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InnoTab® 3S Learning Tablet Review and Giveaway

Posted by html404 on October 11, 2013
in Downloads, Ebooks, Education, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Reviews, School, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics, Uncategorized

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product from Vtech in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

It is pretty safe to admit our family has embraced the age of technology. While we don’t have every techie gadget on the market we have our share. More and more of our children’s education is relying on technology. That’s why we embraced the opportunity to review a Vtech InnoTab® 3S Learning Tablet

Features of the InnoTab® 3S Learning Tablet:

The InnoTab® 3S features VTech Kid Connect– an exclusive communication app that allows kids to be connected with their parents and friends through both tablet-to-mobileand tablet-to-tablet communication
The new 3S comes with a rechargeable battery pack with AC adapter and a kid-safe web browser
The new InnoTab 3S continues to provide access to VTech’s Learning Lodge™ app store, plus it comes packed with 20 free apps
Ages 3-9
All for under $100

InnoTab 3S Learning Tablet Review

Our children love their new InnoTab® 3S Learning Tablet. We are still learning to use all the features. They haven’t text me yet and they really haven’t used the web browser much because it requires me to put in our network password. I think it would be nice if we could save that password just because it would be easier than logging in every time, but I understand that this is one of the safe browsing features. I like that we can add new websites under the parental controls.

I know the camera and video camera gets used a fair amount. The children have fun taking goofy photos or videos or practicing their photography.

The children’s favorite activities is to play the beanstalk game. They have to check their bean plants every day to care for them or else they die. Kind of helps teach responsibility. The children love to see how much their beans have grown day by day.

InnoTab 3S Learning Tablet Downloads

Though there were free downloads with the InnoTab 3S Learning Tablet, I did purchase a few more for the children just so I could understand the selection, purchasing and download process. It was pretty painless and easy. Similar to downloading apps to a cell phone. Edited 12/27/13: But in comparison, there are more free apps available for other tablets, which I did not realize until much later. It is costly to buy more apps, something I cannot seem myself doing much of now that we have a Kindle Fire.

The Learning Lodge is where parents and children can access “hundreds of engaging, age-appropriate games, videos, e-books and music, endorsed by VTech’s team of educational experts”. Word has it the Learning Lodge will expand its current library of 350 titles to over 600 titles by the end of the year.

I did find the InnoTab 3S Learning Tablet a little slow when changing screens, but overall I really like its features and having this as an addition to our children’s educational program, even our big kids (ages 10-14) like to use it!

Vtech InnoTab® 3S Learning Tablet Giveaway

One of you has the chance to win a Vtech InnoTab 3S Learning Tablet by entering below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Kids Apps from Cupcake Digital Education

Posted by html404 on October 10, 2013
in Downloads, Education, Kids Stuff, Reviews, School, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics, Uncategorized

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

We are living in the day of apps. Our children LOVE going on my iPhone. Over half of the apps on my phone are kids educational apps. We use my iPhone as a part of our homeschool curriculum. If we are working with one child, another child can be using my phone, as it keeps them occupied.

We were gifted three new kids apps for review. They are Fraggle Rock Game Day – Cupcake Digital, Wubbzy’s 123 Learn & Play – Cupcake Digital and Strawberry Shortcake Berry Best Friends – Cupcake Digital. Our children are really enjoying them.

Review of Kids Apps from Cupcake Digital Education

Fraggle Rock Game Day – Cupcake Digital

Counting, tracing and games.

My five year old liked this one and Wubbzy’s 123 Learn & Play the best.

The whack a raddish game is hilarious! I even want to play that one!

Wubbzy’s 123 Learn & Play – Cupcake Digital

Wubbzy’s 123 was good for my five year old. I am not sure how much my three year old understood it but he tries. It’s a bit too young for my seven year old but she still had fun doing it.

I thought counting meatballs was fun!

Tracing

Coloring/Paint

Strawberry Shortcake Berry Best Friends – Cupcake Digital

Book, coloring and games.

Our seven year old daughter liked this app the best. She said because it’s nice. She’s a girly girl and loves to do the hair and nails game the most because I keep finding photos stored on my phone! She saved me the trouble for the sake of this review – in house help!

Our older daughter even enjoyed playing around with this app.

These kids apps are definitely keepers and you can find them on iTunes or follow the links in this review.

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LeapReader “Ready, Set, Read & Write!”

