Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Weekly Contest from Brighter Minds Media



Stop by the Brighter Minds Media Contest site every week to enter to win cool educational prizes from Brighter Minds Media.  I have been a fan of their site since their Halloween contest where they awarded every entry with a prize package.  We got a ton of books, and a game CD just for entering.  So stop by or subscribe to their contest page.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

The LeapFrog Tag - Cool Reading System for Kids

The LeapFrog Tag is the latest offering from the award winning LeapFrog company. It consists of a pen which "reads" the LeapFrog Tag books.  Most parents are familiar with the original LeapPad Learning Center which uses a tethered stylus with special books and cartridges.  This system spawned copycats such as the Fisher Price PowerTouch Learning System, which allows kids to use their fingers to do the reading.  Both have disadvantages in that you need to keep track of a cartridge for each book and the systems themselves are rather bulky.  The LeapFrog Tag changes all that.  The Tag is easily held by any child and my four-year-old daughter took to it immediately.  There are no more cartridges and the Tag "reads" its books like magic. There are various reading modes as well as multi-leveled games.  It even knows when you change books.  You will need a computer with an internet connection to download new books to the Tag.  My first download went effortlessly.

Being an engineer, I had to figure out how this magic occurs (jump to the last paragraph if you don't want to spoil the fun).  I scoured the book for RFID chips, holding up the pages to the light.  I peered into the sensor on the Tag and determined that it was probably an optical sensor.  Then I finally noticed that the pages of the Tag books had tiny microprint consisting of uneven dots over the page.  The density of the dots differed between the two Tag books so it knew when the book changed.  My kids are so used to magical technology, that this amazing device didn't even phase them.  You can see my daughter using it here.

The LeapFrog Tag comes with the Ozzie and Mack book shown above and is available in two colors at Toys R Us and all major retail outlets for $49.99.  You can also purchase it online at LeapFrog with free shipping through July 31st.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Proud to Be an American Photo Contest


Church Hill Classics are currently running a 'Proud to Be an American Photo Contest'.

All you have to do is send in a photo showing what makes you proud or what patriotism means to you and you can win a $300 savings bond and a new frame from their company.

There is more information at their site.

Company Store Model Contest

Be a Company Kids Model!

Company Kids (the kids’ branch of The Company Store) is hosting a contest to choose new models for their spring catalog. Two Grand Prize winners will get a trip to New York for a photo shoot as well as a $500 Company Kids gift certificate. 10 First Prize Winners will receive a $100 Company Kids gift card.

The contest ends July 30. For the official rules and the entry form go to

https://www.contesttechnology.com/model08/

Company Kids Homepage: http://www.thecompanystore.com/defaultkids2.asp

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Friday, May 23, 2008

Father's Day Photo Contest


Share a photo of dad or grandpa and the kids for a chance to win a $250 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice at Celebrate with Style. Enter by May 30.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Mother's Day Book Bash Giveaway

A Book Blogger’s Diary

A Book Blogger's Diary is giving away three copies of What Would Audrey Do?. For your chance, check out the contest post and enter by May 11.  Check out all the other books offered at the Mother's Day Book Bash at A Book Blogger's Diary.