Hasbro Operation Splash by Wowwee (available at Target)

Take the sponge toys with the tongs outside of Cavity Sam while the sprinkler is on, as quick as possible.

View other Hasbro Splash games like Twister and Crocodile Dentist on Amazon here.

Bean Bag Toss

Kids will love playing bean bag toss! Great game for eye-hand coordination.

Nerf Outdoor Badminton Set

Use these oversized rackets to play a back and forth game using the badminton or large ball. 

Hasbro Outdoor Lawn Darts

Great outdoor game where you throw the weighted lawn darts at the target and see who wins! 

Uproar Game

Look between two cards to find the matching words, then be the first to use your voice to act them out to win the cards. The person with the most cards wins!

Eazy Peezy Monkey Bars Climbing Tower

Use the plastic connectors to make the climbing tower. The tower can be used inside and outside, and it can hold 150 lbs.

Jurassic World Dominion Dinosaur Riders

Celebrate the Jurassic World movie with these pull-back dinosaur riders and watch them zoom.

Squishmallow Lola the Unicorn Pool Float by Big Mouth

Um, a 5 foot wide Squishmallow pool float? Yes Please! It also includes a super soft fabric covering.

View other Big Mouth pool floats on Amazon.

20 years ago I began working as a pediatric occupational therapist with children with special needs, primarily in the public schools. Through play, I enjoyed helping kids build the foundational skills of strength, coordination and self-regulation, but I also spent a lot of time giving teachers strategies to improve the environment, a critical part of achieving classroom success, especially for kids who have special needs.

Vanessa Levin, of Pre-K Pages, is a former teacher who developed this online and social media resource to share tons of great ideas to help early childhood teachers. I’ve been a guest at her FREE continuing education Soar to Success Summit multiple times, and was most recently featured on her podcast, Elevating Early Childhood.

We talked about some ways to understand and handle sensory processing issues in the classroom that have also been shared in my book. I’d love for you to have a listen and leave a review!

You can read more about the podcast, find the links to watch, as well as learn more about the Elevating Early Childhood podcast and Vanessa Levin click here.

Here is a rundown of the podcast:
Key Takeaways:

Sensory processing in the classroom (00:00)

Meet Keri! (02:10)

A brief overview of sensory processing (03:56)

Why it’s important to know about sensory processing (08:27)

Answering one of your questions (10:47)

The right tools help (15:35)

Should you be having this conversation with the parents? (24:17)

Tips and tricks from Keri (26:35)

Watch the full segment here.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, if you should purchase this item I will receive a small commission, but this is at no additional cost to you.

Game of Things – Schitts Creek

This family game is perfect for Schitts Creek fans, but if you haven’t seen the show, you can consider the Game of Things original edition. Players write down answers to questions, and the reader of the card will award points to those who they think have the best answer. No right or wrong answers, just silly fun.

Pinxies Family Treehouse

Follow the instructions to connect the pieces which also attach to sturdy cardboard in order to create a magical pretend play treehouse. This set can be taken apart and put back together.

Robo-Max Tyrannosaurus Rex

Can you believe this dinosaur comes flat packed? Use the screwdriver to insert over 100 different screws to assemble this roaring, eye-blinking, fully articulating Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur. Great opportunity for family collaboration. At only $60, it takes 4-5 hours to put together, so there is also a lot of play value for those with some patience and persistence.

Wondery Kids Podcast Platform

Wondery Kids is a free podcast platform where kids can listen to stories and episodes. For those that want an ad-free experience you can pay a small monthly fee. Look for it through Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Jurassic World Captivz Clash Slime Eggs

Red, lava-like slime inside houses mystery, collectible dinosaurs that can be put together. Learn about the dinosaur with an educational card,  and there is even a game that can be played using the dinosaurs. 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, if you should purchase this item I will receive a small commission, but this is at no additional cost to you.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links where if you purchase I may receive a small commission, but this is at no additional cost to you. 

GUJO Adventure STEM Building Kits 

Unique construction kits made of foldable, durable plastic with interlocking parts that can be put together and taken a part repeatedly. These feature space ships and lunar rovers.

Cubles

Cubles are part puzzle, part origami. Follow the instructions to punch out the different pieces from the card, then fold them and insert them together in order to create your own characters. Put together dinosaurs or book characters like Dog Man to create a reading buddy.

Osmo Math Wizard Series

Bring school learning home using a Fire Tablet or iPad and the Osmo base. Osmo kits teach kids of all ages and abilities different educational skills they can learn using manipulatives at their own pace. These Osmo math kits reinforce addition, subtraction, measurement and place value for kids ages 6-8, or in grades 1-2.

