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.
 

In one hour

What time will it be?

ADDED October 08, 2009

Learning to tell time is hard.  Unlike the rest of the math kids learn, clocks are based not on tens and hundreds, but rather sixty.  There are sixty minutes in an hour.  Throw in AM and PM, digital and analog clocks, and kids can get easily confused.  Since we don't have six fingers, telling time can make for a tough time. (Ha! Tough time.)

So we have invented a game that can pass the time while learning about time.  You can play it just about anywhere, as long as a clock is handy.  I was able to ease my kids into telling time and get their curiosity reving all at the same time.  (Ha! Same time.)

First I started by asking my kids, "What time will it be in one hour?"  I tried to ask this question after 1 pm because it was easier for them to answer correctly.  If it was 1:15 pm, in an hour it would be 2:15 pm -- easy and fun.  Then I would try to challenge them by asking, "If it was 9:27 what time will it be in an hour?"  They became professionals in no time at all. (Ha! No time.)  As their time-telling skills improved, I would ask, "What time will it be in ten minutes?" or five minutes and even one minute.  

It was a good time for all (Ha! Good Time.)  And my kids can now tell time with the best of them (if you see one of my kids, please ask for the time).  I like to think their fine abilities are in part thanks to this simple activity.  Try it today if you have the time! (Ha! Have the time.) 

Is it time for this post to end? (Ha! Good times.)

 

Happy Halloween!

ADDED October 31, 2008

 

We've given you some fine, spooky Halloween ideas this week.  

Here are a couple of other quick thoughts to pass the time before trick-or-treating:

•  For breakfast, whip up some ghost-shaped pancakes.  (If you're so inclined, when the first side is mostly cooked -- and before you flip the pancake -- insert two chocolate chips for eyes.  This will be a big hit.)

•  Ghost sock puppets are the easiest to make . . . because you really can just use white socks.  If you have some old socks on hand, you could cut eyes.  Easy!  Make one ghost sock puppet for your child and one for yourself.  Have a ghost tête a tête.

•  For lunch or an afternoon snack, make some Haunted Eggs.

•  Play one of our popular games from earlier in the year:  Monster Class.

•  Show your kids the old flashlight-under-the-chin trick.  A fun combination of spooky and goofy.  

Have a happy, fun, and safe Halloween!

Extremely Spooky Baby Ghost Decoration

Made out of newspaper. Oh, and did we mention the word "spooky?"

ADDED October 28, 2008

 

Alright, we're not promoting this as ground-breakingly new or anything.  It's a craft, and it may ring a bell in your brain somewhere.

But it's fun, it's good for Halloween, and it's both cheap and easy.  Come on, people: work with us here!

Here's what you do:  Step One. Grab the newspaper and remove one "sheet."  This is one piece of paper, two full pages connected (and separated by a fold.)  This will be the ghost's body.  Spread it out on the table or floor.

Step Two. Have your child crumble up other pages from the newspaper.  Amass a certain number of them (let's say seven pieces, and let's say that your child is in charge of counting to make sure that number is what's there).  These will be the 'stuffing' for the head.

Step Three. Now, in one smooth, graceful move, gather the 'sheet' up around the 'stuffing' to create the head.  The rest of the sheet will droop down and become the ghost's body.  Use a piece of string or a rubber band to keep the stuffed head separate from the body.  Have your child draw some eyes and a mouth.  Use another piece of string to hang the ghost from an appropriate ceiling light or chandelier.

Will you have created something that you and your child will treasure for years?  Is this something that will become the envy of your neighbors?  Hmmm, probably not.  But will it be a fun way to pass some time for you and your child?  And something that your child enjoys?  Yes, it will.  

And you will enjoy your new spooky baby ghost as a beloved additional family member for the rest of the week!

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!

Kids' Car Exercise

What better place to get their hearts pumping?

ADDED October 13, 2008

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

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

So, get those kids exercising in the back seat. 

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

(kid in car seat photo by raybdbomb)

Your own Freaky Friday!

Fun weekend bedtime activity.

ADDED October 10, 2008

Weekend bedtime is a great time to play this fun game.  (The weekend part for this suggestion is key, because it might rile your little ones up just a bit.)  But the joy on my kids' faces makes any rowdiness well worth it.

This game started one night as my lovely wife and I were putting our kids to sleep.  My beautiful spouse said, "Can you put me to sleep instead? Can you two be the Mom and Dad?"  Being the opportunists all kids are when it comes to staying up late, both kids in unison said, "OK!"  They quickly turned off the lights and closed the door, leaving the room dark.
 
I could see their shadows under the door wondering what they should do. They were the parents now. What exactly do parents do after the door closes?
 
I waited a few seconds and started to cry, then asked for water and said I was scared. Each statement caused a flurry of activity:  water was poured, questions were asked, hugs were given -- and each time the light went off very quickly and the door was closed.

