droolicious : educational games

Puzzled: Where Do Babies Come From?

SunnyChanel — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:00 GMT

To answer the delicate question of “where do babies come from”, instead of investing in a cabbage patch doll, going to visit the storks at the zoo or buying your kid a porno, opt for getting them the Beleduc Mother Body 5 Layer Puzzle. This German import is a plywood puzzle that depicts what happens to Mommy’s body when she’s knocked up.

This 29 piece puzzle starts from a naked mom and as you add layers and put the pieces together, you create the nervous and digestive systems, muscles, skin and layers of cloths…and of course a growing baby and belly. You can educate your kid on the facts of pregnancy here for $22.50. With telling your kid how Mommy got knocked up in the first place, well that’s up to you.

A Tower of Fun

Cathy Hale — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:48:00 GMT

A modern twist on a classic toy! The Eeboo Read-To-Me Tot Tower features ten colorful nesting blocks, perfect for building motor skills and enhancing language development. These beautifully illustrated laminated board blocks are actually eco-friendly too! 90% recycled materials and soy based dyes. $19

7 Days of Educational Toys: LeapFrog Didj

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:04:00 GMT

It's being promoted as an educational device rather than a Nintendo competitor, but one look at LeapFrog's new Didj Custom Gaming System makes it pretty clear this gadget is aiming to knock that DS Lite out of your grade-schooler's hands.

LeapFrog has traditionally been known for going lighter on graphics, but the Didj makes improvements both visually and educationally: Kids used to higher-end handheld gizmos will feel right at home with the system's high-resolution visuals, and the games' learning functions also aim to keep Mom and Dad in on the experience.

Though there's no wireless element, the Didj's computer connectivity (via an included USB cable) allows you to keep a short leash on how and what your kids are playing. You can choose the math and spelling skills you'd like the games to focus on, create custom spelling lists so Junior can practice for upcoming tests, and go online to track the kids' progress.

The LeapFrog Didj is $89.99, with accessories and games -- including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Indiana Jones, Nancy Drew and SpongeBob Squarepants -- starting at $23.99 each. Visit the LeapFrog store to stock up, and if you buy two or more games before Aug. 31, enter promo code FL8DJA at checkout to knock $10 off your order.

Free Download for Your Budding Engineer: LEGO Digital Designer

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:04:00 GMT

No, that's not a new CAD software program you're seeing, although it's a good way to get any budding engineer in your family primed to handle one. What you're looking at is the interface of LEGO Digital Designer, a free downloadable program (Win/Mac) that lets you put a virtual LEGO set onto your computer's desktop.

Admittedly, while the program is 100% freeware, there is a bit of an ulterior motive on LEGO's part: Drawing from over 763 brick types, you can build your own virtual LEGO masterpiece either from scratch or from a pre-existing template. From there, you can upload the results to have a customized kit, complete with a real-life version of every brick you used, put together for purchase.

We're three days into the thing at my house, however, and so far my kids have only managed to create, delete, and overrwrite a bunch of logic-defying vehicles and robots they couldn't possibly have the motor skills to replicate in real life. The moment they do come up with a winner, though, I'll confess: I'd probably buy the blocks to help them realize it.

[LEGO Digital Designer] [Via Lifehacker]