HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Make a card for someone.

Turn boredom around by making a card for someone else.

ADDED August 26, 2008

What I like to do when I hear, “but I have nothing to do” is get out the art supplies and let my kids go to town making a card. It sure is hard to be bored if you are making something to give away.

So I will look on the calendar and see who's birthday is coming up and we will make them a birthday card, handmade cards are always the best. Just paper, stickers, markers and crayons are all that are required to say “Happy Birthday” and chase the boredom away.

Try it today if you don't have any birthdays coming up create a holiday card, a thinking of you card or even a Happy Tuesday card.  I am sure it will be a big hit.


Commenting is easy and fun so let us know who you made a card for info@todayisfun.com don't forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

ages 2-8, art supplies needed, good at home, good for a group, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

How to entertain kids -- Quarter Collectors

More fun with money

ADDED August 07, 2008

 

Turn your kids into Quarter Collectors. This activity will make trips to the store more fun, and it will teach your children about all our American states.

As you may have noticed, quarters these days don't just have the traditional eagle on the "tails" side. Lately these coins have been showing up with representations of each state on them.

Here's all that you need to do get this activity going:

First, find a container to hold the quarters. Second, print up a map of the U.S. You can get a free printable map here or download a PDF one here.

Now you guys are all set to go. Have the container, the printed map, and a handful of quarters from different states on hand to help you explain this new activity to your kid.

Each time your child adds a new state to the collection, he or she should color the state in on the map.

With every new quarter, you and your kid should talk about the state and review the images depicted there. The Indiana quarter has a race car-why do you think that is? You can see a Scissor Tailed Fly Catcher (it's a bird) on the Oklahoma quarter. And what is that very long, boxy looking thing on the North Carolina quarter?

You can choose to give your kid a new state each day, or you both can review the change you get back from your errands.

Have fun learning with your Quarter Collectors!

And when you've got all fifty states, please mail the collection to us here at Today Is Fun. We also will accept any other forms of currency in your collection.

ages 4-12, art supplies needed, educational, good at home,

Sticks and Stones

And leaves. They make for a fun, free art project for little ones.

ADDED August 05, 2008

 

Go for a walk with your child around the block, bringing along a grocery bag. Your kid can be in charge of choosing some free souvenirs from the walk, which you will put into the bag. These items include leaves, sticks, stones, seed pods, blades of grass, and so forth. Bougainvillea leaves can be especially nice. The only guidelines here are: don't take too much of any one thing, and don't take anything that belongs to somebody else! (A neighbor's mail, for example, is not available for this project.)

Back at home, take out some glue and construction paper. Help your little one glue the souvenirs to the paper.

Voila! It's a masterpiece! Your child is an artist. And it's fun for everyone. (Except possibly for the neighbor, if your child disregarded one of the above guidelines!)

ages 2-7, art supplies needed,

Popsicle puppets.

An easy educational craft.

ADDED July 16, 2008

Today’s craft is part one of a three part summer fun activity.

 

 
All you will need to make a really fun puppet is a popsicle stick, a small toy and some clear tape.  If you don’t have a popsicle stick you could use a straw or chopstick.  This stick will be the part that your child holds on to use the puppet. Once you have chosen a stick have your child find a small toy that can be taped to one end of the stick. When the toy is attached the puppet is done.
 
Now show your kids how the puppet can come to life!  It can walk along the edge of the table, behind the couch and along the edge of the tub.  This is a great activity to encourage creative play and something that kids can play with on their own once the puppet is built.
 
Have fun and look for part two tomorrow!
 
Leave a comment or send us an email to let us what you are making info@todayisfun.com!

ages 2-7, art supplies needed, educational, good at home, quick activity, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity,

4th of July Parade.

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!

ADDED July 02, 2008

This Friday is the 4th of July and I am sure everybody that reads this blog will be relaxing poolside with a cool beverage all day, with no kids to take care of. If this pipe dream is not a reality for you and your kids are saying, “I am bored what do we do now?”  Why not organize a parade?

