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Casio Keyboards to Watches to Calculators Gifts & Giveaway

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This is a partnered post where we received samples in exchange for this blog post.

We have been using Casio keyboards for years. If you check out our Youtube channel over the years you’ll see quite the assortment of different Casio keyboards, the CT-X700 included and in some videos even how to use them. In this video, we are just showing you some of the features, and not necessarily how to use it but I will tell you that after a few minutes Miles was figuring out all the ways to use the Casio CT-X700.IMG_1353

The CT-X700 is the perfect on-the-go keyboard because you can put in some batteries and it’s fairly lightweight. It’s great because it has over 600 different rhythms, songs and sounds for you to play with. The CT-X700’s class-compliant USB-MIDI port connects to any Mac, PC, Android or iOS device with no drivers or installation needed. The included music rest is designed to support tablets, and there’s even a built-in smartphone shelf to hold your device as you use the CT-X700 with your favorite music apps.   IMG_1352

The CT-X700 has a Step-Up lesson system that helps you easily learn the 100 built in songs as it displays the proper fingering and notation. It also allows you to play a grand piano, and hear a meticulously-recorded 9-foot grand in a virtual concert hall. You can play as an electric piano, and hear vintage phasers and amplifier models that take you back in time. You can play as a flute, trumpet, or saxophone, and hear natural breath and vibrato. Or you can play as a bass, and hear the player switch techniques based on how hard you press the keys. And you can play as a synth, and add an arpeggiator and drum part, and create the next EDM hit. IMG_1354

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About the Casio CT-X700

  • Wherever you are on your musical journey, and no matter your budget, you shouldn’t have to compromise on sound quality. The Casio CT-X700, with its modest price makes it the right choice for casual or beginning players, and its stunning sound makes it a must-have for keyboardists of any level who need a portable instrument. The CT-X700 portable keyboard has the new powerful AiX Sound Source that makes the CT-X700 sound like a keyboard costing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more.
    • MSRP  $179.99

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Other Great Products from CASIO:

WSD-F20

  • The WSD-F20 is powered by Android Wear 2.0 and is optimal for the outdoors enthusiast, boasting GPS capabilities, full color map display, offline map usage functionality, water resistance up to 50 meters, and tested to military standard specifications to ensure it can withstand a range of rugged activities and adventures. It also boasts a brand-new location memory app that instantly reads the user’s current location and is directly accessed by pressing a side button.
  • MSRP: $500

PRO TREK PRG650Y-1

  • Casio’s PRG650Y-1 features Casio’s Triple Sensor Version 3 Technology which includes a magnetic sensor for compass readings, pressure sensor for altitude/barometric readings and a thermo sensor for temperature. It is also water resistant up to 100 meters and offer a stopwatch, five daily alarms, world time, countdown timer, and more. The PRG650Y-1 also features Casio’s Tough Solar Power, which consists of a solar panel system that converts light to electricity and eliminates the need for battery changes.
  • MSRP: $320

FOR THE JETSETTER

EDIFICE -EQB800

  • Developed based on insights from motorsport racing professionals, the EQB800 exudes the style and sophistication of this exciting professional sport. The bold blue stainless steel bezel is set off by the thick, powerful-looking index and hands which also displays the watch’s smartphone connection status and battery level. A dual-coil motor drives retrograde hand movements that express speed like a tachometer while also displaying stopwatch measurement values in 1/20-second increments. To provide enhanced timekeeping capabilities, the EQB800 can also be paired with a smart phone with just a push of a button through Casio’s Mobile Link Technology by downloading the CASIO WATCH+ app.
  • MSRP: $350image

FOR THE FASHION-FORWARD

Vintage Timepiece Collection

  • With the retro look always in style, Casio’s vintage timepiece collection is the ideal summer accessory or gift for grads. Combining form and function with ease-of-use in a trendy package, Casio’s vintage timepieces feature stainless steel bands, LED-lit display face, countdown timer and a 1/10th second stopwatch
  • MSRP: $55-$70

