Circle, Rectangle, Triangle, Square

Easy fun with shapes -- no actual shapes required!

ADDED September 01, 2010

 

Unnecessarily Redundant

Fun and educational. And redundant!

ADDED August 13, 2010

 

License Plate Talk

Fun with letter shortcuts!

ADDED July 16, 2010

 

For reasons that I don't need to go into right now, I owe both my children a nickel.  And that money is due right now.

Unfortunately, though, I wasn't able to find a single nickel in our house this morning.  I searched high and low, but apparently we're all out.

I had to write my boys each an I.O.U.  As I did so, it dawned on me that I.O.U. stands for "I owe you."  (Can you believe that?  I actually do have a college degree, but somehow I never put that specific two and two together!)

After I handed over my promissory notes, my kids and I admired the nice shortcut one could take by writing just letters in place of whole words.   We tried other quick sentences.  For example, can you and your kids figure these out?. . .

Positive Fictionalizing Fun

Make up nice stories for the people you see

ADDED June 15, 2010

 

Sweet and Sour

A fun game for the car

ADDED February 08, 2010

When we are driving around in the car, my kids like to play a game they call "Sweet and Sour."  I know that this might not be an idea that we made up ourselves, but if your kids don't know it, they might enjoy it.

 

Two Random Words

Two random words are all you guys need for some big fun!

ADDED January 08, 2010

 

This creative game works well anywhere -- and it’s especially good for the car.

All you and your kids need for this activity is . . . two random words.

One person -- you, for instance -- comes up with two random words.  The words can really be anything:  sidewalk sandwich, iguana pink, jelly thrower.. . .

Fill'er up

Can a trip to the gas station be fun?

ADDED July 15, 2009

When it comes to getting gas, there are two kinds of people.  First there are people who make a special trip to the gas station if they are low on gas.  These I call, "Planners."  Then there are those (like me) who drive until they need gas.  These people I call, "Opportunists."  Most of the time, when I arrive at the gas station, the fumes in the tank are the only thing keeping the car running and refueling is more like an emergency than a fun, teachable moment.

Understanding that a gas station is not a place for a child to be running around, we have created a few learning activities that can safely occur at a gas station. This is a fun opportunity to teach math in ways that kids can easily understand (and with all the speculation in the fossil fuel market, that's a good skill to have.)

Have your kids guess how much the fill-up is going to cost.  Depending on how old your kids are, you can give them different bits of information to aid their guessing.  Let them know that the car has a twenty gallon fuel tank, that the tank is practically empty, and that gas is $3.00 a gallon.  So to formulate a guess, your child would need to use multiplication. (And 20 gallons at $3.00 a gallon is $60.00. So any thing around $60.00 would be a good guess in my book.)  Your kids can sit in the car and look out the window while the fill up is happening.  And yes, they can revise their guesses!

Another fun thing we do on longer road trips is have everybody guess how many times we will need to fill up the car in order to make it to our destination.  I thought my kids might have a hard time with this math, but with a few hints and some encouragement, they were able to figure out this complicated math problem.  Here is how I explained it: if the car has a twenty gallon fuel tank, and we get twenty miles to the gallon, we need to use multiplication to figure out the the range of the car. (That is, 20 x 25= 500 miles.)  If it is eight hundred miles to our destination, how many fill ups will we need to get there?  There you have it:  an easy way to bring a practical math application into kids' lives.

With kids that are a little older and more responsible in a busy gas station, let them help with the fill up.  Younger kids can pull the lever that pops open the gas tank door.  I will let them chose the grade of gas we are going to buy.  And tearing off the receipt is always a big hit (as is putting down the radio antenna for a car wash.)

With a little creativity, become an "Opportunist for Learning" while fuel pumping, and make sure that at the gas station, "Today is fun!"

 

Thanks to davidclow for the photo!

How Long to the Next Stanchion?

And really, what is a stanchion anyway?

ADDED July 07, 2009

 

Length: This can last for 30 minutes or so, on a road trip

Parental Involvement:  Explain what a stanchion is.  And participate in this game -- it just might make the car trip go more quickly for you, too.

Kids Should Be Able to:  Identify a structure in the distance.  Make very rough time estimates.  Be a good sport after guessing correctly or incorrectly.

 

Here's a handy tip for your next road trip with the kids, be it on a family vacation or on a drive home from school.  This car activity is particularly helpful for passing the time when there is a lot of time to pass!

A stanchion (rhymes with mansion) is not a word you hear every day, we admit, but it is a good one.  A stanchion is basically an upright pole, post, or structure that supports something else.  You know those velvet ropes they use to corral people into a line at the bank?  Well, they're supported by stanchions.  Power lines along the side of the road are also stanchions, holding up the electrical wires.

Explain 'stanchion' to your little ones.  Their minds are sponges for new words!

Next, here's the on-the-road activity: As you're driving down the highway, you spot a landmark way in the distance.  It could be a stanchion, such as an electric pole or telephone pole, a bridge, an overpass, a billboard, etc.  You point the landmark out to everybody in the car, and say "How long do you think it will take us to get to pass that thing?"  You can offer your guess, and other travelers can offer theirs.  For instance, "I think it will take three minutes." 

In our family, it's okay for more than one person to guess the same amount of time.  Usually, the kids agree with their mom and I'm the only one with a different guess. That's fine with me, as it adds excitement and drama and . . . helps pass the time!

I try to give exciting updates as we go, such as  "It's 3:14 and you guys think we're going to pass that stanchion at 3:18!  It looks like you might be right!"  or "Uh oh, I thought we'd be at that bridge by 11:21, but we're almost at it and it's only 11:19!"

A fun, road-trip game.  And also, your kids learn the word "stanchion" at no extra charge!

 

(Many thanks to Al Pavangkanan for the excellent, road trip stanchion photo.)

Kids' Activity: Tongue Twisters!

Tongues are meant to be twisted!

ADDED May 28, 2009

 

 

I can't believe that we haven't written yet about tongue twisters.  Tongue twisters are a classic way of keeping kids occupied, using nothing more than . . . their own tongues!

