Be the Bus Boy (or Bus Girl)
A fun (and vaguely educational) way to keep mealtimes alive!
ADDED May 24, 2010
Sometimes kids are antsy at mealtimes. They're ready to leave the table and return to their toys. While we admire their passion for playing, we also need everybody to eat some food! Therefore, we've discovered that cooking up an interesting topic at mealtimes helps little rear ends remain in their seats.
Here's what you do. It's simple and entertaining:
While the kids are starting their meals, parade out various serving dishes. Put them on the table for your kids to see, and together discuss what each is used for. (For obvious reasons, please don't use precious heirlooms, such as great-grandmother's fragile collectible china gravy boat. Such items could meet disastrous ends due to overly enthusiastic toddlers.)
Get a bunch of different dishes out. Talk about sugar bowls, platters, tureens, creamers -- you name it.
What is the difference between a mug and a teacup? Or a tea pot and a tea kettle? What is a gravy boat? (And why is a boat anyway, do you think?) Do your kids know what a saucer is? And what exactly is the point of a saucer? (We think a saucer is used out of tradition, maybe to look nice, and possibly to catch little spills.)
The goal here is to learn new words and to start a discussion . . . and to keep those kids at the table!
You should award yourself some points for variety. How many different serving vessels can you find tucked away in your kitchen cabinets?
Have some fun with this one. And look, you're finally getting some use out of all that stuff tucked away in your kitchen cabinets.
--S
Photo of Portuguese dishes courtesy of pedrosimoes7. And the single corningware shot is from studiosmith.
Custom Crayon Nut Breakfast Bars
Not really delicious or nutritious . . . but creative and fun!
ADDED May 07, 2010
My two kids must have noticed the prominence of bars in our home, because yesterday they started drawing some bars of their own invention.. . .
Can't Touch This!
Work together with your kids and you'll get some very impressive results!
ADDED May 03, 2010
Well, today we're here to recommend yet another fun set-up activity. While many of our suggestions here are meant to give you, the parent, some free time, this one does in fact require your participation. We hope that the time is well spent, though: that some family fun will be had and your kids will be occupied happily!
Here's the suggestion today. Your kids get to direct you in making the set-up. You will be the "toucher." (Of the toys in the set-up, that is.)
Your child will be the "director" -- he or she will direct you how to make the set-up.
First, assemble -- or have your kids assemble -- the toys that will be use.
Next, ask your young ones for specific directions. The only real rule here is they are not allowed to touch. It's only you, the "toucher."
Your kids will certainly need to use their brains and their words here. If you don't understand an instruction, how are you supposed to accurately build. For instance, "Put that thing over there" is not as helpful as "Put the yellow alien with three antennae behind the purple- and white-striped car."
My kids really like this game. We actually played it one morning during breakfast, when we had to leave the house early. The kids didn't feel that they had enough play time, so I allowed them to direct me in a set-up while they ate their cereal. It was multi-tasking, and it was fun.. . .
Please Pass the Pancake Parallelograms
But not the Quiche Quadrilateral
ADDED March 19, 2010
Half of Half of Half of a Piece of Toast
Breakfast fun with fractions!
ADDED February 03, 2010
Guest Vegetable of the Week
(And also, its Fruit Friend)
ADDED February 02, 2010
News of the Day
You and your kids are the newsmakers
ADDED January 29, 2010
Most activities on our site are meant be activities you and your kids can do together. Today's activity is no different, but for today's activity, you are the star . . . and your day is the big news that your family will be discussing. Remember current events in high school? Well, your day is today's current event!
At dinner tonight, make a special point to . . .
Guess Your Seat
The hints will help!
ADDED November 19, 2009
Today's craft is a special way for your kids announce how thankful they are for each person around the Thanksgiving table. All you will need for the craft are a few pieces of Fall-colored construction paper (red, brown or yellow will work nicely), a pen, and maybe some Thanksgiving stickers if you want to be fancy.
Here is what you do. First, fold the 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper into quarters and cut. You now should have four small pieces of paper, fold each of these in half so you have a little name plate.
