TUNES WITH TIM

Chicago-based children's musicians Tunes with Tim has just released a brand new kindie rock album and it has already been awarded a 2021 National Parenting Products Award. Kindie rock is a style of children's music that  merges the adult sensibilities of a musician with themes focused towards children. These songs are meant to be educational as well as entertaining for young audiences while also carrying a tune that adult listeners can appreciate. Tim Bredrup (aka Tunes with Tim) has been blending pop/rock/jazz/hip-hop since 2013 in energetic kids concerts.

After a tumultuous 2020, Tim wants to share with families some great tunes to get 2021 off to an upbeat start. So the new Tunes with Tim album, WE'RE ALL HUMAN, is available on bandcamp.com for whatever you can afford to pay. Whether it is tossing a penny or an Andrew Jackson a a tip into Tunes with Tim's virtual guitar case you can name your own price to purchase a download of this digital album through bandcamp. There is no minimum price because Tim knows money is tight for many families right now and he wants to inspire as many kids as possible with his tunes right now.

In collaboration with Bredrup, WE'RE ALL HUMAN was produced/engineered/mixed by Grammy-nominated Jamie Candiloro (R.E.M., The Eagles, Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson) and mastered by Grammy-winning Scott Hull (Sting, Steely Dan, Dave Matthews, John Mayer). Inspired by his own family, Tim's tunes in WE'RE ALL HUMAN are aimed at creating a refreshing music listening experience the whole family can enjoy together. Some great kid-friendly tunes parents can feel comfortable letting their children rock out to!

If you have young kids at home, WE'RE ALL HUMAN is a fun way for them to exhaust some energy while singing and dancing along to tunes that teach them music basics including rhythm, melody and harmony. Tunes with Tim gets a Geek Daddy nod of approval for providing jump around tunes that get children thinking while they bounce around to the music. Plus this dad blogger appreciates the spirit of togetherness instilled both through the lyrics of these tunes as well as the artist's name your own price download policy in this time where there is so much public anx among one another. 

Check out WE'RE ALL HUMAN from Tunes with Tim via Bandcamp.com. 

Chrysler debuts Pacifica Play Zone at Detroit Auto Show

As a leader in family-friendly transportation with the minivans it produces, Chrysler didn't want to see parents leaving children behind when it came to a trip to the auto show.  Understanding that a visit to these adult focused events could be a bit boring for little ones, the automobile manufacturer created a special kid-friendly area for families to enjoy at the Detroit's North American International Auto Show.  The inaugural Pacifica Play Zone ties into Chrysler debuting its sixth generation minivan, named the Pacifica, at the show.  Located on an upper level overlooking the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) booth allows visitors to engage in activities, games and immersive experiences that highlight the features of the new Pacifica minivan. A Geek Daddy was invited to a tour of the Pacifica Play Zone with Bruce Velisek, head of brand marketing for Chrysler products, on its opening day.

There are a variety of games people can participate in for a chance to win prizes.  The "Stow 'n Go Showdown" was one of the most popular. Players race against a clock trying to stow all the seats in a mock up of the interior of a Pacifica.  If participants can complete the challenge before the clock reaches zero they receive a complimentary pair of sunglasses.

After making your way pass the "Stow 'n Go Showdown", visitors pass through the side door of a Pacifica into the uconnect theater which demonstrates the minivan's enhanced entertainment system and lets kids play video games.

Chrysler has partnered with the Michigan Science Center to provide some educational activities within the Pacifica Play Zone too.  This area lets children participate in hands-on experiments like designing their own wind turbines and electronic building blocks/circuits using littleBits as they connect motors, wheels, lights and switches.  Did you know that you can generate electricity from a potato?  Learn some fun science facts while experimenting in this section of the Pacifica Play Zone.

Sit back in the seats on a green screen backed set in a unique 360-degree photo opp that shoots you to the moon in a Pacifica.  You'll witness yourself miraculously enveloped by a minivan within a video that Chrysler will email to you.  Have some fun with this memento of your trip to the auto show by acting out some funny poses for your video.

