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LEARNING IS FUN WITH NEW 'EDUTAINMENT' PRODUCTS (Source: Global TV BC)
New toys, software designed for kids of all ages.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Marc Saltzman, Canwest News Service
The term edutainment, which refers to products that fuse entertainment and education, isn't a new concept - it was coined by Walt Disney in the late '40s to describe True Life Adventures documentary films - but today it also folds in technology to help make learning fun and more interactive.
Dozens of edutainment-focused tech toys, TV accoutrements and computer games debut each year, many of which are based on familiar cartoon characters from Disney and Nickelodeon, and so on, as added incentive for younger users to play them.
"As an educator, I can confidently say that any student who uses any electronic device that incorporates gaming with education will surely benefit academically," says Stuart Ackerman, a Toronto-based teacher and founder of TutorGiant.com, a website with on-demand videos that tutor students in various subjects.
Ackerman, a father of twins, says some edutainment products are better than others, citing many Leapster and VTech products as good aids to improve a young player's math and language skills. "Students will be introduced to basic concepts and will have the opportunity to practice these new skills, be it word families, basic addition and subtraction, and problem solving."
Whether it's for someone on your gift list or for your own family, the following are a few recommended edutainment products to consider this holiday.
Tag, you're it!
LeapFrog, a company synonymous with edutainment thanks to breakthrough products like the LeapPad and Leapster, has done it again with its new, web- connected Tag Reading System ($59.99; leapfrog.ca).
Designed for ages four to eight, this smart wireless pen can read aloud words when the child touches the pen to a page in a book. This way, if a child is having trouble with a word, the pen will say it clearly for them. Alternatively, the entire book can be read aloud while the child follows along, plus sound effects play when the pictures are touched in the book (such as a barking dog). Games that test comprehension are also included.
Free audiobooks are first downloaded to the pen via the Internet (USB cable is included), but special hardcover books are required ($14.99 apiece). This is because a miniature camera near the tip of the pen reads tiny dots on the page, which initiates the correct word, sentence or sound effect.
Nearly 30 books are available, many with familiar characters including Dora the Explorer, Disney Princesses, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dr. Suess. One book is included with the sale of the pen.
Leapfrog has also recently launched Tag Junior ($39.99) for preschoolers, as well as the Leapster2 ($79.99) hand-held educational video game system for four to eight year-olds.
Smile, you're learning!
Available in pink or blue, VTech's V.Smile Motion TV Learning System ($69. 99) is an educational video game console that uses a wireless, motion-sensing controller to navigate through hundreds of cartridge-based games ($20 to $25 per game; though Action Mania ships with the console).
Your child will want to interact with the cartoon characters - such as Scooby-Doo, Handy Manny, Winnie the Pooh, Thomas the Tank Engine, Spider-Man and Disney Fairies - while mastering skills in reading, spelling, math and science.
The V.Link adapter (included) plugs into the front of the V.Smile learning system for web connectivity, allowing you to track your child's progress and take advantage of bonus games.
Sports, of course
Get kids learning and moving at the same time with Fisher-Price's 3-in-1 Smart Sports ($99.99; mattelfun.ca), a plug-and-play interactive system that connects directly to the TV and lets kids choose from three sports - golf, tennis and baseball - and each with its own wireless peripherals (club, racquet and bat, respectively).
While swinging away at the virtual ball, kids age three to six can play through nine interactive games (each with multiple skill levels) that teach numbers, math, spelling, shapes, colours, and of course, motor skills.
Zippity do dah
Leapfrog and Disney have joined forces to develop the Zippity ($89.99; leapfrog.ca), a TV-based learning system that use Disney and Playhouse Disney characters to engage with preschoolers.
Specifically, in order to learn math, language and music, kids can move, dance and jump on the colourful Zippity, with games that star familiar faces including Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, Winnie the Pooh, Disney Princesses and Disney-Pixar Cars, and others.
For little hands
On a related note, Disney has also partnered with netbook makers Asus to develop the Disney Netpal, a $449 Princess Pink or Magic Blue computer designed for kids.
Constructed with a durable, reinforced mechanical design - in case the little 'uns are less than gentle with it - this netbook comes bundled with safety filters built into the web browser (parents, for example, can select who their kids can chat with online).
Specs include a 8.9-inch LED-backlit LCD display, Intel Atom N270 processor, 160GB hard drive, 1GB system memory (RAM), integrated Wi-Fi and a Windows XP Home operating system.