Next, have your kids put their thankfulness caps on and -- as a family -- think of why you are thankful for each of your guests. The reasons can be serious ("We are thankful for your wisdom") or a little bit silly ("We are thankful for your brownies.") Write a reason on each card and have the kids distribute them to the places. Just make sure your guests have fun trying to find their seats, and I am sure this will be a memorable way to start the special meal.
Have fun -- and I know Steve is not a fan of name cards at the table telling you were to sit (if you are not sure of his position on the subject here is the post). But I am really hopeful he will like this.
Kids Choice
Everybody is thankful, really
ADDED November 18, 2009
Part of the fun of Thanksgiving is the meal, and part of the fun of the meal is anticipating it. Most of the time, however, kids are not consulted when the Thanksgiving menu is being put together. Today we have the solution: a fun activity that you and your kids can do together that will make Thanksgiving even more special for everybody involved.
Here is what you will need for today's activity: a cookbook (and don't automatically go to one of those kid friendly cook books that are filled with recipes featuring twenty-seven toppings for graham crackers) -- try a cookbook that has a little more depth. We have a cookbook in our house called "How to Cook Everything;" it really is true to its name and it's just perfect for today's activity.
Give your kids each a post-it note on which to write their names and tell them, "We want your help. I want you to choose something that we can make together for Thanksgiving."
From there, depending your kids' ages, talk to them about what they want to eat at the special meal. Spend some time thumbing through the cookbook and talking about what they think might be good addition. (I always try to steer my kids towards vegetable dishes.) The key to this activity is spending some time together planning and cooking. We usually make the kids choose well before Thanksgiving because Thanksgiving day can be a little stressful . . . and we want the activity to be fun.
So what did my kids select this year? What did they choose to add to the meal? Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies and Pear Scones. Here is a picture of the Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies -- the Pear Scones have not been made yet. I'll upload a picture when those are done.
If your kid asks for grilled cheese sandwiches or something along those lines, even that could work just fine. Fry up a few sandwiches, cut off the crusts, cut into triangles, top with toothpicks and serve them as an appetizer. Imagine how cute your child's smile will be carrying a small plate of grilled cheese sandwiches that they made and offering them to your family as an appetizer!
Not every aspect of Thanksgiving has to be traditional! As long as it's positive, pleasant, and full of thanks! (And thanks for reading this, by the way.) Don't forget to use the comment section to everybody know what your kids want to add to the meal this year!
GIANT MENU
It's really that big!
ADDED November 05, 2009
Here at Today is Fun, we toil night and day to bring you the very best in free crafts and entertainment for your kids. But sometimes an idea is so easy and right in front of our faces that we ask ourselves why we didn't think of it sooner -- and today's activity is just one of those times. The "Giant Menu" is simple, obvious, and just might keep your kids occupied for a few minutes while you put the finishing touches on the rack of lamb you are preparing for dinner.. . .
In one hour
What time will it be?
ADDED October 08, 2009
Learning to tell time is hard. Unlike the rest of the math kids learn, clocks are based not on tens and hundreds, but rather sixty. There are sixty minutes in an hour. Throw in AM and PM, digital and analog clocks, and kids can get easily confused. Since we don't have six fingers, telling time can make for a tough time. (Ha! Tough time.)
So we have invented a game that can pass the time while learning about time. You can play it just about anywhere, as long as a clock is handy. I was able to ease my kids into telling time and get their curiosity reving all at the same time. (Ha! Same time.)
First I started by asking my kids, "What time will it be in one hour?" I tried to ask this question after 1 pm because it was easier for them to answer correctly. If it was 1:15 pm, in an hour it would be 2:15 pm -- easy and fun. Then I would try to challenge them by asking, "If it was 9:27 what time will it be in an hour?" They became professionals in no time at all. (Ha! No time.) As their time-telling skills improved, I would ask, "What time will it be in ten minutes?" or five minutes and even one minute.
It was a good time for all (Ha! Good Time.) And my kids can now tell time with the best of them (if you see one of my kids, please ask for the time). I like to think their fine abilities are in part thanks to this simple activity. Try it today if you have the time! (Ha! Have the time.)
Is it time for this post to end? (Ha! Good times.)
Hi, Larraby!
A fun way to introduce a bunch of kids
ADDED July 14, 2009
My kids
-- like many children -- are a little shy when meeting other kids, and
I've found one way to break the ice is to call everyone by the wrong
name. While I am not a fan of the "Dumb Dad," for this I will make an
exception.
