon Starry Night , an engaging new game that lets kids spy on the solar system, right in the palm of their hand. At first glance, it may appear like an ordinary toy–a transparent star filled with lots of treasures buried among brightly colored pellets–but oh, how mesmerizing it becomes when you turn the lights off, and they glow in the dark! Kids will be able to hunt for 40 hidden items, including an alien, a telescope and yes, even the nine planets. A great game for keeping little ones occupied while you’re holiday shopping or waiting for your plane to board, Starry Night is far-out. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, Pluto is now a “dwarf planet.” Don’t feel bad; I didn’t know either…

In a Nutshell: Don’t let the stars get in your eyes; this activity toy will keep astute kids engaged for what may feel like light years.

Tags: activity toys, Find It Games, glow-in-the-dark, hide-and-seek, rainy day toy, Starry Night

brain twister:perplexus

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut

Nov 302011

My 3-1/2-year-old is fascinated with puzzles. She started out with simple 3- or 4-piece wooden models whose knob-handle pieces made them easy to complete. Before long, she was moving on to puzzles with more pieces, especially the ones that had sounds and other bells and whistles. I notice there’s a particular one at our local library that she favors: a maze of animals whose tummies get filled with tiny marbles by using a magnetic wand. Each time she “feeds” the hippo, she shouts out in jubilation. I’m impressed with her persistence, as it wasn’t too long ago when she would have given up and cried if she wasn’t successful right away. Practice and patience are two things I’m trying to teach my girls, and I’m marveled at how such puzzles can teach them just that. Maybe that’s why Perplexus Rookie recently caught my eye. It’s a transparent globe that features the inner-workings of a colorful 3-D maze, and the object is to move a tiny ball along the numbered path until the end without losing your way. Twisting and turning is the name of the game, and stellar hand/eye coordination is key. But, even if you think you’re a master at this sort of thing, don’t count on it with Perplexus. There are plenty of obstacles and pitfalls along the way to catch you off-guard, like a set of scary stairs and an inviting igloo. I love that Perplexus also comes in Original and Epic versions, offering more advanced challenges for older kids and seasoned puzzlers. Wouldn’t it be great to get everyone in the family something they can play at the same time without fighting over, or one toy that your oldest won’t complain about being “too easy?” We think it makes for a great gift at the office, too, especially during those conference calls that seem to last forever. Don’t blame us if you become addicted…

In a Nutshell: It’s the season’s best can’t-put-it-down toy for all ages and abilities. This is one puzzle worth solving.

Tags: brain teasers, desk toys, educational toys, hot holiday toy, kids' holiday gift idea, office toys, Perplexus, Perplexus Epic, Perplexus Original, Perplexus Rookie, PlaSmart, puzzles

little linguist

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut

Sep 282011

My 3-year-old is learning French in her preschool. (When I was 3, the only French I could master was in the form of fries.) Today, exposing a child to her diverse, multicultural surroundings has become the norm, beginning well before the school-aged years. And since research shows that younger children demonstrate a natural aptitude for learning a second language, it helps to look for entertaining ways to cultivate this love of learning for your little one. Any parent who’s already familiar with the Little Pim line of educational DVDs will find the brand-new board book line to be a natural extension. And even if you don’t know the charming little star of this series, you’re bound to find a new learning partner for your preschooler. We got our paws on a couple of the series’ books featuring the global-trotting panda, found a cozy spot and began reading. For starters, the pages are especially sturdy and meant to hold up to lots of repeat page-turning. As pre-readers are introduced to different colors, feelings and other basic subject matters, they will enjoy the tactile experience of lifting the corresponding flaps and tabs, highlighting a specific word in both Spanish and French, as well as English. We like that the text can be witty as it entertaining (“No, this frog isn’t red!”), making this teachable moment more of an adventure. How great…or, should we say, “tres bien!”

In a Nutshell: If you’ve got a budding bookworm who loves to turn the pages and mimic what you say, help her become a lover of language with these engaging, multicultural first books.

