Gululu, The Interactive Water Bottle for Kids, Launches Gululu Go

The most portable and interactive design yet,

Gululu Go “talks back” to kids as it motivates them to keep hydrate

 Gululu, the world’s first interactive water bottle designed to keep kids hydrated, has just announced the international launch of Gululu Go, a lighter, more portable version with a sound speaker. This marks a major step forward in the product’s interactivity and toward the brand’s goal of enabling kids to love drinking water and build a healthy habit.

According to a recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health, dehydration in children can result in poor health, including cognitive and emotional problems, and is associated with diabetes and obesity. Research by the UK Natural Hydration Council found that if children become dehydrated, their auditory number span, visual attention and fine motor skills in school – such as their handwriting and ability to copy text – will be significantly reduced.

Invented by Bowhead Technology, Gululu ensures that children stay hydrated by engaging them to care for a virtual pet. As kids drink more water from their Gululu interactive water bottle, their chosen virtual pet grows and makes friends. At the same time, Gululu keeps parents informed of their children’s hydration progress through a connected smartphone app.

Gululu Go is the latest introduction to the brand’s innovative line and is smaller, lighter, and therefore easily portable. Most significantly, Gululu Go features a sound speaker, which allows the Gululu pets to talk to children for the first time, using over 200 phrases and different voices for the individual pet characters.

After releasing over 15 versions of the game and app since its global launch in October 2016, Gululu has developed an operational model of frequent content updates to keep users continuously engaged toward building a healthy habit. Every two to three weeks, Gululu introduces additional features, such as new thematic online campaigns, new drinking animations, new accessories for pets, new sound effects and new audio phrases, all pushed to the bottle through the cloud. Children can redeem the accessories for their pets with the virtual coins collected along their journey of discovering the Gululu Universe. A fourth character was released at the end of March and more characters are expected to come in order to expand the Gululu Universe.

The multiple aspects of social interaction and UGC (user-generated content) are important to promote Gululu users’ engagement and retention. Users have been invited or selected to co-create content such as drawing the pets’ accessories and recording short voice stories for the “GBC News” online radio. Gululu now allows users to make friends by shaking bottles next to each other or on the app remotely, check the social leader board for the game progress, and send emoji animations to poke each other in the bottle.

As of end of April 2018, more than 40 thousand units of Gululu have been shipped globally across 70 plus countries including the US, the Greater China region, South East Asia, Europe and other parts of the world. The most loyal users have been with Gululu for over 400 days. Over 30% of Gululu’s users worldwide have made friends on the platform and their retention is significantly higher than those who don’t have Gululu friends.

Gululu Universe is becoming a center pillar to support the brand’s product roadmap and the company is enhancing its patented IP by branching out into diverse formats such as WeChat emojis, its own music and songs, and preparing for animated short videos.   

On its quest and mission to perfect children’s well-being, Bowhead Technology is also in the process of making several new products. Besides Gululu Go, the company is also researching the AI version of Gululu for the next generation, to enhance the human-machine interface and strengthen the user interaction. A non-bottle innovative product that addresses other healthy habits is also under way.

The pre-sale for Gululu Go starts May 24. On this date, Gululu Go may be purchased for $119 at www.gululugo.com.

Learn more at www.gululu.com

Must have Kids toys from Moluk & Kid O Toys

Disclosure- We received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.

I am always on the lookout for some fun toys that are different than the regular toys. I must say that these toys did not disappoint in anyway. These great toys from Moluk are definitely must haves.

About Moluk:

Moluk strives to create innovative, sustainable products that don’t just entertain kids on a superficial level, but invite real interaction. In a world where everything is getting more virtual, MOLUK offers toys that are totally manual, toys that get children to move and explore, toys that stimulate their senses and minds. There are no ON and OFF switches, batteries or complicated instructuions – MOLUK toys are powered simply by a child’s imagination.

MOLUK only collaborates with trusted manufacturing partners who share our values and deliver excellent, safe and long lasting products which are sold through a growing network of reliable and dedicated distribution partners around the world.

MOLUK is a family business founded in 2011 by Alex Hochstrasser, the designer and inventor of Bilibo, and his sister Doris Hochstrasser, an architect.

About Plui:

Plui is a rain cloud that helps to illustrate the cycle of water and magically turns kids into rainmakers. This great toy is sure ti inspire wonderful stories. No fears though parents, there is a hidden mechanism allowing parents to open the Cloud for cleaning.

About oogi:

Oogi is an irresistibly tactile and wonderfully expressive new figure toy. With suction cup head, hands and feet, and long stretchy arms, it connects to any smooth surface. Oogis happily live on a Bilibo but they have also been spottend playing in the bathtub, on fridges or mirrors.