The idea behind tongue twisters, of course, is to choose some tricky words for kids to say . . . and then to make them say the words over and over and very quickly.  Tongue twisters work magically well at home, in the car, waiting in line -- anywhere the kids have some free time and control of their tongues. 

Here are some twisters we've specially tested out for you to try out on your kids. 

A big black bug bit a big black bear a bit.

Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.

See Sam saw the see saw.

Fat frogs flying past fast.

We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

Quick kiss. Quicker kiss.

A cook can cook cookies quickly.

Here's a tongue-twisting tip:  tongue twisters are more fun for kids when the words are easily understood by them.  So, classics like "Moses supposes his toeses are roses" and even "how many woodchucks can chuck wood?" are not the best for kids.  Really, who has ever seen a woodchuck?  And what is chucking wood, anyway?

Keep the twisters easily understood and short . . . and then let those tongues loose! 

(And if you have a free moment, please use your own tongue to tell your friends about TodayIsFun.com!)

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.

 

Play Movement 1 Allegro 

Play Movement 2 Largo

Play Movement 3 Allegro

 

Have fun!

 

 Thanks to John Harrison for the beautiful music and skepsis and januszbc for the the photos!

Stories and Story Scrambles

Easy to do, but the results are magical!

ADDED April 14, 2009

 

 

When most people are asked by their kids to tell a story, they freeze up.  The idea of coming up with a new story is a bit overwhelming.  

Today we're here to help you come up with kids' stories easily and effortlessly.  This will help any parent, not just when a story is requested by a kid, but when you need something to talk about or fill the time during waiting.  Making up original stories is very easy . . . especially when you have your kids do all the hard work!

Here are three parts to any and every story:  a beginning, a middle, and an end.  Not too difficult a concept, right?

These two sentences have all that you need to know to make up stories for kids:  "A story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.  Everything else is details."  Remember those two sentences, and you're set!

Start at the beginning.  Tell your kids, "In the beginning of this story, there was . . . "  If you can think of what there was in the beginning, great.  If you want to let your kids come up with the answer, even better.  What was there in the beginning of the story?  A whale, a snail, a kid who missed his mom, a guy who felt grumpy, a race car, an old neglected house.  The list is, as you might imagine, limitless.

Next the middle.  What happens next?  The kid who misses his mom goes and looks for her.  The whale accidentally swallows an empty rowboat.  Someone mysterious buys the old neglected house and brings in a team of painters.  Again, your kids are fully capable of supplying this important part.  Ask them, "What happens next?" and they will think it up!

And of course, the end.  This is the part that wraps up the story.  You can ask your kids, "What happens at the end of the story?"  Your kids will certainly have ideas about this.

And as it says above, "everything else is details."  Once you guys start your story, it's easy to add some details.  If your kid says the story is about a dog, you can chime in with "What color is the dog?  What is the dog's name?  What kind of dog is it?"  Details are so easy -- your kids will think up tons of them, and so of you.

Remember, the story does not have to be great.  No perfect prose or surprise endings are required.  Just have fun!

And what's a Story Scramble?  These are easy, too -- easy to think up and helpful for passing some waiting time with the kids.  Just tell a simple story with the beginning, middle, and ends scrambled up.  Super simple is allowed, people!  For instance, check this one out:  (1)  I brushed my teeth, (2)  I went to bed, and (3)  I ate dinner.  Can your kids unscramble the story?  Here's another one:  (1)  I watered the seed, (2) I had a beautiful sunflower, and (3) I planted a sunflower seed.  Get it?  Your kids will.

Here's one more scramble for you guys to puzzle out:
(1)  Fun, fun, fun for all!  (2)  You read Today is Fun, and (3)  You share the creative idea from the site with your kids.  (4) You tell your friends about TIF (5) They thank you!

What Does That Make You Think Of?

Free Association at its Finest (and Funnest)

ADDED March 26, 2009

 

 Waiting for my beautiful wife to finish shopping at Target the other day, my kids and I made up a game called "What does  that make you think of?" (Very original, I know.)

It was a life saver.  (Have you ever noticed that Target is enormous, and to finish a shopping trip you need to make several laps around the store?) The game is similar to Cute and Not-So-Cute, but maybe a little more advanced.

To play, someone spots an item on the shelves and points it out to the other players.  For example, someone could choose a light bulb.  They would then say, in their best quiz show announcer voice,"The item is light bulb.  What does that make you think of?"  At that point, it is up to the other players to do a little free association.  What does a light bulb make you think of? 

(When we played, I said a candle, my son said darkness, and my wife said a flashlight.  All approved answers and all fun. The next named thing was paper towels.  The panel thought the best answers were a mess, a spill, and a clean up!   Other items discussed on that particular trip were batteries, baggies and hand soap.)

We had a great time and the trip went very quickly!   Now, a visit to the grocery store makes us think of . . . fun!

(p.s.  If you have a grammatical problem ending a question with a preposition, please email us, leave a comment or join our facebook page and we will issue a full refund along with a sincere apology.)

 

(Photos compliments of the talented jae_yong and m_e_l_o_d_y )  

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.

 

Good News, Bad News, Better News

What's better than good news? Better news!

ADDED March 04, 2009

 

This one is a fun verbal activity.  It's perfect for passing the time while waiting.

Start by playing "Good News, Bad News."  You say to your child, "I have some good news and some bad news."  And then, make up some good and bad news.

The trick is that the bad news should completely cancel out the good news.

For instance, you could say, "The good news is I'm going to spend some special time with you now.  The bad news is:  I'm going to spend that time tickling you!"

Or a kid could say, "The good news, Mommy, is that I just brushed my teeth.  The bad news is that I didn't use toothpaste, I used ketchup!"

The other trick is too make sure that the good news and bad news are either completely pretend or completely light.   You guys should enjoy yourselves - and nobody should get upset!  And if your children aren't at an age where they understand pretending and joking, well, hold off on this one for a while!

