TV Time

[Little People]

I picked up two sets when I went to an early childhood conference for school and my kids LOVE LOVE LOVE them!! They are super easy to use and durable too! They get played with a minimum of twice a day by BOTH girls and boys. I have an 18 month old dcg who cries when it is time to put them away! I also have a dcb who is 5 and missed going to Kindergarten by a few months and even he plays with them. I am on the hunt for more so I can let everyone play at one time! Definitely worth the buy. I think I paid $20 for 4 dolls and a change of clothing for each doll. They do come with little magnetic bows and ribbons for the hair but I put those away because they are 1/2 the size of a penny and I was worried about choking and having them accidentally get vacuumed up all the time.

Thank you Blackcat, JC Penny has several good sales and their Melissa & Doug items. I always have a 20% off coupon and can use it on sale items. I am going to go look now! Target had some but they were not Melissa & Doug, but they were really cute. I think the sets were $14.99.

[MommyMuffin]

I turn on PBS while making breakfast, usually its only my daughter who is there then. I turn on a disney movie or dora from 11:00 - 11:30 while I make lunch. I have young children and babies so when the older ones get too roudy I will put on an elmo movie. I am just a family home daycare, not a preschool and I dont charge very much and I dont think a little tv would hurt my 2.5 yo. That is why I do not have a no TV rule. I also have found they love and learn a bit from super why.

[nannyde]

My prediction is that the kids born in 2011-12 will be the first kids in our history who are not going to use paper, pencil, or colors in their school work.

I think we will switch to completely electronic touch screen by the time they are in second grade. The kids born in 2015 and on will not even have it in their preK and kindy.

[kidkair]

Trying to play in full winter gear while you are waiting for seven other kids to get dressed is not that fun.

It's fun here. They only time they are all sitting fully dressed is when I'm getting my gear on. We sing songs and talk together. I dress everyone one article at a time. Everyone gets snow pants first then boots etc. It takes about 5 min per kid but we are laughing and having fun the whole time.

[kidkair]

My prediction is that the kids born in 2011-12 will be the first kids in our history who are not going to use paper, pencil, or colors in their school work.

I think we will switch to completely electronic touch screen by the time they are in second grade. The kids born in 2015 and on will not even have it in their preK and kindy.

They'll still be using that stuff here I guarantee it!

[jen]

They'll still be using that stuff here I guarantee it!

Aww, I don't know about that. I'm a couple hours south of you and our kids barely use that stuff now! My dd is in 2nd grade and every classroom in her school is equipped with a SmartBoard and several computers. My 5th grader emails his assignments in and my highschooler uses the online dropbox on his assisgments...that way they can run them through plagarizing software...

My son was just telling me about the new xbox game where they don't use ANY controller at all. I think that by the time our kids have kids, and I mean my 16 year old, not my 7 year old, life in general will be almost completely electronic.

Did you see Chevy's new i-phone app? You can start your car from ANYWHERE...lock the doors, whatever....

[broncomom1973]

I have been looking at the Melissa & Doug Magnetic dolls any one have them? And if so do the kids play a lot with them?

I have 3 different sets, one that is the male doll, one that has 2 female
dolls, and one set that is 1 female doll. My own kids love these, including my 2 year old son. My 3 year old daughter also loves playing with these. Amazon.com ran a 50% off pre-Christmas Melissa and Doug sale and I went crazy, . I know that Stage also sells Melissa and Doug and you can usually find a printable 20-25% off coupon, so you can get a really good deal. As I said, Amazon is where I bought 2 of ours and they run deals every now and then.

[Little People]

I have 3 different sets, one that is the male doll, one that has 2 female
dolls, and one set that is 1 female doll. My own kids love these, including my 2 year old son. My 3 year old daughter also loves playing with these. Amazon.com ran a 50% off pre-Christmas Melissa and Doug sale and I went crazy, . I know that Stage also sells Melissa and Doug and you can usually find a printable 20-25% off coupon, so you can get a really good deal. As I said, Amazon is where I bought 2 of ours and they run deals every now and then.

Thank you!! I have been on Amazon and most of them are about $12, with free shipping!! I have some saved in my shopping cart.

[QualiTcare]

My prediction is that the kids born in 2011-12 will be the first kids in our history who are not going to use paper, pencil, or colors in their school work.

I think we will switch to completely electronic touch screen by the time they are in second grade. The kids born in 2015 and on will not even have it in their preK and kindy.

no way - they're going to have the same teachers who are out there now and they know better. there are always exceptions, but i don't see teachers as a whole letting that happen.

[nannyde]

no way - they're going to have the same teachers who are out there now and they know better. there are always exceptions, but i don't see teachers as a whole letting that happen.

Nah

Teachers aren't any different than any other subsect of the population. They will gravitate towards what is easier, faster, less adult involement, etc.

Teachers will be happy to have kids SITTING and doing work that doesn't require a lot of supervision. As long as the kids have head sets for the bells and whistles they will go for it. Once they and school administrators can tap into what the kids are doing electronically they will gravitate towards that.

It's coming

[momofboys]

no way - they're going to have the same teachers who are out there now and they know better. there are always exceptions, but i don't see teachers as a whole letting that happen.

I disagree, I have 2 of my own children in school (early elementary grades) & I am amazed at how much is done at school electronically!

[melskids]

i JUST read an article on how they are using ROBOTS in korea in the classroom to teach the children english.

its coming sooner then you think.

let me see if i can find the link.......

[QualiTcare]

I disagree, I have 2 of my own children in school (early elementary grades) & I am amazed at how much is done at school electronically!

oh, there are a ton of things that are done electronically. knowing how to use a computer these days is as necessary as teaching a kid to brush their teeth.


that's not the point.

i don't believe that within the next 5-10 years that all teachers will lose their minds and crayons/pencils/papers will be obsolete.

kindergarteners/first graders are still writing every day when they could be typing their stories on the computer and printing them out. most computers have coloring pages and a paint program - they're not using that instead of crayons. it's just not going to happen - not in my lifetime.

[jen]

Who knows, perhaps public education will be a thing of the past. We already have online elementary schools...

http://www.k12.com/

Middle School...

http://iqacademymn.org/program

[melskids]

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.cnet.com%2F8301-17938_105-20026714-1.html&h=cef95

about robot teachers....