Tech Kiddie: The Awesome Blog for Techie Kids

Featured TechKiddie: Jacob A.

2012-01-26T09:50:00.000+08:00

When I saw Ms. Aloha's post on Facebook, I knew that I had to invite her to feature her techie kid here at our site. We are inviting parents to feature their kids and their proud parent moment.

Ms. Aloha was my multimedia teacher back in college. Her kiddo is definitely as techie as she is. Thanks for sharing it with us Nanay Aloha!

Meet Jacob, our first featured techkiddie.

The Amazing Techie

Jacob is 3 years and 2 months old and lives in Niigata, Japan with his parents and his little sister.

What is your techkiddie tinkering with right now?

A new game.

Name of the New Game?

Clown Around, Cut the Rope among many others that he plays in his phone.

Your Proud Parent Moment!

"Out of the blue he demonstrated to me and his Tatay how to play Clown Around, a logic game app for iPhone. We were amazed how good he was; he knew when to cut the chains, which barrel to shoot the clowns and how to orchestrate his moves to win."

"We are so proud, he has already unlocked all the levels that is to be unlocked. He did this without us teaching him; he just tinkers away on his own the games in his phone."

Do you want to feature your techie kid? Do you have a proud parent moment too?

Share it with us and get featured!

Five Cool Gadgets for Techie Kids

2012-01-24T09:00:00.000+08:00

There are several considerations you need to make when buying gadgets for techie kids. Although gadgets like iPhones and PSPs look like they are ideal for kids because of their size, the truth is they are designed for adults and so use interfaces and have content that would either bore or frustrate them. Plus, they are pricey and easy to break (A notable exception to this are Nintendo consoles, which have been designed childproof, but again, these may not always be age appropriate).

Thankfully, toymakers today realize that kids learn about our high level of technology early on, and have designed gadgets that will cost parents less, teach kids more and keep them happier longer. These have been picked out from the many different brands and kinds of toys available, so do not be surprised if one of your favorites is not found here.

Boggle Flash

Boggle Flash is an innovative new version of the classic word game Boggle by Hasbro. Traditionally, Boggle uses 16 dice with different letters in it, that you arrange to form words for points.

Boggle Flash replaces those dice with small LCD tiles that change letters. When connected side by side, the tiles will recognize and indicate when you've actually formed words. Boggle Flash is a great new way to play an old classic.

Leapster Explorer

Leapfrog is a brand name for several educational devices catered to young children. They have rapidly produced several sprite-based video game consoles that play educational games, with constant upgrades, emphasizing child-safe usability and increasing features.

Among their products, I would recommend the Leapster Explorer, which features games, e-books, apps and even an attachment that turns it into a camera.

National Geographic 50mm Telescope

Telescopes are one of those toys that kids really want to get but parents cannot afford. Most toy telescopes are unhappy inferior facsimiles. National Geographic's 50mm Telescope is a reasonable copy of a real telescope, externally and internally, and great at getting them started peering into the planets, without having to pay full price.

Please note that National Geographic also has 30mm telescopes that sell for less, but will not be good enough for looking up. If you want your child to learn astronomy in earnest, do not settle for less than 50mm.

Paper Jamz

Paper Jamz are toy versions of musical instruments such as guitars, drums, turntables, amplifiers and even microphones. As the name implies, they are made of mostly cardboard and are battery operated. More importantly, they simulate the sound and experience of the real thing to an astounding degree.

At a fraction of the price of kid sized musical instruments, or musical video game accessories (Rock Band guitars do not run cheap), your kids can start playing music early with these genuine musical wonders.

Computer Engineer Barbie

Not technically a gadget, but I had to include this as a role model for girls AND boys. Famously announced as her 126th career, Computer Engineer Barbie reflects contemporary geek-friendly sensibilities and appropriately, accessories include a cellphone, Bluetooth headset, and laptop with appropriate travel bag.

Although some people complain why it took this long, I think its appropriate that it was now, when gadgets and the internet had pushed geekery into the forefront, that we got a Barbie that reflected these current trends.

Your Thoughts?

These are only some of many great gadgets to get for techie kids. What other toys would you recommend? If you are a kid, what do you think of these and what gadgets do you actually own? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All copyrights and trademarks owned by respective owners.

Kids Expect Robots to Be Like Genuine Companions

2012-01-18T09:46:00.000+08:00

Imagine a scene where your kid reads aloud a short story to a robot. The bell rings for playtime and she tags along the robot to the playground where it motivates her to aim the ball and shoot.

Expecting robots to respond to them in a human-like ways? That is what Latitude published in their study ROBOTS @ SCHOOL in collaboration with LEGO® Learning Institute & Project Synthesis.

The kids were presented with the question - What if robots were a part of your everyday life – at school and beyond?

Quoted from the study:

"From our recent work with children, we know that young people instinctively expect technology to respond to them in very human-like ways—to motivate and empower them, often serving as a sort of companion, rather than merely a tool for solving specific problems. In this way, our study isn’t about robots, per se; it’s about something much bigger. Robots are a useful proxy for understanding kids’ social, creative and learning aspirations in ways that might be more illuminating than if we engaged them directly on such issues. Robots allow kids to project their weaknesses, strengths and ambitions. Of course, they’re also the embodiment of AI, helping us understand generally how we might want to interact with a whole new breed of machine intelligence in the future."

7 Tips on Balanced Technology Usage for "Digital" Kids

2012-01-16T19:06:00.000+08:00

Did your tech kiddie receive new gadgets during the holiday season? If your kid has been enjoying that new phone or new tablet, make sure to read through tips given by Sylvan Learning on having balance for kids using technology.

Here are seven tips you can use as basis:

1. Your rules rule. Have clear guidelines for kids to follow.

2. Set time limits. A good rule of thumb for teens is two hours of screen time per day, including schoolwork.

3. Set place limits. Ban electronic screens at dinnertime, for example.

4. Schoolwork comes first. Study and chores come before socializing and games.

5. Stress privacy. Explain to your children why you won't permit them to give out personal information about themselves or their family, to meet with strangers they've "met" online, or to spend money online. Just be realistic and firm.

6. Stress common sense. It is good sense not to allow downloading or uploading -- music, movies, or photos for instance -- without your permission.

7. Be a role model. You're a role model in everything you do and say as a parent, including using technology.

Read full story at MarketWatch