What Can You Tell Me?

Get your kids talking!

ADDED September 03, 2010

Our goal here with each post is to provide you with a free, fun activity that you can do with your kids. And today's suggestion is pretty much, sort of an activity.

Here's the story: a good friend of mine -- Ted -- spent all his summers with his grandparents in Texas. Ted's grandfather was a farmer, so he lived a schedule that could be described as early to rise and early to bed. In the late afternoons, after Ted's grandpa was done in the fields, he'd come back to the house and relax. He'd sit on the porch with a beer and a bowl of peanuts in the shell.. . .

Circle, Rectangle, Triangle, Square

Easy fun with shapes -- no actual shapes required!

ADDED September 01, 2010

You are undoubtedly familiar with that kids' game -- often played on family car trips -- where each person says "I'm going on a trip and I'm going to bring an alligator, a banana, a cardigan," and so forth.

(If you've never heard of that game, email me at steve@todayisfun.com, and I'll explain it in greater detail.)

That "I'm going on a trip" game involves both memory and familiarity with the alphabet.

Today we're going to present a simpler, less intense game. Our activity today is better suited for younger children (pre-school and early elementary), because it doesn't require either memory or alphabet knowledge. Instead, our version focuses on shapes and creative thinking.. . .

A Very Complicated Picture

Complicated can be fun!

ADDED August 31, 2010

I love spending time with my kids. You love spending time with your kids.

But we're all human here, and sometimes, as parents, we just need a break.

We need a minute or two (or thirty) of quiet. We need a few minutes without disputes or whines. Sometimes, we just need a few minutes to get dinner on the table or to clean up the most recent giant mess.. . .

Maximum and Minimum Motion

How much motion do your kids need?

ADDED August 26, 2010

Can your kids pretend to brush their teeth? Can your children take an invisible toothbrush and demonstrate a bit of teeth-brushing?

That's the activity here today: to examine the motions required for your kids to perform simple tasks.. . .

Last Letter Fun

It's too often overlooked

ADDED August 25, 2010

I'm sure you're familiar with kids activities that involve going through the alphabet and coming up with a word for each letter. In fact, we've suggested a number of those here (and here.) This kind of activity is fun and easy and certainly gets kids' brains going.

Today, we're turning that exercise around . . . literally! Instead of finding words that start with the letters of the alphabet, today we're looking for words that end with specific letters.

First off, have your kids go through the alphabet and find words that end with each letter: orca, knob, terrific, cold, and so on.. . .

Drawing with Three Random Words

Random makes for creative fun!

ADDED August 24, 2010

Today we proudly present another free, fun kids' art activity. Oh, and did we mention that it's also easy?

For this activity, you'll need some crayons, some blank paper, and some willing children.

You'll also need your computer connected to this random word website.

Tell your children that their task is to draw a scene using three random words. One scene, three words. It's that easy.

To get the random words, just click the "new word" button on the website above.

(You may need to click a few times to get a word suitable for your child to use. The first word I received today, for instance, was "Catholic." A fine word . . . but maybe not for a child to represent in an art activity.)

For instance, we pulled up these three random words: shower / sailboat / dinner.. . .

Speak in Complete Sentences

Can your kids do it?

ADDED August 18, 2010

School is almost back in session. (I just heard a good number of parents exclaim "Hallelujah!")

As you may already know, we at Today is Fun want your kids to be entertained -- and we also want them learning. So as summer break wraps up, we'd like to present a fun, easy, and educational activity for your young ones. This activity is great for elementary-school-aged children.. . .

Count the Lines You Draw

Creativity meets counting

ADDED August 17, 2010

Please tell us if you're bored with all our drawing activities. (But we aren't -- and we hope you're still enjoying them, too!)

This one is -- once again -- easy, fun, and free! And vaguely educational to boot.

The idea here is to draw a picture using a certain amount of lines. So we're using the creative parts of your kids' brains as well as the math and counting parts.. . .

Make Your Own Coloring Pages

Fun, easy art!

ADDED August 16, 2010

Here we go again . . . another fun drawing (and coloring) activity!

I'm surprised we haven't suggested this activity before. It's easy, fun, free, and good for creative kids!

Coloring pages are a great, time-honored tradition for children. There's something very fun about just choosing colors and filling in shapes. Also, with coloring pages, any kid can create very exciting pieces of art.. . .

Unnecessarily Redundant

Fun and educational. And redundant!

ADDED August 13, 2010

We've been presenting a number of spelling and learning activities here this week. The reason for these? Well, I think they really are fun. And if your kids learn a little something during summer break, is that too terrible?

Today we're going to be discussing redundancies. They're fun, too!

The subject of redundancies arose in my house recently when my six-year-old was reading a book about animals. In it, he saw a blurb about a "sea squid."

"A sea squid?" he asked. "What's a sea squid?". . .

Words of Different Lengths

Have fun with the spelling!

ADDED August 12, 2010

We presented another simple spelling game earlier in the week. Here's another. Once again, the idea here is to get kids' brains going. We want your little ones thinking about words and spelling. And having some fun in the process.

It works well for kids in the mid to late grades at elementary school.. . .

Draw What You Hear

Use your ears, people!

ADDED August 09, 2010

kids activities

For today's activity, your kids will be using an often overlooked sense: their sense of hearing. Yes, of course, your kids hear stuff all day long -- we all do. But how much special attention does hearing get?

Today we'll be quickly finding some sound effects on the internet. Your kids will listen and then draw what they hear!. . .

Paper Towel Tube Slalom

And it's a fun word to say!

ADDED August 06, 2010

Okay, first off, I have to admit that I really like the word slalom. Maybe it's the two L's so close together. As far as I'm concerned, I don't hear the word slalom nearly enough.

Secondly, whenever I throw away the tube from roll of paper towel, I feel that somehow, it's an opportunity wasted. That free tube seems just perfect for kids' projects or activities.

Well, lately, I've been saving the tubes from paper towel rolls. And indeed, they have proven themselves to be free fun items for the kids. Paper towel rolls are of course perfect for art activities, and they're also very instrumental in our activity today: the Paper Towel Tube Slalom.. . .

Flip-Em-Over-And-Draw Art Cards

Easy! Fun! Artistic!

ADDED August 04, 2010

I admit it -- I love art activities. They're both creative and time-consuming. They really get kids' brains going. So yes, today I present yet another Today Is Fun art activity.

First, you'll need to make some cards by tearing a few piece of blank paper into quarters. Make at least twelve cards.

On each card, draw a kind of line or shape. Here are twelve ideas for you:. . .

The Sneaky Banana

Find the fruit!

ADDED August 03, 2010

This activity was invented by a beloved family member, my wife's cousin Kelsey. She is a genius with adults and children alike. Though truth be told, though, I'm not sure her adult friends would get quite the kick out of this activity that my young children do.

It's a simple activity, really: when the kids aren't looking, she hides a banana somewhere in the house. Then the kids search the house top to bottom in pursuit of the "sneaky banana.". . .

Everything I Know About

On paper!

ADDED August 02, 2010

Today we present yet another art activity. What can I say? I love art activities; they really keep my kids occupied!

Today we'd like your kids to use their artistic abilities to demonstrate mastery over a certain subject.

"Mastery" is kind of a fancy word meaning "something you know all about," or "something you can do really well."

For instance, my kids have mastery on the topic of animals. They know all about -- and they love -- animals of every kind. They know jungle animals, sea creatures, forest animals, burrowing animals, pets -- you name it.

What else could kids show mastery over? A lot of things. Here are some examples:. . .

Mood Music

All music is mood music!

ADDED July 29, 2010

Have you heard of Pandora before? It's internet radio, and it's very fun. If you haven't already, you should try it out!

In Pandora, you create your own personalized radio stations based on certain criteria. You could type in "Mozart" or "Metallica," and Pandora will play music by those people -- as well as music related to those terms. You can even type in the name of your favorite song (for instance, I like "El Rancho Grande"), and Pandora will play your song and what it thinks is similar.

If Pandora or the concept of internet radio is not for you, no big deal. For today's free, fun activity for your kids, you can use the regular old radio -- or your CD's or iTunes collection. (A lot of cable and satellite providers also offer "radio" stations as part of their free packages -- you could use those channels, too!). . .

Draw What I Draw!

Good practice getting your kids to listen to you and follow your lead!

ADDED July 28, 2010

Today's activity is very easy and very fun. It involves both following instructions and being creative.

Grab some crayons, some blank paper, and some children at loose ends.

Start the activity off by thinking of a simple shape you could draw, such as a cube or a house. Don't tell the kids what you have in mind, but rather begin drawing the shape slowly, line by line. The kids should copy your every line on their pieces of paper, so when you guys are all done, you will all have the exact same (or extremely similar) shapes. . . .

Super Olden Days Pinball Wizard

Much better than the real thing!

ADDED July 27, 2010

My kids love pinball, and I think because of the same reasons that I am not a fan.

Essentially, pinball is loud. There is a lot of racket and often a lot of flashing lights. My kids were given a small pinball contraption as a gift, and well, I'm ready to re-gift it!

In order to better satisfy the pro- and anti-pinball contingents in my home, I have invented a new, more mellow version of the game: super olden days pinball.. . .

The Fastest Kid-Inspired House Remodel Ever

Add some walls and new rooms to your house this summer

ADDED July 26, 2010

This one is very easy, and it makes for a very fun activity for your kids.

Today, you and the kids are going to be changing the dimensions of your house. All you need is some masking tape.

Put the masking tape on the floors in your house to create new "walls" and "rooms." Of course, your kids should definitely contribute their thoughts as to where new walls and rooms should be.. . .

Combine two groups of toys as never before!

Combinations are fun and creative!

ADDED July 23, 2010

Today's activity is very simple, but sometimes the best things in life are very simple! As you know, my kids really enjoy making "set ups" with their toys. (A "set-up" is when the kids take a selection of their toys and, well, set them up.)

Today, we'd like the kids to make a special kind of set up. Tell your kids to combine two toys they've never combined before . . . and then play with them.

For instance, your kids have some toy cars. They also have some Star Wars figures. Have the Star Wars figures ever ridden on the toy cars?

Your kids have a bunch of plastic plates and plastic foods. They also have about a hundred stuffed animals. Has the herd of animals

You get the idea. Now go turn the kids loose!

Oh, but there are some rules. The idea here is to combine only two sets of toys. At least at first. The idea is not to have a hodgepodge of toys every which way. Instead we are focusing on carefully considered combinations. What two sets can be combined for maximum fun?

And if the kids have successfully set up two groups of toys, we'd also like them to clean those up before experimenting with two other sets.

Combining is fun! We hope that this makes for hours of free and relaxing fun for your family this weekend.

The Bad Bathroom

Semi-scary good times

ADDED July 22, 2010

My kids have not yet done this activity, but I am confident that they will love it. Yours will, too -- I promise.

First of all, it's called the "Bad Bathroom." Wouldn't that name grab a child's attention?

The idea is simple: while I'm doing a couple things around the house today, the kids will turn our downstairs bathroom into the "Bad Bathroom." That is, they will use their imaginations and art supplies to make it as scary and dangerous as they'd like. (And my kids will certainly like a lot of scary!)

What will the kids put up in there to scare me? Pictures they've drawn of dragons? Monsters and witches? I'm not sure, but I do know that I'll have a big reaction. And I'll be very scared, I promise!

And if you're not excited by the idea of your children re-decorating your bathroom, that's fine. Use a bedroom, pantry, or closet instead. (Though the "bad laundry room" doesn't have quite the same ring!)

And once the activity is done, please have the kids clean up after themselves. A big mess that I have to clean up is my idea of really frightening!

(Thank you, Karen Horton, for the not scary bathroom image.)

Idioms for Your Kids!

Funny coded phrases

ADDED July 21, 2010

You know that we like to have fun here at Today is Fun. We also love language and learning.

So today we're going to combine fun and language.

One really entertaining aspect of any language are the expressions and idioms.

To explain 'idiom' to kids, tell them that idioms are kind of like codes.

(I don't know about you, but my children love codes!)

Idioms are phrases -- or groups of words -- that don't make sense unless you already know what they mean when put together. Again, just like codes!

Also, idioms often don't mean what you think they mean at first! (How crazy is that?)

For instance, my four-year-old knows that when we buy somebody a birthday present, we can't then go up to that special person and "spill the beans."

What do beans have anything to do with the situation? Nothing! It's an idiom!

English is chock full of great idioms. Today your kids will be having fun learning about idioms . . . and stumbling across some that they've generated themselves.

First, though, here are a couple of common English idioms for you to discuss with your kids as examples. Ask your kids what these simple sentences mean:. . .

Justified!

How do your kids line up?

ADDED July 20, 2010

I recently needed to address a lot of envelopes for a personal project. That task wasn't too awful; there are certainly worse chores!

To make the addressing a bit more interesting, I gave myself a challenge: to "justify" all the lines for the addresses. This was just a bit tricky, and it did keep my interest up.

Do your kids know what "justified" means when it comes to written words? Justified means that all the lines "line up" perfectly. The edge of each line starts and ends at the same point on the page or computer screen. It looks pretty cool, I think. Most books, magazines, and newspapers justify their paragraphs.. . .

Library of Congress Cataloging Information!

Hidden, right-in-front-of-your-face book fun!

ADDED July 19, 2010

Today's activity is a bit unusual and -- I think -- very fun. I hope you try it out with your kids and that a good time is had by all!

Grab some kids' books (and your kids.) Turn to the title page of any book. Do your kids know that this is called a 'title page?' Do they know why?

Okay and fine. Not very exciting . . . yet. Now turn the page and have a look at the information on the other side of the title page.

You've undoubtedly seen this kind of page before: it shows all the copyright and publishing information.

For your kids, this page can actually be very fun. Today we'd like you and your kids to look for the cataloging information here. This is usually towards the bottom of the page.

The cataloging information tells what the book is about -- and that is what's exciting here.

Today we'd like you and your kids to look at the cataloging information in some of your favorite books.

Once you've found a book's cataloging information, ask your kids: does the information do a good job describing what the book is about?

Next, set the kids loose on your family's bookshelves. Let them examine the cataloging information for each of their favorite books (and of course, you should help kids who aren't able to read much yet.). . .

Dance A Little, Dance A Lot

Everybody dance now!

ADDED July 09, 2010

This activity is really for kids to do and parents to watch. (Are you complaining?)

Of course, you're invited to participate if you choose, but we think you'd rather just sit back and watch both the dancing and learning unfold before your eyes.

Here's what you do.. . .

The Famous, Fun, and Fabulous Switcheroonie Art Game

Everybody gets a turn!

ADDED July 08, 2010

This is a big hit in my house! I hope it is similarly enjoyed in your home, too!

Here's what you do:

Grab some crayons, blank paper, and as many kids and adults as you can round up. (You need at least two people to play; three or four are also great!) Oh, and you'll need a timer, too.. . .

Who Will They Marry?

Your kids' toys, that is!

ADDED July 07, 2010

Okay, this one was invented by my kids. And my kids are boys. But like little girls their age, my boys too are fascinated by the concept of marriage. So they invented this game: "who will they marry?". . .

My Big Secret

At last I will reveal my secret -- and your family will benefit immeasurably

ADDED June 30, 2010

For years and years, people have complimented my printing -- the way I write letters.

"It's so legible!" they say.

"It looks like an architect's printing!" others have said.

Yes, I have received many accolades. Some have gone so far as to say my printing is the best thing about me.

Well, today -- here and now -- I am going to unveil the secret to my wonderful printing. You will learn -- at no cost, mind you! -- how to print so nicely, too. This trick is so simple, might I add, that even kids can use it! (Assuming that your children are able to write letters already, and that they are somewhat coordinated.)

And now, finally, here is the trick:. . .

One of Aesop's Fables -- Today-Is-Fun Style

Fun and learning from an ancient source

ADDED June 29, 2010

Do you remember who Aesop was? He was a Greek who lived a long, long time ago, and he told simple stories that taught important lessons.

For instance, the tortoise and the hare is one of Aesop's fables.

So is the boy who cried wolf. Do your kids know that story?

Here's another of Aesop's fables: the Crow and the Pitcher.

Once there was a very thirsty crow, who found a pitcher of water sitting on a table outside. The crow could see the water inside the pitcher, but he couldn't fit his beak inside. So . . . no drink for poor crow.

What could the crow do? He was too thirsty to keep flying around.. . .

Toys Stuck To Sheets

Think differently. As in vertically.

ADDED June 23, 2010

I'd like to thank my lovely wife for today's fun summer activity. It's so easy, it's so fun, and it's totally free! (Well, okay, you will need some Scotch tape, so I guess it's not totally free.)

My kids love to "set up" their toys. They love to spread their toys out and group similar toys together. Sometimes we call it "sections" or "lumberyards."

Recently, my wife took some old sheets and spread them out onto the floor. Then she had the boys choose some of their favorite toys to organize and arrange on the sheet. Then they all took some Scotch tape and taped each toy to the sheet.. . .

Easy, Educational Fun With Adverbs

How Do You Say Goodbye to Dad (and maybe Mom)?

ADDED June 21, 2010

In our house -- and in houses across America -- summer is officially here. Well, the kids' summer break is here, that is.

Here at Today Is Fun, we are going to "up our game" a bit. This summer, we're going to suggest even better, more clever, easier, more educational, and -- of course -- more fun activities for families with young kids.

Today's activity is educational and fun . . . and it's something you guys can institute for the whole summer long.

During Summer break, my kids don't have to wake up quite as early, and our family isn't quite as frazzled trying to get ourselves organized and out the door for school. Everything for the kids can happen a bit later and more leisurely.

That's not the case for working parents, though (including me.) Work, as you may already know, doesn't really take summer off. Most Dads -- and many Moms -- still need to leave the house and head to work.

So to honor these noble members of the workforce, today's activity encourages the kids to say a special goodbye to them.. . .

The Science of "Cushiony"

An easy and fun way to demonstrate a concept from physics

ADDED June 16, 2010

Today's idea shows off some very basic physics. And it's fun!

You'll need two regular-sized pieces of paper and a small plastic bag (such as a Ziploc sandwich bag.) Oh, and one of the kids small toys, too, such as an action figure, a doll, or a plastic animal.

Take one piece of paper and crumple it into a ball.. . .

Terrific Times Tracing

Easy, educational art fun!

ADDED June 14, 2010

This one is very easy. It's also vaguely educational. And of course, it's fun!

My own mom taught me this in my childhood, so I have very fond memories of learning this. It's a trick for tracing pictures.

One way to trace a picture is to take a blank piece of paper, lay it on top of the picture, and try to peer through to the underlying image. This works okay, but sometimes it's quite difficult to see the image underneath the blank paper.. . .

The Grandparents' Game

Today is Fun for grandparents (and other family members)

ADDED June 11, 2010

A visit from grandparents is a very exciting occurrence in our house. The grandparents are delighted to see the kids and vice versa.

However, due to the gap between the ages, there is sometimes a small disconnect. The grandparents rest comfortably on the sofa while the children run around upstairs, trying to see who can dance the most like a dangerous alien.

My kids and I invented this game, and we think it's a nice way for family members of all generations to hang out. (If you don't have any relatives visiting in the near future, your immediate family can still play this game to great effect!)

It's easy to make this game. And the preparation itself is a great, fun activity for your children!

Before the grandparents arrive, tear up a blank piece of paper into four equal-sized pieces. These will become your cards.

On each card, write down something to do. A grandparent will choose a card at random and do the activity it describes!

(When our grandparents came over, the kids wanted turns to choose cards, too. This was great -- they were both participating and entertaining the senior members of our family!)

Need some ideas for activities to put on the cards? Use ours! Here are some of our favorites:. . .

Smooshed Together Letters

Kids like smooshing

ADDED June 08, 2010

Today's activity is just what the title says: smooshed together letters. And that's exactly what we'll be doing today: smooshing letters together.

This isn't just something ridiculous for kids to do. It's also artistic, creative, and engaging.

For starters, a lot of art and thought is put into making words and letters look interesting. Have your kids heard of calligraphy? And look at any billboard or magazine ad: a lot of people definitely try to make letters look interesting!

One way to make letters look interesting is to smoosh them together. Grab some paper and crrayons. Have your kids choose any word -- or perhaps a name. Your child should write this word or name and put the letters very, very close or smooshed together!

It helps to use all capital letters for this activity, but it's certainly not necessary.

Part of the fun here is too look at letters' lines and to combine them. In the word LIBRARY, for instance, it's easy to combine the bottom lines of the L and I and make them one. You could also try to extend that line right into the bottom of the B.. . .

The Closed Lumberyard

A fun way to get kids cooperating with each other!

ADDED June 07, 2010

The recently completed U.S. Census determined that the population of toys living in my house is approximately seventeen million.

The question, then, is: why do my kids fight over the same single toy? Why do they both insist on playing with the same one? We have so many other options for them!

Well, sorry to say, that's exactly what happens. My two boys often want the same item, which leads to discord and discontent. That's not what we're going for.

To solve this issue, I invented a very workable solution: the "closed lumberyard." If this kind of inter-kid squabbling ever occurs in your home, please read on! Today's suggestion requires more reading than most of our posts, but we think it's worth it!. . .

Rules of the Road

And the road is your house, by the way

ADDED June 04, 2010

There comes a point in any young child's life when they start noticing road signs -- and puzzling over their meaning.

"Why does that yellow sign show a car with some squiggles?"

"Why is the number 35 on that sign?"

And, "Weren't you supposed to stop at that red stop sign?". . .

Fun Creating Secure Internet Passwords with Children

Really, it is fun. Quirky, yes, but fun!

ADDED June 02, 2010

How many websites have you visited where you've needed to create a password?

These days, a lot of websites want you to create very difficult to guess passwords -- with lots of numbers, symbols, and letters. But how are you supposed to remember those long, crazy passwords? Unless you happen to be a robot?

Well, one way to remember numbers is to turn them into letters. And that's the starting place for our fun kids' activity today.

Grab some blank paper, some crayons, and some willing children. Write a zero on the piece of paper, and ask the kids, "What letter does it look like?"

(The answer, of course, is an O.)

Now write the number one. What does that letter look like? (We think it's either a lower-case L or a capital I.)

The idea here today is for you and your kids to write different words using numbers in place of similar-looking letters. Can the kids write their names with some numbers? Can the kids figure out a word to write using all numbers?

Before you guys start, here are our ideas for more number-letters:

3 looks like a backwards E to us.

4 is a capital H missing one of its legs. (Have a look at the image up above to see what I mean.)

5 looks like an S who wanted its top to be bit more rigid.. . .

Art in a Rectangle!

A fun artistic trick!

ADDED May 27, 2010

Isn't it amazing how constraints and rules can really help us?

Today we're going to use a simple rule and constraint to help the kids improve their artistic skills. And it will be fun, too, of course.

Today we're putting art in a rectangle. That is, we'll be using a rectangle as a guide, and the kids'll be putting all the "important" aspects of a drawing in that rectangle.. . .

The Miscellaneous Squiggle

A creative and fun drawing game

ADDED May 20, 2010

So easy, so fun, and yes . . . totally free!

First, have your kid take a crayon or marker and make a squiggle or line on a piece of paper.

Well, that was easy. Now for the more challenging part: you have to take some crayons and turn your child's squiggle into something recognizable. You have to look at the squiggle and say, "What could I make from that?"

It's not hard, actually. You'll have a look at the squiggle and see that it's actually smoke curling out of a chimney, or a leopard's paw, or a fairy princess's toothbrush, or whatever.. . .

Weird New Animals Discovered in Papua New Guinea

And those discoveries can be fun for your kids!

ADDED May 18, 2010

It's not often that we suggest computer activities here. We think that kids get plenty of exposure to media as it is, and we'd rather your young ones create art with crayons or run around in the backyard.

Today, however, we're making an exception. You may have heard that scientists have discovered some new species of animals in remote sections of New Guinea. It's pretty exciting.. . .

Terrific Times Tracing

Fun with outlines!

ADDED May 14, 2010

Having the kids trace their hands is a tried and true, time-honored fun activity. What is it about hand-tracing that is so satisfying for children?. . .

Color Blind Craziness!

See what happens when your kids combine crayons with a blindfold

ADDED May 10, 2010

kids drawing game

(In case you can't tell -- and we wouldn't exactly blame you if you can't, the pictures here on today's post are a horse and a monster.)

As you might remember, we enjoy taste tests in our house. It's easy! All you need is a blindfold and some different foods.

Well, one day after finishing a breakfast taste test (strawberry jelly vs. grape jelly, regular cream cheese vs. strawberry cream cheese), the kids wanted to do another activity using the blindfold. So we decided to do some coloring.

kids monster drawing This one's pretty easy to explain: put a blindfold on your kid and decide on something to draw. Your child will have fun with the challenge (it is very challenging, as you might imagine) and you guys will get some pretty interesting results!

Try more simple subjects for this kind of drawing. A face is funny to try -- also a house, a sun, a monster, a snake, and so forth. More complicated subjects (a flock of zebras nibbling grass while lions prowl in the nearby grass) might not work so well.

Have fun and tell your kids this is how Michelangelo got his start. (Not really. But maybe Jackson Pollack?)

(Your family may already have some crayons handy, but check out some of our favorites to use here and here. Our favorite markers to use are here.). . .

Custom Crayon Nut Breakfast Bars

Not really delicious or nutritious . . . but creative and fun!

ADDED May 07, 2010

I don't know if this is true for your family, but my kids seem to eat a lot of "bars." They eat granola bars, cereal bars, snack bars, energy bars, and even -- around Halloween -- an occasional candy bar. I guess "bars" are just a big part of modern society's diet.

My two kids must have noticed the prominence of bars in our home, because yesterday they started drawing some bars of their own invention.. . .

Your Child, The Next Shakespeare

All you need to know is how to count syllables!

ADDED May 06, 2010

Today's activity is for older elementary school kids. Well, it's designed for children who are familiar with the concepts of syllables and counting them. I know a first grader who can do this, so you make the call if this is right for your kids.

Today we're honoring the bard by counting syllables. For the most part, he used ten of them.. . .

Exploring the Space-Time Continuum

You can't travel through time unless you know how long it is, right?

ADDED May 04, 2010

Today's activity is especially good for younger children. There's a point at which kids will cease to be interested or educated by today's activity -- but I'm not exactly sure what age that would be. I have a six year old who would certainly enjoy this one and benefit from it. And I would imagine that it would work for many seven year olds, too. (If anyone would like to comment below or email me as to what they think the cut-off age would be, I'd certainly appreciate it.)

The idea here to give your kids a better sense of measuring time. As you know, we measure time in seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Kids hear these denominations mentioned by the adults in their lives, of course. They also hear five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, half an hour, and so forth.

So today we'd like you to demonstrate for your young ones various common measurements of time. Sit down with them and compile a list of common time expressions. (We've included our suggestions below.) Use a clock or watch with a second hand . . . and then show them time in action.. . .

Do the Impossible!

Your kids will show you how!

ADDED April 29, 2010

Today's activity is very simple, I'm pleased to report. It's also very fun!

Most adults have learned, over many years, that they cannot do certain things. I cannot, for instance, flap my arms and fly across the room. Not so with kids. (Tell my four-year-old to flap his arms, and I promise you he'll be flying around the living room immediately!)

Children have different ideas about what constitutes "doing something." For instance, I know that I cannot draw a beautiful, beautiful picture -- something worthy of being hung in a museum. My kids, however, and yours, are more likely to appreciate their own artwork.

