KIDS GAMES - INDOOR BOWLING

Yet another way to ignore what Mom always said about playing ball in the house

ADDED September 04, 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!"

ages 2-7, good at home, may rile them up, see our disclaimer,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- The Sharket

A fun, sorta wet way to buy groceries

ADDED September 01, 2008

 

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.

ages 2-7, good at home,

How to entertain kids -- At the market.

Fun times with what you have on hand.

ADDED August 29, 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!

ages 2-7, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- ANATOMY ON A PLATE

A fun way to learn about our bodies

ADDED August 22, 2008

 

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!

ages 2-7, educational, good at home,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- THE INVISIBLE BALL

Mom always said, don’t throw in the house (but she didn’t say anything about an invisible ball)

ADDED August 21, 2008

 

You and your child pretend to throw and catch a ball. That's it. This activity might sound a little dull, but kids seem to like it.

The fun here is in the variations on the throwing and the catching. You can throw the ball hard and throw it gently, you can toss it up high or pitch it down low. Have your kid do a diving catch or a one-hand grab. And you can vary the ball, too-see how differently you and your child throw a ball that is really hot, or sticky, or very fragile.

Have fun with this, but also remind your young ones that this is just an activity, and that society looks down on people who opt for lives as professional mimes.

ages 2-7, good for home, no 'props' needed,

How to entertain kids -- Music Lessons

No musical ability, or musical instruments, required

ADDED August 20, 2008

Kids are endlessly fun and entertaining for their parents.  So why shouldn't parents request specific entertainment?  And who wouldn't like to be serenaded with some music?

Well, before your kids can perform music for you, you'll have to teach them how to play some musical instruments.

And it doesn't matter if you own no instruments or if you have no musical ability yourself.  You can still talk about different kinds of musical instruments, and how they sound.

First, you'll need some "instruments." Use some of your kid's stuff for these:  different books and toys.  Anything that they can hold and isn't too tiny.

Once you've got the "instruments," start holding each one up and demonstrating how it sounds.  (As best as you can, imitate the sounds of various instruments.)  Say things like:  "You play a guitar by strumming, like this.  You can put your other hand here, to change the notes."

Demonstrate the strumming of a guitar, the plinking of a piano, the honking of a trumpet.  See if you guys can move on to the piccolo, flute, harpsichord, even bagpipes!

This will be a fun introduction to instruments for you little ones.  And one day soon, your kid just might have a real instrument, so now you can practice listening to their musical efforts while trying not to wince too visibly.

ages 2-7, good for a group, good for home, no 'props' needed,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- CLEANING MACHINES

FUN WAY TO GET KIDS TO CLEAN UP

ADDED August 15, 2008

Picking up toys isn’t nearly as fun as getting them out in the first place. But a twist on that chore will help get it done.

When my kids aren’t participating in the clean up, I say, “Uh oh, this cleaning isn’t happening very quickly. What we need are some cleaning machines.”

I tell my kids that now they have to crawl around the floor, because they are the machines!

And they respond immediately to this suggestion. Suddenly they are down on the floor, making odd and vaguely mechanical noises. One of my boys, in doing this activity, recently announced he was a “Toy Plow, not a snow plow,” and that his shovel was really good at cleaning the toys. And so it was.

This twist has come in handy for me, but I don’t think you should try it if time is a factor. If your machines resemble the ones in my house, the job gets done, but with lots of time spent making particular noises, breaking down, being repaired, etc.

ages 2-7, good for a group, good for home, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer,

How to entertain kids -- Clap, stomp, hop.

Combine follow the leader and outrageous antics for a fun time.

ADDED August 14, 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!

ages 2-7, good at home, good for a group, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- What do you hear.

How to entertain kids with silence.

ADDED August 12, 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!

ages 2-7, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for the car, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Kids Games -- What Will You Bring?

An amazingly simple and amazingly effective way of passing some time

ADDED August 06, 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, but before you do ask the kids, "What will I bring back?" (If you can pull it off, try to add a lot of mystery to your voice, in order to build up the anticipation.)

Then, return with one of your kid's things: a toy, or a book, or even a shoe.

"Wow! Who had any idea that I was going to return with your shoe?"

After everyone has marveled over the object and discussed whether it was very surprising or not, then it is your kid's turn.

"First return the object I brought out to its rightful place, and then surprise me with something. What will you bring back?"

