"What Shall We Do Today?" Feedback thread

[AnnMumsnet]

Dear "What Shall We Do Today?" Tester

Many thanks for being a tester for the Playhouse Disney 'What Shall We Do Today?' web based interactive tool with your child aged 2-5. We hope you are enjoying the website.

Please use this thread to record which activities you've done, your thoughts on the website in general and on the activities.

Playhouse Disney would also love to see any pictures or artwork which resulted from any activities undertaken - you can upload the images onto your MN profile or if you have online storage (ie Photobox/Flickr etc) please post a link so other Mumsnetters can see what you and your child have been doing!

Thanks

MNHQ

I can't get the what shall we do bit to load at all

I had another look at the 'what shall we do today' bit last night (for some reason it's easier to get a better look without DS help!)

I think we would use it when we are at a loss for something to do. DS can then pick something that you know is do-able. He enjoys Mr Maker (on BBC) - but we find it difficult to complete many of the tasks because we don't have the plastic tubs/boxes required or have the patient to wait for paint to dry. The 'makes' on the site look simpler and more manageable for a pre-schooler. I know he will like bubble painting and making telescopes. I think we'll try the paper plate masks and 'join the band' would be idea when he has friends round.

I liked the games bit. I suspect the Den making will be popular, and we will give the animal charades a try. That's something we can play with DD who is slightly older. Like others, I was disappointed that there wasn't more outdoor activities featured, especially with the good weather coming up.

We've not had a proper look at stories yet, but I'm sure we have chance soon.

I think some ideas are a bit , like I'd never thought to make a den myself?! Also, after having been on the site a few days now, I'm not sure how best to utilise the 'what shall we do today?'.... if ds2 goes on, he wants to play the games, so then the time is taken with that rather than browsing the activitties and then doing one! Not that he's on it for that long, but by the time we've come back from the school run about 9.30am, started up the computer, checked email and mn then he's had a go on the site, its prob around 10.30, and at 11.30 I 've got to start lunch for him to eat at 12 so we can leave for nursery at 2.30! So we've basically got an hour. Or maybe I'm just creating obstacles where there really isnt any?!

We had a go at making sock puppets and DD loved it - she has had it on her hand pretty much ever since

I really like the making activities we have tried, they seem quite simple so even DD can engage and join in although she is only 2.
DH has plans for the train bookend while I am at work tomorrow - apparently they are going to make it look like Thomas.

We have tried some of the dances, but the volume seems to be lower on those than on the other videos, also the quality is a bit jerky and it is hard for DD to see properly because it doesn't fill the whole screen even in "full screen" mode. She hopped about a bit (not following the instructions) but then lost interest - I obviously need better speakers and a faster broadband connection.

been on goofys slide today my ds2 loves it big smile on his face

Have just played some games with DS1 (4) from the What shall we do today menu. We found the menu really hit & miss....sometimes loading straight away and other times needing to be refreshed. As before he really liked the Handy Manny fairground game and also did the Big Blue Bear jigsaw which was a bit too easy for him and will see how DS2 (2 3/4) gets on with that game. We also played Tigger & Pooh shadow game which DS1 loved but when we moved from practice to actually playing the game he found the time allowed to play too short and got frustrated so we went back to the practice session. We tried to play the little einsteins game but it wouldn't upload.
We are hoping, over the next week, to do some of the activities...as I have just had DS3 by c-section we are a little limited in the physical stuff we can do but I am going to have a look and see what we can try which won't take a massive amount of physical effort! Am also hoping DS2, who loves books and music, will venture into these parts of the menu with me-DS1 just wanted to play the games Also, just remembered DS1 also played the Big Blue bear musical pots & pans "game" neither of us could work out what the "point" of the game was but will maybe have a go with DS2 as he is younger and may enjoy it a bit more as he isn't as goal oriented!

Well DD and DH made a den today - but TBH DD was getting bored with the instructions and wanted to rush off and get it done!

Pictures on profile of finished den - pretty good I think!

DD is desperate to check out the rest of the site again rather than WSWDT, so I'm going to let her and try another activity later.

You know the Mickey's parade game thing ? Not sure of the real title. Well, ds2 loved being able to see his name as he typed it in, he loved choosing animals and ballooons etc. But then it all went awry; we thought it would just look like a parade, but it was all these diff scenes, and the effects he put on had no bearing to anything! Its nice to be able to play it back, but as youre putting sounds on, the scenes change too fast to be able to select the right sound icon!

Also been on the Little Einsteins Masterpiece game; did one each of sticker and paint - found the controls weren't particularly easy. DD enjoyed the stickers of the characters, but the paint pallet etc was quite tricky for her to do - the acid test for that one is that, although she loves Little Einsteins, she asked to play the Cbeebies Charlie and Lola similar one where they colour in butterflies.

Liked the print option but didn't have a 'gallery' (unlike Charlie and Lola) so you can print afterwards but can't go back to something you did earlier (or if you can, I couldn't find it!)

We did the Watering the Garden activity which dd loved. However she really just wanted to go and water the garden rather than watch a video. So we watched it after we got in !

We also played the hot and cold game, that worked really well as hide and seek is a firm favourite in our house, dd (3) also taught it to ds (6) when he got home from school. I have firm instructions to let them play it tomorrow morning before school.

Weve been doing the craft side of things for the last day or so. We have made the Handy Manny Finger puppets, which was a great success, ds2 loved it.

