This Video Calling App Shares Screens So Your Kids Can Play Games & Read With Family

One of the hardest parts about our current health crisis is that children are not able to spend time with their grandparents. Thank goodness for modern technology, right? Phone calls and FaceTime are saving my family right now, as well as apps like Caribu. Have you heard of it? Named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Best Inventions, Caribu ‌helps‌ ‌parents‌ ‌and‌ ‌grandparents‌ ‌spend quality time together in a "virtual play date" by ‌reading,‌ ‌drawing,‌ cooking a recipe, enjoying an art activity, or playing‌ ‌games‌ ‌together in‌ ‌an‌ ‌interactive‌ ‌video call ‌from‌ ‌anywhere‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌world.‌ While the frequency of screen time has been widely discussed, I have to say I'm thankful for screens right now. Modern technology gets a special shout out from me during this crazy and uncertain period in our lives.

And thanks to a generous donation by AT&T, families will have free access and unlimited usage of Caribu until May 24. Grandparents and grandchildren can participate in engaging‌ child-friendly content together in a shared‌ ‌screen‌ ‌experience‌ ‌that‌ ‌is‌ elegantly ‌designed,‌ ‌carefully‌ ‌curated,‌ ‌and‌ most importantly, ‌secure.‌ In exploring the site, you'll find an ‌in-app‌ ‌library‌ filled‌ ‌with‌ ‌1000+‌ ‌titles‌ ‌from‌ ‌leading‌ ‌children’s‌ ‌publishers like Highlights, Mattel, Usborne, and Baby Einstein. Coloring‌ ‌activities‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌drawn‌ ‌on‌ ‌simultaneously, as well as games and educational activities that are fun for everyone, no matter their age (my kids' favorite part of Caribu is playing Tic Tac Toe with their grandparents).

Available on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, Caribu has users in 160+ countries and is offered in eight languages. Want to explore the app further before you download? Check out the Caribu YouTube page, which offers lots of user experiences and reviews. Helping my kids create and maintain meaningful connections with their relatives has never meant more to me, and I'm grateful to Caribu for being a part of their relationship. As we navigate each new day in these uncertain times, let's make every effort to stay connected (virtually).