At first glance the Fortamajig doesn’t look like much more than an 8′ square piece of lightweight, ripstop nylon and while that’s accurate,  this is definitely a case of less being more. Arranged around the Fortamajig’s outer edges are 24 adjustable Velcro loops so you can easily attach it to just about anything. An additional 9 Velcro loops on the surface further extend the attachment options. Velcro not long enough to fit your plans? No problem! Just connect one or more of the six additional Velcro straps where you need them. Unlike blankets, the lightweight Fortamajig is easily supported so it can span longer distances without drooping. There’s also a door and a window, both with Velcro to keep them closed if  they don’t fit your design. And because it’s made from the same material used to make tents, it’s also durable enough to be used outside. Check out the Fortamajig gallery for examples of both indoor and outdoor forts.

My daughter and I decided to try the Fortamajig out in the dining room. This idea wasn’t met with much enthusiasm from my wife, but when she saw that the Fortamajig was so light (under 2lbs) that it wouldn’t pull down the chairs she gave us her reluctant blessing and we proceeded to create a variety of tunnels, forts and caves. Fortunately, my wife wasn’t around when my daughter decided to climb the fort’s roof, pulling some of the chairs down to the floor. Luckily no toddlers or chairs were harmed and we simply adjusted our design and continued playing. When we were finished, we just disconnected the Velcro, stuffed the Fortamajig back into its bag and put the chairs back under the table.

The Fortamajig is available in two models, a $70 single layer and a $90 reversible dual-layer. Both come in a variety of colors. The Happy Kid Company also sells the $90 Fortamajig Connectables, a set of eight panels with Velcro connectors that can be used on their own or along with the Fortamajig (buying them together will save you $20). Yes, the Fortamajig is more expensive than a blanket, but comparing the two is like comparing a Leatherman Tool to a butter knife. The Fortamajig’s durability and flexible design allow it to do so much more than a blanket and also make it more likely to engage your child’s imagination. That’s definitely worth at least $70.

But these toddler traits aren’t a problem for the $40 VTech Kidizoom digital camera. Available in blue or pink, this toddler-tough camera features a two-handed design with non-slip handles to help children hold it properly. The handles also seem to help cushion the camera during the inevitable drops. Although our first sample stopped working (ironically while I was the one using it), the second one has taken a beating and continues to work fine. Included with the camera are a USB cord, audio/video cable for connecting the camera to a TV, software CD (Windows only), wrist strap, two interchangeable faceplates and a manual. The camera can be connected to a PC or a Mac, but only comes with Windows photo software.

After popping in 4 AA batteries and taking a quick look at the menus, I handed the camera over to my daughter. With a little bit of guidance she was able to begin taking pictures. And although the binocular eyepieces may be easier-to-use than a standard viewfinder, she preferred to use the 1.8″ LCD screen on the back.

A joystick on the back is used to navigate the simple menus after clicking the “Mode” button. However, moving the joystick without first pressing the button either browses previous images (up/down) or cycles through cartoon graphics that can be added to the image (left/right). This is a great idea, but the joystick is a bit too easy to hit by mistake and many of our first pictures had a cartoon Viking helmet in the middle of them because our daughter accidentally hit the joystick just before taking a picture.

Photo Quality

Photos taken with the Kidizoom will never be confused with those take with a more advanced digital camera. The Kidizoom doesn’t perform well in low light and is susceptible to motion in all but the brightest light. This leads toward “blotchy” or blurred photos in many cases. However, given the $40 price, I can’t fault the quality of the Kidizoom’s pictures too much. Still it’s something you may want to consider before purchasing. I’ve posted a collection of my daughter’s photos on Flickr to give you an idea of the Kidizoom’s image quality (as well as the things a toddler considers worth photographing). VTech also has a gallery of customer photos on their site.

Ironically, the weaknesses of the Kidizoom may actually help your child take better pictures as she gets used to working around them. In the last two months I’ve noticed that my daughter is choosier about her subjects and seems to bet getting the hang of holding still after she presses the shutter button. Both of these skills will serve her well when she is ready for her next digital camera.

Additional Features
The Kidizoom camera includes several features that will interest older children, including:

• Photo Workshop: As I mentioned earlier, the Kidizoom only includes Windows software. However, the camera’s built-in Photo Workshop allows you to add frames and stamps to your images, duplicating much of the software’s basic features. You can also add animations or voice memos (up to 10-seconds) to photos, but the animations can’t be saved and voice memos can only be played by going back into the Photo Workshop.
• Games: 3 simple games (Tic Tac Toe, Matching Pairs and Rotation Puzzle) are accessible from the camera’s menu.

While neither of these features is reason to buy the Kidizoom, they do add value to the camera. There’s also the movie mode I mentioned earlier. Although the movies are noticeably low quality, this is a nice bonus and a feature that appears unavailable on other toddler cameras.

