We have one iPad in our family. It’s MY iPad for work. I check emails, write blog posts, capture moments in video and photos, and just a lot of blog related activities. However, the kids play with it, in certain circumstances.
- during long car rides
- whilst patiently waiting for Little Miss at her many activities
- train rides
It’s something they get, as a treat, when we’re out, and it’s going to be a long trip, or a long wait.
Again, let me write this: We have ONE iPad. We have TWO kids. It isn’t always a pretty scene when we’re on the train, or taking a long car ride. It can get downright BRUTAL up in this family. However, I can’t really buy another iPad, just so we don’t have the issues between the kids. Normally, the kids play games TOGETHER. However, while in the car, it’s not as easy since they aren’t sitting next to each other. It means passing my expensive iPad back and forth. NOT HAPPENING.
Animal Xoomy®
Problem: How do you entertain two kids, on a long car drive, without two iPads? Little Miss can read a book, The Boy cannot. We do not have any DVD player in our car, we’re not that rich YET. Our minivan is rather old, and we just don’t have that kind of stuff in there. Sooooooo, beyond books, and the Leapsters the kids say FREEZE all the time, I found some fun stuff to do having nothing to do with reading, or electronics.
You can stop laughing now. I actually found something! It says it’s for kids 7 and up on the box, but honestly, if your kid can hold a real pencil in his, or her hand, this is perfect. We got our hands on an Animal Xoomy®. It’s a portable illustrating machine. PORTABLE. Everything you need for it fits into the case it comes in. LOVE IT. Basically, it’s a lightboard (so you need batteries.) Kids place a little disk with an animal image on it, then close up the lid, put the paper in the front, and trace the picture with a pen.
Sounds simple, and boring, but the kids love it. It’s why I think the age of 7 is a bit “off” on this one. I think it should be 4 and up, if you have a kid that can hold a pencil in their hand the right way. It might be boring for kids older than 7.
The kids love it. Both showed such pride for their pictures. In order to show off his artwork, The Boy taped them up in his room. My daughter wanted me to take pictures of her with her creations, and so did my son.
I love it. It’s portable, so everything fits into the carrying case. It’s light.
The problem? Not enough paper comes with this thing. You get 10 sheets of paper. Kids blew through that in no time, so I had to cut up some of my own, but it has to be thin enough to see the illustration coming through the light board. It’s also confusing on the box, because it shows colored pencils, and the kids thought the pencils came with the kit, and they do not. It was fine, we have stuff to color with, but it can be annoying for kids!
I was sent the unit to be able to do this review, but you can find it on Amazon.com and get it for a variety of prices, some of them dipping below $19.25. You might even score free shipping!
If you want one that’s just for girls, there’s a pink one that’s available. It’s actually less expensive!
