Characteristics

Quirky Coloring Fun

ADDED September 29, 2008

Occasionally when you suggest that your child spend some time coloring or drawing, you will hear this response:  "Yeah, but I don't know what to draw" or "I don't feel like coloring anything."

Try this activity then, which we call "Characteristics."  It is one of our absolute, all-time favorite kids games.  We think it's fun, do-able, and creative.

Step One.  Have your kid choose a 'thing' to draw.

This thing could be anything that captures your kid's interest: a princess, a pirate, a monster or Mommy.  A supermarket or a superhero, a garden or a gargoyle.  Really, anything!

For example, let's say your kid wants to draw "a funny monster."

Step Two .  You and your kid(s) take turns thinking up characteristics of the "thing."  Write down each.

Here are some characteristics we came up with for "a funny monster:"

1.  Has long pointy hair
2.  Big pointy things coming out of his toes -- the same as a T. Rex
3.  Ears that stick out
4.  Curly curvy horns on his head.

 

Step Three.  Once you've made a list of ten characteristics or so, go back through and read each one out loud.  Have your child draw each characteristic you read until the 'thing' takes shape.

We play this almost every day in our house and find it an enormous "crowd pleaser."  It gets the kids' brains thinking and their fingers conjuring up art.

And there's an added benefit: you can show off around the pre-school by having your kid explain to other parents the meaning of the word 'characteristic.'

 

Magnificent Micro World

Small things look really cool with a magnifying glass.

ADDED September 26, 2008

Here at TIF, we usually don't encourage buying things. We like free and are big fans of recycling and re-purposing.  But something we think every child should have is a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass opens up a tiny world that, unless you are looking closely, would go completely unnoticed.
 
Start your magnifying glass experiments with salt and sugar.  With the naked eye, both salt and sugar appear to be similar, but under the awesome power of a magnifying glass they could not be more different.  Have your kids look at the salt and sugar on black paper for maximum contrast, and they will be amazed at the differences in shape and texture.  If your kids are not old enough for this kind of experimentation, help them look at stamps, money, or even photographs under a magnifying glass's incredible power, and see what you have been missing.  Then once they understand how a magnifying glass works, turn them loose to find their own small world.
 
 Enjoy the small today! 

info@todayisfun.com

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- MAKE A PARACHUTE

Learn about gravity and how to defy it

ADDED September 25, 2008

My kids and I made these really cool parachutes a few days ago.  They are nothing fancy -- just a paper towel, some string and small toy to go along for the ride.  But they are a lot of fun and really easy to build. So I put together a little how-to with pictures so that you and your kids can follow along and build this incredible and almost free toy.

I like this activity because once I showed my kids how to build the parachute, they were able to make it themselves (over and over again).  

It is a fun activity something they can do to entertain themselves. Try it this weekend.

info@todayisfun.com

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- VEGETABLE POWER!

Make dinner a little more interesting when your kids pick the sides.

ADDED September 24, 2008

We all have heard these words: "But I don't like to eat that."  Of course this is usually referring to some kind of vegetable that is very healthy but less than enticing to a young child.  So we have an idea that will bring a little adventure to your next trip to the market and maybe, just maybe, get your pickiest of eaters to eat their vegetables.
 
On your way to the market, tell your kids that you need a little help picking the vegetables for dinner and that you want them to choose what you are going to eat.  Give them what I call the "Vegetable Power," meaning that they get to pick what powerful vegetables you will eat for dinner.

I let them chose a vegetable from the produce section that is either green, yellow, orange or red -- and what they pick we all have to eat. (Incidentally, what they pick my lovely wife also has to cook!)  We have recently eaten delicious baby corn, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, sugar snap peas and kabocha with very little complaining.
 
It seems that if I include my kids in the vegetable decision-making process, they are more willing to try something new (and I hear a lot less complaining.  Even when someone chooses brussel sprouts.)  Vegetable Power!
 
Show us your Vegetable Power! by leaving a comment or sending an email to
info@todayisfun.com

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- STICKY NOTE TREASURE HUNT

Follow the Squares to the Fun

ADDED September 23, 2008

In most houses you can find those free pads of sticky notes from local realtors or doctors' offices. They are helpful for love notes, shopping lists, and doodling. But here at TIF we have created another use for them. Why don’t you turn your kids loose with a stack and let them create a Sticky Note Treasure Hunt.

All that your kids need to do to create an awesome Sticky Note Treasure Hunt is write a short note guiding you from one location to the next until you reach the Treasure.  If they are too young to write you can help with the directions and then go on the hunt with them.