Software
The camera comes with VTech Photo Editor, a Windows-only program that is an expanded version of the built-in photo tools. The software includes a larger selection of stamps and frames and the program can be used with any BMP or JPG file, not just those taken with the Kidizoom camera. The software can also increase the resolution of the Kidizoom images to 2.0 Megapixels, but don’t expect any drastic improvement in image quality.

Conclusion
The rugged Kidizoom is a great first camera for toddlers who are old enough to be interested in taking pictures, but still not ready for a “grown-up” camera. As long as you don’t expect the same photo quality you would get from a $100+ digital camera, it’s a great deal, particularly when you consider the fun you’ll have seeing the world through your child’s eyes.

PlayStation 3. XBox 360. Nintendo Wii.

There’s no doubt that video games are big business and it’s not always easy to tell which ones are appropriate for your children. And with the wide range of games available, not to mention the amount of advertising dollars being spent to promote them, it’s a safe bet that you know at least one child who will be asking for a game this holiday season.

I’ve written about video games ratings and review sites in the past. The best way to make educated decisions about video games is to read about them before you go into the store. But what if you don’t do that? Or what if you decide to buy a game at the last minute? In short: what do you do if you’re already in the store?

Video game store Game Crazy (a division of Hollywood Entertainment, along with Hollywood Video and Movie Gallery) has put together a Parents’ Guide to Game Buying (781K PDF). It doesn’t go into specific titles or try to answer every question. Instead, it encourages parents to talk with the store’s employees and ask questions before buying games. Whether you shop at Game Crazy or another store, this is something you should definitely do. If the game package doesn’t answer your questions, ask an employee.

The brochure also includes a handy summary of the ESRB rating system for video games, something every parent should have memorized or have access to when buying games. If you only read one page of the brochure, read that one. In fact, cut it out and keep a copy in your purse or wallet.

I’ve never shopped at a Game Crazy store (the nearest location is in Arlington, MA), but it looks like they’re taking steps to help parents make educated videogame purchases. Their “Try Before You Buy” program lets you see or play a game before you bring it into your house. As the brochure says, “You’re Parent Experts. We’re Game Experts.”

Have you had any experience with Game Crazy or similar stores?

Fortunately, the August 15 Explainer column at Slate answers this very question.

Basically, lead is used in paint because “its bright, durable, flexible, fast-drying, and cheap.” The article goes on to say that:

In 1978, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission made it illegal to use any paint containing more than 0.06 percent lead for residential structures, hospitals, and children’s products. But it’s still widely used on bridges, tanks, towers, heavy equipment, parking lots, road signs, and other large-scale projects. There’s still lead in most consumer paints, too-just much, much less. Many paint manufacturers now use safer alternatives like zinc, although it doesn’t quite match lead’s luster or strength.

The short article has more information on common uses of lead paint, but for toy manufacturers, it seems to come down to one benefit: it’s cheaper, so toys are less expensive to make. However, I wonder how many parents think the savings are worth their child’s health.

If you purchased a Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, Elmo, Sesame Street…ok, any Fisher-Price toys after May 1st go immediately to Mattel’s Recall Information page to see if your toy(s) are part of the recall. The list is quite large, but they include pictures to help you identify the toys in question.

After you check the list you can read more about the recall at CNN.

A quick scan of the list showed we didn’t have any of the toys in our house, but I did see an Elmo sprinkler that we almost bought a few weeks ago.

After turning in the completed journal at a Barnes & Noble store, each child will receive a coupon for a free book from the “list of exceptional paperback titles.” Unfortunately, the online information does not include the titles, but they will be listed on the coupon.

Complete program information, plus printable versions of the Summer Reading Journal in English and Spanish can be found here.

Sounds like a great way to encourage a bit of summer reading!

So I gave it a shot. I watched the unveiling on Good Morning America. I read the news stories. I even waited a few days before posting this to see if it started to make more sense, but it didn’t. Is there some latent “daddy gene” that is supposed to kick in and make things clearer? Or is it because my daughter is only seven-months-old, just under a year shy of recommended age for T.M.X? Whatever it is, I still don’t get understand Tickle Me Elmo. But I’m willing to try.

Let me see if I have this right: Basically it’s an Elmo doll that you “tickle” so it falls down and giggles. That’s it? Oh sure, there are apparently three styles of falling and giggling. And only one of his arms moves? This is fun? Even for an 18-month-old? Really?

So please, help a new dad. Share your Tickle Me Elmo stories with me. Tell me why it’s worth $40. Because I want to understand.

[Thanks to Daddy Types for the CNN link]

Although our daughter travels well, it can be a challenge to manage the her stuff in addition to ours. Watching other families, one answer seems to be giving kids their own backpack or roller bag to manage as soon as they’re old enough. Of course, more often than not, mom or dad ends up carrying not only the child, but her bag as well. More daring parents occasionally let their kids sit on the adult-sized roller bags as they’re wheeled between gates. Not the safest approach, but it could work if you’re careful.

The designers at Trunki must have seen kids teetering on adult luggage and figured there must be a better way. So they created one and named it “Trunki.”