You guys might find that you like the variation "Good News, Better News" even, well, better!  In this one, you make a simple change:  "I have some good news and some better news!"

Here is an example to get you going:  "The good news is that I just made a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  The better news is that you can have two of them!"

And a couple more suggestions for you:

"The good news is today is your birthday.  The even better news is that we're having a birthday party today!"

"The good news is we're going to do some coloring right now.  The even better news is that we're going to try to use every single crayon we've got!"

This one is for older kids, we think.  Let us know how it goes in your house.

We think it will be a worthwhile activity.  And the even better news is, it's easy to remember, and you guys can play it for years!

Alphabet License Plate Game

Entertain your little detectives with a simple game to play in the car.

ADDED February 23, 2009

 On your next roadtrip, try playing this fun game that I remember from my own childhood.  As you are driving along, tell your kids that they are alphabet detectives and that they need to find each and every letter. Only when every member of the alphabet has been found will you be able to solve the case of "The Missing Letter."

Here is how you play: have your kids scan the license plates of other cars and look for the letter A.   When A is spotted, all the detectives move onto the letter B, and so on.  When all the letters have been discovered, congratulate your detectives on their fine work and declare the case of "The Missing Letter" solved.

This game is fun because it can be played several ways: it can be played as a group as described above, or competitively (each person searches on their own and the first one done is the winner).

Remember, "travel" could mean the way to school in the morning or getting stuck in traffic in the afternoon.  Have with your fun with your on-board detectives! 
A big thanks to woodysworld1778 and ohlove for the use of their photos

 

 

 

 

Talk Differently Day

Talking about some fun!

ADDED February 20, 2009

 

You've heard your own voice before, and so have your kids.  Pretty much everybody is probably used to hearing your voice.

But we're enjoying the Week of Variation, right?  So why not try varying some your voice?  And the voices of your kids?

Gather the kids around and have them practice changing up their voices.

You guys can speak:

Loudly
Quietly
In a whisper

And if you're really brave, you guys can sing a sentence.

Your voices can be booming.  They can be scratchy.

Can you do any accents?  Give British a try, or a strong New York accent.  (In our house, we've also tried French, Spanish, German, and Southern accents.)  Doing accents is a fun (and occasionally odd) way to learn how different people speak the same language differently.

Also, ask your kids to talk like different "kinds" of people:

How does a King or Queen speak?
How about a Pirate?
How does a really nice person talk?  Or a really bad guy?
How does a grandparent speak?  How about a little tiny baby?
How would a robot talk?
How does a boss speak?  An new employee?

If your family is very adventurous (or if you guys are stuck inside on a rainy/snowy day), you could choose to declare a "Talk Differently Day," and everyone could try to avoid speaking in their regular voice.  It sounds a bit kooky, yes, but kids absolutely love this kind of thing!

Have fun, everybody.  Variations, variations, variations!

 

Trees versus Bushes

(From the people who brought you the quite tricky One Up, One Down earlier in the week)

ADDED February 05, 2009

We like trees, don't you know, but not bushes.

Speaking of which, we enjoy roots, but not branches.  That's just us.

Oh, and we like school but not learning.  And coffee but not tea.

Do you think we've lost our minds here at Today is Fun?  (That is, assuming you thought we had much of minds in the first place.)

By the way, we do like beets, but not radishes.  Sweets but not candy.  Tools but not implements.  

Before you give up on us, never to return to this blog again.  Let us explain . . .

(Well, before we explain, can you see a pattern in the words above?   That's the tricky thing here, and it's for your kids to figure out.)

What do the words we like have in common?  

The activity here is for your children to figure out the pattern.  Start by telling them words you like (such as "teens") and words you don't  ("tens").

Have you figured it out?  Once you have, it will be easy.  And once you have got the hang of it, you'll be able to create more examples for your kids.  (If you haven't cracked our code yet, don't worry.  It takes different people different amounts of time!)

Okay, here's the answer.  Double vowels.  We just really like double vowels (for the purposes of this activity.)

We hope you have fun with this one, and that you don't think we're too crazy.  (Kooky, yes.  We like the word kooky.  But not crazy!)  

--S

(Many thanks to the incomparable and always laudable Mr. David Silverman of Mar Vista, California, and to  Marina Cast. for the heart-shaped tree pic, and also to noricum for the shot of the bush.)

Tricky Fun with Punctuation

Period. Question mark? Exclamation mark!

ADDED February 04, 2009

 

 

This is a quick and simple way to teach kids about punctuation.  Basically, you choose some words with your kids and practice saying them with different punctuation marks at the end.

Let's take the phrase:  "chocolate chip deliciousness."  Try saying those words with these tricky variations:

Chocolate chip deliciousness.  (For this one, try to make your tone of voice rather flat and matter-of-fact.)
Chocolate chip deliciousness!  (Shout excitedly.  Or sound a little angry.)
Chocolate chip deliciousness?  (A question, of course.)

Obviously the point here is to get kids learning and thinking about punctuation, and how different punctuation marks change the meaning of words.

Try this trick with some favorite words and phrases.  And also run through your family's names with different punctuation. 

Grandpa.
Grandpa!
Grandpa?

And to be a bit more tricky (and ever so slightly more educational), introduce the ellipsis.  As in, "Grandpa!  We have . . . chocolate chip deliciousness!"

 

--S

 

(Chocolate chips courtesy of jessicafm, and smiling Grandpa from magerleagues.)

Serif vs. Sans-Serif Extravaganza

More fun with letters

ADDED January 23, 2009

 

Yes, your kids know their alphabets.  Many can probably write in block letters and even cursive.  Now it's time for them to learn yet another aspect of letters : serif and sans-serif.

Serifs are those little lines on the ends of letters.  Look for them on the tops and bottoms of capital H's.

If letters are printed without those little lines, they are called "sans-serif" (meaning "without serifs.")  The letters you're reading now, here at Today is Fun, are sans-serif.

Once you've explained serifs to your little ones, it's time to start playing with them:

First, take your kids and explore the world, both at home and at large.  Can you spot some serifs on the drive to school today?  Do you have any sans-serif letters around your house?  Where?

