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!
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ages 2-7, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
share this postKIDS GAMES -- Find the Shape.
Fun game to help your kids learn shapes.
ADDED August 28, 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!
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ages 2-8, educational, good any time, good for a group, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
KIDS GAMES -- The human adding machine.
Fun family game that everyone can play.
ADDED August 27, 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!
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ages 2-8, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- WATCH THE CLOUDS.
Find shapes and learn a little science all at the same time.
ADDED August 25, 2008
A fun activity in these final days of summer is just sitting outside and watching the clouds. It is simple easy and clouds are almost always available to watch.
Today find some time to spend together outside looking at the clouds. Eat lunch outside or take an evening walk and look for animals, people or shapes in the clouds. If your kids are having trouble finding something in the clouds give them some silly suggestions of things to look for like, Grandma, the family pet or a teacher.
Here at TIF we love science and want to spread the love so while you are enjoying your time chatting and searching the skies if you see "puffy" or "cotton-like" clouds you can practice with your kids the scientific name for those clouds it is Cumulus. After all it’s never to early learn.
Commenting is easy and fun so let us know what your kids see in the clouds info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!
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ages 3-12, good any time, good for a group, 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!
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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, |
1,2,3 Quiet Game.
Quick game to help kids keep themselves quiet.
ADDED July 28, 2008
I am not sure who taught my kids this game, but I overheard it from the back of the car, and it is too good not to pass on. Try this game in the car, at dinner, even in a store when your little ones are getting a little too loud.
All I do is say "1,2,3 Quiet Game" and anyone within earshot must be quiet. Once the silence is broken by any noise at all the game is over and there are no winners or losers. Amazingly, this game has a very calming effect on the noise that a small group of children can generate.
This game is not just a game that adults lead. I also let the kids police the game: if someone is being too loud, all they need to say is "1,2,3, Quiet Game" and the other kid will quiet down. It works like magic.
The resulting silence, no matter how brief it may be, is nice.
Try it with your kids and let us know how it works! And don't forget we are always available at info@todayisfun.com!
Eat It or Don't Eat It!
Yet another of our kids games that is easy, fun, and instructional
ADDED July 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.
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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, |
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!
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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, |
From Where Do You Know?
A fun and simple quizzing game about your kids' favorite characters
ADDED July 11, 2008
Your kids know the characters from a number of different books and TV shows. This activity -- perfect for the car or when you're waiting somewhere -- involves reviewing all the characters and stories that your kids know.For example, in our house we watch shows and read books from Sesame Street, Bob the Builder, Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse, the Little Einsteins, Word World, Richard Scarry, and Winnie the Pooh. These shows and books have become the kids' favorites, and they watch the shows and read the books over and over again.
When we need to pass some time, I quiz the kids on all the characters and shows. I ask, "From where do you know Annie?" (Answer: Little Einsteins.) "From where do you know Tigger?" (From Winnie the Pooh, of course.)
The kids like to have their knowledge tested, and they like to review all their favorites. Sometimes, just to get their goat, you can make a preposterous statement ("Oscar the Grouch is a character on Bob the Builder") to see how your children respond.
When the kids are older and in high school, quizzes won't be quite this enjoyable for them. But for now, quiz away and have fun while it lasts!
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ages 3-12, good any time, good for the car, no 'props' needed, verbal activity, |
Lk, M! N vwls!
that is...Look, Ma! No vowels!
ADDED July 08, 2008
If your child doesn't know what vowels are, tell them: A, E, I, O, U, and (that's right), sometimes Y. For "phase 1" of this activity, you guys just might want to talk about the vowels each day for a week.Once your child gets the concept . . . it's time to get rid of those special letters. No more vowels for you!
In our house, we like to imagine a world with no vowels. We start with simple words, such as dog and cat. First, I ask my boys where the vowels are in each of those words, and once each has been identified, we spell the words *without* vowels: dog and cat become dg and ct. The most fun part of this exercise is trying to pronounce the words without vowels. (I think dog and cat sound like dug and kit, both sounding kind of clipped and pronounced with a lot of emphasis. I also find that I clench my teeth when uttering these vowel-less words.)
