Category Archives: Reviews
Retro games
Recently a number of toy manufacturers have put out “retro versions” of class board games like snakes and ladders, ludo and the amazing robot.
If you’re into a bit of retro – check these out! (the examples below are from a brand called “Retro Range – Toys and Games”). You can find them on eBay and many other online retailers.
Enjoy – Stefan!
How to get young readers excited about books
If you’re anything like us you’ll find some of the books the schools use to teach our kids how to read somewhat … boring or old fashioned. And us parents know that motivation makes all the difference between an excited kid who loves to find out about something and a kid who you will have to drag through a lesson kicking and screaming. Fortunately the guys at DK publishing had a great idea – to use popular movie characters or film scripts for simple books that can be read by young readers. They created the “DK Readers” series which provides books for young readers at various levels of ability (1 – 3). These books are truly awesome and very affordable (usually between $2 and $4). So consider getting some of these in addition to what the schools provide.
Happy reading!
-Stefan
ps.: I wrote this article because I really like these books. We have not received any sponsorship, payment or non-monetary remuneration for writing this post.
No More Waiting for Your Shows
The days when television sets went off air at a certain time and standing in line to buy a new record at the store are mere memories of the past. In today’s world, media is ever flowing and can be accessed almost any place at almost any time. The entertainment industry has certainly had to make drastic changes in an ever changing technological world, and it is the consumer who has been reaping the benefits.
Television has taken quite a step and focused a lot more energy on internet presence. Every television station has their own website where they can post their shows for viewers to watch later. It is no longer the reality that people gather around their TVs at a certain time on a certain night; any show can be accessed online to be watched when the consumer is ready and can make time. It is not only television stations that have made their way onto the internet; there are whole companies that thrive on the internet alone.
Netflix has become one of the most popular sites for accessing endless movies and TV shows. With the click of a button people can stream Mad Men directly onto their television, computer, or phone, no hassles. Netflix has even taken the next step by creating shows of their own (not just ones they have purchased the rights to,) thus leaving behind the need for television broadcasting all together.
The music industry has had to adapt as well. . Music has been made so available at no cost to the consumer, it’s no wonder the industry took a hit before it got back on its feet. For some local or small time bands this has been a blessing. Many musicians place their music online for free now in hopes that it will help expand their fan base. With music identifying apps on phones, music has been able to be spread wider and farther than ever before.
The fact that almost everyone carries a personal internet device shows the availability of media in today’s world. Events are no longer read about later, and people no longer ask if others have heard the news. The general population has access to the news in real time and are reacting to it immediately. This opens up opportunities for celebrities, politicians, and citizens alike to broadcast weddings, scandals, and self-promotions as they are happening, even if a viewer is half a world away. News and information are breaking instantaneously, no waiting necessary.
By Alex Summers
Top 3 nightlight iPhone apps
Nightlight apps are fantastic when you’re travelling / visiting and you don’t have space to take the actual night light you’ve got in the nursery. Babies and young children get used to night lights easily and so you might need something to give them conformt when you’re away from home. Fortunately smart phones are just so versatile aren’t they! If you haven’t tried a night light app – give it a go and see how your little one responds. Here’s a list of the top 3 iPhone night light apps:
1. Night Light Free
2. Night Light
3. iNightLight
There’s also a popular android app called Nitey Nite Light.
Enjoy!
Stefan
Lego Advent Calendar
Over the years we have reviewed a fair amount of physical and virtual advent calendars in all shapes and sizes. Looks like the trend is catching on with large toy manufacturers … and so LEGO has recently launched their 2012 Advent Calendar. Great idea we think (healthier than a piece of chocolate every day – that’s for sure). Check it out at the online LEGO store or get it at your local toy store.
By DIYFather.com
NB: We have not received any payments, goods, services or anything else of value for posting this article. In fact we have never even been contacted by LEGO … where are you guys! Can you hear us LEGO 
Photobooth app on the new iPad Mini
I recently picked up a new iPad Mini and my son spotted a new default app called “Photobooth” straight away. The app shows different photo filters like a kaleidoscope, X-Ray or heat image. It’s great fun to play around with it especially as the front facing camera shows you the result of filter straight away.
Should keep the kids entertained for a while – get them to point it at different objects and have a bit of a photo competition with them!