Make your next trip to the supermarket a serif vs. sans-serif extravaganza.  If your kids want to, let them keep a tally of the number of things they see with serif letters vs. sans-serif ones.

At home, your child should grab some markers or crayons and write a fully-serifed alphabet.  Which letters get a lot of serifs?  Which get no serifs?  Can numbers be serifed up?

Finally, which style of letter do you like better?  Does your child have a preference?

I would have liked to close this post with a reference to a serif ceremony, or perhaps a serif sheriff.    Instead, I'll just say:  enjoy your serifs today, everybody!

 

--S

 

(Many thanks to Russ Neumeier for the assorted letters photo.)

Syllable Flipper

A quick and tricky way to get those little minds going

ADDED January 19, 2009

 

You're driving.  The kids are in the back, and they're getting restless.

You ask, "Who knows what a 'Nut Dough' is?"

Well?  Does anyone?

Chances are very good that everyone will be baffled by this Nut Dough thing.  So give them this simple clue:  Say, "nut dough nut dough nut dough nut dough nut."  Now does anyone know what that thing is?

Try this syllable-flipping trick with any word you'd like.  Just make sure to say the first syllable last.

Here are some flipped favorites for you to try out:  Ray hoo, Pee pup, Mee mom, Yon cray, Fish gold, Kull tick, Knee fun, and of course, Larious Hee.

You guys can also try flipping the syllables in your family's names -- or in the names of favorite characters.  (We're very big fans of Lung Tai in this house now.)  And of course, see if your kids can pull off a syllable flip or two themselves.

We hope this simple game is fun and Full use.  (You can't really flip one syllable words, we've discovered.)  Spend some time with those kids, and have a great time Day to!

 

--S

 

Many thanks for the use of the photos:  Sprinkle Donuts courtesy of Flirty Kitty, and Clapping 3-year old by Rageman.

Thumbs up? Thumbs down!

A possible hit TV show.

ADDED January 14, 2009

 

When my family and I are driving places in the car we often find ourselves listening to the radio. Everyone is happy as we ramble along . . . until the music stops, and the radio ads begin. This is when I frantically change the channel searching for music, trying to avoid the latest information on mattress sales or low, low auto financing.

As I spin through the presets on the radio, it is fun to let everybody vote before landing on a station. To get the kids talking (and sometimes keep them from falling asleep), I will stop on each station and ask them to put their thumbs up if they like the music and thumbs down if they don't.

One of my kids always gives thumbs up to Top 40 and funky oldies. The other will give a double thumbs up to classical. It is very interesting to see what they like and why. Try it with your kids and see how they vote. (And if you want, get them talking about their vote . . . and respecting the votes of others.)

 

And please, please when I break out into song, get those thumbs pointing right up!

 

 

Photo credit is given to the talented and popular:

amatthews for the blue shirt guy, 41339216@N00 for the double thumbs up girl, daedrius for the thumbs up kids

 

Interview the Expert

A creative activity for you and your kids. They get to have all the answers (and they always get to be right!)

ADDED January 08, 2009

 

This one will work nicely both in your car and in your living room.  You are going to interview an expert -- an expert who also happens to be your child.

 And just what field is your child an expert in?  Well, let them tell you!

Start by announcing to the invisible at-home audience that you're conducting a very special interview.  Say something like, "Today we'll be talking to a very special person, who has some very interesting things to tell us about.  What is your name, my young guest?"

The trick with this game, we've found, is to have some stock starter questions.  Once you've asked those, listen to your kids' responses and then ask follow-up questions.  Your part is really that simple:  just listen and ask more.

Let your children decide if they want to answer truthfully or creatively.  Either is fine for this activity. 

Here are some of our stock starter questions:

 

This pastime also works well for visits from grandparents or other relatives.  It can keep many generations occupied and entertained at the same time.  (And for best results, remember that the kids are the creative and comedy stars of the show, not their parents asking the questions.)

Many special thanks to fab father extraordinaire, Mr. David Silverman, of Mar Vista, California, for suggesting this A-plus activity.

 

--S

 

Ranger interview photo courtesy of kevin cole

God Bless You

An activity that will get everybody sending out some good thoughts

ADDED December 25, 2008

 (Yes, we said this was the week of Gigantic Great Giving here at Today is Fun.  We're not trying to do a bait and switch here.  But we think this activity is perfect for a day like today.  We hope you don't feel cheated.)

Not to be preachy or new agey, but . . . here's a very positive and actually quite fun game that you and your kids can play every day in the car.

As you drive your kids around, look out the windows of the car and try to spot passers-by.  Once somebody is spotted, you guys "God bless" them.  For instance, "God bless that guy with the briefcase" or "God bless that lady with the red sweater."

That's it.  That's the activity.   But as you'll see, there's something incredibly fun about it.  And everybody will feel good doing it.

Part of the trick here is not to make judgments on the people you see.  For this activity, *everybody* you see deserves your good wishes, no matter what.  You absolutely don't want to say "That guy looks really weird.  God bless him," or  "I don't like the way that lady looks, but God bless her anyway."  As you can see, those statements aren't exactly very positive.  Only construtive statements are allowed here.

After you guys God Bless somebody, you can follow up with "I hope he (or she) has a great day." 

(If for any reason you're uncomfortable with the words "God Bless," we're certain you can find some suitable substitute for your family.)

This game works particularly well on the way to school or early in the morning.  It sets a nice, constructive tone for the rest of the day.  And wishing everyone well will make you guys feel great about yourselves and the rest of your day, too! 

So see if this works for you and your kids.  Have fun, and in the immortal words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!"

Conversation Starter Cards

Could save the day

ADDED December 23, 2008

 

These are really simple, but might come in handy in a pinch.  They're conversation starter cards.  Download them, cut them out, and keep them in your purse or car for long waits or traffic jams.

Download here.

These cards each have many questions on them.  Ask your kids the questions, and get them talking.  Hopefully, the clock will move nicely along.  With these cards, you don't have to wrack your brain for conversation topics.

