No longer do women have to dread the boredom of being around a bunch of women they don’t know at baby showers. The new card game Oh Baby allows baby shower-goers to break the ice and interact with each other with a humorous twist on pregnancy and childbirth.

Released by Get Well Games, Oh Baby: The Pregnancy Card Game reproduces the stages of pregnancy through the seasons, of which both mothers and mothers-to-be can easily relate. The game can be played by up to six players at a time, with each game lasting from 10-15 minutes.

Oh Baby is perfect for baby showers, engaging women at each and every table. Users have created a contest out of it, with a game set at each table, along with prizes for the winners. The game incorporates well with the new trend of “Gender Reveal Parties,” including both men and women in the game and the excitement of finding out the baby gender. Men can relate to the stages and symptoms their partners are facing, turning a pregnancy into laughs that can be shared with friends.

The new Oh Baby game is also a great gift for any expecting parent and is sure to cause a smile, as well as some always-needed laughs.

The Oh Baby card game is available on the Get Well Games website at www.getwellgames.com for $12 each, or $100 for a set of 10 card games.

Get Well Games was founded by New Jersey resident Christopher Burtt in 2013. He was inspired to create his first game “Back Up,” following his recovery from back surgery. Burtt believes that laughter is the best medicine and players can visualize feeling better while laughing about their issues.

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Lakeshore (www.lakeshorelearning.com) launches a new series of play-at-home games designed to prepare children for the next grade of school —Are You Ready? Game Shows®. This exclusive set of innovative and interactive learning games provides an easy way for parents to prevent summer learning loss and improve children’s school performance in the coming year.

Developed by Lakeshore’s team of expert teachers, these new games target the most essential math and language skills needed for success in kindergarten through 5^th grade—while keeping kids incredibly engaged as they take on the exciting role of game-show contestants. Each Are You Ready? Game Show® comes packed with six different games that put children’s skills to the test as they answer questions, earn pretend cash and win cool rewards.

Included with each game is a free online assessment that shows parents the exact skills their child may need to work on. Parents simply enter the game results on Lakeshore’s website, and they instantly receive free printable activities that target the skills their child needs to polish before the new school year begins. As an added bonus, Lakeshore also provides product suggestions aligned to those skills for even deeper levels of support.

“Our Are You Ready? Game Shows® were created to help prepare children for the upcoming school year,” said Patti Rommel, Lakeshore’s Director of Research & Development. “According to the National Summer Learning Association, students can lose over two months of grade-level equivalency during summer—so we’re thrilled to be offering parents games that pinpoint important skills, prevent summer learning loss and are fun for their kids to play.” 

Lakeshore’s Are You Ready? Game Shows® are available at lakeshorelearning.com and at Lakeshore Learning Stores nationwide for only $29.99 each. To learn more about these innovative games, please visit lakeshorelearning.com/areyouready.

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By Lincoln McElwee

There are individuals out there who can engage in some serious gaming! They can ace a serve at Wii tennis or tear up the dance floor playing Dance, Dance Revolution. And there are those who are also deadly at Assassin’s Creed and even expert marksmen at Call of Duty.

The interesting thing about gamers is that, for the most part, if you ask someone to think about the demographic of gamers as a whole, very few people imagine mothers as part of this demographic. Though this undoubtedly has more to do with social conditioning than anything else, given that we are now living in the 21^st century, I’d say it is a great time to break down some unnecessary boundaries!

In other words, the fact that gaming consoles evolve just as fashion, trends and society evolve, means that each and every member of the family can now have a stake in game time.

If we can do away with the stereotypes of moms who don’t play video games at all but who buy games and gaming consoles for either husbands and/or children with no thought of what these consoles can possibly provide, of what relevance these consoles may have in their day-to-day lives, then we are one step closer to using a “box” to think outside of the box!

Indeed, with companies like Microsoft that are making strides to connect gaming with every member of the family, moms can indeed benefit from the very same gaming consoles that are stereotypically thought of as only suited for children and/or men 

Microsoft released the Xbox in 2001. The console as most of us know it now – the Xbox 360 – was released in 2005, with its latest emanation, the Xbox One, scheduled for release some time later this year.

To make gaming more user-friendly, and perhaps more appealing to every member of the family, Microsoft released the Xbox 360 Kinect in 2010, as well as a version for Windows PC in 2012. Kinect is a motioning sensor device that can be used along with the Xbox 360 console and allows users to interface with the gaming console or PC through gestures and spoken commands without even touching a game controller.

Guinessworldrecords.com has confirmed that Microsoft’s Kinect claimed the Guinness World Record for being the “fastest selling consumer electronics device” after it managed to sell a total of 8 million units in its first 60 days! And as various advertisements and commercials for Kinect and Kinect products attest to, the fun that can be had with the device is indeed fun for the entire family!

So what does all of this have to do with gaming and exercise? Everything!