Oogis are very social beings: They love to touch, embrace, form chains and do crazy acrobatic tricks. Their favorite hobbies are Oogi Yoga, extreme climbin or darting onto windows and other targets. Oogis are at home in any genre from cliffhanger to slapstick comedy and suitable for all ages.

I myself have had a great day of fun playing with these :).

About

About Myland Car:

Take a relaxing road trip while learning early STEM concepts. Soft driving sounds and car lights are triggered by different play patterns. Children discover that by color matching the characters, the boy and girl transform into on/off switches, while the car movements control the sounds and lights.

About Jumbo Glow-in-the-Dark Magnatab:

The limited edition magnatab gets glowing reviews from children and adults alike! The jumbo glow-in-the-dark board and stylus brings an exciting new dimension to nighttime play. Erases with the tip of your finger, or by swiping across the beads with the side of the stylus.

My Thoughts:

How much fun were each of these toys. I must say that since my children received them, they have been playing with them non stop. I love how they are simple fun, not lots of sound and lights. I would definitely recommend these to anyone!

Rose Art Outdoor Fun Chalk Paint

Spring is finally here. I have waited so long for my favorite season to arrive. I love the fresh, crisp smell in the air and the temperature is just right. With the Earth bursting with new life, beautiful flowers, and the melodious sound of birds chirping, it’s the perfect time to get the kids outside to play. When we are outside my son is usually off riding his bike; however, the girls like to create. Their favorite thing to play with is RoseArt Washable Sidewalk Chalk Paint Sets. This post is a sponsored post, but all opinions, stories, and my experience are all personal and true (like always).

Product Description

As far as fun is concerned, the sky’s the limit. Kids will love stepping outside and unleashing their creative talents with this fantastic assortment of jumbo chalk, chalk powder, brushes, rollers, mixing trays and stencils. With this outdoor set you’ll be ready to get out and get creative. Perfect for on-the-go fun.

Key Features:

  • Chalk paint powder and jumbo chalk sticks in an assortment of colors
  • Roller brushes, trays and brushes
  • Storage bucket
  • Easy to use, and chalk easily washes away with water
  • Fun outdoors for ages 3+

My Thoughts:

Every adult at some point wishes they were a little kid again. Although you can’t be a little kid again physically, you can act like one for at least a little bit. Buying this outdoor fun chalk paint set is a perfect starting point for acting like a kid. This set is tremendous! As I was getting things ready for the girls I couldn’t help but give it a try myself. I had lost track of time and we ended up being outside for three hours. The only reason we went in was because the girls were getting hungry.

The paint is super easy to mix and set up. It comes with different stencils and tools that helps them create an awesome art piece. The best part and honestly probably all moms favorite part, is it’s easy to clean up. The paint simply washes away with water. So in the end you have happy kids who are outside playing and you don’t have to stress about the mess. I think that’s a win for everyone.

 

Must Have Water Toys from Swimways

Disclosure- We received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.

In my house we love to spend time outside, but even more importantly. We love to spend time in the water. My girls were so excited to see all of these awesome products and have been begging me to find them an indoor pool ASAP. Check out all these great products from Swimways

Aerobie Pro Ring

The thin design of this ring allows the disc to travel longer distances and it features soft edges for comfortable catches. This amazing flying disc was used to set a Guinness World Record for the farthest throw, an amazing 1,333 feet.

The Aerobie Ring measures 13 inches in diameter.

My Thoughts: My daughters absolutely loved this toy. We recently moved to a much more open area and we have been amazed how far my girls can fly this awesome toy. I can definitely tell that we are going to need another one in our future. 

Avengers Dive Characters:

These fun dive characters are soft and flexible full-figural dive toys that look like kid’s favorite characters. Not only can your child dive for them, but they can also play with them outside of the water.

Each set includes three different characters.

My Thoughts: My nephew had a great time playing with these in the water when he was at our house over Easter. I promised him that he can play with them in our pool when he comes back this summer and he could hardly wait. 

Funny Face Swim Goggles:

Your kids will love to express their personality at the pool with these selfie-ready novelty swimming goggles, which add some fun to swim lessons and kids pool parties. The goggles feature an easy-button adjustable head strap, leak-resistant design and soft construction for a comfortable fit.

My Thoughts: My girls were so happy to have these. They have used them already at home for bath time, but they can’t wait for pool time and lake time this summer!  I think these are the cutest goggles that I have ever seen. 

SquiDivers:

These SquiDivers are soft and flexible learn to swim dive toys that wiggle and jiggle their way to the bottom of the pool, landing nose down. Their tentacles float upright making these toys easy for kids to grab. There finger holes that allow your kids to place on their finger tips for fun in or out of the pool.

My Thoughts: I can hardly wait to use these this summer. My older girls are getting pretty good at their swimming and I know they are going to love these one of a kind Squidivers. 