Disney Ring it On 

Ring it On is a fast moving family card game where players pick up and swap cards to create groups of 4 of Disney characters. No reading required, great to promote sorting and matching.

5 Second Rule – Disney Edition

Trivia game focused on Disney movies where you have just 5 seconds to answer questions like name 3 characters from Toy Story. Don’t have time to play a full game, leave just the cards on the counter and play during dinner or a snack break.

Hudsonest Napkins

Fun, designer napkins that you can receive through a subscription opportunity.  Write sweet notes on them and send in the lunchbox back and forth to school!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you should buy a product from this link, I may receive a small commission but it is at no additional cost to you.

I had the pleasure of being a guest on Brendan Mahan’s podcast, ADHD Essentials, where we talked about some of the concepts I shared in my book, Wired Differently: A Teachers Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges. We chatted about sensory processing skills, self-regulation, how it relates to ADHD and what you can do at home to help. Listen to the episode here on Spotify, but it’s also available on other podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts.

Brendan is a former teacher who is now an expert ADHD coach. One of my favorite concepts of his, that made so much sense with why kids and adults struggle to initiate hard things, is related to “The Wall of Awful,” which you can watch the video below about.

Listen specifically to our episode together here on Spotify. Check out ADHD Essentials for more great tips and information.

Buy my book Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Sensory Processing Skills on Amazon.

Teaching kids all the skills they need to be independent like brushing their teeth or tying shoelaces can be a challenge. The pandemic has only made it even more challenging and stressful. As parents we all want our kids to be independent as possible, it improves their life skills and makes our days a bit easier when kids can get their self-care needs taken care of, confidently.

I visited Texas Today on NBCDFW to share some great strategies that will reduce stress at home while promoting your child’s independence. These simple tips will help your kids be more independent and confident in their daily living skills, hopefully making everyone’s day a little easier and more productive.

 
This post contains affiliate links to Amazon where, if you purchase them, I may get a small commission, at no cost to you.

1. Britebrush

This smart toothbrush helps kids brush their teeth in a fun way by offering guidance and feedback on brushing technique, while entertaining kids for the full 2 minutes of suggested brushing. Parents can check their progress using the parent light. There are 3 types of brushes: BriteBrush Elmo, BriteBrush Baby Shark and the GameBrush.

Buy BriteBrush on Amazon.

2. Oxo Tot Step Stool

Don’t just use a step stool to turn water on/off at the sink for hand washing and toothbrushing, put the stool up against the wall and have kids sit on the stool, rather than stand, when putting on pants, shorts, socks and shoes to make dressing easier.

Buy OxoTot Step Stool on Amazon

3. Smart Knit Socks

These soft, seamless socks with no heel make it easy to put on and take off socks, without kids complaining about the texture. They also include moisture wicking material that wards off stinky smells.

Buy Smart Knit Socks on Amazon

4. Lock Laces

Tying shoelaces can be a chore and some kids just are not ready. Turn any shoe with laces into a slip-on using lock laces.

Buy Lock Laces on Amazon

5. Munchkin 360 Miracle Sippy Cup

Want kids to learn how to drink out of an open cup, but not interested in tons of liquid messes annoyed with spills? The Munchkin 360 cup is a no-spill sippy cup.  There are color changing cups, so you know if the liquid inside, like milk, is no longer cold.

Buy Munchkin 360 Miracle Sippy Cup on Amazon

6. The Wet Brush

Kids avoid showers and baths because they don’t like their hair combed or brushed because of knots and tangles. The Wet Brush helps kids brush their own hair with fewer tears, and less tangles.

Buy The Wet Brush on Amazon

If you also watched the segment and are interested in purchasing my book: Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges, you can also buy it on Amazon.

We have some exciting news to share here at ToyQueen.com! My first book, Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges, published by Gryphon House is here! 

Identifying educational toys and improving the lives of children through finding, fun, practical ways to play everyday has been my focus for the last 10 years here on this website.  But you might not know that all of this work has been inspired in my career as a pediatric occupational therapist.

Over the last 20 years as an OT, there has been a upward trend. More and more children are struggling in daycare and preschool.