By using the Kinect’s motionless technology for no-hands gaming, moms can easily take command of Xbox “games,” such as Nike+ Kinect Training, Zumba Fitness, UFC Personal Trainer, Harley Pasternak’s Hollywood Workout, The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout, and Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Adventure.  

All of these games have one goal in mind: having the maximum amount of comfort and control all while losing weight or staying in shape and having fun!

And so along with the pure thrill that comes from playing video games that keep you active is the fun of playing games with the ones you love. What’s more, with the new gaming devices, you can even tap into a global family by tapping into online communities of like-minded gamers. You can join teams and chat with people around the world about your workouts; you can get instant, virtual updates on your progress and record your workouts with the gaming console’s memory unit. The best part of using these gaming “boxes,” in my opinion, is that you now have the advantage of exercising right in your own home from a box that benefits the entire family!

And the pros of this new type of home gym far outweigh any arguments that might try to counter gaming or buying game consoles in general. For instance, there is no sweaty exercise equipment that needs to be wiped down with a squeegee and a bottle of peroxide, no ogling eyes or machine loiterers talking about how many pounds they can bench press or reps they can do, and workouts can be done at your own pace while actually enjoying the workout.

Additionally, consoles like the Xbox 360 double as actual DVD players, while Sony’s PlayStation 3 console allows you to play Blu-ray DVDs. 

With all of the remarkable advantages to gaming, it’s time for the entire family to get involved in all of the benefits that can be had from owning a gaming console. 

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According to a Common Sense Media survey of kids aged 0 to 8 years old, children under eight spend an average of 25 minutes per day playing video games. This hyper prevalence of virtual gaming at even the earliest ages gives parents an obvious cause for concern.

 Renowned family psychologist, Dr. Frank Gaskill PhD, is a leading pioneer in using online games to connect with kids and teens and is also one of the most active family psychologists on social media in the country. He insists that gaming gets a bad rap!  With boundaries, planning, and moderation, you and your kids can use gaming for good. 

   Here are some tips from Dr. Gaskill

1. Self-discipline and frustration tolerance

Gaming, as with any activity, can be frustrating when you first play or when you play new and difficult games.  The trick is to learn to “struggle well.”  When the game gets frustrating or problematic, teach kids to step away, seek help, and calm themselves to think better about the game.  This is true for all of life’s struggles.  Whether in sport, work, or even relationships, learning to step away and breathe can be an awesome skill.  Take a breath and re-approach and you are far more likely to succeed.

Action step:  Limit gaming to weekends and allow your kid to pick one day during the week.  Set semi-flexible gaming time – an hour a day on weekends and a half hour or an hour on a weekday.  Feel free to reward with more or restrict if needed. 

2. Connection and quality time

Gaming can be a way to connect.  Have you ever cooperated with your 6 year old on Lego Star Wars?  It’s amazing when a youngster can help you solve problems in the game.  It gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride in showing us older folks how to succeed.  Plus, you get to spend time with your child and when they are playing, they are more likely to talk to you and tell you’re about their lives.  They feel you are invested in them and in their world.  Let them direct sometimes and you’ll be surprised what they share.  Game and connect!

Action step: Play a game with your child for 30 minutes a week.  Make it your play date.  Go with them online to research new games and watch trailers about games you played when you were a child.  Teach them about Atari! 

3. Strategy and problem-solving

Gaming is not always simple or passive in the least.  You need to cooperate, think ahead, and plan.  Strategy needs to be taught.  Cooperative game play such as the Lego series or even team strategy on the Halo series can translate into real life.  Older games like the SIMS as well as several iPad games teach kids how to budget their money or points to save up for bigger items.

Action Step:  Talk about a child’s goals with them (buying a new toy, saving up for a trip, etc.) and translate this into some of their favorite game conversations.  Should they buy that little item in Lego Star Wars? Or, should they wait and buy something bigger later?  Challenge them in their games to delay gratification and go for the bigger items sometimes.  When they achieve their goals, praise them!

4. Stress Relief and imagination

We all love a good book.  Do you know that the most cutting edge story telling is now through the world of video games?  Learn about Mario’s trials, the Master Chief’s efforts to save the world, and a never-ending tale of first round drafts through the Madden NFL series.  Blow off some steam and enjoy a good story where you are the hero!

Action Steps: Read the books that inspired games.  For older kids, have them read about Halo rather than just play it.  Before they play the Hobbit video games, have them read the series’ first.  Games become even richer. 

5. Parenting Tool

Gaming can be fun, informative, and exciting.  What other parenting tool gives you all of this?!  You can use games to reinforce good choices, as a way of connecting with your kids and also as a way of educating them.  Tykoon.com is a tool I use to teach the value of money and how money works with my clients as well as with my own kids. Tykoon.com informs families and kids about how to earn, save, give, and spend. Their chore charts act to manage family workflow and emphasize accountability.

Action Steps:  Give Tykoon.com a try, and watch as your kids work for real life and virtual rewards. For good choices and responsibility, feel free to throw in some extra game time. Quality time and connection makes it easier to get that little guy or girl to actually want to help you out at home.

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