Matchstick

Category: for 11-year-olds

  • Spaceflight Simulator

    Every week we try out at least 5 different apps, either on an Android phone or the iPad. They are all free except for the rare occasion when we decide that the paid version will be worth it (e.g. in the case of Plants vs. Zombies). The apps are free usually because they have ads,…

  • Slingball

    [amazon_link asins=’B06XH36HFP’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’445435d2-427b-11e8-9784-65fb46f3a333′] This was a gift from Grandma. She found it for $4.99 at a drugstore or somewhere like that. It was not meant to be a Major Gift (the way Lego sets are, for birthdays and Christmas) but the Slingball set ended up being the Essential Toy that went with…

  • Kubo and the Two Strings

    [amazon_link asins=’B01K5BSWX0′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’06c34dc5-222f-11e8-83ec-33b1390ae0eb’] This is a movie that flew under the radar (at least my radar) and I hadn’t heard of it until we stumbled upon it on Netflix while searching in vain for a Miyazaki movie. Of course, since having kids my culture and media radar is essentially non-operational and I…

  • EcoLunchBox

    [amazon_link asins=’B0040MH642′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d840cbf3-1fef-11e8-b1c5-cf94e78a1529′] When the kids started kindergarten, we began the ritual of packing lunches, but were concerned about the cost, health aspects, and environmental problems with using little plastic sandwich bags. So we splurged (~$30) on a metal ‘bento box’ we found online. We got the Three-in-one and we’ve used it…

  • Chrome Music Lab

    Chrome Music Lab is a collection of 13 free online musical ‘toys’ that let kids (and adults) play with music and in the process, learn something about pitch, rhythm, and structure. They require no instruments or musical knowledge. The site relies on JavaScript, which is supported on all browsers on all devices. Each ‘toy’ (or…

  • Magformers

    [amazon_link asins=’B002NGOH1W’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4abc6a27-1d6e-11e8-a40d-c5c0ca798c19′] These things have been standard fare at childrens’ museums and science museums since they were developed in 2008. I had seen them many times but didn’t know what they were called. Unlike some other magnetic toys, these are perfectly safe for infants to gnaw on. From the website: “Each…

  • Games World of Puzzles

    [amazon_link asins=’B01KKLIO9W’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’62b5cded-1d6e-11e8-84c5-9fe4bce2f500′] Games Magazine has been around for 40 years. I was around 8 when I started getting it. I couldn’t do most of the puzzles in there but enjoyed the ones I could, and strived to do better each issue and try new puzzles. The format of the magazine has…

  • Planet Plates

    [amazon_link asins=’B00HWGP9W4′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’c6e910fb-180b-11e8-8e82-d5d01465bbc8′] The kids got these as a gift one year. I think we, as well as the giver thought of it as just a novelty that might not get much use, but the plates have become an essential part of our kitchen and we have used them just about every…

  • Plants vs. Zombies

    [amazon_link asins=’B003VJKJG2′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8ec9d2a2-159d-11e8-ba90-f1c355913de5′] We didn’t even had kids yet when this game first came out. And there is a whole group of elementary school-age kids who can now rediscover what was a huge hit back in 2009/2010. I think it’s one of the great games, in terms of theme, design, and extensive…

  • Steam Powered Giraffe

    [amazon_link asins=’B0086JZPNO’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’matchstickkidboo’ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’2bb5338a-10e9-11e8-b7e0-d3656075f555′] It has been fascinating to watch this band evolve over the past ten years. From busking at Balboa park in San Diego to a huge theatrical production on a constant nationwide tour. From their website: Steam Powered Giraffe is a musical project from San Diego, California. It was formed…