To-go fun

When my daughter was maybe 2 or 3, I was sad because there wasn't anymore Saturday cartoons. The fun toys that I loved to play with and that sparked my imagination, are either buried in the past or carry a hefty price tag for being "retro."

We had a first generation iPad. And we found some apps. She really liked and responded to Sago Mini. The Sago Mini apps are smart, educational and importantly, fun. She loved the characters, the different adventures they would go on could keep her talking about them for hours. 

She grew up and found KidsTube. Her two year old brother soon found Sago Mini. Just like his sister before him, he loved each character. And then Cooper found KidsTube.

There are so many, MANY problems with KidsTube. Mainly, the videos of kids (and adults) opening products that they want. Parents playing with toys with their kids and videoing it - allowing them to earn income on ad revenue. Plus, it's addicting. A simple app, would keep their attention for a 15 minutes at most. And the kids were willing to unplug from electronics. With KidsTube, asking my kids to put down the iPad is like watching an addict needing their next fix.

Trust me, my husband and I are quick to hand out phones and pads to quiet them at a restaurant. But when the meal comes, it's an all out battle for the phones and pads to be off while we eat.

So what does this have to do with SagoMini? Remember how I said Sago Mini is smart? SagoMini came out with a line of portable on the go toys. We first purchased Harvey and his rocket, on a whim just to see if they would play with it.

Holy cow! The kids took turns playing with Harvey and blasting off around a restaurant. Harvey has been on countless adventures during his road trips and normal outings with us. The Sago mini toys are so much fun and easy to take along. No more screaming about iPads or no wifi at restaurants. Just actual imagination and fun - made by them, not somebody on KidsTube.

When I saw that Amazon sold the other playsets, I thought well maybe. They aren't very cheap. I found them on sale, because the box was damaged. At that price, I decided to snatch them up.

It is now going on hour 2 as the kids sit together and play with the diner, house and of course, the rocket. What's even better, is they are playing with the characters that they see on their apps. The kind of characters that spread kindness, joy, learning and fun - something that seems to be lacking in our some of the cartoons today.  

I can't wait to take them on our next trip - even if it's to the restaurant a mile away.