A few months ago, I partnered with HP to try out and integrate their new fully-functioning PC, the Sprout, into my home, work and creative process. I've learned quickly that it is way more than just a PC, rather it is packed with top notch specs, like a wide, touchscreen, touch mat, camera system and projector, among other things. I immediately took to it and have been working on a variety of projects, one specifically for a good friend expecting her first baby and using the scanner for, which I'll share more about soon! But what I didn't expect is how much fun my kiddos would have with it! They don't get a lot of screen time, but when they do I love it when it's entertaining and teaches them something. It's always a fun treat for them when they do get to play on mama's Sprout! ;)
We set the Sprout up in our downstairs family room, which up until now, hasn't seen a lot of use. It's a bit separated from our kitchen and doesn't get a lot of traffic. But, now that Nora (who we often call Nora-bean) is getting older and Liam can be trusted in small doses alone in a room, we'd like to turn this space into more of the playroom (vs. our living room that is the first thing you see when you walk into our house). It's nice to have this computer in this space so that if Greg or I need to work on it, the kids can play in the same room, but more importantly, they can play on it, too! This room still needs some work, so hopefully I'll be able to share that progress soon!
Since the Sprout is new, additional apps will continue to roll out, but two of my favorites for the kids are the piano and Crayola color, draw & sing apps (there is also a puzzle that would be great for a bit older kids). I love anything that will encourage their imagination - and Liam is at the wonderful age where that is starting to shine. And anything having to do with music is fun for us all. Nora is a bit too young to play long on the Sprout, but she's a total fan of "banging" some piano keys to see what kind of sound they produce. And she loves getting to sit up with her brother and do whatever he's doing. As you can see below, we're really enjoying the Sprout!
{^^Liam's doppelgänger?}
{And when she gets done supervising, she plays with blocks...}
{^^And he lets her join in on a duet now and again...}
Curious other ways you can use this ingenious PC? Well, stay tuned for a way I'm currently using the Sprout (which will highlight some different features than this post), coming soon, and you can scroll down a bit on Sprout's home page for ways other's are using this to sell, teach, create, play and more!
This post is in partnership with HP Sprout, but all opinions, reviews and thoughts are my own.