So today, we want you guys to make a list of the "impossible" -- and then do each item. (Well, you guys can pick and choose what sounds good to you.) Here are some ideas for you:

Flap your arms and fly across the room.
Tell a frightening story.
Draw a beautiful, beautiful picture.
Run as fast as a speeding train.
Grow a flower in the living room.
Grow a long beard right this instant.
Magically turn into a fish.
Stand as quiet and as peacefully as a tree.
Do a dance like a pro.
Perform an amazing magic trick.
Make some top-notch art to give other people.
Shine like a lightbulb.

There are no "right answers" to these challenges. However your child realizes each item on the list is a right answer!

The point here, of course, is to encourage your kids to try things in life, to try to do difficult things, to have fun, and to feel a great measure of success! In fact, in my humble opinion, many adults can benefit from those ways of thinking, too!

Have an impossibly beautiful, beautiful fun day! . . .

The Pretty Much Gordian Knot

Fun with knots and shoelaces

ADDED April 27, 2010

Do your kids know the story of the Gordian Knot? It's from Greek mythology.

Apparently, a long, long time ago in Ancient Greece, there was a very complicated knot. No one could figure out how to untie the thing. (I'm not sure, and I don't mean to point any fingers, but a certain two-year-old I know may have been behind that tangled mess.)

Anyway, as the legend goes, along came Alexander the Great, and he was given the challenge of untying the knot. He said, "No problem," then whipped out his sword and cut right through the knot.

That's the end of the story, except that it's often told to show how clever Alexander was, and how he thought outside the box.

I don't know about you, but I've always thought that Alexander's actions were a phenomenal cop-out. I mean, does anyone really think that cutting something is the same as untying it?

Okay, my outrage at that story aside, here's today's activity:. . .

This is what I can do with three blocks

A few blocks, a lot of fun

ADDED April 23, 2010

Today's activity requires some building toys. Wooden blocks are perfect, but Legos will certainly work, as will Tinker Toys, Zoobs, Dominos, you name it.

Find a place for your young builder to set up, and then tell him or her, "I'd like you to build me something very interesting today. You can have as much time as you'd like. But . . . I'd like you to use only three blocks!)

(Or three Legos. Or three Dominos. You understand.)

What can your child build with only three?

Truthfully, there's not a ton of options here.

And today, I suppose, we're teaching our kids that, well, sometimes more is indeed more.

So, once the three-piece structure has been built and approved by the young architect, it's time to add another block. You can say to your kid, "What can you build with four blocks? Make it as interesting as possible!". . .

Four Photos About My Life

What four pictures tell the story of your kids' lives?

ADDED April 19, 2010

I got a great book from the library recently. It shows four or five photos from every country in the world. My kids and I have really been enjoying getting glimpses of what different countries look like: Egypt, Guatemala, Canada, and Lithuania, among others.

For France, one of the photos shows the Eiffel Tower. Of course. Another shows a lady eating a baguette.

For Egypt, one photo shows a pyramid. It also shows a man riding a camel.

It must be tough to distill a whole country down to four or five photos. The thought of depicting America -- or even your state or city -- in so few photos sounds very daunting!

But this can also be a really good exercise. If you need to tell a story with pictures -- and you can use a million photos -- then you don't have to be too careful or selective. But if you only have a handful of photos . . . well, you've really got to think. And make each photo count!

And that got us thinking about our kids' lives. As it turns out, our kids have a lot going on: a lot of activities, toys, pastimes, friends, family, foods they like to eat, sports, and so on and so forth.

What if you had to choose just four photos to represent your children right now? Could you do it?

And what would your kids say about the whole deal?. . .

Draw A Story In Four Parts

Easy story and art fun!

ADDED April 13, 2010

kids activities

Grab a blank piece of paper and some crayons. Fold the paper twice, which will create four sections of equal size.

Got it? Good. Now you're ready.

Write the numbers one through four in each of the sections. This is a four-part story.

Take the first turn and get the story started off. Depict something in Section #1 on the paper. All you need, really, is some character doing something. A princess picking flowers. A horse eating hay. A car coming out of a garage. Don't try too hard -- simple is fine!

Slide the paper over to your child. It's your kid's turn to continue the story in Section #2. Really, your young one can depict anything in that section. The princess can find a frog in the flowers. Or she could find a birthday cake. She could turn into a frog. Or into a spaceship. Again, it doesn't have to be too complex or sensible!. . .

In Praise of the Curlicue

Isn't it lovely, though?

ADDED April 12, 2010

Sesame Street likes to highlight and honor one letter or another in each of their shows -- and we think that's great. (We also think Sesame Street is great for kids. Who in their right mind wouldn't?)

Well, today we'd like to suggest a similar idea. Instead of one of the English alphabet's many fine letters, though, today we'd like to praise a shape and its word: curlicue.

You know what "curlicue" means -- a line or object that makes a series of loops -- but do your kids?

First, get out some paper and crayons so you can practice drawing curlicue lines. This will clearly show your kids what curlicue means, and it will give them a chance to make some beautiful curlicues themselves.. . .

All the Signatures In My Family

Calling All Autograph Collectors

ADDED April 08, 2010

kids activities

If your kids don't already know, you can tell them that someone's signature is their special way of writing their own name.

In olden days, people used to collect signatures (also called, confusingly enough, "autographs.") People used to collect signatures from famous people, such as the President. (Actually, I suppose that some people still collect autographs -- I just have never met anyone who still does.). . .

Ten Things About Me

You are endlessly fascinating. (To your young kids, at least.)

ADDED April 05, 2010

kids activities

A few months ago, there was a craze sweeping Facebook. You may have seen it. People were encouraged to list twenty-five "facts" about themselves. Ideally, these facts were interesting, not mundane or boring.

Back when those "About-Me" lists were popular, I heard a lot of people pooh pooh them. "Do I really need to know that Bob is allergic to asparagus?" one of my friends asked. Another complainer asked, "So what that Mallory spilled red wine on her wedding dress before the ceremony?"

Well, whatever you thought or think about these lists, we are here to suggest one audience that will be quite receptive: your children. Kids are quite interested in hearing about their parents, and they're especially fascinated about their parents before kids were in the picture.

Did you spill red wine on your wedding dress? Was it terrible? Tell the kids!

Are you allergic to asparagus? To anything? Kids will find that quite interesting. They may even have follow-up questions for you.

Did you get held up at gunpoint while Subway Sandwiches? I did, and my kids will be thrilled to hear the details of that incident, I assure you.

So here's what we propose you do: tonight, while the kids are sleeping, sit down and make a list of ten interesting things about yourself. We hope this won't be too difficult -- and it shouldn't require too much mental effort. (If you are having trouble getting to ten, you might want to include how you met your spouse, your biggest victory in life, your biggest surprise, etc. We think your list should contain positive occurrences -- not failures or downers.). . .

Happy April Fool's Day

Five very simple suggestions to get young kids into the spirit of the holiday

ADDED April 01, 2010

kids activities

We haven't really suggested April Fool's jokes here in previous years.

This blog is primarily for parents of younger kids: elementary school and pre-school aged children. Young kids aren't really ready to be pranked. They're very unlikely to enjoy being the butt of jokes, let alone from the people they trust and rely on the most.

But we think that a little, positive April Foolery is okay. Basic, intro April fooling can be good, if you make the focus on surprising people and not on fooling them. So here are a few ideas to help your young kids enjoy the "holiday:"

1. Put some food coloring in your kid's milk. Why not? It's wacky, but not mean or hurtful. Get the kids' milk blue-ish or green-ish and put it on the table without announcing the change. Did the kids notice? You can also pretend to be surprised. "Blue-ish milk?! How the heck did that happen?"

2. Prank Dad. Dads are tough. They can handle a lot. Dads generally have thick skin. So while the father in your house is at work today, cook up a prank for him.

We want the kids to still be considerate of Dad's feelings, but let them try to get Dad's goat. For instance, they could make an outlandish statement or two. "Dad, did you know there's a goat sitting on the hood of your car or two?"

3. Put a handful pennies in unexpected places for the kids to find. (If your kids are older you might have to scatter quarters around the house.). . .

Magical Memory Bag

Available for free from your nearby supermarket

ADDED March 30, 2010

kids activities

This activity is very simple. It's also very fun -- my kids (6 and 4) really enjoy it.

At its core, this is just a memory game. But using the kids' toys really makes this activity engaging for them. And announcing that the paper grocery bag is actually magic, well, that adds to the allure as well.

You need five small toys and a (magic) paper grocery bag. Place the toys in a line and block them from the kids' view using the paper bag.

Get the kids' attention and then lift up the bag. Show the kids the line of toys, and review with them the order the toys are in. Say each of the toys out loud, so the information gets stuck in the kids' brains.

Next, put the bag down, blocking the line of toys from the kids' view. And now, take one of the toys away!

Tell the kids that the paper bag as had done some magic, and then lift up the bag to reveal the toys again. Now comes the moment of truth . . . can your children -- using nothing more than their minds and memories -- figure out which toy has gone magically missing?

My children were delighted. By paying just a little bit of attention, my kids were able to quickly announce which toy I had removed. . . .

Blind Bag

What is that thing in my paper bag?

ADDED March 26, 2010

If you are looking for a way that involves (a) spending money, or (b) a lot of razzle dazzle, or (c) noisy plastic toys, well, you've come to the wrong place.

We have none of those for you. Instead, our suggestion today for a free, fun kid's activity requires that you have . . . a paper grocery bag.

Got one? Great -- you're ready.

Have your children choose one or two toys to put into the bag.

You close your eyes and, using your hands, try to guess what each toy is. No peeking, please!

After your turn, let the kids have a go. (My kids are inveterate peekers, though.). . .

Learning History With Many Little Lines

Especially good for family history . . . or any history

ADDED March 17, 2010

Kids -- especially younger kids -- have a really hard time grasping history. Who can blame them? They've been around for five or six years, and now you're telling them about the tens, hundreds, or thousands of years that Earth's been going on without them?

Well, we have a solution for you today, a way to introduce kids to the concepts of time and history. This isn't a complete solution, but . . . it's a start.

We've created a free, downloadable PDF for you to print up and review with your kids.

This PDF contains one hundred lines, broken up into groups of ten.

If you guys are talking about history and the past, well, each of these lines is one year. So what you have printed out is a visual representation of a century.

Got it? If so, the rest is easy.

Here's what we recommend: take a pen and write "2010" by the top line on the paper. You are here.

The very bottom line in that top group would be 2001. Ten years there, get it?

So a hundred years ago -- the very bottom line on the page -- is 1911. Please write that in, too.

Now that you have the last and first years of the past century filled in, you can start adding "important historical dates."

To a young child, what is the most important, historical date? That kid's year of birth of course! Find that year and write down the big event.

Next, find the birth years of siblings, close friends, and family members. When were Mom and Dad born? How about grandparents? Kids might not be able to count each year, but they can look to easily see how many years -- or how many groups of lines -- each person has been alive.. . .

Set-Up Turn-By-Turn

It's like regular playing with toys, but with calmness and order!

ADDED March 16, 2010

Every so often, my kids are at loose ends. In this state, they can be rambunctious bordering on destructive.

Telling the boys to go play with their toys doesn't seem to solve the problem. The loose ends -- and the rambunctiousness and destructiveness -- get acted out on the poor, unsuspecting toys.

But this little twist seems to do the trick, as far as loose ends are concerned.

My kids like to do "set-ups." That is, they take a lot of toys, and "set them up." I'm sure your kids do this kind of thing with their toys, too.

The trick here, though, is the turn-by-turn aspect: each kid can only add one toy to the set-up, and then it's someone else's turn. (If you have another kid, great. Otherwise, you will need to take some turns.)

I'm not exactly sure why the turn-by-turn thing saves the day. For some reason, waiting to take a turn -- and only being able to add one item during that turn -- seems to calm everybody and channel everyone's energy into a positive, constructive mode.

And everyone wins.

Get those kids busy taking turns and setting up. And take a turn admiring the finished product!

Treasure in the House! (Complete with treasure map!)

Can your kids find the treasure?

ADDED March 05, 2010

This one is so easy . . . and kids really love it.

Take a toy -- any toy -- and hide it somewhere in your house. Then, draw a simple map of your home showing the hidden object's location.

(I call the hidden toy a "treasure," of course. It makes the whole thing a bit more exciting.)

Give your kids the map and see if they can find the concealed toy. . . .

Walk on Grass Barefoot (Just Like A Celebrity)

It's different and calming

ADDED March 04, 2010

Today we’re proud to announce our first-ever “celebrity” post. Thank you to Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow (and mother of two) for inspiring today’s activity!

As you may know, sometimes celebrities and movie stars get themselves on some weird and wacky diets. (We’re not here to judge, but we’ve read People magazine once or twice.)

A few years ago, I read that Gwyneth Paltrow is on a “macrobiotic” diet. I’d heard that word before, of course, but I never knew what it means.

Well, the internet has many articles all about the macrobiotic diet. It seems to involve a bunch of vegetables and brown rice. (We’re not here to judge. We like vegetables and brown rice.)

The article also said that the macrobiotic diet encourages people to walk barefoot on grass for half an hour each day. . . .

Crazy Big Memory

Who wouldn't want a crazy, big memory, really?

ADDED March 03, 2010

kids activities memory

This is a simple memory trick. We are not the first ones to think of it, to be sure. But if you are familiar with this trick, have you taught it to your kids yet?

Here's the trick: when you want to remember something, think about it. But don't just think about it; think about it big and crazy.

For instance, if you want your kids to remember to make their beds and brush their teeth each morning, tell them to take a moment and imagine a giant, crazily messy bed. Have them picture in their minds a car-sized toothbrush oozing with toothpaste.

Or, as another example, if your kids are learning in school where the President lives, have them imagine a very big, puffy house that is so white and gleaming that it's almost hard to view.

The trick is: think about it big and crazy. (Kids, as you may have noticed, are good at big and crazy!)

To practice and make this trick stick, give your kids something to memorize. Depending on the your kid's level, you could encourage them to memorize:. . .

The Crazy Handshake

Use crazy to teach correct!

ADDED March 01, 2010

kids activities

Here's a good tip for kids everywhere: if you know how to do something correctly, then you will be able to do that thing "crazy," too.

At the moment, we're learning to shake hands in our house. We're learning two ways: correct and "crazy."

Do your kids know the "correct" way to do a handshake? Here are the three things that make for a good, correct handshake:

1. Shake with your right hand only!

2. Hold the other person's hand firmly -- but not too hard or too soft. Together, the hand shakers should move their hands up and down together two times. (Though some people do three.)

3. Look in the other person's eyes. Try to smile.

A crazy handshake breaks all the rules: you don't look in the other person's eyes, you don't smile, you don't shake with your right hand only, and so forth. Creativity is welcome -- and so is a bit of rambunctiousness.

Of course, part of the trick here is knowing when to do a correct handshake and when to go crazy. It's pretty easy, though, to learn: "correct" is good when you meet someone new and for shaking the hands of most adults.

"Crazy" is good for showing family members what not to do when shaking hands. It's also good for family silliness, when everyone is ready for it.

Have fun practicing. And have your kids be very careful: sometiems crazy handshakes can turn into crazy tickles and hugs!

(A while ago we suggested the "family handshake," which is another fun and good-for-the-whole-family activity. Check it out, too!)

(And a big hug/handshake to Aidan Jones for the excellent, "correct" handshaking illustration above!)

Ice Dancing

No ice required

ADDED February 24, 2010

As you know, we have been involved in the Winter Olympics. We've been cheering, strategizing, and and crying along with the athletes. All the while, we've been "trying" many of the sports in our living room and yard. Curling has grabbed our imagination, along with snowboarding and speed skating. But ice dancing has really proved to be the most popular, fun, and inspiring.

To re-create some ice dancing in your home, your kids need to be wearing some of these "skates."

Then they will need some "ice." . . .

Organize It!

It's classified. Well, it will be when your kids are done...

ADDED February 19, 2010

Please forgive a few seconds' horn-tooting here, but today's activity is what this website is all about: it's fun, free, easy, and educational! Really, what more could you ask for?

(Well, you could ask for less horn-tooting. In which case, here we go . . . )

Today we are classifying and organizing. This is a great activity for children because it's what human brains do naturally. Give a person a few minutes and an assorted mishmash of stuff . . . and a little while later you'll have a classified, organized bunch of stuff.

The human brain is great at applying order to disorder. This is true for kids' brains, too. And . . . making sense of a mess can be fun, too. (My wife, upon seeing all the kids' toys strewn helter skelter all over our playroom, might disagree with that last sentence.). . .

Say Anything!

As long as it's a thing, that is!

ADDED February 18, 2010

This one is very simple. Well, at first glance it's simple. But some thinking needs to occur here, too.

Grab a paper and pencil. Ask your kid or kids to say anything. Just tell them it's got to be a thing.

My kids liked doing this. They had many things to suggest: . . .

How Many "Pastas" in the Box?

Seriously. How many?

ADDED February 16, 2010

Okay, this activity requires a box or a bag of dry pasta, but we really feel strongly that you must use “little shape” pasta -- not “long noodles” such as spaghetti. This activity would be best for kids in the “low” elementary grades -- say, K through 4th.

If your kids’ hands are grubby -- and believe me, my kids’ hands are always quite grubby, seemingly even when they wake up in the morning -- you will want to do a very thorough hand-washing.

Next, have your beloved little ones sit down at the kitchen table. Give them a box of pasta -- we like “elbows” or macaroni -- and ask them to count how many “pastas” are in the box. (The correct English, I suppose, would be pieces of pasta.)

Well, how many are there in the box?

This activity might seem pretty pointless, but…. . .

Knock and Spell

A fun way to learn spelling!

ADDED February 11, 2010

Learning to spell words can be a difficult task, but with a little creativity you can make the formidable enjoyable. I really have my daughter to thank for this activity — she created it all by herself.. . .

Years in Review

Remember when?

ADDED February 10, 2010

My son turned nine a few days ago, and my daughter turned ten a month before that. It seems that kids are excited with the prospect of increasing age, but we as parents are both excited to see our little ones grow and sad to see them grow up so fast. So, with those two recent birthdays in my rearview mirror, I thought it would be a good idea to share a great memory-inducing activity that is fun for kids and adults as well. . . .

The Not-Very-Good Drawer

Some not very good drawing leads to a lot of very good fun!

ADDED February 04, 2010

At some point, kids become quite self-critical of their artwork. "That picture is no good," they say. "That doesn't look anything like a fireman." Or a baseball player. Or a dragon. Or ballerina. Or whatever.

Well, here at Today is Fun, we do appreciate people who strive for perfection. That's good and healthy. But -- as with everything else in life -- perfectionism is good . . . in moderation.

Today's activity is all about making artwork communicate with very little effort and with no perfectionism! It's fun to boot.

Today you'll be doing some drawing and your kids will be doing some guessing. So get some blank paper and some writing implements . . . and off we go.

Tell your kids that they have to guess what you're going to draw. And then draw a banana. Try to do it very, very quickly and very, very simply. Give yourself no more than five seconds to do it. And use as few lines as you can get away with. Here's a really fast banana I drew:. . .

Half of Half of Half of a Piece of Toast

Breakfast fun with fractions!

ADDED February 03, 2010

I've started doing something with my kindergartner that is turning out to be a nice introduction to fractions, I think. He just thinks it's funny and interesting.

At breakfast time, we cut his piece of toast in half. Then we leave one of the pieces alone and cut the other one in half again.

We repeat this process: we leave one of the new pieces intact and cut the other one in half. (This gives us two pieces that are now one quarter the size of the original piece of toast.)

We keep doing this: leaving one piece and cutting one piece.

In this way, we create:

half the piece of toast

a quarter of the piece of toast

an eighth

a sixteenth

a thirty-second

Sometimes we can even get down to a sixty-fourth!

As I said above, this toast trick is just an introduction to fractions. We're not learning higher math here.

But my son is really learning the concepts.

He understands that there can only be two halves.

With the smaller pieces, he understands what information is communicated by the names. He has learned that if you need two halves to make one whole, you need eight eighths to make a whole.

I'll ask him: if you have one sixteenth, how many more sixteenths do you need to get back to the whole piece of bread? I'm proud to say, my boy answers correctly.. . .

Mental Inventory

Tabulating is fun!

ADDED February 01, 2010

kids activities

Today we are proud to present one of my kids' all-time favorite activities. I'm not exactly sure why this one excites them so, but it does.

For today's activity, your kids are going to help you make a mental inventory. You guys can choose to mentally inventory all the kids' toys--or just certain ones. For instance, my boys have a bunch of action figures called Playmobil. For this activity, we sat down at the kitchen table -- away from the actual toys -- and made a list of every item of Playmobil they own.

I got out a pencil and a blank piece of paper. I asked my kids to name everything in their "Playmobil bin." Everything means everything, no matter how big or how small.

For truly exciting results, it's important to pursue details.. . .

All The Colors In The Whole House

You've got colors -- now it's time to use them!

ADDED January 22, 2010

This activity is quite simple, and it entails just what its name implies: today you guys are going to making beautiful art using every single color in the house.

First, amass all the "colors" in your house -- that is, crayons, markers, pens, and so forth. In my house, this doesn't take a lot of work, because my lovely wife keeps everything so nicely organized, and all the drawing implements are stored together in a cabinet.

Next, give every participant a blank sheet of paper. Each person should think of a subject for their drawing -- though this "subject" can be a loose idea and change as the activity goes forward.

Choose a crayon or marker at random. Each person will make a. . .

Your Child, Book Reviewer

Let’s hear your kids’ questions!

ADDED January 20, 2010

kids reading activities

We like to read books with our children. Kid's books are often so beautiful and fun -- they're a great pastime for kids of all ages.

In the past, when we finished reading a book, my wife and I would ask the kids some questions about it:

Did you like it?

Was it funny?

What was your favorite part?

Truth be told, the kids were okay with these questions. Sometimes they had thoughtful responses, but more often than not, they were ready to move on to the next activity on the agenda.

So we turned the tables. Now I ask the kids to make up some questions about the book we've just read.

My kids ask, "What was your favorite part of the book?" but they also ask "deeper" questions -- and questions that lead to insight as to their own thinking:. . .

Color Code

Are your kids color-coded?

ADDED January 19, 2010

kids color activity

“Simon Says” eat your heart out! This idea is pure “Today Is Fun:” it’s simple, fun, and free. (Well, it pretty much should be free.)

Here’s what you need to do:

Find some objects that clearly represent all the colors of the rainbow. Colored paper, such as construction paper, works the best. Ideally, you can find some scraps of paper that are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. You could add more colors — black, white, brown and gray — but to start off, keep it simple with fewer colors.

(If you don’t have any colored paper on hand, you could have your kids make some paper for you to use. Take some white scraps of paper, and have the kids color one red, another orange, another yellow, and so on.)

(You could also have the kids write "red" on a card. That would work well and make for a good "second round.")

Next, with your kids’ input, assign some meanings to each color.

Red could be “sing a little song” or “spell out a word.”

Blue could be “Stand up, sit down, then stand up.”. . .

Animal Races

All animals win, really, just for trying!

ADDED January 18, 2010

kids activity

Sometimes when the weather outside is frightful, you’ve got to entertain the kids inside for days on end. That’s well and good — and we do have a number of activities here that should help. But after a while, kids being kids, you’ll realize that your children absolutely need to do something similar to exercise, in order to get their excess energy out.

Well, today’s activity should help you do just that. Today the kids will be racing around as the animals of their choosing.

Figure out an open space in your house for the kids to use — it doesn’t have to be too big. Choose a starting line and a finish line. Have the kids go to the starting line and tell them to think up an animal. Let them know that they’ll be running a race while acting like whatever animal they choose.

Count the kids down — “On your mark, get set, go!” — and they’re off to the races.

The point here is not to win or lose -- in fact, there really should be no winners or losers. Instead, the point is merely for the kids to demonstrate how each animal would run a race -- and to have fun doing it. Will the “animals” gallop? Will they slither? Will there be a scurry involved?

The point is also to expel some kid energy, of course!

Below is a video of “Animal Races” in action. No actual animals were injured during the creation of this film.

We hope that this activity is a success in your house.. . .

Ten Quick Activities You Can Do With A Blanket

Who knew one blanket could be so much fun?

ADDED January 14, 2010

kids activities

Here is a list of ten creative, fun ways to use a blanket. There are probably hundreds more, but here are ten suggestions to get you started.

1. A blanket could be a boat.
2. A blanket could be a cape (for good guys and bad guys alike.)
3. A blanket could be a space ship.
4. A blanket could be a reading nook. (Or even better, a quiet reading nook.)
5. A blanket could be a sled (if you have wood floors and brave children.). . .

New Year’s Resolutions for Young Kids

Kids can benefit from resolutions, too. Here’s how to help your children with a little self improvement.

ADDED January 05, 2010

kids activities

We think New Year’s resolutions are good things. Resolutions are attempts at improvement -- and we support both attempting and improving.

We think even young children can benefit from making resolutions. Why?

 Well, two reasons:

First, it’s not bad to teach kids early on that good things come via effort. It’s good to show children how people achieve great things: by identifying what they want in life and then working diligently towards that goal.

Second, a resolution is a promise. But they are a special kind of promise: resolutions are promises that you make to yourself. We want to teach our kids to be “good to their word,” and to keep their promises. That includes promises they make to themselves.

 Here are eight suggestions to help your kids with New Year’s resolutions:

(We believe that the most important suggestions below are #1 and #8!)

1. Do not make resolutions for your kids!

Would you like it if your parents made resolutions for you? Would you be inspired to keep those resolutions?. . .

Game day

All day!

ADDED December 29, 2009

Today as we continue our special-time-with-the-kids-after-the-holidays week, we are suggesting you spend some time playing games. Card games, board games or even a game of tag or hide-n-seek. Make today "game day." . . .

10 Minutes of Admiration

Sit back and enjoy the feeling

ADDED December 18, 2009

Most people have a Christmas tree in their home this time of year. If you have a real tree, I am sure it smells

great and reminds you of Christmas every time you enter the house. But short of decorating your tree, how often do you just sit and admire it? Sure, it might get a glance or momentary pause, but other than on Christmas morning, it might feel a little lonely. We are here to help your tree -- and settle your kids down before bedtime. . . .

Tube Caroling

Let's bring back caroling

ADDED December 17, 2009

Caroling is quickly becoming a lost pastime. My extended family goes caroling every year and recently, much to our dismay, we could not find anybody home to sing to. I don't know if people are too busy or just not interested in caroling, but I'll say it again: caroling is becoming a lost pastime. So today's activity is a great way to bring back caroling and make a cool craft with your kids from stuff you have in your house right now!

First, you will need scissors, tape, cardboard tubes, construction paper, and a pen.

To make a lovely tricorn hat for your young caroler, cut a 2-inch by 5-inch rectangle. It will look like this.

Simply cross the top two corners over each other and tape the opposing sides together.

Then cut a 2-inch by 8-inch rectangle to create a snappy vest for your caroler. . . .

Christmas Countdown

Zero-Calorie Fun

ADDED December 02, 2009

For your little ones, Christmas is a long way off. They must wait many, many weeks and even more days until the glorious event, but with a little creativity -- and today's activity -- you guys can countdown the days until Christmas. You can even teach some math in the process.

First, you will need twenty-three of something your kids can count (if you are starting today, December 2nd). We chose marbles. Next, you will need two jars, one jar to hold the "Days till Christmas" marbles and the other to hold the "Days Gone By" marbles.

When one day passes, have your kids move a marble from the "Days till Christmas" jar to the "Days Gone By."

When the marble transfer is complete, it's time for the math "sneak attack," have your kids count the marbles in both jars or -- if they are a little older -- they can count the marbles in one jar and do the math to figure out how many marbles are still left in the other jar. Fun, practical and educational!

