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Raise Your Kids AQ with the ZooMoo Channel and App

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There has been a lot of issues lately involving kids’ safety on the Internet which has led many parents to ban their children from using certain apps. Is TV a good alternative though? Not so much because there are many TV shows that are unfit for kids to watch too. But it’s good to know that kids can now have access to an edutainment channel called ZooMoo.

My son, Ziggy, and I learned all about ZooMoo last February 9, 2019 when we attended the launch at the Zoo Cafe at Ayala Malls Vertis North. Zoo Cafe was the perfect venue because it showcases animals in their decor. ZooMoo is all about animals too. In fact, ZooMoo is all about animals, all the time.

During the event, Ziggy was able to enjoy a few activities including face painting (he chose a dinosaur), coloring and answering an activity sheet.

The parents in attendance were there to listen to a panel discussion, led by environmental advocate Gregg Yan and lifestyle television host and mom Kelly Misa-Fernandez, on the importance of teaching kids about animals and nature at an early age.

The ZooMoo Channel

Let me share with you what we learned about ZooMoo.

ZooMoo is an edutainment channel that aims to raise children’s Animal Quotient (AQ) by allowing the them to explore the animal world, develop knowledge and affection for animals, leading to a life long love of conservation. It is a collaboration between some of the world’s foremost wildlife filmmakers, early childhood educationalists, and technology developers.

The channel’s line up comprises 1500+ self-contained shows that combine spectacular wildlife footage with a range of puppetry, animations, and narrative techniques that makes for a safe and unique viewing and learning experiences for kids. They follow 5 themes namely Explore Time, Create Time, Play Time, Puzzle Time, and Quiet Time.

Some of the shows include Leo the Wildlife Ranger, Lost!, Clawdia’s Amazing African Adventure, Piglet’s Adventure Machines, and Ninja Pop. The channel is currently available to SKYcable subscribers as an add on. Just choose to add channel 120 to your channel line up for only P20.00 per month via SKYcable Select.

The ZooMoo App

ZooMoo is also the first channel worldwide that has its own fully synced audio App that is a key educational tool and extension to the channel. It enhances the kids’ viewing experience by engaging them in a world of games, puzzles and activities that teach them about wildlife and conservation. Kids learn about the animals’ appearance, their sound, habitat, level of scarcity, superpower, and diversity.

They can look after and care for 300 animals on secluded ZooMoo island by feeding them, keeping them clean, watching real life videos, taking photos and more. It also uses ZooSync technology when you run the ZooMoo app to collect content from the television. It even has a Parent’s Page where you can engage with your kids and learn together without the pressure of scores, time limits or stress. There are no ads and no wifi required to use the app. You can get it via the App Store or on Google Play. We actually have the app already on our phones and our two sons really love using it.

With ZooMoo, you can rest easy that what your children are viewing are not only definitely safe and child-friendly but also very educational and entertaining too. Learn more about it by visiting the ZooMoo website and follow ZooMoo on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Smarter Robotics for Smarter Kids

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It’s been a while since I last blogged. That’s because February has turned out to be such a busy month for our family. But I’m finally back and I’m so excited to share with you all about a robotics trial class for kids that my son, Ziggy, was able to join at Smarter Robotics.

Ziggy has always been into robots but prior to this class he has never had any formal class experience on robotics. It was actually great timing that he was able to try this one because we have been looking for extra-curricular activities he could join as an addition to our homeschool lessons.

Smarter Robotics

Off we went to Smarter Robotics at the Shangri-La Plaza mall last January 19, 2019 to learn more about Artificial Intelligence and Humanoid Robotics. Smarter Robotics is actually on a mission to produce responsible stewards of AI and Humanoid Robotics by providing a high standard of robotics education.

I learned that the robotics classes we see being offered for kids these days are usually Lego robotics, which is actually no longer at par with the technology available today. Instead of this, Smarter Robotics wants to provide kids with technologically advanced robotics class or STEAM programming beyond the bricks.

To achieve their goals, Smarter Robotics offers four program levels – Novice Program, Advanced Program, AI Robotics Program and Applied Engineering Program. Beginners start with the Novice Program (meant for kids ages 6 – 9 years old) and when they finish the course they can proceed to the next level. The courses are taught by industry experts whom they call their Robocoaches.

Trial Class Experience

The class started with an explanation of what Smarter Robotics is about. They shared details about their classes and even showed a demonstration of a humanoid robot at work. The robot actually moved in tune to music which was so cool. Ziggy and I were both impressed. We got even more excited to learn that the kids will actually be taught how to build their own robot and program it to follow certain movements.

Ziggy ended up working with another boy and they shared a Robocoach who guided them on what to do. They were given a plastic box full of all sorts of pieces that they were supposed to use to build their robots. They followed instructions using an app on an iPad. The instructions came with illustrations and so the kids were able to follow them easily. It took them no time at all to finish the first and easiest robot on the list that was available to them.

