I can’t say enough about how wonderful Nintendo is.  This company has found a way to improve nearly every facet of my life.  From my 60 pound weight loss using the Wii Fit to expanding my repertoire in the kitchen with the help from Personal Trainer: Cooking.

Now they’re taking it one step further and have introduced Personal Trainer: Math, new software for the Nintendo DS^™ that provides a fun and rewarding way for people to improve their basic math abilities.

“Personal Trainer: Math provides a fun antidote for math anxiety,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “People can keep their math skills sharp while tracking their progress every day to see how they improve.”

When I first got this, I thought it’d be perfect for my almost 4 year old to help him learn the basics of Math.  He’s still a little too young to do this on his own, but since receiving Personal Trainer: Math, both my husband and I have worked with Jacob to teach him the basics of addition and subtraction through playing this game on our Nintendo DS.

I decided to try this game for myself, since I’m absolutely terrible at Math and hear that activities like these keep the mind sharp as a person ages.  Since I’m about to hit the ripe old age of 32, I thought I’d better get cracking and stimulate the parts of my brain I just don’t use on a daily basis (mainly, 2/3 of it he he he).

I played Personal Trainer: Math for over an hour and had to force myself to put it down so I could go to bed!  I started with the basic tests and worked my way up.  Let me tell you this, folks, this game can be used for kids just starting to learn Math (with help from their parents) all the way to the graduate students looking to test themselves on elaborate multiplication tables and calculation ladders.

According to Nintendo, a new survey, conducted by Wakefield Research for Nintendo, confirms that math anxiety is alive and well among U.S. kids. In fact, of 400 children surveyed, one in five believe that they are more likely to grow up to become a professional athlete, actor or singer than they are to get A’s and B’s in math next year. Other results of the survey conducted Dec. 12-23, 2008, include:

• More than one-third of kids surveyed say that math is their most difficult subject.
• Nearly one-third of kids have very negative feelings about math: 18 percent called it “boring,” while 13 percent actually called it “torture.”
• 86 percent of parents surveyed say that math is important to their careers, even though more than half of them admitted they thought they’d never need the math they learned in school.

Personal Trainer: Math includes 40 fast-paced exercises, from basic addition and multiplication to more extensive multiplication tables and calculation ladders. Daily math drills keep skills sharp, while attendance records provide ways for users to see how they improve week to week and month to month. The Nintendo DS touch screen interface allows users to input their answers quickly and easily. Using wireless DS Download Play, up to 16 players can compete to finish their problems with the fastest time, even if only one player has a game card.

I’m so very lucky to be best friends with an 11 year old.  She’s the daughter of my super amazing and wonderful friend Abby and she helps me with so much.

She co-starred with me in my Boogie Superstar video montage review, where she bravely sang karaoke while attenpting to copy the dance moves in the game.  She, of course, did a wonderful job.  Me?  Eh…

Well now she and I sat down to play her all time favorite new game from Electronic Arts (EA), Littlest Pet Shop.  She said that since the day she started playing she hasn’t stopped.  Taylor plays Littlest Pet Shop nearly every single day.

Here’s the EA Games site description-

You know how you love to sing in the shower and in the car and think you’re the greatest singer ever?  Well, before you go trying out for American Idol, try recording yourself singing and watch that.  WOW.   I love to sing.  I go to karaoke weekly.  When I got the opportunity to try EA’s Boogie Superstar, I flipped out.

Boogie Superstar isn’t your average hippie chick karaoke game.  Typically, I sing Janis Joplin, Alanis Morrissette or the Fugees.  This game is geared toward our Tweens and Teens, the more ‘hip’ generation.  I am apparently NOT hip.

That’s why I LOVED THIS GAME!  I took it over to play with my best 11 year old girl, Taylor.  Taylor knew EVERY song and didn’t make me feel stupid at all when I obviously didn’t.  I learned a bunch of new songs and if I get good enough, I’m taking these babies to the bar!  We bravely Vlogged our Boogie Superstar adventure and I put it into a little video montage for you’re listening pleasure (or displeasure.  She’s WONDERFUL.  Me?  Eh…)

You’ll see an un-showered (un-makeup’d) me, a rockin’ 10 month old in the back and the reason we look so AWESOME with the dance moves is because the game has you incorporate the dancing with the singing.  It’s quite the workout!

Today I’m going to focus on Baby Banz sunglasses. Don’t forget to check out the Cool Mom Guide Goes Green Giveaway, sponsored by ecostore USA! One lucky winner will receive the entire Baby Care line, including Baby Wash, Massage Oil, Moisturizer, Nappy Balm, Shampoo, Sleepytime Bath and Soap! Continue Reading For More On The Momspective Goes Green Baby Banz Review

Today, I’m going to tell you about the ecostore USA natural, non-toxic laundry liquid.  Don’t forget to check out the Cool Mom Guide Goes Green Giveaway, sponsored by ecostore USA! One lucky winner will receive the entire Baby Care line, including Baby Wash, Massage Oil, Moisturizer, Nappy Balm, Shampoo, Sleepytime Bath and Soap! Continue Reading For More On The Momspective Goes Green-ecostore USA Laundry Liquid