Here is what I do: I make up the most absurd names
and introduce the kids with them. I will say, "Hi, Hortense and Vernon,
nice to meet you. This is Larraby and Gertude." Kids being kids,
everyone immediately corrects me, and I will then go around the group
again and say each person's correct name.
Next, I introduce
them again, but this time I jumble up everyone's name. I call the
girls the boys' names and vice versa. I'll even introduce the dog
using one of the parents' names. At this point, the kids are having
fun -- and insistent on pointing out my many mistakes. I ask the kids
to see if they can go around the group saying the correct names.
Soon,
the ice is all broken and names are all known! And luckily, everyone
is usually quite forgiving of my bumbling attempts. (Also, my middle
name is in fact, Larraby.)
Classical Spring Music
Aural Edu-tainment
ADDED May 19, 2009
Springtime is upon us, and in honor of that fine season, we present some
beautiful classical music for you to share with your kids. Today, we celebrate Spring
with a free audio download, an excerpt from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," and its first three movements,
Spring. Put it on your Ipod to listen in the car while you drive to
school, or make a CD and enjoy listening during breakfast tomorrow. This type of thing is an easy way
to introduce your kids to great music -- and just might save you from
having to listening to one of those wacky, guitar-toting children's troubadours.
To
make your listening time more educational, have your kid listen for
streams, thunderstorms, birds, trees rustling in the
wind, and a dog barking in the the music. Vivaldi wrote the music so
that the orchestra would make music that resembles each of those
things. You guys can find each of those: all you need is creativity
and some perky ears.
We
are big fans of classical music here at TIF, so drop us an email
info@todayisfun if you want many more kid friendly recommendations
(sorry, troubadours need not apply).
Click on the links below to play while browsing TIF.
Have fun!
Thanks to John Harrison for the beautiful music and skepsis and januszbc for the the photos!
Which One Doesn't Belong?
Future standardized exams will be a piece of cake for your kids!
ADDED March 16, 2009
As with all our ideas, our activity today will be extremely fun for you and your kids. But this one has an added bonus. It might -- just might -- help your kids excel on future standardized exams. Can it be true? Read on, and you be the judge.
Today we're playing "Which One Doesn't Belong?"
This one requires some mental effort on your part, but it's pretty easy, we think. The effort is nearly effortless, really.
All you have to do is think of three similar items, and one that's a little bit different.
Here's an example:
* monkey
* lion
* elephant
* tree
When you've thought of your list of items, tell them to your child. Ask, "Which one doesn't belong?"
(Did you spot the one that doesn't belong in the list above?)
Here's another, slightly different example:
* monkey
* lion
* elephant
* seal
Obviously you can spot the difference, right? Can your kid?
For full credit, your children have to tell you *why* the thing they've picked is different. That's the whole fun of the game!
We think this game can really go for hours. It works wonders in keeping kids occupied during traffic jams and waits at restaurants. There are just that many different things in the world, that many different things to be identified and discussed. Here are some more ready-made lists for you:
1.
* snake
* snow leopard
* shark
* snail
2.
* flower
* vine
* rock
* palm tree
3.
* say goodnight
* put on pajamas
* brush your teeth
* drink orange juice
4.
* truck
* motorcycle
* Mommy's car
* race car
5.
* Daddy
* Brother
* Grandpa
* Aunt Wanda
In the future, "which one doesn't belong" will show up -- in some form or another -- on a standardized exam. Your kids will be given a multiple choice question and asked to identify which of the options doesn't belong. Your kids, we're happy to say, won't be new to this type of question. In fact, they might even remember as a fun activity they did with their parents!
Free, fun, learning, parent-kid time. We hope they all belong in your house! Have fun.
Heritage Feast
Take a trip to the old country
ADDED February 24, 2009
Many families have a special dish or dinner that they serve during the holidays, but not many kids know the history behind the dish. So for dinner this week, make one of your special family dishes: it could be spaghetti, sushi, or squab. Whatever it is, have a little fun by taking a dining trip back to the old country.