We are big fans of this activity for two reasons: our idea has a lot fewer calories than one of those "chocolate" days-till-Christmas calendars, and second, doing math with your kids is very slimming.

The Weight Of Everybody In Your Family

Get everybody on the scale at the same time -- or just do some simple math

ADDED November 23, 2009

kids activities

Length: Twenty minutes.

Parental Involvement: Help with math and reading the list below, where necessary.

Kids Should Be Able to: Compare numbers (bigger and smaller.) Maybe do some simple math.

Well, here we are. The week of Thanksgiving has arrived. The big holiday is this Thursday, as you certainly know. We're continuing this week with Thanksgiving-themed activities and ideas.

Now, we all enjoy Thanksgiving dinner -- and some people enjoy it too much. Sometimes the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberries and the many other traditional food offerings are too tempting, and people each too much of all of the above.

Eating too much isn't great, of course, but if it occurs only on Thanksgiving -- well, that's not too bad, either. It's okay to enjoy the delicious food, as far as we're concerned.

And in honor of overeating, we'd like to present this quirky little math activity. There are two main parts here: a little adding and a lot of comparing.

First, the adding. Have your child add all the weights in your family. For instance, our whole family (a dad, a mom, and two young boys) weighs 310 pounds. We didn't include the dog's pounds -- but I suppose that pets are okay if you want to include them.

After the adding, it's time to do some comparing. The question is: which weights more, your whole family or a given animal. For instance, a baby killer whale weighs, on average, 350 pounds. Therefore, one baby killer whale weighs more than everybody in my whole family!

Here is a list of other average animal weights, for your kids to use in their comparisions:

Flamingo, adult males and females 7 lbs.
Sea otter, adult female 60 lbs.
Elephant, baby (both African and Asian) 250 lbs.
Gorilla, adult male 370 lbs.
American crocodoile, adult 385 lbs.
Zebra, adult males and females 600 lbs.
Giraffes, adult males and females 2,1000 lbs.
Hippopotomaus, adult male 3,300-4,000 lbs.
Blue whale, adult 200,000 to 300,000 lbs.

(We're not professional zoologists, but these are the best figures we could find with some internet searching. Of course, if your kid's favorite animal isn't in this list, of course you guys can probably find its weight by typing into google "average weight" and the animal in question.)

We hope your kids enjoy this activity. And take some consolation in the fact that, no matter how much you overeat this Thanksgiving, your family still weighs much less than an adult blue whale.

(Many thanks to today's photgraphers. Franco Folini for the killer whale, and jencu for the darling weighing boy!)

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!

Some Things You Didn't Know About Me

Print this one out and let your kids fill in the blanks

ADDED November 13, 2009

kids activity

Length: Twenty to thirty minutes.

Parental Involvement: Download and print.

Kids Should Be Able to: Answer queestions about themselves. Do some drawing.

Today's activity is very simple -- and that is a good thing. Today we've created an activity book for your kids. Download it for free here.

This book should be easy and fun for all. It's all about your child. Each page allows them to express themselves about themselves. There are blanks to fill in and spaces for kids to draw appropriate illustrations.

For instance, page one is "Just so you know, because you might not, my favorite sea creature is ___________"

And so on from them there. Fifteen pages all about your kid. And, like a favorite sea creature, the pages are all a bit off the beaten track.

A fun, perfect, all-about-your-kid activity for this weekend. Please enjoy!

That's All Wrong

Encouraging -- and celebrating -- the wrong way of going about things

ADDED November 11, 2009

kids activities

Length: Fifteen minutes to half an hour.

Parental Involvement: Explain the concept. Admire how wrong everything looks.

Kids Should Be Able to: Use some creativity and go about things all "wrong."

Young kids are bursting with ideas. Sit down with your young and say, "Let's draw a picture together," and you'll see what I mean. Your kid will have an idea or two of what should be drawn and how.

And this is great. Ideas are wonderful -- almost magical -- and should be encouraged.

Unfortunately, as kids grow up, they become less confident and less full of ideas. Kids become afraid of being "wrong." Teachers, parents, and peers are quick to point out a child's remarks and thoughts that are "wrong" or different.

Growing up can really stifle creativity.

We're here to keep creativity in the mix. We don't know what the future world will bring -- but it will require creative, new ideas.

So today, we'd like you to have your kids practice being wrong. The point here is to get them acclimated to and comfortable with doing things in a novel, unusual, and yes, wrong way.

Have your child get out some building blocks (or Legos or Tinker Toys, or whatever you guys have on hand.) Next, tell them to build a house. As always, your children will have a lot of great ideas. Great!

Once that house is done, tell your kids to make another house, but to make this next one "wrong." Not much further explanation should be needed. Your kids will have ideas about this version, too!

When the "wrong" house is finished, examine it with the builder. What is wrong about the house? Maybe the roof is on the bottom -- or the chimney is. Maybe it has seventeen doors and no windows. The possibilities are endless.

Finally, ask your young builder, "Even though this house is 'all wrong,' are there any details or features that are good? Are there any new ideas you had about houses when making this 'wrong' one?"

Maybe your kid won't like a thing about the 'wrong' house. Or maybe everyone will agree it's strangely pretty. Maybe you guys will wonder why doors can't be all glass, like windows.

Wrong can sometimes -- maybe even often -- be good. Am I wrong? Have fun!

Opposite Time

Fun finding the time on the other side of the world

ADDED November 10, 2009

kids activities

Length: A few minutes.

Parental Involvement: Explain the concept. Get out a world map -- or find one on the computer.

Kids Should Be Able to: Listen and imagine.

If it's noon at your house, somewhere else in the world it's midnight. Isn't that wild? When your kids go to bed at eight in the evening, somewhere else on Earth it's eight in the morning, and the kids there are eating breakfast. We all know this "opposite side of the world" thing is true, and yet, it does seem strange when we think about it.

Today we encourage you to explain this to your kids -- that the sun is always shining somewhere on Earth, and that it's always the "opposite" time of day somewhere.

Also, we want you guys to figure out where in the world is the "opposite time" from you. For instance, we live in the Los Angeles area. Around the world from us is the city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Now, when we go to bed at night, we can think about all the kids just starting their day in Dubai.

Here's how you can find the time zone that is opposite yours.

We've made a quick list below where in you can find where it's "opposite" time. (If you live out of North America and want to know, email us and we'll help you out!)

Eastern Time Zone. The "opposite" time is being enjoyed right now in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as Vietnam, parts of Russia and Mongolia.

Central Time Zone is "opposite" from Dhaka, Bangladesh; Bhutan; as well as Kyrgyzstan; and parts of Kazakhstan and Russia.

Mountain Time Zone is "opposite" from much of Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and the Maldives.

This activity also can serve as motivation to learn about far away places, such as Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan.

We hope your kids are interested and excited by this activity. And we hope you have fun with this, day or night!

(Thanks to puroricotico for the many clock photo above.)

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.. . .

Homebrew Space ship

A build-'n'-play activity

ADDED November 04, 2009

Spaceships are inspirational. They are made by a few dreamers destined to become legendary explorers. (They are also useful for battling enemies, for saving galaxies and for general interplanetary transportation.) Today's spaceship craft is sure to inspire even the youngest astronaut.

To create this space ship, you will need two paper plates of any size (the larger the plates the bigger the spaceship), tape, straws, bowls, one of those plastic bubble cases that come from a vending machine, and anything else that looks like it belongs on a spaceship. The sky is the limit . . . literally.

The craft can go one of two ways: you can ask your kids if they want to make a spaceship from the aforementioned items, turn 'em loose, let them build any kind of spaceship they can dream up or you guys can follow the simple directions below. Your choice.

All that is needed for space inspiration.

First, with the plate or bowl on a table, trace the plastic bubble and then -- following the line carefully -- cut a hole in the center and remove for the navagation systems (probably something that a parent needs to do).

Next, with the top of the plate facing down, put the plastic bubble into the hole, like this.

Third, tape or staple the plates together.

Next, decorate with a marker, add lasers, landing gear, guidance systems, tractor beams, and secret hatches. Check out this custom space cruiser (escape hatch not pictured).

We hope your kids enjoy their interplanetary explorations and don't forget to send pictures!

Do you like this craft? Then please let us know in the comments section.

Add Some Words To My Story

Just a few words will make a big, fun difference!

ADDED November 03, 2009

Next time you need a quick activity that's certain to get your kids riled up, try to add some words to the story. You can play anywhere and with any age kids. Try it -- you'll like it.

Here is how you play: the first person starts the story with a brief sentence. After that, it is up to the other players to add some words to create a truly unique and fantastically hilarious story. For example, a story could start like this, "I was eating a frozen yougurt..." The second player can add the word "when." Then the next player adds "a talking dog asked if he could get a lick." See? Hilarious and imaginative! This game is a great way to add to your kids' vocabulary and have a silly time while doing it.

Here are a few starter sentences to get your kids going:

I was talking to my fish and ...

Tuesdays I like to...

When I turned three I wanted to...

Whenever Mommy drives she likes to...

Yesterday I had a dream. I was...

The only super power I have ever wanted is...

Next time you are looking for some powerful vocabulary-building hilarity, add some words to the story!

thanks to arjanvandergaag for the photo!

Oct, Nov, Dec Holiday Memories

An activity every month . . . and some handsome art to boot

ADDED November 02, 2009

There are a lot of holidays coming up, and we have a perfect post-holiday activity for each one. After every holiday, have your kids draw a picture of a special memory that they made of the day. Halloween just ended so if you have a few minutes that need to be filled today or later this week, grab a pad of paper, review with your kids a few of the events that happened on Saturday (getting free candy was popular at my house), and then set them free to draw. Anything special is fair game, and the more detailed the better.

It's a fun way to relive the day's events and a perfect way to spend some time today. Then, one day down the road when your child comes home from college with their sweetheart, you will have a collection of art from 2009 to embarrass them with (along with some tasteful bathtime photos.)

This place is haunted

And that chair is looking at me

ADDED October 22, 2009

A few weeks ago, we told you about a great activity to do with your kids in which you guys find faces in the everyday objects around you. If you missed the post, here is the link (we think its great). Since Halloween is coming, we are taking this activity one step further and encourage your kids to make their own spooky-faced objects. What could be more spooky than all the furniture in your house looking right back at you? Here are the simple instructions.

Gather some construction paper, tape, pens, and scissors. Have everybody gather all of their imagination to envision faces on everything in your house. Then set your kids free to create bloodshot eyes to put on the piano, razor-sharp teeth for the side of the tub, or happy jack o' lantern eyes for the kitchen garbage pail. Finally, tape the eyes, teeth and noses on anything that needs to be gussied up for Halloween.

Have a great time, and don't worry the furniture won't really bite.

Personal Assistant

Everyone can use a hand

ADDED October 20, 2009

We all know that kids like to model what their parents do. Children enjoy everything from yard work to taking out the trash because it resembles actions performed by Mom and Dad. So tonight, spend a few hours with your young assistant and let them do everything with you. Today's activity is about taking the moments in your day and using them for teaching and learning.

So let your kids help with whatever you are doing. Don't seek out kid-friendly activities -- just do what you normally do. If you are a famous classical guitarist (we hear many read this blog), let your kids help you tune your guitar. If you are a businessman, let your kids help make a graph of projections for 2010. If you don't have any specific "work" to do, make something up. I know at my house we always have a light bulb to change, a cast iron pot to season, or a picture to hang. My kids are great helpers with all of these things. They are good at holding tools, using a level, measuring flour, and even doing some electrical work (think changing batteries).

The most important thing you can do with your assistant is explain the "why" behind what you are doing while you are doing it. Taking time for this important step encourages an expansion of their vocabulary and can prompt a lot of great questions.

For example, as you are replacing a light bulb, explain how it works and who invented it. Then when you are done check light bulbs out on Wikipedia, or here on Today is Fun, and learn something together.

So if you are cooking, running reports, arc welding, shoeing a horse, or just plain watering the plants, bring your assistant along and let them help. Who knows, soon enough they might take over some of the work around the house and you can get a little well-deserved rest.

Paper Towel Escalator

Behold the magic of paper towel!

ADDED October 16, 2009

kids science activities

Length: 15 minutes or so of set-up. (And it's easy, fun set-up for parents and kids.) 24 hours of waiting for the science and magic.

Parental Involvement: Find two bowls that you don't cherish.

Kids Should Be Able to: Follow simple directions. Wait 24 hours relatively patiently. Enjoy science!

Lately we've been performing some science experiments with the kids. The purpose of these activities is just a fun introduction to scientific investigation. In our house, we're not always sure what the outcome of any experiment will be -- or if anything will happen at all.

When the experiments do "work," we'll share it with you here.

Today we present the "Paper Towel Escalator." Like any escalator, ours moves stuff from place to place. The Paper Towel Escalator moves water, though, not people. And -- as you'll see -- it does not move *dirt!*

For this activity (or "experiment") you'll need two bowls and three pieces of (still attached) paper bowls. The bowls should not be your grandmother's finest china because, well, we're going to be putting *dirt* in them.

Due to the indisputable presence of *dirt* involved in this activity, we did it in the garage. You might want to do the same. (A certain Mom in our house draws the line at *dirt* in her kitchen.)

Have your kids put a few tablespoons of dirt in one of the bowls. Next, mix in about a cup or two of water and mix. The scientific name for the resulting concoction is . . . mud.)

Elevate this dirty, mud-filled bowl a bit. (We placed this bowl on top of an overturned pot.)

Next, put the other bowl -- which should be completely empty -- on the ground (so that it is lower than the mud bowl.) Fold the paper towel two or three times so that you have a narrow (and "fat") strip of paper towel. Put one end of the folded paper towel into the top bowl, and the other end into the bottom, empty bowl.

(A kid could really do *all* these steps, with minimal parental supervision.)

That's it. That's all you need to do. Leave the experiment alone for twenty-four hours, and then check back.

When you and your kids return the next day, the Paper Towel Escalator will have taken the water out of the mud and given it a ride into the bottom bowl. Water and dirt will be separate again! (Don't you feel that you're getting a good value out of this paper towel? It's really working overtime in the cleaning department.)

Why does this happen? The paper towel is designed to be very absorbent and very sturdy. "Capillaries" -- or very tiny tubes -- in the paper towel absorb the water and transport it along the length of the towel. The dirt, which is too big and heavy to make the trip -- is left behind.

Try it today with your kids. It really works!

Science is fun. So are escalators. And of course, so is dirt. We hope you and your kids enjoy experimenting!

Body Putting Together

With Halloween on its way, here is an activity of which Dr. Frankenstein would approve.

ADDED October 14, 2009

kids activities

Length: 30 minutes or more.

Parental Involvement: Explain the idea. Admire the results.

Kids Should Be Able to: Represent people and animals using toys and household objects.

You know, we put quite a bit of effort into each suggestion here at TIF. We are always busy thinking up great ideas, testing them out on actual children, and then writing them up to post here. It's a pleasure to do, really, and a labor of love.

But, with all the work we put in, it *is* a refreshing break when other people chip in and lighten the load a bit. So today I feel very grateful to my five-year-old son, who contributed today's idea.

My five-year-old loves games and activities. If given some free time, he'll make up a project to enjoy. The other day, he was busy with this one...

Today your kids will be putting together some bodies. They'll be using anything they've got on hand. (Pun not intended. Really.)

Your little ones will lay out every necessary body part. For a head, they could use a tennis ball, a Lego wheel, or -- well -- pretty much anything they want. After the head's accounted for, your kids need to move on to the next body part. Time to add a neck (a tinker toy, maybe), shoulders (Matchbox cars), and so on. Once you explain the concept to your children, they're sure to understand, and they'll be off and running.

Here is a l kids activities ist of body parts that your kids could use as they assemble their creature:

head
hair
ears
eyes
nose
mouth
chin
neck
shoulders
arms
hands
fingers
chest
tummy
belly button
legs
feet
toes

(If your kids want to make an animal, you could add "tail," "fins," and "antlers" to the list.)

When a body is complete, you guys should all admire it, and then . . . . the kids should start up again.

We hope you guys have fun and that your little Frankensteins behave better than monsters during the day!

Make ten any way you can

Math is really fun!

ADDED October 05, 2009

Length: About 15 minutes.

Parental Involvement: Explain the idea, help count if necessary

Kids Should Be Able to: Count.

We like simple activities -- things that kids can do almost anywhere that help them learn almost anything. This is why "Make ten any way you can" is one of our favorites. All you need are some coins and people who love to count. It is a perfect game for waiting in a restaurant or at home while waiting for dinner to be made or even while your older sister is doing her homework and you want to ride bikes with her but she can't play until her homework is done. Here is how you play...

First, you need a fist full of change (or at least a small handful.) Spread the coins out and sort the money to see how many times you can make ten cents. At first, some younger kids might not understand the different denominations, but this is a perfect opportunity for them to learn. Pennies are one, of course; nickels are five cents; dimes are ten; and quarters don't really count for this game because, well, they are twenty-five cents.

When your kids are done, they can count the total amount of change you guys have or pick a new number like twenty-five and then sort the change into piles of twenty five.

This game encourages counting, learning denominations, and just plain fun. If you don't like your kids touching "dirty" money, make sure you look at our penny cleaning post from a few days back and have fun!

Thanks to tonyjcase for use of the photo

Dice fun.

Roll some today!

ADDED September 21, 2009

Here at TIF, we are big fans of games that are easy and can be played with things you have on hand. We also love math. When you combine our love of math with simple, on-hand items, you can end up with lots of fun games.

Today your on-hand items will be one or two dice and a pad of paper. Using the dice, you can play all sorts of games . . . and math fun is a fortunate by-product. Here are a few games we made up (but I am sure you and your kids can make up even more):

Make a Math Mountain

Draw a mountain and along its side, draw the numbers 1-6. Then roll the dice until you get a 1. After rolling a 1, keep rolling until you get a 2. Keep rolling until you reach the top of the mountain.

It's a big number.

The purpose of this game is to make a big number. To make a big number, roll one dice three times. If on the first roll you roll a six, put this number in the hundreds column, the second roll you get a five put this in the tens column and the third roll you get a two put this number in the ones column.

Dice battle.

Very simple game that can be played with two or more players. All you do is roll the dice and the person who rolls the biggest number is the winner. In the event of a tie, roll until somebody wins.

Have fun with your dice and don't forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think!

Thanks to ravages for the photo!

Spot the Number

They are all around you, kids -- can you spot them?

ADDED September 10, 2009

In the past we have reviewed the "secret codes" that can be found all around us. If you missed that post, it's great, and you can find it here. But today we have a fun activity for kids of all ages. It is simple and encourages math, observation, reading and questions.

Have you ever noticed that every packaged food item has a number somewhere on it telling you how "much" is contained within? For example, some have 16 ounces, others have 12 fluid ounces. Some are 5 pounds and others are one gallon. What do all these numbers mean? Ounces, pounds and gallons? All are units of measurement and all contain numbers. Numbers equal fun. Think of it a treasure hunt for numbers.

Put your young kids in charge of these numbers. Every time they see a "contents" measurement, they should report it to you. As they get older, they can also make comparisons: those two bags of pretzels look the same, but that one is actually bigger, because its number is bigger. Older kids can also learn about partial weights; they can learn about the number after the period in "16.3 ounces," for example. Those post-period numbers mean just a little bit more than the number, but not quite big enough to get to the next number, you could tell them.

Next time you are at the market encourage your kids to look on the bags, boxes and containers of your favorite products to see if they can spot the number. Who knew that the front of the cereal box could be so much fun?!

(About 17.3 pounds of fun!)

Hide the fun

And guess away the day!

ADDED September 08, 2009

Grab three cups and a small toy. Give them to your kids . . . and you have the makings of a whole bunch of entertainment.

We have all seen the cup and balls magic trick. You know: the magician puts a ball under one of three cups, the audience tries to follow which cup the ball is under and never can (because it is magic).

Today we are not going to teach any magic -- we really don't know any -- but what we do know is how to entertain kids. So set up the cups, hide the small toy, mix up the cups and let them guess where the toy is.

This activity is especially "magical" for younger kids (three and under), who will ask for many repetitions. They can also exercise some coordination and motor control by trying to trick you with the ball and cups. (Please, no wagering, people.)

Hidden fun is just a guess away. Have fun!

In Celebration of Labor Day

Good bye summer!

ADDED September 07, 2009

Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. While summer may be over, the fun need not be done. We have plenty more in store, so stay tuned. And if you have not subscribed to our daily activities email, please do (you can do that here).

We have had a full summer of great activities that are educational, free and create special ways for you and your kids to spend time together. If you are looking for something to do today or later this week, don't labor! Instead, check out seven of our most recent, greatest hits and make today fun!

1. Emerge

A coloring activity that will make the fun come out. And come forth. And just generally emanate.

2. Bring Me The Alphabet!

A fun game for beginning spellers

3. Kid's Activity: The Family Handshake

Every family should have one!

4. Founding Fathers Tag

They gave us Independence, let's give them a game!

5. Five senses walk

A treat for them all

6. Paper Bag Monster Masks

Very easy and fun. If you don't get too scared.

7. Race Car Paper

Because your kids draw it, they get to rule the road

Have fun!

Disco Dancin' Action Verbs

Learn some words and then get on down!

ADDED August 31, 2009

kids dance activity

Length: 20 minutes

Parental Involvement: Read some dancing verbs to your kids. Explain if necessary.

Kids Should Be Able to: Shake it like they just don't care!

A while ago we encouraged your kids to learn some new verbs while making their bodies move like animals. (That fine, popular post, was called "Monkey Moving," and it is here.)

Well, today, we'd like your kids to learn a new group of words. This time, we're learning all about dancing words.

Say each dance-verb to your kids, and have them perform that action. Have your kids demonstrate jumping and jiving. Then let's see boogie-ing. How about some waltzing?

(If your kids need help understanding the verbs, maybe you can help them. And if you aren't familiar with a word on the list, you guys should look it up or . . . make up a move for it!)

Here are some other animal-moving verbs for your kids to demonstrate:

break dance
chicken dance (flap your arms like chicken wings)
conga
cut a rug
disco
get down
kick. . .

House of cards

DIY game and building kit

ADDED August 28, 2009

Length: 20 minutes

Parental Involvement: Cut cards and play along

Kids Should Be Able to: Have a bit of dexterity

Building a house of cards can be just plain hard. I have tried and believe me, it's impossible. Building a true house of cards is therefore not a great activity for kids, but today's craft has a cheat that makes construction not only easy but a pleasure. A game similar to this was created in 1952 by Charles and Ray Eames. It was fun then and still can be fun today especially when you make it yourself.

You will need to sacrifice a deck of cards for this craft. Please make sure you don't cut up Grandpa's cherished deck of cards from the Navy. (The 99 Cent store is a great place to pick up a pack.)

First, you will need to cut six slots on each card so the cards can lock together (I have noted where to cut in sharpie so its easy to see). Try to cut in the same place every time this will make your structure more solid and we also have found that cutting one card at a time will yield better results.

When you have done that to all fifty two cards you are ready to build. The six slots on each card enable you and your kids to lock the cards together to build fantastic structures.

Sturdy, easy, and fun! What more could you ask for? (We would like to ask everybody to have a lot of fun with their kids this weekend!)

TIF-Sign-In Sheet

For your next party

ADDED August 13, 2009

Sometimes at my house, we have parties with a bunch of grown-ups, where my kids are the only children attending.

For my kids, these parties are not the most fun: adults sit around talking about boring adult things, and all the while the kids' "bedtime clock" is ticking. For me, the question is usually, "what should we do with the kids for the hour before they have to go to bed?" Well, we figured out a perfect way to keep the kids occupied. It's also a fun way for the kids to interact with our guests. The kids should be in charge of a Sign-In Sheet.

The Sign-In Sheet is perfect: it keeps the kids occupied for the beginning part of the evening, and when all the guests have arrived, a natural break is created for bedtime. Everybody wins -- and we get a list of the people who attended the party just in case any of our fine silver is missing!

We have created a Sign-In Sheet for you to download and use at your next party. Have fun, we will be checking the mail for an invite!

(Click to download)

Thanks to russandlori for the photo!

Homemade binoculars

What will you see?

ADDED August 12, 2009

Quick craft today that will pair great with yesterdays activity. Make some binoculars for your lunch on a lifeboat. We are big fans of recycling and this craft accomplishes what we try and do everyday here at TIF, take something that is mundane, even useless and transform it into something entertaining, enchanting and educational. What better way to help your kids spot pirates, sea monster or the dreaded land shark than with some binoculars? Here is how it's done (if you need directions).

All you need is some tubes from T.P. or paper towels, rubber bands and string.

Bind the tubes together using the rubber bands. Thread the string through so the binoculars can hang comfortably around your kids neck. And use!

That is it! Simple, easy and makes use of something your would otherwise throw away. Happy spying!

Lunch on a Lifeboat

Watch out for sharks!

ADDED August 11, 2009

I like the word "lifeboat." It seems hopeful word; no matter how bad things get, a lifeboat can always save me. And if you are seeking entertainment today for your kids, try this activity. It just might save you.

Spread a blanket out on the floor and tell your kids that the blanket is a lifeboat. Everything will have to be on the boat or it doesn't make the trip. So they should get a book to read, a blanket, and anything else that will help them on their "voyage." If your kids are anything like mine, the lifeboat will kind of full and sitting rather low in the water.

Here are a few fun activities you can use to make your lifeboat adventure fun:

Lunch on the Lifeboat: Have the kids wait on their raft while you are making lunch and then "swim" their meal out to them when it is ready. Just make sure that the sharks don't eat your food!
Rest on the lifeboat: Spread out the raft in your kids room during rest time (I don't expect too much actual resting to be done.) Close the door and let the gentle ocean breezes float them off to dream land.
Sail the lifeboat to a far off land: Have your kids ever flown anywhere in a plane? If they have, then why not pretend to sail there in your lifeboat? If they have not flown anywhere, look at a map and pick an exotic destination. (Land-locked countries could pose a challenge, I suppose.)

Whatever you choose to do, it is always fun to break up the routine. And lunch on a lifeboat may be just that. Have fun!

Thanks to gurms and admitone for the inspirational photos!

Stuffed animal birthday party

Stuffed animals are people, too

ADDED July 31, 2009

If your kids are anything like mine, they love stuffed animals. Most nights, if a certain stuffed animal can't be found, no sleeping will be accomplished until it is found and returned to the safe and loving arms of its child owner. Since these friends are such special members of the family, why not have a birthday party for them with your kids?

Now you don't need to make a big to-do with bouncers, elephants (a friend went to a kid's party with real elephants), and face painting. Just a simple gathering -- maybe during lunch, with the guest of honor sitting at the head of the table. Make it fun and ask your kids what the guest of honor would like like to eat (mac-n-cheese is a favorite meal of many a stuffed animal), make some cupcakes, sing happy birthday, and open gifts. I guarantee that it will be a good time for everybody involved.

Here is a quick list of things you and your kids can do to make it a special day for that very special stuffed animal:

1. Make the cupcakes together. (Kids are expert batter and frosting testers.)
2. Have your kids make a gift. Yesterday's activity is great for this.
3. Make sure your kids ask what their stuffed animal wants for lunch. You might be surprised to find out that some stuffed animals have very complex palates.
4. Make sure their pal is all ready for the lunch by having your kid sit them at the head of the table.
5. Set yourself up for future fun by putting the stuffed animal's birthday on the calendar.

This is a perfect activity to perk up your summer, and the best thing is it costs nothing! Happy Birthday!

Photos bykyleandkelly and kishimoto via Flickr, thanks to a creative commons license.