Enjoy
Stefan
Dads and kids on the Wii U
My first game console was a Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game I played? Super Mario Bros. At that point, you could only have two players and odds are, they weren’t your Mom or Dad. Nintendo changed that forever with their ultra-successful Wii console and they are looking to do it again with the Wii U. If you have young kids in the house, you probably have a Wii. The Nintendo Wii has brought families together with gaming like never before. It’s the first console that invites families to play and laugh together. And Nintendo has been very successful at making computer/video gaming into a family activity. I play games with my wife and 3-year old regularly and I honestly never though that would happen until he was older. Even my 66-year old Mom can play the games.
So what’s new with the Wii U? Everything you know and love about the Wii remains while a few additional features should make for some interesting gaming moments. Take a Wii, update the graphics to HD, redesign the console a little bit, and add a GamePad with a 6.2 inch screen, and you have the Wii U. The GamePad will allow you to interact with the games as you play them. Helping, or even hindering, your friends and family as you play. You’ll also even be able to play games directly on the GamePad instead of using a TV. This will be nice if you only have one TV and it’s in use when your kids want to play.
Check out nintendo.com for more info and get ready for the launch in North America on November 18th at a price of $299.
By Rolf Mueller
iPhone dads: what country has the cheapest iPhone 5 retail price?
If you’re a travelling dad and get the opportunity to visit other countries you may be wondering which country has the cheapest iPhone 5 recommended retail price (RRP). Well – this article tells it like it is and yes – you’ve guessed it – the country with the cheapest RRP is the US. The most expensive place to buy an iPhone 5 at present appears to be India! The proof is in the pudding so here’s a full list of country specific RRPs for a 16GB iPhone 5 with no contract and adjusted back to the US Dollar and Euro as reference currencies (using the XE mid-market daily rates in descending order).
| Country | Local RRP | in USD* | in EUR* |
| India | INR 48643 | USD 912 | EUR 707 |
| Selected Eurozone countries incl. Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden | EUR 679 | USD 874 | EUR 679 |
| New Zealand | NZD 1049 | USD 867 | EUR 672 |
| Switzerland | CHF 809 | USD 861 | EUR 669 |
| Mexico | MXP 11000 | USD 856 | EUR 665 |
| United Kingdom | GBP 529 | USD 855 | EUR 664 |
| Australia | AUD 799 | USD 831 | EUR 645 |
| Ireland | EUR 599 | USD 772 | EUR 599 |
| Singapore | SGD 948 | USD 771 | EUR 598 |
| Hong Kong | HKD 5588 | USD 721 | EUR 559 |
| Canada | CAD 699 | USD 711 | EUR 552 |
| United States | USD 649 | USD 649 | EUR 503 |
* Converted RRPs in USD and EUR are based on the daily mid-market rates published by xe.com (on
).
The iPhone 5 is also available in Japan if someone knows the japanese RRP please let me know and I’ll update the table.
By DIYFather.com
Top nanny sites in the US
Here’s a list of dynamic ranking of nanny sites (organisations) in the US. The list is updated every 5 minutes and reflects votes from DIYFather visitors (one vote per IP address, per day max). If you know of any other sites that you think should be listed here please contact us to get them included in the list below.
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By DIYFather.com
Get the best beds for your kids
One of the most important parts of any bedroom is of course the bed. When furnishing a room, it is important to find just the right bed. This is even more so when the room is to be used by a child or children. There are many other things to consider besides style. When choosing the best type of bed for your child, there are some things to keep in mind like what kind of Mattresses are available.
When selecting a bed for your child, safety should always be your top concern. The bed you pick for your child should be comfortable but it should also be safe so as not to present any potential risks to your child. For many young children, rails are often a necessity. Young children often fall or roll out of bed which could lead to serious injury. Children tend to move all over the bed at night which makes the likelihood of this happening quite high. Rails can be made of wood or metal. Most rails are removable so later when your child outgrows the need for rails, they can be removed.
Keep in mind the size of your child’s room. You do not want to get a bed that takes up a significant amount of space. This could be a possible danger. If little space is left to play, it is quite possible the child could hurt themselves if playing in such a small space. If your child’s room is small, then consider selecting a bed that can also double as storage space. Many children’s beds come with drawers or cabinets built into them for this reason.
Another great bed for kids are those that pertain to different themes. Make sure your child’s room is able to accommodate these kinds of beds as sometimes that can be bigger than traditional children’s bed options.
By Roz