Then we start talking about family members, and what would happen to their names without vowels. Daddy and Mommy's names are especially difficult to pronounce without vowels, but we try anyway. (Three impassioned D sounds and three long Mmmm's, respectively.) We talk about our friend Paul, whose name is manageable and still sounds relatively Paul-like, but then we discuss Alicia and Ana, whose names sound nothing like they do with all of their vowels.In our house, things generally break down from there, and the kids want to talk about every word without its proper allotment of vowels. It really is dctnl and fn, but sometimes a bit xhstng! (educational, fun, exhausting!)
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ages 4-12, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, 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!
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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!)
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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.)
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ages 2-7, educational, good any time, good at home, see our disclaimer, |
Have you ever seen a PoodleRex?
Word jumble silliness!
ADDED June 20, 2008
Kids are always pretending to be animals. At any time a zoo full of hamsters, hyenas or hippopotami can be found thundering thru the house. The question that always comes up is, “Dad, what kind of animal do you want to be?” I usually choose hippopotamus because they float around, listen to the zookeeper (my daughter) and don’t get into a lot of trouble.
But sometimes when posed with this question what I’ll do is take two animals and create a new animal. It is really simple, take the first part of one animal and combine it with the last part of another animal and presto you have the fearsome ham-opotamus, the deadly hip-yena or the poorly behaved hy-ster.
Try this idea in the car or at the dinner table. It is fun with sound effects and acting (I always encourage gentle acting), but I love to see their imaginations light up when one of these mythical creatures appear
Here is a list of my favorites The Rabburtle (Rabbit and Turtle), Buffmunk (Buffalo and Chipmunk) and Rhinokey (Rhino and Monkey) are all favorites. And in my sons mind nothing is better then the ferocious PoodleRex (Tyrannosaurus Rex and Poodle) I just wish we could house break him!
Next time you are asked, “what animal do you want to be” Let us know what you and you kids come up with. We are just an email away info@todayisfun.com or leave a comment.
Portable Game Books
Print out these handy games for anytime fun.
ADDED June 05, 2008
The other day I was looking for a simple organizer that I could print out and fold into a small pocket size to do list. I happened upon this very handy little organizer at
http://www.pocketmod.com/v2/
and as I looked thru the options for coordinating my life I found you could make little books of Tic-Tack-Toe, Dots and Boxes or a Blank Page for Doodling even little frames to make your own stories in, all you have to do is print, fold and cut to create a little portable game book to take anywhere. I immediatley printed some out and put them to use.
They really are a lot of fun and super simple to make. We have been playing a game of Dots and Boxes after dinner for the past 3 nights (this game can be very long) and the Tic-Tac-Toe book really came in handy during a recent Doctors visit and I can’t wait to use the Doodling book at a restaurant very soon.
I made five little booklets to print and take. I really like them. Let me know what you think!
Click link below to download in pdf format and print!
1) Tic-Tac-Toe
2) Dots and Boxes
3) ½ Tic-Tac-Toe & ½ Dots and Boxes
4) Blank pages for coloring
5) Make your own story
If you are having trouble folding the paper look here for a quick primer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAb31rIeGZo
and if you forgot the rules of Tic-Tac-Toe look here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic-tac-toe
also if you are not quite sure how to play Dots and Boxes look here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dots_and_Boxes
and of course you can always email us here to let us know how it’s going.
info@todayisfun.com
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ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, longer activity, quick activity, verbal activity, |
A lot, a little, or so-so
A simple, entertaining way of finding kids' favorite things
ADDED May 27, 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).
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ages 2-8, good any time, good for a group, good for the car, no 'props' needed, verbal activity, |
Fun with Vowel Sounds
Entertain the kids with their own mouths (and have them learn a little in the process)
ADDED May 26, 2008
Kids like to play with anything at hand and sometimes what is at hand is, well, a face.
At some point during childhood, everybody hears the old wives' tale: "don't make that kind of funny face or it will stick that way." Well, these funny faces won't stick, but the educational benefit here just might.
If your kids don't know already, list for them all the vowels: A, E, I, O, and U. (Sometimes Y.)