You can answer these questions, too, to keep the conversation going.  Everyone in your family gets extra points when your kids say something funny or cute.

And here's a conversation topic:  how can Today Is Fun help you in the new year?  Drop us a line if you need more help.  (And if you wanted to mention our site to a friend or two, that wouldn't be such a bad start to a conversation either!)

 

--S

Conversing father and daughter by pocketwilley via Flickr, thanks to a creative commons license.

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!  

Sounds like a…holiday

A great game that can make a drive a festive adventure.

ADDED December 18, 2008

I am sure everybody reading this will very soon be driving in a car with kids.  There will be traffic, inclement weather and festive kids music playing on the stereo.  Instead of being frustrated with your situation embrace it.  Spend a few minutes talking with them about what specific sounds they are likely to hear at Christmas.  

Here is a list of what my kids came up with
Rain on the car and house
Music in the car and house
Dishes at a family dinner
Bells
Popcorn popping while watching a special movie
People saying, “Ho, Ho, Ho”

If your kids are younger they might also like practicing the holiday sounds they hear.  Really nothing is cuter than three year old saying,”HO HO HO”.  
If your kids are stuck for sounds use our list as a starting point and make today fun!

Christmas Light Spotters

Put the kids to good use this holiday season

ADDED December 10, 2008

 

Great for the car this time of year, no matter what holiday you celebrate...turn your children into Christmas Light Spotters!

It's fun for kids to see holiday displays, but you can amp up the enjoyment for everybody.  First, if you have more than one kid, you can assign them different sides of the car to be in charge of.  If they see something exciting on their side, it's their duty to report it to the rest of the car.

Another idea is to give the kids different colors to spot as their "goals."  For instance, "Nick, you're in charge of finding some red today!  Jake, you need to tell me if you see any green lights."  Making the search a bit more specific increases a kids' interest and enthusiasm.

Your family could also create a mental list of special characters you've seen in holiday displays:  how many Santas, Rudolphs, Frosties, etc.  Special attention (or extra points) could be given to the rarer characters like Mrs. Claus and the Grinch.  If you want, you could take this mental list and make it an on-paper one.  That way, you could keep track of how many of each character you've seen during the entire Christmas light season.

Finally, everyone could spend each ride looking for their "most favorite" holiday display.  And yes, most favorites are allowed to change frequently.

Whether or not you play these Christmas light games, by all means do make a point to get in the car at some point in the next weeks and go searching for beautiful light displays.  Your kids will really enjoy it.  And you can think of it as a much less expensive version of Disneyland.

 

--S

Point and say, point and delay, point and no way!

A tricky, fun word game that'll get those brain cells moving

ADDED November 24, 2008

In honor of this festive Thanksgiving week, we're posting activities with special holiday relevance.  However, you'll certainly be able to tweak this one for non-holiday days, too.

Imagine this:  it's Thanksgiving afternoon, and dinner is still an hour off.  The kids are restless, a little shy around various unknown relatives, and bored with the assortment of toys you've brought along to the dinner.  So, give this game a try . . .

 

First, "point and say."  This one's simple.  You point at anything you see, and say what it is.  "Candle."  "Grandma."   "Place mat."  "Gravy."  Easy as can be.  

Fine, let's move on to "point and delay."  This one is a little bit more tricky.  For the very first item, you point and say nothing.  For instance, you point at the candle, and this time, instead of saying "candle," you say "hmmm."  Then you point to the next item, Grandma.  You don't say Grandma, though; you say "Candle."  Then the place mat.  You say "Grandma."  (You don't have to do the same items or the same order as 'point and say.'  This might work well for younger kids, but it's not required.  We're just using the same items and order here for ease of explanation.)  

Okay, do you understand "point and delay?"  Kind of tricky, huh?  Now the next:  "Point and no way."

This time you point at the candle and say, "Hippopotamus."  You point at beloved Grandma and you say (affectionately), "Sofa cushion."  You point at the place mat and say "Purple pants."  No way!

These are fun and challenging.  They really get everybody's brain cells working.  (They'd also work quite well as a car game--if you can concentrate carefully on the road during the "No way!" exchanges.)

Have some fun with this sorta tricky one.  Oh and one more thing, no matter what you do, if you're pointing at Grandma and she can hear you guys, you better choose words that are respectful and kind!  Give Grandma a break, please, would you?

Crazy Letter Sandwich

A tasty, tricky and tremendously entertaining letter activity

ADDED November 14, 2008

In our extended family, there is a darling toddler girl named Mckenna.  She is insanely adorable.

For some unknown reason, my two boys, "Rough" and "Tumble," are entranced by this sweet little girl.  Any activity that invovles a mention of little Mckenna is sure to be a hit.  And so, Mckenna became the starting point for this game.  (When you play, of course you can use a name that has relevance in your family.)

To start the game, I say, "I'm making a sandwich.  Here's what I was thinking to put in it:

•  Mustard,
•  Mayonnaise,
•  Mango,
•  Melon,
•  Mckenna, (yes, that wonderful little girl) and . . .

•  Pickle relish."

Then I ask Rough and Tumble if they can tell me which ingredient doesn't belong in my sandwich.  They know that I can be somewhat tricky, and they quickly catch on to what I'm doing.  Poor little Mckenna stays in my lunch, but pickle relish is out!

After you've asked your kids about your sandwich options, do it again with a different letter.  "I'm making a sandwich.  Here's what I was thinking to put in it:  Grapes, Granola, Goat cheese, Grandpa, a Gorilla and some alfalfa sprouts."

This activity gets kids thinking about letters . . . as well as what belongs or doesn't belong in a group or category.

Because we are who we are, we're including a list of alphabetical ingredients you can download and print.  That way you don't have to think too hard.  Click here.

(Disclaimer:  we at Today is Fun in no way encourage or condone eating kids -- or biting in any way.  This game is just supposed to be silly and fun.)

Good luck making those crazy letter sandwiches!  Bon appetit!