***UPDATE*** MommyinLA (here is a link to her twitter page) sent us these pictures of her boys enjoying a stuffed animal party! (Well, it was an alien party, actually.) Thanks and keep the photos coming!

kids activities

Four legged box animal.

Old-fashioned fun

ADDED July 27, 2009

We have detailed the many creative uses for boxes already (and those ideas can be found here). We've also made some scary monster masks before Halloween. As our in depth analysis of free cardboard box fun continues, we have yet to cover the rare and elusive four-legged box animal (or the four-legged box monster depending on your preference.)

The four-legged box animal showed up at my house unannounced and proceeded to cause laughter, giggles and a little jostling. The fun was endless. Two kids turned themselves into the animal, and one person acted as the trainer. (I sure am glad that the trainer showed up, because taking care of a four-legged box animal is a lot of work. They always are getting into trouble.)

Making a four-legged box animal is quite simple, we're glad to say. All you need is large enough box. Two of your kids to put the box over their heads, and the four legged box animal is created. I suppose if you were inclined you could color and cut the box to spiff it up a little and make it more animal-like, but for the girls at my house the plain box worked just fine.

Here at TIF, we always want to give kids tools to spark their imagination and create their own fun. If you have a box, try it today and see what shows up at your house! If it's not an animal it could be a Spaceship, a car, or even a box of bears.

TIF Book of World Records

Get some record holders in your own home

ADDED July 13, 2009

We all have heard of the Guinness Book of World Records. At the moment, it is a very popular book at my house, featuring such important entries as the furthest distance an egg has been thrown, the fattest cat, and the longest time spent ironing (this last record was definitely not achieved at my house). The Guinness Book contains information sure to entertain any child (and guaranteed to make a good impression during one of the many power lunches I am required to attend while promoting todayisfun.com.)

The Guinness Book of World Records got me thinking that summer is here. What a perfect season in which to achieve some of our own records! We are not going to try our hand at competitive eating, miniature horse husbandry, or sword swallowing, but we just might see how many times we can catch a ball without dropping it (our record is 177 consecutive catches), how many times we can ride our bikes around the block in 5 minutes (the neighborhood record is 3 times), or whether it is possible to hug your father while eating a peanut butter sandwich (record not yet attempted).

This summer if you are in need of some quick entertainment, see how far, long or frequently they can do something. It's fast, fun and free. Use our competitions listed above as a starting point, and then create some of your own records!

Let us know what records your kids break, and we'll can send you an official TIF Book of World Records certificate (suitable for framing). We are always available at info@todayisfun.com.

Alas, there is a record for most Brussels Sprouts eaten in one minute (24). But my kids are not the record holders . . . not even close.

Facial Expression Exercises

No gym or personal trainer necessary!

ADDED July 09, 2009

kids activities facial expressions

Length: About 10 minutes

Parental Involvement: Encourage silly exercising.

Kids Should Be Able to: Control their faces, sort of. Have fun!

As you undoubtedly know, we here at Today is Fun are in favor of kids getting exercise. As far as we're concerned, children have way too much energy -- and exercise can help handle that. Any activity that helps young ones get some energy out is good by us.

Not every child is always thrilled to do fifteen push-ups or ninety-nine sit-ups. So today we present an exercise routine for those kids. This is also a fun exercise warm-up, if you're trying to get your kids to indeed move on and do fifteen push-ups. Today we'll be exercising an occasionally overlooked body part: our faces.

Get ready, and here we go:

The silent big yell. For this facial exercise, everybody opens their mouths as big and as wide as they can, as if they're letting out a gigantic scream. Stretch those lips wide, people! And here's the tricky part (especially if you're one of my two boys): you're not supposed to actually yell. It's called silent scream for a reason. (And that reason is my wife doesn't really enjoy loud noises. Do you?)

Oooh! This one is pretty self-explanatory: have your kids stretch their lips forward, bug their eyes out, and say "ooh!" Feel the stretch!

Closed for business. Have the kids scrunch their faces "closed." Eyes and mouth shut. Eyebrows down. And the whole shebang sort of contracted into itself.

What's going on up there? And by "up there," we mean right over your child's head. They should roll their heads way, way back, to get a nice stretch of their neck.

Ridiculously frightening monster. Have the kids make a monster face. Teeth should be bared, noses twisted, lips tight. This one can be cute and funny for parents to see! (It can also be frightening, I suppose.)

Don't pop the balloon. The balloon in this instance would be your little one's face. Have them puff up their mouth and cheeks full of air. (We've noticed that kids' eyes often get big during this one, too.)

This smile is too big for my face! Have your kids make the biggest smile they can. It's nice to see children smiling, of course, and it will also get their cheeks nicely stretched out.

We think these exercises actually do fee like exercises, and the muscles in your face really will feel like they've been put to the test.

These expressions work nicely in the car -- kids can't be too antsy or bored when doing silent big yells, or scrunching their faces closed. They definitely pass the time for kids . . and you can't really do push-ups in the car, anyway.

Way Too Much For Daddy To Do

A good way of having fun and tiring loved ones out

ADDED July 05, 2009

kids activities

Length: About 30 to 45 minutes of kids drawing, setting up, and practicing. 15 minutes of kids supervising their poor dad.

Parental Involvement: Mom explains the concept. Maybe helps hang up the signs. Dad does whatever he is told.

Kids Should Be Able to: Have ideas for simple activities. Some drawing and/or writing.

Here's an easy activity that will provide your little ones with some fun and excitement. For this one, you'll need some art supplies . . . and the absence of one or more beloved family members. (For demonstration purposes today, we'll be using Daddy as the example absent person.)

The activity, then, is to make way too much for poor Daddy to do.

So let's say that Dad is out of the house, returning at some later time. Your kids' task is to create many, many assignments for him to perform upon his return. Tear some blank pieces of paper into quarters, and help your kids write (or draw) a chore for Daddy to do. For example, on one piece of paper, you could have, "Spin around in a circle." On another piece of paper: "Jump up and down six times." Other ideas:

Touch your nose.

Bark like a dog.

Clap your hands behind your back.

And so on.

The idea here is get the kids' minds going and coming up with as many different, unusual and funny things for dear old Dad to do. Shoot to have at least ten different things to do. Have the kids tape the pieces of paper up in different rooms of the house.

When Dad returns, the kids should grab his hand and lead him from sign to sign. The children should make sure that their Dad performs each activity satisfactorily.

While of course Dad is being put upon for this activity, the good news is that it will inevitably add to the kids' eagerness and excitement for his return to the home. The kids will boisterously welcome their father back . . . so he can get busy doing their bidding. (Oh, and more good news: once the kids have hung up all the signs, they definitely need to test everything out themselves. This could lead to them getting some energy out, too.)

We have had excellent results with this one. My kids' mom, the "victim" of our first go 'round, was a very good sport. She counted to 100, did ten jumping jacks, and even rolled on the rug. Somebody, though, taped up a sign that said, "I love you, Mommy," and though that technically isn't a chore, a demand, or an activity, and therefore not supposed to be part of the game, it made her quite, quite happy. There were big hugs all around.

Have fun tiring Dad -- or Mom, or some other special loved one. And if any of the kids are doing this activity for me, I sincerely hope one of the signs says, "go to bed early!"

(Many thanks to Mike and Kelly Schellhouse for the exhausted, beleagured father photo above!)

A Picture of Freedom

Some quick activities to make the 4th special

ADDED July 03, 2009

John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail about the celebration of American Independence: "It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

He was right; the Fourth of July is a time to celebrate all that makes America great. Today we suggest you and your kids take the suggestions from Mr. Adams (a key player in Founding Fathers tag) and do each in your home. We suggest you "solemnize" the day with:

Pomp and parade. Fourth of July parades are great fun (and they're also free.) If there's not one happening in your area . . . have your own! Have the kids dress in red, white, and blue. Have them march and wave flags. A little patriotic music would probably help things, too.

Shows. Encourage the little stars in your home to put on a show featuring American History. They should use puppets or costumes. If they want, they can use the "History of the Fourth of July" as a starting place, and explain that to their audience.

Games. This doesn't need any explanation. Family games are fun. Use the holiday to take some out and play!

Sports. Badminton, horseshoes, croquet or blind man's bluff are all classic, old-timey, games, that are fun for kids and parents alike.

Guns. This was a good idea in 1776. Not so much now.

Bells. Do you have any bells in the house? Sleigh bells from Christmas or bicycle bells are fair game. Explain to your kids that in olden days, people would ring church bells as a way of letting everyone in the vicinity know about big news. Bells were rung, for instance, after the Declaration of Independence was signed. If you have a bell handy, let the kids ring it. America's two hundred and thirty-third birthday is big news!

Bonfires. We think a barbecue would be a modern day equivalent. A beach bonfire would work, too.

Illuminations. Of course, fireworks shows are fun and free so if your kids can stay up, visit a local fireworks show.

And President Adams didn't say this explicitly, but of course, the Fourth is a great holiday to spend with people you love! So do it!

Have a great Fourth -- from TIF!

Hooray for American Power Breakfast Trio

Three breakfasts -- all patriotic!

ADDED July 02, 2009

This Saturday, if you are not going to a pancake breakfast at the Rotary Club, make one of our Power Breakfasts for your little Patriot. We took some tips from grocery-store cooking magazines, and we have come to this conclusion: all 4th of July food must feature blueberries, strawberries, and something must be white (and it all must be delicious.) This is not a problem, because blueberries and strawberries are on our list of "Power Foods" that help kids grow big and strong. If you missed the "Power List" here is the link.

These breakfasts are so good I need to sit down.

Breakfast #1-A More Perfect Breakfast

Egg white, with a side of blueberries and strawberries.

Protein-packed Patriotism.

Breakfast #2-Breakfast Revolution

Vanilla yogurt layered with blueberries and strawberries.

A delicious mix of Patriotism and Power.

Breakfast #3-4th of Deliciousness

Multi-Grain Waffle with blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream.

A beautiful stack of Patriotic sweetness

Hooray for America, hooray for breakfast, and though these look delicious, please don't eat your computer monitor.

Bring Me The Alphabet!

A fun game for beginning spellers

ADDED June 24, 2009

kids activities

Length: Fifteen to thirty minutes

Parental Involvement: Explain the concept and review your child's efforts

Kids Should Be Able to: Figure out the beginning letters of words

This is an easy activity to do with kids who are beginning to figure out how to spell words. And here's a nice bonus for you: parents can conduct this one easily while sitting down!

So get comfortable and demand that the kids bring you the alphabet.

Here's how you do it: Say to your child, "Bring me the alphabet! Bring me something that starts with the letter 'A.'" Your child should then run off to find an object that will fulfill your demand.

For the letter 'A,' acceptable items to bring you would include: an apple, an art book, and a toy alligator. (An actual alligator, while starting with the correct letter, should not be handled by your kids, please!)

For 'B,' your kid can bring a ball, a block, or a toy bear. (A toy bear. Again, wild animals can be dangerous.)

Continue on in this vein until your child has amassed enough things to represent each letter in the alphabet. (You might have to get inventive with some of the letters. For 'X,' for instance, your kid could cross two Tinker Toys into an X.)

And did we happen to mention that you can pretty much be sitting down and relaxing for this activity? Don't feel guilty about this -- don't you deserve it? You work plenty hard . . . and your kids are having fun spelling and playing with the alphabet. Fair is fair. And fun!

(Many thanks to tomeppy for this perfect, toy-rummaging photo!)

Eight little, last-minute, and lovely ways to celebrate Dad

Treat him like a king.

ADDED June 19, 2009

1) Baked goods. There is an old saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and as a guy, I will testify that this statement is true. Those organs are definitely conjoined.

So for Father's Day, make his favorite cookie or pie. Homemade treats always taste best because of all the love that gets put in them. Also, if you are making me cookies, chocolate chip and snickerdoodle are my favorites. (For pies I am an equal opportunity eater, but I have been seeing some nice peaches lately.)

2) Matched with the Mentor. When you are a kid, it is fun to match clothes with your best friend. For Father's Day, help the kids find outfits that matches Dad's clothes. (A bit goofy, perhaps, but also kind of funny. And celebratory!)

3) Complimentary Compliments. Have the kids say ten nice, different things to their Dad through out the day. "Corny" is okay. "Forced" is not.

4) Chore Helpers. This weekend, have the kids accompany their father as he does his chores. The kids don't have to actually do the chores, but they should just keep the man of the house company. If they can express some appreciation for his doing these chores, all the better.

5) King of the Castle. The kids should ask Dad frequently if they can get him a drink or snack. Usually he'll say no, but he's guaranteed to be pleased -- and amused -- by the offer.

6) Plate Plus. Tape a complimentary note to the bottom of his dinner plate. When dinner's over, tell Dad to flip over his plate for a special surprise. (But re-assure him that the note is not in lieu of an actual dessert. See item #1 on this list!)

7) Five Star Bedtime. If the kids are familiar with this concept, have them do "turn down" service with the covers on his bed. (And in finer hotels, might I remind you, that service includes a chocolate treat on his pillow.)

8) Gratitude. Everybody in the house should remember to thank their Dad for being a great Dad.

Happy Father's Day!

Thanks to cheeserocfor the photo!

Chalk Painting

Outside and summer fun. It's messy -- and washes right off!

ADDED June 09, 2009

kids activities chalk

Length: Fun in the backyard that could last 15 minutes . . . . or hours!

Parental Involvement: "Light" backyard supervision, wash hands off before kids come back in the house

Kids Should Be Able to: No special requirements, really.

For this activity, you'll need some chalk and some water. It's perfect outdoor fun for Summer afternoons.

Have the kids scribble on the driveway or sidewalk with the chalk. They don't need intricate or detailed drawings -- really, the point is to get some color on the ground.

Next, pour some water onto the ground where the chalk is, creating sort of a colored chalk paste.

(To tailor this activity for boys -- which we have here in my house -- call it "chalk slime." For girls, "chalk paint" would probably be a good term.)

Once you've got the chalk slime or paint going, it's time to really unleash your young artists. Have them make hand prints and foot prints. And tell them to do some finger painting. Or, dip paintbrushes into the chalk slime and paint with it.
kids activities chalk
My kids tried to make 'color rivers' -- that is, making streaks of color by pouring small amounts of water onto the chalk areas. They were quite pleased with the results.

This chalk paste is also okay (at least in my house) for painting on skin. My kids made hand prints on their legs (and on mine.) This was okay with me, because the color washes off easily.

And it quickly washes off the ground, too, if that's something you'd like. Just a little squirt from the house, and the "canvas" will back to blank again.

It's fun, it's colorful, it's outside -- and it washes right off. If only everything kids did had all those qualities!

Have fun with your Summer-time Picassos. (And if you're interested, here is an approved bunch of chalk we recommend for this and other activities.)

Kids' Activities: Music Freeze

A fun and easy way to get the sillies out!

ADDED June 08, 2009

kids activities

Length: About 10 minutes

Parental Involvement: Explain the rules, press "pause" on the CD player

Kids Should Be Able to: Shake it like they just don't care. (Seriously, no special requirement for this one.)

Here's what you need for this activity: a CD with music and a stereo with a pause button. If you're in possession of those items, you're set for this one, and you're ready to get some energy out of the kids.

(We've noticed -- as you may have -- that sometimes kids have a lot of energy. And sometimes those same kids have more energy than their parents have. It's as if they have secret access to Starbucksventi ultra-cappuccino lattes or something. This extra amount of kid energy can cause challenges for dinnertime, bedtime, and other parts of your day. So we like activities that help kids expel some of their energy. This one works very well about half an hour before dinnertime, we've found...)

Explain the simple concept to your kids: when the music is playing, all kids have to move their bodies as much as possible. We're talking dancing, running in place, somersaults, and the like. We're also talking arms failing, legs kicking, and fists pumping. The more movement, the better. Being silly is encouraged, too, because it adds to the fun and will release even more liveliness.

Of course, even energetic children can't keep up the craziness for many minutes on end. They need a break or two. So push pause on your CD player, and keep the music off for fifteen or twenty seconds. Ideally, this will enhance the kids' interest and fun, and they'll be eagerly anticipating the next burst of music and moving.

Keep going until the kids are tuckered out. Then follow up with a "wind-down" activity like reading a book together.

This activity is simple, fun, and effective! Parents and kids win! What more do you want?

(In case you're interested, here are two of our favorite kids' CDs. We're very picky about kids' music. A lot of children's music, we think, is too juvenile and too light on 'good music.' We like these twoCD's because they sound good, they're creative, and because kids seems to respond well to them: They Might Be Giants Here Come the ABCs and Peter Himmelman's My Green Kite. Please let us know any of your favorite kids' CDs, too, because we are always looking to expand our collection. But we're picky!)

Kids' Craft: DIY Rag Doll

Easy to make, easy to love

ADDED June 03, 2009

For today's fun DIY activity, we are going to make a rag doll. (Boys may call them "action figures," if they prefer.) Rag Dolls are simple to make will provide your kids with hours of entertainment.

All you will need is eight strips of fabric about eight inches long. Eight and eleven -- easy, right?

Length: Construction for 15 minutes . . . and hours of fun!
Parental Involvement: Lots of teaching opportunities for knot tying, braiding, cutting, etc.
Kids Should Be Able to: Be safe with scissors

First hold the eight strips in your hand so the ends are even.

Second, using one of the smaller strips of fabric, tie a scarf on your doll's head.

Third, using another small strip of fabric, tie a scarf around your doll's neck.

Fourth, take three strips of fabric and braid them together to form an arm. Use a small strip of fabric to tie the ends of the arm together. Repeat to form the right arm.

Fifth, take a small strip of fabric and tie it onto the middle of your doll, forming the waist.

Next, tie a small strip of fabric onto two strips of the fabric to form your doll's feet.

Draw a face.

Next step: give your doll a name.

Finally, give your doll a lot of love! (Or give your action figure a lot of love, as the case may be.)

Leave us a comment below and let us know what you child names their doll! Have fun!

Kids' Activites: Activity Tube

Make your own fun!

ADDED June 02, 2009

After many months of tinkering and experiment, we are proud to reveal our "Activity Tube." This invention is designed to get your kids moving, but please don't confuse today's Activity Tube with our previous Regulation Bopper, as they are two different items.

Length: Construction time 5 minutes and 10-15 minutes of activity.
Parental Involvement: Writing, reading for younger kids
Kids Should Be Able to: Be safe with markers

To make an Activity Tube, you simply need two empty paper towel rolls and one empty toilet paper roll.

First thing, come up with four different activities that would be fun for your kids. On ours, I wrote exercises: do five push-ups, do ten jumping jacks, run in place for fifteen seconds, and do three sit-ups. Then write down each activity on a quarter of the tube like this.

Next, insert the smaller tube inside the two bigger tubes like this.

Now, let the activities commence! Have your child pull open the two larger tubes to display the activity. Whatever message is revealed, the kid gets to do it! Then the tube gets passed on to the next kid.

One handy benefit of the Activity Tube is that it can be customized to fit any situation. I made a "Job Tube" that has dinnertime jobs on it. These jobs may not be quite as fun, but they sure are helpful. This one encourages kids to "help with dinner preparation," "set the table" and even "clean up."

Watch the magic of the Activity Tube as it occurs in your house: your kids might roll your eyes or talk back to you . . . but they won't argue with the Activity Tube!

Kids and parents will enjoy our Activity Tube much more than the boring old boob tube. Have fun and use the comments section to let us know how you use the Activity Tube!

Kids' Craft: Creature Creation

A DIY Craft and Toy

ADDED June 01, 2009

This week we are featuring Do It Yourself crafts and games! Each activity will involve some sort of recycled or re-purposed item. We will be posting three fun games and two great crafts all guaranteed to make sure that Today Is Fun.

We begin with a simple craft activity that all kids will enjoy for many hours. (We have found that the best crafts end up being toys.)

Length: Construction for 10 minutes
Parental Involvement: Verbal instruction, participation
Kids Should Be Able to: Be safe with scissors and color

To create your own creatures you will need an empty egg carton, some pens and pipe cleaners.

First cut the round bottom off of an egg carton, it should look like this.

Next, with a paper clip or sharp pencil, poke one, two, three or fifteen holes on each side of your creatures. It should look something like this. We chose four legs, so two holes on each side.

Third thread the pipe cleaner legs in one side and out the other, like this.

Fourth, use a pen to draw a face on your creature. (This would also be a good time to give your creature a name.) Add some flair, and they are ready to go.

Let your kids' imaginations run wild. My daughter made this great vehicle out of the left-over egg carton for all the creatures to ride in. Have fun!

Kids' Language Learning: Por Favor Weekend

Give please a break, por favor

ADDED May 29, 2009

kids activities

Length: 5 minutes
Parental Involvement: Verbal instruction, participation
Kids Should Be Able to: Speak, understand the concept of different languages

We like weekends here at Today Is Fun. That shouldn't be much of a surprise to you -- weekends offer plenty of opportunities for fun and learning!

As you might remember, last weekend was Memorial Day Weekend. It's a good holiday, and we're happy to observe it with our families.

Well, this weekend, we'd like you all to celebrate "Por Favor Weekend" with us. The concept here is simple: the word "please" is taking the weekend off. Hopefully "please" makes frequent appearances in your house, so it might be ready to take a break -- if even for this weekend.

This Saturday and Sunday, have your kids invite please's Spanish cousin into your home, Señor Por Favor. Tell your kids that this weekend, you and the kids will try to only use "por favor."

If you'd like to, you guys can also employ a little "gracias" in place of "thank you."

It'll be fun, actually, and educational. Learning and using foreign words makes for good times. Up with language learning!

So please enjoy "Por Favor Weekend," por favor, pleople! Gracias.

(Thank you to freeparking for the vintage sombrero photo!)

Kids' Activity: Tongue Twisters!

Tongues are meant to be twisted!

ADDED May 28, 2009

kids activities

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!)

Line Drawing Practice Session

Get your lines in shape . . . and have fun doing it!

ADDED May 27, 2009

kids activities

In case you haven't noticed, we think paper and markers are all the tools you need for hours of creative, learning fun with your kids. Do you disagree? Would you like to argue? Go ahead and try! Challenges can be entertaining.

(Please take a moment to check out our favorite, recommended drawing implements here and here.)

Today we're going to do some exercises to keep your drawing team in shape! So get out some paper and pencils and start the drills.

Begin with swirls. Tell your kids to draw as many swirls as they want. Can everyone make swirls? (Swirls are a personal favorite, I must admit.)

The next drill, zig-zags. Followed by...

Wavy lines
Parallel lines
Dashed lines
Dotted lines (what is the difference between dashed and dotted?)
Curves and curvy lines
Squiggles and messy lines

In this post we've listed eight different types of lines for your kids to draw. Can you guys think of any other ones?

This activity will get your drawers warmed up and ready to create. So get creating, people!

Pillow Sandwich

A great, any time snack

ADDED May 20, 2009

On rare occasions, the kids are ready for bed before their bedtime. When this miracle occurs, I like to do a little cooking . . . and children are the perfect ingredient for my yummy dishes.

First, I’ll make a Pillow Sandwich. This delightful dish requires only two pillows and one kid. Simply put the kid in the middle of the pillows and gently squeeze the sandwich together. Ta da! You have a deliciously fun snack with zero calories.

Next up, I find myself craving a Bedtime Burrito. This specialty has just a few ingredients: one blanket and one child. Assembly is simple: first spread out the blanket and gently place the child on one of the ends, then carefully roll your little one up in the blanket, taking special care to make sure that a head is sticking out of the blanket at all times. Presto! You have a low-fat snack that is quite fun to eat.

Finally, we'd like to suggest a tasty Pillow Cream Cone. Simply have your young one stand up straight while cradling a pillow. Next, have your kid hold the pillow up as high as they can. (This posture gives you the perfect opportunity to tickle. So why not do it?)

And here's a word to the wise: please do not cook these (delicious) silly recipes after Mom has made the bed. She doesn't look too kindly on energetic chefs ruining a neat and tidy room!

Please send any similar recipes to info@todayisfun.com or leave everyone a message in the comments. We really want to know what you are "cooking up!"

Thanks to fjsheen for the photo!

Family Fix-It Time

Parents have DIY projects. Kids love tools. Everybody wins.

ADDED May 15, 2009

kids activities

Today's post was inspired by Laurie March, a Los Angeles interior design expert (and friend to Today is Fun). You can check her blog out here. Laurie helps families improve their living spaces -- she is enormously talented, and I've caught her paying attention not just to her adult clients, but to their kids as well. Laurie recently noticed how children are fascinated by tools and home improvement projects. Together, we came up with some entertaining ways to help kids join in on home improvement fun...

The right tool for the job. When you've got a home improvement project going, you can talk to your kids about how each job requires the "right tool." For instance, if you need to hang a picture, then you need to first put a nail into the wall. Really, only one tool in the toolbox will work for this chore. It's not the hacksaw, it's not the screwdriver, it's not the tape measure. It's the hammer!

But if you need to open the battery compartment on a toy robot, the hammer is definitely not the tool to use! There's one right tool for that job, too.

Sometimes, more than one tool will work (for instance, one could sometimes use a drill or a screwdriver), but you still have to choose the right one.

It's a good lesson for life: Kids obviously need to make a decision as to the right tool to use for the job.

When you're doing a home improvement project, let your little ones look through the toolbox with you. You guys can discuss each tool and what it is used for. And if your kids are older, you can ask them "right tool" questions, such as:

A sprinkler head in the front yard is loose. What tool would we use to tighten it?
What tools do we need to hang a picture in the living room?

Finally, learning the difference between flathead and Phillips screws (and screwdrivers) seems to be very interesting for children!

Kids playing with tools. If kids have toy tools (ours do), then they can bring their tools along as Mom or Dad makes minor repairs in the house. Kids and parents can compare kid tools with grown-up tools. How are they different? How are they the same?

Also, of course, kids can play with tools and pretend to fix things. These "things" in question could be a cardboard box, a chair, or any sturdy household item. Parents could choose to talk about real steps with kids, such as, "Okay, you've got your tools and you're going to hang a picture. What's the first thing you need to do? What's the first tool you need to use?"

Finally, kids can sometimes, occasionally handle real, grown-up tools. My boys love to play with our family's level -- watching the bubbles move in the little, see-through tubes. My five-year-old can pretty much use a level, too, much to his delight.

Drawing and talking about tools. Drawing a collection of tools could be fun for kids. How many different kinds of tools can they figure out to draw on a piece of paper?

Kids and adults could also cut the tools out once the drawing's done, and have a miniature paper tool collection.

A drawing like this (or a picture book that displays a variety of tools) could be a great starting place for a conversation. Which tools are sharp? Which tools do you need to plug in? Which tools are heavy? And so forth.

If anyone out there has any ideas about including kids in your around-the-home DIY projects, please email us with them.

Have a great weekend with your kids. The family that fixes together has fun together!

Find the Evening

Has anyone out there seen the evening? Has anyone looked?

ADDED May 14, 2009

kids activities

Here's a quick and easy activity you can do with your kids every day. And if you make it a regular, everyday type of thing, it might just become a bit more special for your family. Find the evening.

What is evening? Well, it's a bit hard to describe, as it's certainly open to interpretation. In our house, we say evening is that time when the sun can't be seen any more (because it has set), but it's not night. That means the sky still is predominantly its usual light blue color and not night's purplish black.

My kids and I look for every evening. We ask, "Is it evening yet?" Sometimes if we're inside, we will rush to the backyard and inspect the sky.

(This daily checking also helps to motivate the kids to "do their thing." For instance, no one is allowed to rush outside and check on the evening if there is still food visible on the dinner plates. In our house, if you're interested in finding the evening, you better eat your dinner!)

Good luck to you and your kids in your search. And if you find the evening out there, please don't misplace it again!