Then, you and your kids make the different vowel sounds: an A, an E, an O sound, and so forth. Part of the fun of this activity is looking at how your mouths are shaped for each sound: an O sound, of course, makes a circle of course, but what does a A do? In our house, we think an A stretches your lips, and an E really stretches your mouth!
It's learning and it's fun. And we hope that your kids will say, "Oh, this is A great time. Yip-EE!"
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ages 3-12, educational, good any time, good for the car, quick activity, verbal activity, |
Great Gadzooks
Alphabetical word fun.
ADDED May 23, 2008
My kids are learning all about words at school, and lately I have seen their vocabulary increase greatly. What I do to encourage bigger words and a broader vocabulary is play a game I call “Great Gadzooks.”
It is slightly challenging and definitley something that makes them think but it can be played anywhere. The results are always hilarious.
All you need is a little imagination and some word power. You start at the beginning of the alphabet and use a adjective and a noun that start with the letter A. For example, ”Awesome Apples” or “Arabian Ant,” then the game moves on to the next person. They will use the letter B for their turn, they follow suit using the same adjective and noun formula, ”Burned Bananna” or “Bouncy Blanket” -- the more outlandish the better. The next person follows with the letter C then D and so on. Some letters do get hard but we have a few "go to" words that we will use for I,V,X,Y and Z (email me if you need some help with those letters).
It is always fun. For some reason “Vacuuming Vipers” always gets a huge laugh and “Marvelous Mom” elicits cheers of joy. Let me know what makes you and your kids laugh. It would be great to read some of your "Colorful Comments".
Stroller Patrol
Finding something obvious helps keep kids occupied
ADDED May 22, 2008
Sometimes when you and your kids go somewhere fun or somewhere that’s geared for kids, there’s some waiting that must be endured, too. For instance, if you’ve ever been to Disneyland (which is fun for kids) there are occasionally some lines to wait in (less fun.)
One way I keep my kids entertained is to deputize them into Stroller Patrol. When I can tell that the waiting in line has started to wear thin, I proclaim, “Okay, people. I need to account for every single stroller here! Who can help me find a stroller?” Since we’re at place for kids, there are always a good number of strollers. Soon my kids are scanning and surveying the area, eagerly adding up the number of kid carriages. Usually there is a lot of crowd movement at these places, and the number of strollers in view is constantly fluctuating. Which is good. I need an accurate count, at all times.
Stroller Patrol is a very important and time-consuming job, and no deputy has time to be at loose ends.
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ages 2-7, good any time, no 'props' needed, quick activity, verbal activity, |
Fill in the blank
A simple, fun game to help pass the blank.
ADDED May 20, 2008
You say the first two words of a phrase your child knows, and wait for the blank to be filled in.For instance, “Grandma and Blank.” (Answer: Grandpa.)
“Brush your blank.” (Answer: teeth.)
“Stars and blank.” (Answer: stripes.)
Kids quickly pick up on how this game works, and are eager to provide the right answer. Mine are so enthusiastic at times, in fact, that they’re trying to fill in the blank before I’ve fully told them the clues. This leads to occasional mishaps such as “Grandma and Teeth”…which everyone seems to enjoy.
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ages 2-7, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, Good for bathtime, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
Bigger or Smaller
Have fun estimating everything.
ADDED May 19, 2008
My kids are always comparing sizes of things. I frequently hear things like,” I am tall enough for this” or “I am big enough to do that” or the ever popular, ”but mine is the smallest”. What they don’t realize is that they are estimating. So to keep the estimation party going in a positive way I will ask them questions about what things they see around them and have them estimate the answers.I will ask, ”what building, tree or flag pole is taller?” “What car do you think is heavier?” Or I will say, “What line has the most people?”
I think it helps expand their vocabulary and encourage critical thinking. Besides who doesn’t like to guess which line will move faster at the market? Somehow I always chose the slowest.
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ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
An Animal, A Place, And Something You Can Touch
A custom tale just for your kid -- what could be more entertaining?
