Review and Giveaway: Doggie Doo

In an age where everything entertainment-related for kids seems to be found on an LCD screen, it's nice to have new products being introduced that take it back to the "old school" style of family games. And for me personally, it's even better when said game incorporates something hilarious and childish like picking up poop. Enter: Doggie Doo.

I'll admit, when I first saw the commercial for Doggie Doo, I was in shock. I thought there was no way that a game that involved scooping dog poop could be real. But in typical fashion, I quickly took to Google to do some research on the product and learned some interesting things. Doggie Doo was  originally introduced in Europe, where its popularity exploded. It was even nominated for 2010 Toy of the Year in the Netherlands. Due to it's popularity overseas, the manufacturer's (Goliath Games) decided to try their luck in the United States market. The game will officially be released nationally on August 1, but I was lucky enough to get my hands on the game ahead of time and review it.

My first surprise upon opening the package and examining the contents was that Doggie Doo doesn't require any batteries. I expected that the farting and pooping action was electronically assisted, but I was wrong. Again, this game goes old school and employs manual pumping to 'will' the doo out of the doggie.

I anticipated the doggie treats (which end up doubling as the poop) to have the consistency of Play-Doh, but when I opened the container, it was actually reminiscent of Nickelodeon's old 'Gak' product, if you remember that. It was sort of a slick feeling, yellowish green goo that made a loud farting noise when you press it into the container. As you get into the game, you realize that consistency is necessary in order to provide the awesome dog fart noises that precede the 'dump'.

Doggie Doo after releasing some back-end tension.

Setup is simple. It's as easy as connecting the 'leash' (aka pumping hose) to the dog, distributing shovels and getting out the treat goo, and you are ready to go. Also included is a treat mold, a 'feeding bone' (how you transport the goo into the dog's mouth) and a die, which dictates how many pumps of the leash you get on your turn.

The game process is simple. The dog is fed a treat, then players take turns rolling the die to see how many times they pump the leash. If the dog poops thanks to one of your pumps, you scoop the poop and add it to your 'collection'. This continues until a player has 3 pieces of 'dog mess' on their shovel and is declared the winner.

A close up of the radioactive Doggie Doo poop.

In the end, the game is short, sweet and very comical, especially the first time around. The simple rules and quick set up make it a perfect family game. It's definitely the type of game that is fun for the kids, while avoiding being completely mind-numbingly boring for adults. I honestly see this being the perfect game for younger kids who still have short attention spans, especially younger boys who will be enamored with the echoing, wet fart sounds. Though Ava is too young to actually play the game, she loved petting and kissing the doggie and of course pointing out the poop and exclaiming 'Poo poo?' So even if your child isn't quite to the game-playing age, Doggie Doo could still serve as a temporary diversion (with proper supervision, of course) with the doggie, bright colored poop and absurd farting noises. I also commented to my wife that I could see creative college students managing to make a drinking game out of this if they were bored (if anyone ever does that, you did NOT get the idea from me!).

Ava goes in for the kiss of approval.

I did have a couple minor qualms about the game, but nothing that would divert me from recommending it. The mold that is intended to produce the 'perfect' size treat isn't so perfect. It actually seemed like more often than not, we had to put a bit more into the dog in order to get it to move through to the backside properly. Fortunately, when the dog isn't farting, you basically know that nothing is happening, so you at least have a good indicator of something being stuck or if there isn't enough food inside. Also, be careful with the treat goo; I made the mistake of setting a chunk down on a piece of paper, and when I picked it up the goo had pulled the printing off of the paper. Keep the 'food' in the container as much as possible! And hopefully, Goliath Games will make replacement tubs of the food readily available for purchase, because I could see the stuff getting lost/misplaced/trashed frequently.

Overall, I was a big fan of Doggie Doo. Kids would definitely enjoy it, and I love that it's a diversion (albeit brief) from computers, iPods, etc. If the standard board game fare isn't for your family, I highly suggest giving Doggie Doo a try. Unique, simple and humorous; you can't ask much more from a family game, can you? Plus, if you're lucky, it will convince your kids that picking up dog poop is fun and you can get them to clean up the backyard!