Posted by 278Wife on October 1, 2013
in Books, Downloads, Education, Family Stuff, Kids Stuff, Parenting, Reviews, School, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics, Travel, Uncategorized

I received free LeapFrog products in order to host the LeapFrog sponsored MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I am thrilled that I was able to be a host for the LeapReader “Ready, Set, Read & Write” Party, sponsored by Leapfrog! LeapReader is the complete learn-to-read-and-write solution. It combines reading, writing, and listening into one easy and fun system. LeapReader uses books, flash cards, workbooks, audio book apps, music apps, and even trivia apps to enhance the learning experience. If you’ve never tried a LeapReader, you must. It is lifechanging! My son and I call it a magic pencil, since it knows everything.

The activity book that came with the LeapReader was great. It really taught us how versatile the LeapReader was. For example, we turned to the page featuring “Cars” and the LeapReader read it to us. It also had a game to play, and it would sound out the words for you if you touched the words with the LeapReader.

When we turned the page to the “Leap and the Lost Dinosaur,” my son loved pointing the LeapReader on the different pictures and learning fun facts about them. He was engaged the entire time, and was learning. It is the best of both worlds! Another page he loved was a game you played with the “Muscular System” page. The LeapReader would give you a clue and you had to point to the answer. For example, touch the muscle you smile with. We played that for a good ten minutes.

The LeapReader flash cards were a hit, too. You are able to mix and match letters to build words. It has rhyming, spelling, and singing games as well. My son’s favorite were the singing games. If you touch one of the pictures with the LeapReader it sings a song, spelling and sounding out the picture. It actually made him start to remember how to spell the words, it was very catchy! My favorite feature was the included sight words list. Just touch the word with the LeapReader and it would say it.

We attempted the Writing books, but my son was more interested in hearing the stories than writing. Some of my friends’ kids came over and tried them, and they had a ball! The LeapReader really tells you step by step how to write Upper and Lowercase letters, while saying letter sounds. I found it amazing that the writing magically appears on the special paper.

Each of the writing activity sets includes a workbook filled with fun activities as well as extra writing paper so you can practice. The activity books are so interactive that the kids are constantly engaged.

The Get Ready for Kindergarten book is a must for all preschool aged children. It teaches letters, vowels, beginning sounds, blends, patterns, numbers, skip counting, math, months, seasons, community places, and more. This was my son’s favorite book. He plays with it almost daily. There is so much to do on each page, that he rarely does the same thing twice.

My son really enjoyed reading the Monsters University LeapReader Interactive Book, too. You can either touch on the book picture and it will read it for you, or you can touch word by word to read and follow along. For now my son likes to listen to it, but I’m sure in no time he will be wanting to touch word by word. This will then teach him how to read.

I am absolutely in love with the LeapReader “Ready, Set, Read & Write” system. In additon to all of the workbooks, flash cards, and books you can buy for your LeapReader, you can also download apps to put on the LeapReader. Mine was conveniently loaded with two audio books, learning music, and a trivia app. Let me just tell you how amazing this is for travel. My son brings this in the car, plugs in his headphones, and enjoys listening to the stories and music. With a touch of a button you can switch between apps. The LeapReader is lightweight so I carry it in my purse or diaper bag when we are out and about so he is always entertained and more importantly, learning. The best part is that no batteries are required. Simply charge it with the included USB cord and you are good to go!

I can honestly say that this LeapReader is life changing. I will be telling all of my mom friends about how great of a learning tool this is. It is great for reading, writing, and listening skills. My son has yet to become bored with it, and continues to ask me to buy more books or apps for him. I love that he asks me to buy him books rather than toys. The LeapReader is definitely going to create lifelong learners for all children who use it!

www.LeapFrog.com

I received free LeapFrog products in order to host the LeapFrog sponsored MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Alphie the Squid App Review

Posted by Brande on September 17, 2013
in Downloads, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics, Uncategorized

Alphie the Squid App Review

Help Alphie the Squid to grow up big and strong on this new app. Guide Alphie through the maze of the ocean floor, along the way you need to watch out for riptides, sharks and other obstacles. Alphie needs eat along the way to help him battle the riptides, there are little fish along the way for Alphie. You earn points by finding treasure and treasure fish!

The animation of this app is vibrant, inviting, & funny and the music is great! This app is addicting for adults, yet very friend for kids. This Alphie helps kids with swiping action as well as learning about fish.

Check out the Alphie Trailer on YouTube!

Alphie is available for iPhone, iPad, iPod, and android products.

Don’t forget to like Alphie on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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TWR360 Free Christian Programming

Posted by html404 on August 9, 2013
in Downloads, Family Stuff, Free Stuff, Home, Parenting, Reviews, Technology/Electronics, Uncategorized

Even though TWR is the world’s largest Christian radio broadcaster with missionaries around the world and has been around for nearly years, I think this is the first time I have heard about it. They have created a brand new beta consumer platform TWR360 and are harnessing the power of technology in the digital age to reach new listeners for Christ. As I stated, the site is currently in beta and the official consumer launch is January 1; new programming is being added between now and the end of the year. What a great free Christian programming resource.