The demands of preschool are making it difficult for many kids to have fun, happy, successful academic experiences before they even make it to Kindergarten. Sometimes children are struggling with the challenges of a diagnosis such as Autism. Many kids are overwhelmed with the environment and present with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Many times these issues don’t get uncovered until they begin to attend school and are tasked with the demands of sitting, paying attention, completing tasks and socializing with their peers. They can get overwhelmed very quickly and it leads to classroom behaviors and lots of phone calls home to parents.

This book is aimed to help early childhood teachers improve the participation and success of their students, especially with kids who have sensory processing difficulties or sensory processing disorder. It has practical tips and suggestions teachers can use for all of their students and I’m so excited to share it with as many people as possible, in the hopes that it can help kids have more fun and successful early childhood experiences!

Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges will be available on Amazon, but it’s also available directly through the publisher, Gryphon House. 

I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you buy the book on Amazon here!

Tips To Teach Kids How To Cut Safely With Scissors

• Use Preschool Scissors With Dull Rounded Edges & A Hinge

Preschool scissors are magical scissors that can only cut paper! The hinge makes it simple for kids to learn the motion of how to open and close their hands. It also helps them to build endurance for little hands that get tired quickly. 

• Index Finger “Points The Way”

Don’t put the index finger in the scissor loop! Thumb and middle fingers go inside the loop. Place the index finger below the hinge for more control.

• Keep Your “Thumbs Up” & “Elbows At Side”

Lots of kids want to put their “thumbs down” toward the paper at first. Keep the “thumb up” or on top, and position the elbows on the table or at their sides.

• Just Snip Paper First

Start simple. Cut 1 inch strips of paper and let kids snip paper into a thousand pieces first before you try lines. This builds confidence and success while reducing frustration.

• Cut Straight Lines, Wavy Lines, Jagged Lines Next

• Then Try Circles, Squares & More Challenging Shapes

• Practice, Practice, Practice by Cutting Old Photos & Flyers

• Check Out The Video For More Tips!

This is a sponsored video created for Learning Resources. ToyQueen.com also participates in an Amazon affiliate program. Should you click on any links, a small commission may be provided to this website, at no additional cost to you.

Teaching kids how to use scissors can be a challenge. No one wants them to cut their clothes, fingers or even worse their hair! My mom still doesn’t let me forget the time I cut my own hair, I think most of us have done it at least once in our lifetime! But hopefully with these tips, you’ll find some ways to make it more enjoyable and less stressful.

The Learning Resources Trace Ace Scissor Skills Set featured in the video includes a pair of dull, hinged preschool safety scissors and lots of re-usable templates to create the lines necessary for kids to practice with.  There are some craft sheets included with small shapes to use to cut or just for inspiration. You can buy it on Amazon here.

Check out the Learning Resources website, it has tons of FREE printable, downloads and activities for you to use with your kids at home.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored video created for Learning Resources. ToyQueen.com also participates in an Amazon affiliate program. Should you click on any links, a small commission may be provided to this website, at no additional cost to you.

Pegboards are a great way to improve a child’s hand-eye coordination.

Looks awesome, but let’s face it, as a parent I do not know about you, but all I can see are hundreds of little pieces scattered around the living room floor.

So why are pegboards for kids a fun fine motor skill activity? Do the benefits of a pegboard outweigh the potential mess?

A pegboard is traditionally a flat plastic or wooden board with small holes where children place tiny, multi-colored pegs inside using their fingers. Some children enjoy designing their own pictures, while others may pick and choose at random, or follow structured patterns.

International Playthings provided the Quercetti Fantacolor Aquarium pegboard for kids in order to facilitate this review. Any opinions are my own. This blog also participates in an Amazon affiliate program and should you click on any links, at no cost to you, this website may receive commission.

What’s different about the Fantacolor Aquarium pegboard is that it includes 16 different fish that can be inserted, allowing kids to design around a theme.

The board includes 2 different sizes of pegs (green, yellow, red, and orange), with 200 in total.  The toy features carrying handles, and all of the pegs can be stored under the pegboard when they are not in use, using a unique design that locks the board in place on both sides. A small half-moon shape peg piece can be inserted into the back of the aquarium allowing it to stand up. However, I find that it stands up easier if the pegs aren’t being stored under the board when using it.

There is some assembly to add the stickers to the fish, but it took only a minute to complete.

I would absolutely suggest finding another way to store the pegs, such as using a Ziploc bag or old zippered cosmetic case. There are a lot of pieces with this toy and if they are not contained, they will be everywhere, quickly.