This is one of Today Is Fun's kids games that is great for filling a little bit of time, or for when the kids are waiting at home. It saved the day recently as my boys and I were waiting for Mommy to get ready to go on an outing with us.

We are very interested to know: what will you bring back?

ages 2-7, good at home, good for a group, quick activity,

Sticks and Stones

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

ADDED August 05, 2008

 

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

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

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

ages 2-7, art supplies needed,

Animal Action

A game that gets the kids moving and exercising some creativity

ADDED July 23, 2008

I recently caught my lovely spouse playing this game with the kids.  I immediately decided to steal the idea and put it up on this site, as this activity fits with our theme this week (simple and fun) and it's a great way of expelling some of the kids' energy out before bed.

To do this one, you chant the following words:  

Animal action, animal action, animal action.

Everyone act like a __________.

And you fill in the name of the animal.  The kids' job, of course, is to make their bodies into the shape of the animal you named.  They then run around in that shape, making the noise of the animal.  

The point of this exercise is not accuracy.  In our house, elephants, octopuses and guinea pigs seem to resemble each other very closely (and they all seem to growl ferociously, too, for some reason).  Instead, the goal here is to look at the different things we can do with our bodies, and to get those bodies moving!

Have fun, but be careful.  You never know when you'll encounter a snarling octopus or a ferocious guinea pig.

ages 2-7, educational, good for a group, may rile them up, summer activity,

Eat It or Don't Eat It!

Yet another of our kids games that is easy, fun, and instructional

ADDED July 21, 2008

This is another very simple game. There is a certain, almost Zen-like beauty to the simplicity of this activity, as we'll explain in a moment...

You list a few things for your kids. They have to tell you "Eat it" or "Don't Eat It" for each. A plate of spaghetti, yes. An apple, yes. An entire house . . . absolutely not!

After your turn (try to rattle off about ten different items to ask about), your kids can take a stab at listing things for you to eat or don't eat.

Once your kids understand the concept, you can start to get tricky with them. For instance, "elbow pasta" is a favorite in our house. But just plain old elbows . . . don't try to eat those!

Of course, this is a very easy way to review for small children what people eat, and what they shouldn't. As a case in point, I always remind my little guy that crayons and Play Dough are on the "Don't Eat It!" list.

And now for the beauty of this game, as we mentioned above. The thing is, "Eat it or Don't Eat It!" is simple and engaging enough for small children that they can play it themselves, once you show them how. We have witnessed kids as young as four and two playing this game by themselves for ten to fifteen minutes at a time! And ah, what a sweet, peaceful, and relaxing ten to fifteen minutes that was.

Have fun, and at your next meal time, please stick to the "Eat It" list. No houses, no elbows, please.

 

ages 2-7, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, good for mealtimes, good for the car, no 'props' needed, verbal activity,

How Many Fingers Am I Holding Up?

A game for kids that helps little ones learn math concepts

ADDED July 20, 2008

This activity is another in our series about teaching numbers and counting.  And okay, it's pretty simple, we admit it.  Please don't demand your money back.  It really is a great, fun introduction to these concepts for little kids.

First, have the kids close their eyes. Then hold up a number of your fingers.  

"How many fingers am I holding up?" you ask.

Then your child guesses, while keeping eyes closed.  You respond to each guess with "More," "Less," or "Absolutely right!"

Once your kids get the concept, you can close your eyes and take a shot at guessing how many fingers they're holding up.

(During a recent run through of this game, my boy really surprised me.  After I guessed all the possible numbers - 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 - and was told that I was wrong every time, I opened my eyes to discover he was holding up all his fingers on both hands.  He was delighted, of course, and I was foiled again.)

Have fun playing this learning numbers game with your kids, but whatever you do, for your own safety and the safety of your self esteem, don't try to play this one with any teenagers!

ages 2-7, educational, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for mealtimes, quick activity, verbal activity,

The big performance.

The final act for this weeks activities

ADDED July 18, 2008

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

I hope you all made your puppets and worked out a little story with your child if you did not please click here and here for the activities.  

Now that the puppets are made and the story is ready it’s time to put all the pieces together for the big performance.  You can use something as simple as the back of a chair or couch for the stage really anything your kids can get behind will be perfect.
 
If you want to pop some popcorn have some drinks and light refreshments and when everybody is ready turn the lights down and enjoy the show. Cheer and have fun!

