Skoodlez(tm) are a unique combination of online, and offline play. The interactive toy is designed to encourage your child’s creative writing skills, and imagination.

Skoodlez are adorable plush toys with weighted hands and feet, to allow your child to pose them. Each plush toy has a Samoleez(tm) coin tied around its neck that has a personalized code to allow them access to the Skoodlez.com virtual world, where your child can go create their own virtual storyline.

The stories can range in difficulty from beginner (for youngsters 4-6) to advanced (for children 10-12). Once your child completes a story they can share it with the Skoodlez community, or they can print them out to share with friends and family.

The website has several story building features including an interactive dictionary, thesaurus, and word games to help build vocabulary.

I like to encourage my son to write, he’s very good at it when he puts in the effort. He thought the Skoodlez were fun, and enjoyed making up a story. The more I can get him to write the more creative he gets with it, so anything to encourage him is good in my opinion.

Skoodlez are available at Macy’s Department Store, or at Macys.com. Skoodlez also has a story mobile that visits schools, hospitals, and libraries across the country to promote the love of reading and writing to children.

If you’re looking for a fun way to encourage your child to read and write more Skoodlez may make a wonderful gift idea.

For more great children’s gift ideas check out the Play Library Gift Guide.

Image via Skoodlez.com

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So, I’ll be doing a series on travel toys to help those of us who are traveling. I’ll do some pricey ones and some not-so-pricey toys. Here’s the first toy that I am looking into getting for my 3 year old. It’s the LeapFrog Leapster L-Max Learning Game System.

I’ve been reading up on this toy and I really think it is something that my little guy will like. I’m heading to the store today to see if I can play with it and check it out for myself. Here’s a description of the Leapfrog Leapster L-Max:

The Leapster L-Max helps teach through four exciting modes:

Educational Game Player. Lets players learn essential school skills with leveled games that teach reading, math, and critical thinking skills.
Digital Art Studio. Encourages creative thinking with dozens of art tools and step-by-step lessons that let children draw, write, and create anything they can imagine.
Electronic Book Reader. Inspires a love for reading via electronic storybooks that teach literacy skills, story comprehension, vocabulary, and phonetic awareness.
Interactive Video Player. Develops fundamental reading and math skills by playing interactive videos that encourage children to participate in the action.

The device itself is comfortably shaped for little hands with safe, rounded edges, and is small enough to store and travel easily. A bonus cartridge with six educational games is included. Games offer multiple skill levels and teach kids letters, words, plants, animals, shapes, and basic math. The L-Max requires special cartridges (sold separately) for dual-screen play, but can work with existing Leapster titles. Older titles won’t play on dual screens, though, and may not project to the TV. Four AA batteries are required, but not included.

We have bought several Leapfrog products in the past and they have been a big hit in our house. I plan on getting this for him for Christmas, so he’ll be able to use it on the trip back. I’ll have to figure something else out (and a little cheaper) for the trip there.

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Julie Moran Alterio of the The Journal News has reviewed other types of lapware including:

• Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby
• JumpStart Baby
• AlphaBaby

Check out my previous post for computer games suitable for preschoolers.

Technorati Tags: lapware, computers, software, computer programs, childrens software, children, kids, parenting

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Via Kiddley yesterday, I found a great freeware program called Tux Paint. S has been playing with it a whole ton and laughing his butt off. Music to a mother’s ears.

Tux Paint is a free drawing program designed for young children (kids ages 3 and up). It has a simple, easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and an encouraging cartoon mascot who helps guide children as they use the program. (See the full list of features.) It provides a blank canvas and a variety of drawing tools to help your child be creative.

I wanted to show off one of his creations too but he wouldn’t let me touch his laptop. So here’s a little sketch he made of Clifford the Big Red Dog on his Tomy megasketcher.

Technorati Tags: tux paint, painting, software, kids software, children, kids, computers

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The trouble is, there’s no hard evidence showing that any of the “educational” DVD’s, CD’s, computer games, or other media really affect young children in a significant way.

Vicky Rideout, vice president of the Kaiser Foundation, said in The New York Times:

The market is expanding rapidly, with all kinds of brand-new product lines for little kids. But the research hasn’t advanced much. There really isn’t any outcomes-based research on these kinds of products and their effects on young children, and there doesn’t seem to be any theoretical basis for saying that kids under 2 can learn from media.

For better or worse, computers and TV’s are a part of our everyday lives. I harbor no illusions that watching something or pushing a few keys is better than actually doing something concrete and real. That’s why we made our own Christmas cards this year instead of ordering boxes off the Internet.

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But, one of the software I’ve reviewed is the Reader Rabbit series published/produced by The Learning Company. They offer different software packages for various age levels. And, I like the series in some ways, such as: the colourful characters, the creative games used for teaching reading, and the pedagogy behind the materials.

However, there are also some shortcomings. Some games can get pretty boring. And, I haven’t found one that uses International/British English.

Also, not all software titles are created equal — some are better planned and made than others. So, you really have to do your research on individual titles. If possible, try to borrow the software before buying, just to make sure that it’s really something that you and your child (or student/s, client/s) would be happy with.

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