Before kids, I didn’t mind being the subject of a photo or video clip. Now that I’m a mum, I am definitely more comfortable behind a camera, than in front of it. There’s nothing more humbling that seeing photos and video clips of yourself taken by your kids… while you are ungraciously eating, sleeping or breastfeeding in front of the TV. (Goodness me, is that how they see me?! Such an unflattering angle. Just look at my chins!)

I am ever, ever so grateful that the world has not seen any of those photos or video clips. My mind screams in horror at the potential of such sharing – especially via my public social media profiles!

Are there other parents who share my underlying fears of the potential mistakes kids could make when using technology? How do you set rules and limits so that so that they can use technology safely and within reasonable boundaries? I’m still figuring this out. I now have a password lock on my phone – but that’s useless when I unlock it for them so they can use my phone.

Imagine my utter delight (and relief) when I first switched on the Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids and was greeted by the Kids Mode. This very special tablet has been designed, so that on top of the standard mode for adults, there is an intuitive Kids Mode built in and designed for kids aged 3-6. The very clever parental settings help parents stay in control of which apps kids use (and purchase!), and the amount of tablet usage each day.

What I would give for such great parental settings across all types of technology!

Smart Apps for Kids 3-6 Farm 123 from Pauline LessonsLearntJournal on Vimeo.

Safety and reasonable boundaries aside, the Kids Mode on the Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids also comes preloaded with some of the best smart apps for kids that I have seen to date. Yep, preloaded. You don’t have to purchase or download these best selling kids apps. They come, set up ready to go, out of the box. No fussing about with this and that, looking and loading, waiting and telling kids… just a minute … one more minute… okay… look over there while I figure this thing out.. (grr!!).

Here are some of our favourite smart apps for kids aged 3-6 years old, that are FREE on the Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids. All come preloaded, ready to go, out of the box, (except for Learn to Write English which is free from the app store).

A very special mention about this particular app, because it is simply brilliant. Pettson’s Inventions (1 and 2) is all about building inventions to solve a problem and make something happen. It’s utterly engaging – (*cough* and not just for kids).

Smart Apps for Kids 3-6 Inventions from Pauline LessonsLearntJournal on Vimeo.

Now for the icing on the cake, the GALAXY Tab 3 Kids comes with a unique protective and colourful rubber bumper to keep the edges of the tablet protected. That’s one less thing to shop for.

Hand on heart readers, I am a Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids convert. I love it. Right now, there’s a special cash back promotion on offer. If you purchase a Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 kids tablet between 27 February and 30 April, you can get $50 cash back^.

$100 Google Play Voucher Giveaway!

To share the excitement of my new found love, we will be giving away a $100(AUD) Google Play voucher*. For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post sharing:

“How would the GALAXY Tab 3 for Kids fit into your life?”.

^ Terms and Conditions apply. Please visit www.samsung.com/au/promotions for full T&Cs
* This is a game of skill and entries will be judged based on creativity and originality. Open to Australian residents only. Entries open 9:01am AEDT on Monday 14 April 2014 and close 5:00pm AEDT on Friday 25 April, 2014. Terms and Conditions apply. Please click here for full Terms and Conditions.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Smart Apps for Kids: 3-6 years old by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

 
For now, my children know only of a world where iPhones® have always been.

 
The iBaby knows that to turn on something they press the button and swipe. When iBaby points to something on the screen, they expect something to happen. iBaby wants to reach for and explore that thing that iMummy always seems to have in her hands; (…a terrible habit compounded by the occupational hazards of being a blogger).

 
Lucky for this iBaby, her iMummy was sent two very drool-worthy toys. Now she can enjoy her very own iPhone® baby play.

iBaby Play: Fisher Price Apptivity Toys Review

 
The Fisher Price® Laugh & Learn™ Apptivity Monkey™ is a plush toy that you put your iPhone®  or  iPod touch® into. Think of it as a gigantic, fluffy case for your phone. The fluffy case feature alone was enough to get iMummy’s… I mean iBaby’s….attention.

 
As iBaby played the (free)  Fisher-Price® Monkey app, another very cool feature surfaced. She could also interact with the app by squeezing the monkey’s hands and feet! So, if she pressed the Monkey’s ABC hand, the ABC song and animation on the iPhone would come on; if she pressed the foot with shapes the shape animation and phrases would come up, etc. “How very clever,” thought iMummy.

 
The Apptivity™ Monkey also works without an iPhone®  or iPod touch® . It plays 10+ songs, tunes and phrases without an iPhone® or iPod touch®  device inside.

 
The people at Fisher-Price® must have known they were onto something because they didn’t stop at the Apptivity™ Monkey. They also have a Laugh & Learn™ Apptivity™ Case.

 
The Apptivity™ Case is not fluffy and it does not have any interactive hands and feet. At its core; it’s a durable case that protects your iPhone® or iPod touch®  from iBaby’s drool covered mitts. It looks like a gigantic teething ring with textured handles and rattle beads. It also sports a high-quality mirror;  fun for iBaby, and handy iMummy for those quick spot checks – (there is food in my hair?!) . “This is a must-have toy for the nappy bag,” declares iMummy.

 
I remember when iPhones® just came out. Hubby came home ranting and raving on about how his work colleague had this awesome phone that you could swipe to see the next photo; and to zoom in on a photo you did this… [pinch thumb and finger together; then separate and widen distance between thumb and finger].

 
Discovering new technologies is exciting work. Now iBaby gets to play and discover too.

Fisher Price Apptivity Giveaway

We are super excited to offer our readers a chance to win a Fisher-Price® Apptivity™. For a chance to win, tell us what you call your little Bubba. The competition will end 5pm AEDST on 17th October 2012. Please note the Terms and Conditions of entry.

iBaby Miss K, 10 months
September 2012

The post iBaby Play: Fisher Price Apptivity Toys Review by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.