For those who are technically savvy record the show and post it on youtube.com.  That way if a special loved one can’t make it they will be able to see it. Or you can just record it to show on your TV I know my kids love to see themselves on TV.

Have a great weekend and let us know how its going remember to leave a comment or send us an email!  info@todayisfun.com

ages 2-7, good for a group, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity,

Tell that story!

An easy educational storytelling activity .

ADDED July 17, 2008

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

Yesterday I hope you all made your puppets if you did not please click here for the activity.  

Now that the puppets are made it is story time!  Using a few of the puppets you have created as inspiration work with your child to create a short story that they can act out with the puppets.  If your child is older they can even write it down so important plot points are not forgotten.  Don’t be to strict with the story part just have fun and encourage their creativity. Make it a conversation, I like to give them the tools and let them create. If they are stuck or only mildly interested, you can lead gently by asking questions, “Who is in your story, where are they and what are they doing?” That is really all I have to do just give a little boost and they are off and running.

Most stories at my house usually involve a lot of falling down, at least one talking animal and many of the stories take place at school.  I have also found that the stories tend to develop and change during the performance, kind of like jazz.  

Have fun and look for part three tomorrow!

Leave a comment or send us an email to let us what your story is about info@todayisfun.com

and don't forget to tell your friends about us!

ages 2-7, educational, good at home, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity,

Popsicle puppets.

An easy educational craft.

ADDED July 16, 2008

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

 

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

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

Counting everyday and everyway.

Daily fun with numbers.

ADDED July 15, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

ages 2-7, educational, good any time, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Fishing for fun.

Entertaining activity with rowdy results.

ADDED July 14, 2008

Here is a fun game you can play in the back yard, park or pool. All you need is a kid or two, bait and tackle not required.  

I start by saying, “ I think I am going to go fishing”.
I pretend to throw my line in the water and reel one of the fish in.
As my fish comes in I will ask it, “You don’t look like a fish what are you?”

This is the part I like, hearing what I have reeled in and believe it or not I have reeled in everything from an old shoe that claimed to be just my size to a white blood cell.

Since I am a catch and release fisherman now comes the part they like a gentle toss back into the ocean.

As the game continues I will mix it up and not throw back things that are interesting to encourage the kids to use their imagination. Once I even reeled in the Mayor, she seemed to be wise so I kept her for a while to help me decide what to do with my catches.

It is fun and educational. They get to use their imaginations and verbal skills as they listen to each other and think up more and more outlandish things for me to catch. And I also have a lot of fun listening to what I have caught.

Drop us a line and let us know what you catch info@todayisfun.com and remember Today is Fun!

ages 2-7, educational, good at home, good for a group, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity,

Red, White and Blue hunt.

Entertaining Game of finding the colors in the American flag.

ADDED June 30, 2008

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

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

 

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

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

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

ages 2-7, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Albert the Aardvark

A fun and funny way for kids to learn letters and alliterations

ADDED June 27, 2008

Ask your kids if they've met Albert the Aardvark. No? They haven't? How about Beulah the Beaver? (She's always quite busy, it seems.) Then there's Connie the Coyote and Donny the Duck-Billed Platypus.

The way our family plays this game is for the adult to supply the kids with the name, and then the kids come up with the animal. The game gets much more fun, you'll see, when your kids can provide both the name and the animal.

Even if your child can only invent gibberish names for the animals ("Frunko the Frog," for instance) as long as they are recognizing and repeating that first letter sound, it's still an approved answer in our book.

Have fun with those kids today, and say hello to Hortense the Hedgehog for us.

(For another fun alliterative word game check out one of our previous posts: Great Gadzooks!)

ages 2-7, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for mealtimes, good for the car, no 'props' needed, verbal activity,

Fun with Money

An old but entertaining standby: looking at and playing with coins

ADDED June 25, 2008

(This activity is for young kids, but only those old enough to be trusted with coins.  If your toddler tries to run down to the 7-11 and blow the money on candy, well then, he's not ready for this one.  Seriously though, if there's even a chance your child will put the coins in his or her mouth, hold off on this game.)

But if the kids in your house resemble the ones in mine, there are never enough toys on hand.  All the toys -- even the relatively new ones -- have been played with many times already.  So now what?