A video posted by @geekdad248 on Jan 16, 2016 at 9:47pm PST

Chrysler is proud of the commercial grade vacuum they've included as a brand new minivan feature for their 2017 Pacifica and are highlighting that feature with their RIDGID Stow 'N Vac game.  Compete against three other players to be the first to vacuum up all the balls in your section of the game table to win a prize.

The room next to that allows visitors to experience the surround sound available for a Pacifica and try out some of the vehicles front console amenities.

Some other nice aspects include an area that features a larger-than-life interactive experience across multiple 65-inch touch screens, a design center which allows adults and children to color and stylize their own image of the new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica plus share their creation via social media, and a Recharge Lounge where parents can take advantage of comfortable seating and power up their mobile devices while their children explore the Pacifica Play Zone.

The whole area is decorated with artwork by local Detroit graffiti artist Shades who I had a chance to hang with a bit.  This endeavor took him five days to paint and a whole lot of spray cans.  Shades has gone from doing underground graffiti on the streets to making his art with an urban street flare a lucrative and legal career.  He is now commissioned by major corporations and other patrons to create graffiti projects around the world and has two pieces archived at the Detroit Institute of Arts.  This artist with a lot of Motor City street cred has played a big role in graffiti becoming recognized internationally as a legitimate art form.

Chrysler also treated visitors on the opening day of the Pacifica Play Zone with special performances by The BeatBuds.  This uptempo musical duo Jonathan Jonah and Matthew Shapiro (aka Jonny Jingles and Matty Maracas) have a focus on performing for families with young children.  There were quite a few children laughing and smiling as they sang, danced, and played along with The BeatBuds.

A Geek Daddy had a nice tour of this new kid friendly addition to the Detroit Auto Show.  This year's show is open to the public from January 16 - 24, 2016. For more information, visit NAIAS.com.

Don't live close enough to visit this year's show? Well you're not necessarily out of luck as Bruce also told us that elements of the #PacificaPlayZone will also be incorporated into FCA's displays at this year's Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York auto shows.  So if you live near one of those city's this may definitely be the year to take a family outing to the auto show.

Thank you to Bruce Velisek and FCA for their hospitality and the invite to join them at Detroit's North American International Auto Show.

Are you a Pinball Wizard?

When was the last time you played a game of Pinball, not a video game, on a real machine that squawked and rocked as a silver metal ball bounced around a board lit up by a multitude of colored lights?  I was a kid in the 70's/80's when pinball machines went from being the "hot" thing to do in the early to mid 70s to pushed aside  during the  "Golden Age" of video game arcades (1978-1986).  As a kid and teen, my friends and I skipped instead of competing to get the highest score on pinball machines gave our attention, and quarters, to the new "high tech" video games like Atari's Astroids, Namco's Pacman, Nintendo's Donkey Kong, and Konami's Frogger.   So I can easily relate to the famous Frogger storyline from that classic Seinfield episode:

I fell in love with pinball machines during my college years.  There was a Star Wars one in the rec room next door to my dorm's laundry room that ate up a lot of my time, and quarters that should have been used for washing and drying my clothes. I developed an appreciation for the "mechanical" nature of the beast when it comes to pinball machines that just isn't there in a video game.  The feel of the the flippers, the ball bouncing against bumpers, the vibrations from the game play, the colors and sounds that envelope you when you are in the zone focusing on a silver sphere and getting just the right tilt to beat your previous high score provides a sensational element that is lacking from video games.  I have found memories of epic battles for high score on that "Star Wars" pinball machine against my buddies from the 5th floor.  You'll always find a few quarters in my pocket and I'll take a timeout for some pinball if I stumble across a machine.

