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Hasbro and Mattel jump on the app train

Recall the days when there was a staunch divide between classic toys and digital devices?

In a classic “If you can’t beat ‘em,  join ‘em” quandary, major toy makers are now adapting many enduring childhood favourite games for the digital age. Mattel is introducing a line of games called Apptivity for their classic brands including Hot Wheels, Fisher Price and Barbie. Following suit, Hasbro has released zAPPed editions of The Game of Life and Scrabble.

In a recent article by The New York Times, Mattel senior vice president for marketing Chuck Scothon said, “We know kids are going to play with technology, with iPhones and iPads and Android devices, our job is not necessarily to avoid that, but if you can fix it, feature it.”  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

A new version of Monopoly is set to come out with no money, no dice and no chance cards. Instead, a computer in the middle of the board will run things. The New York Times reports that this is to make the classic boardgame more appealing for the video game-low attention span generation.

Tired of looking at your baby’s bald head? Baby’s head cold and a hat doesn’t quite cut it? Or maybe you just want your baby to fulfill her true purpose in her young, baby life: entertaining you. Check out this crochet wig pattern and craft your baby some yarn hair.

A pop-up kindergarten in Tahrir Square? Since all the Cairo schools were closed during the protests, and parents didn’t want to miss out on the protests, when the demonstrations calmed down a little, they simply brought the young ones along. Some genius demonstration organizers set up a makeshift kindergarten so the kids could take part in history. Via BoingBoing  Read more...