5 Disney Themed Learning Activities

May 21, 2012 at 9:00 am , by Leticia Barr

If you’re planning a vacation to Walt Disney World, chances are your kids are pretty excited about your upcoming trip.  Seize upon their excitement to sneak in a little learning. Kids will be highly motivated to complete activities involving their favorite characters or to learn more about the parks. Here are 5 wonderful websites that contain free printables and tutorials that can help you integrate learning into your upcoming Disney vacation.

• Earlier this month, Disney launched their Spoonful site that serves as a wealth of free content available for kids of all ages on a daily basis. Visitors can always browse through the tabs- cook, create, play, and celebrate- or subscribe via email to keep up to date with the changing content.  The printables section is where to find Disney themed coloring pages that are perfect for preschoolers who are practicing fine motor skills like how to hold a pencil or crayon and coloring.  Older children will enjoy helping with Disney themed cooking activities that serve as a way to practice math and reading by having to measure ingredients and practicing sequencing to add them in the right order.

• Creating a countdown paper chain out of paper rings not only provides younger kids with a very concrete visual about the number of days left until your trip but also gives them practice in counting backwards.  PlanaMagicalVacation.com has a free PDF with numbers on one side and trivia on the other to integrate a little math and reading into your pre-vacation excitement or create your own. Cut colorful strips of construction paper and have your kids practice patterning (another math skill) to create your paper chain.

• Visit your local craft store to assemble supplies to make your own Disney autograph book. You could purchase one in-park but save yourself some money and have fun making your own with thanks to the tutorial on Juliverse.  Labeling the book with your name and address in case it get lost not only ensure that it will find its way back to you but is a way for children to practice knowing and writing their name and address.

• Teach your kids fun facts about the parks before you leave. TeachMama.com’s Amy Mascott created free Disney trivia printable lunchbox notes with fun facts to teach your kids a little park trivia.  Cut out the strips and put them in your child’s lunch box for a little meal time trivia or print, cut, and place in a basket on your dinner table to read them together as a family.

• TeachMama also has free printable word searches available based on Disney characters and one for each of the following parks: Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom. These are a wonderful way to help kids practice word recognition amid the excitement over their Disney vacation.

 Mickey Mouse at a benefit screening via Shutterstock

10 Helpful Websites and Apps for Your Walt Disney World Vacation

May 19, 2012 at 9:00 am , by Leticia Barr

Walt Disney World is an exciting destination any time of the year.  Frequent visitors and first timers can maximize their time in the parks thanks to many helpful websites that can assist in vacation planning.  Here are a 5 helpful sites that contain a wealth of information along with a few free and affordable apps that you will want to download before you go.

• Get the lay of the land before you go using the Walt Disney World property map. This helpful resource allows you to see resorts and parks to help you plan your time on the property.
• Once you’ve figured out which parks you’ll be visiting, plot your day with this well designed spreadsheet from Mama of all Trades.
• Then order free customized Walt Disney World maps. Customized maps will be sent to your home prior to your trip.  Older children will love plotting which parts of the park to visit first in order to hop on popular rides early in the day and younger visitors will enjoy having their own version of park maps as trip keepsakes.
• Worried about food allergies in your family and where to eat? Confessions of an IT Girl provides helpful tips making it easy to find meals that family members with food allergies can enjoy while at the Disney parks.
• Caffeine addicts who will need to fuel up with coffee in order to make it through late nights of fireworks at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom will be pleased to know that Starbucks is coming to Disney Parks this June.  For park locations, visit Disney Parks Blog to learn where to find your venti caramel macchiato or favorite Frappucino.

Before you go, visit iTunes or the Android Marketplace to find free helpful apps that can also assist you in maximizing your park time while you are at the parks.  Here are 5 useful apps that are available at minimal cost or for free:

• PixieTime (free) provides park hours for Walt Disney World parks.
• PixieResorts (free) is fast and easy way to locate resort information including locations, rates and list of amenities.
• Plan which rides to hit next using Disney World Wait Times (free).
• Plot out your next dining adventure with Disney World Dining ($1.99).
• Kids and adults alike will have fun searching for Hidden Mickeys located throughout the park.  Turn your search for Hidden Mickeys into a treasure hunt with the Hidden Mickeys ($2.99) app.

A sign in Orlando, FL points to Disney World Resort via Shutterstock

4 Products to Help Organize Your Tech

May 17, 2012 at 2:31 pm , by Leticia Barr

Random cords, devices, and plugs can get tangled and messy.  How do you keep them organized to find what you need quickly and easily whether packed in a suitcase, carried in your purse, or shoved in a drawer?  Here are 4 great products to help organize the technology in your house, during your travels, and in your daily life.

So much time is wasted trying to match cables to their devices regardless if they’re neatly wound or thrown in a bin.  Mabel’s Labels Cord Control label pack (pictured left- $12) features water resistant peel and stick labels that include 54 labels for all of your home’s various electronics.  Label cords for portable devices such as camera, MP3 player, smartphone, Bluetooth, and cell phones but also more stationary technology like the cord to your printer, digital photo frame, router, speakers, and television to take the guess work out of setting up new technology in your home.

