@stemlabkids Bertie the Balance Bot Review

I really like toys that kids can build themselves. Recently Isaak got Bertie the Balance Bot from STEM Lab Kids to review. 

I was thinking he'd want help building Bertie. NOPE! Isaak wanted to build Bertie the Balance Bot himself. I sat back, watched, and took pictures between each step. 

It took about an hour for the bot to be built. It was a good afternoon. Isaak didn't get too frustrated. He did make a mistake, but it was way at the end. All was good. 

Parts:

There weren't a lot of parts. 

• Wooden pieces that were pre die cut
• Plastic pieces
• Screws - the set included extras if needed
• A battery holder
• Batteries
• A mini screwdriver
• Stickers
• A manual 
• A file - I'm assuming was for the wooden pieces if needed 

Isaak got right to work!

The manual wasn't too hard to figure out. He only struggled with two areas. Considering this toy was made in China, I was wondering if the instructions would be hard to follow. They weren't. 

The wheels were first on the list to be built. Popping them out of their wooden background makes Isaak uneasy. He feels like he's going to break them. I suggested he use a kitchen knife to help him push the pieces out. Of course you wouldn't want to make this suggestion, for any kid younger than Isaak. I was watching him the whole time. 

Isaak liked that the instructions had visual photos, along with text. He's an artsy kid, so visuals help. 

Step 1: 

Sometimes Isaak and I take things a bit to literal. One of the first instructions was to insert the axle into the pulley. They mentioned to use a wooden piece to help push it in. In the visual they show a wooden piece pushing the axle. Isaak was looking for that exact wooden piece, but the piece didn't exist. It was just to assist with pushing the axle in. I suggested to Isaak he go use his hammer he had from Lowes Clinic. He got that, and tapped the axle into place. 

Step 2:

Isaak got to put the battery holder in. 

The Middle Steps: 

Forming the box wasn't too hard. Isaak didn't need any help.

Finishing the last cube like panel was hard, for Isaak. He got it. 

Finishing it up:

I always panic inside when kids get to this point. Like will it work? Did he do this all for nothing? I knew this was for a review, so it could have totally flopped.

Isaak messed up with the batteries. That's something I've done countless times. What can I say? He's my son. We were both thinking it was not going to work. I suggested he put the batteries in the other way. Boom it worked. 

Finishing Touches:

Isaak used the stickers to decorate Bertie. You could go as far as painting the bot if you wanted to. 

Positives: 

• It encourages STEM Learning = Science | Technology | Engineering | Math 
• There's problem solving skills that occur with this toy
• Kids make Bertie the Balance Bot themselves 

Negatives: 

• They left out "A" in STEM to be STEAM - A = Art - Bertie uses art with the stickers and kids designing it themselves - Being a former art instructor this is important to me 
• The batteries are not the best brand
• The toy its self was made in China

Overall I think it's fun to watch kids process through something. It was like watching Isaak's brain wheels move right along with Bertie's actual wheels. 

Disclaimer: I got this product for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Code Piano Review - Teach Kids Coding, From @LetsStartCoding! #LetsStartCoding #Coding

This was the first year Isaak didn't believe in Santa. I should be thankful that he believed, for so long. He's in sixth grade, and I stopped believing in fourth grade. I wanted it to be a special Christmas for him. I kept reminding him that the spirit of Santa is still real. You can look up Saint Nicholas, and he was in fact a real, and giving person.

One of my favorite gifts that Isaak got, was Code Piano from Lets Start Coding. 
  

I was going to put it in his stocking, but decided I wanted to make it a bigger gift than that. I put it in a big box, filled with confetti, a note in there that he'd start actual Piano Lessons towards the end of January, and wrapped it. Code Piano is a perfect stocking stuffer size.

Learning how to play the piano has been therapy for Isaak. If he gets frustrated with his homework we tell him to go play his keyboard. It takes all frustrations away. It's the only thing I've found that works to calm him down, when he's really frustrated. I knew Code Piano would be up there on his list!

If you don't like to play the piano, that's ok. It's really mostly about coding. Lets Start Coding does have other sets!

• Code Piano $44.99
• Code Speaker $19.99
• Code Rocket $44.99
• Code Car $44.99

I have to admit I was apprehensive about Isaak starting to use Code Piano. I just kept thinking, What if we can't help him? The product was new to me as well. 