Visit the Doggie Doo website for more information, plus find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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DOGGIE DOO GIVEAWAY!

Goliath Games agreed to provide one Doggie Doo Game (a $29.99 value) to a lucky winner in my giveaway. One of you will have the chance to own this game before it's even available to the public!

Required entry:

To get entered into the contest, you must Like the Doggie Doo Game Facebook page and follow Doggie Doo on Twitter. Once you've done so, leave a comment below with your Facebook and Twitter names, plus a way to contact you if you are the winner.

Additional entries (leave a comment for EACH additional action):

- Follow A Family of My Own on Twitter (1 entry)
- Like A Family of My Own on Facebook (1 entry)
- Watch the Doggie Doo Walks a Human video and tell me one of the places Doggie Doo visits (1 entry)
- Tell me what you would name your Doggie Doo (get creative!) (1 entry)
- Tweet about this giveaway, mentioning @AFOMOBlog, @doggiedoogame and linking to this post. Example:

"Enter by July 15 to win a @doggiedoogame in this #giveaway from @AFOMOBlog: http://bit.ly/mdS7nC"

Make sure to leave a comment below for each additional entry action, otherwise they will not be counted!

Deadline for entries is Friday, July 15, and I'll announce the winner on Monday, July 18.

Good luck!

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Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs JFrye Funfest

The 3rd Annual JFrye Funfest, hosted by Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs, will take place on Saturday, June 18 from 11-3 PM at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church (click for map) in Overland Park.

Entry is free (auction and food tickets can be purchased) and you can expect to find live music (of course), a silent auction/raffle, games for all ages and great food.

In case you are wondering why you should go to this event and support M4JC and their cause, here's a little background:

Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs is an organization that will always hold a special place in my heart. The Overland Park, Kansas based charity continues the work started by Jeremy Frye, a talented musician and educator who lost his life to a brain tumor in 2008. M4JC works to bring music into the lives of children and youth everywhere, regardless of their (or their family's) socioeconomic status. By providing scholarships and donations of money and instruments, they ensure that young people everywhere experience the joy of music in their lives.

For those of you readers that don't know, my sister Jill (who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2000) passed away suddenly last August. After her passing, my family wanted to find a local organization with a cause that would have resonated with Jill in her life. When we discovered Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs, we knew it would be the perfect organization to have memorial contributions made to in Jill's name. Jill was a talented and passionate pianist, and always showed a true love for music. I can remember riding with her as a kid, listening to everything from The Violent Femmes to Beethoven and hearing her explain why she liked it all.

So, this post is not only one promoting what is sure to be a fun family event for those in the Kansas City area, but also to raise awareness for a group that has a very special goal and will always be dear to me. Check out the flyer below and help Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs fulfill their goal to "put music in the hands of children and a lifetime of love in their hearts."

Learn more about Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs on their website or Facebook page.

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Review: Jumping Jax

One of the biggest challenges as a parent of a young child is keeping that child entertained for extended periods of time. Some days, it feels like my wife and I manage to read every one of Ava's books and play with every one of her toys, but then we look at the clock and only an hour has passed. This can be especially difficult for parents of kids that are under 3 or so, because there simply aren't many outside entertainment options (I refuse to be that parent that takes their 18 month old to the movie theater, please reference Brian Posehn's bit on movie ruiners).

So one day when I had taken a day off work and my wife was gone, I was on a mission to find something new for Ava and I to do. I recalled seeing a sign on my commute home for a place called 'Jumping Jax'. I had no idea what it was, but it had a cartoon kangaroo on it, so I felt it was at least safe to assume it was for kids. After a little research (God bless you, Google), I found out from their website that it was 'Southern Johnson County's premiere indoor inflatable play facility'. Quite frankly, I don't know of any other Southern Johnson County inflatable play facility's, so the 'premiere' label seems a bit excessive, but it seemed like an interesting place, so I decided to give it a shot.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Jumping Jax; my assumption was that it would be a sensory-overload, constant-lights-and-sounds-to-distract-your-ADD-riddled-children type of place. As I walked in though, I was surprised to see that it was a pretty plain and understated place. Beyond the gigantic inflatables, there's really not much to it other than some tables (for parties) and a room with couches, a TV and a soda machine (for parents desperate for some refuge).

