Twister game

Twister Dance is an innovative game that combines dance music with the classic Twister spots.  It allows the whole family, especially girls to move their feet to the coloured spots on the floor that coordinate with the multi-coloured LED lights on the Dance console.  Players can rock the spots to their own music choices by connecting any mp3 player to the Dance console; this makes it more challenging and fun every time they play. 
This game is aimed for children age 8+ and is available at toy stores.
It includes 8 moveable, iconic Twister spots (4 per player), Dance console with superior sound quality and bright, multi- colour LED lights, MP3 connector cord, and 5 pre-programmed dance songs.  It includes 4 AA batteries.

My children like the different music that were already there.  They also enjoyed connecting with the iPod and mp3 player to dance to their favourite music.  My daughter was wondering why the LED light had purple colour flashing, when there wasn't a purple colour Twister spot.  My children liked having fun with this game for a long time.  My daughter was telling me that this is a good game because she gets to do her exercise through this.  It is a fun way for the family to spend time together.

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Perplexus

Perplexus is toy/game for adults and children over the age of 6 years. This is a fabulous entertainer that doesn't require batteries.

All you have to do is flip, twist and spin to move the steel ball along the numbered path. If it falls off the tracks, just start over at one of the starting points and have fun.

I wish the numbers were visibly printed on the tracks, so it is easier to follow the ball on the track. It would have been cooler if it glowed in the dark.

If you become a professional on this Original perplexus, you can enjoy it by racing with your friends or against time. You would also want to try the perplexus rookie and epic.

One thing is for sure; you won't be able to put it down, as it will leave you perplexed.

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Hasbro family game night

Hasbro games bring families together, entertain and make memories. They bring the old favourites and classics in new style :) I love the classics like Scrabble that teaches vocabulary, Monopoly that teaches about money, and Cranium brain breaks has lots of mini games. Hasbro has lots of family games, which are affordable, lasts long allowing us to start our collection at home, and handy to take on trips.

uKloo a treasure hunt game for early readers

uKloo is a game that every parent will want for their children. This game is created by Doreen Dotto, a mom who was motivated because of her own children. She wanted to teach her sons to read in a creative approach.

With this game, children will get active running around the house to find the clues. Even my three year old wanted to help his sister look for the cards. The children learn to work together. If they are just starting to read and can't read words yet, they will be able to refer to the colourful picture poster and match the words to figure it out.

uKloo targets 3 levels of reading, each level has 14 cards in different colours. There are 12 blank surprise cards for the parents to write a surprise that will fit their child's interest. Doreen has suggested surprises that work in the box. There is also instructions on different ways to play the game, so children will be excited each time they play.

Before starting, I made sure to tell the children that I will not be hiding the cards beside the stove, in pots or kitchen cupboards; just for safety. So make sure to set some ground rules.

As a parent, with a child in French immersion I try to teach English every chance I get. Games like uKloo makes it more easier to approach reading at an early age than making the child sit for a lesson :) I also think it is a fun way to introduce reading to children. While the children are busy looking for the cards, I can do my thing ;)

Children will actively learn, become confident, try hard to read on their own and feel a sense of achievement when they find their surprise. They will not want to stop playing this game. It is a worthy purchase.

This award winning game is available in many stores within Canada and online. In the USA, it is available at Timeless toys. If you are in the USA and would like to purchase it from your local toy or educational game store please request for this game to become available. There is also uKloo2 coming soon with riddles, thinking and problem solving. Do follow uKloo on Facebook and twitter.

Happy reading and hunting!

This was one of the surprises the children had.

Maple puffed rice snack

3 tbsp peanut butter *

3/4 cup maple syrup

4 cups puffed rice

* Can substitute with almond butter or another type of flavoured butter.

Heat peanut butter and maple syrup in a pan, when it comes to a boil turn off the cooker and stir in the puffed rice.

Put it into a plate and let it cool, then make into balls. The hands may need to be greased to make balls.

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Rice flour Æbleskiver sweet and Mancala board game

Rice flour Æbleskiver sweet (also known as nei paniyaram)

1 cup rice flour *

3/4 cup jaggery

3/4 cup water *

1/4 tsp cardamom ground

1/8 tsp salt optional

1 ripe banana mashed

1 to 2 tbsp ghee to grease the pan *

Melt the jaggery in the water and mix the rice flour or ground rice and banana. Make a smooth thick paste. Heat up an abelskiver pan in medium heat, put about 1/4 tsp of ghee to each hole and put about 1/2 to 3/4 full batter. Flip the snack with a skewer once it is easy to turn it and cook the other side. Enjoy warm.

* For this nei paniyaram (ghee fried snack) I used store bought roasted rice flour, can also used unroasted rice flour or soak the raw rice for about 3 hours then grind it.

* May need to add more or less water depends on if you are using the flour or grinding the rice.

* Can also grease the pan with oil or butter as well.

While enjoying these snacks we played with Mancala.

I bought this Mancala game by Schylling from Amazon. A very ancient game that is addictive and lots of fun. I played this with my grandma and aunts as a child, and buying one brought back lots of wonderful memories of late afternoon fun. This is a solid wooden board with glass beads. The glass beads can be replaced (from any craft or dollar store) if you misplace.

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