What you see pictured above is MobiGo, the brand new hand held touch learning system from VTech.  I was sent a MobiGo to check out and talk about here at ParentSphere.  What you read below is completely my opinion.

There is a July 2010 release date for MobiGo (MSRP $60) and it’s going to be a load of interactive fun for your 3 to 8 year old.  My daughter is 4-1/2 and when I introduced MobiGo to her the other day, she was hooked.  She’s at that age where she can follow instructions and has a basic understanding of electronics; in this case, fun, learning activities.  I’m predicting it’s going to be a big hit this holiday season.

MobiGo has a touch screen, much like mom and pop’s smart phone.  The screen slides back (with a smooth transition) to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard to get your son or daughter familiar with using a computer.  I am so digging this.  Here is Hailey playing some games from the Touch and Learn game cartridge:

Using the QWERTY keyboard:

Using the touch screen:

As you can see from the videos, this new hand held learning system is right on par with today’s high-tech gadgets.  A feature included is connecting online to share scores and track progress.  A+ in my book.  That’s what I’m talkin’ about.  I am highly anticipating the other titles (11 to start) soon available for MobiGo.  You can order your MobiGo online at ToysRus, where you can also view a list of the current software titles.

View more images of MobiGo:

We are fortunate enough to be able to offer a brand new VTech MobiGo to one of our readers.

Enter our VTech MobiGo giveaway!

I will choose a winner from the comment section of this post (using Random.org’s number generator) on Friday, June 18th.  Giveaway open until midnight PST (you must be located in the continental US) to enter.

You can do any or all of these things to enter.  That means, you have four chances to enter.

Entry chance option 1:

Leave a comment on this post letting us know if  you own any other VTech products.

Entry chance option 2:

Tweet about this giveaway. Then, come back to this post and leave a comment with the link to your Tweet and your Twitter “handle”. I’ll make this part easy, you can copy and paste the following text for your Tweet (it fits, I checked):

I just entered to win a MobiGo touch learning system from @vtechtoys and @ParentSphere http://bit.ly/cnygMF

(Just make sure you mention @vtechtoys and @ParentSphere in your Tweet!)

Entry chance option 3:

Follow VTechToys on Twitter. Come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know you and VTechToys are Twitter buddies.

Entry chance option 4:

Become a fan of VTech on Facebook. Come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know you’re a fan.

*Make sure each of your entry comments on this post are separate or they will only count as one.  Good luck!

By the way, there are a TON of MobiGo giveaways happening right now.  Just check out the list of sites hosting them on VTech’s Facebook page.   (If you enter any of the other giveaways that request leaving a comment on VTech’s Facebook wall, please note they have a special giveaway discussion board, instead of flooding their wall with giveaway feedback.)

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LeapFrog’s Math Adventure to the Moon DVD (MSRP $14.98) was released recently and we were given a copy of it to watch and talk about here on ParentSphere.

Well, my 4-1/2 year old completely digs this thirty-eight minute long DVD.  She loves the story and she’s so proud of herself for her ability to count along with Tad and Lily, the beloved LeapFrog frogs.  Tad and Lily take a mathematical adventure to the moon where they count, sort and add.  Edison, the firefly, gets the viewer (your kids) involved in the math fun.  Throughout this educational adventure, we learn that math is everywhere.   The target age range for this DVD is 3-6 years.

Our daughter will be 5 in October.  She sings along with the counting songs and plays the interactive games using our TVs remote control.  Here is a video of Hailey playing The Sorting Game, one of the three games on the DVD:

And here is Hailey proudly counting by 10′s, which she learned from this DVD:

Hailey follows along with LeapFrog’s: Math Adventure to the Moon and learns to count by 10s

*Please note, this DVD may or may not have the same effect on your child.  Mine just happens to be very, very bouncy.

In addition to Math Adventure to the Moon, there are three other LeapFrog DVD titles to choose from; Let’s Go to School (3-6 years), Letter Factory (24 mos to 5 yrs) and Talking Words Factory (3-6 yrs).  All priced under $15.00 from leapfrogdvds.com

We’re big ‘ol LeapFrog fans in this house and have very good reason to be, they have the best educational products for kids.  Trust us.  We have a ton of LeapFrog products and make very good use out of all of them.  You will too.

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We recently added the following LeapFrog products to our ever-growing collection:

Zippity

Zippity is quite popular with my preschooler right now.  It is very easy for her to grasp the concept of how this gaming system works.  She gets to use her whole body, which is a plus because I swear, the kid never stops moving.  I like it that she’s on her feet playing the game, rather than staring at the screen while sitting on the couch.  This is an excellent gaming system for kids around the ages of 4 and up.

I am somewhat of a technology snob and pay attention to graphics.  The graphics and animation of the games for this system are exceptional, in my opinion.  I am pleased with the look and feel of Zippity.  Good job on this one, LeapFrog!

