Kids of the 90s were the first ones to enjoy the adorable pocket toys from Hasbro’s The Littlest Pet Shop (LPS). These small pet toys are so tiny that they can fit in a child’s palm. Mini cats, dogs, hamsters, toucans, chameleons, and other animals from the Littlest Pet Shop come with movable parts or simple mechanisms like a stamp roller at the underside of the pet cat. A lot of new pets have been released over the years and they continue to be popular with young kids and pre-teens all over the world until now. Today, kids can enjoy these adorable palm-sized pets in their fingertips as well with the availability of The Littlest Pet Shop app on smart phones and tablets.

The game features the main character of the LPS TV show Blythe Baxter and her pet friends Pepper, Minka, Zoe, Penny, Sunnil, Vinnie and Russel. Players can help Blythe and her friends take care of the pets featured in the game. There are 150 pets to collect and fun mini games to play, but the appeal of this app relies mostly on how the players are able to interact with the pets. Virtual pet owners need to feed, bathe and play with their pets to keep them happy. Parents who have kids playing Pet Society using their Facebook accounts can consider downloading this app in their kid’s phone as an alternative. Additional features of the game include houses and play areas where more pets can be welcomed and entertained. Players can build homes and a LPS town on their own. They may also visit other towns and find hidden objects if they are lucky.

This game can be downloaded for free but those who want to upgrade their play can purchase additional game items using real money. It’s a great app for kids to learn about the different animals that can be kept at home as pets and a good way to reminisce for the Littlest Pet Shop fans of the 90’s.

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Parents who are looking for the best educational app for their kids need not look further as LetterSchool Lite is readily available for them. This multi-awarded app is perfect for kids who are starting to learn about letters and numbers. It teaches kids to recognize appearance and sounds of letters and gradually teach them how to write it as the game progresses. The colorful graphics and cool sounds add to its entertainment value making it the top choice for a handwriting app.

 LetterSchool Lite works with four steps to guide the kids in learning how to write. The first stage is an Intro wherein the name, sound and shape of the featured letter are taught. The next level shows the starting point and direction of lines in forming the letter by tapping the dots. It is followed by a tracing game where kids learn the letter trajectory. Just like in school the final stage is always a test. In this game kids are tasked to write the letters from their memory. With the guidance of the parents, this app can be effective in helping kids familiarize themselves with uppercase and lowercase letters, learn how to read and write letters and numbers, and use manuscript handwriting style. The game is ideal for kids aged 3 to 7 years old especially the ones in pre-school. But, it can also be used as a therapeutic tool for kids who have difficulties with their fine motor skills.

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Detective Conan

For average income earners, providing for all the family’s needs with a little extra left for some of life’s comfort, usually means having both parents working on an eight-to-five job. Those who still have young kids in the family often require the services of household help or nannies in order to manage their domestic affairs effectively. However, reports of nanny abuse or helpers stealing from their employers are enough to make any parent cautious in hiring house help.  This means that doing a background check becomes a must before hiring domestic help.

The screening process for those whom you’ll entrust your family should be as stringent as those given to employees holding sensitive positions in business organizations.  Aside from choosing your sources wisely and conducting a diligent interview, one should also make sure that a background check is conducted on candidates before sealing the deal. We can get inspiration from the anime Detective Conan, there are some background checks that can be done online, but those who want to have a thorough background inspection can hire private investigators to do the job.  Make sure to contact reliable private investigation companies with a good track record and experienced investigators to handle the job for you. Some of the best options that one can find are firms who employ former law enforcement agents or police detectives. These organizations often have other services like surveillance investigations, infidelity and child custody investigation, missing persons, and criminal investigations.  One may also find these investigators online to help them conduct background check on their existing helpers or employees if they suspect something amiss. F

Hiring household help can be a daunting but necessary task that dual income households need to face. Taking measures to ensure that one hires a trustworthy person to watch over one’s home and children is the best way to protect the family. In this aspect, having a reliable private investigator conduct a background check on potential employees can ease some of the worries away.

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Swampy ain’t so cranky

This physics puzzle game from Disney Mobile can be quite addicting not just for kids but for adults too. It features Swampy the Alligator who loves to take a bath. Players need to help Swampy get enough water in his tub for a proper bath. The challenge is to manoeuvre the water through dirt and broken pipes until it gets to Swampy’s tub. Players can swipe their fingers through the screen to make a path for the water or tap on the sprinklers to get some water to come out from it. The puzzles become more challenging as one progresses through the levels with various obstacles like gates with special mechanisms, bombs, algae, toxic ooze, etc.