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FOR THE MUSICIAN

Casio CT-X700

  • Wherever you are on your musical journey, and no matter your budget, you shouldn’t have to compromise on sound quality. The Casio CT-X700, with its modest price makes it the right choice for casual or beginning players, and its stunning sound makes it a must-have for keyboardists of any level who need a portable instrument. The CT-X700 portable keyboard has the new powerful AiX Sound Source that makes the CT-X700 sound like a keyboard costing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more.
  • MSRP  $179.99

Casio LK-265 Lighted Keyboard

  • The LK-265’s all-new Dance Music Mode lets you create and remix electronic dance music quickly and easily. Select from 50 styles of EDM, and use the lower keys to choose different variations of drum beats, bass lines, and synth parts. It also connects to the Casio free Chordana Play app, which uses the LK-265’s lighted keys to show you how to play your favorite songs.
  • MSRP: $259.99

FOR THE AVID LEARNER

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PRIZM fx-CG500  Calculator

  • With a large, soft keyboard and convenient drop-down menus, the fx-CG500 is easy to use and includes a high-resolution, color, touchscreen LCD display (over 65,000 colors). Includes Color Link function for graphs, charts and spreadsheets and is permitted for use on the AP, SAT I and II, PSAT and NMSQT exams.
  • MSRP:  $129.99

Casio PRIZM fx-CG50 Calculator

  • The PRIZM fx-CG50 includes improved capabilities such as 3D graphing, an enhanced new look and an improved catalog function so students can use commands more quickly. Students can easily draw 3D graphs such as planes, cylinders, and spheres, and view them from various angles.

    • MSRP:  $118.99

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10 Things To Make Travel Easier

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We received an invitation to an event to check out products that you can get from Verizon.

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Our family loves road trips. If it wasn’t for school and holding down a job, I would travel all the time with my family. I would just load up the car and go. And over the years we feel like we know which products are actually helpful during travel, not just for road trips but also things to make travel on a plane easier.

For road trips, download some music and book apps. By adding the Spotify or Pandora app to your phone you can have your own music lists. We also love using Audible and hoopla digital to listen to audio books. Audio books make road trips feel short. Hoopla also has some great STEM options for this summer, it’s free if you have a library card. You could also build your playlist and jam out with the UE WONDERBOOM — portable, loud, shockproof, and waterproof speakers — for big sounds on the go. My mom loved it when we brought our speaker in the car and then we could also use it at the pool. The portable speaker has excellent sound.

Whether traveling by plane or in the family car, the wireless, in-ear JBL Free headphones provide a crisp sound and added bonus: they’re splash-proof! Don’t be that person that listens to their music in public out loud for all to hear. Be polite use headphones, I mean there are so many different options.  Bose makes some really fantastic wireless headphones too. image

Track your movement on your active vacation with the Fitbit Alta HR. Challenge your traveling companions or significant other within the app for some friendly competition and rivalry. We love using any of the Fitbits, I think our family has three different Fitbits in use, and my husband uses the Apple Watch. image

With technology comes the need to charge your devices. Charge both Apple and micro USB devices on the go and do it without having to carry around multiple cables. The mophie powerstation has a built-in, switch-tip cable that accommodates both types of power ports. I’ve been using mine for travel for a few weeks now. The charger has up to 48 hours of charge and I can’t wait to test it in Hawaii.  

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Protect your phone from whatever travel you have planned. From sandy, wet beaches to rough, rocky hikes to the ski slopes, the LifeProof Fre Case protects your phone from the elements.

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Another great product is the Tile. Use your Tile Sport to keep track of your luggage, passport holders, wallets, purses, bags, and more. The next time you misplace a Tile-connected item, find it by using the Tile app. Or, if your smartphone is what’s missing, press any of your Tiles to ring your phone — it rings even if the phone is on silent. Which is amazing because I feel like I lose my phone more than any other device.  

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Another thing we love is our Ring doorbell. We know when someone is at our house and we can talk to them no matter where we are from our phones. You can also keep a watchful eye on your home while you are away with the Ring family of products or the Arlo Go wireless security camera. The truly mobile device uses 4G LTE and has its own internal battery, meaning you don’t need to worry about the Wi-Fi or power going out.

imageAlso, if you’re traveling to Canada and/or Mexico this spring break, Verizon’s GO Unlimited plan now includes calling, data and text to those countries. So you can connect and share every moment with your family and friends back home.