The Trunki carry-on suitcase is designed specifically for kids. Not only is it unbearably cute, but it’s designed to be ridden. Yes, you read that correctly: the wide wheelbase and contoured shell make it much more suitable for riding than normal suitcases. At only 18″ x 7.9″ x 12″, it won’t hold much more than a weekend’s worth of clothing, but it should carry the supplies needed to prevent boredom at the airport or on the plane. Plus they claim it’s tough enough to “be ridden by several toddlers.” Judging by the Trunki’s size and the pictures on the website, I think “several” means “two.” But still, that’s impressive. Of course I’m not sure I’d want to check it and see how it fairs with baggage handlers…

Trunki is available at the Museum of Modern Art online store for $40. I think that’s a bargain if it makes just one trip easier. And of course it comes in blue or pink.

[Trunki via Gizmodo]

So, it’s not without a bit of sadness that I read this post about a version of Monopoly that will use VISA (TM and all that) debit cards and an electronic reader to keep track of each players funds. The article refers to a UK version, but I think it’s safe to say we’ll probably see a US version as well.

Of course the pessimist in me sees this as yet another toy that exposes kids to corporate branding in an attempt to hook them at an early age. But maybe I’m reading too much into this. How could fake VISA debit cards be bad for kids? After all, it’s not like our society has problems managing debt or anything.

[via Engadget and CNN]

However, I also believe that there are some video games that aren’t appropriate for children. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Video games are just like other forms of entertainment. I think we can all agree that there are movies, television shows, books and music that aren’t appropriate for children. Why the controversy over video games?

Although our daughter is not quite five-months-old, my wife and I already find ourselves looking differently at media of all types. And I know it’s going to be a challenge to limit her exposure to things we feel are inappropriate, particularly when she’s older. But you know what…that’s what parents do. It’s not the role of government to tell us how to raise our children. I may be jaded, but I believe the current congressional flap over violent video games is nothing more than pre-election posturing by candidates afraid to go on record with views on important topics. Parents already have resources available to help them that don’t require new laws. Could they be better? Sure. But broad, fear-inspired legislation is not what we need right now.

I cringe when the news shows parents complaining that their child shouldn’t have had access to violent video games. Often the parents speaking out are the ones who actually purchased the game for their child. And yet they still complain that it’s not their fault. I’m sorry, if you buy a game for your child, you ARE responsible. Now I do believe that children themselves should not be able to purchase games rated beyond their age. But this is no different than keeping children out of R-rated movies. Yes, not all theaters do it, but that’s an issue to address with the theater owners, not the movie industry. Similarly, if you feel that a store has sold an inappropriate game to your child, take it up with the manager. If you’re not satisfied with the response you get, take your money elsewhere. But do it yourself. This is not an issue we want politicians to legislate.

I mentioned earlier that there are resources available for parents. Below are some websites that feature information to help you make educated choices about video games. I’ll post these links to the Video Games Message Board and I encourage you to use them and share your experiences with other parents.

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
The ESRB has created a system of six ratings for video games. Similar to movie ratings, these provide information on games and help consumers make informed choices about video games. These ratings appear on the cover of the game box. If your teenager ask for a game that’s rated M (Mature 17+) or AO (Adults Only), it’s up to you to take a look at it.

The ESRB system isn’t perfect, but it does provide a quick and easy indication of a game’s content when you’re in a store. I encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with the ESRB Game Ratings & Descriptor Guide.

But ESRB ratings don’t tell the whole story. I also recommend reading game reviews before the actual trip to the store. The two sites below make it easy to do this.

GamerDad
This site reviews video games from the point of view of parents. Games are given one of five seals, similar to the ESRB ratings. However, because these seals are based on actually playing the game (as opposed to simply watching videos as the ESRB does), these tend to be more accurate. Each review also includes a “Kid Factor” section that details elements that led to a game’s seal. Like the ESRB, Gamer Dad also includes a thorough explanation of their rating system.

Metacritic Game Reviews
Metacritic makes it easy to find out what reviewers thought of a game. The site provides links to individual reviews and, more importantly, an average of all the reviews linked. However, a good game isn’t necessarily good for children. Unlike GamerDad, the reviews on Metacritic don’t always look at games with a parent’s eyes. For that reason, I suggest using it only as a general guide to the quality of a game, not whether or not it’s appropriate for your children.

This looks like another good effort by Amazon to own online shopping. However, despite Amazon’s claim of carrying more toys and baby products than ever before, I didn’t see a difference in selection or inventory in my quick look (they still only have one color of the Bumbo seat we were looking for last month), but it will be interesting to see how this does. If anything, it’ll make holiday shopping that much easier.

Apparently I could learn a lot from the five-year-old in this video. As kids today say, “he’s got mad skillz.” (do they still say that?)

I look forward to the day when my daughter is old enough to play games like this, or the Sony EyeToy games, with her dad. Of course, as I get older, maybe one of those “old fashioned” video games that just use gamepads will be all I can handle.

Link to promotional page

I’m not sold on the MP3 player, even with useful features like volume-limiting. However, I think a durable, kid-friendly digital camera is a great idea.