This weekend there is a great annual event that is hosted at a college down the street from my house called the MICHIGAN PINBALL EXPO.  The event features more than 100 pinball machines ranging from classic models to brand new ones with cool high tech features.  They are all set to FREE PLAY, so you don't need to bring quarters, you just pay $20 adults/$15 kids for unlimited play while you are there.  Children 4 and under are FREE too!  This free play option is nice especially if you aren't a pinball wizard but enjoy playing the games.  In addition to the general game play, the Michigan Pinball Expo has sessions for children with tips on playing called "Wizards in Training", speakers, vendors who sell and/or repair machines for home and business uses, and tournaments ranging in skill and age from rookie children to adults competing for the "Michigan Pinball Champion" trophy.  If you are in the Metro Detroit area this weekend, whether you have a love of pinball or are just looking for a family outing to check out something new, swing by the Michigan Pinball Expo for a fun time.

If you aren't in the area and the MICHIGAN PINBALL EXPO peaked your interest there are a variety of similar events taking place across the country that you may want to attend:

APRIL 24-26 PINBALL @ THE 'ZOO (KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN) 2014 will be this event's 15th year.  Enjoy the free play gallery or participate in a tournament.

MAY 2-3 ALLENTOWN PINFEST (PENNSYLVANIA) features over 200 pinball machines at the Agri-plex Expo Center.

MAY 16-18 PIN-A-GO-GO PINBALL SHOW (CALIFORNIA) in its 18th year features more than 250 pinball machines includes "pinball celebrity" demonstrations, pinball school to help you become a better player, tournaments and a free play gallery.  Proceeds from this event benefit local youth charities. 

MAY 16-18 ANN ARBOR PINBALL SHOW CASE (MICHIGAN) I had no clue that pinball was still so popular in Michigan but in addition to the pinball expos in Oakland County and Kalamazoo there is a pinball museum just outside Ann Arbor (home of the University of Michigan).  The Ann Arbor Pinball Museum called VINTAGE FLIPPER WORLD (located in Green Oaks Township which is about 8 miles north of Ann Arbor) is hosting their first ever showcase event in 2014 which will feature 200 machines.  There will be free play and tournament opportunities at this event.

SEPTEMBER 26-28 FRASER VALLEY FLIPOUT (BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA) is the largest pinball tournament in Canada.  All skill levels are welcome! 

OCTOBER 15-19 PINBALL EXPO 2014 (CHICAGO ILLINOIS) this is the premiere pinball event of the year hosting its 30th annual show in 2014.  Attendees can register for a group tour of the STERN pinball machine factory.  Open to the general public but this show also has huge turnout of industry manufacturers, sales, and service companies and an emphasis to appeal to pinball collectors and enthusiasts.  The event includes autograph sessions with pinball design artists, seminars, pinball-related merchandise, free play gallery, and tournaments.

If you haven't played Pinball lately...why not?  If you know of a pinball expo that you'd like to add to this list please leave a post with the info or email: thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com.

OUR TRIP TO THE SHEDD

If you are traveling to Chicago with your kids a visit to the Shedd Aquarium is a must. We took a family road trip last Fall to the Windy City and our kids loved stopping by this great aquarium.  The SHEDD AQUARIUM is located along the city's Lake Michigan shoreline in an area called the Museum Campus which features 57 acres of attractions including the Adler Planetarium, Chicago Field Museum, Soldier Field (home of Da Bears) and Grant Park (home of the landmark BuckinghamFountain made famous by being included in the opening sequence of thetelevision show “Married with Children”).  We took the public bus route that was near our hotel over to the Museum Campus and were dropped off at a stop conveniently located between the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium.  There is a nice children's play area right by the bus stop that overlooks Soldier Field so we started our visit with the kids exploring its features.

When you arrive at the aquarium there are two entrances, a Group Entrance (for school field trips and other sorts of large organized visits) and the Main Entrance for the rest of us.  I’d recommend purchasing tickets online because when you go in through the Main Entrance there are 2 lines: one for those who bought their tickets online in advance and another for everyone else.  We had to wait in line for about 5 minutes in the advance ticket line while the rest of the atrium was filled to capacity with people who didn’t have tickets waiting to buy them which the staff person at the counter told me took about forty-five minutes to get through.  Being prepared, and the extra few dollars in processing fees for buying online, pays off.  I have to say too that with the entrance area so packed with people it really is nice that the facility processes group tours through another route.  It should be noted that we made this visit on a Monday afternoon in mid-October so we weren’t there during a peak time.  It was a great time to visit because there really weren’t “crowds” during our visit though the aquarium still was fairly busy.