STEM Kit: Genius Box Review

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We received a Genius Box to add to our STEM guide going up in a few weeks. This kit was creative in the three different projects that it provided. I would say this box lives up to it’s name of Genius Box. Here is what was inside our Genius Box:

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Genius Box Description:

For curious young minds, Genius Box delivers a monthly S.T.E.M. adventure right to your door packed with projects and learning opportunities.

Our mission is to empower the change-makers and problem-solvers of tomorrow, today.

Each box is filled with at least 3 activities and the materials needed to complete them and is geared towards curious 8-12 year olds.

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Our box was so fun for the kids. There were really great instructions for the box we received, the soft circuit box. There were three projects and the first one was sticker circuits. Each activity has a card that explains the science of the project and provides the directions for the project. We learned quite a bit about what is conductive and what isn’t. We also learned what a short circuit and a soft circuit are. I love how easy it was for the kids and that they enjoyed learning. Learning can be fun and the Genius box made us have a few great days of learning.

I think the six month subscription box set is the way to go. You’ll have six months of fun science to do with your kids and they will learn a lot. I find that when learning is fun and interesting they put their minds into it and they retain the information. I’ve been surprised at later times when I ask them something not expecting them to know the answer and they do.

STEM Kit: Tinker Crate Review By Kiwi Co.

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We received a Tinker Create from Kiwi Co to include in our STEM Kit round up and it’s fantastic. I feel like it was such a cleaver way to make a STEM Kit because the one we received used the box itself to help make the creation. It’s a great way to have a STEM Kit be a subscription box and have less waste. I loved it. I loved watching my daughter open it and get started right away. We created a Tinker Crate Unboxing video and an after video of her creation:

Think about what the purpose of STEM is, it’s not just the acronym, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, it’s also meant to be a platform to encourage critical thinking and innovation. STEM is a way for us to get more people interested in the future. image

The goal of Tinker Crate is to help kids build their problem solving skills and to gain confidence and to help them explore their curiosity. There is no one right answer. They want to inspire kids to become creators and makers and not just consumers. This particular kit that Zoe received was an art kit and she loves art. I mean she really loves art. As a home school kid she always wants it to be time to do art, so this project was perfect for her. It included instructions and explanations of what it was doing and how it worked.

She was able to create an art spinner. Just check out her video.

Here is her Tinker Crate creation.


Another example Tinker Crate Subscription STEM Kit would be their Trebuchet.
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This box will help kids build and fire a real, functioning trebuchet that launches a ping-pong ball up to 10 feet. Then experiment and explore the physics of slings, levers, and air resistance.

STEM Kit: Makeblock Neuron Review

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We received a sample from Makeblock and my daughter opened it up right away. She was super excited to try her hand at building something and programming it herself. The thing about Makeblock Neuron, which is the exact kit we received is that it can be put together and taken apart and used to create quite a few different projects. She’s 11 and she didn’t need any help at all. The blocks go together quite easily and the app she downloaded to her phone made programming a breeze. It’s a great way to get a kid started on their STEM journey.

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About the Makeblock Neuron Kit

    • Makeblock Neuron is a programmable electronic building block platform for STEM education. It contains over 30 kinds of blocks with different functions, so creators can build a variety of innovative gadgets.

    • Craft a new invention in just 5 minutes: Building blocks are connected in a snap with magnetic Pogo Pins. Users can simply assemble the blocks to make creative gadgets without needing to write any code.
    • No Coding Experience Required: The graphical programming interface in the Neuron app enables beginners to easily create Neuron applications and add basic or advanced functionality (e.g. IoT) into their inventions.
    • Continuously Updated Invention Guides: The Neuron app comes with Invention Guides and video tutorials to show you how to get started building with the Inventor Kit. Follow, then lead with your own creative ideas.
    • mBlock Support: Neuron gadgets can be controlled and programmed using mBlock on desktop and the Neuron app on mobile devices. All blocks can be compatible with the mechanical parts of Makeblock via Neuron board.