(Picture of Hailey using Zippity coming soon)

My Pal Scout/Violet

Pictured above is My Pal Violet.  Cute, cute, cute!  We love this puppy.  Once again, LeapFrog has outdone themselves with technology.  Violet and Scout can be connected to your computer via USB cable and personalized.  I’m not kidding, we walk around the house everyday singing the little tunes that come from this puppy.  Violet says our baby’s name (which grabs her attention); she sings personalized songs (for instance, right now, Violet likes the color black and meatballs are her favorite food.  For a while, it was bacon).  I absolutely love that you can connect and change options any time you want.  This is a stuffed animal that is worth having around.

(Teagan and Violet)

Tag Junior Book Pal

I’ve been itching to use our Tag Junior with the baby.  I can’t wait to see her chubby hands wrapped around this chubby reader.  Even our preschooler enjoys the Tag Junior but ultimately, her favorite is the regular Tag reader and books.  Tag Junior is less pen-like, compared to the regular Tag Reader.  It is much easier for babies/toddlers to grasp in their little, uncoordinated hands.  The board books are just the right size for the smaller hands, too.

(Picture of the girls using Tag Junior coming soon)

Before I close, I will also mention that LeapFrog has the technology to tell you what your child is doing/learning.  It’s just a matter of connecting your LeapFrog products to your computer and checking out the LeapFrog Learning Path that gathers information from the activities your child does on his/her LeapFrog products and calculates their progress.  This is a fantastic, educational tool.

As far as I’m concerned, LeapFrog is blowing their competition out of the water with their quality and technology.  I love that I’m able to experience these learning products with my kids!  They have been such a huge part of our lives.  Thank you, LeapFrog, for taking the time to make products that will make a difference in a child’s life in the future.

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I’m a sucker for electronics that keep me connected.  Speaking of products that keep you connected, the brand new Nintendo DSi is here.  It retails for $169.99 and it’s pretty sweet.  Why I like it: it has a built in camera (and an SD Card slot), you can connect to the internet wirelessly (I’ve already “Twittered” from my DSi), you can download games from the DSiWare shop and play your other Nintendo DS cartridge games on it.  It comes in two colors: matte black or blue.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m a parent now or what but I like the “get-away” concept of hand held gaming systems.  It’s easy to slip this portable gaming system into my purse and head out the door.  Never a dull moment.  When it comes to these little systems, Nintendo is and always has been tops on my list.

Nintendo DSi is available at retailers on Sunday, April 5th (Hello?  That’s less than TWO hours, CST!)  I have had my DSi for just over a day and already highly recommend it.

This won’t be the last time you’ll hear from me about the brand new DSi.

Wanna know where to get the new Nintendo DSi?  Here is a list of retailers:

Amazon.com
Best Buy
Target
GameStop
ToysRUs
Sears
Walmart

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So, my first purchase was an Energizer Rechargeable Easy Charger and some double and triple “A” batteries.

We have since added other types of Energizer rechargeable batteries to our collection, as well as another charger, so they’re conveniently located in the rooms of our house where our electronics are located.  The Energizer Easy Charger can be purchased for around $24 bucks and most major retailers and I’m sure you can find a good deal on it online somewhere.  It just makes sense to go rechargeable.

Energizer even has a $5 rebate offer on their site when you purchase of one of their chargers.

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Honestly, I have not taken this game out of my Nintendo DS Lite for months.  These puzzle games were a savior on the restless nights during my first trimester.  I’m a big fan of puzzle games in my old age.  Neopets Puzzle Adventure by Capcom is fun and I recommend it.

I’m not so much into playing the game in Story Mode but instead, I jump right into the Instant Action.  I pick one of the four games: Battle, Forging, Training and Quick Draw.  My favorite, by far, is Forging.  Man it’s addictive.  You can play it online and see for yourself:

Neopets Puzzle Adventure is also available for Wii and the PC.  Definitely check it out!

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Our winner has been notified via email

We’ve been playing around with the V-Motion for several months and have lovingly deemed it our “Vii” or “Wii for kids”.  This educational gaming system is geared toward the 3-7 year old age range.  Our three year old easily grasps the concept of moving the controller up and down or side to side to get the characters to move where she wants them to go.

It’s all pretty simple, really.  Place one of the Smartridges (over 40 popular titles to choose from) into the V-Motion, start up the game.  Watch your child move and play.  When he or she is done playing, take the V.Link (like a USB flash drive) and plug it into your PC’s USB port.  Track your child’s progress and scores and access more online games at VSmileLink.com.

We’re giving away a V-Motion along with two popular game titles: Wall-E and Wonder Pets

To enter: leave a comment on this giveaway post (comment section is located below the post, under “Category” and “Tags”.  In your entry comment, let us know if you own any VTech products and if so, which one(s).