(Thank you to kkimpel for the photo above!)

Exercise Class

It's exercise! It's entertainment! It's both!

ADDED May 13, 2009

kids activities

If you tell your kids to go outside and run around, you might not get the results you'd want. Your kids might immediately start exercising their lungs with loud questions and complaints. Their bodies might stay inside and their muscles might work up some frowns.

But, as you probably already know, it's all about presentation with kids. Children respond better when you just use the right packaging!
kids activities
We suggest you enroll your children in an exercise class right away. No need to drive around looking for a suitable instructor, of course, because you are it.

Have your kids stand in an area with plenty of space around them. Now start showing your little ones some exercises to do. We're confident you can improvise something here; you could try teaching them: jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, jogging-in-place, etc. If you know any yoga that might work, great. See how the kids are doing--spend as long doing your exercises as long as all you guys are all comfortable and happy.

And now the really, really fun part: now it's your kids' turn to be the instructors. Kids, we've found, really enjoy taking over the reins. My kids love watching me as I mimic their exercises, which usually involve some extreme, crazy gestures, some wild flailing of arms, and some practically impossible yoga-ish stances. (Needless to say, for this exercise class, you'll want to leave your dignity behind in the locker room.)

When my kids (five and three) lead the class, they flap their arms, they twist their trunks, they hop and down vigorously. (It all is quite tiring, I must say.)

It's exercise, it's entertainment, it's both! Have fun!

Fun with Your Second Hand

On your watch, that is. As opposed to on your body.

ADDED May 12, 2009

kids activities

If you own a watch with a second hand on it, then you've already got a device that will keep kids entertained and on their toes for many, many minutes. Just watch that second hand go -- and watch the fun times happen.

With a second hand, you can time everything that happens, of course. Timing events means measuring them -- and measuring is fun for kids. (For another fun measuring activity, check out our tape measure activity here.)

Today, your ever-so-useful second hand will help you and your kids have fun measuring two kinds of events: things in your kids' lives and things your kids do.

First, you and your kids can measure the events that are happening in the world around them. If your child is old enough to borrow your watch and be in charge of supervising the second hand, that's ideal. If your kid is too young, then you can help.

You guys should simply choose things to time. How long does it take for the garbage truck to collect your trash? For Daddy to leave the breakfast table and go get dressed? For the dog to eat dinner?

kids activities (Opportunities for timing are really endless. Here are some more suggestions: how long does the toilet make noise once it's been flushed? How long does it take for Mommy to find parking at the mall? For a red light to turn green?)

The second, second-hand activity entails timing your kid. And this activity might just be even more fun, because it is all about "the star of the show" (that is, your child.) Tell your young star to do something, and then time them. For instance, how long does it take them to run from the backyard to the mailbox? How long does it take them to wash off their plate at lunch?

And if you've stuck with us this far, you've reached the point where we reveal the true beauty of this fun suggestion. Timing your kids makes the not-so-fun chores, the stuff you have to nag them to do, more fun and less needing nagging. For instance:

How long does it take the kids to put away all the toys?
Or brush their teeth?
Or get dressed for school?

Yes, the magic of timing chores will wear off eventually. But that's when you tell your kids to see if they can 'break the record.' For instance, the fastest you cleaned your room last time was four minutes. Let's see if you an break that record!)

It took approximately seventeen minutes and twenty-one seconds to type all the words above. (There was a quick break somewhere in there to get a child more milk, which may have slowed the process down a bit.) We hope this suggestion has your family doing some fun timing in zero seconds flat!

(Many thanks to sohumb for the boy and grandfather's watch photo, and to woodleywonderworks for the interesting clock image!)

Help Somebody Today

And keep good deeds in mind all day long

ADDED May 11, 2009

kids help people

Recently, we read a news story about the football locker room at Notre Dame. Over the door from the locker room to the playing field is a banner reading, "Play like a champion." As the football players leave to go play in the game, each jumps up to touch the banner. This gesture is meant to inspire each team member and to focus everybody on the common goal.

And that got us thinking...

What sign would parents like their kids to tap each day? What message would parents want their children to bear in mind?

We had some ideas:

Eat your vegetables.
Dirty laundry goes in the clothes hamper and not on the floor.
The capital of the great state of North Dakota is Bismarck.

Well, sure. Each of those messages could be helpful in its own way. But is any one of those important enough to keep in mind as the day goes on? Is there a message there that should get gently tapped as your team leaves the house? No offense to our readers in North Dakota, but probably not.

And then we thought of this: Help Somebody Today.

We think that's a pretty good one. Maybe we're dreamers, but a sign like that might encourage sharing in the classroom, offering assistance to teachers, and even reduce bullying. That kind of sign might remind people that getting ahead isn't what life is all about. Looking out for one's own interests is good to do, but so is helping others.

We've made two signs that you can print and hang up over the exit to your house. Both say "Help Somebody Today. (One your kids can color in themselves, the other is simple black-and-white, ready to hang without coloring. But really, wouldn't a little coloring be a good thing?)

Of course, we'd be happy and understanding if you wanted to hang a sign with a different message. Especially if you live in North Dakota.

Help somebody today!

Truly Jaw-Dropping Magic

We're not kidding. This is a great magic trick for younger kids to perform.

ADDED May 01, 2009

kids activities

This is very, very simple and very, very fun. My son could do this trick at age four, and he was extremely delighted with himself. He had performed "real magic!" (And truly: he did astound and perplex some audience members with this one.)

Here's what you do:

1. Take out a deck of cards. Separate the black cards from the red ones. This is a perfect job for a child! (And it's also best done out of view of the "audience.")

2. Square up the groups so you have two, nice-and-neat half-decks of cards (one red, one black). Have your kid take both groups of cards out to where the unsuspecting audience awaits.

3. Your child should take one of the two halves and ask a spectator to choose a card. The cards should be face down at all times, so that no one sees that the deck is made up of all one color. However, the person should look at the card they've picked.

4. Your kid should not look at the chosen card. Instead, your boy or girl should tell the person to bury the card in the deck, but the OTHER half of the deck. So if the person has chosen a red card, they will have stuck it somewhere in the middle of the black deck.

Just so we're all clear, at this point you would have one red card mixed in with all the black cards (or one black inserted into all the reds.) All the cards are face down, the faces not by the child magician.

5. Explain to the audience that your kid will now take all the cards out of the room and return with only one. The chosen card!

Once out of the room, it will be very easy for your child to discover the correct card. Which one card doesn't match all the rest?

As you can see, you might need to do some coaching here, and a practice run or two wouldn't be a bad idea either. As mentioned above, my son could pull this off at four and was enormously pleased with himself.

Have your kids give it a try. Magic can be down right magical!

(Thank you, lillit, for the cards photo above!)

Golden Point

It's freeze tag, but more fun. And oh, also with more tickling.

ADDED April 30, 2009

kids activities

Even though we're about to tell you that the object of this game is for your kids to get a lot of points, really points don't matter here at all. The true point is to get the kids running around and having some fun.

(You'll need a minimum of two children for this activity. Go collect them now)

Put "something" down in the middle of a large room or yard. That something could be a toy, a rock, a book, a manila envelope. That centrally located item now becomes "the Golden Point." When the kids touch that thing, they get a point. When they touch it again, they get another point! The Golden Point just keeps giving.

The next thing you have to do is keep the kids away from the Golden Point.

First, set up some safe areas about ten feet away from the Golden Point. (Again, use whatever you have handy for these safe areas: chairs work very well.) The kids can hang out in the safe areas all they want. No harm could ever come to them there. But the kids do need to set out from their safe areas in order to get some Golden Points.

In between the safe areas and the Golden Point, that's where the "monster" awaits. This monster (you or, if you want, a kid) has one purpose in life: to keep kids from the Golden Point. Also, the monster enjoys tickling kids who are trying to get to the Golden Point.

When a kid gets touched by the monster, he or she must freeze. Only the touch of another kid will work for unfreezing purposes. (The monster might want to take the opportunity to do some tickling of its hapless, frozen victim.)

As we said above, points don't matter. The kids can count every time they touch the Golden Point, or not. But there areno winners or losers here. It's just running around fun. (Oh, and tickling. There should be a lot of tickling.)

Get Kid Butts Moving

Two games for kids with benefits for parents

ADDED April 29, 2009

ogre games for kids

This might come as a huge surprise, but my kids aren't perfect. They sometimes break our rules. Also, they sometimes don't listen. And they have been diagnosed with an extreme case of lollygagging. In addition to lollygagging, my kids are often slow pokes. They dawdle and have even been caught dilly-dallying. No, they're not perfect.

(For the record, I am not perfect either. And for the record, my lovely wife is pretty much perfect in every way, I admit it.)

My kids are especially sluggish when it comes to getting ready for school. So my pretty-much-perfect wife and I have developed two helpful games to get the kids a-movin':

Race to get dressed. Kids like racing and competitions. They also like seeing who wins and who loses (and of course, they like to be the winner.) When it's time to get ready, my wife will say, "Okay, race to get dressed," and my kids don't need any further explanation. They're out of the room and off to their dressers. Clothes fly and, though sometimes someone might need a helping hand from a parent, the process is greatly sped up.

(Since we don't want any ruffled feelings on the way to school, we try to judge the outcomes each day as ties. If somebody is almost done getting dressed, it's a tie. Also, if one child would technically lose the competition due to not having a shirt on, we say, "Oh, it was so close to being a tie. All you needed was your shirt, and it would have been a tie." This tends to keep all the competitors happy. And if they do get a little upset -- well, at least they're all dressed.)

Get Away from the Ogre. Nothing will motivate children to get moving like an unpleasant and rude-mannered ogre. Apparently, I might have a medical condition, because I transform into an ogre when it's time to get into the car. I tell the kids that unless they are in the "safe area" (their car seats), the ogre will eat them up. And he'll use ketchup. I count to three, and the quite motivated kids are suddenly dashing towards the car. No more dawdling! (And sadly, no snacks for the ogre.)

These two games are not just fun for the kids -- they're effective in getting us out the door on time for school. Well, almost on time. We're more like five-ish minutes late now. I mean, we're not perfect, except for my wife.

(If your kids respond well to the ogre in your house, and you want to reward them for their efforts, check out this rather cuddly ogre toy. Yes, it's Shrek.)

(Many kudos and thanks to deletem3 for the awesome ogre image used above!)

Pretty Town

It is pretty. Well, it was pretty.

ADDED April 28, 2009

kids building blocks

This is a great one for young boys -- boys who like to build up and knock down. (Girls who want to build and demolish are certainly invited, too.)

In addition to some builders and knock-downers, you'll need some blocks for this activity. (Here are some of our favorite, recommended blocks, in case you're interested. They're sturdy and perfect for this kind of exercise.)

If you wouldn't mind a brief interruption, here's a quick story we'd like to share.

Once upon a time, there was a very pretty town. So pretty, in fact, that it got named "Pretty Town." (The town really was quite pretty.)

Unfortunately, Pretty Town had a problem . . . a big problem. A giant problem. Every so often -- and after all the townspeople had got their houses looking nice and pretty -- some grumpy, stomping giants showed up in Pretty Town. As they stomped, the giants chanted "Fee Fie Fo Fum. I think I smell someone!" (That's pretty much a standard giant chant, as you probably know.)

Sadly, once the giants were done stomping and chanting, and once the dust cleared, not a house in Pretty Town was left standing. Poor Pretty Town. Not so pretty any longer.

The townsfolk, plucky and optimistic, dusted themselves off and built up again. Pretty! But no sooner were the buildings looking spiffy again than . . . the sound of screeching wheels was heard as the giants' RV rolled into town once again.

And so on and so forth. Repeat.

We hope you enjoyed that momentary detour into story time. And in case you haven't already kids play guessed, that tale is also today's activity. First, have the kids get out the blocks and build a pretty town. (The buildings and houses should be simple -- definitely not too painstakingly constructed.) When the kids are done, admire how pretty (and simple) the buildings are. Then cup your hand to your ear and announce that you hear some giants coming.

The kids should switch from pretty-building-builders into grumpy, stompy giants. Tell the grumpy, stompy giants to have at it!

Once the town is flattened, call back the builder-uppers to re-construct the town. (And so on and so forth. Repeat.)

This game, though simple, is a big hit in our house. The kids really relish the two vastly different modes -- construction and destruction -- and they really like all the verbal building up we did about those scenarios. (We also tried to trick each other by building 'hiding houses.' These were homes built away from the main part of Pretty Town. Sometimes the giants missed the hiding houses during their stompfests, leading to some celebrating by the surviving Pretty Towners.)

Pretty Town is sure to be a foot-stomping, fo-fumming good time. (Please just don't plan your next family vacation there.)

--S

Spring cleaning

Non-toxic teamwork

ADDED April 24, 2009

You may remember one of our previous posts the cleaning lemon or when we wrote about cleaning out some of the toys in your kids closet and donating them. Well spring is here and today why not have your kids help you with some spring cleaning? It is an activity that you can do with your kids and we even have included two of my beautiful wife's favorite non-toxic cleaning recipes.

Have your kids squirt the cleaner while you scrub the counters, or turn them loose with some paper towels and window cleaner, they can clean the inside windows while you clean the outside (this is of my kids favorite cleaning activities). Emphasize that when you all work together it is fun and you will get the job done faster. Happy cleaning!

WINDOW CLEANER 
1/4‐1/2 teaspoon  liquid  detergent 
3  tablespoons  vinegar 
2  cups  water 
Spray bottle 
Put all  the  ingredients  into  a  spray  bottle,  shake  it  up a  bit, and  use  as  you  would  a  commercial  brand.  The  soap  in  this recipe  is  important.  It  cuts  the  wax  residue  from  the commercial  brands  you  might  have  used  in  the  past. 

ALL‐PURPOSE  SPRAY  CLEANER 
1/2  teaspoon  washing  soda 
A  dab  of  liquid  soap 
2  cups  tap  water 
Combine  the  ingredients  in  a  spray  bottle  and  shake  until  the  washing soda  has  dissolved.  Apply  and  wipe  off  with  a  sponge  or rag. 

No Cut Kite

Get some Spring fun a-flyin'!

ADDED April 22, 2009

For today's fun activity, get out the crafting supplies and make a kite! It's a perfect outdoors activity to get some creativity pumping and legs running.

Kite construction can be as easy or difficult as you want. And if you want to be technical about it, a kite -- or deltoid -- is a quadrilateral with two disjoint pairs of congruent adjacent sides. (I copied that from Wikipedia). With your "deltoid," be creative and let inspiration strike with different shapes and colors. In our opinion, the funkier the better.

A traditional kite has a construction that looks like this.

We made a few kites the other day that did not require any scissors (they did, however, require a little parental folding). Our kites had a nice, classic kite shape and very easy to make.

Here are the folding steps we used (but as I said earlier let inspiration stike because we want to see photos of crazy kites!) First, fold the paper in half like this.

Then fold down the top third like this. Next fold each of the corners in toward the middle like this (this part might require some parental help).

Tape the four folds down and your finished product will look like this.

Now you are ready to color.

Use markers, crayons, glitter, or even pictures cut from old magazines. If your kids are stuck for decoration inspiration, share with them the meaning of kite decoration in Chinese culture: the pictures on kites convey certain wishes—a crane or a tortoise for a long life, a dragon for prosperity, and a carp for strength. All kites are considered to be good-luck charms.

When the decoration is done, tape some string onto the kite and see if it will fly. We have found that most homemade kites don't fly very well so worry not, use your kite as a decoration for a few days and then recycle it. Have fun!

Leaf rubbings

Almost Magic

ADDED April 21, 2009

Spring and Summer are great times to make some leaf rubbings. And all you need for this quick activity is leaves, paper and crayons.

First, take a walk with your kids. While you are walking, you guys should look for a few different-sized leaves that are available in your neighborhood. Try to get at least four green leaves of various sizes. Once the leaves are in hand, have your child look closely at each one and examine the various different parts. Have your child study the veins, stems and edges. (We are not licensed botanists here, but we did find a few good books if your kids want to learn more about leaves, trees, and the wonderful world of flora).

Back at home, have your kids place their leaves between two pieces of blank paper and, using the flat edge of a crayon, rub on the paper over the leaves. After a few seconds of coloring, the leaves underneath will start to be revealed. You will have a beautiful, almost magical Spring leaf collage.

When the first, "rubbed collage" is complete, have your little ones move the leaves around and make a second picture. When you have a handful of such masterpieces, frame them to proudly show all your kids' handy Spring craft! Have fun.

Spring Calisthenics

Grow, prance, croak, and fly your way to fun

ADDED April 20, 2009

Spring is here, and over the next few weeks, we will be featuring some great Spring activities. Today for fun, do some Spring Calisthenics. This activity is sure to get the wiggles out and create some smiles along the way.

You can start by talking with your kids about Spring and what happens during this season. You can also check out You Silly Goose">Silly Goose, Bear's Bargain (Big Book)">Bear's Bargain (Big Book), and Hop Jump">Hop Jump at your local library if you need a little more inspiration. We found that during Spring, flowers bloom, colts prance, frogs croak, and baby birds are born. Taking the actions from all these activities -- blooming, prancing, croaking, and hatching -- we created a Spring Calisthenics exercise program.

First, we pretended we were seeds that slowly grew into beautiful smiling flowers. Next we pranced around the like colts kicking and neighing, then we quickly dropped to the floor and sat quietly like a bull frog who after a few seconds let out a ribbit. Finally we pretended that we were inside an egg. We slowly hatched and then flew around the room. Once we finished the cycle, I announced that the key to any successful work-out program is repetition, so we did it 3 more times. Everyone was all smiles and out of breath when we finished, but we had a new appreciation for the energy it takes to grow, kick, croak and fly!

Use the comments section to let us know what animals are your kids' favorites. And please, people, spring into Spring!

Fair and Oddly Even

A fun learning activity that will leave no odd man out!

ADDED April 17, 2009

kids smile

You don't have to spend a lot of time explaining the concept of "fair" to kids. Kids understand what is fair and what isn't. And kids are especially adept at determining when they're on the receiving end of some unfairness.

So why not use fair play to teach a more complex mathematical concept: even and odd numbers.

Tell your kids this: there are a group of kids on the field who are going to be split into two soccer teams. If one team is bigger than the other, then the bigger team will definitely win. But if there is the same amount of kids on the two teams, then the game will be fair, and either team could win.

The concept here is: if the two teams are even, then the number of kids on the field is even.

If the two teams are not evenly matched, then the total amount of kids is odd.

Another example you could use is a see-saw. If there are too many kids on one side, the see-saw will tip, but if the amount of kids on each side is even then then the it will balance.

You can even teach odd and even with your hands. Start by counting one finger on each hand. If each side has the same number, you are even! But if one hand has three fingers and the other has two, then you are odd. (No offense. Numerically speaking only.)

Make sense?

You could also grab a handful of pennies and sit down with your kids at the table. Deal the pennies to the kids just as if you were dealing out cards. (Make sure that the number of people being dealt pennies is even. So that means if there are an even number of kids at the table with you, don't include yourself. If the number of kids is odd, deal yourself a pile!) Did everybody get the same number of pennies? Was the number of pennies even or odd?

Of course, this fair and even trick only works with . . . even numbers.

Finally, spend some time finding things that are odd and even in your house and your neighborhood. Two bookends on the mantle? Even! Three candlesticks on the dining room table. Odd!

Now, even things aren't always "fair," and fair doesn't always mean even . . . but you get the idea. And hopefully your kids will, too.

Have a fun weekend with your kids! We even hope you enjoy some fair skies!

Warmer, Colder

A time-honored and fun way to find stuff!

ADDED April 16, 2009

kids games

Here's the game: hide an object in your house. Tell your kids what is missing, and send them off to find it. Help them zero in on the object by saying "warmer" and "colder."

Yes, yes, yes. We know that "Warmer, Colder" isn't jaw-droppingly original. We know you've heard the concept of warmer and colder before. But have you made a game out of it for your kids lately? If you haven't, we're here to remind you to do it. Try hiding a spoon before breakfast or even in a parking lot while you are looking for your car (make sure everyone playing is holding hands for safety).

And of course, after your kids understand the game here, it's time to switch roles. It's time for the kids to have a turn to hide something, and to warmer and colder you.

This game might just come in handy during occasional instances of forgetfulness: when your child has no idea where tooth brushing, eating, or sleeping takes place. "Warmer, Colder" is also a perfect solution for your kid's momentary blindness while looking for their shoes. I also have received a report from a friend in Nebraska who successfully used "Warmer, Colder" to help her child find a lost backpack. Keep your eyes open, and have fun!

Color Blind

See what happens when you combine crayons with a blindfold

ADDED April 15, 2009

kids drawing game

(In case you can't tell -- and we wouldn't exactly blame you if you can't, the pictures here on today's post are a horse and a monster.)

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!

Structural Problems

Not-to-code buildings have never been so fun!

ADDED April 13, 2009

This is a great, entertaining idea for boys. Boys like to break things, and here we're giving them a structured activity in which they can build up and knock down.

For this one you'll need some string and some building blocks. (We've used both these lightweight cardboard building blocks as well as these wooden ones.)

Tie the string around one of the blocks, making sure that the string is well attached to the block. (Make sure the knot is tight, for instance.) The string should extend a few feet from the block.

Next, have your kids use the whole set of blocks to build a structure. The structure could be a castle, cottage, skyscraper, shack, or just a generic 'building.' Whatever it is they construct, make sure the block with the string is towards the bottom.

Have your kids step away from the building. One of the kids should hold the end of the string. Instruct your child to choose a countdown ("3, 2, 1, blast off," for instance, or "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, cowabunga!") and then yank the string. Down comes the structure! Spectacular, wow, and hooray!

Once the shattered remains of the building has been thoroughly admired, it's time to build it up again . . .

This might sound odd or overly simple, but we assure you, boys will love it! Build it up, knock it down, and keep the fun going!

Egg Memory

A recycle and re-use game.

ADDED April 07, 2009

A perennial Easter decoration at our house is the plastic egg. The plastic Easter egg is often filled with candy and that otherworldly plastic grass. However, here at TIF headquarters we like to take things that are fun and make them even more fun. After a careful study of the fun factor of plastic Easter eggs, we came to the conclusion that they are perfect for guessing games. If they still have the grass in them from last year, even better.

We've made a game kind of like Memory. For this game, you will need at least ten eggs. (If you have twenty or thirty eggs, even better.) Next, find some little things that match, such as two blue Hot Wheels cars, two Lego men, two small babies or two barrettes. Make sure you have an even number of items to fill the eggs. Then place the eggs in a smart five by five square, and you are ready to play.

The rules are the same as traditional Memory, each player picks two eggs trying to make a match. If a match is made, then that player can make two more guesses, conversely if no match is made the play moves to the next player.

So recycle and re-use those eggs from last year and create your own guessing game. Fun will sure to be a match!

Thanks to kanspice and meltingmama for the photos

An Inch, a Foot and a Mile

Learning about measurements

ADDED April 06, 2009

Today we’ll be having fun with measurements. For this activity you’ll need a ruler. And a car.

Start off small: give your kid a ruler and point out an inch. Ask your little one what things are smaller than an inch. There’s not a lot, we think. But what can your kid come up with? (A penny, a ladybug, a speck of dust, etc.)

Next show your child a foot. What can you guys think of that is smaller than a foot? A lot more than that inch, right? (A person’s foot, a guinea pig, a hamburger, etc.)

Have your child take a ruler and measure the stuff in your house. Tell them to report to you their findings. What’s bigger than a foot? What’s smaller?

When they’re done measuring around the house, it’s time to examine the next measurement up the scale.

(The next measurement above a foot is a yard. You could tell your kids about yards if you want. In our house, though, we didn’t. People measure fabric and football fields in yards, but otherwise yards aren’t used much anymore.)

For us, the next measurement up is a mile. To show your kid a mile, put them in the car . . . and show them a mile. Drive a mile away, and then turn around and go back home. When I did this with my son, he was amazed at how long a mile is. And really, there’s no way to describe the distance, without getting in the car and actually experiencing it.

And as with the other measurements, talk about a mile. What things are bigger (and smaller) than a mile?

It takes some practice to learn what measurement to use. For instance, even after the mile car trip, my five year old wondered, “Could you use a mile to measure our house?”

We hope that this activity is educational . . . and that in the fun department it also measures up!

Major League Geography

Here comes baseball season (and another excuse for learning!)

ADDED April 03, 2009

Ah, yes. The crack of the bat, the vendors hawking peanuts and Cracker Jack, the mascots of indeterminate species. Yes, people, baseball is back. (It starts this coming Monday.) And we honor the new season of this uniquely American sport with a little . . . geography. That's right: geography.

Professional sports offer a fine opportunity to teach your children about American places. If your kids love sports, wouldn't they be interested to see all the cities and states from which competing teams hail?

For the new baseball season, we've created this handy map. Print it out and pass it over to the kids.

First have your children make a small X to show your city or town. And then, do you guys cheer for a certain team? If you do, locate it on the map, and have the kids spruce it up with some colors. Next, if your kids know and remember other teams, find those on the map. Have your kids color each in as you go along. And have them color each state you discuss. For each baseball team, it's not enough to mention the city--we want to know states, too. What state do the Boston Red Sox come from? How about the Cincinnati Reds? (And if the team already provides the name of the state, well then, we want to know the city. Yes, we mean you: Arizona Diamondbacks, Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies!) Try to discuss all the teams and have your kids color the whole map in.

Baseball team names offer an opportunity for more interesting conversations and possibly some vocabulary learning. What exactly is a Padre? Why was the San Diego team given that name? Why were the Twins given that name? What is a Marlin? If you don't know any of these answers, simply turn to trusty ole Wikipedia. (My kids were particularly interested to hear how the Houston Astros got their name. If I'm not careful, my boys, with their love of all things space- and rocket-related, might just switch allegiances on me.)

You can hang your kids' colorful map up. When the baseball team your family follows is playing an opponent, the kids can be in charge of finding the opposing team on the map.

Play ball! (And go Dodgers!)

--S

(Thank you, DeusXFlorida, for the use of the baseball photo above!)

Special Tricky Messages

Busy brains are happy brains

ADDED April 02, 2009

kids code

Kids like using their brains to figure stuff out. That's good news for you, of course, when you're trying to keep them entertained. All you have to do is give your kids a reason to get their brains in gear!

And here is a very good (and rather fun) way to get your kids to use their brains . . . special tricky messages!

Special tricky messages aren't exactly codes. They're just a way of looking at letters and words differently. Today we'll demonstrate two tricky methods. You'll definitely catch on quickly, and soon you'll be writing special tricky messages for your kids, too.

The first kind is very easy: write a note to your kids, backwards. This method of special tricky messaging is so simple that a kid of five or six could figure it out. So . . . why don't you have your kid of five or six figure it out?

Figure out a three- or four-sentence note that you can write your kid. It should be easy for you to find a subject: you can write how you feel about them, or you can write a few sentences about their interests (Spiderman is a good guy, but Dr. Doom is a bad guy!), or anything else about their life (Thank you for setting the table for me yesterday.) Simply write the note backwards -- it's surprisingly easy and quick to do. (Tomorrow night movie family have and popcorn make to going are we!)

For young kids this basic kind of trickiness is truly quite exciting.

The second special tricky message method is also very rewarding. We call it "expand the message." This one (and the backwards suggestion above) might be easier and quicker if you type up the messages on your computer and print them out. If you make a mistake -- and what parent doesn't multi-task and make a mistake or two? -- it's easy to fix.

