Children

As children get chubbier and chubbier, finding ways of motivating them to exercise becomes more and more important. Rich and Sheri Schmelzer and Alexandra O'Leary have taken the approach of creating their GeoPalz pedometers, that record how far children walk, so they can then redeem their miles for free prizes and awards on the company’s website. As anyone who spent their childhood proudly working their way up the YM/YWCA’s hierarchy of sew-on swimming crests will tell you ... it’s not a bad idea. Read More

A toddler on a leash – no matter how many times they see it, some people find the sight of a small child wearing a harness and tether just somehow wrong. It’s understandable why some parents do use leashes, however, as many tykes have a nasty habit of wandering off into the mall, park or woods as soon as mom or dad’s back is turned. There are GPS-based alternatives such as the Wherify Child Tracking System (which appears to now be discontinued), although they require the parent to access the internet or use their mobile phone. The Mommy I’m Here CL305 child locator, however, will instantly let you know where your kid went via an audible alarm. Read More

Six years back we covered the amazing 3.4 meter bi-pedal exoskeleton from Japan known as the Landwalker. Imagine our surprise when we found that its producer, machinery and robotics manufacturer Sakakibara-Kikai, has developed a smaller exoskeleton called the Kid's Walker. It didn't get that name because of its diminutive size either – the Kid's Walker is a functioning bi-pedal exoskeleton designed to be piloted by children! Read More

Some people might see it as a natural progression in the digital age, while others might see it as kind of blasphemous, but LEGO is set to launch an online video game based on its popular building blocks. Using over 2,000 types of pieces in 26 colors, players of LEGO Universe will virtually create their own avatars and other props, joining fellow subscribers worldwide on interactive adventures in the Land of Imagination. Picture a kid-friendly version of something like World of Warcraft, but one in which players have to build all the structures, vehicles, animals and whatnot that surround them, and you get the idea. Read More

If you’re excited by the new Ducati 1198, but are perhaps a little too poor or timid to buy one, here’s the next-best thing – a top-of-the-line Italian tricycle for your kid. Not only is Italtrike's oko, well, you know... Italian, but it also sports some rather clever features that make it safer and more practical than your average Lilliputian three-wheeler. Read More

It’s important to give growing kids a well-balanced upbringing and foster their imagination by sending them outside to explore and exercise their bodies and minds. But when they’re inside the house and you don’t want their inquiring minds “playing” with your laptop and its valuable content, maybe it’s time they had their own specially-built kids computer. Little Tikes has combined its plastic furniture prowess and computer knowledge to create the Young Explore - a combination desk and desktop computer, complete with mini mouse and keyboard to help get kids ready for the world ahead of them while at the same time having fun. Read More

Where was this product when I was growing up? Aqua Antics’ Water Bomb Factory is a child’s dream come true. Just watching the video (below) conjures up (slightly evil) thoughts of saturating family, friends and foe. Overton’s – basically a watersport enthusiast’s supermarket – says the Water Bomb Factory lets children (of all ages) tie up to ten balloons a minute, which could arm kids with a sizable stockpile in no time at all. Read More

In many countries, the law requires young children to be fitted in age- and size-appropriate seating within a vehicle. In the UK, all children under 12 years old or 135cm in height must use a booster seat, so it’s important to have one on hand at all times. But sometimes these cumbersome devices get left at home or in the “other car”. BoostApak is, as the name suggests, a booster seat in a backpack, light enough for children to carry when traveling on a bus, taxi, plane or while carpooling. Read More

Ensuring the home computer is 100 percent safe for the youngest members of the family is a priority for most parents. But security software can be expensive and unfortunately is not always completely effective. A clever new product – the PeeWee Kit – not only makes any computer kid-safe, it won’t break your piggy bank either... Read More