Have also made an Agent Oso photo frame but we saw that on the TV ('What Shall We Do Today)so not sure if it counts and the Electricity & Machines work sheets. I shall try and upload the finished products today

Haven't had much time this week so far, but we had a bit of a play last night. DD really loves the interactive games. As her older brother has a DS I'm really happy that she likes playing these slightly more informative ones! She enjoyed Mousekespotter (on the Medium level - she's nearly 5) and we both really liked Goofy's Musical Maze - a gentle game that she could do easily but it was really good hearing all the sounds the different instruments made.

Going to try some of the activities after school - if I'm not careful all DD will want to do is the games ...

Ben on again today but was a bit disappointed today. It seemed to take ages to load.

We tried the balancing the weighing scales game but tbh I couldn't figure it out . Stuff kept disappearing and it seemed to keep restarting itself . Ended up giving it up as a bad job.

Then we tried the cake mixing game. Tbh I found it a bit boring. I thought there could have been more interaction. e.g. The bear could have asked for help baking his cake, said "good choice" when adding something. Dd1 said she liked it but I wasn't convinced.

I had a look at a couple of craft ones but didn't have all the stuff needed so will have a go at those another day. I am looking forward to doing the space one, making paper mache planets . I think Erin will like that too cos she likes sticking and painting.

I also looked at the one about senses. Tbh I don't think dd would enjoy that. She's quite fussy in what she eats and knows what she does and doesn't like. I think there are other ways of doing the 5 senses. e.g. a worksheet for each sense and done things like smelling flowers, touching things outside (wood, stones, grass, etc). Obviously you'd have to do some sort of food thing for taste but I just thought the activity was as short as possible and not very interesting.

Meant to add on the crafty/activity type ones it would be really helpful to have say a checklist of stuff you need pop up before it starts so if you don't have everything you can close it for another time, rather than have disappointed kids see videos/pictures of the fun stuff then not be able to do it.

DD is loving the website she does always go for the same games and characters though.
Will be trying out some of the crafty stuff over the weekend.

Have just played jungle junction bug trail with dd , despite her not being used to a mouse this was really easy to do for her , (i had to help her get the right sign) but she loved the visual images of the bugs moving on her trail.

Have made some footprints for the game , will get dd2 to add instructions when she gets home from school. Will let you know how we get on and upload some pics.
dd2 also wants to play the going shopping game which she saw last night.

There seems a lot of things to see on the site , still finding lots of new sections.

Have just been looking at the printable activities which i would certainly use in a classroom environment at pre school but would have to adapt to use at home.

I do find some of the game ideas a little obvious tbh. I am not why you would need to reference a site to water the garden or collect leaves. Maybe the games could be a little more unusual.

Tried out Donald and the beanstalk which we both enjoyed.

Goofy's silly slide was very easy to do, we watched all of them slide down more than once as he found this more fun. Also tried the medium setting.

Another return to the Agent Oso pages as well.

He seems to prefer to return to the same games each time.

DS has been sick since Sunday - Mon and Tues he was flat out, but today we have been able to play on a few things - he likes the previous games he has played. Especially the making a toy game (I on the other hand am getting a bit fed up of it now!)

I really would appreciate an age range on the games though, it takes too long to go in and out of several games to find one that he would be interested in.

Did the lucky dip option today & the kids enjoyed seeing what it would come up with. We played the game carrying parcels and having to remove puddles/banana skins but it really moved too fast so they lost interest. Then we did the bear puppet which ds enjoyed (age 3) and suits younger children as you just need to randomly press buttons.

We did the bake a cake but the drag & drop aspect was a little tricky (we have a touch pad rather than a mouse) but they enjoyed the combinations. We then did the Roo & Lumpy magnifyer game which I thought was better than the beanstalk game but in fact the kids didn't enjoy it nearly as much and lost interest after a couple of goes.

So far we are enjoying the video clips the most. The kids keep asking to play animal charades and after watching the scavenger hunt one this morning made up their own hunt for when we walked the dog. Actually watching how games work seems to really inspire them. Maybe some cookery clips would be good - they are big fans of I can cook on cbeebies.

The higgly ball game is totally incomprehensible. Even I can't work out what on earth we are supposed to do! Have given up.

Rabbit's garden patch is good. I like the fact that you can look at other people's first to get ideas before making your own.

we have had a go on the lucky dip today and DD still loves this site.

played the hot and cold game several times now - however the loading is still quite slow.

Ds was loving Lucky Dip today. I think there should be a few more short activities that aren't video clips. Would also be nice if activities came up with the characters in random order, rather than grouped.

He really likes the painting activities, but finds them frustrating as they are really hard to do well - I find them hard tbh.

I know you didn't want other feedback specifically, but if I had a block character button, it would be Johnny and the Sprites. Enough to drive a woman to gin.

I do note that the whole site is totally inaccessible for those with low vision or using a switch, and it's very overstimulating with all the fluttering butterflies and other things around the main activity screen

WOW, dd2 really got into this website today. She had a pretty good chunk of time on it, as I was helping dd1 with her school project, and was able to navigate around the website without any problems, didn't need to ask for help or explanations.

TBH I don't think she used the 'What shall we do today" tool and stuck to the picture icons at the top.

Loads of time spent on the Handy Manny section, had a go at all the games but especially loved the carnival games as they are easy to play and gives good encouragement.

She has printed off the instructions for 'Handy Manny make your own tools' so if we have a bash at that tomorrow I will upload some pictures.

It is a bit annoying that there are different activites available when you use the What shall we do today tool than when you just click on a picture character and then go to activities. Meant I couldn't find some stuff she had been asking about (make your own tool box). Could do with all being tied in together.