For "expand the message," type a quick, one- or two-sentence note to your kid using all CAPITAL letters. Then take each word and make up a sentence to go around it. The resulting sentence doesn't need to make a ton of sense; it just needs to hide the true message. Here's an example we've come up with for demonstration purposes:

THIS is a note for you to read. It is kind of SPECIAL. The MESSAGE IS what is special. The words here are FOR YOU to read.

YOU will eat breakfast tomorrow. Pancakes and waffles ARE good for breakfast. (Breakfast is THE first meal of the day.) Wash your hands if you use syrup, because sticky hands are not the BEST!

(Just read the capitalized words to figure out the special tricky message. If you want, feel free to copy this word for word and give it to your child. We don't mind!)

If you have any questions or other ideas, let us know. People, one this with fun some have please and!

--S

Who Has The Higher Card?

A fun card game for littler kids

ADDED April 01, 2009

kids games

For this activity, you'll be surprised to learn that you'll need a pack of cards. But it's true: you do need a deck of cards.

Sit down with your kid at the table, and give the cards a shuffle. Deal two cards in front of your child.

Your young one gets to choose which card to take. You get the other one.

Whose card is higher? That person wins the round! (Place both cards on the winner's side of the table.)

Repeat. Your lucky kid gets to choose which of the two cards they want. You get to deal each pair onto the table. After each round, add both cards to the higher card person's pile.

Keep going until you've gone through the whole deck. Now you guys count the piles. Who has more cards in their pile? That person wins the whole game!

Yes, yes: we know that this idea isn't jaw-droppingly original. But it's fun and easy. It's a great card game for little kids (though bigger kids seem to enjoy it, too.)

No matter which person has the higher card, everyone wins! It's fun!

--S

(Thanks to lilit for the card photo above!)

Family Cloud Dangle

It’s not a family tree -- it’s a family cloud. And it dangles!

ADDED March 31, 2009

Today you and your kids can turn all your family members into a fun activity! There are two ways to play this one, and we’ll explain both.

First, sit with your kids and make a list of every person in your family. No need to get into ancestors and great-great-grandparents, just stick to people your child knows. Distant, rarely seen relatives don’t need to be included here.

Next, your kid should take a piece of paper and cut out a shape for each family member on your list. They can try to make the shape represent the person in question. (For instance, Grandpa loves dogs, so one kid cut out a shape that vaguely resembled a dog’s head. Aunt Bea bakes cakes, so another kid cut out the shape of a birthday cake.) If no shape comes to mind, then any shape – triangle, diamond, flower, bean, etc. –- is fair game.

Once the shape has been cut out, your kid should write the person’s name on it.

Have your kid keep cutting shapes and writing names until every family member on the list has been taken care of.

Then grab some Scotch tape and tape the family together. You can assemble the family in really any way that you’d like: you could try to keep siblings together, or put kids near their Moms and Dads. Or it could be kind of random. Whatever works. It’s a cloud!

Finally, use the tape to hang the family up. A wall works well for this, of course, but it’s also fun to dangle the family cloud from a door jamb. Everyone can look at it as they pass through (ducking if necessary.)

(As mentioned above, there are two ways to play this. The second is a reduced version: do a family cloud but only use the people who live in your house with you. This is simpler and quicker, of course. But please have your kid include all the pets who live your house, too!)

Having your kids create their very own Family Cloud Dangle will be quite enjoyable. In fact, we think you guys will even have fun saying the words “Family Cloud Dangle” quite a bit.

--S

Prisoner in the Dungeon

This game has fun all locked up!

ADDED March 29, 2009

kids castle

The name of this activity might sound a little strange, but it’s sure to really capture your kid's attention. (Yes, pun intended.)

For this one, you’ll need some of your children's toys, preferably ones with a lot of parts. For demonstration purposes right now, we’ll use two examples: building blocks and Barbies.

Start off by explaining what a dungeon is. It’s a place in a castle where people were locked up! (And dungeons, to be perfectly honest, were not very pleasant places to spend time.)

Choose a room in your house to be the dungeon. Take the toys you’ve chosen (building blocks, Barbies, or whatever) and go in the dungeon. Tell the kids that a very rotten witch, with her magic wand and grumpy disposition, has locked you up as a prisoner in the dungeon! This witch won’t let you out unless your rescuers (your kids) complete a special task.

The kids, having somehow escaped the witch’s notice, can move freely around the house and aren’t magically confined to the dungeon. They can go where they want.

In order to help you escape your unfortunate enchantment, the kids have to take the toys into another, non-dungeon room and set them up. You can’t come or help in any way, of course, because you’re stuck in the dungeon. The witch could demand that the children build a palace or wall with the blocks, or set up all the Barbies and their belongings for a party. Your kids must return each time to the dungeon to get another item from you. And you can only give each kid one item per visit. (Sorry to be so rigid, but that is what the cantankerous witch demands.)

kids fun

If your kids are like mine, they’ll enjoy the fairy tale aspect of this activity. They’ll also like that they have total freedom: to roam the house at will and to set up the toys as they wish. And they’ll also like that your fate rests in their hands!

This activity can also be beneficial because it gets the kids out of your hair for intermittent bits of time. Yes, they return to you to get each new item, but they also spend some serious time in the other room. One weekend while the kids and I were playing this, I managed to organize all our family's tax documents from the confines my dungeon cell.

Once the spell has been broken, and you’re free again to join the world, have the unpleasant witch cast a spell on the kids. Now it’s their turn to be stuck in the dungeon, and your opportunity to rescue them using some chosen set of toys.

Who would have guessed that being locked up in a dungeon would be so fun?

--S

(Many thanks to sky#walker for the picture of the dungeon, and to crimfants for the photo of the Quadrilla blocks.)

Clean, Dress, Brush, Go

You can only do one at a time -- so be calm and look at the chart.

ADDED March 27, 2009

As my kids get older, we've been giving them more responsibility. This, of course, can sometimes be overwhelming for them.

I remember when I first said to them, "Today you need to clean up your breakfast, get yourself dressed, and brush your teeth. Do all of this by yourself and to be done by 9 a.m." The looks on my kids' faces were of sheer terror. They were befuddled, frozen and sort of freaked out.

They cried. "Why would Dad do this?" they seemed to be asking. The list was too long with far too many things to do. "How can we possibly remember everything?"

I quickly created something that I knew would help them make it through the next 15 minutes: I made a chart.

I know the idea of charts for kids is a little old fashioned and maybe a little silly - but, yes, I made a chart. The top of my chart contained only four words: Clean, Brush, Dress, Go!

When the kids finished cleaning up breakfast, I checked that off the chart. When they were done getting dressed, that got checked off. When their teeth were brush, that one got a check, too. When all the tasks were completed (and after I did a quick quality control inspection), we were ready for the last item: we were ready to go.

I gave them some words of encouragement: "Take it one step at a time. Don't think of everything you have to do, just concentrate on the one thing you're finishing right now. When you are done with that, then move to the next thing on the list. You really only need to do three things -- and you already do all of them by yourself anyway. So be calm. If you need some help, ask. If you forget what to do, look at the chart. It's simple. You can do it."

I am very proud to report that the chart worked. The chart was quick to make. It was straight to the point: nothing cute, no stickers or markers -- just the facts necessary to get the job done. Try it next time you are in a pinch and need to provide a little guidance.

Chart it! Go! No crying!

Wish Collage.

A Cut and Paste activity

ADDED March 25, 2009

At our house, we seem to get catalogs by the truckload. I often think that a special, dedicated mailperson is at work only delivering this type of advertising.

On most days, these fine publications go straight into the recycling. But sometimes, I forget to take them to the trash, and they slowly multiply. Soon we are up to our ears in home gardening magazines and catalogs hawking toys and tools made in China and sold by the dozen. When we get to this point, there is only one thing to do: get out the glue and the scissors to make a Wish Collage.

Here is how we do it: we take all appropriate catalogs that we can find, grab some glue, scissors and let the kids cut and paste together a wish list. This little handy item can be passed along to grandparents, aunts and uncles to assist in the gift buying process for birthdays, holidays or doing a good job on a report card day.

Of course, we try to emphasize the fun of looking and of options, not of pining fervently for a specific toy or doodad. Even if it's something that's impractical (a riding lawnmower) or not right for our budget (a dollhouse model of Buckingham Palace), it's fine and fun to have on the Wish Collage. Those kind of things will never actually be seen in our toy chest, and the kids understand that, and it's okay.

We also have made a "Someday Maybe" Wish Collage. This variation can include future possible jobs, houses, vacations, etc. The Someday Maybe Wish Collage is the perfect place to paste a picture of an astronaut, Easter Island, or a St. Bernard.

It is fun for kids to do and fun for adults to look at. Try it everybody will like it.

(Photos compliments of the talented brandejackson and wtlphotos )

Big Foot

Spend a minute in someone else's shoes

ADDED March 23, 2009

For some reason people don't wear really shoes at my house. That's not a problem because my kids love to wear any shoes but their own. And that got me thinking . . .

Line up a four or five pairs of different people's shoes and let the kids take turns wearing them and acting like the person that would wear those shoes. Try to present them with shoes that would lead to much different slices of life: have your kids become a jogger or a business woman or a surfer dude.

Books on the Run!

What fun place can you guys find for reading?

ADDED March 20, 2009

kids books

Okay, today's suggestion isn't jaw-droppingly original or unheard of. But it is fun -- and we're here to remind you guys to get out and actually do it!

We hope that you're big fans of reading and books. Reading can be super fun, and it can provide that fun for your kids' entire lives.

Reading is so easy, though, that sometimes we forget how enjoyable and special it can be. So today, we encourage you to have some special reading time. Where can you guys take some books and read them? What new and different location?

Here are some ideas:

In the park.
At the beach.
At a friend's house.
In your own backyard.
At the library.
At a restaurant or coffee shop.
In the car.

Reading in a different location changes the experience a bit. And reading outside can be especially fun and relaxing.

kids games When you guys are reading outside, you can have your kids try to spot things they see in the books. For instance, if there are birds in the book, can your kids find birds outside? If you guys see a bus in the book, is there a bus in the real world, too?

Reading outside also allows your kids to re-enact things with their bodies. They can put on a show about the book. They could make themselves into birds, buses, lions . . . everything!

And bring a snack along, too. Sometimes it's nice to munch while you read.

Have a great, fun weekend with your little readers!

Quick Tips: Thank You Brigade and Two Points

Ideas for getting the best out of your kids!

ADDED March 18, 2009

kids fun

Every so often we offer a couple of Quick Tips. Today's suggestions are about manipulating your children into behaving well. (That's right: we're going be doing some manipulating today.)

First, the Thank You Brigade. This one is designed to get some politeness out of your kids (and to instill it in them!) The idea here is simple: your kids are in charge of handling all the thank you's for your family. When you go to a store or restaurant, you can handle ordering and paying . . . but turn the thanking over to your kids.

People generally like being thanked by a kid -- and this activity helps your little ones practice being polite.

And the next tip is Two Points. We've tested this one successfully with boys, but we think you'll have great results with girls, too.

With this one, you randomly assign points for desired behaviors.

For example, "two points for everyone who brushes their teeth right now."

Or . . . "two points if you clean your room by four o'clock."

We don't recommend actually keeping track of points. And there should be no winners or losers. That's not the point. This is just a creative and different way of getting your kids to tow the line. And it works!

Of course, your kids should be obeying you no matter what -- points or not. But if you're having a little trouble and want a little help, simply start handing out points.

Thank you for reading today's post. Please give yourself two points!

--S

Letter Rubbing

Pop-art

ADDED March 11, 2009

For this activity, you will need some Legos, scissors, crayons, and white paper. It also is a good idea to know you alphabet, if your child is still learning today is a great day to review!

To get started, have your child create their initials using the Legos; it should look something like this.

We found that if you use skinny Legos to create your letters it works best. But any size letter will do.

Also, if you can attach your letters to a bigger Lego like this, it makes the coloring easier.

Next, cover the Legos with a piece of white paper and gently rub over the letters with the crayons.

That should result in something that looks like this. As your kid rubs with the crayons, the raised letters underneath will slowly be transferred to the paper.

If your child likes this activity, move on from initials . . . to full names! Have fun making your own pop (and pop out!) art.

Total Utter Chaos

Also known as Make Up The Rules As You Go Along

ADDED March 06, 2009

kids games

If you've been reading our blog for a while, you know that we occasionally present ideas that may rile up the kids and -- if you're not careful -- may lead to total utter chaos.

Well, we don't want things to get out of control. Really. We want you and your kids to have fun, but we don't want too much wildness and craziness. We do want you to be the parent and to be in charge.

Today's game, though, involves throwing some rules out the window and being as creative as you guys can be! It is a great fun activity for stuck-inside rainy days.

Round up the kids and get a couple board games. Get the pieces out of the boxes and you're ready to play. You could also add some cards, some extra dice, some spoons -- whatever your creative geniuses think up!

The point with this activity is to play without rules. Or rather, with any rules that grab your kids' fancy. This activity allows your kids to create their own rules for a change and to be spontaneous.

Here are some ideas for some fun rules for you to try:

1. Every three minutes, everyone switches pieces.
2. Place two or three boards from board games together. Pieces should bounce from board to board.
3. Roll some dice whenever you want.
4. Everyone switch chairs.
5. Before you take your turn, do a dance.
6. When someone says "smiggy bop," everyone move back one space.
7. The "loser" wins. Everybody gets a cookie.

You guys can be as crazy and silly as you want. What other rules can your kids come up with?

Be creative and see what interesting rules you guys can create. And once you're done with your hodgepodge make-it-up-as-you go game, choose a boardgame with the kids and play by the rules. Compare the game by the rules versus the game without the rules. Spontaneity is fun, but rules can be comforting and fun, too!

(For another creative, Today Is Fun twist on board games, check out our popular big-as-a-house game.)

Oh, and we do have one final rule to propose: everybody have a great weekend!

(Game photo courtesy of dougww.)

Top to Bottom

Fun from head to toe

ADDED March 05, 2009

kids art

Here’s a fun and interesting way to look at the world: divvy it up into a top part and a bottom part.

Start by choosing a topic to explore with your kids. You could talk about a forest, an ocean, a restaurant, their school, or outer space.

Once you’ve got your topic, it’s time to make a list with your young one. Or rather, make two lists: one for the top of the “thing” and one for the bottom. For instance, let’s say that you guys selected a forest. What stuff (animals, plants and others) would you find at the bottom of the forest? Rocks, fallen acorns, beetles, snakes, worms, and certainly much more. What can you find at the top of a forest? Birds (what kinds?), leaves, pine cones, treetops, bird nests, chipmunks, and so forth. With a little thought, your kids could come up with quite lengthy lists.

Top to Bottom would be a great game to pass the time in the car, when you’re stuck in traffic.

And if you’re at home and have some crayons handy, your kids could create depictions of their top-to-bottom lists in picture form. You (or they) could draw a dashed line through the middle of the image, to further help everyone see the top and the bottom.

Once you’ve explored one area of the world, repeat this activity with another!

Have fun looking at everything from top to bottom. You may have seen this wrap-up sentence coming, but: we’re sure that in your house, this activity will be tops!

Little Cereal Box Pickup Trucks

A Bonus From Breakfast

ADDED March 03, 2009

kids games

You know those little cereal boxes that come in packs of eight? We used to get them for camping trips, but most markets sell them now, and we know some parents buy them for ready-to-go, individual-sized breakfast portions. (If you don't get them, you might want to, after you see the craft possibilities.)

Here's a previous use we devised for these boxes: little cereal box puppets.

My beautiful wife came up with this new use for two little cereal boxes: little cereal box pickup trucks.

Turn the boxes inside out to get some blank canvases, and tape them back into box-shape. Tape the two boxes together, one upright for the cab, the other horizontal for the rear cargo area.

Cut holes in the cab for windows. Cut off the top of the one in back, for the cargo area. Using these extra, cut-off bits, make some wheels and tape them on.

Finally, load the pickup trucks up! Find small toys to be the drivers. And, of course, you'll need to find some stuff to haul in the back.

Please obey a 5 mile per hour with these things. Cardboard doesn't hold up so well in high speed impacts. Have fun, and keep those kids eating balanced breakfasts!

kids games

Flag Drawing

A fun way to learn about the world at large

ADDED March 01, 2009

kids flags

We love the flags of the world. Here's why:

1. They're interesting to look at and interesting to compare. Which flags have red stripes in them? Which have blue stripes? Why do some flags have horizontal red, yellow, and blue (Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia)? Why do so many flags have the flag of the United Kingdom in the upper left-hand corner? Why do some countries have similar crosses (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands)?

2. Flags are a great starting place for learning about other countries. Seeing an interesting flag often leads us to the atlas, where we look up the country's location and some information about it.

3. Flags are two-dimensional, and therefore somewhat easy to draw. Flags are also always rectangles, and it's interesting to see all the variations that people have created in those rectangles.

To check out all the flags of the world, please click here.

That site shows all the flags of the world on one long page.

Here's an activity with that site: Grab some crayons and some blank paper. Tell your kid to choose a flag - but don't tell you which one -- and to draw it on the piece of paper. Once the depiction is done, you come, study the flag that's been drawn, and try to figure out which it is. (You, too, of course, can look at that website - we don't expect you to memorize all 248!)

You can draw a flag, too, and have your child guess which it is.

While you're doing this, you can talk about where the country is (Asia? Africa? Oceania?) and maybe even what the country is like (Switzerland is cold! Peru has a lot of llamas. The pyramids are in Egypt. And so forth.)
kids flags
For some more information about flags (and some answers to the questions we asked above), look at the first comment in the section below.

What do you and your kids think about flags? Let us know, please, in the comment section below.

Finally, we highly recommend that you give extra credit (thirty points, perhaps) to any child who can draw the flag of St. Pierre and Miquelon.

This Land Is Your Land!

A colorful and informative print-n-color activity

ADDED February 25, 2009

Everyone's colored a map of the United States at some point or another. It's always fun and sometimes messy. But here at TIF, we are fans of art with a purpose. We're talking about coloring that tells a story and provides deeper meaning.

Today we have a cool map of the USA to download and color. The map includes a fun and informative key that your little cartographer can use to enhance the experience.

Have your colorer use one color for your home state, another color for states where you guys have family or friends, and yet another color for states that you have visited. Finally, find states with names that tickle your funny bone, and assign them a "funny name" color.

Of course, for little kids, this map can be a great introduction to our States and to maps in general. For both younger and older kids, this activity could serve as the starting place for some nice one-on-one, parent-kid time.

Have fun making your own infographic today!

(And remember, you can upload your infographic artwork to our Facebook page. If you are not a Facebook fan of TIF, join on up!)

Click images to download

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

Talk Differently Day

Talking about some fun!

ADDED February 20, 2009

kids fun

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!

Green Eggs and Ham

Have you? Could you? Would you?

ADDED February 19, 2009

kids fun foods

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

Variation Por Favor!

Fun with other languages

ADDED February 18, 2009

kids foreign languages

With variation, you get variety. With variety, you get options.

There is a lot in life that does not involve options. Kids, especially, have to do what they’re told by adults, such as parents and teachers. Politeness, for example, is not an option!

But sometimes kids don’t feel like being polite. They ask for things without saying please, and they receive things without saying thank you.

Maybe I’m too lenient a parent, but I don’t always require a “please” or “thank you.”

Don’t get me wrong: I want to raise very polite children. And I won’t comply with any kid’s request if I don’t hear “please.” (I generally just pretend that I haven’t heard anything at all if I don't hear "please.") But instead of insisting on “please,” I will allow a variety of substitutes.

I’ve taught my kids that please in Spanish is “por favor,” in German, “bitte,” and in French, “merci.” If my kids don’t feel like saying please, they are allowed to express themselves in another language. They get options.

So why not teach your kids some foreign words? You’re giving them options of politeness, and you’re teaching them about foreign languages, too.

Here are some of those polite words in different languages, for you and your kids to learn:

English: hello, goodbye, yes, no, please, thank you.
Spanish: hola, adios, si, no, por favor, gracias.
French: bonjour, au revoir, oui, no, si vous plait, merci.
German: Guten Tag, auf Wiedersehen, ja, nein, bitte, danke.
Italian: buon giorno, arrivederci, si, no, per favore, grazie
Japanese: konichiwa, sayonara, hai, iie, douzo, arigato
Chinese (Mandarin): ni hao, zai jian, shi, bu shi, qing, xie xie.
Russian: privet, do svi danya, da, niet, pajalsta, spashiba

(The bottom three languages there are particuarly difficulty for me. However, there are many websites where you can hear pronunciations -- and learn more vocabulary if you want. Here’s one site to try: travlang.com. If you would like to suggest other sites like that, please do!)

Try teaching your kids some words. It won't just be educational and polite . . . it will be fun for them! We promise.

kids foreign languages

If we’ve made an error above, please use the comments section below to correct us. We’re all happy to learn and improve our language options. And if any of our readers can provide those simple words in another language, well, we’d be much obliged! Gracias!

(Vielen dank to wstryder for use of the girl-with-flag photo above.)

--S

Monster Names

A spruced-up way for your kid to write a name

ADDED February 16, 2009

Welcome to Variation Week here at Today is Fun. What's Variation Week? Well, this week we'd like to live by the famous old saying: if something's fun and educational once, why not do again a little different?

Okay, okay. We haven't heard that saying before either. In fact, we just made it up. But the fact still remains: it is a good idea to vary something good and to come up with more good things! Each of our ideas this week will provide an opportunity for you and your kids to have fun with variations.

kids games

Last week was full of Valentines and love. Great. Now let's change it up a bit. It's time for monsters.

Take out a sheet of paper. Write your child's name in large, thick letters across it.

Now pass the paper over to your kid, and say, "Turn your name into a monster."

Your young artist will have to somehow take the lines and shapes made by the letters and use them as parts of a monster. The letters will need to become mouths, eyes, paws, tails, scales, spikes, etc.

(In our house, we have boys who happen to like monsters. If your child is interested in something else, by all means let them express this with their name-art today. Names could be turned into gardens, pets, firefighters, princesses or whatever!)

Once the name has been creatively transformed into a monster, do some variations. Change the name into a different monster or a fancy house or into a completely different thing altogether!

The final step is to hang the art up on the wall or the fridge and admire! Variation!

kids jungle

--S

Red Hearts

It's like musical chairs . . . but more fun!

ADDED February 13, 2009

Here is a fun and rowdy game you can play today. All you need is some red construction paper, scissors, and kids.

First have everyone cut out a heart and write their name on it. Then place the hearts around the room. Next, have everyone hold hands. Finally -- and this might be the most important part of the game -- play some Valentine's music (we like Dean Martin or Frank Sinatara). As the music plays, everyone should rotate in a circle. Then, when the music stops, everybody needs to run and grab a heart. Read the person's name on the heart and give that person a hug!

Then spread out the hearts again and repeat!

This is the perfect game to play outside: with a large group or with your extended family (grandparents love hugs). And if your kids don't want to give hugs, then just have them say "Happy Valentine's Day!"

Oh, and I just found a heart with my Beautiful Wife's name on it. I think I'll go get my hug right now! Have fun.

Thanks to tekmagika for the photo

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.)

Taste Tests

Trickiness Week continues with some tricky fun with food

ADDED February 02, 2009

kids foods

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

The Week of Trickiness begins with . . . One Up, One Down

The fun will be up. Way up.

ADDED February 01, 2009

In the coming months here at Today is Fun, we'll often be organizing our ideas into themes. We think these themes will be fun, and a fun way of organizing our creative activities. This week's theme is: Trickiness. All our ideas this week will incorporate a healthy dose of trickiness, which will keep your little ones engaged and entertained. So buckle your seatbelts, people, Tricky is Fun!

kids hands

One Up, One Down is a "figure it out" game. Everybody will need to get their brains revving to catch on.

Are you One Up, One Down right now?

You might be, but you also might be Two Up or Two Down.

So, here is a review of the three options:
(1) One Up One Down
(2) Two Up
(3) Two Down

(If we had to venture a guess, we'd say you're probably One Up, One Down at the moment. If not, then our second guess would be Two Down.)

We hope you're not too confused or annoyed . . . but that's part of the game. When you play with your kids, they'll be the ones figuring this one up thing out.

Here's the trick: where are your hands in relation to your chest? They both may be above your chest (Two Up), or both below it (Two Down), or, well, One Up One Down.

Get it?

To play this with your kids, start by telling them which of the three options they are at the moment. Then help them figure out the trick.

This activity works well with a number of kids, where everyone can be comparing each other, trying to figure out why some people are Two Up, some are Two Down, and so forth. This game also might be a lot of fun at the dinner table with a group of people…or at a restaurant.

If your kids just aren't getting it, you might try changing your hand position as they're looking at you, then telling them "Look, now I'm One Up One Down."

Good luck with this one – we're sure that the fun will be up and the loose ends will be down. And stay tuned this week for more tricky fun!

--S

(Photo of up kid hands courtesy of st0rmz.)

Trace and color!

The game with two activities in one!

ADDED January 29, 2009

To play this game and make the craft you will need a few things that every house with kids is guaranteed to have. First you will need some paper, any kind of paper will do but is should be at least 8.5 x 11. Second you will need a small basket of toys, these toys should be small enough that they will fit easily on the paper. Lastly you will need a pencil and of course at least two people to play the game.

Once you have gathered everything, here is how you play. One person will be the Tracer and the other person will be the Guesser. First the Guesser should leave the room, next from the basket of toys the Tracer needs to select one toy and using the paper and pencil, carefully trace around the outside edges of the toy. They really want to just get the silhouette outlined. Once the outline of the toy has been transferred to the paper the Tracer should put the toy back into the basket. Then call the Guesser back. Now it is the Guessers turn to guess what toy the Tracer traced. For older kid the guessing is usually rather easy but still fun. Once the toy is guessed the Tracer and Guesser switch each doing the others job.

After a few rounds of tracing and guessing grab some crayons and the Guesser and Tracer now both become the Artists and they can color their master pieces. Have Fun!

Serif vs. Sans-Serif Extravaganza

More fun with letters

ADDED January 23, 2009

kids letters

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.

kids letters 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.)

Copy King (or Copy Queen)

A fun, additional way to play with art and drawing

ADDED January 22, 2009

kids art

Okay, your child has just completed another drawing. Great! We like art, especially kid art. But does the art and the fun have to end now that the drawing is complete?

Here's a way to have even more fun with crayons and markers: make a copy of the masterpiece.

(This is actually one of the ways people copied pictures before computers. Remember that time?)

(Neither do we. How did people send emails back then, anyway?)

Here's what you do: With a pencil and a ruler, lightly draw a box around the picture. (If you don't have a ruler handy, use the spine of a book or the side of a Kleenex box.) Then draw two, nicely spaced-out horizontal and vertical lines across the picture. This shouldn't take very long, and you've now made a grid. You've broken the picture up into nine small boxes. Next to the boxes, we like to write A, B, C on one side, and 1, 2, 3 down the other side, so we can easily refer to them as A1, A2, A3, and so forth.

Now take a blank paper and duplicate the 9-box gird, complete with letters and numbers on the side.

Okay, you are (or your kid is) ready to start copying. With the lines and boxes you've drawn, you can focus on what needs to be drawn in what area. Instead of taking the whole image and needing to copy it, you can focus on small chunks. See how your child's drawing fills each box.

Now as far as we're concerned, the copy does not have to be exact. In fact, the copier might just want to intentionally change or enhance the second version. Change the color of the grass from green to purple. Whatever fancy strikes you.

Copy one of your kid's drawings, and then create a drawing to be copied yourself. Take turns!

Instead of using kids' art, you could also do this activity with a scenic from a magazine. The copy will never be exact, but it can be an interpretation and a fun way to get those little landscape artists inspired.