For more tips, check out www.tutorgiant.com
New toys, software designed for kids of all ages.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Marc Saltzman, Canwest News Service
The term edutainment, which refers to products that fuse entertainment and education, isn't a new concept - it was coined by Walt Disney in the late '40s to describe True Life Adventures documentary films - but today it also folds in technology to help make learning fun and more interactive.
Dozens of edutainment-focused tech toys, TV accoutrements and computer games debut each year, many of which are based on familiar cartoon characters from Disney and Nickelodeon, and so on, as added incentive for younger users to play them.
"As an educator, I can confidently say that any student who uses any electronic device that incorporates gaming with education will surely benefit academically," says Stuart Ackerman, a Toronto-based teacher and founder of TutorGiant.com, a website with on-demand videos that tutor students in various subjects.
Ackerman, a father of twins, says some edutainment products are better than others, citing many Leapster and VTech products as good aids to improve a young player's math and language skills. "Students will be introduced to basic concepts and will have the opportunity to practice these new skills, be it word families, basic addition and subtraction, and problem solving."
Whether it's for someone on your gift list or for your own family, the following are a few recommended edutainment products to consider this holiday.
Tag, you're it!
LeapFrog, a company synonymous with edutainment thanks to breakthrough products like the LeapPad and Leapster, has done it again with its new, web- connected Tag Reading System ($59.99; leapfrog.ca).
Designed for ages four to eight, this smart wireless pen can read aloud words when the child touches the pen to a page in a book. This way, if a child is having trouble with a word, the pen will say it clearly for them. Alternatively, the entire book can be read aloud while the child follows along, plus sound effects play when the pictures are touched in the book (such as a barking dog). Games that test comprehension are also included.
Free audiobooks are first downloaded to the pen via the Internet (USB cable is included), but special hardcover books are required ($14.99 apiece). This is because a miniature camera near the tip of the pen reads tiny dots on the page, which initiates the correct word, sentence or sound effect.
Nearly 30 books are available, many with familiar characters including Dora the Explorer, Disney Princesses, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dr. Suess. One book is included with the sale of the pen.
Leapfrog has also recently launched Tag Junior ($39.99) for preschoolers, as well as the Leapster2 ($79.99) hand-held educational video game system for four to eight year-olds.
Smile, you're learning!
Available in pink or blue, VTech's V.Smile Motion TV Learning System ($69. 99) is an educational video game console that uses a wireless, motion-sensing controller to navigate through hundreds of cartridge-based games ($20 to $25 per game; though Action Mania ships with the console).
Your child will want to interact with the cartoon characters - such as Scooby-Doo, Handy Manny, Winnie the Pooh, Thomas the Tank Engine, Spider-Man and Disney Fairies - while mastering skills in reading, spelling, math and science.
The V.Link adapter (included) plugs into the front of the V.Smile learning system for web connectivity, allowing you to track your child's progress and take advantage of bonus games.
Sports, of course
Get kids learning and moving at the same time with Fisher-Price's 3-in-1 Smart Sports ($99.99; mattelfun.ca), a plug-and-play interactive system that connects directly to the TV and lets kids choose from three sports - golf, tennis and baseball - and each with its own wireless peripherals (club, racquet and bat, respectively).
While swinging away at the virtual ball, kids age three to six can play through nine interactive games (each with multiple skill levels) that teach numbers, math, spelling, shapes, colours, and of course, motor skills.
Zippity do dah
Leapfrog and Disney have joined forces to develop the Zippity ($89.99; leapfrog.ca), a TV-based learning system that use Disney and Playhouse Disney characters to engage with preschoolers.
Specifically, in order to learn math, language and music, kids can move, dance and jump on the colourful Zippity, with games that star familiar faces including Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, Winnie the Pooh, Disney Princesses and Disney-Pixar Cars, and others.
For little hands
On a related note, Disney has also partnered with netbook makers Asus to develop the Disney Netpal, a $449 Princess Pink or Magic Blue computer designed for kids.
Constructed with a durable, reinforced mechanical design - in case the little 'uns are less than gentle with it - this netbook comes bundled with safety filters built into the web browser (parents, for example, can select who their kids can chat with online).
Specs include a 8.9-inch LED-backlit LCD display, Intel Atom N270 processor, 160GB hard drive, 1GB system memory (RAM), integrated Wi-Fi and a Windows XP Home operating system.
For more tips, check out www.tutorgiant.com