ADDED May 16, 2008
Ask your child to tell you three things: an animal, a place, and a thing that "you can touch."With these three bits of information, it is very easy to create a story. And your child will be enthralled to hear the suggestions molded into the story.
Here's an example that happened in our house the other day. For an animal, my boy said an antelope. The place was a market and the "thing you can touch" was a cactus.
I told a story about Andrew the Antelope (always give the characters in your stories names--kids like that. You could also pause the story to ask your child for the name as well). Well, Andrew the Antelope went to the market with his Mom. He wanted to run and jump around the store (as antelopes are wont to do), but his mom told him to calm down and to be careful, please! Well, Andrew the Antelope didn't listen, and in one big jump, almost landed on a - that's right - potted cactus.
With the three details already in mind, it was easy to tell the story. And my kids loved it. (Except they felt the story could have been improved if the antelope had actually fallen onto the cactus.)
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ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, good for the car, verbal activity, |
Animal Automobiles
Kids have fun thinking up appropriate vehicles for our furry friends
ADDED May 15, 2008
If animals could get around in cars and trucks, what would they choose to drive?
If you'd like to know the answer to this philosophical question, just ask your kids.
But before you do, you might want to give them these examples:
A snake would drive a long green car, and you really wouldn't be able to see the wheels.
A snail would drive a little truck with a beige cab and a dark brown back. And oh, it would drive really slowly.
A frog's car would be quite green, and it would make its passengers bounce around.
A monkey's brownish car would drive pretty quickly all over the place, and its wheels would really chatter.
You get the idea. It is guaranteed to hold a pre-schooler's attention.
And please, let's encourage all these creatures to drive slowly and to respect the road!
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ages 2-7, good any time, no 'props' needed, quick activity, verbal activity, |
Olden Days
Good times with the way-back machine.
ADDED May 08, 2008
This isn’t so much a game or activity, as a great topic for conversation. It’s fun, too.Kids naturally like learning about the world about them—everything is new and exciting. When your kids reach a certain age (four or five?) they can begin to understand this concept: that in Olden Days, a lot of things didn’t exist—a lot of things that kids are used to seeing.
When I first told this to my kids, they thought it was a bizarre concept: there didn’t used to be cars? Or TV? Or Barney the Dinosaur?
My kids like guessing what was around in Olden Days, and what wasn’t. (“Were there leopards in Olden Days, Daddy?”)
Just be careful around touchy grandmothers. You, not your innocent child, will get blamed if a touchy grandmother is asked, “Were there horses in Olden Days, Grandma?”
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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, |
The perfect toy
Who needs toys when you have a box
ADDED May 06, 2008
We all know that kids love boxes but here are some other uses that you
may not have thought of. So I now present a list of possible uses for a
box. This list is not exhaustive and let us know how a box can
entertain your little ones.
Make it into a…
Rocket ship
Transportation for a Queen
Race car
Decorate it for…
Birthdays
Thanksgiving
Hanukkah
Christmas
Put your…
Toys in it
Pet in it
Brother in it
Wear it as a…
Suit of Armor
Big shoe
Hat
Ride it…
On a blanket (wood floors required)
On a skateboard (helmet and pads required)
To a Drive-in Movie in your living room
Make it into a…
Stage for a Puppet show
Hospital for sick stuffed animals
Garage for cars
Use it as a…
Stove for cooking
Table for eating
Throne for a King
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ages 2-7, good any time, good for home, longer activity, may rile them up, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
On the go hairdo
Did you know how entertaining hair care can be?
ADDED May 05, 2008
I don’t really spend time doing my hair, or doing my kids’ hair. There are about a million other things in life to do, before I get to those chores.But when we’re waiting in line, or at the check out, it helps to pass the time to get out some hair care products.
Of course, I don’t really have any. But I make my hand into a ‘comb,’ and ask, “Who needs a good combing?” My kids volunteer, and I ‘comb’ their hair with my fingers. They think it feels weird, and kind of tickles.
Then I offer to use the hair dryer on them (a contraption that has always held a certain fascination for my kids.) Making a loud, hair drying noise, I quickly move their hair around with my fingers and hands.
Then it’s time for some goop—a necessary end to the process.