ORIGINAL SLOTHS WALL CALENDAR

I know we live in a digital world, but sometimes instead of keeping track of your life through an app it is nice to utilize an old school wall calendar. My middle school aged daughter likes to have a wall calendar hanging in her bedroom to markdown things like her schedule of activities, special events and people's birthdays. Plus, she LOVES sloths so in addition to being handy this calendar from Workman Publishing, The Original Sloths Calendar makes a nice decoration for her bedroom wall. 

There’s just something about sloths: their gentle expressions, their long, furry arms, their penchant for just hanging around. Not to mention how they set such a good example for the rest of us—slow down and bask in the moment! The Original Sloths Wall Calendar from Workman Publishing features a year of gorgeous, full-color images from photographer and sloth fanatic Lucy Cooke.  For example, one month highlights Sweet Darien, saying “hello” from upside down. Another month features best buddies Branston and Pickles, enjoying a tasty floral snack. And another month showcases an irresistible basketful of sleepy sloths. If you know someone who adores sloths, it is time to get a calendar for 2022!

The pictures in the Original Sloths Wall Calendar are accompanied by charming captions and fascinating sloth facts: Did you know sloths’ long claws are not made of keratin, like most animals’, but are actually long, protruding finger bones? Ok that fact might have just made you think ewww but the pictures in the calendar are sure to make you exclaim awww. And these Sloth themed calendars are printed on FSC-certified paper so you don't have to feel guilty about trees being cut down to produce the product. In fact, creating jobs through sustainable forestry helps people make a living in rural environments instead of doing activities to support their families that are more damaging to these habitats and dangerous to the animals the live there.

Interested in something that takes a bit less wall space? There is also a mini version of the Sloths calendar available from Workman Publishing. At 7" x 7" this useful calendar is a great way to add some charm to a fridge, locker or other small space. It also provides a year's worth of sloth photographs from Lucy Cooke to enjoy as well as contains fantastic stories, fascinating trivia and fun facts about these animals. The mini calendar is also printed on FSC-certified paper.

Time is ticking. Get your updated 2022 calendars before too much time goes by. You do want to get the most bang for your buck as there is much more value in a calendar getting it before New Year's Day rather than the Fourth of July after all. And if sloths aren't your thing Workman has numerous other calendar types and themes to choose from. Check them out at workman.com.

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TRAK ATTAK from New Bright -- Radio Control Toys

**A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

The TRAK ATTAK puts a new spin on playing with radio control cars as this RC racer features tracks instead of wheels to speed it along. This 1:10 scale (14") tread driven vehicle features a sturdy suspension and enough bulk in its size to let it tank through a variety of terrains.  Yet it is light and fast enough to really get it racing along.  A Geek Daddy recently put the TRAK ATTAK to the test and it proved itself to be an entertaining toy as it jaunted across backyards, through park playgrounds and around our neighborhood's sidewalks.



TRAK ATTAK comes with a 12.8 volt Lithium Ion power pack which is easy to recharge and provides the remote control vehicle with plenty of energy to power through the challenges you throw at it.  Just plug the power pack into the included charger which is inserted into a standard wall outlet.  It took fifteen minutes to charge it up out of the box. Then lock the power pack into place within the bottom of the TRAK ATTAK, which is very easy to fit into place, and your toy will be fueled up and ready to go!  My son took it to the park to race around and the TRAK ATTAK lasted about thirty minutes before the power pack needed to be recharged.  Subsequent recharges take from a half hour to an hour depending on the amount of use it has had and provide twenty to thirty minutes of fast paced activity.  Here's some video of my 7 year old steering it around as you can see it handles well and is easy for him to control:



The TRAK ATTAK comes with its own compact remote control.  I don't particularly care for my kids wanting to grab my phone to be able to play with a toy through its bluetooth or wi-fi so an included remote control with these type of things is always a plus for me.  This parent also appreciated that New Bright included the 2 AA batteries needed to power the remote control within the packaging.  Pull the TRAK ATTAK out of its box, insert the included batteries into the remote control and charge the Lithium Ion power pack for a few minutes and this RC racers is quickly ready to play with.