While preparing dinner, let your kids help. Kids are always good at stirring and sometimes pouring. While you are cooking, share memories you have of a time when you cooked with your parents or grandparents.
When it's time to eat dinner, you can talk about the country where this dish originated and where your family is from making special mention of the heritage you share.
For maximum points, don't forget to invite your parents or grandparents.
And of course, if you don't have a family special meal, why not start one up? Have your family decide on a food item that you guys could make and share regularly.
Enjoy your special meals this week! Let us know how they go. And yes, we'd be happy to take any leftovers off your hands!
Thanks to cobalt for use of their delicious photos
Green Eggs and Ham
Have you? Could you? Would you?
ADDED February 19, 2009
We're still playing with variations here on our blog, as the Week of Variation continues. (Okay, now we're thinking we could have possibly come up with a catchier name for the week. Oh, well.)
This week we've been busy changing up ordinary parts of life in order to get fun, different experiences and activities. Today we'll be varying food.
Food coloring is possibly in your pantry now, and if it's not, it's extremely inexpensive. Food coloring is completely safe, but it's probably not great to consume large doses of it everyday. However, a little food coloring once a week definitely won't hurt. Here are some fun-with-food-coloring suggestions:
* Green Eggs and Ham. Add some food coloring to scrambled eggs (and serve with ham if you can.) Pick up the book from the library and read it to the kids as they eat this meal (it doesn't just have to be breakfast, of course.) If green eggs and ham goes over well, try red eggs and ham, or if you're quite brave, blue eggs and ham. (Blue is not the most appetizing color for food, if you ask us.)
* Colorful Cups of Water. Fill some glasses with water and have your kids drop different colors of food coloring into each. Experiment with different colors, mixing colors, and intensities of colors. Serve the water with lunch or dinner.
* Pretty Pasta. Food coloring works quite well in pasta dishes, as noodles readily take on the added color.
* Try coloring these, too: mashed potatoes, ground beef, yogurt, milk, vanilla ice cream, egg salad.
What else could food coloring do to mix up your kids' next mealtime? If you have any ideas you'd like to share, please leave a comment
Add some color to your days for fun and variation!
(Many thanks to swearinglibrarian for the green eggs and milk photo.)
--S
Taste Tests
Trickiness Week continues with some tricky fun with food
ADDED February 02, 2009
For us, food is endless fun. Buying food, cooking it, eating it, and yes, even talking about it provide hours of enjoyment. Anything with so much variety is inherently interesting, right?
And here's more fun with food: Taste Tests!
Are you old enough to remember the Pepsi Challenge? In that test, blindfolded people sipped both Coke and Pepsi, and then announced which they liked better. (Big surprise: Pepsi won, and was the favorite of most of the participants.)
Why not have a taste test tonight at your house? All you need is a blindfold and some similar foods.
Your blindfolded kids can do two things: (1) try to guess which food is which (this can be tricky!), and (2) announce which food is their preference.
Here are some similar foods for them to compare, side by side:
Oranges vs. Tangerines
Apples vs. Pears
Crunch peanut butter vs. creamy
Different kinds of sliced cheese (cheddar vs. Swiss)
Hot dogs vs. sausages
BBQ Sauce vs. Ketchup
Different flavors of yogurt (strawberry vs. rasberry)
Whole wheat bread vs. white bread
Ice cream vs. frozen yogurt
M & M's vs. Skittles
Have fun with this one. Please use the comment section below to let us know about your results with your kids. With all the fun and tricky tasting, everyone will pass the taste test! (Oh, and one more thing: try not to get any food on the blindfold!)
--S
Quizmaster & Answermaster
Because all good games have funny titles.
ADDED December 19, 2008
To play this game you need two people the first person is the Quizmaster the second the Answermaster. The Quizmaster asks the questions and the Answermaster answers the questions. This game is fantastic for all ages because the questions can be tailored appropriately to make it easy for everyone to win. It also can be played as a group activity to include many more kids if needed.
First the person who is the Quizmaster thinks of two or three things that have one thing in common, for example shark, octopus and sea cucumber. Next the Quizmaster poses their question to Answermaster,” What is the same about these three things, a shark, an octopus and a sea cucumber?” At this point if you have a group of kids, in an orderly manner everyone in the group takes a turn giving their best answer to the Answermaster. When all the answers are tallied the Answermaster tells the Quizmaster the answer, “They all live in the ocean”. Now the Quizmaster becomes the Answermaster and it is their turn to think of of two or three things that are the same.
