Apps review: Toca Tailor

I have been for a while trying and checking apps for the children. Honestly, I think it is a good practice just not to allow them to use my phone for playing. "My phone is not a toy", that is usually my answer. But there are always exceptions; like waiting for the doctor, long car trips, or other moments when the phone and its apps are actually handy.

So, one app which I find quite funny is Toca Tailor, made by Toca Boca. It allows you to dress a character and choose the clothes, textiles, and accessories. According to the designer:

"The aim of this digital toy is to combine the exciting feeling from a playful dress up party with the freedom of turning shapes, colours and patterns into garments and creating your own outfits. Here you not only choose your clothes - you get to design them yourself. In Toca Tailor your imagination is your wardrobe's limit."

They have the Toca Tailor Fairy Tales version with a couple of characters, and that one is for free. Get it to try the app! In Toca Tailor, you can play with four characters and more options; I bought it and I am quite happy about it. You can also take pictures of textiles you like and use them in your chosen clothes. Or place the character in your room and take a picture of it.

This is the result of Anna´s work, which I found in the Camera roll of my phone; quite nice!

Helping at home: Cleaning the car

Paul really wanted to help at home. And I think that is a great thing to encourage; specially nowadays when children seem to be easily spoiled!

My suggestion: Paul, why don´t you clean the car? Of course, much welcome since it involved a combination of climbing on stairs, playing with water and soap, and doing something which could be potentially dangerous. Using a winter coat (not to get wet) and rain boots added to the fun...

Songs meant for adults that you can listen with your children

"Oiga usted, no se ría, de la bruja avería,..."

I have been thinking for a while; which kind of music is nice to hear with our children?
We do have the usual CDs of children music; and I have to say that the Dutch ones we listen to are quite nice (animal songs, Kinderen voor Kinderen, the typical Sinterklaas and Christmas ones...)

So, I was happy when I found this book during my last holiday in Barcelona: 100 canciones de adultos para oír con niños (100 songs for adults to listen with children). Just something I was looking for!

We did a first trial with one of the songs suggested: No se ría, sang by Santiago Auserón. Paul really loved it, and we had to play it around 10 times! I actually knew it from the time I was a child; how could it be I did not think about it? I guess all Spanish my age remember the Bruja Avería; don´t you?

What to do with kids in Barcelona? Science Museum

During spring break we were in Barcelona, and we took the children to the Science Museum, called CosmoCaixa. I really recommend it! As a child, I used to love going there with the school. A lot of things have changed since then, and the building was totally renewed in 2004.

It is very entertaining, not only for the children, but I think also for the parents. One advice: do not try to watch it all if you have small children! By the way, can you guess what is going on in the picture below?

I recommend the area with the replica of the Amazon rainy forest, since children tend to love animals. The fishes are impressive!

And if you need to take a break or eat a snack, just go outside. In the picture below, we were playing with the antennas, placed about 30 meters from each other. One person has to talk into one, and the other one can listen to what is being said through the other antenna. Quite cool!

I hope you will enjoy this as much as I did!

Driving in Kigali

Ok, this post is actually just an assignment that I have to do for the studies I am following. So, enjoy the videos, this is the way I take to go and pick up my children from school in Kigali, Rwanda!

Birthday cake

Buying a birthday cake in a bakery? Here in Kigali, it is not so simple. You can see Paul´s birthday cake below; he was very happy with it.

What I used to make a simple cake a bit more special:

- Cover made with Nestlé dark chocolate

- Sugar stars in different colours 

- Dr. Oetker painting tubes, to easily write the name

- A cookie with the shape of a number 5 

- A firework stick

- A paper umbrella

- Candles

We had a lot of fun!

Eating vegetables is fun

It is always hard to have the kids eating vegetables! Paul is quite fine; but Anna is really not eating them unless they are cut very small and in a sauce. So now I have started "drawing" with the vegetables; the children really had to laugh when they saw the face in their plate!

Your tips to promote healthy eating habits for children are welcome!