Here are a few things that your kids could make a Sticky Note Treasure Hunt for:

Dinner. Make a map that starts at the front door, goes into the bathroom and finishes at the dinner table.

A bike ride. Make a map that starts in the bedroom goes to the backyard and finishes on a bike in the garage where you can go for a ride.

Your brother (or sister). Make a map that starts on the dinning room table, goes into the bedroom, outside to the mailbox and finishes on your brother (or sister) if you can catch them.

We really like this idea because all that is needed is a pad of sticky notes and a little imagination.  Here are a few highlight photos from several hunts that took place at my house the other day.

info@todayisfun.com.

Backwards Breakfast

Mix up breakfast -- no blender required!

ADDED September 22, 2008

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

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

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

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

Sidewalk Chalk Maze

Tricky, a-mazing fun!

ADDED September 18, 2008

Last week we reminded you of a tried-and-true way to entertain kids:  hopscotch.  Well, if you've got some extra sidewalk chalk handy, here's another fun way to keep the kids busy outside.

Making sidewalk mazes is pretty easy, and doesn't require too much forethought or planning.  You can do it on the fly.  Just be sure to draw "corridors" that are wide enough for kids to navigate, with clear lines for the "walls."  

To make the maze more tricky for older kids, be sure to create a lot of crossroads and dead-ends.

To make nice, straight lines, use a long piece of string tied to two rocks.  Use the rocks to keep the string tight, and draw along its length.

And really, this site is about things for kids to do, not about more work for their parents.  So to the extent they are able, have your kids help in the construction of the maze.  Older kids can plan and draw the twists and turns.  Younger kids can have input as to where the corridors should go, whether or not there should be a dead end, and what color chalk should be used.  

(It doesn't take long to make a maze.  We made one that covered our driveway and sidewalk, and it took one adult and one little kid about 30 minutes.)

Have fun walking in the maze.  Please don’t email us if you get stuck in a dead end—have one of your children help you out!

One Year Time Capsule

Some patience required

ADDED September 17, 2008

 

A year is a big chunk of time, especially for younger kids.  To them, a year feels like a decade.  Here's a way to make the passing of time into a fun activity for kids and parents alike:  create a one-year time capsule.

The concept is pretty straightforward:  you and your child should put aside "some stuff" and review it in a year.

You'll need a box, of course.  A shoe box would be perfect.  A big tupperware would work well, too.

Now, it would be an obvious dumb move to take your kid's favorite things and put them beyond reach for a year.  That would not please your young constituents.

Instead, it might be a better idea to take pictures of the favorite things, and put those into the box.  So, as part of this activity, ask your child what five (or ten) things he or she would like pictures of, to remember and review in a year's time.

Also, we've created a special Time Capsule Questionnaire for you to fill out with your kids (with questions like "What is your favorite thing to do inside?" and "What is your favorite food?")  Download it by clicking here, then print it out, interview your child, and add it to the Time Capsule.

Put the Capsule aside for a year.  Make yourself a note so you'll remember the day when you can open it.  

In a year, you and your child will be able to review similarities and differences.  And you'll both be able to reminisce a bit.

(We'll give extra Today Is Fun points out to any parent who actually buries their child's Time Capsule in a yard.  If you are up to this extra step -- one that is sure to excite your kids -- place the contents of the Capsule in a sealable plastic bag, and then wrap the outside of a box in a sturdy bag, too.)

Have some fun.  All year long.

Kids Games -- Ice Cube Experimentation

Your kids' boredom will just melt away . . .

ADDED September 16, 2008

 

Ready, Scientists?   It's time to do an experiment.  Today we're going to see how quickly ice cubes melt in different locations around the house.

Before you get the ice cubes from the freezer, there's some prep work for you and your kids to do.

First, you'll want to name each ice cube, so you and your kids can refer to them easily.

So take five or six little bits of scrap paper (those free notepads realtors are always leaving on your doorstep work well), and write a name on each piece.  These names really could be anything your child wants: Ice Cube "J" or "giraffe" or "ginger" or even gibberish. As always, you can delegate this writing / art-making task to your kids.

Now you're ready to take five or six ice cubes from the freezer, and have your kids drop each one into a plastic cup, bowl or tupperware.  Put each ice cube and its identifying sign in different places around the house.  Go for different temperatures and different amounts of light:  in the backyard, in the shade, in the coolest, darkest room of your house, etc.  

After ten minutes, have your little scientists check on the progress of each cube.  Which ones are the most "melty?"  Which are the least?