If you’re always pulling out a tangled headset out of the depths of your bag, tidy up with a Bobino Cable Buddy (pictured right- $3.95+). Feed your cord through the circle on the end and bend to wrap your cord around the simple piece of flat plastic to organize your cords and keep them tangle free.  Bobino comes in 3 sizes- small is perfect for headphones, medium works well for cell phone chargers and USB wires, while large is best suited for laptop cords

Summer time calls for large fun totes and beach bags but how can you keep your smartphone away from getting lost in the abyss and that camera away from other contents to avoid it sitting next to wet swimsuits, towels, and sand?  Or if you constantly switch bags, how can you ensure that the items you need make it in the bag you’re carrying? The Purse Perfector (pictured left) is an organizer that features tons of pockets for your smartphone, camera, digital video recorder, sunscreen, pens, and anything else you might need to carry with you at all times.  Purse Perfector sits in the your bag and keeps your devices at your fingertips to eliminate the fumbling in your purse or worry that perhaps you left something important at home.

Kangaroom’s Personal Media Pouch (pictured right- $12.99) keeps everything nicely organized thanks to 6 pockets that are just the right size for your MP3 player, compact video camera, and all their associated chargers. Give each of the kids one of these and then use the Mabel’s Labels Cord Control labels to label a spot for every device to make packing for summer vacations easy.  With a spot for everything, kids and parents can tell at a glance what might be missing from the bag.

Images courtesy of the aforementioned companies.

5 Tech Accessories for Mom this Mother’s Day

May 11, 2012 at 9:32 am , by Leticia Barr

We’re getting down to the wire for Mother’s Day gifts but sometimes the best gift is one that will truly surprise, delight, and be useful all at the same time.  Here are 5 of my favorite tech accessories that I’d love to give and receive this year.

Go hands free with the Jawbone ERA. Bluetooth headsets keep getting better thanks to improved technology. Jawbone ERA features stunning audio quality thanks to a 25% larger speaker that provides HD quality sound whether taking calls or listening to favorite songs. Caller ID that identifies callers by name in a non-robotic voice and smart NoiseAssassin 3.0 technology kills background noise and adjusts the volume on both the calling and receiving end.  A built-in accelerometer allows users to shake the ERA to pair it with their phone or simply tap it to answer a phone call. High tech meets high function in a great gift that’s a must have for moms who need to stay in touch in a safe and hands-free way.

Let her take calls in a whimsical way with Pop Phone. Pop Phone is a retro handset complete with a curly cord that plugs into the headphone jack on mom’s smartphone. This retro device is not hands free, nor is it Bluetooth enabled, but it is sure to turn heads and start conversations wherever she goes as long as she doesn’t talk and drive while using it.

Decorate her desk with The VTech Retro Phone ($59.95, Model #LS6195). It may look a little old school but the high tech version of the phone reminiscent of yesteryear features a cordless handset with a 500 foot range, caller ID storage of the past 50 calls, digitized and encrypted calls to reduce identity theft and discourage anyone from listening in, last 10 number redial, eco-mode that optimizes battery performance, digital answering system, backlit keypad, and more!

Cut the cord and go wireless. Since everything is wireless these days, give her a mouse that suits her personality.  The Logitech Global Graffiti prints found in the M325 and M310 wireless mice incorporate the hottest local trends and fashions while fitting comfortably in the palm on one’s hand thanks to the ergonomic design making them a great tech accessory. If mom prefers solids to prints, Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 come in limited edition colors that are sure to put a smile on her face.

Add a little more bling to her day with Hello Kitty Earbuds. These comfortable earbuds are sparkly, fun, and feature volume control right on the cord to work with her MP3 player, iPod, iPhone, and computer and are sure to stand out even in the deepest depths of her bag.

4 Bags for Mom to Tote Her Laptop or Tablet in Style

May 7, 2012 at 11:28 am , by Leticia Barr

The Speck A-Line bag for iPad ($59.95) and MacBooks ($69.95) is a fabulous choice thanks to a super soft lining for her iProduct, lots of organizational pockets, and a modern shape that is comfortable to carry. If you’re already feeling short on time and guilty about not having a gift for mom, order the Speck bag from outfitYOURS.com for super fast shipping to ensure it arrives with plenty of time to spare for the Mac lover in your life.

Cuddly Monkey’s line of canvas totes are created by designers who believe that the inside of the tote should be as fashionable as the outside is functional. You can’t go wrong with The Chica ($90), a classic beach tote with a zip pocket on the outside and a fun lining inside that features essential tech gadgets like a smartphone, iPod, and headphones along with sunglasses. The Babe ($90) is a more vertical bag than Chica and has a contrasting body and handles with a cheery watermelon print lining, snap closure, and zippered compartment.

The Hannah Laptop Bag ($84.99) is a gorgeous choice for under $100 and has tons of interior and exterior pockets for any organizational junkie.  There’s a padded quilted compartment that fits most 15.4″ laptops, multiple exterior pockets that include magazine pocket on the back, interior pockets to hold a smartphone, glasses, wallet, and water bottle, key fob, and also a coordinating wristlet. The pretty purple pebbled leather adds a pop of color to any work wardrobe and the choice of either a shoulder strap or handles ensures that you are always carrying your laptop comfortably.

Instead of throwing your tablet into your purse with just a cover to protect the glass front, the new Leather Tablet Messenger ($179) from Jill-e Designs’ E-Go collection features built in protection for your device and combines fashion and function to keep it safe from the bumps and bruises of a busy modern lifestyle. The Leather Tablet Messenger is a streamlined bag featuring a fold-over top flap, a wide adjustable cross-body strap, and plenty of padded interior compartments that keep everything mom needs right at her fingertips.

 

Approachable woman holding purse via Shutterstock. Product photos courtesy of the companies mentioned above.