Product Review: Cranium Bloom Games

Cranium has introduced a new product line: games, books, puzzles and toys for preschoolers. I'm a fan of Cranium already, so I was delighted to receive two games to test with my preschooler (and her friend, a kindergartener).

We played "Let's Play Count & Cook Game" first. The object of the game is to collect all the ingredients in the recipe. You use a simple board, a dice and a cook (as your game piece). The game is very cooperative--you all work together to collect the ingredients from the board. The "winner" is the one who lands on the last ingredient, but it's very non-competitive. (Which I appreciate when playing with preschoolers.)

The kids wanted to play it again, but I rushed them on so we could try out the next game.

"Let's Go to the Zoo Seek & Find Puzzle" comes with a 24 piece puzzle, a dry-erase pen and two books of cards. The idea is to find the items pictured on the cards and then locate them on the puzzle and circle them with the pen. We started the game together, then I left to write this review--and they are still happily searching for items and circling them. Again, they are working together. I love games that are cooperative.

I must confess that I hate playing board games, but these games are very attractive, easy to play and fun for the kids. Plus, they do not drag out forever and a day like some games we own. (My husband is the game player around here. That is why I married him.) (Oh, and I love what Anna Quindlen says: "Maybe I had three children in the first place so I wouldn't ever have to play board games. " I wholeheartedly agree.)

But as far as games go, as far as preschool games go, these are delightful and even I, a game curmudgeon, approve and recommend them to you.

Book Review: Persian Girls

I didn't expect to like Persian Girls: A Memoir as much as I did. This straightforward book by Nahid Rachlin weaves the tale of her life as a child born in 1946 growing up in Iran. She convinced her father to allow her to come to the United States for college. (I am still surprised that he allowed her to do so, actually.) She never returned home to Iran again to live, but instead created a life for herself in the United States.

I learned and understood more about what it must be like to live in a country where women have very little freedom to choose their future. I have a better understanding about Iran as a country. Rachlin tells her story and the stories of those in her life with simplicity and direct prose. Her story is often one of loss and regret, but ultimately, a hopeful story of a woman who overcame great obstacles to create a life of her choosing.

I do recommend this book. Once I got past the first chapter or two, I hated to put the book down.

* * *
New bookclub discussing this book over here.

JumpStart World 1st Grade

A couple of days ago, I installed JumpStart World (for 1st grade) onto my computer. I was sure that I would really love this program because we've had Jump Start products in our home before. However, I had issues getting the program installed correctly. My whole computer stalled.

But the next day, I tried again and succeeded in installing the program.

This game is an "evolving 3D learning environment full of whimsical lands, lively activities and friendly characters. JumpStart World's personalized learning system actually responds to your child's progress, so kids learn at their own pace and there's always a new challenge to keep them motivated." --from the package

My daughter (age 5) was interested in playing the game and might have done better than I did--kids seem to instinctively know how to manipulate computer games. I, on the other hand, didn't notice that I was supposed to use the arrow keys instead of my mouse and spent several minutes wondering aloud why my character wouldn't move.

The game includes 40 learning games and missions which involve 20 skills. The kids earn gems which they can use to "buy" things. I tried out a couple of the games which were fun enough, but I had an issue with the long lag time between games. (Thirty seconds or longer for the game to respond to a command can seem like forever when you are accustomed to high-speed internet responding immediately. I actually left my computer impatiently to clean up the kitchen while I waited for the game to move to a new area.)

However, the graphics are cute and the game quite comprehensive.

Which almost makes me overlook the fact that within hours, I got the Blue Screen of Death, informing me that a new software program had caused a serious problem on my computer and that Windows had shut down.

Yikes! So, I uninstalled the game before my daughter got a chance to play it. I have no idea what went wrong and I have read only glowing reviews from other blogger, so I assume my problem was an exception to the rule.

I will try this game again, but on the kids' computer where the Blue Screen of Death won't be quite as devastating. (My computer ended up working fine, once I removed this program from it.)

Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2007

Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium is the most remarkable product for students (and parents of students). The Amazon website details the features of this product which

"provides students with integrated homework tools and content. Features include online math homework help, a graphing calculator, Microsoft Office templates and tutorials designed specifically for students, foreign language help, and a Web search companion with trusted Encarta content to help them achieve academic confidence and success."

I downloaded the program (which took a couple of hours) and showed it to my teenagers. All of us kept saying, "Oh, cool!" and "Wow!" Have an equation you can't quite solve? You can plug in the problem and the program will solve it for you . . . and show you the all-important steps.

The language section includes templates so your student can easily come up with a character study or plot timeline. If only I'd had this product when I was a student. Look at it and you will say the same thing.

Now, aside from the homework helps (which are impressive), and the projects section (which is amazing), you'll also find a section called "Discover and Learn" where you can explore Encarta by subject, check out College and Career and play with "Games and Fun Stuff." A special area for kids called Encarta Kids is intended for kids from ages 7-12.

I really love this product.

It is worth every penny of its $40.00 retail price. (Really, scroll down and read the list of features on the Amazon page.) Did I mention that I love this product?

Book Review: The Right Words at the Right Time

I really enjoyed Marlo Thomas's new book, The Right Words at the Right Time.

Publisher Weekly says:

"Thomas follows up her bestselling inspirational volume, which collected stories from luminaries describing times when well-chosen words impacted their lives, with this collection of personal essays from more than 90 'ordinary Americans' selected from thousands of submissions to a national contest. From the experience of a naval officer who comes to a major career decision in a Burger King to a woman's epiphany at a Zen Buddhist Monastery in Japan, these simple, touching stories highlight the moments when the right phrases or comments made a life-changing difference. Divided into thematic sections like "At a Crossroads," "Taking Chances," and "Letting Go," Thomas's new title may be a little Chicken Soup-esque, but this is no canned concentrate-this is genuine, home-cooked comfort food. Proceeds benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital."

This collection includes 108 stories, each about two pages long, by different unknown authors who share how hearing or reading the right words at the time time made a difference in their lives. This would be a great book for the bathroom (don't you love to read in the bathroom?) or for the coffee-table . . . each story is a quick read, a little morsel of inspiration.

I'm probably going to pass my book along as a Christmas gift (it's the thought that counts, right? not the amount of money spent?). I really enjoyed it and I know someone in my family who will enjoy it, too.

Two thumbs up!

Entertainment Software Rating Board

My boys are huge fans of video games. The 14-year olds push the limits, as teenagers like to do, and ask for games unfamiliar to me. What's a mom to do when she wants to protect her children from inappropriate images and sounds?

That's when I rely on the rating systems provided by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Each game is rated into one of six categories (ages 3+, 6+, 10+, 17+ and 18+). If you have children and you are concerned about what they see and hear, you can check out all the information provided in the links above. I know I will be educating myself more on this issue.

Last weekend, I heard Kim Komando on the radio advise parents to avoid five particular new video games. Click and read what she has to say about them.

As I tell my children, "you can't unsee things," so be careful what you allow them to see in the first place.

Care.com

Finding a trustworthy babysitter is one of the tough tasks of parenthood. My husband and I tend to rely on my mother, paying her handsomely to hang out with our children. We used to have a fantastic sitter, but she had the nerve to go to college. So, I found the idea of Care.com intriguing.

Care.com is "an innovative new website which helps busy Moms connect with trustworthy caregivers matched specifically to their family's needs. We'd like to offer you the opportunity to sample this site with a complimentary 3-month premium membership (a $60 value!).

Hiring a new caregiver can be fraught with anxiety. With significantly more services and security than you would find on a virtual bulletin board like craigslist.org, Care.com offers you peace of mind by posting extensive information about each caregiver-age, certifications, education level, and years of experience. Care.com helps to ensure that you find someone qualified and trustworthy by providing you with references from other clients and free driving record and criminal background checks for anyone you're considering for a job."

Care.com is not just for finding a babysitter, either. They also have categories for pet care, tutoring and senior care. You plug in your zip code and category, and up pop provider names with information. And to safeguard everyone involved, you'll find background checks and references as well as other information.

I personally have not found a childcare provider using this site (my lucky mom!), but I am happy to know about this website. Excellent idea!