by Cathleen Smothers, SKT Marketing Assistant

Marco Polo – no, I’m not talking about the Venetian explorer of the 1200s who judiciously documented his travels to the Far East, nor the game of tag played in a swimming pool. I’m talking about the App that our family uses almost every day to stay in touch.

We’ve been using it for a while, but in this season of social distancing, it’s been an even greater asset for sharing the momentous and the mundane. We have just 10 people on our Marco Polo account – two parents/grandparents, four sons, and their wives.

With the Marco Polo app, we are able to partake in gift openings, first steps, what’s cooking on the grill, the beauty of our current hike, or Kansas sunsets on the farm … even though we’re scattered in other states, across an ocean, and just a few miles away.

The beauty of this app is that it’s so easy to use. The recordings are instantly posted, can be watched live – listen for the little chime that lets you know when one has started – or can be “caught up on” later when we finally sit in our favorite chair at day’s end. In addition, they may be enjoyed over and over. This differentiates Marco Polo from Snapchat, as Snaps are deleted almost immediately, while Polos live on unless you decide to delete them.

While recording, you can see who’s watching live – making it even more fun. Plus, watchers can respond instantly with emojis! Grandma uses lots of hearts … and what joy and smiles those shared snippets bring! It’s the next best thing to being there.

Marco Polo has been described as the best messaging app ever and I do highly recommend it. It’s free, available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. Social distancing? Connect and engage with Marco Polo.