The whole point here, in addition to it being a fun activity that really works, is also to show that when you take something big and break it into smaller pieces, it becomes manageable. Hmmm....there might even be a life lesson there somewhere.

kids art

Syllable Flipper

A quick and tricky way to get those little minds going

ADDED January 19, 2009

kids games

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.
kids clapping
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.

Building Bit by Bit

Every budding architect gets a turn

ADDED January 10, 2009

kids games building blicks

Building toy buildings is a great activity to entertain kids. It gets their motor, creative, and planning skills all into the mix.

And here's a fun, simple twist: building bit by bit. Basically, everyone takes turns adding to the creation.

As many people can play as want to, kids and adults included. Use blocks, Legos, Tinker Toys, even dolls or stuffed animals – whatever you've got. Each person takes a turn to add one block (or one whatever) to the creation.
kids games
In our house, we have a rule that each added block(or whatever) has to touch the one that went before. Also, in an effort to discourage random and premature knockdowns, we say that anyone who doesn't knock down the structure "wins" the round. (Yes, more than one person can win every round.)

Here at Today Is Fun, we believe that a little guidance in activities – or just a couple rules – makes all the difference, and greatly enhances the fun. The activity "build something" with your blocks is fine . . . but having everyone collaborate as a team on the same marvelous mansion or palatial palace, now that ups the fun immeasurably.

Give it a try today! (Just please don't knock down my building.)

--S

BUILDING BIT BY BIT UDDATE

The lovely, intelligent and inquisitive Julia used the comment section to ask us, " How did you make the cubes?"

Well, you ask and we answer, here is the link to the origami cube construction page.

Origami Building blocks

Construction of these blocks is best with thin origami paper but construction paper works great too. In less than 10 minutes you can build quite a few of these delicate building blocks. Have fun! -Paul

Story Cards

Edge of your seat fun!

ADDED January 09, 2009

kids games stories

Today we celebrate writers and storytellers. And today you and your kids will play a game to create some fun stories of your own.

First you'll need to make some cards. We take two pieces of blank paper and fold-and-tear each into eight pieces. (To do this, fold the paper in half, then in half again, and then in half again. Tear along the folds, and when you're done with both pieces of paper, you'll have sixteen identically sized cards.)

Make three stacks of cards; five cards in each. Have your kids choose a color for each stack. Have them color one side of all the cards in the stack with their chosen color. (You'll wind up with a stack of red cards, a stack of yellow cards, a stack of blue cards, etc.)

Now, one stack of cards will be the "doer stack" – the person or animal in the story who does something. Ask your kids to come up with different "people" (a policeman, a chef, a princess, Grandma, Darth Vader, etc.) or animals (bear, squirrel, bunny, etc.) to be in the story. They should draw one person or animal on each card in the stack.

kids games The next stack will be the "what the person or animal does" stack. Have your kids list some actions on these cards – and try to encourage very different and active verbs: cook, break, jump, dance, kick, smoosh, etc. (For "kick," your kids could draw a foot kicking, for "dance," two feet dancing, and so on.)

The final stack will be the "something you can touch" stack. These will be the items affected by the people or animals in the stories. For this activity, they really can be anything that can be touched: a puddle or a poodle, a zipper or a zucchini.

Once you've got all your stacks ready, it's time to create a story. Shuffle each stack and then have your kid choose a card from each.

Help your kid make a story with their selections. For instance, if they've pulled a princess, a kick, and a zucchini, you get this story: "A princess kicked a zucchini." (We think extra points should be awarded for funny or creative stories.) You can also ask your kids follow-up questions for the stories, such as: "Why did the princess kick the zucchini?" And of course: "What happened next?"

Encourage creativity and have some fun. Hopefully the story at your house today will be: the kids and the parents (people or animals), laughed a lot (action), while playing this Today is Fun game on the computer (something you can touch.)

--S

kids stories

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

kids games

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:

-What is your name?
-How old are you?
-What is your job? What do you do in that job?
-Do you come from another place, such as a foreign country? What is that place like?
-What do you like to do for fun?

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

Photo Walk

Wasting "film" is fun!

ADDED January 05, 2009

kids games

Ah, the blessings of a digital camera. Remember when we were all kids, and our parents didn't want us to waste film? That is now a thing of the past.

Take your little ones on a walk around the block. Bring along your digital camera, and take pictures of whatever intrigues them.

It'll be fun to get outside, and it'll be fun for your kids to direct you as to the picture taking.

Get your kids talking about why they want certain pictures taken. (My kids wanted a lot of shots of tires, for example. They said they like to look to see which tires are muddy and which aren't.)

During the walk, explain to your kids that they can take some of their photos and re-create them with art stuff. You can show them one of their pictures on the computer, and then they kids games can draw it using markers and paper. And they can change the image to suit their imagination. For instance, my boys wanted to change a row of cypress trees into rocket ships lined up. A garage door with many panels was chosen to become a board game with many squares.

Finally, you can save your kids' photos on your computer and review in the future. It's amazing how photographing something makes it "more" of something. Suddenly it's not just a walk around the block, it's a "special walk with Mommy's camera!"

Have fun, and please be respectful of your neighbors on the walk. Don't trample your neighbors' flower beds, so you can take pictures through their windows of them eating breakfast. The excuse "But my kids told me to" might not work so well!

--S

kids games

Daily Triple Treat - Monday Edition

An old stand by, historical significance and a scale full of oranges.

ADDED December 29, 2008

Last week we had the week of Great Gargantuan Giving at Today is Fun. Needless to say, it was a hit. People loved it, and the question everybody asked was, "How will you ever top the week of Great Gargantuan Giving?"

Well don't worry, we've devised a way to make keep the special-ness going during this final week of 2008. We have decided to give you three ideas each day that encourage family togetherness. We are ending the year with a DAILY TRIPLE TREAT! That's right three ideas every day!

One idea will be for inside fun, one idea for outside fun, and one idea will be educational fun. As usual they are all completely free, easy, and -- best of all -- fun. Please, tell your friends: we have a feeling the TRIPLE TREAT is going to be a very helpful and popular feature!

Monday's Treats
Inside Treat- Today try the old stand-by a board game. It can be Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Memory, Hi-Ho Cherry-O or Elefun. While these games may take some time to play and might not be the most entertaining activity for an adult, you will be spending time with your kids . . . and that is fun for everyone.

Outside Treat- Visit a local park. But today don't go to an old standby park. (You know, the one with the play structure and ice cream man). Forgo the familiar and try another park: maybe a National Park that has some historical significance or a local park that has a hiking trail. Wherever you end up, pack a lunch and make a day of it; this activity will not be soon forgotten!

Educational Treat- Practice counting on your trip to the market with our idea Market Price (If you missed it here is the link). This is a truly great idea for kids of all ages. Really, what is more fun than a scale and some oranges? After all, you do have to pick up something for lunch at the local park?

Picture thanks to mag3737

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!

Cereal Box Puppets

Along with the whales, Save the Socks!

ADDED December 09, 2008

kids games

What's something around your house that you can use to make puppets with your kids? Socks come right to mind, but there's a problem with them: if you make sock puppets, you can't wear those socks anymore! (The eyes, noses and mouths make for pretty uncomfortable footwear.)

kids games So today we present . . . little cereal box puppets! Little cereal boxes are often found on camping trips, but these days they're also available on the shelves of almost any grocery store. If you buy these multi-cereal samplers, you should know that they are just the right size to make brilliant puppets with your kids.

First, cut open the boxes to flip them inside out. Use the "blank" side as the canvas for your puppets.

Second, use markers, construction paper, glue, tape, and whatever you've got handy to make fun and funny puppet faces.

Finally, tape up the puppets back into their original box shape -- ready for little hands to use.

( kids games Here's a couple insider secrets on making these things: (1) Make the puppet faces first and then tape the boxes up. It's trickier if you reverse the order of these steps. (2) When you tape the boxes back up, start with a couple pieces of tape on the inside. This will help in the sturdiness department. (3) Make similar faces for the front and back of the boxes, but with different expressions. That way, during a puppet show, a happy character can suddenly switch around to be a completely shocked one!)

If you don't buy those little cereal boxes, you can save and use big ones over time. Other kinds of boxes will probably work just fine, too.

kids games After the puppets are done, you guys are ready for a spectacular, cereal-box-puppet presentation. Everyone will have fun and will be able to say, "No socks were harmed in the production of this show!"

--S

Vowel-No-Vowel

Fun with vowels and no-vowels

ADDED December 08, 2008

kids games

What do you get when you take a piece of paper and write a vowel, a no-vowel, and a vowel?

If you can figure out a funny punch line to the above question, please email us with it. But actually, we're not joking. The real answer to that question is: you get a word.

Try it with your kids. First have them take a blank piece of paper and write down all the vowels: A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y.

Now have them draw a line around those vowels, to separate them from the rest of the blank page. Now that we've got the vowels nicely aligned, we're not going to be writing in that area any more.

Have your kid write any letter that's not a vowel (a "no vowel"), then any vowel, and then another no-vowel.

Now they've done it: they've got a word!

Well, some kind of word. We're willing to concede that it might be gibberish. But it will be some kind of word; it will be something that you guys will be able to pronounce.

The first time my 4-year-old tried this out, his no-vowel, vowel, no-vowel creation was: ZEC. Well, it's pronounceable at least, right?

But after we pronounced Zec, I could see a light go on for him. His next creation was: CAT. Then DOG. He was on a roll.

Then he said, "Daddy, I just wrote no-vowel, vowel, no-vowel, no-vowel." What was that, I asked. It turned out to be his friend, JACK.

This diversion will get your little ones thinking about letters and vowels, as well as how they all go together to make words.

And when you guys are learning like crazy and having loads of fun, you can try this tricky one on for size: YIPPEE! (Also known as: sometimes vowel, vowel, no vowel, no vowel, vowel, vowel)

Words that end with A and T together

Fill in the blank and turn on the fun

ADDED December 05, 2008

Have you ever noticed how many three letter words end with A and T together? Using A-and-T-ending words, we created a fun game that you can play with your kids in the car, at dinner, before bed, and beyond...

First start with the word "CAT." Spell the word (C-A-T) and then ask, "Can you think of any other words that end with the '-AT' sound?"

If you think it will help the activity along, provide more examples of words that end with -AT. Words like hat or rat.

Once you and your kids have thought up many, many words that end in -AT, start at the beginning of the alphabet and work together to add the -AT sound after every letter in the alphabet. (This sounds like it might take a while but it is faster than you think.)

In our house, when we have finished going through the alphabet and laughing at all the funny made-up words like "jat" and "qat," we move on to other ending sounds like -AN.

Have fun, and please let us know if you can find the meaning of the words "yat" and "yan!"

Huggy!

A nice monster

ADDED December 04, 2008

Huggy is a very nice monster, just listening to his name you can discern he likes to be hugged.

When you hear him say, “ Huggy” you have to hug him or he will repeat his name over and over while chasing you. Huggy is very fast. If you like to be chased please don't hug him. He only stops repeating his name and chasing when he gets a hug. Beware if you let him into your house you will have to give him a lot of hugs. I would suggest only those who are not stingy with hugs invite him in.

Moms can be Huggys, Dads can be Huggys even kids can be Huggys. They all are very polite and if you don't want a hug they will not hug you and but be aware they can be persistent in their pursuit of hugs.

Should you let Huggy into your house today? He really is a nice monster.

Box art

Recycled art is the best

ADDED December 03, 2008

After a trip to the market a few days back, as I was unpacking some magically sugary snacks, I had an idea for a recycled box art craft. So I started flattening and saving boxes. In about a week I was able to save enough boxes for this easy imagination charged recycled art craft.

First, take the three or four boxes. Get some pens, stickers, scissors and warm up a little creativity. Second, have an adult cut the boxes to make them flat because sometimes the cardboard can be a little thick and difficult to cut. This is your canvas. Then encourage your kids to spend a few minutes visualizing what the cardboard canvas could be. Here is a very brief list of a few things we though would be grand if made out of a recycled box:

A monster
A bus
A spaceman
A sign to a party
A big birthday card

And then go for it! Let those imaginations run wild! The sky is the limit (or in this case the edges of your box)!

And here is what we made
A mailbox
A computer
A robot
A jump for cars

Try it today make your trash into something fantastic! We will post submissions for all to see so start sending your photos to info@todayisfun.com. The most creative piece of box art will receive a conduct happiness shirt courtesy of conducthappiness.com.

Contest ends 12/10/08!

Place Cards

A time-honored Thanksgiving tradition can be a fun and helpful activity for your kids

ADDED November 26, 2008

kids games

(Just so you know, I don't very much like place cards. I like to be in control of my seating location, and I like to sit wherever my fancy strikes. And I don't want to be stuck yet again with Aunt Nancy, who always regales me with stories about cats.)

That all being said, place cards do sometimes seem to show up at Thanksgiving dinner. And making place cards can be a good thing to do for young kids.

First, it's an activity, an opportunity to do and make and to be creative. Also, it's a good way to review with your kids all the people who they will encounter at the Thanksgiving festivities. It's a good excuse to talk about all the guests at Thanksgiving beforehand, so they won't point and say "Who's that guy? Why is that person here at dinner?"

If you don't like place cards (did I mention that I don't?), then change this activity from place card to a "gift card." Have your kids make a postcard-like item for each person, and hand them out before the meal. Each card could include a drawing and a stylized representation of the recipient's name.

And fine, if you must, you and the kids just go ahead and make place cards for the table. It could be fun for them. Just please don't sit me next to Aunt Nancy!

(All persons listed in this post are fictitious. And I am always kind to seniors and will listen to cat stories! That business was joke.)

Professional Food Tasters

Better than bad and better than good

ADDED November 25, 2008

kids games

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.)

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

kids games 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?

Growing fun!

fun for young farmers

ADDED November 21, 2008

One of our favorite things to do with fruits and vegetables is keep the seeds and try to make them grow. Whenever someone makes fresh-squeezed orange juice, cores an apple, cuts an avocado, or carves a pumpkin, the kids are there, ready to collect the seeds and start the experiment.

We put the seeds on a damp paper towel, seal it all in a baggie, and carefully place the experiment on the window sill in the kitchen. Then we wait and check each day. (Checking each day is important and fun -- and sometimes we need to inspect the progress more than one time a day!) Once the seeds sprout, we transfer them to small paper cups, and when they look healthy and strong, we put them into the earth outside. Most of our seeds don't make it to this final step, but is fun to try and to hope!

Due to my obsession with free stuff, my kids have become avid seed collectors. Together we have grown watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapefruit, apples, oranges, avocado, corn, lemons, key limes and pumpkins. And by the way, we live in the middle of the city, not out in the country. Here is a photo of this year's pumpkin crop.

Try to grow your own plants from free seeds today. Healthy eating is really a lot of fun for kids, especially when they're the ones who served as farmers!

Secret Holiday Gourd

Toy and decoration all in one

ADDED November 19, 2008

Most houses around Thanksgiving have those little holiday gourds for decoration. They are festive, but really serve no purpose beyond that. But we have figured out a way to make them festive and fun all at the same time.

When your significant other is looking the other way, sneak a few of the festive gourds to your kids along with a Sharpie and instruct them to draw a face on one side of the gourd. Then play with the gourds, give them names, have them go on adventures -- they can even help walk the dog.

But remember, make sure all the secret gourd toys are put away and everything is back to normal before your significant other notices! (You could also save this activity for a few weeks, and spring it when your lovely spouse is ready to do away with the gourds.)

Thanksgiving leaf sculpture

Holiday beauty for all to behold.

ADDED November 18, 2008

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than have your little ones make a cool Thanksgiving leaf sculpture? Nothing says thankfulness like leaves.

First go out and collect some really big leaves. We used magnolia leaves because of their leathery texture, but really any leaves will work. Just make sure they are not to brittle and still have their stems. Next, have your kids lay two or three leaves out in an interesting pattern, making sure the stem and leaves overlap a little bit. Then mark where the stems overlap (you can use a pencil or just eyeball it) and make a tiny cut in the leaf. Once the cut is made, insert the stem into the leaf to connect one leaf to another. Continue inserting the stems into the leaves until your child's masterpiece is complete.

Have fun and send us photos of your sculpture and we will post them for all to admire.

Clue Countdown

A clue per finger until there are no more left!

ADDED November 13, 2008

kids games

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!

Wheel of Fun

Round, random, and lots of fun

ADDED November 12, 2008

kids games

Sometimes it's all in the presentation.

If you suggest to your child, "Why don't you do eighteen jumping jacks?", they'd probably refuse. But if a paper plate makes the same suggestion, well, to a kid that kind of presentation just can't be argued with.

Pat Sayjak and Vanna Williams, eat your hearts out, because today we are yukking it up with the Wheel of Fun.

Draw lines on the face of a white paper plate in order to divvy it into ten equally sized segments. In each, write a fun or silly activity for your child to perform. Some examples:

1. Spin in a circle while singing a song.

2. Take three towels from the linen closet and make some funny clothes for yourself.

3. Draw something very fast, then make people guess what it is.

4. Call somebody in our family on the phone.

5. Do eighteen jumping jacks.

And so on.

After you've filled in the activities, punch a small hole in the middle of the plate. Either insert a spinner from one of your family's board games (we used one from Chutes and Ladders in the photo) or find a wall with a protruding nail on which to hang the wheel. Each child spins the kids games wheel, and then gets to perform the task. Repeat as much as you guys want.

This is a lot of fun. It makes for a great rainy day activity. Kids love the excitement of getting random results, and they love spinning the wheel.

If you're feeling particularly cheeky, you can sneak a couple of activities onto the wheel that will benefit you alone. You could try adding "fold the laundry" or "wash the kitchen floor" to the wheel to see what results you can get! Have fun, and get spinning!

Fun with Flickr

And with funny buildings, too

ADDED November 11, 2008

kids games

Most of you have probably visited the website Flickr.com. If you haven't, it's definitely worth checking out...for a few hours.

Flickr is a site where anybody and everybody can upload and share their photos for free. There are millions and millions of photos there, some of them dreadful and some quite amazing. Simply put, you (and your child) can find anything there.

In fact, here's the first part of today's activity: if you and your child are so inclined, try to think of something that Flickr can't show you. An unusual jar? A funny race car? A chocolate bar? Your child's favorite movie star? Do a search for any of these: Flickr's got pictures of them. A skating rink? The kitchen sink? Things that are pink? Englebert Humbertdink? Yep, they're on Flickr, too.

And Flickr is great to use as reference, too. Here's the next step of our activity today: type "building" into the search field at Flickr. You and your kid will find thousands of results. Have a look at some of the different buildings people across the world have built. Now type "weird building" in. You'll find many, many very interesting and sometimes very weird constructions there.
kids games
After you guys have enjoyed those sights, take out your trusty paper and markers. It's time for you guys to create weird buildings of your own. As you guys draw talk about what makes buildings "normal" or "regular," and what makes them different and strange. Also ask, because it adds to the fun, "Would you like to live in this weird building?"

Have fun exploring Flickr and the wonderful world of weird buildings.

(Today is Fun is not affiliated with Flickr in any way. We think they're cool, though, and hopefully vice-versa.)

Construction Instructions

Drawn to scale, sort of!

ADDED November 10, 2008

kids games

This fun game is inspired by the instructions that come with a complicated Lego toy. It's also inspired, to a lesser extent, by those Ikea directions that never seem to work out right (or that always include a reference to some mysterious, not-included part.)

Whenever you get a complicated Lego toy, or a model airplane, there are always instructions included in the box. You can see how to build the item, and you can also see what it is supposed to look like in the end.

Well, why do you have to buy something to get these kind of directions for your child? You can make these very easily!

Choose some of your child's toys: blocks, Legos, or Tinkertoys certainly work well. (But you could really do this with any toy: even toy cars or Barbies.) Have a look at the toy you've chosen, so you have a good sense of all the different parts and pieces.

Then take out a piece of paper and a pencil. Draw 'something' for your child to build with the toys in question. This could be a house, a tower, a maze, a pattern . . . anything. Make the drawing clear enough to show your kid what toy goes where.

Now your child takes over. Hand over the 'instructions' you've created and point towards the toys. Of course, you can be standing by to help with any questions. But really, your kid should be able to re-create your drawing with the toys without too much of your input.

kids games (If you're using toy cars or Barbies, you might not be able to draw instructions for a house or tower, but instead make instructions for a pattern with them, or to align them in a specific, interesting way.)

The next step of this game is for your child to draw 'instructions' for you to create a toy construction.

Have fun with your instructions and constructions! (And please remember to submit bulding plans to the city for approval and to make sure everything is up to code!)

House band

Rock the house

ADDED November 07, 2008

Some days kids need an opportunity to be loud and rowdy. With a few simple household items, you can make a little band that will make the neighbors consider calling the cops.

Collect a tissue box, the tube from an empty roll of paper towels, two plastic cups, two spoons, two pencils or even two Hot Wheels cars. Anything percussive will work perfectly.

Once you and your child have collected the necessary instruments, crank up your favorite music and play along. Try and play with the percussion if possible. If you don't have any musical training, it's not a problem; this activity is about noise, fun and creative instruments.

Rock it and make some noise!

Savings plane

When you are done clipping, coupons make some fun!

ADDED November 04, 2008

At our house, coupons come in the mail on Tuesday. After looking through the bounty of savings brought by the postman, we have started a tradition that has really become a soaring success. We make airplanes out of the coupon pages.

I believe the simpler the plane the better, so we usually make the basic model. The basic model is best because it is very easy for the kids to make and we can make a fleet very quickly, giving us more time to fly.

After heading outside and giving our planes some air-time, we will ground the fleet and head off to the recycling bin and wait till next Tuesday.

We like this idea because it is a quick activity, and it is great fun to make something fun out of what would otherwise just be simply recycled! To the skies!

The Big, Big-As-The-House, House-Sized Board Game

New fun with the toys and stuff you already have.

ADDED November 03, 2008

My kids and I have been playing board games for while now and this activity is a new twist on a old favorite, the board game. With this activity, we will take a few items that you already have and use them in a different way to create a giant board game that can be played literally all over your house. This game is as big as the house!

To play this game you need at least 20 blocks or Legos and a pack of playing cards or dice. Each player will also need to select a favorite toy to use as a 'marker', like a bear, doll or action figure.

To start, create a trail around the house with the blocks. Make it huge -- this is a house-sized game. Each block in the path will be a space for your game. You and your kids can make the path go under chairs, around furniture, and upstairs. Send your path thru the tub, slide it down the stairs, you can even make it go outside. Just make sure everyone knows where the trail starts and where it ends.

Each player will draw one card from the deck and then move the number of spaces on the card. For example, if you draw a five, move five spaces; if you draw a king or ace, move eleven spaces. (Alternately you can use dice to come up with a number of spaces to move.)

Then add some fun rules of your own, at my house each player has to act like their marker when they are moving (roaring and snorting animals are best). Another rule we like to add is anytime your marker lands on the stairs you get to slide to the bottom, this often ends in a lot of stuffed animal tumbling action that is a crowd favorite.

Now that you have your giant, house-sized board game set up, play it! And when you are done, change it and play again, then tear it down and play again tomorrow! Also if you have a house that is over 10,000 square feet make sure you limit your game play to just a few rooms, like the ballroom and salon. And make sure you stay away from the grand piano and elevator.
Have fun!

Hug Fight

A really nice kind of fight

ADDED October 23, 2008

Everybody has heard of pillow fights, water balloon fights, and even the perennial favorite from cafeterias across the land: food fights.

But have you ever heard of a "hug fight?"

Hug fights are best at night, right before bed. They are actually very peaceful, gentle, and don't take a lot of effort. To have a hug fight, all you need to do is call out "Hug Fight!" and everyone in the room hugs the person or people closest to them. After a few seconds someone else yells "Hug Fight" again, and at this point you need to switch and hug someone else. Keep yelling "Hug Fight" until everyone in the room has been sufficiently hugged.

I like to do this at night as we are putting the kids in bed, because I get a really good tight hug from everybody. And it's fun to yell at night.

Why not have a hug fight tonight with the ones you love?

Super Shape Doodle Art Game for People of All Ages

Make-it-yourself game with a funny name and artistic results

ADDED October 22, 2008

Today why not make your own game? With a name like "Super Shape Doodle Art Game for People of All Ages," everyone will want to play. This game is sort of like Miscellaneous Squiggle , but with a lot more super shapes and doodles.

First, take ten small pieces of paper and draw a shape on each: a square, a circle, a triangle, etc. or even a silly shape or two. (I drew a glove, lollipop and a rocket.) These are your cards for the game.

Then take a blank piece of paper. Make sure everyone has a pencil.

Place the cards face down and have everyone take a turn selecting a card. Each person draws the shape depicted by their card onto the blank paper. This will be your artistic picture. The shape can be added anywhere in the picture as long as it is touching another shape.

This is a really great for a rainy day. You can play for as many rounds as you want, just turn the playing cards over and keep drawing.

In the end, you'll have a Super Shape Doodle Art masterpiece to be admired and cherished by People of all Ages!

Here are what our cards looked like…

And here is one of our finished Super Shape Doodle Art masterpiece to be admired and cherished by People of all Ages!

Book in review

A little review to help your little readers

ADDED October 20, 2008

Use this out loud reading activity at home to help your new readers (and even older ones) review words that cause stumbling. It's called "The Book in Review," and it's not a game, but a way to build a familiarity with newly learned words.

Here is how to do it: As your kid is reading a book out loud, keep a mental list of what words are new or that might need some review. When the reading is done, close the book and give your child a pop quiz on the tricky words.

Make it fun and, if you're up for it, make it a little bit like a game show. Find a page that has a troublesome word, point to it and ask in a booming voice, "What is the word?" If they get the word right, cheer and whoop. Make "jackpot" sound effects and an all-around big deal.

Then move onto another word and repeat the question. If your child gets the word wrong, have them work on figuring it out, and keep that page marked for further review and move onto another word. When your kid gets the next word right, quickly turn back to the word they previously got wrong, review it again until it is correct. In the end, when you are finished with the review, carry your young reader on your shoulders like they are champs that just won the big game.

Try a review with your little readers today. (But don't practice this book review with your significant other unless you are able to lift them up on your shoulders!

A Monster at the Fork Store

Bon Appétit! Well, almost.

ADDED October 17, 2008

kids games Sit down on the floor of a room or the grass of your yard. Tell your little one that you are a nice, healthy human being and as such, you are exactly what monsters like to eat!

And tell your child that, for the moment, he or she is the monster. Have your kid come and pretend to eat you.

But wait! Wait! As the monster approaches and is about to take a bite, stop and remind your monster that yes, even monsters need forks! So, point to another place in the room or the yard and say, "You have to go buy a fork from the fork store!"

Once that 'purchase' has been completed and the monster returns for another attempt, ask the monster to go buy a spoon before starting the meal. And ketchup. And a napkin. And a place mat.

kids games The trick is never to get eaten by thinking up more stuff for the monster to purchase. Even better, try to have the monster come up with ideas as to what will be needed for the meal.

This is a fun, silly game that will provide a reason for kids to run around and release some energy. Also, kids like acting like monsters, and adults enjoy not being eaten.

And don't forget to send the monster for a bib, eating humans can be messy business!

Miscellaneous Squiggle

A creative and fun drawing game

ADDED October 16, 2008

kids games

So easy, so fun, and yep . . . totally free!

First, have your kid take a crayon or marker and make a squiggle or line on a piece of paper.

Well, that was easy. Now for the more challenging part: you have to take some crayons and your child's squiggle and turn it into something recognizable. You have to look at the squiggle and say, "What could I make from that?"

