• The Smart Walnut Archive

    Getting both kids to sleep in on weekend mornings is nothing short of a miracle. If one decides to stay in bed, the other must naturally bound out of her room with a bundle of energy. And no matter how many times we tell them to stay put, arming them with plenty of books/games/bargaining deals (“if you stay in bed until 8, you can watch SpongeBob in the morning), like so many parenting moments, our words appear to fall on deaf ears. Just in time for the return of Daylight Savings comes an adorably clever time-telling tool that just may do the trick. The BabyZoo Sleep Trainer is a smart clock that, at a quick glance, lets kids know whether or not it’s time to [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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. [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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    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 [&hellip

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