Zoe easily made the cat and loved making the cat’s tail wag. She also made a little keyboard and light up connections based on touch.

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Makeblock also makes Codey Rocky.

There is no doubt that our kids are growing up with coding and programing as their version of a “universal language.”

With Makeblock’s Codey Rocky – a brand new, entry-level coding robot geared toward children 6+ and the recipient of the CES 2018 Innovation Award, children will not only enjoy toy time but will simultaneously be learning as well.

Carefully crafted by ed tech robotics provider Makeblock, the goal is to make playtime both fun and educational, therefore Codey Rocky introduces children to the basics of programming like Scratch 3.0 and Python at a young age, proven to improve creativity, computational thinking and problem solving skills.

We are huge fans of Makeblock’s products and will include them in our STEM round up that we are currently working on.

PBS KIDS: Cat in the Hat Builds That

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I’m really starting to get into this app thing. I was slow to the roll, but am fully on board, for all of these education apps. I feel like if the kids are going to be on the devices let’s at least give them the opportunity to have an educational type app. PBS KIDS has created The Cat in the Hat Builds That! app.

The Cat in the Hat Builds That! app offers the second adaptive learning game from PBS KIDS, with personalization that empowers kids to make choices about their play-based experiences that enhance their learning. Like The Ruff Ruffman Show’s Fish Force, released in the fall of 2017, the adaptive game within the app offers experiences that provide real-time contextual feedback based on what just happened in the game, and shifts challenge sequences to adjust difficulty and match player ability.

More core features, below.

App features:

  • Fully customized backyard that grows the more you play
  • Ability for more than one child to save their own game and backyard progress
  • 3 multi-level games, including an adaptive game experience that progresses based on how a single user plays
  • 4 Cat in in the Hat inspired tools to help with science discoveries and observations including a magnifying Micromaboodle, a Doodlemaboodle sketch pad, the Snap-o-rama camera and a measuring Snaila-ma-bob
  • Video from THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! series, which offers preschoolers more ways to engage with the characters and science

In addition to the app release, kids and families can now watch new episodes of THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!. The episodes air on PBS stations (check local listings) and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and live stream, and will also be available for free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App.

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Nintendo Labo: STEM & DIY as a Video Game

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We have a partnership with Nintendo.

When I first saw the Nintendo Labo preview, I thought, finally, A video game that encourages learning and building which are basic STEM skills. We got a Switch for our family this Christmas, it was at the top of our list and I had some gift cards at Best Buy so it was an easy decision for us. And now I’m super excited that Nintendo is coming out with Nintendo Labo which combines the magic of video games with DIY creations. I’m currently doing a STEM kit guide and I want to put this to the test to see if the kids think it should be added to the list, just based on appearance, I think yes, it should. It will be released on April 20th.

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Nintendo Labo is a new line of interactive build-and-play experiences designed to inspire kids and those who are kids-at-heart. Together with the Nintendo Switch system (sold separately), the Nintendo Labo kits provide the tools and technology to MAKE fun DIY creations, PLAY games with your creations and DISCOVER how the magic of Nintendo Switch technology shapes ideas into reality. With each Nintendo Labo kit, kids can transform modular sheets of cardboard – specially designed to interact with the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con controllers – into creations called Toy-Con. From a piano to a motorbike, a robot and more, each Toy-Con comes to life when combined with Nintendo Switch in different ways. As you build, you will have fun discovering how the technology works, and might even invent new ways to play with each Toy-Con!

