Tag: kids

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Connected Objects Toys

RC Brick moves building toys, couples smartphones with fun

Building blocks are the, well, building blocks of spatial learning for children. These toys are not only fun, but also allow kids to be creative while they learn to work with their hands.

RC Brick lets kids combine the fun of building things with the convenience of technology. This product works with most brick toys already on the market. It consists of motorized wheels that can move brick creations around. Using a charging cord, RC Brick plugs into any Apple or Android smartphone. The accompanying app lets the user control the movements of their RC Brick.

While this is a fun product that many kids will enjoy, it’s limited by the cord. RC Brick would do well to experiment with Bluetooth technology in order to make their device wireless. Backers will need to donate £27 (~$40) for the base model for estimated delivery in May 2015. RC Bricks hopes to raise £65,000 (~$97,400) on Kickstarter.

Categories
Apparel Kids/Babies

MittGrips hold onto kids’ mittens, keeps their little wrists warm

Little kids love the winter. For them, it’s a time of sledding, snowman building and tubing. For parents, it’s usually a hassle trying to get kids all bundled up for the outdoors. Those little ones always seem to lose their mittens and risk getting frost bitten.

MittGrips are a solution to this problem. These mitten holders slip over mittens or gloves after they’ve been put on. There’s a thumb loop that keeps them secure. After putting them on, then goes the jacket. This way, kids can keep their mittens on while also having a layer of protection against the cold and snow.

While this is a fun project that will prove useful to all wintertime families, it’s so simple that a pair can actually be made from an old long-sleeve shirt. However, for those who aren’t as handy, one pair can be had for $10 CAD (~$8 USD) for estimated delivery in March. MittGrips is hoping to raise $18,000 CAD (~$14,900 USD) on Kickstarter.

Categories
Kids/Babies Wearables

FixSit fixes kids sitting in a W shape; prevents pain later on

As children grow and develop, their habits can have major consequences for the future. For instance, children who W-sit, meaning sit on their butts with both legs bent and splayed out awkwardly, are at risk for back issues later in life.

FixSit hopes to prevent such issues. Designed for children, this product is a wearable device that affixes to both ankles. It can detect when the child is W-sitting. When this behavior is detected, an alarm is sounded. This way, children are provided with instant feedback about their position and can adjust accordingly.

Best of all, each FixSit looks like a toe-less sock. Made of black stretchy fabric, this product will work great on children because it’s not a bulky piece of tech, like other wearables.

One concern about this product is the use of a loud alarm to correct behavior. However, the campaign states that the creators are adding a vibrate mode so the little nose-miner won’t be disturbed at school by the alarm, smart. For their very own, backers can donate $300 for one “production unit” or pair for estimated delivery in October 2015. FixSit is hoping to raise $75,000 with the help of Kickstarter.

Categories
Kids/Babies

WetHeads spew water to amuse kids into washing hands

It’s almost like a daily wrestling match: in one corner, there’s mom or dad and in the other is little Johnny or Suzy. The bell is the sound of mom or dad’s voice saying, “Go wash your hands.” And it’s all downhill from there. The one hope in all of this is that maybe a secret weapon such as WetHeads can help pin kids to the “mat” of the bathroom sink. Thankfully, this battle will not be complicated with any special tools for installation. WetHeads pretty much just screws onto the faucet, though it’s not clear whether or not it’s compatible with the majority of bathroom sinks out there. WetHeads also controls soap usage since there isn’t a dispenser to press down on, kids just rub the bubble mechanism instead.

The idea seems to have potential for persuading kids to wash their hands for maybe a few weeks or so, but kids tend to get bored with new things pretty quickly, so it may not be lasting.  This campaign is looking to raise $33,000 CAD (~$29,000 USD) by mid January 2015. For $20 CAD (~$18 USD), backers get WetHeads with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Furniture

Nugget turns pool noodles into beds of comfort

Finding furniture that travels well from home to dorm, or just from room to room and can take on the wear and tear of kids without breaking can be a challenge. Who knew that pool noodles would make what seems to be the perfect foundation for Nugget? The product consists of four pieces that weigh 19 pounds, and are amazingly quick to set up. The pieces stay together with friction alone. The fabric is easy to spot clean, but is also removable so that it can be washed. Since it’s unbreakable, it can be a great solution for either the dorm or for kids still living at home.

Nugget’s versatility means it can function as a bed, couch, lounge chair and more. Those who prefer studying and doing homework on the bed with their laptop rather than at a desk may be interested in the Lappito campaign. This campaign seeks to raise $20,000. Backers get one Nugget for $249 with an expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Home Tools

Toilet strainer prevents kids from flushing jewelry

Kids have a tendency to destroy things like valuables and happiness. Okay, maybe not happiness, but certainly priceless family heirlooms.

iGuard is a solution to this problem, straining out items from the toilet. Ew. Okay, yes it sounds disgusting, but the creators claim it’s the only way to prevent clogged toilets. The small plastic mechanism hooks onto the side of the toilet bowl. There’s a round piece that goes into the toilet with holes in it to strain. This way, it’ll catch unwanted items from going down the pipes. The only question that remains is, what about those things that you want to go down? iGuard comes in a case that opens with tap of the foot so touch is unnecessary. One is going for $50 on Kickstarter with an estimated delivery of April 2015. iGuard is looking to raise $20,000.

