Holiday Gift Guide: VTech InnoTab MAX Plus Giveaway ARV:$110 11/30

***Disclosure: VTech provided both product and information. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

It's that time of year, everyone! The Holiday shopping season is upon us! (At least it is if you're like me and get an early start to avoid the mad rush of frazzled, last-minute shoppers in December!) 

For the 2014 Holiday season, I will be featuring tons of great gift ideas for babies, kids, men, women, pets, and even for the person who has everything. We all have some of those on our gift lists, don't we? There will even be loads and loads of chances to win many of the gifts I am featuring. How cool is that?! You can check out my 2014 Holiday Gift Guide at any time from now till Christmas. Make sure to check often, as it will be growing by the day! 

Now I'd like to introduce you to a product from VTech that's sure to top many a wish list this season. The InnoTab MAX combines everything kids love about the previous InnoTab models with a ton of innovative new features that connect kids to learning like never before.

Sophie and Xander have older versions of this VTech best-seller, and all of them have been a huge hit. After all, you can never go wrong with VTech, in my humble opinion. We were quite eager to see how this newest model, the InnoTab MAX, stacks up against these tried and true favorites. 

Before I get into our thoughts, here are some of the awesome features of the InnoTab MAX:

• Built-in cover and handle for portability and durability.
• 18 included apps, such as Movie Maker, Wonder Cam Max, and Art Studio. That's right! The kids won't get bored with this educational toy!
• VTech Learning Lodge. This is education central! The Learning Lodge offers children between the ages of 3-9 lessons in math, science and reading. You can even track their progress! 
• 650+ cartridges and possible downloads
• Activities for kids ages 2 – 9
• WiFi enabled for online activities and games that are pre-selected by VTech. This is age-appropriate content that parents can trust.
• VTech Kid Connect app allows kids to text their parents' smart phones, exchange voice messages, and more! 
• Add up to 4 children’s profiles. This comes in very handy in homes with more than one child!
• Generous 8 GB of storage space allows for loads of games and activities.
• 180 degree rotating Camera.
• Includes a stylus.
• 7-inch multi-touch color screen.
• Microphone for voice recordings.
• Integrated photo viewer
• 1 year warranty

As you can see, the InnoTab Max is loaded with features that tech-savvy kids will love. My 3 year old and 4 year old have been having an absolute blast with this learning toy. Xander especially loves the Art Studio and the interactive E-books. I love the fact that the words are highlighted as they are read, which allows kids to form word recognition both visually and auditory. He isn't reading on his own just yet, but I have no doubt that the InnoTab Max will help him on his road to reading. 

Sophie, on the other hand, is a little smarty-pants. She already reads as well as most 10 year olds I have known. She reads complex paragraphs, and can read rather long words without having to stop and sound them out. I have to admit, I can take absolutely no credit for her advanced reading. Sure, we have worked on phonics and basic, early reading. My little girl seems to have taught herself all of the harder things. She never ceases to amaze us. 

Sophie also loves the InnoTab MAX, but she enjoys sending texts, making movies, and doing all the math and science activities the best. She also likes reading us stories, even though many of them don't really challenge her. Still, reading aloud is a great skill to practice, and she will read to anyone that cares to listen! 

One of my favorite things about the InnoTab MAX is the fact that each e-book includes a story dictionary where kids can learn the meanings of words they will encounter during the story. This, too, is a great skill to have, and definitely helps prepare kids for a classroom environment where dictionaries will be commonly used. 

Last but certainly not least, I wanted to comment about the battery life. This product seems to out-last previous models. It has about a 6 hour life before it needs to be charged. It takes just over 4 hours to charge, so we usually try to do so overnight to avoid withdrawl-induced tantrums. Yes, my kids will cry over dead batteries. Not even kidding. 

Overall, we're definitely very impressed with the VTech InnoTab MAX. This durable, educational toy brings technology into the hands of little ones, making learning fun. We love the fact that it's WiFi-enabled, and has access to loads of fun, educational content that kids are sure to love. Add to that the fact that movies, photos, and art are incorporated for a bit of creative fun, and you've got a total hit! I would definitely recommend checking this product out when you do your Holiday shopping. It might just get you the "Coolest Parent Ever" award! 

How to Connect :

You can check out the awesomeness that is the InnoTab MAX on the VTech Kids website.

You can also purchase this product on Amazon. 

Be sure to connect with VTech Kids on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions! 

Enter to win :

I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader  will receive a VTech InnoTab MAX of their own!

How cool is that?!

Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below! 

This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ until 12:00AM EST on November 30, 2014. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

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