Earlier this year we splurged and bought Mike an Amazon Kindle e-reader. He reads PDF files for work every day, and he loves reading them on his Kindle instead of on paper. He also uses the Kindle to read children’s classics that are in the public domain to Emma, Johnny, and Lily. 
Emma wanted a Kindle of her very own, so she made one, complete with side navigation buttons and lots of “text”! She was also nice enough to make one for Johnny, Lily, and a friend who was visiting. The friend was a little confused since he didn’t know what a kindle was; thankfully he was still quite gracious in accepting his gift!
I remember taking floppy discs apart to make “record players” as a child, and both Mike and I made our own paper computers. All three of my kids have been known to use blocks as improvised telephones. Do you remember making “electronics” as a child?
MaryAnne lives is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
For this you should buy her a kindle :-)
I made a cash register so I could pretend I had my own restaurant. We don’t have a Kindle, and I’m not sure I’m ready for one just yet.
I love kids imaginations!
I love her little Kindle! So creative!
Emma’s Kindle can even be left on for take-offs and landings!
Emma’s creation is awesome!
So, I am really torn on this Kindle. Hanna has mentioned one, but I can’t decide if “real” books are better for kids. I would LOVE your input on this! She asks lots lately:-).
Adorable!! Emily has plans to make a paper iPad2!! :-)
This is fantastic! I was definitely NOT making any electronics as a child. Even though my family was middle class, we didn’t even have a tape player until I was about 10. At about the same time we finally got a color TV. That does date me, doesn’t it?
That is so funny! I love the fancy dress!
Love Emma’s version of the Kindle! The side buttons are particularly impressive. Also love the look of concentration on her face.
I’ve been researching eBook readers this month, and I plan to buy one soon so we don’t have to put bookshelves on every wall of our house…
I clearly remember doing things like this. We’d build things for our dolls. I remember making a TV out of a brick, a computer armoire and computer out of one of those disposable cereal boxes that you could pour milk into. We sewed little bags for our dolls so they’d have school bags, and made books out of little pieces of paper and pencils out of of toothpicks. We’d even color them to look like pencils! I remember being totally creative all the time, and not even realizing we were doing it. We just wanted our dolls to have the same things we did.
Yes, and my kids do as well. It’s rather cute to see.
LOVE this!!! Your kids are so creative!!
Good Morning Mary Ann.
I remember taking an abacus and a weaving a strip of paper through it, pretending it was a cash register.
Me and my sister were cutting groceries out of paper that we have drawn, like milk cartons, loafs of bread, sardine cans and fruits and vegetables, and laid them on our beds, pretending it was a grocery store. She was “shopping” and I was charging her enthusiastically on my evolutionary device! Thank you for making me remember! :) Have a great weekend!