There have been quite a few radio control cars that my twins have wanted to race against each other that didn't work out very well when we tried them out because the frequencies interfered with one another causing a mess in controlling both so they couldn't really compete against one another at the same time. That won't be a problem with TRAK ATTAK which utilizes 2.4GHZ technology that allows remote control units sync to specific vehicles.  This allows up to 6 people to race at once in proximity to one another at the same time -- yes!!!  New Bright's technology also allows the TRAK ATTAK to have an internal antenna so there isn't one hanging from the vehicle providing for more mobility and a more attractive ride while also providing a faster response between transmitter and vehicle from longer distances.

 If you are looking for an out of the ordinary toy that will get kids excited about wanting to go outside to play, you'll want to pick up a TRAK ATTAK. This RC toy also demonstrated the durability not to quickly and easily break ensuring kids will get plenty of enjoyment out of it.  TRAK ATTAK is available exclusively from Walmart if you are interested in grabbing one.  For more information about TRAK ATTAK and other radio controlled toys from its manufacturer, visit newbright.com

HATCHIMALS DAY

 ** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review**

Happy Hatchimals Day! We received a mysterious egg the other day from Spin Master Toys with a "Hatchimal" inside and my kids have been anxious all week to find out what will emerge out of the shell.  Today's the day for the big reveal! My son and daughter have been rocking, petting and holding the egg to keep it comfortable, safe and warm.  Before your egg will hatch you must nurture and care for it to encourage the Hatchimal inside to break out of the shell.

My kids took caring for the egg so seriously that I even talked my son into sitting on it for awhile like a bird.  It turns out though that my joking him into doing that was the final touch to activate the Hatchimal to start pecking its way out of the shell.  We rushed it into the dining room to sit back and watch as holes began appearing in the shell.  Whatever was inside was ready to get out!



A beak began to poke holes through the shell.  After about five minutes it had cracked an opening around the egg allowing for the creature to crack out of the top.  We're about to get our first glimpse at what is inside the egg!



Well my daughter guessed it would be a penguin and my son thought it would be a dragon.  It turns out that they were both right as the Hatchimal that emerged was a combination of a penguin and a dragon. Meet our Hatchimal the kids have named -- Flappy.

While hatching the toy from the egg was a neat experience, the fun really begins now the Hatchimal is out of its shell.  You know the toy is ready to play with after it hatches when it sings HATCHI BIRTHDAY - a very nice touch! Now let the fun begin!



These interactive, animatronic creatures develop through three modes -- baby, toddler, and kids -- advancing to each level as they spurred on by your attention and imaginative play with them.  Each new mode opens up new features to interact and have fun with your Hatchimal.  Baby mode focuses on caring for the Hatchimal.  Toddler mode allows you to teach your Hatchimal to walk, talk and dance.  You can start playing games with your Hatchimal when it becomes a kid.

There are four games the Hatchimal will play with you: SILLY SOUNDS,  PSYCHIC HATCHIMAL, TAG, and HATCHIMAL SAYS.  In "Silly Sounds," your Hatchimal will tap  a pattern and you need to try to repeat it back. You can ask your Hatchinal YES or NO questions and it will answer them when playing "Psychic Hatchimal".  "When your Hatchimals eyes turn red you need to tap it on the head when playing "Tag."  Complete an instructed task -- pat its head, squeeze its belly, turn it upside down, before your Hatchimal gives another order to win at "Hatchimal Says."

My kids are just discovering all the great things they can do with their Hatchimal but it has already proven to be a toy that has excited and entertained them.  Because it combines an element of surprise by actually hatching from a shell, interactive robotic tech that engages children to participate in creative play, and a cuddly animal toy that boys and girls will adore, Spin Master's Hatchimals have earned A GEEK DADDY nod of approval.

CLICK HERE for more information about HATCHIMALS from Spin Master Toys.