If there's one thing I disagree with, it's the age range 8-12. I think it's for ages 8 and up! It would be good, for a lot of adults to use.

Isaak kept saying, "I know how to code. Let's do this." So we did. The cards can seem like foreign language if you're not familiar with coding. They are helpful when you dive in to the project.

We read all the cards, and just decided to begin. They have everything you need to get started. It will work on my Macbook from work, but not my newer laptop I own. The newer one has no USB ports. There are adapters, but as is it won't work. 

Once it's plugged in, a download comes up, for the application. That was the one thing I wasn't sure where to put the coding in. It simply worked right after it was plugging it in.

From there are tips, videos, quizzes, and sample code to use.

If you code wrong, your code highlights in red. That way you know to fix it.

Isaak started out just like me, knowing what to do, but really knowing nothing. Ha! He got lots of code that was red, and not working. Thankfully they do have a refresh button.

We left him home alone, to do his thing. He called when we got a few blocks away. "Dad! I did something! Listen!" A few notes chimed in. He called a few more times after that. He was excited about his accomplishments!

I got home, and we did our video. He learned a lot in the few hours we were gone. He still needs to learn more. If he knew everything, Code Piano wouldn't be as fun. He'd have nothing to learn.

What I really loved, was that there was notes from Isaak all over my note page about the product. He said, "Mom I had to do some math to figure out some of the coding. You need math to code." I said, "Remember that when you tell me that you will never use math in the real world." 

I'd say Code Piano is a success! It's a toy, but also a learning device. 

Questions for you:

Do you know how to code well? Do you find it challenging? 

Out of all the sets they have, Which one would you choose: Code Piano, Code Rocket, Code Speaker, or Code Car?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free in exchange for an honest review. 

#gameweek With Tri-Ominos

Memories:

I have never played Tri-Ominos before. I have great memories of playing board games with my family when I was a kid! I do remember playing a Domino Game called Chicken Scratch. This game seemed similar.

Mica and Isaak have some great friends that love game nights. I was hoping to include them in some reviews, but one of them just had brain surgery. Right now the one kid's eyes are bothering him from surgery. We'll soon have them over to play games soon.

Tri-Ominos is a great game for ages 8 and up! With the boys getting older, it's important to find games that are not too elementary.

Game Contents:

• Four Racks
• 56 Crystalline Deluxe Pieces With Brass Spinners
• Instructions
• A Fun Triangle Hard Cardboard Case

Set Up:

This is for two to four players. Ages 8 and up.

Scramble the fifty six triangle tiles up. Playing with two players: Each player will take nine Tri-Omino tiles and place them in their tray. Playing with tree or four players: Each player will take seven Tri-Omino tiles each.

Pick a scorekeeper to write down each player's name, and points throughout the game.

Start the Game:

The player with the highest number starts by placing it on the table.

If three of the same number can be can be played, that player earns 10 bonus points.

The Scorekeeper keeps track of the points earned throughout the game.

Objective:

The first player to get 400 points wins the game.

Encourages STEM or STEAM:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Art
• Math

The boys liked this game! It was fairly quick. While there is some strategy, some of it's chance - what tiles are picked have to do with their chances of winning.

Have you played Tri Ominos before?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free from  Goliath Games | Pressman Toy Company in exchange for an honest review. Pressman did not tell me what to say for this review. All opinions are my own. 

#gameweek With Rummikub

Memories:

One of my favorite games is Rummikub. I played it a lot growing up at family gatherings. It most certainly brings back memories. My Aunt Becky introduced it to us, and My Grandma that is no longer with us loved to play!

Everyone would sort of get annoyed with me because when I was around 10 (Isaak's age) I'd dismantle the whole game just to try and figure out how to get my tiles played.

I tried to get my kids to enjoy Rummikub like I did. They didn't seem to take to it. Possibly it's because I played so much growing up that I won every single time!

That's until lately! Even though I won most of the time, I taught the kids how to play too. I just played the boys and came in last place! Yep my ego is heartbroken. Ha! I'm just glad they finally learned how to play well enough to kick my butt!

Game Contents:

• Four Wooden Racks
• 106 High Quality, Durable Tiles, Including Two Jokers
• Instructions
• A Wooden Case 

How to Play:

This is for two to four players. Ages 8 and up.

Scramble the tiles up, pick 14 tiles.