The game works great using a variety of topics and the questions can range from very simple to extremely difficult, here are some starters:
Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things red, blue and green?
Answermaster answer.
All three are colors.
Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things truck, car and van?
Answermaster answer.
All three are cars.
Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things elbow, toe, and nose?
Answermaster answer.
All three are parts of your body.
Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things sleepingbag, tent and flashlight?
Answermaster answer.
All three are used for camping.
Try it today and use the comments section to let us know what you little Quizmasters come up with!
Professional Food Tasters
Better than bad and better than good
ADDED November 25, 2008
What words can you use to describe food? If you're like most Americans, there are three words you use to describe food: good, bad, and delicious. You might throw in an occasional "awful" or "wonderful," too, but of all those words we've just reviewed, only "delicious" is specific to food.
There are people whose job is taste food: Professional Food Tasters. And those people have to use better words than "awful" and "delicious," right?
Right. They do. There are many, many words to describe food specifically. And what better opportunity for your kids to try some of these words out than . . . your Thanksgiving feast?
Here are some fine words to describe food . . .
• crunchy
• crispy
• spicy
• sweet
• salty
• buttery
• flavorful
During meals this week, teach your kids some or all of the words in that list. You could plan to include foods that get you guys talking about sweet and about salty (apples and pretzels, for example).
Then, encourage your kids to use their new vocabulary to fun effect during Thanksgiving dinner. This can also be a tool if they get restless: talk about the Thanksgiving food. What is the most crunchy thing on your plate? What is the most buttery? What is salty and what is sweet? What is your favorite item?
Do try to show respect for the person who cooked the meal, of course. We don't want your kids using descriptive words like "icky" or "inedible" during the holiday celebration!
(We didn't want to inundate you with words, so we just featured the ones above. But here's a quick appendix of more food adjectives, if you're so inclined: savory, garlicky, nutty, minty, zesty, tart, tangy, sharp, mouthwatering, tasty, yummy, delectable, bitter, flavorful, lemony, chocolatey, and so on.)
Thanksgiving jokes
Easy to remember and funny.
ADDED November 20, 2008
Today we present five
Thanksgiving-themed jokes to keep kids of all ages festively amused and entertained.
We have made the jokes easy to remember and (most of all) funny. Use these jokes when the kids are
getting restless. After you work through your "set," have everyone make up
some jokes of their own.
Q: What key has legs and can't open doors?
KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- VEGETABLE POWER!
Make dinner a little more interesting when your kids pick the sides.
ADDED September 24, 2008
We all have heard these words: "But I don't like to eat that." Of course this is usually referring to some kind of vegetable that is very healthy but less than enticing to a young child. So we have an idea that will bring a little adventure to your next trip to the market and maybe, just maybe, get your pickiest of eaters to eat their vegetables. On your way to the market, tell your kids that you need a little help picking the vegetables for dinner and that you want them to choose what you are going to eat. Give them what I call the "Vegetable Power," meaning that they get to pick what powerful vegetables you will eat for dinner.
I let them chose a vegetable from the produce section that is either green, yellow, orange or red -- and what they pick we all have to eat. (Incidentally, what they pick my lovely wife also has to cook!) We have recently eaten delicious baby corn, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, sugar snap peas and kabocha with very little complaining.
It seems that if I include my kids in the vegetable decision-making process, they are more willing to try something new (and I hear a lot less complaining. Even when someone chooses brussel sprouts.) Vegetable Power!
Show us your Vegetable Power! by leaving a comment or sending an email to
info@todayisfun.com
Backwards Breakfast
Mix up breakfast -- no blender required!
ADDED September 22, 2008
As we all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and here at TIF we agree but we also think that breakfast should be fun. So try this entertaining idea today and show your kids what a Backwards Breakfast is.
We all know what backwards day is (the hilarious joke that is played on playgrounds worldwide) however until a few days ago I was not sure what a Backwards Breakfast was. Thankfully my daughter made up this idea and shared it with me. Now we will have a Backwards Breakfast a few times a week.