Here are 10 activities/ideas to use with this pegboard for kids to build fine motor skill, as well as to enhance a child’s creativity and problem solving:

1. Sort the pegs by groups on the board by color.

2. Set-up an alternating bead pattern for your child to follow (red/yellow/red/yellow) and expand the pattern if it is to difficult to include more colors and different sized pegs. Make sure to build horizontal (left/right) and vertical (up/down) patterns, as this helps visual tracking required for reading.

3. Insert the small half-moon shaped pegged piece in the back of the pegboard and encourage your child to use their thumb, middle and index fingers on the peg to insert it while the board is in a vertical position. This hand position helps promote a tripod style grasp for writing.

4. Place the pegs in shape designs (circle, square, triangle, cross, diagonal lines, house) and have your child try to copy them with their pegs.

5. Give the child one peg at a time so they reach out and place their fingers on the stick end of the peg. See if they can rotate the peg in their fingertips without using their other hand, then place it in the pegboard.

6. Encourage the child to pick up 2, 3 or 4 pegs in row, one at a time, one after the other, holding these additional pegs in palm of their hand. They should then release the pegs back into the board one after another while trying not to drop the remaining pegs. This activity simulates how you might pick up change from the counter at a store, using only one hand and helps with dexterity and in-hand manipulation.

7. With the peg board raised up in a vertical position, have your child lie on their stomach on the floor and insert the pegs. This helps to work on core strength as well.

8. Include a pair of tweezers and use those to pick up and place scattered pegs back into the box, as an another way to build a tripod grasp pattern.

9. Instead of always taking the pegs out from from the front with your fingers, push them out one at a time,  by using only your index finger from the backside of the board.

10. Arrange the pegs in small groups on the board and work on rote counting, or for older children to practice addition and subtraction.

International Playthings provided the Quercetti Fantacolor Aquarium pegboard for kids in order to facilitate this review. Any opinions are my own. This blog also participates in an Amazon affiliate program and should you click on any links, at no cost to you, this website may receive commission.

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Beginning at one year of age, if you give a child a crayon, they may begin to hold the crayon, place it on the paper and imitate you moving your hand back and forth to produce a scribble.  

Expect attention for this activity at this age, to literally last only a few seconds.  As children get older, their ability to scribble will evolve more, as they produce more specific crayon strokes that are the prerequisites to handwriting and forming letters when in preschool. 

Palm-grip crayons, shown above, make it easier for children to hold the crayon, and have more success making a mark and scribbling on the crayon.

These products were received to facilitate a product review for free from Crayola. Any opinions are my own. This website also participates in an Amazon affiliate program, where if you should click on any links, at no cost to you, this website may receive a small amount of commission.

Many times parents tell me they become frustrated that their children have a hard time coloring for any length of time. Here are some ideas to assist your child with learning to focus on the love of coloring using the Crayola crayons.

1. First,  you will need to teach your child the concept of coloring and what to do with the crayon or marker, especially since it will probably go right into their mouth.  If you have not transitioned away from using a pacifier, for those kid’s that are very oral, if you give them the pacifier before the crayon, it may not go into the mouth and could help their attention!

Otherwise, if they attempt to place it in their mouth, distract them by redirecting their hand to the paper to color using hand over hand assistance.

2.  Place your child in a booster seat or a high chair when coloring and set up a routine.  They won’t be tempted to color the wall if they are not given free reign to roam the home! Sit with them and offer two choices of crayons or markers, one for each hand, and don’t give them the whole stash! If they color the tray by accident you should be able to wipe it clean easily with these washable products. If they are in a booster seat at the table, use a plastic placemat under the paper to protect the table.  Even better, Crayola has created tub crayons, if you are worried about the mess, practice in the tub!

3.  Generally speaking, one and two year olds are capable of scribbling randomly. At two years of age, some children are imitating simple strokes such as repeatedly making dots, a vertical line and horizontal line after you demonstrate them.

4.  Crayola’s products are excellent at this age, as shorter, fatter tools prove to be the best for grasp development, allowing for more control.  Even better, the Crayola Beginnings products have a nice rounded bottom to assist with developing a fingertip grasp pattern for better control.

These products were received to facilitate a product review for free from Crayola. Any opinions are my own. This website also participates in an Amazon affiliate program, where if you should click on any links, at no cost to you, this website may receive a small amount of commission.

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The last 2 years, I’ve been hosted as a media representative at Spielwarenmesse, the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany.

Spielwarenmesse is such an incredible experience, where we get tips on the toy trends for the year, but get the opportunity to experience a   whole new perspective of the toy aisles, as we celebrate and appreciate toys and games throughout the word. 