At my house usually there are many kids from several different families so organizing a parade is rather easy. However if you find yourself short on participants even a family of four can create a very entertaining parade.

First, think of a theme for the Parade.  Something inspirational like, Freedom, Liberty or Today is Fun.

Second chose a Grand Marshall. Someone who is inspirational like a baby or a pet.

Third make an order for the participants. Youngest to oldest usually works best.

Fourth turn the kids loose into the garage to collect skateboards, bikes or really anything with wheels to be in the parade.

Fifth have the kids spend a few minutes decorating their bikes and bodies for the parade.

And sixth sit back and enjoy the parade.

Drop us an email and let us know what you think info@todayisfun.com and remember Today is Fun!

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good for a group, longer activity, may rile them up, see our disclaimer, summer activity,

4th of July party hat.

Make it, color it, wear it. Fashionable entertainment.

ADDED July 01, 2008

Since 4th of July is this Friday here at Today is fun we want you to look your best. What better way to show your patriotism (and entertain your kids) then by having them make and wear their own stylish and festive hat?

Using 1/2 sheet of newspaper follow these directions...

The hat is very simple and in 5 minutes you can fold several hats. Then have the kids decorate the hats using markers and crayons. Not forgetting to add stars, stripes and even fireworks. Don’t forget to make one for Dad or Mom, Grandparents, friends and even the dog.

Then send us an email with a photo of your kids in their party hats to info@todayisfun.com. We will be wearing our 4th of July hats all week and it would be great to see yours!

ages 2-8, art supplies needed, good at home, good for a group, longer activity,

Coloring Shape By Shape

A fun new twist on coloring and drawing

ADDED June 26, 2008

 

Kids love drawing with crayons and makers. But what happens when the coloring book is all filled in? Or when your child says, "I don't know what to draw now."

Here's a fun way to make a new activity out of drawing and coloring.

First, think of something that your child can draw, something that can be segmented into shapes.

We'll use the example of a tugboat.

You and your kids can draw a tugboat, shape by shape. Here's how: You draw a triangle for the bow and then your child colors it in. Draw a rectangle right next to the triangle to form the main body of the boat. Again have your kid fill it in. Keep adding and coloring parts, shape by shape (a triangle for the stern, a rectangle for the smoke stack), until the boat (or whatever) is done.

The mystery for the kids is a big part of the fun. Don't tell your children what it is they're working on. My kids like to make a guess after each shape. And there is a great deal of excitement in our house when the kids realize what it is they've been so busily coloring.

Here are some other things you and your kids can draw, shape by shape:

a truck
a house
a castle
a teapot
a chef
a monster

If you think of other shape-by-shape coloring items that work well, by all means please let us know.

You and your young artists will have quite a bit of fun on this one, bit by bit.

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good at home, longer activity,

Sticker Story.

An activity that is sure to stick.

ADDED June 17, 2008

This is a fun activity for a lazy summer afternoon. Take some stickers and one piece of paper. Have you child put all the stickers on the paper. They can be upside down, on top of each other and all over. When all the stickers are applied to the paper now the fun begins.

Look over the page for little scenes or still life portraits that have happened accidentally on the page. Point out how it looks like two of the stickers are having a conversation or how one sticker is standing on its head in a tree. As these scenes begin to develop you and your child can start to make up a story about the action on the page. They usually are short and at my house definitley silly, but Mom always loves to hear all about it.