One idea is to take everyday objects and re-commission them for fun and learning.  For instance, in our house, we play with money.  Quarters, to be exact.

First of all, you're never too young to learn that guy is George Washington, and that he was a great person.  (And there is something incredibly cute about hearing your very young child say the name "George Washington.")

Second, on the other side of the coin, kids like to see the eagle.  Many quarters these days have swapped out that noble bird for other images, and those are fun to find, too.  For instance, did you know that the Oklahoma quarter depicts not an eagle, but a Scissortail Flycatcher?  (It's true.)  And that Colorado's shows some very impressive big mountains?  (Those would be the Rockies.)  More information on these special quarters is here.

Once you're done with the learning quarters have to offer, you'll find they also make fun objects for play.  You can roll them, spin them, or bounce them.  You can stack a handful of quarters and make a tower.  We like to hide a quarter among some blocks as a beginner's "magic trick."

They say money can't buy happiness, but playing with it for a while sure can be pretty fun.

How does your family learn about and play with money?  We'd like to know, so please email us here.

(Thanks to Today Is Fun reader Laurie March for suggesting this activity!  We always welcome fun and creative ways of keeping the little darlings happy and busy.)

ages 2-7, educational, good any time, good at home, see our disclaimer,

Weekend Reading: Tick-Tock, Drip-Drop!

An entertaining book about how hard it can be sometimes to go to sleep

ADDED June 21, 2008

Poor Rabbit just can't get to sleep. His friend Mole works hard to eliminate all the causes of the insomnia, stopping the ticking of the clock, putting the purring cat in another room, and so forth.

This book (Tick-Tock, Drip-Drop by Nicola Moon and illustrated by Eleanor Taylor) is highly recommended: the art is delightful and "warm." The story is pretty funny. And it contains some great onomatopoeia words for kids: the clock's tick-tock, the water's drip-drop, the garden gate's bang-bump.

My boys were thrilled when they discovered a somewhat subtle detail: in the background of one of the pages, the garden gate falls on top of Mole for a quick moment while he's trying to close it. They find this moment the peak of comedy!

As always, we don't want to give away any of the plot's twists and turns, but let's just say there's a lot of trouble and not a lot of sleeping.

 

Check it out from your local library, or get it from Amazon here.

 

Get some rest yourself this weekend. And have fun reading!

ages 2-7, educational, reading activity,

Water Painting

Part of our Summer activities series

ADDED June 16, 2008

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

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

Weekend Reading -- What Daddies Do Best

In honor of tomorrow's holiday, some fine reading for kids and Dads

ADDED June 15, 2008

What Daddies Do Best, by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, is a cute book showing some busy animals (who happen to be Dads and their kids) engaged in a lot of fun, together-time activities.

 

Some examples:

Daddies can teach you how to ride a bicycle.

They can give you a piggyback ride

and take care of you when you're sick.

Daddies can watch the sun set with you

Daddies can read you a bedtime story

and kiss you good-night.

As always, we don't want to give away any of the plot's twists and turns. You'll have to pick up a copy off Amazon or at your local library.

 

But no review of this book would be complete without letting you know that the really nice thing about it is that when you turn the book over, there is another story for you and your kids to read. This additional one is called What Mommies Do Best, and is just as cute, charming, and pro-parent.

 

Have some fun reading this weekend, and Happy Father's Day!

 

 

ages 2-7, good at home, good for a group, reading activity,

Throw for your dinner

A fun throwing game for kids that works indoors or out -- and the stakes are rather high

ADDED June 11, 2008

 

With summer coming in and temperatures on the rise, we're going to be providing some ideas about having fun outside. However, sometimes it's nice to stay indoors, out of the heat, and this idea is a physical activity that can work for those times, too. You can play it inside or out.

You'll need three to five tupperware of varying sizes and shapes. You'll also need one of your child's durable plastic toys that is about the size of their fist. In our house, we have some plastic toy vegetables that work perfectly.

Arrange the tupperware on the floor (or grass) a few feet away from your child. Tell them they can't move their feet, but they have to get the toy into one of the tupperware. Of course, they'll have to throw.

They get an unlimited number of chances.

Kids enjoy this activity. It seems to be the right amount of challenging for young kids: it's hard and requires some trying, but it's not too difficult.

To up the stakes a bit, I always tell my boys that they can't have any dinner unless they get the item in each of the