It’s a new year, the perfect time to try something new!  Kids are always looking to try new things, and most of them especially like trying new technology.  If you have a tween in your household, you may want to check out a new social media geared for kids that will allow them to have that touch of independence they all crave while also being able to easily connect with family all across the country!

*This is a sponsored post on behalf of HiFiKiddo.  All opinions are 100% my own.

While most social media sites are not meant for use by kids, HiFiKiddo was developed with kids in mind.  It’s a great opportunity for them to learn the do’s and don’ts of sharing on social media in a much safer environment.

Do you have family that is out of town?  I know we do!

My sister’s family lives all the way out in Iowa.  Our kids get to see each other just one or two times a year.

Yes, my sister and I talk on the phone (A LOT!), but for kids the phone is not always an easy option.  When you’re 7 years-old you get distracted easily while on the phone…  My daughter is a rambler, who will just start describing everything she sees in the room…which loses the attention of the 7 year-old on the other end of the phone line who can’t actually see what she’s talking about.

Not only that, but just because your child is available to chat on the phone doesn’t mean his/her cousin is right there….  A child-friendly social media eliminates some of that rambling, and allows each of them to socialize with each other when it’s convenient.

So what makes HiFiKiddo different from all the other social media out there?

Unlike most other social media networks, HiFiKiddo strictly adheres to the Federal Trade Commissions Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).  

What does that mean?  Before a child under the age of 13 can join the site, verifiable consent and a working email address of a parent are required.

Still not convinced?

HiFiKiddo also has three predefined sharing circles:  Core Family, Family, and Friends.  As the parent you get to select the privacy level for each circle, which means you are the one to choose if they are allowed to share pictures with family members and only written messages with friends.

And my favorite feature?  All friend requests must be approved by a parent!

Why limit your child’s chance to connect with out of state cousins to just the holidays and summer time?  With HiFiKiddo cousins can easily stay connected throughout the year!

 Download HiFiKiddo from the App Store today!

  And now it’s also available as an Android App!

The post A New Year, a New Child-Friendly Social Media first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

It’s holiday shopping time, and there are some really neat kids’ products that are new on the market this year.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review one of these products, the VTech InnoTab Max, and to be able to share my thoughts with you.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of VTech.  I was given a VTech InnoTab Max and $20 of downloadable software in order to review the product.  All opinions are 100% my own.  

We are a very low-tech family.  As I’ve mentioned before, to save money as a SAHM we don’t have cable/satellite.  I had my old flip phone for over 6 years before it accidentally got tossed in the wash earlier this year and I wound up with my current phone.  And, unlike most of America, we don’t have a Kindle, tablet, I-pod, or any other mobile devices, either.

With all that said, I know that technology is important for kids to learn and be able to use as they get older.  I don’t want my kids to be unprepared for whatever technology they may face as they get older.  So, when I was offered the chance to review the VTech InnoTab Max,  I jumped at the chance.  

VTech’s InnoTab MAX:

I like the durable construction of the InnoTab Max.  A tablet that is geared towards kids 3-9 needs to be able to take a little bit of a beating.  (Especially in the hands of an excited child trying to tap those answers as fast as they can!)

I also love that the cover is attached — no need to purchase some separate carrying case for taking it on the go!  And check out that handle!  It’s perfect for little hands to carry.

That cover also allows the user to stand up the device, which is perfect for viewing videos or working with the VTech tablet at a table.  

Some more facts about the VTech(r) InnoTab MAX (Ages 3-9 years, MSRP:  $109.99):

• VTech’s 4th generation kids’ learning tablet features its fastest processor yet with up to six times the processing power of previous genration and a 7″ high-resolution multi-touch screen display.
• InnoTab MAX features an enhanced version of Premium VTech Kid Connect(tm), at no additional charge, allowing children and parents to exchange voice and text messages, photos, drawings and fun stickers in real time between the tablet and a smartphone.
• The tablet offers the best of both learning worlds with access to more than 650 educator-endorsed, age and stage appropriate learning titles as well as carefully cultivated educational Android apps that can be purchased and downloaded through VTech’s Learning Lodge(r) app store.
• The kids’ tablet comes with 15 onboard apps, including Premium VTech(r) Kid Connect, My Magic Beanstalk, Movie Maker, Art Studio, Wonder Cam Max, E-Reader with Story Dictionary and more.
• InnoTab MAX also comes with one free Toca Boca app and two additional free apps that can be downloaded from the Leaning Lodge.
• Other features include a built-in rechargeable Lithium battery and kid-safe Wi-Fi so kids can explore appropriate online games, videos and websites that have been pre-selected by VTech.
• Parental controls allow parents to manage their child’s apps, web access and tablet time, as well as view the progress log.

It seems people always want to know what the image quality is like on devices like this.  I’ve already told you that I really don’t have much experience with mobile devices, but to me, the quality is fine.  In fact, the online games and videos had a quality very similar to my laptop.

Back to those videos, though…

I discovered that most of the pre-selected videos are on YouTube.  The problem is that once the video is over, up pop the pictures for related videos, just as they normally do on YouTube.  A child can easily click on any of these videos to watch.

More disturbing is the fact that I was able to click on the YouTube icon on the bottom and get to the YouTube search window.  And, yes, some very non kid-friendly sites WILL pop up on the device if you search for them.  (Just to see what would happen, I typed in a 3-letter word starting with “S” and ending in “X.”  Wow!  Talk about being shocked!  I had thought there might be a block built in for that, but apparently that is not the case.

Now, as stated above, there are parental controls where you can choose to block the VTech pre-selected games, websites, and videos.  And, so right now I have all the videos blocked.  YouTube is NOT somewhere I want my kids wandering about freely.

As a parent, I think it’s important for other parents to understand that the “kid-friendly Wi-Fi” doesn’t actually block out sites you may not want your children to see.  And, as always, there is no substitute for parental monitoring of the device while in use.

Now that I got that off my chest, I have to say there are literally tons and tons of apps available for the tablet for a wide range of ages.  Many of the apps start at just $2.39.

I particularly like the apps that allow both my kids to use the device at the same time, like solving math problems head-to-head in the game Cosmic Reactor Math.   And, if you are looking for some extra practice in Common Core math, there are apps available for that as well!

Thinking of buying a kids’ tablet as a  gift?

You can get the Vtech Innotab Max on Amazon (affiliate link provided).

The post VTech InnoTab Max Review first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.