Then I would get out of bed, and they would gently put me back in.  My wife would lose her blanket, and they would find it.   I would ask if I could eat a fried egg, and they would tell me it was best to eat eggs in the morning. It was so much fun, we played for about 10 minutes, and then the real parents put the real kids to bed.
 
My kids had a lot of fun pretending to be the parents, and they ask at least once a week if they can put me to bed.   Most of the time I say, "No, Not tonight, its to late."  But when I do say yes, they are thrilled.
 
Try tonight and have your own Freaky Friday style fun.  And try to stay in bed, okay?

Beware the Bopper!

A semi-magical method of ousting kids' extra energy

ADDED October 03, 2008

 

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!

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!

Backwards Breakfast

Mix up breakfast -- no blender required!

ADDED September 22, 2008

As we all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and here at TIF we agree but we also think that breakfast should be fun. So try this entertaining idea today and show your kids what a Backwards Breakfast is.

We all know what backwards day is (the hilarious joke that is played on playgrounds worldwide) however until a few days ago I was not sure what a Backwards Breakfast was. Thankfully my daughter made up this idea and shared it with me. Now we will have a Backwards Breakfast a few times a week.

So as parents all you have to do is ask your kids if they want a backwards breakfast.  Then put the cereal where the toast and fruit should go and put the toast and fruit where the cereal goes. This is what it looked like at my house.

Let us know what your Backwards Breakfast looked like at
info@todayisfun.com.

How to Entertain Kids -- Submarine Team

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

ADDED September 14, 2008

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kids Entertainment - - Find the Quarter

Make waiting for a table a little more enjoyable.

ADDED September 10, 2008

While waiting for a table the other day at one of our favorite eateries, the kids started getting a little anxious. That was when this game was invented: find the quarter.  It is very easy to play and can pass 10 minutes of time for only 25¢.  That is cheaper than some parking meters.

Here is how you do it:  take out 1,2 or 4 quarters and secretly hide them around the waiting area.  Put them in potted plants, under newspapers near your chair anywhere you think will be a good hiding spot. Then tell the kids there is a quarter for each of them hidden somewhere in the waiting area and they need to find it. Make sure you tell them the boundaries of your hiding area and set them free.  

You will get at least 5 minutes of peace while they're searching if you let the group start their hunt at the same time, even longer if you have your kids hunt one at a time. And if you are short on quarters whoever finds the quarter gets to hide it next time.

Try it today and leave us a comment letting us know “Who found the quarter.:

Childrens Books -- Mozart Finds A Melody

We took the Summer off, but now our popular weekly book reviews are back for the school year!

ADDED September 05, 2008

Whatever you might think about classical music, this book is definitely fun.  It's Mozart Finds A Melody by Stephen Costanza.  Mozart is depicted in his youth, and the art here is quite cute.  

And in this book, Mozart is frazzled and having a problem:  he can't think of a tune.  Luckily his pet bird -- and the nearby baker and a rattling cart and many other hustle bustle city noises -- provides him with inspiration.

Just when things are looking up for Mozart, he loses his little pet, much to his chagrin.  There are twists and turns (we don't want to give away the surprise ending), but suffice to say, Mozart manages to deliver some music.  And there may be a happy reunion involved.

Play some of our kids games, take a moment to read to your kids, and have a great weekend.

KIDS GAMES -- Find the Shape

Fun game to help your kids learn shapes

ADDED August 27, 2008

Here at TIF we like to think that every day holds an opportunity for learning.  We also like to take every teachable moment and make it fun.  Today’s entertaining game is a great idea called Find the Shape.  It is simple and easy all at once.  It also can even help little ones learn shapes.

First find a willing player or players and second look for a shape that is easy to find.  Look for something big to start with that has an easily identifiable shape like a rectangular door or a round table.  And ask your kids to find the shape.  Then your kids can take turns trying to Find the Shape.

I will also add a few variations to the game to keep my kids on their toes.  I will ask them to Find the color or Find the empty table or even Find the guy in the red and white striped shirt.  It’s just another one of the great Kids Games we love!

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 - 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!

The Big Show

Fun behind the couch, or around the corner

ADDED July 09, 2008

Okay, the whole point of this site is to help you entertain the kids -- without being "on" all day.  We want you to get the kids going on an entertaining activity, and then get five or ten minutes to do something else yourself during that time, if you want.

At first, today's idea might sound like it would have the opposite effect.  It might sound as if you are going to be in for a lot of creative and physical effort.  Well, you might be at first.  But really try to let the kids take over.  You'll see what we mean in a minute ...

You're going to do a show for the kids.  (Or, if it helps, think of this as telling them a story and using some of their stuffed animals to help you.)