So as parents all you have to do is ask your kids if they want a backwards breakfast. Then put the cereal where the toast and fruit should go and put the toast and fruit where the cereal goes. This is what it looked like at my house.
Let us know what your Backwards Breakfast looked like at
info@todayisfun.com.
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- WHAT DO YOU GET....
A fun problem solving activity.
ADDED September 09, 2008
Most things here at TIF are absurd and amusing. What can I say -- we like to have fun. We revel in the ridiculous and savor the silly. Today’s idea is no different. I like to play this game in the car when everybody is buckled in, a little bored, and ready to get to our destination. It is called, "What do you need to get…?"
I will ask my kids simple questions like, ”What do you need to get an egg?”
The answer is not as easy as it might seem, and there are many right answers: you might need a chicken or a store or even a hand to pick up the egg. The fun comes from the imagination used thinking up silly answers. Or the questions can be of a more educational nature, ”What do you need to get 5?” The answer again is many things: 2+3=5 or 9-4=5 . . . and even 5 birthday parties is a correct answer. Or the question can be even more silly like, ”What do you need to to get to Hawaii?” An airplane, wings, a boat, or even money would all be answers!
This is a great activity because the kids have to figure out the answer, and the adults have to be a little creative as they try and stump them with more and more outlandish questions.
What do your need to get…
Toast.
A carrot.
A car tire.
A book.
Sand.
Seatbelt.
A dog.
Try it today and leave us a comment letting us know “What do you need to get…?”.
1,2,3 Quiet Game
Quick game to help kids keep themselves quiet
ADDED July 27, 2008
I am not sure who taught my kids this game, but I overheard it from the back of the car, and it is too good not to pass on. Try this game in the car, at dinner, even in a store when your little ones are getting a little too loud.
All I do is say "1,2,3 Quiet Game" and anyone within earshot must be quiet. Once the silence is broken by any noise at all the game is over and there are no winners or losers. Amazingly, this game has a very calming effect on the noise that a small group of children can generate.
This game is not just a game that adults lead. I also let the kids police the game: if someone is being too loud, all they need to say is "1,2,3, Quiet Game" and the other kid will quiet down. It works like magic.
The resulting silence, no matter how brief it may be, is nice.
Try it with your kids and let us know how it works! And don't forget we are always available at info@todayisfun.com!
Eat It or Don't Eat It!
Yet another of our kids games that is easy, fun, and instructional
ADDED July 20, 2008
This is another very simple game. There is a certain, almost Zen-like beauty to the simplicity of this activity, as we'll explain in a moment...
You list a few things for your kids. They have to tell you "Eat it" or "Don't Eat It" for each. A plate of spaghetti, yes. An apple, yes. An entire house . . . absolutely not!
After your turn (try to rattle off about ten different items to ask about), your kids can take a stab at listing things for you to eat or don't eat.
Once your kids understand the concept, you can start to get tricky with them. For instance, "elbow pasta" is a favorite in our house. But just plain old elbows . . . don't try to eat those!
Of course, this is a very easy way to review for small children what people eat, and what they shouldn't. As a case in point, I always remind my little guy that crayons and Play Dough are on the "Don't Eat It!" list.
And now for the beauty of this game, as we mentioned above. The thing is, "Eat it or Don't Eat It!" is simple and engaging enough for small children that they can play it themselves, once you show them how. We have witnessed kids as young as four and two playing this game by themselves for ten to fifteen minutes at a time! And ah, what a sweet, peaceful, and relaxing ten to fifteen minutes that was.
Have fun, and at your next meal time, please stick to the "Eat It" list. No houses, no elbows, please.
How Many Fingers Am I Holding Up?
A game for kids that helps little ones learn math concepts
ADDED July 19, 2008
This activity is another in our series about teaching numbers and counting. And okay, it's pretty simple, we admit it. Please don't demand your money back. It really is a great, fun introduction to these concepts for little kids.First, have the kids close their eyes. Then hold up a number of your fingers.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" you ask.
Then your child guesses, while keeping eyes closed. You respond to each guess with "More," "Less," or "Absolutely right!"
Once your kids get the concept, you can close your eyes and take a shot at guessing how many fingers they're holding up.
