FSA 2019 Holiday Toy, Tech and Game Guide

Family Scholastic Adventures

SELECTING THE BEST TECH

What Makes Tech Engaging?

DYNAMIC DINO TOYS

Circ uits Scie , nce & ST BABY SHARK DOO DOO DOO EM Turning That Catchy Tune Into Early Learning Fun Calling All Prehistoric Fanatics

Disclosure:Â Most of the items included in this guide were provided from brands for advertisement and/or review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are honest and my own. #ad

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Holiday Gift2 Guide 0 1 9

Happy holidays

Every season has its highlights and winter, of course, brings the best in flavors, scents and colors through the magic of the holidays.

It also brings forth the coolest tech, toys and learning fun.

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Inside this edition, embrace your inner child curiosity, allowing it to guide your gift giving. Inspiring STEM, storytime, science and the art, take a peek at what we've found.

The thrill of getting gift-giving right, balancing cool trendy finds with those that tap directly into a child's heart... is a win like nothing else. Capturing that WOW moment but also knowing that the other wrapped items will bring lasting joy and smiles, makes my investments worthwhile. As an extra bonus, I can feel great that many of this year's hottest toys and gifts are educational, artistic and curiositybuilding, as well as, amazingly fun.

At Family Scholastic Adventures, we strive to offer truly valuable gift suggestions. This year we've found some really incredible holiday wishlist items, peek inside to see what the fuss is about.

Have a playful holiday!

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Barbara Spalding

A GUIDE TO

TECH TOYS

Parent Involvement: Will this toy need parental supervision or assistance (outside of battery installation)? Will parent be engaged or will this toy get the shelf treatment for being too involved or complex?

Add-ons: Consider buying extra equipment, games or subscriptions for already owned tech.

Reuse-ability: Is there extended play? Many STEM kits convert into several alternative toys. Look for robots that have multiple features.

Safety: There are many concerns and angles, look for cameras, video or chat capability, location sharing and, of course data sharing requirements.

Hidden Costs: Are there add-on pieces required for play? What about subscription services needed?

Personal Engagement: Will the child quickly outgrow the device? Is the toy a matter of following directions and assembling or does it offer more complex interactions?

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Tech is everywhere, it's practically everything.

What Christmas list doesn't have something tech related on it? So how do we go about finding the best tech for our kids? We've got a couple key points in our strategy for considering such things. The tech toy isle has never been more fun but be sure to look for more than light up features and flowery marketing language promising more than what's reality. Here are our key points:

Baby Shark Doo-Doo-Doo

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Let that catchy tune capture the attention on your young learner.

Baby Shark Shape Sorter is super cute as a educational submarine. The Baby Shark Smartphone is truly smart with alphabet lessons, games and more for toddlers. Baby Shark Tablet holds several learning modes geared for the toddler & preschool stage.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CANVA.COM

Bring on the Baking Holiday baking traditions produce more than delicious treats for family and friends. Consider these additional benefits of pulling out that rolling pin and asking Aunt Lucille to pass down that recipe.

1. Math and measurement skills put to the test.

2. Reading comprehension and sequential skills 3. Quality non-screen time 4. Living history lesson... share the back story of the recipe or the culture. Favorite memory creating this treat with family member?

5. Geography - is your baking creation passed along from lands far away? Pull up Google maps and point out that country, region or town. What's changed in recent history? Is the food you're

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creating still a large part of the culture there?

THE ROOT BEER FLOAT CHALLENGE

By Barbara Spalding

Family game night meets kitchen experiment lab.

The Root Beer Float Challenge by Playtacular is a family engaging game combining charades with on-your-feet challenges, around the theme of a root beer float. The packaging is a tin "root beer" can, which is used in many of the challenges. Game contents include 4 straws, 4 "ice cream" balls, and 4 cherries, plus the challenge cards. A very clever design, that had us heading into the kitchen to create our own root beer floats. And like many conversations in the kitchen, we discussed the science behind the food. The foam in a root beer float is created when carbon dioxide bubbles form when the carbonated soda combines with the ice cream... particularly the sugar molecules in the ice cream. For a true experiment, we suggest varying the brands of ice cream, trying a low sugar option, and variations. Which combination gives the foamiest of foam float tops? And which tastes the yummiest?