In addition to the exhibits, they also sell tickets to a 4-D Experience (you could pick from seeing a show with the ICE AGE movie characters in it or Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure – we opted to see the adventures of Manny, Sid & Diego) and the Shedd Aquatic Show which features Beluga whales and dolphins interacting with their trainers as you watch from an amphitheater.  Note that when we tried to purchase these tickets online it would only give us the option to go to the last shows of the day.  The staffer who checked us in though told us that was a default and we could pick any time we wanted during the day when we got there.  Which would have been helpful to know before we got there in making our plans for the day as we may have gone in the morning and stayed longer for the day.

Upon leaving the Entrance Atrium, you enter the central area of the aquarium and are greeted by a huge circular tank filled with bright exotic fish in an exhibit called the Pritzker Caribbean Reef.  Surrounding this exhibit were various alcoves filled with fish tank displays of various themes: Oceans, the Great Lakes, American Rivers, The Amazon Basin.  You aren’t allowed to take flash photography in SHEDD for the protection of the animals (remember whales are mammals and they have some otters and iguanas there too), birds, and fish on display and none of my pictures in this area or the live aquatic show turned out.  While this area had some nice displays and interesting creatures to examine it was also the most crowded and really never caught my 4 year olds attention. 

It was the lower levels that thrilled them.  After you go through the central area you can go down to lower levels that hold the live aquatic show amphitheater and other displays & exhibits plus a restaurant to eat at.  The first thing we did after wandering around the central viewing area was head down to eat and that was a huge mistake, especially at lunch time.  There is absolutely nothing remarkable about the restaurant and it has standard “stadium fare”  food  that is over-priced and not that good.  So I’d recommend eating before or after your visit if you can arrange it.

Outside the restaurant is a display with otters in it that is fun to watch for awhile, you can than go up to grab a seat at the amphitheater or head down to a lower level.  We had tickets for the next show so watched the live presentations and my kids really enjoyed themselves.  My daughter LOVED the Beluga whales and my son’s favorite part was being amazed by the dolphins doing flips in the air.

After the show we went downstairs and this was my kids’ favorite part of the visit.  The next level down has a nice penguin exhibit.  Plus it has a children’s play area called the Polar Play Zone where kids can dress up in penguin costumes and slide down rock slides or explore a submarine.  My children would have spent hours playing on the submarine if I’d let them stay there that long, but we spent about an hour enjoying that part of the aquarium.  We stayed long enough that the next live show started while we were down there and we ended up watching it from the display windows located in the Polar Play Zone.  It was almost as thrilling to watch the show underwater as it was from the amphitheater seats.  If you don’t want to pay for viewing the aquatic show or have some extra time to spare I recommend watching it underwater from this vantage point.  There also is a touch pool exhibit in this area that lets children pet star fish that shouldn’t be missed.

Another sub-level area that you don’t want to miss is accessible by an elevator and could be easily missed if you aren’t looking for it.  Make sure you don’t miss the “WILD REEF” because that is where you can get the close-up views of the blacktip sharks and stingrays that are on display.  Here’s a map of SHEDD to give you a lay of the surrounding when it comes to navigating the passages of the aquarium. CLICK on the map to enlarge the picture.

We wrapped up our visit by taking a walk through a special exhibit, JELLIES, that focused on jelly fish.  It was a really well done display that really showcased these creatures in an artistic light.   That probably was my favorite part of our trip, that is besides watching my children be excited and enjoy themselves at the aquarium.

If you are going on a family trip to Chicago a visit to the SHEDD AQUARIUM is not to be missed when you are in town.  Definitely check it out!  For more information, visit www.sheddaquarium.org