There were 3 major toy trends revealed at Spielwarenmesse in 2020.  

Toys for Future

In 2020, sustainability is a huge trend. Companies have begun designing toys using eco-friendly materials, such as plant-based products or recycled materials. This helps to care for the future of the environment but also ensures that the products used to create toys are also safe for children to play with. Man new games aim to teach children about sustainability, too.

Digital Goes PhysicalTechnology through the use of smartphones and tablets is here to stay, as children feel a connection to their favorite YouTube, Esports stars and other digital games online. The digital world is now impacting the physical toy world, as there are many toys that are being created and licensed by these digital celebrities and popular online games.

Be You!
This trend might be my personal favorite. Given my background as an occupational therapist, there has been very little diversity in the toy realm. We are finally beginning to see games developed for those with visual impairments, and accessories for dolls that include prosthetics and wheelchairs, as more companies aim to promote diversity, so children and adults with differences don’t feel excluded because of their differences. In my opinion, we still have a long way to go with this trend, but I’m happy to see more inclusion.

If you are in the toy industry and have an opportunity to attend Spielwarenmesse and the ToyAwards, you will not be disappointed, the spirit of play is alive and well throughout the world and experiencing it is a priceless memory.

Disclosure: As media representatives, ToyQueen.com was hosted by Spielwarenmesse, and expenses to attend the event were compensated.

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links, where if you click on the link to purchase, at no cost to you, this website may receive a small amount of commission.

The 2020 Spielwarenmesse ToyAward nominees were:

Infant & Toddler (0-3)

• Playmobil 1,2,3 Aqua – Playmobil
• Baby Walker Whale – Legler
• Play & Crawl Hedgehog Mirror  – Mattel

PreSchool(3-6)

• Man TGS Street Sweeper – Bruder
• Mini Chef Bird’s Nest Cafe – Jet Young
• Knights Castle Ball Track – Gollnest & Kiesel

SchoolKids (6-10)

• Octopus Party
• Balloon Puncher
• Green Science – Science4U

Teenagers & Adults (10+ years)

• Proxi- Your micro:bit Coding-Robot
• Uno Braille  – Mattel
• Mystery House – Adventures in a Box – Cranio Creations

Startup

• Pigcasso – Kade Limited
• Calculix number bricks – Calculix
• Pixio – Trendformer Ltd

At a fun event later that evening, the winner’s from each category are announced! 

Check out my Instagram Stories for more information on the nominees and the winners of the Spielwarenemesse Award for 2020, but here are all the winners!

Top left: 1,2,3 Aqua by Playmobil

Top Right: Knights Castle Ball Track by Gollnest & Kiesel

Bottom Left: Balloon Puncher by Silverlit Toys

Bottom Middle: Mystery House Adventures in a Box by Cranio Creations

Bottom Right: Calculix Number Blocks by Calculix

You can find out more information on the current and past winners of the ToyAward here. Check out ToyQueen’s coverage of the ToyAward from 2019.

Disclosure: As media representatives, ToyQueen.com was hosted by Spielwarenmesse, and expenses to attend the event were compensated.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, where if you click on the link, at no cost to you, this website may receive a small amount of commission.

Teachers if you are creating your classroom job list for the school year, make sure to add an empty marker collection bin in the classroom, because the “Recycler” job will have some new duties! The Crayola Color Cycle marker program will teach children all about how to recycle markers.

Every year children head back to school and classroom lists always include purchasing markers, crayons, glue, pencils, pens and all sorts of folders, binders and paper. Somehow over just a few years in our home we have collected enough markers to fill an entire drawer. Working in the school system, I’m in and out of classrooms every day that each have a large bin of markers.

I use a lot of crayons and markers every day, and  I always seem to have the knack for picking out the dried up marker. I literally spend time every year testing the markers in the bin, throwing away the duds.

Crayola just released a new initiative called the Crayola Colorcycle program that makes it possible for children in  K-12 schools nationwide to recycle markers that can transformed into clean energy.

How to recycle markers as part of the Crayola Colorcycle Marker Program:

1. Visit www.crayola.com/colorcycle to sign up for the program and receive access to additional educational materials

2. Collect used markers in a bin somewhere in the classroom or school building

3. Pack markers in a box

4. Print free, pre-paid, FedEx Ground labels from the website and mail back all used markers to Crayola

5. You have now joined forces with Crayola to create a clean energy fuel source

Fun Facts provided by Crayola

• One box of eight (8) recycled markers creates enough energy to prepare a breakfast that consists of brewing a pot of coffee, frying an egg and making two pieces of toast
• 308 markers produces 1 gallon of fuel, which is enough to power an SUV (consider 15MPG) for 15 miles
• If a classroom recycles 193 markers, that is enough to move a city bus (consider 5MPG) for three miles

I was in no way compensated for this post. Any opinions are my own. 