(During a recent run through of this game, my boy really surprised me. After I guessed all the possible numbers - 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 - and was told that I was wrong every time, I opened my eyes to discover he was holding up all his fingers on both hands. He was delighted, of course, and I was foiled again.)
Have fun playing this learning numbers game with your kids, but whatever you do, for your own safety and the safety of your self esteem, don't try to play this one with any teenagers!
Albert the Aardvark
A fun and funny way for kids to learn letters and alliterations
ADDED June 26, 2008
Ask your kids if they've met Albert the Aardvark. No? They haven't? How about Beulah the Beaver? (She's always quite busy, it seems.) Then there's Connie the Coyote and Donny the Duck-Billed Platypus.The way our family plays this game is for the adult to supply the kids with the name, and then the kids come up with the animal. The game gets much more fun, you'll see, when your kids can provide both the name and the animal.
Even if your child can only invent gibberish names for the animals ("Frunko the Frog," for instance) as long as they are recognizing and repeating that first letter sound, it's still an approved answer in our book.
Have fun with those kids today, and say hello to Hortense the Hedgehog for us.
(For another fun alliterative word game check out one of our previous posts: Great Gadzooks!)
Have you ever seen a PoodleRex?
Word jumble silliness!
ADDED June 19, 2008
Kids are always pretending to be animals. At any time a zoo full of hamsters, hyenas or hippopotami can be found thundering thru the house. The question that always comes up is, “Dad, what kind of animal do you want to be?” I usually choose hippopotamus because they float around, listen to the zookeeper (my daughter) and don’t get into a lot of trouble.
But sometimes when posed with this question what I’ll do is take two animals and create a new animal. It is really simple, take the first part of one animal and combine it with the last part of another animal and presto you have the fearsome ham-opotamus, the deadly hip-yena or the poorly behaved hy-ster.
Try this idea in the car or at the dinner table. It is fun with sound effects and acting (I always encourage gentle acting), but I love to see their imaginations light up when one of these mythical creatures appear
Here is a list of my favorites The Rabburtle (Rabbit and Turtle), Buffmunk (Buffalo and Chipmunk) and Rhinokey (Rhino and Monkey) are all favorites. And in my sons mind nothing is better then the ferocious PoodleRex (Tyrannosaurus Rex and Poodle) I just wish we could house break him!
Next time you are asked, “what animal do you want to be” Let us know what you and you kids come up with. We are just an email away info@todayisfun.com or leave a comment.
Morning Muffins
A simple muffin recipe makes any morning fun.
ADDED June 18, 2008
Certain mornings cold cereal does not work. So what the kids and I like to do on a weekend morning is make this simple mini blueberry muffin recipe. It is quick, easy and has little clean up so you can get on with other things. It is also best if we can make the muffins and not wake up Mom. Try it this weekend I guarentee everyone will be pleased with the results.
For some reason I memorized this recipe. So what I like to do is have my kids test me every time we make these just so I don’t forget something important. I like to think it helps them with reading and I can empathize with them as they memorize spelling words. They also do a majority of the measuring and all batter testing.
If you don’t want to memorize the recipe (and I don’t blame you) print it out and let your kids do the reading and measuring. 
Try it and let me know how it goes. When I say everyone can do it I do mean it.
1. 2 cups of flour
2. 1/2 cup sugar
3. 3 tsp baking powder
4. ½ tsp cinnamon
5. 1/8 tsp salt
6. 1 egg
7. ¾ cup milk
8. 1/3 cup butter
9. 2 tsp vanilla
10. 1 cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix all dry ingredients add wet ingredients and fold in blueberries (or cranberries or chocolate chips!)
Fill greased mini muffin pans
Bake for 10-15 min or until golden brown.
Sprinkle tops of muffins with a little cinnamon & sugar or powdered sugar and eat!
Let us know how it goes and email us at info@todayisfun.com photos of the results.
*Original recipe for muffins can be found here
http://www.bfeedme.com/mini-fresh-blueberry-muffins-recipe/
Thank you!
The Table Captain
This Simple entertaining and helpful clean up game.
