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Connecting Parents with Play via PBS Kids Super Vision App

Daniel Tiger pbs kids

Have you ever wanted to peek at what your kids are doing online at that very moment in time? Maybe you are at work or you are trying to give them some quiet alone time. Are they watching videos or still working on an educational game? PBS Kids recently came out with the Super Vision app (for iPhone) that allows parents to check in on their child’s activity on pbskids.org in real time.  It’s like you can be Super Mom with eyes in the back of your head.

The technology connecting your child’s activity on pbskids.org and the app on your iPhone is very new and very cool. After a one time sync, you can get a snapshot of what your kid is working on, plus a report card for the day or week’s activities. Maybe your kid loves Curious George but is ready for something new. The app will make suggestions for other PBS Kids shows they may enjoy.

PBS Kids Super Vision app has a timer to transition kids from online activity to meal time or bedtime.

Another wonderful feature is the timer. If you are making dinner and want to let the kids play online for a little while, you can set a timer to close out their show or activity. You can choose it to transition to meal time, snack time or bedtime. I love that I have a helping hand in transitioning the kids to the next activity of the day.

If you download the app and start thinking of other features you would like to see, there is a feedback button where you can submit your ideas. PBS Kids wants this app to be helpful and they appreciate hearing your comments which helps prioritize what new features will be added.

pbskids.org

My kids have been into tv shows a little more than I would like lately and I’m trying to offer up the pbskids.org site as an alternative. I think it’s cool to get a glimpse into the types of activities they are choosing, either math, science or literacy. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

PBS Kids Super Vision app

Learn a little more about the Super Vision app at a Twitter party Wed 5/21 9-10PM ET using the hashtag  #SuperVisionPBSKIDS .

Disclosure: I am a PBS Kids VIP blogger and my kids love Curious George, Peg + Cat and Wild Kratts. All opinions shared here are my own. 

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Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday

 Celebrate dr seuss birthday

This is the week to talk about Green Eggs and Ham and The Lorax with your kids. Why? Well it’s Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd. Dr. Theodore Geisel’s wonderful story books deserve a special time to celebrate the silliness of them.  Our own collection of Dr. Seuss books are hand-me-downs, some from my own childhood and others from my younger cousins. I love sharing them with my kids and laugh at their questions about all the funny things everywhere. We had a fun Dr. Seuss party and here’s some fun food and decorating ideas.

READ

No question the best way to celebrate Dr. Seuss book’s is to read them. You may be reading aloud with your little ones like us, or you get to listen to young readers work their way through funny phrases. Read Across America Day is this week and there are numerous events to get involved. “Grab Your Hat and Read with the Cat” is the theme of Read Across America week for 2013. Pottery Barn Kids will be hosting a special story time and craft activities to celebrate Dr. Seuss. A “Cat-a-Van” will travel the country stopping at 17 cities to promote literacy and giveaway more than 20,000 books.

Dr. Suess Books RandomRecycling

Be green and borrow Dr. Seuss books from your local library. If you want to fill in your own collection, Toys R Us has a special buy 2 get the 3rd free sale this week. We also have the Dr. Seuss app from the Apple Store. It’s a collection of stories and it has both the read aloud or read to me functions. I love having these books on hand when we travel!

WATCH

My kids are PBS kids and they love watching The Cat in the Hat. My daughter calls Nick and Sally “friends.” This Friday, there will be two new episodes on PBS Kids. THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! will feature two brand new episodes. “Rumbly Tumbly / Planet Name Game” features a super shrunken trip into Thing One’s stomach as well as a whirlwind trip to each of the eight planets, and “Top of the Sky / Jiggle Bones” follows the Cat, Nick and Sally as they travel to Audrey the Astronaut’s space station and visit Dr. Giggles to see why bones are important.

LEARN

Use the books as inspiration to do a project with the kids. Here are a few I came across that look fun!

  • Create silly photo props. Let the kids take some pictures with their Thing 1 and Thing 2 hair. 
  • Make Silly Socks. We may need these for “Wacky Wednesday” at preschool this week.
  • Who-ville hair anyone?
  • Decorate a Lorax door. Talk about the message of The Lorax and share some ways to be green with your kids.
  • Handprints Thing 1 and Thing 2.
  • Did you know Dr. Seuss is a SigEp? My husband reminds me every time we read one of his books. 😉

Happy Dr. Seuss week! Please share any events or happenings in your school.

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