Because they found the first robot quite easy to make, their Robocoach allowed them to choose a more challenging robot to make. Usually though, students can only make one project per class and they have to follow a sequence of robots starting from the easiest to the most complicated. This time though, the boys were allowed to choose a dinosaur robot which was one of the more complicated ones because it had a lot of parts.

Ziggy and his partner were actually able to finish building the dinosaur robot and were even able to try the programming part. They used the app to program movements so that the dinosaur could walk. I initially thought this would be a hard task for a child to accomplish but the instructions on the app were easy to follow and the illustrations also helped a lot. There was a lot of trial and error though before they were able to make the dinosaur walk properly.

Ziggy truly enjoyed the class so much that he actually asked if he could take the robot home. He didn’t want to leave the class and was the last one to leave the room. So, we’re really hoping that we would be able to enroll him in a full program soon. We believe that it will be a great opportunity for him because learning AI and Humanoid Robotics is now a must for kids these days.

If you wish to know more about Smarter Robotics, visit the Smarter Robotics website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

#MyStarKidAdventure: Star Margarine’s Star Dino Story Book

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Our kids have their own favorite apps on their gadgets. Of course, their dad and I regulate all the apps that they use and make sure that they are age-appropriate and safe for them. Well, we recently discovered one that is definitely made for kids and that is the Star Dino Story Book app by Star Margarine.

I grew up with Star Margarine in our house. I love it on toasted bread but we also sometimes used it on rice. Star Margarine has always been known as something that helps keep kids healthy, strong, and taller too! It consists of Vitamins A, B, D and E as well Iodine. So it’s not really a surprise that it’s still a staple in a lot of Filipino households these days. The only difference is that there are a lot more Star Margarine flavors now including Chocolate, Strawberry, Garlic, Caramel, Vanilla, Sweet Blend and of course, the Classic one.

Anyway, Star Margarine recently came up with a new web app called the Star Dino Story Book and my son, Ziggy (That’s his nickname, by the way. His real name is Zeth, which is what we used on the app.) and I were able to try it. It allows your child to star in his or her own fun adventures. We first had to go to StarMargarine.com/login and created our account. You can do so using your email address or via Facebook.

Then we each had to type our names and upload our photos. Here’s how it will turn out. It’s like a cover of your own personalized story book. Cool, right!

After that, it was time to try on the different adventures. There were four in total – Coaster Hills Adventure, Cheer Valley, Boulder Bridge, and Hero Canyons. We tried them all of course. The stories are very short ones but feature different stories where kids are able to go on fun adventures with the help of Star Margarine which keeps them healthy and strong.

Here’s Ziggy in one of the scenes on Coaster Hills.

Here’s another one from Hero Canyons.

Then, here’s a scene from Boulder Bridge.

When you and your child are done with each adventure, it will automatically be saved on the app. Then when all four adventures are done, you will have the option to rearrange the sequence of the adventures as you want them to appear before sharing them on social media. You can share it via Facebook on Twitter. We chose to share ours on Facebook.

I like that the app was really very simple and easy to use. It’s also very kid-friendly. It was really fun for my son because he loved being the star of his own story books. We even showed the story books to our two-year-old, Zander, and he was amazed seeing his mom and brother on the app! He kept on pointing to our dino characters and even kissed them. Haha!

Try out the app too! Your kids will enjoy their own #MyStarKidAdventure. For more info, follow Star Margarine on Facebook.

3Doodler Start Essentials Pack Toy Review

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A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about our review of the Mighty Mini Band that we got from Toytag, an online store of educational toys based in Singapore. (If you haven’t read it yet, do click the link!). Today though, I would like to share a review of another toy sent to us by Toytag. This time, it was meant to be for my seven-year-old son, Ziggy. It’s called the 3Doodler Start Essentials Pack.

3Doodler Start Essentials Pack

Ziggy loves to draw and doodle. So when we got a chance to choose a toy for him from the amazing selection at Toytag, it really was a no-brainer that he selected the 3Doodler Start Essentials Pack. With this toy, he knew he’d be able to create cool things, and in 3D no less!

This toy basically allows kids to doodle anything in 3D. It’s a tactile learning toy that inspires creativity, design, planning, building, and spatial understanding. It really is the perfect toy for Ziggy because he learns best by doing stuff. It’s a great tool for STEM learning.

Each set includes:

  • 3Doodler Start 3D Printing Pen
  • 2 packs of Eco-Plastic (48 pieces)
  • Micro USB Charging Cable
  • 3Doodler Start Activity Guide

Our Review

Here’s a list of what we love about the 3Doodler Start Essentials Pack:

It’s award-winning.

If it’s award-winning, you know it’s a great toy for your child. This toy has won Toy of the Year 2017 – Rookie Category and winner of various other awards, including Good Housekeeping’s 2016 Best Toy Award, The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, National Parenting Product Award, Scholastic Parent & Child GOLD STAR TOY Award, and Toy Insider STEM 10, among others.

It’s completely safe for kids.