Clue Countdown

A clue per finger until there are no more left!

ADDED November 13, 2008

 

Think of something -- anything.  Hold up one hand, all five fingers extended.

Tell your kid, "I'm thinking of something.  You can have five guesses to figure out what it is.  And I'll give you a clue before each guess."

(Let's say you're thinking of a cloud.  The first clue you provide is "It's in the sky." Lower one finger.)

If your child doesn't guess the correct answer, provide another clue and fold down on another finger.

(The second clue could be, "It's fluffy.")

I like to try to make the first clue general and then get more and more specific as the guessing goes on.  And I like the last clue to be pretty much a giveaway.

(The last clue, for instance, could be "Rain comes out of them.")

If you're kids can manage it, have them think of something and take five guesses at what it is.

This is a good variation on twenty questions.  Young kids might not know the right questions to narrow the range of answers down.  (Little ones might not ask, "Is it a mineral or a vegetable?")  With this game, you guide them and help them along towards the right answer.

Three, two, one.  Fun!

Kids' Car Exercise

What better place to get their hearts pumping?

ADDED October 13, 2008

 Okay, actually . . . the car is decidedly NOT a great place for exercise, as we all know.  There's not a lot of room for strenuous movement, and it probably wouldn't be safe even if there was.

But we're always thinking of ways to keep the little ones occupied and not whining when on the road or stuck in traffic. 

So, get those kids exercising in the back seat. 

With one hand firmly on the wheel and eyes securely on the road, raise your other hand.  Move your fingers up and down in unison and ask, "Do you like my new exercise?  Can you do it?"

When your child has done an adequate number of 'reps' with that hand exercise, show them a thumb exercise: make a fist with your thumb sticking out and have it do some big circles.

It'd be great if your child could take the lead and invent some exercises at this point.  Have them create exercises for normal body parts (arms and legs) and definitely encourage some funny work-outs (lips, mouth, nose, ears, chin, tummy).

The idea is to keep them entertained and moving.  It'll be fun for the kids and amusing for you.

 

However, there's one thing you won't want to forget to exercise.  As the driver, don't forget to exercise caution!  You've got some precious cargo!

 

(kid in car seat photo by raybdbomb)

How to Entertain Kids -- Submarine Team

Actually it's not a car anymore -- it's a submarine

ADDED September 14, 2008

 

Here's a way to make driving the kids a bit more entertaining for them:  turn your car into a submarine!

You don't need any tools or water-proofing materials for this exercise.  All you need is some imagination (and possibly some ideas about submarines, which you can get from this Wikipedia article.)  This isn't really a game or specific activity--it's just a way to have fun talking about the seas and ocean travel.

The windows in your car are now periscopes.  The doors are hatches.  If you have a sun roof, that's especially good, because while stopped at red lights you and your submarine team can view the world above.

Have your kids examine the 'underwater' view from their windows.  Here are some things you and they could see:

A beluga whale (a white mini-van)
An orca (a black SUV or mini-van)
A shark (a silver car)
Seaweed (a lot of vegetation)

My kids are always pointing out "puffer fishes" and "bad barnacles."  (I can't really recognize those items yet.)  They often want to radio back to base.  Your kids can call out "close the hatches," "Dive, dive, dive!", and "Full Steam Ahead!"

And when we do this activity, there is just one rule:  please don't roll down your window while we're pretending to be underwater!  That's always a bad idea on a real submarine.

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…?”.

Kids Games -- How long until we get there?

Now it's actually fun to hear this phrase in the car

ADDED August 17, 2008

 

The name of this game is, of course, a classic American kids' whine. No roadtrip is complete without hearing this complaint from the backseat - and without it being repeated every five minutes.

Well, why not turn it to your advantage? Why not make a game of it?

Since you're the adult and the person driving, you can make the best guess as to how long it will take you guys to reach your destination. So, make a guess, and announce it to your passengers. ("I think we'll be home in 20 minutes.")

This game is best played with two kids, one who can choose to say your guess is too low and the other to say its too high. I stick to my guns, and hope for my guess to be neither too high nor too low, but right on the money. The person whose prediction winds up being correct wins, of course. (If you have more than two kids in the car, you can figure out a way to make this game work. Teams of kids could hope for ‘too high, for instance.)

The true fun of this game comes after the guessing. My kids demand constant updates: they want to know how much time has passed and who is winning. We talk about how traffic and stoplights slow us down, making the trip longer. We talk about how a lack of traffic and good visibility helps us move along smoothly. (And we talk about speed limit laws - the reason we're not just putting the pedal to the metal with abandon.)

When you reach your destination, someone will have won and other people will have lost. Congratulate the winner, but here's another chance to help the kids be ‘good winners' and ‘good losers.' We're happy for the person who has won, of course, but it's just a car guessing game, and we'll do it all again during out next outing.

And in the end, everybody has won. You've taken the annoying whine and turned it into an entertaining game.

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- What do you hear?

How to entertain kids with silence

ADDED August 11, 2008

Some car rides are rowdy. When a group of kids is going to a party or on an outing be prepared for a loud ride.  And when you mix in some sort of children's folk singer on the stereo be prepared for shrieks of joy and peals of laughter that only dogs can hear.

Today we have a quick idea that can quiet the car down, keep everybody entertained and it works with a group of kids or just a few.

What I will do to get everyone's attention is first I will put all of the windows in the car down.  The noise and sudden burst of wind will shock everyone into silence for a few seconds. When the group is quiet I will tell them of a new game we are going to play.  This is a quiet game and to play you need to be quiet and listen carefully, we are going to listen as we drive and we will tell each other what we hear.

Soon silence is all I here combined with an occasional, “Oh, I hear a horn and a truck” and “Oh there is a dog”.  

This is one of our favorite kinds of activities because it takes all of the rowdy excitement that kids have and transforms it into something structured with a little learning along the way. Try it and let us know how it works for you!

Commenting is easy and fun so let us know what your kids hear info@todayisfun.com don't forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

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.