TWR360 Free Christian Programming

Like any other online account creation, creating a TWR360 account is very easy.

Here are my favorite programming:
Unshackled!
Adventures in Odessey (listed under the program schedule)
Children’s Bible Hour (listed under the program schedule)
Children’s Story Hour (listed under the program schedule)
Family Life Today

I found the site a little hard to navigate and the search engine for the site didn’t seem to bring up programs I searched for that were on TWR360’s programming schedule. So I think that is something they should improve upon during this beta stage before their official launch in January 2014. Otherwise I thought it was a resource Christians and others should know about as they have a decent variety in their programming schedule.

You can find TWR360 on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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Bookboard Review and Free Trial!

Posted by Brande on August 7, 2013
in Blog Stuff, Books, Deals, Downloads, Ebooks, Education, Family Stuff, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Parenting, Reviews, Saving Money, School, Shopping, Technology/Electronics, Uncategorized

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Mechanimals, Me and My Dragon, The Lucky Day Picnic, Doors in the Air are only a few of the wonderful books available through Bookboard.com. This app has over 400 books available to unlock with up to 4 children’s accounts (up to the age of 12). Once the books are downloaded, they can be read offline. Currently, Bookboard is available for iPads with iOS 5.x or higher. Bookboard recommends using and iPad2 or later version. However, they do work on an original iPad they are just slower. Bookboard says on their website that are adding other devices and platforms in the future.

Bookboard sets goals for your children and parents can check their progress through the app as well. Once a goal is reached, your child is rewarded with more books unlocked to continue their reading.

Bookboard Review and Free Trial

Head to Bookboard’s website for a FREE TRIAL! If you and your children enjoy it you can purchase a subscription for only $8.99 if you pay per month or if you choose the 6 month subscription its $29.94 or $4.99 a month! In the aspect of things if you purchase one book will cost $4.99. Here you have unlimited reading at your fingertips!

Here are a few on the many subjects that can be found on Bookboard: Smithsonian Series, Berenstain Bears and The Boxcar Children!!

My daughter is just learning to read and just loves the iPad. For us this is a great learning tool and we really enjoyed our books. You can join today to get your FREE TRIAL too!!

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Tap the Cat – Reading Eggs Review

Posted by Brande on April 29, 2013
in Downloads, Education, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Parenting, Reviews, School, Uncategorized

Continuing with the Eggy apps, here is Tap the Cat – Reading Eggs Review. Available for iPad (ISO 4.0 or later)

Reading 1

When you begin and tap the play button the balloons pops.

reading 2

Then you are brought to this screen,to choose which of the 9 activities you’d like to do. There’s writing, letters, smart quiz, speak and listen, making words, draw and paint, time to rhyme, vocabulary, and sight words.

Writing – A piece of lined paper and a word are on the page, your child will then trace the word and asked if they like their writing.

Letters – You find the matching letter (only 4 are given at a time). They tell you the letter as well as the sound that letter makes. Great for beginners!

Smart Quiz – listen to the question and find the matching picture. Example “Carrot begins with c. Which on begins like carrot” the pictures would be a lion, rabbit and cat. Once you choose cat you get a little tune. The questions do change to keep you child involved. The next example question is Ï look like a mouse, but I am bigger. Who am I?” The pictures are a chicken, rat and frog.

Speak & Listen – This is a recording one. Your given a written word and asked to tap to record yourself saying the word. Then you can play it back and are asked if you said the correct word.

Making Words – A picture of a word is shown (Example – Pan), the app will then sound out the word Pan and you are given blank tiles to fill in the word out of 4 letters.

Draw and Paint – Is just that, you pick a picture and color it.

Time to Rhyme – A figure of a house is given with this phrase “On the house I see a _____”, above the house are 3 pictures a mouse, hat, and ear of corn. Then you move the mouse to the house and get a congratulations.

Vocabulary – Tap the word to hear it and then match it to the picture.

Sight Word – Help the bunny get home. In this repetition app, the bunny jumps on about 6 carrots all the same word to get home. Another great one for the beginners.

I really like this series of apps, lots of learning and not realizing it. There’s one more! Look for my last Eggy app – Spelling!

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Eggy Alphabet App

Posted by Brande on March 25, 2013
in Downloads, Education, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Parenting, Reviews, School, Technology/Electronics

The Eggy Alphabet App is available for your iPad and/or iPhone in the iTunes Store.

