As you know, I spend a lot of time researching kid-friendly websites and YouTube videos, both for my kids and for all of yours!  Now, I want to suggest another great blog for parents of young children.  Tech Savvy Mama describes her site as “my way to help the parents of the world navigate an overwhelming world of technology and provide the best that exists for their children.”

Tech Savvy Mama has information about toddlers and preschoolers, elementary-aged kids, and tweens & teens.  She writes about technology, websites, YouTube, cyber-bullying, and the technological interests and exploits of her kids, Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer.  Her posts are well-researched, informative, and fun to read.  Since Memorial Day she has begun Virtual Field Trips including one to Monticello, which is great for those of within or beyond driving distance of Thomas Jefferson’s Charlottesville home.  She is one of the original City Editors for Being Savvy Washington DC and contributes to DC Metro Moms.

Check her out!

When two of my friends independently referenced Highlights magazine within a week of each other (one of whom doesn’t even have kids…yet!), I figured it was time to check out the 60-year-old magazine’s kid-friendly website.

If you are like me, you grew up reading Highlights magazine while waiting to see the pediatrician or the dentist.  From the parents’ website:

Since 1946, Highlights for Children has left an indelible imprint on the hearts and minds of tens of millions of children. It has improved reading skills, helped define and develop values like honesty, thoughtfulness and tolerance, all while entertaining and enlightening. Highlights for Children represents a remarkable story in the history of American publishing.

The kid-friendly website — which links to the differently-named website for parents — features old favorites like Goofus and Gallant, now brought to life as on-line choose-your-own-adventure stories.  This is a great concept, and definitely both fun and a learning experience for the kids.  However, since it isn’t spoken-word enabled, non-reading children will need the help of a parent (or a helpful older sibling who reads) to enjoy the fun.  The Timbertoes and Hidden Pictures are also online.  Neither have spoken-word help, but early readers should be able to follow the Timbertoes’ stories and Hidden Pictures is pretty self-explanatory.  With the Hidden Pictures, children can also choose level one (seeing pictures of the items they are supposed to find) level two (having the item mentioned by nam) or level three (no hints…just search!).  Another feature, The Arizona Zone, reads a monthly feature of the magazine aloud to the kids.  The Funny Food Face page is yet another part that even pretty young kids can do on their own.

Overall I think that Highlights is a good website for pre-K and early elementary school kids.  Preschoolers will also enjoy parts of it, although most will not be able to do all the activities without help from a parent.  I’d advise parents to take a spin through the site.  If you add it to your younger child’s Activity Bar, be sure to have KidDesktop start on a page that will be interesting for them.

If nothing else, kids will enjoy seeing the same features on their computer as in their favorite doctor’s waiting room!

PS Teachers, check out HighlightsTeachers.com for some classroom activities!

I feel like someone the morning after a one-night-stand, since the first thing I have to say is: “I’ve never done this before!”

I really haven’t blogged before — and I don’t have experience with one-night-stands, either — but my goal is to make this interesting as well as to give updated info about KidDesktop, good kids’ websites, good kid YouTube videos, and other things of interest to people with young children.  Hopefully this blog will be fun and interesting, and I’m sure you’ll let me know what you think.  So….read on!