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switch up soda options, including diet

Stuff

That Sock With Something Special

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1. Coding Car & Coding Piano by Lets Start Coding 2. So Bomb Kit & So Slime Kit by Canal Toys 3. World's Smallest Crayola Color Pencil Set 4. Susannah B - Girl Gone Wilder CD

5. Mix Your Own Slime by Ooze Lab 6. Zodiac Zoo Buildables 7. Mystical Unicorn Putty 8. Letters To Myself

9 . Fidget Cube 10. Worlds Smallest UNO game 11. Farkle Dice Game 12. Worlds Smallest Crayola 2 Crayon Set

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The Best Stockings

e t i m a Dyn s r u a s o Din Jurassic World Legacy Collection Brachiosaurus

Fingerlings Untamed T-Rex

Jurassic World Triceratops

Jurassic World T-Rex Mask

Animal Adventure Dino

Jurassic World Dino Rivals Destroy 'n Devour Indominus Rex

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Zuru Robo Alive T-Rex

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Build your library with Music, Art & Story

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4. Drawing Animals by Usborne 5. Barbie Music Teacher Set 6. A Cheerful Little Earful CD

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7. Festive Origami 8. Waiting For the Elevator CD 9. Klutz LEGO Movie Maker

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1. Klutz Llama Pillow/Paint Kits 2. Pottery Studio by Spin Master 3. Foil Art by Usborne Books

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r e k n i T e m i T

1. Klutz LEGO Chain Reaction STEM Kit 2. Thames & Cosmos AirWalker 3. Klutz Grow Your Own Crystal Unicorn 4. Klutz Grow Your Own Crystal Fox

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1. Doodlematic Mobile Game Maker 2. K'nex Moving Creations STEM Lab 3. Magformers Amazing Police Playset 4. Projecct Mc2 Create Your Own Spa Treatments

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bell peppers and maize, now central.

M E T S

s a m st i r t ' Ch n re A s e e y Tr l n O e th g n i Th p U g n i t h g i L

STEM activities and the science of circuits keep inquisitive minds working while making learning fun. Check out these super cool electronic kits for children to engineer and assemble. Sew Your Own Light-Up Circuit Art is a unique twist to a sewing project with LED lights to bring the creation to glow. Circuit Scribe with variations for DIY, where you literally draw connecting circuits and learn the basics of voltage, circuits and electricity. Circuit Games by Klutz is an LED games kit. The Little Bits Night Light is sound-activated and

interchangeable for multi-use. Each offers a unique

application for discovering electric circuit science.

THE

Wonder Around Us

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1. Astronaut Barbie 2. Build Your Own Volcano Nat Geographic 3. Rocks, Gems, Geodes by Klutz 4. Squishy Human Body 5. Science Scribble Book by Usborne Books 6. Candy Science by Klutz 7. Bones! Lap Kit by Hands2Mind

Game play builds a multitude of skills, including critical thinking, teambuilding, strategy and...

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Bring On The Games

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depending on the game, probability, math skills, geography, trivia and more.

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Building A Kickin' Library

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Books & resources are essential, and building a personal library is very rewarding. A library can be as small and simple as a book shelf. A well stocked book shelf invites the family to read, be inspired... share. When selecting books for children, start with age appropriate readers, fiction or nonfiction. Classic stories, a collection of poetry, and reference materials specific to topics of their interest, will round out any book collection for a family library, however, consider puzzles, journals, arts & crafts... and of course comfy seating and plenty of lighting. Cozy up with your littles and enjoy the magic that is embedded in their curiosities.

PUZZLES...

Inspire creativity, tell a story, map out our world, connect us to history.

FOOD

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EDITORIAL

Ronald McDonald House Charity We believe that while children are displaced from their homes and routines during medical treatment, they deserve fun, engaging family-learning toys & resources. Thank you to our sponsors for your donation of books, games & toys.

Photos throughout publication provided by Canva & Pexel.