Purchase

If you are interested in purchasing any of these awesome swim toys, head on over to Swimways and find them and everything else you need to get your child or yourself decked out for the water!

Puzzles for Differently Abled Kids 

TCG has assembled an exciting campaign to benefit Autism Speaks and Autism Speaks Canada. A leader in puzzles and games for the whole family, TCG is donating 1% of net sales on more than 80 of its puzzle products to help raise awareness and funds for research. It is a program the company initiated in 2016. Each puzzle box features the recognizable Autism Speaks puzzle piece logo.

TCG also created an Autism Speaks page on its website. The page includes more information about the company’s commitment to the charity as well as further details and stats about autism spectrum disorder, a condition that affects one in every 68 children in the U.S. and one in 66 children in Canada.

Since its founding in 1998, TCG has been dedicated to social responsibility for children and adults and the alliance with Autism Speaks is a reflection of that commitment. With the Autism Speaks’ puzzle-piece logo, which symbolizes that autism is just a piece of a person’s story, puzzles seem like a perfect fit for the partnership.

TCG’s Autism Speaks assortment includes puzzles designed for a wide range of puzzlers, from the whimsical and gorgeous renderings of fantasy artist Miharu to original TCG designs, and more. SRPs range from $3.99 for a 200-pc puzzle to $7.99 for a 1,000-pc puzzle.

In addition, TCG’s future plans include introducing a unique line of puzzles geared specifically to the autistic community that would feature images with distinct colors and contrast.

Weekend Wandering: 3 Ways You Can Have Fun with a Drone Over the Weekend

Drones are skyrocketing in popularity as one of coolest technological toys available. There is increasing variety in sizes, types and features, reaching an even larger market. Dronenthusiast is one great resource with extensive information about selecting and operating your ideal drone.

Once you’ve awed at its functionality, you may wonder what else to do with your new gadget. People have made use of these impressive little flyers in all sorts of applications, from work to pleasure. Here are three fun ideas you can try over the weekend.

Create a Video Montage

 

This can really unleash your creative side. You have probably seen some of the amazing footage that is already being captured with these wonderful devices. It’s time to add your personal touch. You can get some great drone video with or without much planning. If you want to embark on a more elaborate project, draw up a storyboard and orchestrate specific shots with a truly unique point of view. If you want to save great memories in a new and entertaining format, bring your drone to the weekend get together or sports match. Ask people to get involved, recording their own messages as the drone flies by to make it more interactive and personal. Drone videography is a developing art and there are plenty of useful tips available online to help you master your technique.

Birdwatching and Wildlife Viewing

 

This is a great weekend activity for nature lovers with drones. Anyone who enjoys hiking, birdwatching and wildlife knows that it is very difficult to even catch a glimpse of most animals before they are alerted to your presence. The stealthy drone doesn’t draw too much attention, making it a perfect tool for peeking in on rarely seen animal behavior. You can travel to your favorite nature area and launch your drone to survey the surrounding woods. The height affords amazing views of the landscape and the treetops, along with a wonderful new perspective on birds in their most natural environment. You may even come across hard-to-spot animals who would have otherwise fled at the sound of your footsteps. Add your incredible shots to the growing number of Internet-famous drone wildlife footage taken by hobbyists just like yourself.

Play Games

 

Imagination is really the only limit to the games you can play with drones. You can arrange any number of competitive or noncompetitive activities for all ages. Consider launching drone races to see who can outrun or outmaneuver the sprightly flying machine. You may want to add some attachments or assemble your own to practice delivering different objects with your drone, perhaps turning this into a high tech version of the infamous Claw arcade game. Incorporate the drone’s camera to stage a treasure hunt with a twist, using clues and video feed from your drone to seek out hidden items. The possibilities are endless.

Drones are fascinating, fun, and versatile. You can find a place for drones in any of your most-loved weekend adventures. Gather with your friends and family to brainstorm the next big thing in creative ideas for your drone.

Wubble Ball Review of Two New Types – Wubble Fulla Slime and Wubble Fulla Marbles

The company behind the infamous Wubble Bubble Ball has come out with two new, must-have toys – Wubble Fulla Slime and Wubble Fulla Marbles. Each is available in three different sizes which means you can have hours of fun for the whole family!

Wubble Fulla Balls come ready to play with right out of the package - no blowing up or filling required!

Wubble Fulla Huge are 5 inches, the Bigs are 4 inches, and the Tiny ones are just 2 ½ inches so whichever size you prefer, there’s an option for you. Whether you prefer large and heavy, more easily tossed back and forth, or hold-in-your-hand small, Wubble Fulla has you covered. These come ready-to-go unlike previous Wubbles – open the box and pop them out and play away.