Tags: educational toys, Little Pim, preschool books, teaching kids foreign languages, toddler books

words with little friends

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut, The Traveling Walnuts

Sep 192011

My 7-year-old has just started getting the hang of Hangman. I knew that day would be coming once coloring books and makeshift games of Tic Tac Toe on restaurant playmats quickly lost their allure. Now that she’s become a solid reader, it’s a great way to build on her growing vocabulary and keep her motivated to read for pleasure. For kids who love a good game of words, but may not be ready for Scrabble, comes Flip to Win Hangman , a portable game that works just as well while waiting for dinner to arrive, as it does traveling to Grandma’s. I like that kids can turn over each letter possibility as they fill in the corresponding answer on the dry-erase board; having the alphabet front and center jogs little brains that are doing their best to guess the possible answer. Easy wipe-on/off will have you playing this game over and over, so now you don’t have to feel so guilty about playing Words with Friends as much as you already do.

In a Nutshell: Hung up on Hangman? This version works nicely for younger kids wanting to impress Mom or Dad with their budding vocabulary. Oh yeah, and they want to be able to beat the pants off you, too.

Tags: educational toys, Flip to Win Hangman, Hangman, learning toys, Melissa & Doug, Words with Friends

leading by example

The Smart Walnut

Sep 132011

Later this week is back-to-school night at my daughter’s elementary school, and I think I’m nearly as excited to meet her teacher as she was. After listening to my daughter’s daily descriptions over the last few days, I’ve begun to form my own positive impression…and can only hope this mental picture lives up to my expectations. Putting a face to a name is always nice, especially when it’s the person who’s educating your child for the next 180 days. No matter whether you look forward to a school open house, or you find yourself painfully reliving those days spent at wobbly desks and smelly gym classes, it pays to develop a good rapport with your child’s teacher in the long run. Aiming to open up the lines of communication between teacher and parent comes a new paperback that deserves a spot on your nightstand. Way to Go, written by educator Mary Beth Gaertner, is an insightful look at what makes a good school-based relationship. With over 30 years of experience in the classroom and the main office, the author is clearly an authority on helping to fine-tune your dealings with your child’s teacher. She shares snippets of letters from both teachers and parents to demonstrate effective (and ineffective) dialogue–an eye-opening device cleverly disguised as a teaching tool in and of itself–and also puts herself in the shoes of the parent by offering teachers advice on “listening without defense.” I was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar tactic, “Tell the Teacher More” Day, which my daughter’s own teacher had already implemented. A very good sign indeed.

In a Nutshell: A lesson well-taught, Way to Go is worth a read-through, whether you are attending your 1st or 14th back-to-school night. Parent/teacher conferences everywhere are bound to go a bit more smoothly with the help of this book.

Tags: back-to-school, back-to-school night, Mary Beth Gaertner, parent/teacher conferences, Way to Go

numbers up

The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut

Aug 232011

I don’t which subject my daughter loves more these days: reading or math. She devours books just as veraciously as she does numbers, so I’d have to say it’s a toss-up. (Wish I could credit my genes for the math, but I’ll have to settle for helping shape her into a wordsmith…). In the meantime, trying to keep up with her fascination with all things binary is not as easy as introducing her to a new author or making frequent jaunts to the library. What’s a a numbers-challenged mom to do? For kids who love a good math fix, especially during these last few weeks of summer vacation, Math Slam will motivate them to test their skill set. At first glance, it’s an electronic handheld game. But before you shout cries of, “Oh no, not another one of those!,” take a closer look. This is not a character-driven, mind-numbing flurry of lights and noise, but rather a well-paced, question-after-question game that quizzes kids on everything from simple subtraction, to more complex equations (algebra, anyone?). Players are posed with a question, and they must hit one of the corresponding buttons with the right answer…before time runs out. My 7-year-old is delighted to be able to impress us with her rapid-fire right answers, and aspires to make it through all three levels. I hope I can keep up with her; I may have to hide out with my Tina Fey book.

In a Nutshell: If the extent of your kiddie math days only date back to the “Numbers Rhumba,” help your child challenge herself with a mind-blowing math game.

Tags: Educational Insights, math games for kids, Math Slam

Older Entries

The Talking Walnut

gung hay fat choy: blue orange games

elmo celebrates school: sesame street app

weather or not: backyard safari weather pod

it’s a wordgirl life: pbs kids

van gogh on the go: starry night

brain twister:perplexus

little linguist

words with little friends

leading by example

numbers up

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