When you start up this app, it asks for your child’s name and each time you log in it will welcome your child.

The home page has 2 available activities “Letter” and “Letter Game”.

When you select “Letters” a friendly voice will tell you to select a letter.

After selecting a letter, they will direct you to select an activity. Your child can select an upper case or lower case letter for their activities. The available activities are Dot-to-Dot, Draw the Letter, Copy the Letter, or Letter or Not?

Dot-to-Dot is just that connecting the numbers to draw the letter. It will make your child repeat the letter Dot-to-Dot several times with numbers, then they will take away the numbers are show just dots, then take away the darkened letter to make your child draw the letter by themselves. I really like the repetition of the letter.

Draw the letter is just that. They give you a blank page and your child will draw the letter.

Copy the letter – they give you the letter and arrows to give the direction your child should use to write the letter.

Letter or Not? and the Letter Game (From the home page) – It will give you different pictures and ask if the picture starts with that letter. For example see below.

Does the word insect start with the letter i? In this case yes, it does. The next picture may be a vase or flowers.

When your child finishes a level they receive a critter. We received “Mr. Cheese the Mouse” for playing for 10 minutes straight and “Blue the Whale” for completing our first Dot-to-Dot activity.

This is a great learning app for your beginning readers, writers and learning the alphabet for your little ones.

Best of all Moms & Dads, you can check their progress!

Look for my next app review – Eggy Sight Words!

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I Spy with Lola App Review

Posted by Brande on December 12, 2012
in Downloads, Education, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Reviews, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics

Meet Lola the Panda Bear. Are you ready for your little ones to go on a searching adventure with her? Great! Don’t tell the the kids but I’m sure they will learn a few things along the way too.

I Spy with Lola App

There are 3 different levels with I Spy with Lola – Easy, Medium, and Hard. BUT, you need to get through the easy level before you can move on.

Lola flies in her airplane to a destination in the world that your child will pick. Watch out because some are locked because they are higher levels. For example, if you child picks Hawaii on the map the app will tell you it’s Hawaii. Once the destination is picked Lola flies in and will tell you to find the sunglasses, boat, dolphin, etc. If you choose the wrong one, it will tell you the object but will not cross it off Lola’s list.

Once you complete the first level, the second level or medium level are about things that begin with …. For example – things that being with “B”. The Hard Level is “a hat that shades your eyes” – along the lines of a riddle.

I Spy with Lola App Review

My 4 year old daughter loves this app. It’s teaching her new objects and helping with “things that begin with the letter …”. She’s working on the “riddle” or hard part with some help.

Download I Spy with Lola from iTunes. It’s available for iPhone and iPad. You can also get a free version to try out before you buy!

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Roads by Chris Mann #Roads

Posted by html404 on November 2, 2012
in Downloads, DVDs & CDs, Reviews

I had the opportunity to listen to Chris Mann’s Roads album today. I have seen his name around but cannot say for certain I remember hearing his voice or music before. My oldest daughter and I were having a discussion on what kind of music it was and we couldn’t decide. I finally just looked at the digital download site to see how it was categorized. We were kind of surprised it is considered Pop, but I guess many of the songs are Pop so it makes sense. I just looked online again to see it also categorized as Opera, adult contemporary, pop, operatic pop. To us it was different. Different in a good way.

About Chris Mann
‘
Chris was on the second season of the show, “The Voice”. A show I have yet to watch, as you all know we are X-Factor fans. He was on Christina Aguilera’s team and she told him, “I feel the heavens open up when you sing.” From all reports apparently the whole country agreed, for when the series ended, not one but two of Chris’ songs were on iTunes Top 10 Pop Singles Chart. His album Roads was produced by Produced by Keith Thomas (Amy Grant, Vanessa Williams). Those are big names, eh?

Roads Review

Just to be clear to all of our Christian readers, this album is not a faith or spiritual album. That’s not to say the music and lyrics are not uplifting because they are. I found it very relaxing. I really like the richness of Chris’ voice and I love the song Roads. My daughter, who was up late with me, really liked it too. She’s a music connoisseur like her father. They both like a wide range of music. Music is very important to our family, but especially to these two peas in a pod.

If any of you are music lovers and are looking for something new to entertain and tantalize your ears, then please go to iTunes (http://bit.ly/SgkwJb) and/or Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/XQpJc8) to listen to samples of Chris’ music. His voice and his album get two thumbs up from us!

Roads by Chris Mann was just released in full this week.

This is a review post from One2One Network. I was provided with a copy of the album and I am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated are my own.