 

Counting everyday and every way

Daily fun with numbers

ADDED July 14, 2008

Numbers are an abstract concept. Learning how to count to ten is the easy part but learning how to use numbers to count things this can be hard. Here at TIF we love numbers and we think that the only way to get good at something is through repetition. That is why we are big fans of this game.

Once your kids have mastered counting 1-10 the next step could be to count simple things that you and your kids see. Math that they can do on their fingers is the best, as with everything we try to make it easy so it can be done anywhere.

With my kids I started with simple things that I knew they could count, when we would ride somewhere in the car I would often ask how many people are in the car? Or other times I would ask how many wheels does a car have? How many lights are on the street lamp? Or just to be tricky. I would ask how many wheels does and eighteen wheeler have?

Using simple counting questions they got really good quickly and soon we were adding up the tires on two cars, counting items in a display case and people in line at the market. Try it today and see what numbers you come up with.

Leave a comment or send us an email to let us know how you encourage counting at info@todayisfun.com!

From Where Do You Know?

A fun and simple quizzing game about your kids' favorite characters

ADDED July 10, 2008

Your kids know the characters from a number of different books and TV shows. This activity -- perfect for the car or when you're waiting somewhere -- involves reviewing all the characters and stories that your kids know.

For example, in our house we watch shows and read books from Sesame Street, Bob the Builder, Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse, the Little Einsteins, Word World, Richard Scarry, and Winnie the Pooh.  These shows and books have become the kids' favorites, and they watch the shows and read the books over and over again.

When we need to pass some time, I quiz the kids on all the characters and shows.  I ask, "From where do you know Annie?"  (Answer:  Little Einsteins.)  "From where do you know Tigger?"  (From Winnie the Pooh, of course.)

The kids like to have their knowledge tested, and they like to review all their favorites.  Sometimes, just to get their goat, you can make a preposterous statement ("Oscar the Grouch is a character on Bob the Builder") to see how your children respond.

When the kids are older and in high school, quizzes won't be quite this enjoyable for them.  But for now, quiz away and have fun while it lasts!

Red, White and Blue hunt

Entertaining Game of finding the colors in the American flag.

ADDED June 29, 2008

4th of July is this Friday and here at Today is fun we have loads of great ideas to keep your kids entertained all throughout this patriotic and festive week.

Today’s idea will help get the smallest patriots in the mood by having them look for the colors found in the American flag, red, white and blue. If your kids don’t know what colors are on the American flag this week would be a great time to teach them because flags and displays of patriotism will be everywhere.

 

When your kids have figured out what colors they are looking for turn them loose. When they find the first color “Red” then they can find the next color “White” and then “Blue” then repeat “Red”, “White” and “Blue”.

The idea is very simple and can be used to pass a few minutes at the market or on a car ride or even while you are reading a book this week try pointing out the colors Red, White and Blue when you look at the pictures.

Also don’t forget to drop us an email info@todayisfun.com we will be wearing special 4th of July hats all week (look for this idea later in the week) and it would be great to hear from you!

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.

Portable Game Books

Print out these handy games for anytime fun.

ADDED June 04, 2008

The other day I was looking for a simple organizer that I could print out and fold into a small pocket size to do list. I happened upon this very handy little organizer at
http://www.pocketmod.com/v2/
and as I looked thru the options for coordinating my life I found you could make little books of Tic-Tack-Toe, Dots and Boxes or a Blank Page for Doodling even little frames to make your own stories in, all you have to do is print, fold and cut to create a little portable game book to take anywhere. I immediatley printed some out and put them to use.

They really are a lot of fun and super simple to make. We have been playing a game of Dots and Boxes after dinner for the past 3 nights (this game can be very long) and the Tic-Tac-Toe book really came in handy during a recent Doctors visit and I can’t wait to use the Doodling book at a restaurant very soon.

I made five little booklets to print and take. I really like them. Let me know what you think!
Click link below to download in pdf format and print!

1) Tic-Tac-Toe
2) Dots and Boxes
3) ½ Tic-Tac-Toe & ½ Dots and Boxes
4) Blank pages for coloring
5) Make your own story

If you are having trouble folding the paper look here for a quick primer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAb31rIeGZo
and if you forgot the rules of Tic-Tac-Toe look here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic-tac-toe
also if you are not quite sure how to play Dots and Boxes look here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dots_and_Boxes
and of course you can always email us here to let us know how it’s going.
info@todayisfun.com

 

Traffic Jam Pack

A little planning ahead will save the day when you're in a jam

ADDED May 28, 2008

At some point, you're going to be stuck in the car with the kids, and you're all going to have to do some waiting.  It's inevitable.

So why not plan a head with a 'traffic jam pack?'  Maybe this idea isn't rocket science, and maybe it's something that has occurred to you before.  But have you actually taken fifteen minutes and put it together?  Do it today, and you'll be glad when you need it.

Get (1) a sizable bag and put some of the following stuff in it:

(2) A couple of picture books
(3) Some new, small, and interesting toys
(4) A CD of music that the kids haven't heard yet
(5) An easy snack, such as granola bars or a box of raisins
(6) An index card or two to help you remember some good-for-the-car Today Is Fun ideas (such as "Great Gadzooks" and "Bigger or Smaller.")

The trick here is novelty.  The more new stuff that the kids haven't seen before, the better.

And maybe you and the kids won't just wait it out.  Maybe you'll manage to have some fun.

A lot, a little, or so-so

A simple, entertaining way of finding kids' favorite things

ADDED May 26, 2008

 

Think of something -- anything -- in your child's life.  For now, let's use the example of a grilled cheese sandwich.

Ask your child, "How much do you like a grilled cheese sandwich?  A lot, a little, or just so-so?"  

It's that easy.

Once your child answers, you can share your thoughts on the subject at hand.  Then, think of another item to discuss.  Going to the park, for example.  Or an alligator.

Even little kids can participate in this game.  And there is something intrinsically charming about a toddler saying 'so-so.'

We all feel differently about various things in our lives.  This game helps pass the time in an entertaining way by talking about those evaluations.