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They currently have two kits coming out, the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit. Each kit has plenty of discovery packed inside:

Variety Kit ($69.99MSRP*)

  • Toy-Con RC Car: Insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into your newly built RC Car and control its movement using touch screen controls on the Nintendo Switch console. The HD Rumble feature in the Joy-Con controllers will cause vibrations that move the car in the direction you choose. Materials to construct two RC Cars are included.
    • Toy-Con Fishing Rod: Construct the Fishing Rod with an active, rotating reel that is attached by string to a cradle holding the Nintendo Switch console. Catch one of many exotic fish shown swimming on the Nintendo Switch screen by casting your Fishing Rod and unwinding the reel to lower the hook. Once you feel a vibration from the Joy-Con inserted in the reel, you must tug the Fishing Rod upward and crank the reel quickly to try and complete the catch!
  • Toy-Con House: By inserting various assembled blocks into openings in the sides and bottom of the House, you can interact with, play games with and feed a cute creature on the front-facing Nintendo Switch screen. Each differently shaped block is detected by the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con inserted on top of the House.
  • Toy-Con Motorbike: Insert each Joy-Con into an assembled set of handlebars to drive a motorbike on the Nintendo Switch screen. Pressing the ignition button starts the engine, while twisting the right handle activates the throttle. Leaning your body or turning the handlebars left and right controls the motorbike.
  • Toy-Con Piano: After assembling a beautifully crafted 13-key piano and inserting the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con, you can experiment with your own musical creations by pressing different keys. You can even insert different assembled knobs to create new sound effects and tones!

Robot Kit ($79.99MSRP*)

  • Toy-Con Robot: Create a wearable Robot suit, and insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into the designated slots on the backpack and visor to assume control of the robot, which is shown on the TV when the Nintendo Switch console is docked. Enjoy a variety of fun game-play experiences, including Robot mode, in which you can destroy in-game buildings and UFOs.

We’ve heard people complain that the pieces are all made out of cardboard. Um hello!!! That’s perfect because it keeps the price down low and allows for more flexibility. Cardboard is easy for kids to work with.

5 Apps That Will Improve Your Financial Future

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Author: Stockpile, easy investment app.

As we head into 2018, “saving and investing more money” ranks for many people right behind “getting fit and losing weight” as top resolutions for the New Year. So we wanted to come up with 5 Apps That Will Improve Your Financial Future. Here are the five innovative apps to help you stick to your financial resolutions and get this year started off right:

 

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5 Apps That Will Improve Your Financial Future

 

1. Save more with Penny What better way to stick to your savings goals then to have your own virtual buddy send you notifications with tips and actionable advice such as when bills are due or your bank charges a fee. Using beautiful graphs, it also compares your past spending behavior to predict what’s ahead for your pocketbook.

2. Get the whole family investing those new savings with Stockpile. Stockpile lets you invest in 1000+ of your favorite companies along with more than 100 ETFs. There are no monthly account fees and trades are just 99 cents. It’s a fractional share brokerage meaning anyone can get started with as little as $5. They even have custodial accounts for kids and teens, and mini-lessons so the entire household can learn, save and invest together.

3. Manage your credit with Credit Sesame: This app provides a free credit score, report card and monitoring service. Plus it gives great recommendations for lower cost credit cards, mortgage rates and refinance options. And once you know where you stand, they’ll provide you with a custom action plan to take control of your credit.

4. Put together a budget and financial plan with Albert: Albert will help you create a 2018 financial plan and then put it on auto-pilot. It offers messages and alerts and puts human financial planners just a text away.

5. Get those nickels and dimes working for you with Acorns. Acorns will round up to the nearest dollar the leftover amount when you make small purchases and put that in a savings account. You’ll be shocked how quickly the pennies add up to real savings.

The Expression Photo HD XP-8500 is a Must-Have For Brides!

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Expression Photo HD XP-8500
Sample provided.

Jai and I got married in August, and I have never needed to print so many photos in my life! We have so many wonderful photos from the day that we want to preserve not just for ourselves, but to share with our loved ones. Years ago, I went to a wedding and received a beautiful photo of Jai and I in a thank you note from the bride. I thought it was a genius idea to include photos and have always planned to do this myself. Now that the dust has settled and I am slowly making my way through my own thank you notes, I’ve been going through all our wedding photos and picking out special ones to send to each person. With this many photos to print, life is so much easier when you can just print them yourself on demand instead of ordering them through the mail. That’s why I’m so happy to have the Expression Photo XP-8500!

