Technology

Scottsdale exhibit features teen artwork

Parents who bemoan the impact of technology on their 21st century teens can take comfort in knowing that concerns about the dehumanizing influence of technology were already...

Weekly education roundup

A few weeks ago I wrote about students bringing their own technology devices to school  to use with the teacher's direction during classroom activities....

Students bring their own technology to class

The Scottsdale Unified School District’s Bring Your Own Technology program allows students to use their smartphones and tablets in class. At the beginning of...

Laptops for college: Mac or PC?

Mac or PC? With the school year fast approaching, parents of college-bound students are wondering which laptop would be best suited for their entering...

Not fun: phonics game on an iPad

Does it make any sense to hope your kid will learn phonics by playing games on an iPhone or iPad? A book seems simpler,...

Exhibit calculates math in our lives

You don’t need to love math to enjoy the new exhibit "MathAlive!" which opens today at the Arizona Science Center. No one will be asked...

iRony and the iPad

Consider the concept: An iPad app to promote the proper grip for grasping a pencil in the real world? The irony apparently is lost...

Shady and electrified

The east parking lot at the Children's Museum of Phoenix has new shade structures which will be perfect when the heat wave rolls in...

“Call” me crazy

No matter how vehemently a parent opposes the whole electronic invasion, eventually your will is eroded and you give in to things you never in a million years believed you’d give into. So I figure it’s only a matter of time before my son manages to coax an evil, spend-your-life-texting implement out of us...

A haus by the lake

Sitting on the southern shore of Tempe Town Lake just east of the Tempe Center for the Arts is a tiny structure with no...

The world is iFlat

I really wanted to go to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year to check out the Mommy Tech exhibition area. I...

Penguin hijinks for kids

Buckeye writer Erin Davis wrote an app for iPhone and iPad called "The Pete and Sneakers Bath and Bedtime Show," about two penguins who...

Baby care app for busy parents

My first inclination when I get press releases for smartphone apps telling moms when to feed and change the baby is to scoff and...

Buy, share, sell

There are so many games, books and DVDs it’s easy to catch “Amazon-click fever.” You find a book you really want to read, or...

Pictures of lights

Shooting holiday lights takes trial and error and willingness to play with your camera’s settings.

Parenting+software = Internet safety

Over the last few years I’ve read about several software products that claim to protect children from the hazards of the Internet, chat rooms,...

PARTY ARTICLES

Money Lessons from Birthday Parties

Teaching Kids the Value of Gifts & Gratitude Between the cake, balloons, and wrapping paper tornado, birthday parties are often all about fun, but they also provide the perfect opportunity to teach kids early lessons...

Time to Paw-ty

Celebrating your favorite furry friend Call me crazy, but when my husband and I adopted our first dog together, we threw her a birthday party complete with cake, streamers, guests, appetizers, games, and more. Was...

Unique Ways to Host a Joint Birthday Party

My brother and I have birthdays that are just one day apart—his on March 3rd, mine on March 4th, and our oldest brother just a few weeks later on March 21st. Fast forward 31 years...

Out-of-the-box Birthday Party Ideas in Phoenix & Tucson

Wanting to do something a little extra special for your child’s next birthday party? Maybe it’s a milestone birthday—like turning double digits or entering the teen years. Or perhaps your child has requested to...

Birthday Traditions & Clever Theme Ideas

Childhood birthdays are unlike any others. I have fond memories of waking up on my birthday morning anticipating all the fun that was in store. With three kids who had birthdays all in the same...

Out-of-the Box Birthday Party Ideas

Wanting to do something a little extra special for your child’s next birthday party? Maybe it’s a milestone birthday—like turning double digits or entering the teen years. Or perhaps your child has requested to...

Party Etiquette

Whether you’re hosting a party or attending one, you may be wondering—do people really RSVP anymore? What about goodie bags, are those still a thing? Do I need to stay with my child at...

How to Throw a Birthday Party that Won’t Break the Bank

I remember the days when birthday parties consisted of colorful balloons, streamers, a simple cake, and the classics like musical chairs and tag with a few friends. Times have changed and suddenly it feels necessary...

How to do a drive-by birthday party

As we get deeper into quarantine, people have gotten creative with birthday celebrations. One result: the drive-by birthday party.

Home pool party? Hire a lifeguard!

Drowning happens silently and quickly. That’s why children are at risk even when — and sometimes especially when — adults are nearby. Even a "designated pool watcher" can avert his or her eyes for a...

Hiking birthday party

For a child who loves adventure and outdoors, turn a hike into a birthday party.
Tour de Liam, Biking birthday party theme, bike race, outdoor activites, arizona parties

Bike race birthday party

When there are lots of neighborhood friends who love to ride their bikes together, host a birthday party that feels like an official bike race.

Island birthday party

Pool parties are popular in Arizona. Make a stylish upgrade at your next birthday party by incorporating décor and details that will transport guests from the desert to a tropical island paradise.

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