Organize the tiles by runs (same color in number order) and three of a kind (same number, different colors). You have to have 3 tiles in both sets and three of a kind to put them on the board. You can have more than three, but not less than three. Don't let your opponent(s) see your tiles.

We play youngest to oldest, but you can draw a tile to see who goes first. Whoever has the highest tile starts the game off.

You can play if your tiles = 30 points. If you have a joker, it can equal any tile, and equals 30 points right away. If not you can not play, draw, and it's the next player's turn. You can not go after you've drawn.

Once you've laid out, and it passes one more round you can lay tiles on other people's runs or three of a kind to equal a four of a kind, You can steel a fourth tile to add to two of your tiles to make another three of a kind, or run. You can split in a run up to play more tiles within it.

Anything goes!

Three or four of a kinds have different colors, and more than three tiles. Runs have to have the same color, and at least three tiles.

Objective:

The objective is to get rid of all your tiles.

Encourages STEM or STEAM:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Art
• Math

Rummikub is about pattern recognition, and planning skills.

I love this game because it makes the players think!

What's your favorite board game that includes numbers?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free from  Goliath Games | Pressman Toy Company in exchange for an honest review. Pressman did not tell me what to say for this review. All opinions are my own. 

Brick Logic By Think Fun

Brick Logic is a new fun game by Think Fun!

Brick Logic is a challenging one player game.

It makes the player think in 3-D.

How to Play:

1. There is a set of 60 challenge cards. Each challenge is different.

2. Once the challenge is picked, the player then tries to build it with the 5 brick pieces.

Challenge 1:

Challenge 2:

It's not as easy as it looks. Some of those bricks are already connected. It's all about moving the bricks around to match the challenge. I have 58 challenges to go. Ha!

Brick Logic, as part of Think Fun special collection of STEM games:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Math

It really expands the mind with all that variety of spacial thinking. I think games like this are fun for kids and adults. In fact many of these puzzle type games help reduce one's risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. This game is for ages 8 and up. I think Isaak will enjoy it. I plan on giving to him for Christmas.

As explained in her book, Mindsets in the Classroom, Mary Cay Ricci implemented a Growth Mindset Project that inserted Think Fun games into 53 classrooms.

Mary Cay Ricci writes: 

These games, in partnership with growth mindsets lessons, showed unexpected results in just 7 months. Not only did the teachers report increased motivation and persistence, but the data showed growth in reasoning abilities All 6 schools averaged growth of 8 percentile points in analogical reasoning and 7 percentile points for quantitative reasoning.

Cost:

$14.99

Bag:

The game Brick Logic also comes with a bag to make it easy to transport.

Disclaimer: I got this game to review. Think Fun in no way expected me to write this review. I wrote it because I love Think Fun, and their STEM friendly games.

Blue Building Baseplate 5x5 8 pack Review

My boys play with Legos much of the time. The problem is that Legos are so expensive. I'm finding that off shoot brands are pretty good to. They don't put a dent in your wallet.

We never really had any baseplates to play with. Now we do. I got a Blue Building Baseplate - 8 pack that is 5"x5" to review. They are made by Click n' Play. The cost is $13.61.

Gift of the Season:

• They are going in my kid's stockings. They are the perfect size for a stocking gift. 
• This would be great for any nerdy White Elephant gift. I have a lot of artist friends that still love building with Legos, or similar building toys. 
• You could donate these to a local school, or library for a Lego Club that they have. We have Lego Clubs at both the boy's school, and library. 
• You could donate these for Toys for Tots, a hospital that has children there long term, or other non-profit that gives to children. I love giving, but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg when I give. It's more the thought that is there for me. This would be a great gift for a kid in need. 
• They'd be great for birthday party bags. 

I did a little snooping in Mica's room to find some of his recent constructions to play with. These baseplates just keep the models connected, and make it easy to display them. 

Don't run out of baseplates again with this 8 pack 5x5 inch Blue plates! They are compatible with all major building bricks company's. I did find them best for what they are suited for - baseplates. I tried putting one on top of a construction, and it didn't fit as tight as the Lego ones. They do keep your creations together for small models, and make it easy to carry and display them.

These are ideal for group building with family, friends, and building clubs.  

Recommended for age 3 and up. Not for DUPLO sized blocks. The plates are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by Lego, a registered trademark of Lego Systems.

Do you have kid in your family that likes to build? I find that my kids build the sets 3 or 4 times, then abandon that to make their own things.

    
 

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free in exchange for a review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.