Yesterday I heard one about a puppy who liked to ride dinosaurs to go camping. When the puppy and the dinosaurs got to the campground they made friends with a family of hamsters and roasted s’mores. Now that’s what I call a story.

ages 2-8, art supplies needed, educational, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, longer activity, may rile them up, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Water Painting

Part of our Summer activities series

ADDED June 16, 2008

A great way to pass an afternoon is to head outside and give your little ones a small cup of water and a paint brush. Sit down on the sidewalk you are now ready to paint. The water will make the cement dark, this is your paint and sidewalk is the canvas. Help you child practice letters, numbers or even words if you are fast enough. Explain how evaporation works and before you know it a whole afternoon has done just that. Have Fun!

ages 2-7, art supplies needed, educational, quick activity, summer activity, verbal activity,

Free Father's Day Signs to Color

You print, your child colors, and Dad gets teary-eyed at how thoughtful you guys are

ADDED June 09, 2008

Yes, another major holiday is upon us. Father's Day is this coming Sunday, June 15. Now we know you've dedicated yourself to shopping for this event for months now, you've fought the crowds at the local mall, and now you have many, many presents all lined up. Or maybe not.

Either way, why not add these coloring pages to the celebration? It's a fun activity for your kids during the week, and it will help the house look great on the big day.

 

Festive Sign #1
Festive Sign #2
Festive Sign #3
Festive Sign #4

Simply print the pages and turn them over to your home's resident artists. Once suitably beautiful, you might want to tuck these away in a drawer until Sunday, and then have your young ones help tape them up where Dad will see them.

We'd be happy to see some of your creations if you could email us pictures. You can also email us at fun@todayisfun.com if you need more Father's Day suggestions.

Have a Happy Holiday!

ages 3-12, art supplies needed,

Portable Game Books

Print out these handy games for anytime fun.

ADDED June 05, 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

 

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, longer activity, quick activity, verbal activity,

The Eggs are gone, but the fun has just begun.

Make recycling items into toys.

ADDED June 03, 2008

 

The other day my beautiful wife was cleaning out the refrigerator and putting away some groceries as she set aside and empty egg carton for recycling. Our daughter asked if she could have the carton. “What for?” I asked. “I could paint it and make it into a ride for some of my toys”, she said. “Great idea”, I said. And that is exactly what she did.

So that got me thinking what else do we have that can be recycled for fun? With a little cleaning and some tape, paint or stickers all sorts of things that were heading to the recycling bin but could be put into the fun bin?

So over the next few days we were playing with empty water bottles in the tub, stacking tin cans left over from a pot of chili and making tunnels for hot wheels from tubes of empty toilet paper rolls. It has been fun to try and see something else in what we would have just thrown away.

We do this all the time! Now this is not a parent guided activity. My kids are always on the prowl for new things to reuse and play with.

And when the fun is done you can still recycle. We would like to hear what recycled toys you come up with. Be safe and have fun.

ages 2-8, art supplies needed, educational, good at home, good for a group, quick activity, see our disclaimer,

You are here

Draw a map of the room for your kids and off they go

ADDED April 27, 2008

 

 

On a piece of blank paper, draw a map of one of the rooms in your house, ideally a larger room that your child feels comfortable in, such as a living room or play room. Try to draw the map roughly to scale (without hurting yourself in the process). The map should show the bigger, immovable features of the room (don't try to include every book and toy, but do draw the furniture). Show your kid the map, and explain how everything in the room is represented on the paper: "Here are the windows, here is the door, here is the sofa, here is the chair, etc."

Have your child choose 'markers' to represent the people (and pets, if you have them) in the room. These markers should be toys small enough to fit on the map without covering much of it up. There should be a marker for each kid and adult--including you.

Now have your child move around the room, and move the marker accordingly. You might want to narrate--"The red Lego piece is moving close to the table, moving closer. Oh--now the red Lego piece is stopped, and is sitting on a chair. Look, now the red Lego piece is on the move again."

When my kids were younger, they were intrigued--and a bit baffled--by this activity. They loved to try to "outsmart" the map by running around the room quickly and crazily. As they got older and figured out how a map works, they liked to see all the places they could make their marker go. We also made a marker for Mommy, who was hurriedly packing them up for school, and the kids loved to watch as the tiny girl from the Lincoln Log set appeared in one doorway, moved across the room to get something out of the cabinet, and then disappeared off the map, out another door.

In the summer, you could draw a map of your backyard.

It is possible that famed travelers Lewis and Clark started their great explorations using a map of the living room.

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, educational, good at home, longer activity,