This post was sponsored by Duracell as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.
This week has been a very, very rainy one. My kids have been getting a little stir crazy, which in turn makes me a little stir crazy as well. Normally on one of these late summer rainy days, we go outside and play in the mud, but we have had a recent invasion by fire ants and the yard is like a minefield!
We needed something to do that didn’t involve sitting in front of a TV for hours on end. I like it when my kids use technology. They will need it for the rest of their lives. If they can get the hang of it at an early age, they will be better prepared since almost all jobs nowadays rely on some form of electronics.
Enter: CHiP the Robotic Dog
He’s an electronic pet made by WowWee and powered by Duracell (you can get him from Toys “R” Us) that the kids play with for hours! I love any chance I can to get my kids to enjoy imaginative playtime.
The Best Indoor Toy for a Rainy Day
When I was younger we had a Teddy Ruxpin doll. It was really only a tape player inside of a stuffed bear with a mouth that just opened and shut, but it was amazing technology back then and my siblings and I loved it.
It wasn’t too fancy and we didn’t need a lot of technical know-how to have fun with it. I want my kids to have the same kind of experience.
We have never had a real dog in the house. There are too many allergies among us, and I do not want to plan my vacations around available pet sitting, so we haven’t gotten a cat or dog yet. Maybe in the future though…
This adorable robot dog is pretty perfect for us. We can pet it, play with it, make it do tricks and when we forget to feed it, it doesn’t tear up the trash or cry. I wasn’t sure what to think when we were unwrapping it, but the first thing it did when we turned it on was bark, and then it took itself to the charging base and sat down. IT TAKES CARE OF ITSELF!! Now that is my kind of pet.
It comes ready to play, with a ball for chasing and a watch to give commands and train it with. It really was the most simple set up imaginable. Put a few Duracell batteries in the ball, snap the wheel guards in place, and off to play. We didn’t even download the app right away, we just pet it and rolled the ball for it to chase.
The kids even took turns being the “bridge” for CHiP to run under and around. They had a blast. The app was so easy to use. We just downloaded it onto my phone and followed the simple tutorials to begin. It reminded me of those old school digital pet that were around in the mid 90s. The kids really liked feeding him and making him do tricks.
The best part about CHiP? How you respond to him uniquely shapes his behavior, so no two CHiPs are alike! It’s amazing what technology can do these days!
Get to know COJI
We also tried out a coding robot, called COJI, today. This little robot was so adorable. I love having the kid do puzzles and critical thinking games. This little dude fits the bill when combining learning with fun activities and basic coding skills. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with it.
Right now all the kids just want to keep changing the emojis to see what they do. But what the kids don’t know is that COJI the coding robot teaches them the basics of programming using emojis! 😀
I love that both of my kids liked playing with COJI despite their age difference. My ten-year-old played with games on the app and my 3-year-old loved moving and shaking the robot to control his actions.
Hours of Fun For Everyone
I’m having a hard time getting the kids to put down these toys. They would have skipped lunch and dinner if I had let them. That is fine by me. (not the missing meals part, the entertaining themselves for hours part) 😀
What has amazed me the most is how long they can play with CHiP. I have been thoroughly impressed by the toy and the Duracell batteries we used. Everyone knows how annoying it can get, when you’re finally getting the swing of things, just to have your batteries die. If you get a CHiP for your own kids at Toys “R” Us, make sure to pick up Duracell batteries during checkout.
Check out these videos for more info on these amazing toys.
- Is It Okay to Have a Potluck Baby Shower? - 07/17/2023
- Free Printable Valentine’s Day Coupons - 02/14/2023
- Gifts For Older People - 11/23/2022
Scott says
What a fun content! Part of the fun of play for kids is getting a chance to pursue whatever it is that interests them. Any child would want to get their hands on these! I think single player toys such as these promote independence and enhances a child’s cognitive skills should be incorporate in children’s playtime.