For me, the first perk of this place was the price. Since Ava was under 2, she was only $4. Over 2 years old, the price doubles to $8 for the first child, $5 each after that. Judging by their Facebook page, they often have 2-for-1 open play deals, so be on the lookout for that. Parents are always free, which was a nice perk too. Since Ava was small, the front desk attendant noted that I was welcome to go with her as she explored the inflatables (which, as you'll read below, turned out to be easier said than done).

Ava scales to the summit, prepared to eat me alive if rations run out.

We walked into the first of two main rooms, and immediately I was worried that this wasn't going to work. Kids running around like maniacs everywhere, climbing up the inflatable stairs, launching down the slides, tearing through the obstacles, etc. And one thing I've learned in my first year and a half of parenting is that older kids can be real pricks (for lack of a better word) to smaller kids. I immediately morphed into defensive dad mode and moved cautiously towards the first inflatable. Ava had no idea what she was getting thrust into, and because of the way these inflatables are designed, I basically had to carry her up the 'stairs'. So this is where I issue my first caveat for Jumping Jax:

If your kid is under 2, this might not be a place you want to try. If your kid is under 2 and you are overweight or out of shape, this is DEFINITELY not a place you want to try. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape, and weigh about 175 pounds, and I had quite a bit of difficult trying to maneuver through these things while also making sure Ava was safe and could get up and down. Plus, many of  Throw in the bratty kids that fly through without any concern for others, and it can get a little sketchy. We stayed in this room for 20 minutes or so and decided to relocate to see if we could escape the loonies in the other room.

The second room had just cleared out from a party, so we had it all to ourselves, which was nice because it gave us a chance to explore on our own time without feeling rushed by chemically imbalanced children. Although it took her a while to warm up to it, Ava loved the bounce house. Of course, this is the child that enjoys spinning around until she's dizzy and falls over, so it doesn't surprise me that she was into it. The obstacle/slide inflatable in this room seemed to have even smaller tunnels than the first ones, so I felt like I was in some vinyl-smelling Alice in Wonderland moment. We spent some quality time in this room, but inevitably, the Children of the Corn stormed in and made it unpleasant for us. On that note, it was time to go, but after getting an hour and a half of entertainment for $4, I was fairly pleased.

The calm before the psycho-children storm.

Besides the crazy kids, there were a few other negatives about Jumping Jax that are worth noting:

For starters, besides the front desk attendant, I never saw a single employee in the rooms with the inflatables. I understand that the parents should be responsible for thir children, but to me it would make sense to at least have one person keeping an eye on the activity to aid in case of an injury, to answer questions, and just to help in general.

And on a similar note, since I didn't see any employees walking around, I never saw anything being cleaned. I am a bit of a germaphobe so maybe others aren't as concerned about that. But to me, when a bunch of sweaty, drooly kids are running and diving around on the same surfaces, cleaning should be a constant activity.

Finally, the place is well-polished in the front room, but in the inflatable rooms there didn't seem to be a lot of concern for upkeep. Holes in inflatables were patched with what seemed to just be duct tape and next to the bounce house there was a HUGE hole smashed into the wall. I'm sure the kids don't care, but as an anal, overanalytical parent, these are just things I noticed.

So, let's wrap this up with the big question; would I go back again? Yes, but not until Ava is older and can handle playing in the inflatables by herself. I came home with way too many vinyl burns to want to go back and have to venture into those things myself. Ava had a lot of fun though, and I think it would be even more fun for her if she was able to experience everything there to its fullest.

Interested in learning more about Jumping Jax? Check out their website or their Facebook page. It's important to note that they have specific open play periods, and there is NO open play on the weekends. They also keep their website updated with the dates where open play might be restricted to one room because of a party.

Finally, one more suggestion. If you are headed to Jumping Jax and need some music to get hyped up, this song only seems appropriate:

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