Kids

Playing a bit like a computer version of Lego, Mojang's Minecraft – the darling of the indie game movement – has been an impressive success story. It soared to mainstream popularity as intrepid players proudly showcased their elaborate creations online. Its similarity to Lego didn't go unnoticed by the toy giant, and in 2012 kids of all ages could enjoy the game AFK with a licensed brick set. The problem is, you'd need an awful lot of bricks to recreate what you can make in the game (for example, check out this version of Game of Thrones' King's Landing), so that's where Printcraft – and the magic of 3D printing – enters the picture.  Read More

Kids these days have it made. Case in point: Sakakibara-Kikai's latest creation, the Kidswalker NT, a miniature gasoline-powered exoskeleton that wouldn't look out of place in a Saturday morning cartoon. The original Kidswalker, unveiled in 2010, was designed to placate youngsters who demanded a ride in the company's much larger (and potentially more dangerous) Landwalker. As cool as it was, the Kidswalker has now been upgraded with additional features.  Read More

Children today are growing up on mobile devices. Concepts like pinch-to-zoom and slide to unlock – foreign to adults before the iPhone launched in 2007 – are as natural as breathing to today's kids. You love your children, but it can be unsettling to see your rambunctious four-year-old hoisting your $500 iPad. There are several ways around this: invest in AppleCare or other insurance, buy a Kindle Fire or similar budget tablet, or invest in a tablet dedicated for kids. Ematic is hoping you choose the latter, and buy little Susie her own FunTab Pro.  Read More

Oregon Scientific has launched a new tablet designed specifically for kids at the recent Toy Industry Association's 109th American International Toy Fair in New York. The MEEP! tablet runs on Android 4.0, features a 7-inch Neonode zForce touchscreen display encased in toughened housing with a silicon rubber sleeve, and is Wi-Fi-enabled. Parents concerned about their kids running wild and free online will be relieved at the inclusion of intuitive Parental Control technology that can be adjusted remotely using any internet-enabled computer or mobile device.  Read More

A new teaching app has been released for iDevices where Mozart, Scott Joplin and Clara Schumann - and a friendly onboard instrument tuner called Toonr - join forces to make music practice less of a chore. The My Note Games system is said to be the first children's app to make use of note recognition technology and uses a suite of simple games to help kids develop sight reading, timing and tuneful playing skills.  Read More

Despite the bad press that gaming often gets, there is increasing evidence that it can have positive effects. We've already seen studies suggesting that video games improve decision making and put players in a more relaxed frame of mind, now there's more good news for parents whose offspring are video game junkies. Research out of Michigan State University suggests that 12 year olds who play video games tend to be more creative ... and the more they play the more creative they are.  Read More

It's only been a few short years since kids who wanted to mimic grown ups and tap away on a laptop had to resign themselves to a bulky imitation from the likes of V-Tech. Nowadays, youngsters are able to get their hands on something a little more convincing - whether it's a fully-fledged, ruggedized laptop or a child-friendly tablet. Toshiba has just revealed a good example of a notebook created with kids in mind. Designed in collaboration with Best Buy, the new Satellite L735D 13.3-inch notebook sports a new easy-clean keyboard, runs on Windows 7, features a 320GB HDD and includes applications aimed at making surfing the web safer for kids.  Read More

Feeling reluctant to hand that shiny new iPad over to junior? The VINCI Tab might be the answer - it's an Android 2.3-based 7-inch tablet with a tempered-glass display and soft edges that's been designed specifically for children of up to four years. The device is relatively well spec'd with a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU and 512MB of RAM, offers a range of built-in apps and games for kids and is fully wireless-disabled, with no 3G and WiFi on-board ... which will help keep kids safe from inappropriate content and your wallet safe from unexpected data charges.  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