Solving the puzzles alone is already fun and entertaining. Those who would like to add more challenge to the game can aim for high scores, bonuses and collectibles. The faster you solve the puzzle, the higher the score and you also get a duck bonus for every rubber duck you collect along the way. You may also challenge your friends to beat your score or post your game through facebook and twitter to share the fun with everyone.

“Where’s My Water?” is one of the most addicting games that you can enjoy in a mobile phone. Fantastic graphics, engaging sound track and sound effects, great physics challenges, appealing storyline, and adorable characters are just some of the reasons why this app is at the top of the gaming list. Players will also find it difficult to lose interest in this game because it offers fresh challenges from the levels at their web feature. Once you start with it you’ll find it difficult to resist moving on to the next level.

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There are several ways in which children can benefit from having a pet at home. Parents often buy pets for their kids to promote nurturing behavior and to introduce the concept of responsibility. Nothing can replace the companionship, love, and loyalty that real pets can give to their owners but little ones who aren’t ready for real live pets can turn into virtual beings to learn about responsibility. There are several apps that feature virtual pets for young kids. Kids can play with cute and cuddly pets from Pet Society and the Littlest Pet Shop or they can opt to have an alien for a pet with Pou.

Making their Pou “Kublai” grow

Pou is a game application that can be downloaded in smartphones and tablets. The main character of the game is an alien named Pou who needs to proper care in order to live and to grow to be the best alien pet. Just like a real live pet, Pou needs to be fed, bathed, and played with. Players need to check on Pou regularly to make sure that it stays happy and healthy. They also have to fulfil other pet owner responsibilities like cleaning up poop, stocking up on supplies and medicines, and creating a fun and nurturing environment for Pou. It’s quite similar to the Tamagochi pets that became a craze in the 80s which are also available in the apps store today.

Aside from nurturing responsibility, kids can also learn some practical lessons while playing the game. They can learn how to classify food items as they shop for Pou’s food supply. In a way, it also teaches kids about nutritional values because healthy food items are given higher credits than junk and sweets. Kids can also explore their creative side by playing around with the items in Pou’s closet and experimenting on the different potions in the lab. Pou can also help kids work on their other skills at the game room. They can choose from matching games, puzzles, arcade, and memory games that will test their wits and reflexes.

The individual game features of Pou may be common in other game apps that are currently available, but Pou also has its own unique appeal to the young ones. The overall combination of characters, games and add on features make it a practical download for parents who want to give their little ones a taste of pet ownership with a few lessons to boot.

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Children, especially toddlers, can learn a lot through play. Nowadays, finding ways to educate kids while at play is easier because of the wide range of educational toys available in the market. Mobile phones and tablets can also be equipped with educational apps that parents can play with their kids while on the go. One such app is the TinyHands Sorting App for iPad, a sorting and classifying game that can help hone Math skills for the kids.

TinyHands Sorting game is designed for children aged 2.5 years and above. It features 12 game boards set in different environments that the children can relate to. Each board focuses on basic concepts like shapes, colors, animals, vehicles, seasons, and others. These boards are arranged in ascending order of difficulty which makes it easier for parents to observe their child’s progress. Kids can enjoy exploring the different environments and sorting items in it.

Sorting games are set on the airport, swamp, on the road and in the sky, and meadow. Kids can also be exposed to arts, music and different seasons through the Instruments page where they are tasked to sort painting and music instruments, and the Seasons wear page that makes them sort winter and summer clothes. Games that classify objects according to shape, color, location, or purpose are also found in different settings. These include beach, kitchen and bath, star and circle screen, bats and hats screen, three colors screen and different items screen.

This iPad game can help develop early math skills in children and enhance other skills like hand-eye coordination, visual perception, concentration and vocabulary. It’s a handy and engaging game that parents can always bring around to keep the kids entertained during long drives or while waiting their turn on doctor and dentist appointments.

More importantly, parents can be confident that playing with this app is a learning experience for their kids because it is designed in consultation with certified child psychologists and educators. This game is fun and easy enough for the kids to be able to enjoy it on their own. But parents should also remember that playing along with their child is the best way to maximize the benefits of this app.

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If you’re a small business owner, you likely know how important having a business website is.  If you still haven’t done so, start today.  The process is simple:  Find a hosting company such as InTechnology, and find a web designer to make your page.

While you may not want to initially pay a lot for the web design, realize that it’s important to have a professional site, and that may cost a bit more.  If you have business friends, ask who designed their sites.  You’ll likely get a few good referrals that way.

Once the site is set up, make sure it meets these basic requirements:

1.  Easy to find contact information.  There should be a way customers can contact you that is easy to find.  Ideally, the “contact us” button should be available at the top of the web page as well as the bottom.