You can take another piece of paper and record your findings on it.

When we did this in my house, there was a lot of interest and enthusiasm.  My kids ran from cube to cube, checking each and yelling out their findings, "Ice Cube Jake is really melted!"  "Ice Cube Zaw Zot isn't melted at all!"  (What can I say?  My kids were encouraged to come up with their own names for these things.)   "The dog is trying to drink Ice Cube Mommy!"

Yes, science is fun and exciting.  Just try to avoid having one of your excited little scientists kick over a melty ice cube onto the living room floor.
 

How to Entertain Kids -- Free Fabulous Signs

Coloring and communication fun

ADDED September 15, 2008

 

Coloring is a fun and easy activity. And it is good exercise for your childrens' creativity . . . so why not work it into every day?

As you may have noticed, many of our daily ideas involve a twist on coloring and drawing.  We think this kind of artwork enhances any other kids' activity.

Here are some signs for you to print and for your kids to color.  These coloring pages are meant to be fun for your kids, and they're supposed to add to other fun activities around your house. 

During reading time, hang up the colored "Reading Quiet" sign.  When playing with stuffed animals, our "Animal Area" sign could add to the fun.  And our "Big Show" sign will help for any puppet show, play, or spectacle your kids want to present.

 

Click below to download the signs:

 • Science Experiment Area:  Look out we're learning!

 

 • Please try to be quiet.  Some READING is happening.

 

 • Cooking in Progress.  If it smells good, that's why.

 

 • Careful!  Workers are working and this area is very dangerous and possibly wet.

 

 • Careful.  You might get tickled in this area.

 

 • Sit down and watch!  This is the Big Show.

 

 • Animal Area.  Some of them might be wild.

 

So color them up and hang them up.  And please, as a wise Mom once said:  "Make art, not messes."

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.

Childrens Books -- Who Took The Farmer's Hat?

A chapeau mishap leads to some fun hi-jinks on the farm

ADDED September 12, 2008

 

The farmer in this book really likes his hat.  What's not to like?  It's a nice hat.

Unfortunately for the farmer, he wears it outside on a blustery day . . . and the wind carries off his fine hat.

The farmer does what any hat-loving person would do:  he interviews all of his farm animals to find out if they've seen his beloved possession.

One thing leads to another, there's twists and turns, (we don't want to give away any surprises) but suffice to say there is a happy ending, though it's not exactly what the farmer had hoped.

Go to the library and pick up this book:  Who Took The Farmer's Hat? by Joan Nodset.  Read to those kids and have a great weekend!

Kids Games - - Build a hopscotch court

Have fun this weekend with a classic.

ADDED September 11, 2008

This weekend why not put all of that sidewalk chalk your kids have in the garage to good use and make a hopscotch court?  It is an activity that you can do together and good exercise for everyone. You can build a traditional court that looks like this.

Or something more fancy like the French variant called “Escargot." It looks like this.

Try and make one of each this weekend.  Email a picture of your court to info@todayisfun.com. Hop to it!

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.:

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- WHAT DO YOU GET....

A fun problem solving activity.

ADDED September 09, 2008

Most things here at TIF are absurd and amusing.  What can I say -- we like to have fun. We revel in the ridiculous and savor the silly.  Today’s idea is no different.  I like to play this game in the car when everybody is buckled in, a little bored, and ready to get to our destination. It is called, "What do you need to get…?" 

I will ask my kids simple questions like, ”What do you need to get an egg?”
The answer is not as easy as it might seem, and there are many right answers: you might need a chicken or a store or even a hand to pick up the egg. The fun comes from the imagination used thinking up silly answers. Or the questions can be of a more educational nature, ”What do you need to get 5?”  The answer again is many things: 2+3=5 or 9-4=5 . . . and even 5 birthday parties is a correct answer. Or the question can be even more silly like, ”What do you need to to get to Hawaii?” An airplane, wings, a boat, or even money would all be answers!

This is a great activity because the kids have to figure out the answer, and the adults have to be a little creative as they try and stump them with more and more outlandish questions.

What do your need to get…
Toast.
A carrot.
A car tire.
A book.
Sand.
Seatbelt.
A dog.

Try it today and leave us a comment letting us know “What do you need to get…?”.

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Cleaning Lemon

Kids think they are playing (but they are really cleaning)

ADDED September 08, 2008

Sometimes it seems like everything is going green -- and here at TIF we are too.  And today’s Kids Entertainment is called the Cleaning Lemon (or if you have kids who are not interested in cleaning, call it the Racing Lemon.)  It is a great "green" way to have your kids help clean the tub.