The 3Doodler Start is specially designed to be clean & safe for kids aged 8+, with no hot parts or messy resins or glues to contend with. The plastic it extrudes are eco-friendly, made entirely from food grade materials, so it’s completely biodegradable, non-toxic and BPA-free. Plus, it cools and hardens rapidly.

It’s easy to start using.

This toy requires no software or technical knowledge. All you really need to do is to charge the printing pen, insert a strand then start doodling. You can use it while plugged in or wirelessly, if you wish.

It has easy to follow guides.

The Activity Guide included in the package was easy to follow. It contains several templates of different types of designs that kids can use. However, kids are not limited to these templates. The inside cover of the box also comes with an easy-to-follow guide.

It’s a fun toy that sparks creativity.

It’s a really fun toy that gives kids the freedom to create anything they want, from simple doodle shapes to amazing masterpieces that their brain can think of. The possibilities are endless.

Our Kids’ Doodles

Since this toy was meant for Ziggy, he was the first to start using it. Set up was a breeze. However, when he started doodling he encountered some difficulty controlling the pen at first. He started doodling shapes to practice and as you can see below, his creation was crooked.

I think that for younger kids like him, some practice is really required so that they can learn to doodle straight. Also, since the plastic dries quickly, the kid has to also be quick enough to manipulate it into shape when needed.

Anyway, after Ziggy tried it, I asked my daughter Ziya to help him with it, just so we can see what the final creations will look like when done right.

Ziya is already 15 years old so she has better control of her hands. Plus, she loves to doodle as well. This was her first creation. Not bad, right? She made this by following a template in the Activity Guide.

Then she decided to make something a bit more complicated. She used another template to create this helicopter for Ziggy, which he absolutely loves.

Ziya really enjoyed using the 3Doodler Start Essentials Pack. One thing we noticed though is that although there’s a time allotment indicated per project, I think they are way off especially for newbie users. For instance, the helicopter project was supposed to only take 20 minutes but Ziya ended up doing it for an hour, to think she was already pretty good at handling the printing pen. Here’s a close up photo.

Another thing to take note is that the kit contains 8 colors of the eco-friendly plastic sticks, with a total of 48 pieces. We had more than enough to complete the two projects. There are a few more left. However, I don’t think 48 pieces are enough to complete all the design templates in the guide. You’ll have to buy more. There’s actually a total of 16 colors in all, which you can purchase from Toytag as well. I also learned that there are even more accessories to this toy that you can purchase, such as a leather pouch, a pedal, and a doodle pad among others. Plus, there are other more advanced kits too.

Overall, we are happy with this toy. I’m sure that with practice Ziggy will be able to use it more.

To learn more about the 3Doodler Start Essentials Pack and other educational products, visit Toytag now.

Connect with Teens Digitally Through Parental Control App!

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Teens today live in a digital world. A world that moves at the speed of light and a place where risks are high and privileges are many.  One thing is for sure – teens enjoy this digital environment.

Teens feel more comfortable in their online space rather than in the real world. One major reason behind their cyber priority is the freedom that they enjoy there. The freedom to become the person they want. The freedom to become friend with anybody they like, the freedom to say whatever they want. But is not safe for them. Posing themselves as a person who they are really not can make them live in their fantasy world that is far beyond the reality. Also, becoming friends with just anybody can expose them to online predators which can land them into serious problems. Last but not the least, saying anything online can destroy their digital reputation.

Most teens aren’t mature enough to realize that what they post today can affect their reputation tomorrow and beyond. Hence, it is really important for parents to check on what their teens do online. To keep a close check on them, parents can use a parental control app such as FamilyTime. Using the app, they can not only connect with their teens’ digital world but also control what they can and can’t do. Here is what the app offers:

  • Monitor the web browsing history of your teen with the details of URL and the time of visit, etc.
  • View the list of bookmarks and favorites saved on their devices
  • Monitor the list of apps installed on their devices
  • Check the details of the app installed, such as date of installation, version of the app being used and the category the app falls in, etc.
  • Analyze the time spent on each application
  • Blacklist unwanted or inappropriate apps from their app list.
  • Have a look at the contact book and their additional details saved in it, such as email address, home address, date of birth, relation and organization, etc.
  • Check call logs with the complete information of dialed, received and missed calls, etc.
  • Monitor SMS history and see who your kid talks to and what do they talk about
  • Watchlist suspicious contacts and get notified every time the contact is made between your kid and the watchlisted contact either through a call or via SMS.
  • If you find your teen using the devices during odd hours, especially at night or while having lunch, you can put auto-screen locks on their devices and schedule it on a daily basis for specific time intervals, say from 9 pm to 6 am etc.
  • You can also put locks to restrict the use of the device immediately using the remote lock feature of the app.

There are a bundle of other features too. To explore them yourself, give this app a try for free. To download this app on your phone, go now to Google Play Store on your phone.

Monitor Teens To Set Them Free!

Give your teen what they demand most – Freedom, with the help of the parental control app such as FamilyTime that lets you monitor your teens from a distance.

So take the digital route now and ease parenting!

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