kids

Teens avoid awkward conversations with IM

Feeling sheepish about having an awkward conversation with a friend or loved one? For teens, the answer is to have that talk over instant chat, according to a new poll.

An estimated 43 percent of teens who instant message use the tool for emotionally charged conversations, according to a poll from AOL and the Associated Press that was released Thursday. Those conversations might include making and breaking dates.

The poll--which questioned 410 teens and more than 800 parents--found that 22 percent of teens use IM to ask people out on a date or accept one, and 13 percent of teens … Read more

Toy delivers 'date-rape' drug when ingested

The CNN article about the Aqua Dots product recall says:

U.S. safety officials have recalled about 4.2 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots bead toys that contain a chemical that has caused some children to vomit and become comatose after swallowing them.

We immediately did our own product recall, removing the unsafe toy from our house last night after our daughter went to bed. But how did this product get into our house in the first place?… Read more

'Baby Laptop' will whip that 1-year-old into shape

Now that the OLPC is finally becoming a reality, it's time to get your kids up to speed so they can compete in the global economy--and it's never too soon to start.

Hardware and software for preschoolers have been around for years, of course, but do you really want to wait that long before they become computer-savvy? To give them a running--or crawling--start, there's always Discovery's "Baby Laptop" as seen on Random Good Stuff.

The Baby Laptop helps teach numbers, colors, shapes and the alphabet, at least in concept, in six learning activities. And … Read more

Episode 597: Duh. Google phone.

Power Downloader monitors computer usage

After a recent attack on Power Downloader's home system, Power wanted to find a way to monitor or block usage on his computer while away. Ideally, Power wanted a program that could block usage of certain applications and record usage if a bad guy somehow accessed his system. With the holiday season just around the corner, Power knew that he would probably need to take extra precautions.… Read more

Throwing the book at cyberbullies

The school bully isn't necessarily that oversized, physically intimidating kid anymore.

Humiliation by words has become just as popular--if not more so--as children's social lives have migrated online.

Patricia Agatston, a licensed professional counselor and consultant on the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program; Robin Kowalski, professor of psychology at Clemson University; and Sue Limber, director of the Center on Youth Participation and Human Rights at Clemson University, have written a book on the topic.

The authors of Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age, which comes out November 14, interviewed approximately 150 middle and high school students during the … Read more

Arkansas sixth graders, the latest gadget wonks

Used to turning to Consumer Reports for product reviews? You might want to bookmark MrCoversClassReviews.com.

Sixth graders at Fox Meadow Intermediate Center in Jonesboro, Ark., have started testing consumer products and posting their reviews online. And given their clear and thorough assessments, it looks like Jonesboro may have a future David Pogue or Walt Mossberg in its ranks.

Students in Millard Cover's reading classes are getting gadget-ey to learn to apply analytical and critical skills to nonfiction. "When we review a product, we first review news releases, advertising, packaging, manuals, and other written materials to see how … Read more

Playhut opens kids' virtual world

Correction: This blog initially misstated the day of the announcement. It is Tuesday.

More toy makers are joining the virtual worlds' fray. Playhut, a toy company known for making physical play structures like inflatable fire engines or playhouses for kids, is trying its hand at online virtual worlds for the 6 years and older set.

On Tuesday, the company said it launched two online worlds--one for boys and one for girls--under the brand GoLive2.com Kraze. The free sites enable members play games, dress up virtual characters and chat with friends--once parents send a permission slip via e-mail to the … Read more

Turn junior into an indie filmmaker

Any parent who's walked in on a kid playing Jackson Pollock on a wall in the house will appreciate this. Rather than bottle up that creative energy--not to mention the fingerpaint--it might be worth investing in one of these digital camcorders made especially for children, complete with 18 special effects and audio tracks that they can incorporate into their first noir classics.

Don't expect any full-length features with only 32MB of built-in memory, though it can be expanded by up to 2GB with an SD card. Once done, you can view the clips on the TV or computer … Read more

Inter Active Toy goes batty

With the holidays right around the corner, here's something to consider stuffing in that stocking. The Vamp from Inter Active Toy is a great gift for kids age 8 and up. It's essentially a radio-controlled flying bat that can be used indoors and outdoors.

Six AA batteries power the remote, which in turn charges the Vamp via a small plug. A full charge--around 15 to 20 minutes--should give you about 8 minutes of flight time. The Vamp retails for $59 and is exclusive to Radio Shack in the United States and Circuit City in Canada. It is expected … Read more