ADDED June 17, 2008
It would be very easy after dinner for everyone to rush away and leave Mom with the clean up. But this does not sound very fun for Mom so what we decided to do is make a game of clean up.The kids and I take turns being “The Table Captain”. Table Captain is a very important job because they are the Boss, the one that makes sure every thing is cleared off the table and the only person who can give final approval to clean up process.
Here is how we do it, feel free to let me know what works for you. At our house The Table Captain decides the order things will be cleaned up in and is also available to answer any questions about what needs to be cleaned up should anyone forget where the dirty dishes go (this happens to me a lot). We all work together (even the Captain) clearing dishes, bagging leftovers, loading the dishwasher, pushing in chairs and wiping down the table and sneaking scraps of food to the dog.
When we think it is done we ask the Table Captain if the job is complete and only the Table Captain decides it is truly clean. Some Table Captains at my house are very tough.
I like this activity because everybody takes turns being the boss. We all know that when the team works together we can get the job done quickly and the kids really like telling their parents what to do. Don't forget to drop us a note and tell some of you entertaining Table Captain stories.
Plate it up!
Yes, yes. Technically this is playing with your food. But it's fun and educational, too.
ADDED June 09, 2008
Plating is what they call it in restaurants, when they put food onto a plate with an eye towards the presentation.
This is simple, fun, and possibly educational thing you can do in your own home. Do some plating that stimulates your kids' brains.
When I serve peanut butter on toast, I quickly cut the bread into many small triangles and spread them around the plate. My kids are immediately intrigued and are sure to comment on what they see. In the process, of course, we learn about shapes and spatial distances.
I do other sly things with the kids' food, to get them to take notice. I'll put three different kinds of fruit on three different little plates. I'll serve banana slices as a stacked tower or circling the edges of the dish. Anything to mix it up and get them talking.
A little creativity can provide an instant topic of conversation, and help kids have fun and learn something, too.
So have fun, and plate it up!
Olden Days
Good times with the way-back machine.
ADDED May 07, 2008
This isn’t so much a game or activity, as a great topic for conversation. It’s fun, too.Kids naturally like learning about the world about them—everything is new and exciting. When your kids reach a certain age (four or five?) they can begin to understand this concept: that in Olden Days, a lot of things didn’t exist—a lot of things that kids are used to seeing.
When I first told this to my kids, they thought it was a bizarre concept: there didn’t used to be cars? Or TV? Or Barney the Dinosaur?
My kids like guessing what was around in Olden Days, and what wasn’t. (“Were there leopards in Olden Days, Daddy?”)
Just be careful around touchy grandmothers. You, not your innocent child, will get blamed if a touchy grandmother is asked, “Were there horses in Olden Days, Grandma?”
Questions for the kids
Entertain the troops with a little kid interrogation
ADDED April 17, 2008
My kids ask lots of questions, “Dad, who is that, what are clouds, when is Thursday, where is the moon, why do I have to take a bath, how fast is a plane”? I usually have a lot of answers for them, “a bus driver, condensed moisture, tomorrow, hiding, because it is good for you, 500 miles per hour”. But I find I usually don’t ask them enough questions. So I declare today National Ask your child a question day. Try it here are a few starters. Questions can be simple, “what color is your favorite shirt?” informational, “how much do you like bunnies?” or outlandish, “what do you think is heavier 1 elephant or 7500 popsicles?” You can ask anything. So ask away.
I did and was surprised to find out that someone in my family would rather be tickled than eat green beans, another prefers their straw inside a cup, while a third person would rather go bowling than play croquet. Who knew! Let me know what you find out about your loved ones.
What's Your Favorite On This List
List five items in a category, and ask your child for a favorite
ADDED April 16, 2008
This activity has definitely saved the day in our house, especially when the kids had to sit and wait for adults to finish eating dinner.
List five items in a category and ask your child for a favorite among the options. Some examples of categories are: farm animals, zoo animals, ocean animals, pets (if you break these animal categories out, you will have more to talk about than if your one category was just ‘animals’), colors, lunch foods, Sesame Street characters, etc.
After your kids has chosen, tell them your favorite. They’ll be interested to know.
My kids seem to enjoy this activity even more when I hold up five fingers and point to a finger with each item in the category. They look at their own hands and fingers when deciding.
This pastime is sure to be a favorite, on anybody’s list.