Printing wedding photos

This new photo printer from Epson has everything you need to effortlessly print gorgeous photos at home, using 6-color Claria® Photo HD Inks to give you beautiful print quality. I’ve been using the XP-8500 this week to print out favorite wedding photos, and I’m so happy with how the prints are turning out. To show you how it works, let’s compare an original image file with the printed version. This is a portrait of my sweet little flower girl:

Here’s that image printed onto glossy 4×6 paper:

Flower girl photo print

The reason I’m using 4×6 is so that the prints can fit into an envelope for mailing, but this also supports larger borderless prints. I tried printing out one of our bridal portraits on glossy 8.5 x 11 paper – here’s the original:

Here’s the printed copy:

Bridal portrait printed

I’m impressed by how much detail this printer captures – a “Photo of a photo” just doesn’t do it justice, as this large print is suitable for framing. This is going to come in so handy! I’ve been slowly getting my favorite bridal portraits blown up into canvas prints, and those aren’t always cheap; so having a printer that can do justice to large photos is going to be perfect to make copies for family and friends that may want a bigger photo they can frame of their favorites.

Aside from the quality, I’m also impressed at how easy this printer is to use. The setup only took a few minutes and worked right away – no fussing. The printer produces large photos, but the unit itself is compact and space-saving, as well as utilizing wireless printing to further save space and hassle. (I’m still unpacking boxes from our DIY wedding, so trust me, anything that saves space is welcomed!) The printer has two separate paper trays, so I was able to load one with 4 x 6 paper and one with 8.5 x 11, and print from either one – I just selected the desired size on my computer when printing and it automatically pulled from the appropriate tray. This saves a lot of hassles switching paper and settings back and forth!

If you’re planning a wedding, do yourself a favor and pick up this printer! I’ve printed so many photos over the last few months, from the photo projects I did before the wedding to make decorations, to preserving my favorite bridal portraits to display and share with our loved ones. This printer makes it effortless to produce high quality photo prints on demand!

The Expression Photo XP-8500 retails for $249.99 and is available on Epson.com.

Building Vocabulary is no Puzzle Thanks to Puzzingo Puzzles!

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Puzzingo Puzzles
This is a sponsored post.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of 77SPARX Studio and their great educational apps, such as Puzzingo Puzzles. Any chance you have to make learning fun and natural for children is a golden opportunity, and Puzzingo Puzzles is an app that does just that! Inspired by classic real-world wooden puzzles, this app allows children to play over 100 different learning puzzles. The puzzles take place across a variety of fun scenes, where each puzzle piece is labeled with a vocabulary word that is read out loud. Once the puzzle is completed, the child is rewarded with a mini-game that brings the scene to life!

Puzzingo Puzzles Gameplay

Puzzingo has five different language settings: UK and US English, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese. This allows your child to not only build their native vocabulary, but also begin to learn a second language at the same time. Personally, I put the app on the Spanish setting and enjoyed learning a few words myself! Since you’re immersed in the language, it’s an intuitive way to figure out what words mean as you pick up the sound and spelling.

The app has been designed to be user-friendly for children under 5 years old, catching children at a perfect age to pick up a second language! My two year old niece, Juniper, loves the games that 77SPARX Studio makes – I let her play with them on my phone over Thanksgiving, and she loved being able to poke at the screen and interact with all the different moving parts! Puzzingo Puzzles helps with fine motor skills, spatial recognition, and matching/tactile skills; it has also been carefully tested to be accessible to children with special needs. The app has won several awards, being named one of Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Children’s products and getting a 5 out of 5 rating from Apps for Homeschooling.

Each puzzle has a fun theme with scenes featuring things such as dinosaurs, space and pets. They’ve also released brand new puzzle packs for the 2017 holiday season including a “Toys” puzzle pack; a “Trucks” puzzle pack that has fire trucks, construction trucks, snow trucks, monster trucks and more; plus a “Classics Puzzle Pack” that includes some of the most popular puzzles from their archives, featuring bugs, steam trains and jets. With so many fun ways to keep your child engaged, it’s no surprise that Puzzingo Puzzles has been downloaded over 8 million times, with over 1 billion puzzles played!

Puzzingo Puzzles is a free app with in-app purchases. Get it today on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon!