Dork Adore » Kids

LEGO Star Wars Miniland is coming!

Tamsin Worrad — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:45:54 +0000

Last week saw an epic battle between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi take place on the face of Big Ben in the showdown of Good vs Evil with the Sith Lord even getting the tube home afterwards.

OK, it was the Big Ben at Lego Miniland in Windsor and not the real deal, but I don’t think that makes it any less exciting.

Star Wars characters cropped up all over the tiny London replica in honor of the opening of the LEGOLAND Star Wars™ Miniland Experience in Windsor this March.

Seven scenes (one from each film and one from The Clone Wars animated series) will be recreated in painstaking miniature detail using a mind-blowing 1.5million bricks and dozens of talented workers behind the scenes.

The scenes will follow a chronological path through the story, with lighting and sound effects bringing the whole experience to life.

I’m more than a little excited about this launch and I’m not sure I know a sci fan who doesn’t get giddy over the Lego Star Wars™ range. I know it’s wrong but there’s just something so adorable about tiny bad guys!

Are you a fan and will you be visiting when it opens? Let us know below or tweet us @dorkadore!

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They Might Be Giants inspired Blue Canary Night Light

Tamsin Worrad — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:00:40 +0000

They Might be Giants are the band of choice for those of a geek bent – and have been since their formation back in 1982.

Anybody who releases albums such as ‘Here Comes Science‘, featuring songs about space, physics and computer-assisted design, is onto a winner in my book.

However, most people probably know them for their biggest hit, ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul’, an abstract tale about a blue canary-shaped night light who reckons he would have made a rubbish lighthouse.

I told you they were geeky.

In retrospect it seems crazy that nobody thought to produce a canary nightlight to cash in on the popularity of the song.

But worry no more! 21 years after the song was released, Think Geek has stepped up the plate: you can finally have your very own Blue Canary Night Light for just $12.99.

I always think of the night lights as quite an American thing (and as Think Geek is a US-based site you probably will need an adapter), but as a child I was definitely scared of the dark* so I can only see them as a good thing.

Although this is a suitable night light for any child, the real beauty surely lies in enabling parents to have a bit of a cool indie reference in their kid’s bedroom. To be honest I might just have to buy one for myself…but because I love TMBG, not because I’m still afraid of the dark.

Honest.

*I’m pretty sure this fear started after mum let me watch the X-Files. Early sci-fi induction scarred me for life.

Blue Canary Night Light $12.99 from ThinkGeek

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The best children’s story iPad apps

Alex Milway — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:39:43 +0000

With 2012 about to sit squarely on top of 2011 and flatten it to memory, we can be comfortable in the knowledge that children’s book apps are now coming into their own.

The industry that started out with a nice (if limited) Alice in Wonderland, has evolved into a beautiful medium, rich with invention. Stories are no longer there just to be read. They are to be lived!

So which ones are the best?

Kid’s stories on the iPad: A roundup

The team at Nosy Crow are going great guns, pushing lovely illustration into the interactive digital world.

Bizzy Bear, The Three Little Pigs and Cinderella, all combine great visuals and an engaging level of interactive design.

Firmly rooted in storytelling, they complement Nosy Crow’s printed output perfectly. My young, two-year-old tester approves, as do I. These apps really are very good.

Another treat is Hugless Douglas, a great example of a picture book transformed into an app.

Best described as a super-enhanced audio book, with Alan Davies providing the wonderful narration, it turns David Melling’s book into an app worth having.

Peppa Pig’s a winner

Other apps out there, pushing picture books into the future are Hide Run Growl, narrated by a CBeebies presenter.

I found it a bit simplistic compared to Hugless Douglas. My iPad-loving toddler enjoyed all the growling, but was soon disappointed that it didn’t do more, especially after playing with more interactive appery. So young to be so jaded.

Representing children’s TV, you’ve got Peppa Pig’s Party Time (a real hit with my young tester, particularly in the section where you mix the birthday cake. Highly recommended), Postman Pat, and – just like the show itself – a quirky, slightly clunky, charming Ivor the Engine app.

Who wouldn’t want to be Jones Steam?!

Pixar and co

It’s no surprise that an ex-Pixar designer is behind the much talked about The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore – it looks beautiful. But while it’s a nice (if bitty) diversion, the short film does it much better.

Perhaps my two-year-old is a bit young to appreciate the more interactive elements, but some magic was missing for me too.

Another option is the free read-along Toy Story app from Pixar, which is simple but good fun.

And there’s also the lovely Nursery Rhymes app (Nursery Rhymes with StoryTime review on Dork Adore), worth getting for the chance to chop the tails off the Three Blind Nice (and reattach them) over and again – though my daughter would love it even more if it sang instead of said the songs.

Children’s apps have really matured over 2011. Next year’s going to be great.

Let us know which children’s apps your kids are loving at the moment – we’d love to try them!

Alex Milway is a children’s author and illustrator. His latest book, The Magma Conspiracy is out now with Walker Books. For more news, pictures and random gubbins read Alex Milway’s blog .

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Kid Knowledge: HTML for Babies

Emma Cossey — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:00:59 +0000

So, this is weird.

You can now get an HTML guide for children to get them web-savvy before they’ve grown out of their cot. The 16-page book is full of colourful words surrounded by bright HTML tags.

Might not be a bad buy though if you’re pinning your hopes on your offspring becoming the next Zuckerberg.

Your can buy it from Amazon (US) for $8.99.

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Nursery Rhymes for the iPad

Katie — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:14:23 +0000

It might make you cringe at first — the idea that we’re now so phone-fixated we even do our parenting remotely — but once you get over that initial gut response, you’ll probably realise there are plenty of times when you’d quite like to read stories to your child when you’re not actually there to tuck them in.

Nursery Rhymes with StoryTime is not only a beautifully designed interactive story app, it’s also a two-way book that lets you turn the page and read the story out loud while your child plays with the characters and gives you feedback on your performance.

Check out Susi‘s review on Frackulous for a demo of how the iPhone and iPad link up to let you tell the story. And if you can’t face thinking that you’ll ever be putting your babies to bed via iPhone, just imagine how useful it would be in the car.

More app reviews on Frackulous
Get the Nursery Rhymes StoryTime app

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LEGO does the Royal Wedding

Tamsin Worrad — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:23:38 +0000

Featuring 180,000 bricks (who counted?), almost 400 LEGO figures and at 2.5m high and over 60kg, this amazing structure was built by only four adults in eight weeks. It’s two and a half meters high and weighs over 60kg. The attention to detail is breathtaking — even the stained glass windows have been replicated using transparent bricks!

Other than the LEGO William & Kate the constructors used only figures/bricks currently available in stores so there’s no excuse not to have a go at home. The happy couple themselves were created specially for the construction at LEGO HQ in Denmark.

LEGO Westminster Abbey

The replica will goes on display today (Thursday 28th April) at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester which a great day out in it’s own right and somewhere I loved as a child.

The 28th – 29th April will be dedicated to Europe’s first conference for AFOLS (Adult Fans of LEGO – who knew?) and attendees are encouraged to bring their own constructions to show off. You can take a peek at these yourself when the convention opens to the public from 30th April to the 1st May

Fear not if you’re not up North — the structure will then be going on a Royal Tour across Denmark, Holland and the UK.

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LEGO Star Wars T-6 Jedi Shuttle: Dork Review

Joanne Mallon — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:19:33 +0000

Sometimes I think the deciding factor when you’re a geek thinking of becoming a parent is that at last you will have an excuse to buy lots of cool Star Wars gear. I mean, why was there no LEGO Star Wars when we were kids?

Praise the Jedi, there’s plenty of it now.

Newly released for 2011 in the LEGO Star Wars range is the T-6 Jedi Shuttle. By now all the iconic Star Wars visuals have already been recreated in LEGO, so we’re down to the stuff you might not know as well, but which still looks pretty cool because, let’s face it, it’s Star Wars.

Cool points on this substantial model for the ace red and white design, rotating wing action, missiles to flick and a detachable cockpit that turns into an escape pod.

Four mini-figures are included: Anakin Skywalker (looking quite youthful, but already showing a penchant for dressing in black. We know where that’s going), Obi-Wan Kenobi (think plastic Ewan McGregor with wild staring eyes), and new Jedi Masters Shaak Ti and Saesee Tiin (not the most well-known of Jedi, it’s true, but satisfyingly alien and complete with their own lightsabers).

LEGO is suitable for children

The box states that this set is suitable for ages 8 -14, and my son (nearly and I (let’s just say over 14) took around two hours to build it between us.

The instructions are fairly simple, but it is a complex build that you have to concentrate on to get right. We stopped and remodelled quite a few times.

I find that LEGO Star Wars models are never the sturdiest of toys, and with this one the wings have a habit of detaching themselves mid-battle. But then you can rebuild, mash them up with other models and create your own galaxy far, far away.

Which is how the best creative play starts.

LEGO Star Wars T-6 Jedi Shuttle™ (#7931 RRP £49.99) is out now. Currently reduced to £43.99 at Play.com and Amazon

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Star Trek Mr Potato Heads

Tamsin Worrad — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:49 +0000

I don’t think I’ve been this excited about the release of a toy in, well, ever.

This August sees the release of the Star Trek: The Original Series Mr Potato Heads by PPW Toys, retailing at $30 a set (approximately £19). The first two in the range will be Captain Kirk and his Klingon nemesis Kor, and I’m hoping we get a Mr Spock version shortly afterwards.

Of course, being the fully flexible Mr Potato heads we know and love from our childhood, it will be perfectly possible to mix and match the components to create your own weird alien hybrids.

However, Dean Gorby, business manager of PPW Toys, says that they ‘wanted to ensure that the figures could be enjoyed and displayed even if they were never played with’ which I think shows a good understanding of their customer base right there. Although I do imagine most of these will end up sitting in the box on a collector’s shelf, I would absolutely have to play with mine. I know, I’m a terrible sci-fi nerd.

I’d also really like to see a range of these toys from Star Trek: The Next Generation because I can’t be the only one who thinks a Borg Mr Potato Head would be really, really fun.

What other Sci Fi series do you think are ripe for a Mr Potato Head make-over now that Star Wars and Star Trek have had a go?

Source: Star Trek press release

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Toyology: Which toys are top this Christmas?

Emma Cossey — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:00:16 +0000

Stuck for what to get your kids this Christmas? Then you’re either very lucky to have a child with a conservative Dear Santa list, or they’re not old enough to write yet. Either way, you’re probably looking for a bit of inspiration of what to fill their stocking with.

Which brings us to Toyology. The Toys and Playthings Show features real kids and adults putting the latest toys and games to the test. There are three episodes up at the moment, and you can see episode three below which features bouncing dolls Baby Alive and Fur Real’s Go Go The Walking Pup…

What are you getting your kids for Christmas?

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Beatles Yellow Submarine Buggy from Maclaren

Katie — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:00:33 +0000

Once the initial novelty of wheeling your enormous great baby transport system round the place wears off (usually around the time your little one turns into an enormous great baby), most parents see the light and purchase a Maclaren. I’ve yet to meet a parent who says “we miss the Bugaboo, this Maclaren is far too lightweight and easy to fold”.

But if you need yet another reason to switch from your oil tanker-sized travel system, the fact that Maclaren now offers a Yellow Submarine version of their lightweight buggy should be enough to sway you.

The Yellow Submarine Maclaren Buggy is available from:

Beatles Yellow Submarine Stroller, Very, £220
Maclaren ‘The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Buggy, Pramworld, £220
Other Maclaren Strollers, Amazon.

Oh, and the press release arrived with the Beatles Rockabye baby album (£9.99 Amazon), which is brilliant.

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Dork Adore » Kids

LEGO Star Wars Miniland is coming!

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They Might Be Giants inspired Blue Canary Night Light

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The best children’s story iPad apps

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