2.  A clear business mission statement.  When a customer first comes upon your business website, they should easily be able to tell what your business is and what services you offer or what you sell, as the case may be.  This information should be above the fold and should be immediately obvious, within the first 5 seconds the customer is on the page.

3.  An “about us” story.  Many customers like to personally connect with a business, and a compelling “about us” page can tell the customer a bit about you and how the business originated.  You may be surprised to find that this becomes one of your most trafficked pages.

4.  Compelling customer testimonials.   Why make customers search the web for feedback about your business?  Instead, offer customer testimonials right on your website to build new customers’ confidence.  The testimonials alone, if done right, can convince a new customer to work with you.

If you’re just starting your business website or looking to revamp your current site, make sure you have these 4 critical pieces of information.  Including them can increase your business more than you might believe.  Don’t include them, and your potential customer will likely leave your site faster than you would like.

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The LEGO Heroes Movie Maker app simplifies movie making through the use of kid-friendly or easy to follow tools and guide. iPhone and iPad users can enjoy plotting, shooting and editing movie scenes with this app around. It features editing tools like add and delete frames and 12 different sound tracks that can be used for musical scoring.  Those who want more soundtrack options can add music from their library. Images can also be enhanced or given special effects through the use of color filters that can be added to the camera. Placing the title on the movie is also fun as one can choose from 16 different title LEGO Super Heroes card. Once the movie is finished, users can simply save it on their camera roll or upload it to YouTube and share it with friends. Fan videos of the app are also available in http://dcuniverse.legosuperheroes.com/ for those who want to view the creations of other app users. One of the great things about this app is the creative integration of two toy classics, LEGO and DC comics characters, which transcends several generations. This means that the whole family, even grandma and grandpa, can relate to the characters and appreciate the modern take given to these toys.

Now, there is no reason to let the kids spend their idle time in mindless games when there are fun and interesting phone apps that promote creativity and develop collaborative skills like LEGO Heroes Movie Maker App. Who knows the next YouTube blockbuster may come from your kid’s stop motion movie.

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mi hijo (gone literal for a photo lol)

There are several eco-friendly practices that one can adopt for their homes. The most basic ones are those that involve recycling and reusing items around the house. This involves segregating and disposing trash properly so that it can be used for some other purpose. One can also teach their children about some practical recycling practices that will help them raise funds or earn cash in the process. Having a garage sale or selling old items to thrift shops and other second hand merchants is one way to get some cash out of your trash. They can go to specialized shops for valuable items like an old mobile phone for instance. Those who want to sell mobile phones can look at recycling sites that offer competitive prices for used phones. Ideally, these are sites or shops with a strong business background, extensive reach, fast and convenient procedures, and a reputation for eco-friendly practices. Older kids who are well versed in the internet can use their techie skills in scouting for online sites that buy mobile phones and other used gadgets.

Another green habit that kids can learn is energy and water conservation. Turning off the lights when no one is in the room or preventing the water from running while washing hands or brushing teeth are simple practices that can be included in day to day living. Scheduling some time off from their gadgets or the television is also a great option to save on energy. Parents can also take these gadget time-outs as opportunities to get the kids closer to nature by scheduling a day in the park or the beach.

As parents start to sow these green habits into their children’s lifestyle, they should also impart the value or importance of these practices to their future and that of the generations to come.

Hopefully, these efforts will help grow environmentally responsible children in a technologically advanced world.

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Kids age nine and above can get themselves an action packed adventure by joining the Piece Corps and save their friends from the clutches of an evil scientist. Just like the real life Peace Corps, players of the game are out on a rescue mission. They need to free four kidnapped Piece Corps girls and the book of dreams by going through different challenges that require skills, logic and creativity.

The game features five Piece Corps girls namely Bundi, Deevah, DJane, Martia, and Meana who were kidnapped by the evil scientist and his underlings along with the Book of Dreams. One girl escapes and sets out on a mission to rescue her friends.  Players of the game get to choose which one escapes to save her friends. Each girl has 3 special abilities which can be used against their opponents. They can spin, bounce, blast, inflate or drill to make their way to their friends and retrieve the Book of Dreams. Players can experiment on combining any three of these abilities in one heroine. This activity can also be fun and interesting because of the over 100 possible combinations that one can play around with.

There are 50 story levels available for free download all of which offer exciting obstacles that include some physics based play similar to that of Angry Birds. Villains and allies can also be found in different levels of the games all of which are funny and interesting characters too. They include the villain trio of the janitor, hall monitor, and the lunch lady, as well as supportive allies like the school boy, nurse and principal. This game may be designed to have a girly appeal, but this doesn’t stop the boys from getting their own dose of action from it. Piece Corps is available for Android and iOS users.

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