Categories
Imaging

ProPalz enhances GoPro camera users’ extreme sense of humor

Using video to improve one’s game will do one of two things: it will either make one bitter or better. And better often includes bringing out one’s sense of humor. ProPalz may be able to help those who tend toward the extreme to take themselves less seriously when the stress and pressure to improve is on. The plush critters appear to serve a “duel” purpose in that they function both as a protective camera case and clip-mount. The padded case reduces shock during those extreme activities, and the clip camera mount offers the opportunity to attach the camera (while in the case) to a belt loop, back pack, golf club, guitar neck (or perhaps strap during performance), goal post, Harley handle bars or whatever one desires to make a ProPalz type of visual statement.

Of course, it might also work well for getting the kids to smile in videos, too. Other GoPro camera mounts that backers may want to check out include the Infinity Arm and SpinMount campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $6,500. For $100 backers get one product with an ambitious expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies Toys

DIY SodaJet bottle rocket kit converts, takes your two-liters airborne

Little kids love to see things explode. For them, it’s fascinating to watch rockets defy gravity and shoot up into the air. The only thing is that most rockets are dangerous and require delicate motors and fire in order to launch.

Christopher Garmen of the SodaJet has taken rocket launching and made it kid-friendly. He uses 3-D printed parts and standard two liter soda bottles to make rockets. These rockets use air pressure instead of fire to shoot skyward. Not only is this a safe method for children to use, it’s also cost-effective. Garmen uses his campaign to reminisce about being a kid and launching rockets, disappointed at how disposable and expensive they were. Now, he’s got his four-year-old daughter launching SodaJet rockets with Barbie attached, kind of an awesome mini-feminist statement. The parts consist of a cone head, fins and a release mechanism.

SodaJet takes the best of recycling, science, and good clean fun to create a cool toy for kids to play outside with. Best of all, it doesn’t involve any kind of screen. Backers looking for more G-rated fun should also check out the Moonshot Ring Launcher. One SodaJet DIY kit requires a $25 donation for estimated delivery in April 2015, provided SodaJet can reach its $5,000 Kickstarter goal.

Categories
Home Kids/Babies Safety

Toddler Safety Electrical Plugs play hide and seek from little fingers

It seems like baby-proofing the house is one of those tasks that is really never done – kind of like parenting. And for whatever reason, toddlers seem to be especially fascinated by electrical outlets. Toddler Safety Electrical Plugs is kind of an out of sight, out of mind gadget that hides the electrical outlet from small fingers, but still allows mom or dad to easily access it when it is needed. Initial installation may be somewhat inconvenient, since it involves using a screwdriver and removing the existing faceplate, but after that, the product is touted as offering one-hand operation convenience.

There is actually a wide variety of outlet covers out there with child safety in mind. This particular product seems to have a similar design as the KidCo Outlet Plug Cover. One of the more popular covers among parents is Munchkin because they are extremely easy to use and inexpensive.  Backers with toddlers may also want to check out the PopSwitch and Bright Switch campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000, however may have trouble doing so as it is offering no reward tiers.

Categories
Connected Objects Technology

Appiom censorship app gives parents control over kids’ Wi-Fi usage

As more and more Lifetime movies revolve around the dangerous effects the Internet can have on young ones, parents are beginning to think they should limit online usage. However, these damn millennials are smart and have figured out ways to get around a lot of censorship tools.

Introducing Appiom. A little box and app that casts a safety net over the kids. The app allows users to choose different profiles and collect devices for each profile. For instance, one child’s profile may include their smartphone and laptop. With Appiom, parents can block certain apps entirely, like Facebook, or for just one hour. Similarly, they can set a timer on Internet usage, blocking kids from going online after their bedtime. Understanding that these kids are much more tech savvy than any other generation, Appiom also has capabilities to block 4g and LTE usage, preventing kids from switching from Wi-Fi to phone data to surf the Net.

Installation for this product is quite easy, requiring no router configuration or software downloads. Best of all, for smartphones at least, it only blocks certain apps, letting parents customize phone time for their kids. It would beneficial if there could be some sort of Web site blocking customization too for laptops. Still, this is an easy-to-use product that allows parents to be reasonable in their control over Wi-Fi time instead of downright Web Nazis. One will cost backers an affordable $29 donation for delivery in March 2015. Appiom is hoping to raise $25,000 on Kickstarter.