You simply grab half a lemon and some baking soda (both non- toxic, very, very safe and surprisingly powerful cleaning agents). Put the baking soda in a shallow bowl and have your kids dip the cut half of the lemon into the bowl and start scrubbing or racing around the tub.

Make sure they race around the edges and in the middle of the tub, which can create some fun bumper car moments. And watch the time and soap scum disappear.  

This activity can be hands off for adults if your kids are a little older.  My daughter really likes this activity after a trip to the beach or a dusty hike. Sometimes I think she gets extra dirty just so she can clean the tub.

Try it today and leave a comment if it works for you.

KIDS GAMES -- What do you throw?

Family fun throwing activity

ADDED September 07, 2008

This is a good game for little ones that are still working on their throwing and kicking.  It is simple, fun, and -- as with all activities at TIF -- you can use what you have to make your own fun with no purchase required.

Here is what you do: get out every throwable and kickable item that you can find in your garage. Line them all up on the grass (like I did in the photo) and start tossing and kicking.  And when you have kicked, tossed and thrown everything in the line have your kids collect everything and do it again. Who knows, you might have a professional horseshoe player on your hands!

Side note about the items in my photo, if I do it again I would recommend not using a horseshoe. Even after explaining that you do not catch a horseshoe, my kids insisted on throwing it to me, thankfully it was made out of rubber.

Send us a photo of what you are throwing send it to info@todayisfun.com.

 

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.

How to entertain kids -- House of Cubes

It's a house, it's an igloo, it's . . . missing?

ADDED September 04, 2008

This one requires a bit of patience, so it might work better for older kids.  It's one of our fine, fun kids games for the end of summer.  

A lot of freezers these days try to  prove their worth by making tons of ice cubes.  Ours does, and it seems that there is always a couple cubic feet worth of ice cubes ready to go in there that we never use.  So . . . why not use them?  They make fine building blocks.

Take as many pounds of your ice cubes outside as you can, along with a cup of water.  See what kinds of constructions your kids can make with the cubes.  We've got pretty good at a wall, a house sort of thing (complete with a roof), and the tricky but satisfying tall tower.  (Six cubes is our record.) 

As you stack the cubes, sprinkle a little water on top of each cube to act as mortar.

What can you build?  Please let us know at info@todayisfun.com.

And please, there is only one rule to remember here.  Whatever the kids do, they are not allowed to put an ice cube down Daddy's back while he's trying to build up the tower!

KIDS GAMES -- INDOOR BOWLING

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

ADDED September 03, 2008

What you will need for this game:  a ball.  Some paper and crayons.  Some chairs are optional.

Do you have those things on hand?  Okay, you're ready to go.

First, have your kids create some art on five different pieces of paper.  The art can really be whatever they want:  princesses or pirate ships, gorillas or Grandma.  

When each piece of paper is sufficiently beautiful, number each one with a number from 1 to 5.  It doesn't matter which piece of art gets which number.  

Lay the five pieces of paper on the floor in a row.  

Your child will kneel down a little bit away from the papers and roll the ball over to them.  The goal is get the ball to roll and stop on top of the page with the highest number (that is, five).

If your child is having a hard time making the ball stop on the pages, you can arrange some chairs to help keep the ball in place.

Remind your kids to keep the ball on the floor, and have fun.  

This game is also a fine opportunity to teach your kids the phrase, "That's how I roll!"

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Sshhh! Library Fun

This books looks terrific!

ADDED September 02, 2008

Here at Today Is Fun, we definitely try to promote books and a love of reading, as those things can entertain kids long after they're kids.

Trips to the library are often magical for young kids, as they first see the walls and shelves full of books.  If your little ones are old enough, this game is a way to make a trip to the library even more fun.  It's also a way for young kids to experience a measure of freedom and self-reliance in a public place.

The idea is simple, really.  When you go to the library, have hunts for certain kinds of books.  For instance, on one visit we will all try to find a book that looks terrific about pirates.  Or each person will spend ten minutes trying to find a terrific book about an animal.  Of course, the topics to find for books that look terrific are endless:  rainy days, Moms, flowers, cowboys, etc.

It's important for the kids not to ransack the shelves and to keep the books in place.  Running and yelling are of course causes for immediate disqualification.

Once everyone has found a book, we read each one.  If the book is really terrific, we check it out and take it home.

One last idea about this Library Fun game:  if the librarians and library patrons aren't bothered by the young competitors, then everyone gets extra points!