You will be able to find Wubble Fulla toys whereever Wubble balls are sold, on the official Wubble website, Target, and other retailers. My kids love the Wubble Fulla Marble Tiny to hold in their hands and play with during read-aloud or homework time. I think the texture is soothing to them and I appreciate that it’s so much quieter and less annoying than a fidget spinner. In the Wubble Fulla Slime they much prefer the Huge because of it’s heavy ooey-gooey-ness.

Wubble Full Huge is a very large size that is super fun for kids to play with.

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But be sure you get enough for all your kids though or you will have a fight on your hands. Guaranteed! But any time I can find a ball that will give my kids so much enjoyment I am happy to do so. I love seeing them spend time together and having fun with active play instead of spending time in front of a screen. Your kids will find the same enjoyment with their Wubbles too.

I was sent Wubble Fulla balls to review but all opinions and kid-fights-over-who-gets-which-Wubble are entirely my own.

Candy Free Easter Baskets

It’s that time of year again, when Peter Cottontail and all his bunny helpers hop into homes with baskets filled with treats and toys for good little boys and girls. Here are some of our favorite non-food items to fill your kiddo’s baskets with.

PLAYMOBIL has created even more figures to inspire imaginative play- Figure Series 13: Blind bags will continue to be a hit with the kids.  The latest series features 24 different figures that can be collected, assembled and are interchangable.  Each figure comes unassembled which adds to the fun- your kids can put them together or mix and match the interchangeable parts with other figures to create an entirely new and original character. $2.99 each

It’s Spring- ready for bubbles? These are cute, and can be less messy then a bubble wand. Glove-A-Bubbles Bunny (or 7 other animal options) puts the bubbles onto a little glove and lets them wave their hands around, creating waves of bubbles with each swipe. These ‘gloves’ come with two packs of bubble solution in each package. A parent can pour it into the pouch, dip the glove into the bubbles, and send the kids out to run wild. While there are 8 animals total, Bunny is egg-stra cute for Easter, we think.  $2.99 each.

We LOVE Smooshy Mushy, I’ve got to say. If your kids have not begged for a squish toy yet, we don’t know how you have escaped this craze. It’s not one I personally mind terribly- they are inexpensive, smell nice, and are adorable, so not a craze that this mom minds.  As we had mentioned in out Toy Fair columns, The Squish trend is continuing, for sure. These scented, “slow-rise,” squishable animal toys come in a variety fun food and pet themes, each packaged with an itty-bitty collectible squishy best friend, adding levels of surprise. The packaging itself is super cute, often an ice cream cone, soda bottle, milk carton, or the like. Very sweet. $9.99

Stikbot Easter Eggs will be such a treat for any fan of the series- my son lost his sanity when he saw these eggs, so excited.  Zing has rolled out a new line of Easter-themed Stikbot Pets just in time for Easter.  Perfect for filling baskets (and you don’t need to crack your nails opening those dreadful plastic eggs to fill them over and over, LOL), adorable Stikbot Bunnies and Chicks are packed inside colorful eggs. Stickbot has nearly 200 million views on YouTube, and many kids make their own YouTube channels dedicated to their own “spinoff” or inspired themes. Kids love the open ended, imaginative play that these toys bring with them.  Stickbot also teaches kids a skill- how to do stop-motion animation movies, not to mention some patience. I love the combination of tech and no tech in this- they need to really use their minds, create- THEN use tech to record. It’s one of my favorite toys my son has- and the price is great at $4.99 each.

 

Care Bears Care-Moji Figures continue the “blind bag” trend- and these are adorable “bags”. The mini collectible Care-Moji friends have a mini Care Bears character stylized figures inside. Each 2” figure comes inside of an adorable bear-shaped capsule (I love all these fun “blind bags”, the creativity is so much fun). There are 12 different figures to collect, play with, or display. Each capsule sold separately. $3.99 each.

Bunny Surprise and Lamb Surprise are the latest (and most “Spring” appropriate) of the Puppy and Kitty Surprise family of toys-  These soft, huggable mommy Bunny or Lamb Surprise plush (with a plastic face) comes with a “surprise” number of babies in her litter – either three, four, or five per doll.Kids will have fun seeing how many babies she has, and then cuddling, grooming, and taking care of all the precious little bunnies and lambs (as well as mom).  I had one of these “Surprise” toys as a child, and it’s fun to see my child play with one, as well. Mommy Bunny Patches and Mommy Lamb Bliss are sold separately. $24.99

Do your kids have an allergy to eggs? Are you vegan? Still want to participate in the whole egg-dying tradition? Check out Eggnots, the ceramic egg kit. There is no longer a reason why kids have to be separated during these activities during class or scouting (etc), or have to bypass the activity for Easter should you not want to. These ceramic eggs are an alternative so that everyone can still participate. Prices start at $9.99 at http://www.eggnots.com