A winner will be chosen at random and emailed the day after the giveaway closes.  Last day to enter is Friday, December 12, 2008 at midnight PST. Be sure to check your SPAM folder so you don’t miss the email notification.  This post will also be updated with the winner’s name and blog/website (if provided).

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*Take me back to the Holiday Giveaway Guide so I can enter more giveaways!
*Hosting a giveaway or posting a gift guide at your site?  Make sure you link to it on Mr. Linky HERE
*Do you “Twitter“?  We’d just adore you if you would “Tweet” about this giveaway!

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Our winner has been notified via email

I have anxiously been awaiting this game to arrive on store shelves and now it’s finally here!  Similar to Guitar Hero, this game lets you play along to your favorite pop songs like; See You Again by Miley Cyrus, Since You Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson and It’s Not Over by Daughtry just to name a few (more than 50 songs included).

PopStar Guitar retails for about $60 and comes with the “AirG”, a peripheral that turns the Wii Remote™ into an air guitar.  Here is some more info about the game:

PopStar Guitar features a single player Career Mode and two-player Co-operative Mode, along with single player and multi-player mini-games.  The game takes the player on a musical journey that starts with forming a garage band to playing at 25 unique venues and eventually performing in the worldwide “Battle of the Bands” contest. Twelve playable characters are featured in the game and can be customized to give the band its own unique look. PopStar Guitar features over 50 pop songs, including several masters performed by the original artists.

We’re giving away a PopStar Guitar bundle for the Wii system.  The bundle includes two AirG peripherals.

To Enter: Fill out the giveaway entry form below and click “SUBMIT”.  If you have successfully entered, you should get an auto email response (Check your spam folder).

A winner will be chosen at random and emailed the day after the giveaway closes.  Last day to enter is Friday, December 12, 2008 at midnight PST.  Be sure to check your SPAM folder so you don’t miss the email notification.  This post will also be updated with the winner’s name and blog/website (if provided).

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*Take me back to the Holiday Giveaway Guide so I can enter more giveaways!
*Hosting a giveaway or posting a gift guide at your site? Make sure you list it HERE
*Do you “Twitter“ ? We’d just adore you if you would “Tweet” about this giveaway!

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Our winner has been notified via email

I’ve “played” with enough LeapFrog toys over the past three years to tell you my honest opinion of this brand.  I think they make phenomenal products.  Any LeapFrog product that we have owned has more than exceeded my expectations for children’s toys.  They have been made with quality craftsmanship and I love that as my little girl grows, there is a LeapFrog product that she can grow into, year after year.

We are entertaining the LeapFrog Leapster2 right now but the next gaming handheld (for school-aged kids, 1st through 4th) is the LeapFrog DIDJ (ages 6-10).  What do I love so much about LeapFrog’s handhelds?  They make educational games for them!  Fun and education, hand-in-hand.  As a parent, I like the ring of that.

We’re giving away a DIDJ gaming handheld system of the winner’s choice, along with these three games:

The brand new Hannah Montana custom-learning game (8-11 yrs), the brand new Indiana Jones custom-learning game (7-10 yrs) and the brand new Nicktoons Android Invasion custom-learning game (7-10 yrs).

To enter: LeapFrog’s Learning Path is an online experience that lets you see and shape your child’s learning.  Include the answer to the following Learning Path question in your entry form:

“What are the three steps of LeapFrog’s Learning Path?”

(Hint: Click HERE)

Fill out the giveaway entry form below and click “SUBMIT”.  If you have successfully entered, you should get an auto email response (Check your spam folder).

A winner will be chosen at random and emailed the day after the giveaway closes.  Last day to enter is Friday, December 12, 2008 at midnight PST.  Be sure to check your SPAM folder so you don’t miss the email notification.  This post will also be updated with the winner’s name and blog/website (if provided).

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*Take me back to the Holiday Giveaway Guide so I can enter more giveaways!
*Hosting a giveaway or posting a gift guide at your site? Make sure you list it HERE
*Do you “Twitter“? We’d just adore you if you would “Tweet” about this giveaway!

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Nintendo’s Wii made its debut in our home earlier this summer and I must say, it’s just so cool. We love it. I have played my fair share of video games on various different systems but Wii takes the cake, hands down.

I have always thought the original Nintendo game console made a great family pastime, and now that I’ve experienced Wii, my love for Nintendo has been rekindled. I have already downloaded several old favorites from the Wii Shop Channel. Connecting to the internet from my video game console? Seriously? How freaking cool.

I love it that you actually have to get off of your butt to play some of these interactive games. Believe me, the first time I played tennis and boxing on Wii Sports, I broke out into a huge sweat and my legs and arms were sore the next day. I know, that says a lot about me, right?

We haven’t even used the Wii to its full capability yet, so you can bet this will be a product that is revisited many more times in the near future.

In the meantime, go get a Wii. It will not disappoint.

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