 "8 Gifts to get your tech-savvy kids this Children's Day")
These days, one will often see kids dabbling with phones or poking around on tablets. But that’s not always safe - for the kids or the devices. However, if you are a parent who believes there is nothing wrong in giving kids some early lessons in technology, then there are a horde of options that you can look forward to. From kids’ tablets and gaming devices to cameras and mobile apps, we’ve picked eight perfect gifts for your tech savvy kids. We’ve also mentioned a few other alternatives for those dealing with slightly mature kids. We all know how fast kids grow these days. So here are our picks.
HCL Me Champ
Me Champ, a tablet for kids
Tablets are often believed to have the potential to be a perfect educational device that can even replace paperbacks in the future. One such cool option is the HCL Me Champ, suitable for children in the age group 4 to 12 years. Priced at Rs 7,499, the tablet sports a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen with 800 x 480 pixels of resolution. It is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A9 processor coupled with 1GB RAM, and gets the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean flavour. The Me Champ offers 3G access via USB and also supports Wi-Fi. The company has also loaded the device with a wide variety of content ranging across categories from education to TV and games. It has decent 4GB on-board storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card slot. The company has also included parental control functions to prevent unauthorised access by kids.
Genius Kids Designer II Pen tablet
A gaming-centric slate for kids
The next in our list is what Genius calls an “idea generator that is filled with creativity and excitement”. The Kids Designer II Pen tablet can be used by kids to draw, write, paint or play games. The slate is said to be suitable for children between 3 to 8 years and comes with a specially-developed game software that helps kids accelerate their learning skills in colours, shape, math, thinking, etc. Children can also use the cordless pen that comes bundled with the device. The tablet has physical volume controls to control a game, an easy enter key for instant game access, a design that should be a hit with kids and an adjustable pen stand design for easy storage. Priced at Rs 3860, the in-box contents include the Kids Designer II tablet, a cordless pen, a CD with Kids Designer II game software (15 games) and multi-language quick guide.
Genius Heeha 700
For the budding photographer
If your child loves clicking pictures but you don’t want to hand him your expensive camera, then the Genius Heeha 700 portable gaming device with a camera could be a great option for your budding photographer. Shaped like camera, it lets users go on a clicking spree and also includes a camcorder function to record videos. The device is preloaded with more than 30 games and eight photo-centric games. The device supports an SD card, too. It can also be connected to a TV allowing kids to play games and share photos or videos. Backed by one year warranty, the Genius Heeha 700 is priced at Rs 4,705.
Cut the Rope with simple swipes
If your children love fiddling with your touchscreen phone, then why not introduce them to mobile gaming. Cut the Rope can be a great option that includes simple swipes across the touchscreen. Moreover, it includes an adorable hungry little monster called Om Nom and lots of dangling goodies. Om Nom’s hungry, and the user has to feed him. The only problem is that the candy is being held back by ropes and there are obstacles like bubbles and spiders. The player needs to cut ropes in just the right way so the candy lands into Om Nom’s mouth. The game is simple, fun and addictive. Cut the Rope is available across platforms for iOS and Android for around Rs 61.
Rayman Fiesta Run – Android, iOS
Rayman’s new adventure
After the popular and successful Rayman Jungle Run, the newest iteration of the game is called Rayman Fiesta Run. Let your kids join Rayman in his newest adventure. It can be an engaging game for kids who can jump, fly, punch, side, swim, shrink and even run up walls. The game comes with more than 75 levels and new rewards and power ups. Some more fun elements include lunging for cocktail umbrellas, leaping on limes and punching piñatas. It can be downloaded for Android at Rs 189 and iOS at Rs 223.
Draw Something 2 –
Android,
iOS
Draw Something 2 with dozens of new tools, patterns, stamps and colors
There are a plethora of drawing and sketching apps for kids but we think Draw Something 2 adds a gaming twist to it, something kids will love. It is the next iteration of Zynga’s popular Draw Something and comes with a plethora of new features. The gameplay is same and requires two players. One has to draw while the other has to guess the word. The player is provided with a choice of words to draw. The number of tries to guess a word is unlimited, but if you want to give up, there is a ‘Pass’ button. The new version now lets you create cool effects with dozens of new tools, patterns, stamps and colors. The premium version of Draw Something 2 also includes a sparkle pen, free star and coin bonus and 1000s of new words. Draw Something 2 can be downloaded for Android at Rs 124 and for iOS at a limited-time price of Rs 62.
Where’s My Water – Android, iOS
Swampy in Where’s My Water
Next in our list is, Where’s my Water, a popular puzzle game with a central character called Swampy, the alligator. This cute Disney character often faces enmity from his fellow gators who try to stop the water supply to his shower. The player has to dig pipelines in order to restore the water flow to his shower, while keeping algae and other contaminants at bay. This is a fun-filled multi-touch game with some cool animation that will keep your kids glued to the screen. The game has a blend of classic and modern feel, and players can swipe, slosh and splash to guide water through increasingly challenging scenarios in this water-physics game. It is available for Android and iOS at Rs 61.
Fun with maths
Math Evolve is a learning app that involves mathematics for age 6 and above. It offers a fun way to practice math facts, number sense, and mental math skills. The game is aimed at improving multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction skills. It has hours of content that can be easily customised for children of all ages to gain valuable performance statistics and also help students improve. It includes a “Story Mode” where players can embark on an epic math adventure across three unique environments - microscopic, ocean, and space. “Practice Mode” is a platform for learning math facts. The “Player History” section saves every player’s performance, showing parents and teachers which math concepts a child needs to practice. Math Evolve for Android is priced at Rs 109, while iOS users can download it for Rs 125.
Besides, you can also check out the Samsung tablet for children dubbed Galaxy Tab 3 Kids. It should be noted that Google has also announced to ship tablets with Google Play for Education (currently only in the US). Google Play for Education allows developers and content providers to serve K-12 educators and students through an Android-based initiative. If your kid is already interested in computers, you could give him no better gift than a Raspberry Pi, which can be a great tool to learn programming and build gadgets.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