Find a place to have the kids sit down (it can be on the floor, of course) and a place where you can get out of sight and yet show them the animals.  Behind a sofa works great, or you could even do this just outside a room, hiding yourself a bit around the corner.  

If you find it's a lot of work to come up with a story, don't worry.  First, many stories for kids can be quite simple.  You could tell a story about an animal who lost something very special, who looked here, there and everywhere to find it, and who then did find it!  If you're not in the mental place to invent a story, you can re-tell or read one of the kids' books to them.  Don't kill yourself--try to make it easy for yourself.

We've found this is an amazing way to settle the kids down, especially when they've got a lot of rambunctious energy before bed.  And for those of you who feel guilty occasionally turning on the TV for the kids, notice that this isn't TV!

 

And now the payoff:  once the kids see how fun and funny the show is . . . they'll want to present you with a show of their own!  So get a drink, put your feet up, and enjoy the show. 

4th of July party hat.

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

ADDED June 30, 2008

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

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

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

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

Weekend Reading -- Racer Dogs

A rousing and rowdy race makes for some fun reading with the kids

ADDED June 27, 2008

A group of dogs, each with its own unique personality, participate in a fast and frenzied car race.

The dogs -- Jack, Trixie, Wags and Stinky among others -- furiously jockey for lead position. (Racer Jack has a habit of mistakenly driving the wrong way, leading to some big problems for everyone.)

The art here is enormously pleasing, and there are many fun details to study. For instance, as the cars speed across each page, you can see a busy, cute supporting character, Pizza Pooch, making deliveries on his scooter.

The story of the race, while completely enjoyable, isn't the main focus. Really, the fun of the book comes from finding all the characters on each page, and seeing what they're up to as the race goes on.

We can't tell you which of these canines takes the big prize (we don't want to give away any plot twists), but suffice to say, it's a hair-raisingly, breath-takingly, and tail-waggingly fun outcome.

Read to those kids, and have a great weekend.

Monster Class

A fun activity for kids that may involve some growling and howling

ADDED June 22, 2008

This is creative, physical and fun: Have a "Monster Class" with your kids.

You and your kids will all march around the house or backyard like monsters.

But first, you'll need to be the teacher and show the kids how. There are three things to know about monsters:

(1) Each kind of monster walks in its own, special way. ("Big step, little step" is a favorite walk in our house. Also: "stomp, stomp, stomp.")

(2) Each kind of monster does something interesting with its hands and arms as it moves. (Waving arms and claws around, for example.)

(3) And of course, each kind of monster makes a very unique and often unusual noise.

Demonstrate each of those things to your little ones and lead them in practicing how to be monsters. Then, each of the kids can have a turn being the teacher, and you can be the student.

If your child isn't "into" monsters, then you can have "Animal Class" (highly recommended), "Princess Class," "Pirate Class," or "Robot Class."

No matter what, fun is on the curriculum today, and all monsters will get high marks for their efforts!

Sticker Story.

An activity that is sure to stick.

ADDED June 16, 2008

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

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

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

The Eggs are gone, but the fun has just begun

Make recycling items into toys

ADDED June 02, 2008

 

The other day my beautiful wife was cleaning out the refrigerator and putting away some groceries.  She set aside and empty egg carton for recycling.  Our daughter asked if she could have the carton.

 

“I could paint it and make it into a ride for some of my toys," she said.

 

“Great idea," I said.  And that is exactly what she did.

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

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

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

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

Weekend Reading -- Is There Room on the Feather Bed?

An entertaining book: Why bless your hearts!

ADDED May 30, 2008

This is a delightfully charming book for young ones:  Is There Room on the Feather Bed? by Libba More Gray and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott.

The story involves a wee fat woman and her many animals (a green-headed goose, a wooly white sheep, a fat pink pig, and so on).  Sadly, the group excludes a small plump skunk from joining in their fun.  They don't think the skunk's aroma is up to snuff.

A major rainstorm begins to dump water on the animals.  Then this happens, that happens (we don't want to give away any plot twists, of course) and in the end, the animals accept the small plump skunk as a friend.  Which we think is a nice example for kids.

Along the way, the characters utter some lovely rhymes, such as:

"Why bless your hearts,
such a noise, such a fuss.
There's room on the feather bed
for all of us."

The book also helps introduce young ones to adjectives.  Well, the word "adjective" never appears in the book--and that's probably for the best.  But there are a lot of good adjectives used to describe the characters (small plump skunk, grinning gray cat, etc.), and the story will introduce your kids to the idea of description words.

And really, can't we all get along?  No matter how we smell?

Play some, read some, and have a great weekend with your kids.

A lot, a little, or so-so

A simple, entertaining way of finding kids' favorite things

ADDED May 26, 2008

 

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

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

It's that easy.

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

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

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

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

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