According to a recent research from the game network WildTangent, it is estimated that approximately 80% of young mothers who own a mobile or tablet are gaming at least once per week on these devices. This survey was conducted online, where 1,000 women were polled.

It is interesting to note that 68% of pregnant women who are waiting for their due date have admitted that they play online with the mobile devices multiple times each day. Nap time for the kids during the day is the moment when more mothers of young children play their favourite mobile games and this is approximately 76%. For them it’s a great way to avoid boredom. You too can try the below favourite games according to mums:

Bingo – Playing bingo online is highly regarded as many mums favourite pastime, especially in UK. What mostly attracts them to this game is probably the fun factor in the bingo rooms. Lucky Pants Bingo is where like-minded mothers play their favourite bingo variations like bingo 90, bingo 75 or even speed bingo while sharing their little secrets. This mobile bingo site also provides slot games, roulette, and table and card games, along with scratchcards.

Candy Crush – To play or not to play? This is the question that many mums must be asking themselves daily when it comes to the game of candy crush. Yes, the green or yellow, purple or orange, blue or red walls of candy are very tempting. This game has hypnotised many with their jellies, it seems that mums have not been spared either.

4 Pics 1 Word – Mums are always trying to solve puzzles. If it’s now about how to clean that stain on the curtain, then it’s probably about finding a word by looking at four pictures. Yes, this is the game called 4 Pics 1 Word, and it has left many mums puzzled and glued to their mobile device in search of the correct word.

Farmville – Plow, plant, and harvest according to the season and orders. This is how we can define the game of Farmville. This game has been around for a long time, and it is still going strong among mothers. Many mums might be wondering if it’s time for them to harvest their crops while doing their laundering before it actually withers.

Cake Shop 2 – Life can be delicious for the mums too with Cake Shop 2. Now apart from cooking dinner for your children and hubby, you can also feed the whole of Yummyville. Some of the residents of this city are in a rush while others are picky. But mums surely knows how to be quick enough to prepare those cakes.

The 1990s was a revolutionary and exciting time for games and toys. These were the days when board games and video games still shared equal spotlight in the family room, and the era when portable gaming really took off. Innovative designs were integrated into simple, classic concepts and made even better. If you want to relive your own ’90s childhood, or introduce your kids to the pastimes that you loved, here are a few games and toys from the 1990s that you can still buy.

Tamagotchi

Having a pet isn’t new, but having a digital one sure was. This widely popular digital toy was one of the first to engage both boys and girls equally. This was also one of the first portable gaming systems, and was so well made that many will still function even after years of inactivity. You can find the classic Tamagotchis on EBay for a variety of prices, or mix new with old and download the modern cell phone app.

The Super Soaker 50

One of the few times that outdoor sports made a real splash (pun intended), was with the Super Soaker series. These innovative expansions on the simple water pistol were a sure-fire way (again, pun intended) to get the kids out of the house on a summer afternoon. The Super Soaker 50 was created in 1989, but was popular throughout the following decade. This vintage item is popular and expensive, appealing equally to boy and girls, kids and grownups, and typically costing over $100.

Crossfire

This board game is a combination of table-top and video game, and very cleverly played upon the “fight game” phenomenon that was so popular with arcade and console games at the time. There are still many entertainment companies, such as Breaking Games, that still follow this trend of producing similar board and video-type crossovers. This game is now a Collector’s Item valued at almost $400, a testament to its popularity.

Nintendo 64 or Gameboy

When it came to home gaming systems, Nintendo was the unmistakable ruler of the 1990s. As if the console wasn’t enough, with titles like Starfox and Ocarina of Time, we also had the Gameboy. The era of Role Playing and Portable digital gaming had begun, and Nintendo was its first ambassador. Plenty of the old games are still available on the newer Nintendo consoles as classic compilations, and older Nintendo 64 systems (along with several games) are still available online, often for the same prices for which you originally bought them.

Furby

The Furby phenomenon dates back to the 1990s and still continues on its adorable way to the present day. Recent productions like Furbacca, the very first Star Wars furby, are currently available for retail sales. This toy has retained its popularity with two simple but very effective characteristics; versatility and cuteness. Available in a plethora of colors and themes, these fuzzy little guys are a cheerful, low-maintenance addition to any desktop. Hasboro still makes and sells them, and you can find vintage ones online or at your neighborhood garage sale for a variety of prices.

Certain trends come and go, as anyone who saw the big hair of the 1980s will tell you. The quality games that were genuinely fun and innovative are the ones that withstand the test of time. Don’t be afraid to enjoy that Nintendo 64 system along with your kids, or invest in that grown-up income to re-live your glory days as a Supersoaker Badass. You’re a child of the 1990s. Put that Furby on your desk with pride!

Thomas Black is a keen writer who draws inspiration from daily life with 3 kids. His articles mostly appear on parenting and lifestyle blogs.

There are a lot of articles out there that go on and on about how television is bad for you. As avid television lovers we decided that, given the season (one where most of us are stuck inside for months on end), it might be time to talk about why television is good and tell you about some of the great programming that is out there for everyone in your family, no matter their age.

Channels Channels Everywhere and Not a Show to Watch

It doesn’t feel like all that long ago when the number of channels available was still in the double digits. Now there are literally hundreds of channels available to choose from. Not just that, but thanks to the invention of On Demand and DVR, nobody is beholden to a channel’s programming schedule anymore. Now, when you want to watch a show you just search for it through your Direct TV on demand menu.

When you have thousands of options available to you, deciding what to watch can feel incredibly overwhelming–enough so that you might be tempted to turn off the television altogether! Before you do, though, consider the following…

Why Television is Good For You

There are plenty of reasons that watching television can actually be good for you. For example, there is a swath of programming out there that is educational. From the reboot of The Cosmos that Neil DeGrasse Tyson narrated a couple of years ago to Going Deep with David Rees and the educational programming built for kids, there are plenty of opportunities to learn something new.

Another reason that watching television can be beneficial is that it gives people a look into what life is like in other cultures. This is particularly true for music and in children’s programming.

Good television programming can introduce difficult topics that give parents the opportunity to talk about serious issues with their children in a safe space. This type of programming can also act as a catalyst for discussion among adults about the issues of the day. A great example of this is the American Crime series that debuted on ABC last year and will be starting its second season in January.

Good television can even be a great way to encourage people to read–and not just because they belong to Oprah’s Book Club! Television shows are one of the best ways to help kids that are reluctant to read get into the medium as most popular kids’ shows have complementary novels and series that feature the same characters. As an older kid, teen, or adult, comparing a book to the movie on which it is based is a great way to find new authors and genres of books to read.

It is also true that books inform a lot of the programming that is on the air today. Some shows are even directly based on books (or series of books). Check out shows like Arrow, the Flash, Agent Carter–any series that is based on comic books. Game of Thrones is based on George R.R. Martin’s series A Song of Ice and Fire. Boardwalk Empire is based on a non-fiction book of the same name. Elementary takes its cues from actual Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Bones is based on the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs.

Finally, while it is true that we might get most of our breaking news through social media these days, television news networks help us understand the minutiae of what’s going on in real time.

The point is this: television can be a great facilitator; not just for entertainment value but for critical thinking, social progression, education, etc. While it’s understandable that you might be hesitant to set your screen up as a baby-sitter, allowing some TV viewing time for yourself and your kids can help you all grow as humans. What’s your favorite show that’s on television these days?