We've had enormous success with this one during long car rides and while stuck in traffic.

Your family is guaranteed to like this game a lot (or a little or so-so).

Fun with Vowel Sounds

Entertain the kids with their own mouths (and have them learn a little in the process)

ADDED May 25, 2008

Kids like to play with anything at hand and sometimes what is at hand is, well, a face.

 

At some point during childhood, everybody hears the old wives' tale: "don't make that kind of funny face or it will stick that way." Well, these funny faces won't stick, but the educational benefit here just might.

If your kids don't know already, list for them all the vowels: A, E, I, O, and U. (Sometimes Y.)

Then, you and your kids make the different vowel sounds: an A, an E, an O sound, and so forth. Part of the fun of this activity is looking at how your mouths are shaped for each sound: an O sound, of course, makes a circle of course, but what does a A do? In our house, we think an A stretches your lips, and an E really stretches your mouth!

It's learning and it's fun. And we hope that your kids will say, "Oh, this is A great time. Yip-EE!"

 

Great Gadzooks

Alphabetical word fun.

ADDED May 22, 2008

My kids are learning all about words at school, and lately I have seen their vocabulary increase greatly. What I do to encourage bigger words and a broader vocabulary is play a game I call “Great Gadzooks.”

It is slightly challenging and definitley something that makes them think but it can be played anywhere. The results are always hilarious.

All you need is a little imagination and some word power. You start at the beginning of the alphabet and use a adjective and a noun that start with the letter A.  For example, ”Awesome Apples” or “Arabian Ant,” then the game moves on to the next person. They will use the letter B for their turn, they follow suit using the same adjective and noun formula, ”Burned Bananna” or “Bouncy Blanket” -- the more outlandish the better. The next person follows with the letter C then D and so on. Some letters do get hard but we have a few "go to" words that we will use for I,V,X,Y and Z (email me if you need some help with those letters).

It is always fun. For some reason “Vacuuming Vipers” always gets a huge laugh and “Marvelous Mom” elicits cheers of joy. Let me know what makes you and your kids laugh. It would be great to read some of your "Colorful Comments".

Bigger or Smaller

Have fun estimating everything.

ADDED May 18, 2008

My kids are always comparing sizes of things. I frequently hear things like,” I am tall enough for this” or “I am big enough to do that” or the ever popular, ”but mine is the smallest”. What they don’t realize is that they are estimating. So to keep the estimation party going in a positive way I will ask them questions about what things they see around them and have them estimate the answers.

I will ask, ”what building, tree or flag pole is taller?” “What car do you think is heavier?” Or I will say, “What line has the most people?”

I think it helps expand their vocabulary and encourage critical thinking. Besides who doesn’t like to guess which line will move faster at the market? Somehow I always chose the slowest.

An Animal, A Place, And Something You Can Touch

A custom tale just for your kid -- what could be more entertaining?

ADDED May 15, 2008

Ask your child to tell you three things: an animal, a place, and a thing that "you can touch."

With these three bits of information, it is very easy to create a story.  And your child will be enthralled to hear the suggestions molded into the story.

Here's an example that happened in our house the other day.  For an animal, my boy said an antelope.  The place was a market and the "thing you can touch" was a cactus.

I told a story about Andrew the Antelope (always give the characters in your stories names--kids like that.  You could also pause the story to ask your child for the name as well).  Well, Andrew the Antelope went to the market with his Mom.  He wanted to run and jump around the store (as antelopes are wont to do), but his mom told him to calm down and to be careful, please!  Well, Andrew the Antelope didn't listen, and in one big jump, almost landed on a - that's right - potted cactus.  

With the three details already in mind, it was easy to tell the story.  And my kids loved it.  (Except they felt the story could have been improved if the antelope had actually fallen onto the cactus.)

What Color Shirt Is Mommy (or Daddy, or Somebody Else) Wearing

A simple guessing game to help you get home in one piece

ADDED May 11, 2008

 

While returning from an outing, kids can get bored and grumpy. The last couple minutes can be the worst:  when they start to recognize that they’re close, but not there yet.

One quick and easy activity I do with my kids in this kind of situation is to guess what color shirt their Mom is wearing. (Of course, it would work for anyone whom they will see at the destination: Dad, Grandma, a younger sibling, etc.)

Everybody takes a turn guessing the color. Then we fill the time with “talking up” the choices: “Mommy really does like red, so that was a good guess of yours,” or “I think Mommy looks pretty in brown, so I think I’m right—it’s going to be brown!”  Kids seem to respond well to this color commentary, and start to offer their own analyses.

(You’ll be delighted to know that this pastime works well even when you actually know the exact color of the person’s shirt.)

Another benefit to this activity is that when we arrive home, my kids are dying to see their Mom, and what color shirt she’s wearing. The reunion is all the more fun and exciting—and their Mom likes to hear the guesses (and that she’s being talked about.)

Keep them guessing, and keep them on their toes!

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

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.

Stretch Out Your Hands As Wide As They Go

ADDED March 19, 2008

Sometimes you sense your kid is at loose ends and has a lot of (potentially dangerous) 'undirected energy.' This type of situation, if left unchecked, leads to an episode of crayon drawing on the wall, throwing food, or otherwise being a pill.

This simple "repeat after me" game, with accompanying gestures, is good for diverting the kids for a few minutes.

Tell your child these words, and add some rhythm to your voice. (If you've ever done a group 'cheer' at a high school pep rally, that type of rhythm will probably work well for you here.)

Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And clap, clap, clap, clap.
Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. [wiggle your fingers]

As you say the words, show your children the gestures. And have them move their arms as they repeat after you.

The next bit is:

Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And swim, swim, swim.
[pretend to swim by doing strokes in the air]
Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And drive the car, drive the car, drive the car.
[energetically jerk an invisible steering wheel]
Honk, honk, honk!
[pretend to shove the horn on the steering wheel]

Young kids seem to really enjoy this activity. Let's just hope it doesn't put them on the path to a future hobby of Jazzercise.