Technology Helps Bring Families Together For Good Times

Thursday, March 1, 2007

(NAPSA)—There’s no denying the fact that kids love technology. From cell phones to digital music players, it seems they are always interested in the latest gadgets anddigital trends. Wendy Smolen is a toy authority and the former deputy editor of a popular children’s magazine. She is also mom to three kids who have literally gone from cradle to college playing with the toys she tests. Smolen says playing with her kids keeps her on hertoes, and more often than not, gives both parent and child a chance to shine in different ways. Together with Microsoft, she offers a new spin on traditional ways to bring the family closer this season. Take Back GameNight The family that plays together stays together, and Xbox 360 offers unique ways to have fun whether everyone is under the sameroof or half a world away. Xbox 360 Arcade is a great way to get started. For an estimated retail price of $279 (U.S.), the console comes with five games included such as “Pac-Man” and “Uno.” With Xbox 360 Family Settings, plus more than 200 games rated “E” for everyone, “E10” or “T” for teen, Xbox 360 delivers ageappropriate entertainment for each person in the family. Film-loving families will love “Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action,” a movie trivia game for up to four players or teams. Simplified “buzzer-style” controllers make it easy for nongamers to jump into the action. (ESRB rating: Teen with Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence) You can really crank up family night with rock star antics from each memberof the family. “Guitar has 118 drug andalcohol use. Try involving the entire family in the mealtime experience. Families can find nearly 200 video games rated “E” for everyone, “E10” or “T” for teen on Xbox 360. Hero III: Legends of Rock” allows fans to shred to master tracks from legendary bands such as the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Beastie Boys and Pearl Jam. No guitar experience required, just an ability to rock out and have fun. (ESRB rating: Teen with Lyrics, Mild Suggestive Themes) In addition to great games and entertainment, you can also play digital music, view photos and connect to Xbox LIVE, a social entertainment network that lets families and friends chat via voice and video, and play together from around the world. For additional information, visit http://www.xbox.com. Food for Thought With busy schedules, it’s hard to make timefor the entire family to enjoy a meal together. Yet according to research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, regularly sitting down for meals with your children promotes healthy eating habits and may lower risk for behaviors such as smoking and Together, search sites such as http://www.allrecipes.com or http://www.cooks.com for great recipe ideas and choose your favorite. Using the computer, get creative and compile everyone’s favorite dishes into an original family cookbook or makerecipe cards with themes, then burn them onto CDs to send to grandparents and friends. Scavenger Hunt GoneWild Grab the GPS, fill the back- packs with trail mix and head for the hills on a new kind of family adventure. Geocaching is a hightech treasure hunting game that is taking the nation by storm. Visit http://www.geocaching.com to find GPS coordinates of boxes hidden around the country; there may even be some in your own neighborhood. Searching for clues, the family may be looking in trees and digging holes, not to mention challenging Dad’s mapping skills. Create your own family cache and post it on the Website for others to explore. Have family members pick an item that best represents themselves, building a box the family can visit as a family for years to come. Whatever you decide, take a moment this season to discover new and creative ways to build memories and reconnect the family. Wendy Smolen is co-founder of the Sandbox Summit, a series of seminars and exhibits that explore how technology is affecting the ways kids play. For more information, go to http://www. sandboxsummit.org.

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