It's not hard, actually. You'll have a look at the squiggle and see that it's actually smoke curling out of a chimney, or a leopard's paw, or a fairy princess's toothbrush, or whatever.

You don't have to be an amazing artist by any stretch. Just try to make it clear to your child what you're drawing.

Now comes the fun part: you make the squiggle, and your child has to create something from it. (This is a bit more enjoyable, because you get to sit back and be entertained by your child's creativity.)

We think this is good, addictive fun, and in our house, kids and parents keep trading turns for quite some time.

And just as grandma used to talk about turning lemons into lemonade, you get to turn miscellaneous squiggles into fine art!

(In case you're interested, the above squiggle was drawn by a kid, and an adult made the art. The squiggle below was drawn by the adult, and the beautiful art was created by a kid.)

kids games

No Lights On An Old-Fashioned Night!

A fun way to learn about olden days

ADDED October 15, 2008

kids games

Today we're going to learn a little about . . . light bulbs. This activity is fun and educational for kids of all ages.

Tell your kids (if they don't already know) that in olden days, people used candles to light their houses at night.

Ask your kids if they'd like to re-create an old-fashioned, candle night in your house. Everybody has to agree that after the sun goes down, no lights will be turned on!

kids games Rooms look much different in candlelight. The absence of electricity will give the whole bedtime process a much different feeling.

(But by all means BE CAREFUL with the candles' open flames. If you have very little ones, please keep the candles up and out of their reach!)

We've also included a fun fact sheet for you to refresh your memory as to the history of light bulbs. And your kids might enjoy coloring it in, too. Simply print it after downloading here.

Oh, to make the no-electricity thing authentic, no TV or computer games either! How does that sit with you? (Of course, when the kids are asleep, parents are allowed to check their email, send TIF tips to their friends, and watch a show or two.)

And for this activity, you don't need to go 100% authentic. There's probably no need for you to unplug the fridge.

Candle power! Learning is fun!

Mirror dance

A dandy dancing distraction.

ADDED October 07, 2008

During the course of the day, we all have places to be and things to do. However getting these things done is not an easy task with a little one nipping at your heels. Sometimes kids need a little distraction so Dad and Mom can get dressed, put the dog in the car, or just make lunch.

So what my wife and I will do with our little ones is put them in front of a mirror, turn on something with a beat, and let the mirror entertain. All kids love to look at themselves in the mirror, and when you add music and dancing, a winning combination is guaranteed. Also, an added bonus is how cute it is to see your little one dancing and smiling in their own musical world.

A mirror is also a great entertainer of older kids as well: they too love to watch themselves dance and move to the music. My kids literally have spent hours dancing happily away to the smooth beats. Making up plays, stories and even trying to act-out the sounds from a cartoon sound effects. So no matter what your kids age, crank up the tunes and dance the afternoon away it will be time well spent.

info@todayisfun.com.

Beware the Bopper!

A semi-magical method of ousting kids' extra energy

ADDED October 03, 2008

kids games bopper

This is a quick and easy way to get kids' bodies moving. It is particularly useful for times when you sense the kids have a lot of pent-up energy and are on the verge of acting rambunctious anyway.

First, you need to get yourself a Bopper. This can be any household object that would be good for bopping the kids on the head: an empty paper towel tube is ideal.

Tell the kids you recently picked up a Bopper at the special Bopper store. Show them your fine new acquisition and, while you're at it, explain how the Bopper works...

When you say the name of an object or animal and then touch the top of a kid's head with the Bopper, the kid turns into whatever you said!
kids games helicopter
Try it out yourself. It really works.

I like to start off by turning the kids into the craziest, wildest things imaginable: a cheetah, a helicopter, an amped-up jumping bean.

Encourage the children to really create the thing you name with their bodies. For example, with a helicopter, I need to see propellor blades straight out and spinning.

And here's the trick: after a couple of minutes of wild re-creations, I move to "medium" for a few minutes, and then I conclude with five minutes of "quiet and mellow."

For "medium," the kids could be a car, a raindrop or a dog. You get the idea.

For the very popular "quiet and mellow" category, I bop them and conjure up: a turtle, a snail, a clock pendulum, an opening and closing door, a chair (inanimate objects are great), or an ice cube.

And now, the grand finale: when I sense that the kids have got some energy out and are getting pretty mellow, I tell them we're having a contest. I bop them on the heads, tell them they're rocks, and whoever can remain a rock the longest wins!

Ah, but in such instances, I am really the winner! Bop on, people!

CODE CRACKING

You're never too young to start deciphering secret-agent-style messages

ADDED October 02, 2008

kids games

This is a great activity to fill some of your kids' time. It's both educational and fun, too. It will even work for little kids who aren't yet reading. (But the participants do need to know their letters.)

In some newspapers and activity books, they have messages in code for teens and adults to figure out. This is similar, but for younger kids, we suggest giving them a coded message *and* the key at the same time.

With the key, young children can enjoy concentrating and figuring out the secret message.

We've provided a couple of secret coded messages here, and the keys necessary to decipher them. Print them up and let your young code cracker have at it!

(Note to very sugar concious parents: two of the coded messages we've included here involve praise for cookies and cake. We hope this is okay; we just want to keep your kids on their toes, not cause unpleasant altercations or additional trips to the dentist. The possibly objectionable messages are the even numbered ones below.)
kids games
We hope you 99 • 13 •17 • 77 • 55 !

Click to download:

photo of deciphering boy by plasticrevolver

Close Out Sale at the Hat Store!

Tons of fun with head gear

ADDED October 01, 2008

kids games

How many hats does the average family own?

Our family is a bit above average in that department, I think. A quick tally of the hats in this house revealed an amount weighing approximately three and half tons.

If you're similarly blessed with too many hats, why not turn them into a fun activity?

Assemble all your family's hats somewhere that's easily accessible for kids: on a bed or sofa.

Each kid gets a turn to visit the store. What works really well is if a parent is in the other room -- that way the kids can get the hat on, then march away and show off each "new purchase" from the hat store. "Look at my new hat!"

If you have a digital camera handy, it adds to the fun to snap a pic of each new hat on display.

When each hat receives its fair share of admiration, it's time for the kid to return to the hat store. Oh, and scarves and gloves are fair game to be retrieved from the hat store, too.

Are you guys ready to have some fun in your house today? At the drop of a hat!

Tip Toe Practice

Sneaky stealthy and most important SILENT fun

ADDED September 30, 2008

kids games

If you have a pre-schooler in your house, have you ever lain in bed early in the morning and wondered if instead you actually had a wildebeest living with you? Or an elephant? Or some other loudly clomping beast of the jungle?

We have wood floors, two darling but heavy-stepping children, and a Mom who likes to sleep in whenever possible.

So in honor of sleeping in, and daring the impossible, we present Tip Toe Practice.

First step: have a tip-toeing demonstration with your little ones. (Kids seem to like this word, too, by the way. There's something kind of funny about it.)

kids games Secondly, try this game: Sit cross-legged on the floor of a hallway, with room to get around you on either side. Close your eyes and have your kids try to tip toe by.

If you hear the tip-toe-ers, let out a loud monster growl and -- with your eyes still closed -- grab them. If you're right, the kids get another chance to try to sneak past you. If you're wrong, your kids will be quite proud of themselves (and delighted to see you growling and grabbing at nothing.)

It's a fun, vaguely educational activity, and it provides hope for Mommy's pleasant Saturday morning.

And just think: maybe when they're teenagers, this Tip Toe Practice activity will help them sneak back into the house after curfew! Oh, wait a minute . . .

(For more fun quiet games we've posted try our 1, 2, 3 Quiet Game or What do you hear?)

Characteristics

Quirky Coloring Fun

ADDED September 29, 2008

Occasionally when you suggest that your child spend some time coloring or drawing, you will hear this response: "Yeah, but I don't know what to draw" or "I don't feel like coloring anything."

Try this activity then, which we call "Characteristics." It is one of our absolute, all-time favorite kids games. We think it's fun, do-able, and creative.

Step One. Have your kid choose a 'thing' to draw.

This thing could be anything that captures your kid's interest: a princess, a pirate, a monster or Mommy. A supermarket or a superhero, a garden or a gargoyle. Really, anything!

For example, let's say your kid wants to draw "a funny monster."

Step Two . You and your kid(s) take turns thinking up characteristics of the "thing." Write down each.

Here are some characteristics we came up with for "a funny monster:"

1. Has long pointy hair
2. Big pointy things coming out of his toes -- the same as a T. Rex
3. Ears that stick out
4. Curly curvy horns on his head.

Step Three. Once you've made a list of ten characteristics or so, go back through and read each one out loud. Have your child draw each characteristic you read until the 'thing' takes shape.

We play this almost every day in our house and find it an enormous "crowd pleaser." It gets the kids' brains thinking and their fingers conjuring up art.

And there's an added benefit: you can show off around the pre-school by having your kid explain to other parents the meaning of the word 'characteristic.'

kids games

Magnificent Micro World

Small things look really cool with a magnifying glass.

ADDED September 26, 2008

Here at TIF, we usually don't encourage buying things. We like free and are big fans of recycling and re-purposing. But something we think every child should have is a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass opens up a tiny world that, unless you are looking closely, would go completely unnoticed.

Start your magnifying glass experiments with salt and sugar. With the naked eye, both salt and sugar appear to be similar, but under the awesome power of a magnifying glass they could not be more different. Have your kids look at the salt and sugar on black paper for maximum contrast, and they will be amazed at the differences in shape and texture. If your kids are not old enough for this kind of experimentation, help them look at stamps, money, or even photographs under a magnifying glass's incredible power, and see what you have been missing. Then once they understand how a magnifying glass works, turn them loose to find their own small world.

Enjoy the small today!

info@todayisfun.com

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- MAKE A PARACHUTE

Learn about gravity and how to defy it

ADDED September 25, 2008

My kids and I made these really cool parachutes a few days ago. They are nothing fancy -- just a paper towel, some string and small toy to go along for the ride. But they are a lot of fun and really easy to build. So I put together a little how-to with pictures so that you and your kids can follow along and build this incredible and almost free toy.

I like this activity because once I showed my kids how to build the parachute, they were able to make it themselves (over and over again).

It is a fun activity something they can do to entertain themselves. Try it this weekend.

info@todayisfun.com

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- STICKY NOTE TREASURE HUNT

Follow the Squares to the Fun

ADDED September 23, 2008

In most houses you can find those free pads of sticky notes from local realtors or doctors' offices. They are helpful for love notes, shopping lists, and doodling. But here at TIF we have created another use for them. Why don’t you turn your kids loose with a stack and let them create a Sticky Note Treasure Hunt.

All that your kids need to do to create an awesome Sticky Note Treasure Hunt is write a short note guiding you from one location to the next until you reach the Treasure. If they are too young to write you can help with the directions and then go on the hunt with them.

Here are a few things that your kids could make a Sticky Note Treasure Hunt for:

Dinner. Make a map that starts at the front door, goes into the bathroom and finishes at the dinner table.

A bike ride. Make a map that starts in the bedroom goes to the backyard and finishes on a bike in the garage where you can go for a ride.

Your brother (or sister). Make a map that starts on the dinning room table, goes into the bedroom, outside to the mailbox and finishes on your brother (or sister) if you can catch them.

We really like this idea because all that is needed is a pad of sticky notes and a little imagination. Here are a few highlight photos from several hunts that took place at my house the other day.

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.

Sidewalk Chalk Maze

Tricky, a-mazing fun!

ADDED September 18, 2008

kids games Last week we reminded you of a tried-and-true way to entertain kids: hopscotch. Well, if you've got some extra sidewalk chalk handy, here's another fun way to keep the kids busy outside.

Making sidewalk mazes is pretty easy, and doesn't require too much forethought or planning. You can do it on the fly. Just be sure to draw "corridors" that are wide enough for kids to navigate, with clear lines for the "walls."

To make the maze more tricky for older kids, be sure to create a lot of crossroads and dead-ends.

To make nice, straight lines, use a long piece of string tied to two rocks. Use the rocks to keep the string tight, and draw along its length.

And really, this site is about things for kids to do, not about more work for their parents. So to the extent they are able, have your kids help in the construction of the maze. Older kids can plan and draw the twists and turns. Younger kids can have input as to where the corridors should go, whether or not there should be a dead end, and what color chalk should be used.

(It doesn't take long to make a maze. We made one that covered our driveway and sidewalk, and it took one adult and one little kid about 30 minutes.)

Have fun walking in the maze. Please don’t email us if you get stuck in a dead end—have one of your children help you out!

One Year Time Capsule

Some patience required

ADDED September 17, 2008

kids games

A year is a big chunk of time, especially for younger kids. To them, a year feels like a decade. Here's a way to make the passing of time into a fun activity for kids and parents alike: create a one-year time capsule.

kids games The concept is pretty straightforward: you and your child should put aside "some stuff" and review it in a year.

You'll need a box, of course. A shoe box would be perfect. A big tupperware would work well, too.

Now, it would be an obvious dumb move to take your kid's favorite things and put them beyond reach for a year. That would not please your young constituents.

Instead, it might be a better idea to take pictures of the favorite things, and put those into the box. So, as part of this activity, ask your child what five (or ten) things he or she would like pictures of, to remember and review in a year's time.

Also, we've created a special Time Capsule Questionnaire for you to fill out with your kids (with questions like "What is your favorite thing to do inside?" and "What is your favorite food?") Download it by clicking here, then print it out, interview your child, and add it to the Time Capsule.

Put the Capsule aside for a year. Make yourself a note so you'll remember the day when you can open it.
kids games
In a year, you and your child will be able to review similarities and differences. And you'll both be able to reminisce a bit.

(We'll give extra Today Is Fun points out to any parent who actually buries their child's Time Capsule in a yard. If you are up to this extra step -- one that is sure to excite your kids -- place the contents of the Capsule in a sealable plastic bag, and then wrap the outside of a box in a sturdy bag, too.)

Have some fun. All year long.

Kids Games -- Ice Cube Experimentation

Your kids' boredom will just melt away . . .

ADDED September 16, 2008

kids games

Ready, Scientists? It's time to do an experiment. Today we're going to see how quickly ice cubes melt in different locations around the house.

Before you get the ice cubes from the freezer, there's some prep work for you and your kids to do.

First, you'll want to name each ice cube, so you and your kids can refer to them easily.

So take five or six little bits of scrap paper (those free notepads realtors are always leaving on your doorstep work well), and write a name on each piece. These names really could be anything your child wants: Ice Cube "J" or "giraffe" or "ginger" or even gibberish. As always, you can delegate this writing / art-making task to your kids.

Now you're ready to take five or six ice cubes from the freezer, and have your kids drop each one into a plastic cup, bowl or tupperware. Put each ice cube and its identifying sign in different places around the house. Go for different temperatures and different amounts of light: in the backyard, in the shade, in the coolest, darkest room of your house, etc.

After ten minutes, have your little scientists check on the progress of each cube. Which ones are the most "melty?" Which are the least?

kids games You can take another piece of paper and record your findings on it.

When we did this in my house, there was a lot of interest and enthusiasm. My kids ran from cube to cube, checking each and yelling out their findings, "Ice Cube Jake is really melted!" "Ice Cube Zaw Zot isn't melted at all!" (What can I say? My kids were encouraged to come up with their own names for these things.) "The dog is trying to drink Ice Cube Mommy!"

Yes, science is fun and exciting. Just try to avoid having one of your excited little scientists kick over a melty ice cube onto the living room floor.

How to Entertain Kids -- Free Fabulous Signs

Coloring and communication fun

ADDED September 15, 2008

kids games

Coloring is a fun and easy activity. And it is good exercise for your childrens' creativity . . . so why not work it into every day?

As you may have noticed, many of our daily ideas involve a twist on coloring and drawing. We think this kind of artwork enhances any other kids' activity.

Here are some signs for you to print and for your kids to color. These coloring pages are meant to be fun for your kids, and they're supposed to add to other fun activities around your house. kids games

During reading time, hang up the colored "Reading Quiet" sign. When playing with stuffed animals, our "Animal Area" sign could add to the fun. And our "Big Show" sign will help for any puppet show, play, or spectacle your kids want to present.

Click below to download the signs:

• Science Experiment Area: Look out we're learning!

• Please try to be quiet. Some READING is happening.

• Cooking in Progress. If it smells good, that's why.

• Careful! Workers are working and this area is very dangerous and possibly wet.

• Careful. You might get tickled in this area.

• Sit down and watch! This is the Big Show.

• Animal Area. Some of them might be wild.

So color them up and hang them up. And please, as a wise Mom once said: "Make art, not messes."

Kids Games - - Build a hopscotch court

Have fun this weekend with a classic.

ADDED September 11, 2008

This weekend why not put all of that sidewalk chalk your kids have in the garage to good use and make a hopscotch court? It is an activity that you can do together and good exercise for everyone. You can build a traditional court that looks like this.

Or something more fancy like the French variant called “Escargot." It looks like this.

Try and make one of each this weekend. Email a picture of your court to info@todayisfun.com. Hop to it!

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Cleaning Lemon

Kids think they are playing (but they are really cleaning)

ADDED September 08, 2008

Sometimes it seems like everything is going green -- and here at TIF we are too. And today’s Kids Entertainment is called the Cleaning Lemon (or if you have kids who are not interested in cleaning, call it the Racing Lemon.) It is a great "green" way to have your kids help clean the tub.

You simply grab half a lemon and some baking soda (both non- toxic, very, very safe and surprisingly powerful cleaning agents). Put the baking soda in a shallow bowl and have your kids dip the cut half of the lemon into the bowl and start scrubbing or racing around the tub.

Make sure they race around the edges and in the middle of the tub, which can create some fun bumper car moments. And watch the time and soap scum disappear.

This activity can be hands off for adults if your kids are a little older. My daughter really likes this activity after a trip to the beach or a dusty hike. Sometimes I think she gets extra dirty just so she can clean the tub.

Try it today and leave a comment if it works for you.

How to entertain kids -- House of Cubes

It's a house, it's an igloo, it's . . . missing?

ADDED September 04, 2008

This one requires a bit of patience, so it might work better for older kids. It's one of our fine, fun kids games for the end of summer.

A lot of freezers these days try to prove their worth by making tons of ice cubes. Ours does, and it seems that there is always a couple cubic feet worth of ice cubes ready to go in there that we never use. So . . . why not use them? They make fine building blocks.

Take as many pounds of your ice cubes outside as you can, along with a cup of water. See what kinds of constructions your kids can make with the cubes. We've got pretty good at a wall, a house sort of thing (complete with a roof), and the tricky but satisfying tall tower. (Six cubes is our record.)

As you stack the cubes, sprinkle a little water on top of each cube to act as mortar.

What can you build? Please let us know at info@todayisfun.com.

And please, there is only one rule to remember here. Whatever the kids do, they are not allowed to put an ice cube down Daddy's back while he's trying to build up the tower!

KIDS GAMES -- INDOOR BOWLING

Yet another way to ignore what Mom always said about playing ball in the house

ADDED September 03, 2008

What you will need for this game: a ball. Some paper and crayons. Some chairs are optional.

Do you have those things on hand? Okay, you're ready to go.

First, have your kids create some art on five different pieces of paper. The art can really be whatever they want: princesses or pirate ships, gorillas or Grandma.

When each piece of paper is sufficiently beautiful, number each one with a number from 1 to 5. It doesn't matter which piece of art gets which number.

Lay the five pieces of paper on the floor in a row.

Your child will kneel down a little bit away from the papers and roll the ball over to them. The goal is get the ball to roll and stop on top of the page with the highest number (that is, five).

If your child is having a hard time making the ball stop on the pages, you can arrange some chairs to help keep the ball in place.

Remind your kids to keep the ball on the floor, and have fun.

This game is also a fine opportunity to teach your kids the phrase, "That's how I roll!"

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- The Sharket

A fun, sorta wet way to buy groceries

ADDED August 31, 2008

kids games

Where do creatures of the sea shop for groceries? At the Sharket, of course!

First, designate a place in the house to be the Sharket. Then, have your kids gather up all the sea creatures in your home. These ocean animals could be stuffed animals, plastic toys, dolls from the Little Mermaid, or even pictures. (If you find you don't have any sea creatures at all, your kids could make some with their art supplies.)

After the sea animals have assembled, then find all the play food in your house. Again, use whatever you can find . . . and make more if needed.

Once the animals and food are in the Sharket, each kid takes a turn to help an animal buy an item of food. "Look, my octopus chose an eggplant." It's good to talk about which foods the animals would like and which foods the kids do like.

And this is quite important: in a Sharket, the customers and employees don't walk around. They have to move in 'water ways,' such as swimming, splashing, wading, floating, and so on. This is a good opportunity to talk about different words that mean moving in the water. (No actual water is required here, of course.)

Try the Sharket at your house today. And see how your kids can have fun with sea food.

How to entertain kids -- At the market

Fun times with what you have on hand

ADDED August 28, 2008

Sometimes shopping is not the most fun activity for kids. The waiting, price comparisons and bargain hunting is an adult activity. And unless a cereal needs to be picked out there is nothing much to do but sit and wait till the shopping is done. Of course we have a solution for that. Let your child play with your cell phone.

On the surface this might seem like a risky proposition but take a minute and explain to your child how careful you need to be with a cell phone and what a big responsibility it is to be able to use one. Then open up the camera function on you phone and show your kids how to take a picture or a movie and let them entertain themselves with this little piece of technology we all have.

You will definitely end up with a lot of photos like these actual photos taken by a three year old with my lovely wifes iphone but it is so fun!

Just another tip on HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS from Today is fun.
Commenting is easy and fun so let us know how it going we are always at info@todayisfun.com and don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

KIDS GAMES -- The human adding machine

Fun family game that everyone can play

ADDED August 26, 2008

Next time you and your kids are waiting for your meal at a restaurant or in the doctor’s office, try this fun and educational activity. This game can be played with as few as 2 people and can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. We call it "the human adding machine."

We all take turns holding up zero to five fingers and then it is the human adding machine's job to add up all the fingers. Then the game moves on to the next person, and they add all the fingers up and so on. To add some fun and make it a little more entertaining, I will talk in a robot voice and sometimes give the wrong answer just to keep my kids on their toes. I will also push the subtract button on the human calculator to create a teachable and challenging moment.

My kids love to play, and I like to think it strengthens their math skills. This is one of our most simple, easy and fun kids games.

Commenting is easy so let us know how the human adding machine works for you. We are always at info@todayisfun.com and don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Make a card for someone

Turn boredom around by making a card for someone else

ADDED August 25, 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!

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- ANATOMY ON A PLATE

A fun way to learn about our bodies

ADDED August 21, 2008

how to entertain kids

Kids want to have fun, and parents want their kids to be learning all the while. Well this activity is win-win. This is a way how to entertain kids, while helping them learn, too.

Today your children are going to learn about anatomy - that is, what's inside their bodies. We'll use your child's arm as a starting place.

In our arms, we've got bones, muscles, blood, and all of the above is covered with skin. We are going to demonstrate these things using some items from the fridge.

Bones are firm and hard, so show this with a carrot, or a couple apple slices.

On top of bones are muscles. For this, use a bit of meat, such as sliced sausage or hot dog.

For the blood, use that old standby: ketchup.

And finally, for the skin the best thing is a tortilla.

Place the ‘muscle' on top of the ‘bone.' Squirt some ‘blood' on the ‘muscles,' and cover this all up with ‘skin.' That's it. Now your kid has an idea bout these anatomical parts. You can push stuff around the plate, to show how bones move. You can also show how bones can break under the skin.

This fun activity will also demonstrate a real difference between kids and adults. Once you're done learning, kids will eat this anatomical re-creation. Chances are, their parents won't find it overly appetizing.

Have a great weekend filled with fun and learning!

How to entertain kids -- Clap, stomp, hop

Combine follow the leader and outrageous antics for a fun time

ADDED August 13, 2008

As the final days of summer are waning and the school year is approaching fast sometimes a little boredom combined with the need to run around can create a powder keg of childish energy. When this perfect storm is about to strike we will head outside for a game that combines follow the leader and the outrageous antics of a game show into one kid friendly activity that is sure to get the wiggles out.
This game seems to work best when we are walking somewhere but it certainly can be played in the yard or living room with equal success.

First everyone stands in a circle and chose someone to start, there are three moves that the leader can chose from and they can be played in any combination, either clap, stomp or hop. Say the leader starts with a hop, stomp, hop and while they are doing their moves they need to say what they are doing, “hop, stomp, hop”. When the leader finishes they say "next". This is the cue for the group to do what the leader just did, so they all say and do a little, “hop, stomp, hop”. When they finish they say "next". And the next person in line is now the leader and they get three moves, any three moves they might chose to go for a stomp, stomp, clap or hop, clap, stomp or even hop, hop, hop, whatever moves they chose the group follows and you keep going around the circle until everyone is worn out.
Remember you can do the moves in any order and even repeat moves but you only get three moves so use them wisely. As your players become more advanced you can make up moves to trick the group, try hop, bark, balance on one leg or jump, roll, give a high five.
The reason we like this game so much is its simplicity kids love copying their parents and they love to have fun and be silly.

Try a little hop, hop, act like a hippo today and leave us a comment, it’s easy and fun or email info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

How to entertain kids -- With letters

I see my letter!

ADDED August 12, 2008

Here at Today is fun we love reading and letters. We also are big fans of encouraging kids to read regardless of age.
The first letter I taught my kids was the first letter of their name and I called it their letter. They understood almost immediately that this one letter was special because it was their letter.
Once they could identify their letter, I would occasionally stop on a page that we were reading and ask them to find their letter. From there we were able to move quickly to having them pick out a book that had their letter in the title and on to letting them pick out cereal with there letter in the name. Of course we ended up with sugar cereals but it was great, they were interested and always on the look out for their letter.

Try teaching your kids their letter today and see what happens.
Commenting is easy and fun so let us know where your kids find their letter or email info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

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!

How to entertain kids - The Marvelous Museum

Another of our fun games for kids that uses the stuff you already have

ADDED August 07, 2008

We always want you to be able to keep your kids busy and occupied without having to buy more stuff. So today we present the Marvelous Museum. (Sometimes also known as the Magnificent Museum.)

Explain to your child what a museum is: a special building with a collection of interesting things. Anyone can come to the museum and look at the things and talk about them.

Well, there is also a collection of things in your home.

You and your kid should choose some of those things and display them around the house. Place the chosen objects on the sofa, the coffee table, the kitchen chairs - whatever works.

For a recent Museum, my boys used: a toy car, a spatula, a shoe, a dog toy, and many other marvelous things.

After the Museum has been properly set up comes part two: people come and look at the assembled things. Each item is admired and discussed. (The "people" are you and your kids, of course.)

It's good to ask questions about each thing in the Museum:

What is this used for?
Do you think it is pretty?
Can you tell me something about this object that I might not already know?

Also, it's never a bad idea to exclaim "Marvelous!" or "Magnificent!" when viewing any given item.

The next day or so after making your house into a museum, you could take your children to a ‘real,' out-of-the-house museum. There, too, you all can admire the marvelous collection of things.

And here is the added bonus to this activity: museum visitors should use quiet voices. Everyone must be on their best behavior. And of course, in a Museum, kids really need to listen to their Moms and Dads, and do as they are told!

Have a great weekend with your curious, creative, and obedient museum workers and visitors!

How to entertain kids -- Quarter Collectors

More fun with money

ADDED August 06, 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.

Kids Games -- What Will You Bring?

An amazingly simple and amazingly effective way of passing some time

ADDED August 05, 2008

This works well with a couple kids, but would also have fine results with just one child.

Have your children wait in one room, such as the living room. You leave the room