This website participates in an Amazon Affiliate program, should you purchase from the link below, it does not incur any additional costs to you, but this website will get a commission from your purchases. 

I grew up as an avid viewer of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, when Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood first debuted on PBS Kids, I was so excited to watch it with Gavin who was around 2 at the time. This was long before he even got to play with some of the adorable Daniel Tiger toys and games.

On this animated show, adorable characters are faced with typical issues preschool aged children face in their daily lives like learning how to master the potty at school and in the community, following daily dressing routines, and overcoming separation anxiety  when caregivers drop them off at school or go away on business trips.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood was one of our favorite shows to watch together, and as a parent, I had never expected my son to learn so many simple, yet helpful strategies that make our daily life easier.

I was continually amazed when days later, situations would arise in our family life, and I’d hear Gavin singing the song from the show, or when I’d tuck him into bed and he’d spontaneously rub noses and say, “Ugga Mugga Mom.” We used to DVR all of the episodes, so if he has an accident at school that day, or needed a reminder about what to do in the morning before we left the house for daycare, I could easily cue up an episode for him to watch to help him through the process. Why is it the selective attention he exhibited with me is not the same when it comes to my hero, Teacher Harriet.

There are some adorable, new Daniel Tiger toys and games in the toy store that feature the characters from this popular show. 

This website does participate in an Amazon affiliate program which may provide a small amount of revenue to the site, at no cost to you, should you click on the Amazon links listed below.

Daniel Tiger Bedtime Snuggle Bear 

Who would not want to snuggle with Daniel Tiger, especially when Tigey glows in the dark and helps kids to feel safe and secure? Daniel Tiger shares his routine with kids with the phrase, “Bath time, PJs, brush teeth, story and song.” The Goodnight Daniel Song is also included, sung by Mama Tiger.  Buy the Daniel Tiger bear on Amazon.

Daniel Tiger Toy Trolley

The open-air trolley houses Daniel Tiger and his friends. The trolley has a pull-back action feature that allows it to move across the floor while ringing its bell. Children who are enamored with vehicles will be intrigued with this trolley since it can cart the character figures and other toys around in it without difficulty. The trolley arrives with a Daniel Tiger character as well. Buy the Daniel Tiger Trolly on Amazon.

Device use is a slippery slope. The older the kid’s get, the more, dare I say manipulative they become? My almost 10-year-old will covertly ask to use my device to ask Siri a question about the weather or the score of a hockey game, and then within seconds once I’m distracted he’s in another room watching videos on YouTube of people playing Fortnite.

Maybe your kids aren’t as old yet and you are ahead of the game, searching for a unique way to entertain the kids without full-on access to a device that can still preserve their childhood innocence and teach them early on that they can use technology for entertainment, without needing a screen all the time.  

We received a Jooki music player for free to review, so we could share with you some of the fun ways kids can connect with technology without constant screen access.  

Jooki is a screen-free way for kids to have access to a portable speaker that they can utilize to play music or listen to audiobooks. While parents will need access to a computer or smartphone to set-up the playlists, you are in full control of the content in the playlists. Kids have more independence in listening to what they like, without needing your help or access to your device to make a change. While the speaker itself is sort of heavy to carry for a young child, younger kids won’t shy away from an opportunity to utilize the toys in order to play music.  

• The Jooki music player arrives with 5 toys that parents can load songs, playlists, podcasts, audiobooks old CD’s and stories on. Additional tokens and toys can be purchased online. Think of the toys as a kid-safe, modern day version of the “mix tape.” 
• Set-up of the music player on the computer or a smartphone is easy and done in minutes The tutorials online were simple to follow. You will need wifi and the wifi password to complete the setup.
• If you want to design personalized playlists for the toys with specific songs, upgrade to a paid Spotify Premium account for the most flexibility. You can assign a toy to specific playlists.
• The speaker is wifi enabled with a rechargeable battery that has 8 hours of life. The speaker is portable and splashproof, so it can be used in the bathroom and outside. 
• Audio volume can be controlled in the parent settings on the smartphone app.  For kids who listen at night, parents have access to turning off the device from the app without ever needing to re-enter their bedroom!