God Bless You

An activity that will get everybody sending out some good thoughts

ADDED December 25, 2008

 (Yes, we said this was the week of Gigantic Great Giving here at Today is Fun.  We're not trying to do a bait and switch here.  But we think this activity is perfect for a day like today.  We hope you don't feel cheated.)

Not to be preachy or new agey, but . . . here's a very positive and actually quite fun game that you and your kids can play every day in the car.

As you drive your kids around, look out the windows of the car and try to spot passers-by.  Once somebody is spotted, you guys "God bless" them.  For instance, "God bless that guy with the briefcase" or "God bless that lady with the red sweater."

That's it.  That's the activity.   But as you'll see, there's something incredibly fun about it.  And everybody will feel good doing it.

Part of the trick here is not to make judgments on the people you see.  For this activity, *everybody* you see deserves your good wishes, no matter what.  You absolutely don't want to say "That guy looks really weird.  God bless him," or  "I don't like the way that lady looks, but God bless her anyway."  As you can see, those statements aren't exactly very positive.  Only construtive statements are allowed here.

After you guys God Bless somebody, you can follow up with "I hope he (or she) has a great day." 

(If for any reason you're uncomfortable with the words "God Bless," we're certain you can find some suitable substitute for your family.)

This game works particularly well on the way to school or early in the morning.  It sets a nice, constructive tone for the rest of the day.  And wishing everyone well will make you guys feel great about yourselves and the rest of your day, too! 

So see if this works for you and your kids.  Have fun, and in the immortal words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!"

ages 3-12, good for the car,

Conversation Starter Cards

Could save the day

ADDED December 23, 2008

 

These are really simple, but might come in handy in a pinch.  They're conversation starter cards.  Download them, cut them out, and keep them in your purse or car for long waits or traffic jams.

Download here.

These cards each have many questions on them.  Ask your kids the questions, and get them talking.  Hopefully, the clock will move nicely along.  With these cards, you don't have to wrack your brain for conversation topics.

You can answer these questions, too, to keep the conversation going.  Everyone in your family gets extra points when your kids say something funny or cute.

And here's a conversation topic:  how can Today Is Fun help you in the new year?  Drop us a line if you need more help.  (And if you wanted to mention our site to a friend or two, that wouldn't be such a bad start to a conversation either!)

 

--S

Conversing father and daughter by pocketwilley via Flickr, thanks to a creative commons license.

ages 3-12, good any time, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car,

Quizmaster & Answermaster

Because all good games have funny titles.

ADDED December 19, 2008

To play this game you need two people the first person is the Quizmaster the second the Answermaster.  The Quizmaster asks the questions and the Answermaster answers the questions.  This game is fantastic for all ages because the questions can be tailored appropriately to make it easy for everyone to win.  It also can be played as a group activity to include many more kids if needed.

First the person who is the Quizmaster thinks of two or three things that have one thing in common, for example shark, octopus and sea cucumber. Next the Quizmaster poses their question to Answermaster,” What is the same about these three things, a shark, an octopus and a sea cucumber?”  At this point if you have a group of kids, in an orderly manner everyone in the group takes a turn giving their best answer to the Answermaster. When all the answers are tallied the Answermaster tells the Quizmaster the answer, “They all live in the ocean”.  Now the Quizmaster becomes the Answermaster and it is their turn to think of of two or three things that are the same.

The game works great using a variety of topics and the questions can range from very simple to extremely difficult, here are some starters:

Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things red, blue and green?

Answermaster answer.
All three are colors.

Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things truck, car and van?

Answermaster answer.
All three are cars.

Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things elbow, toe, and nose?

Answermaster answer.
All three are parts of your body.

Quizmaster question:
What is the same about these three things sleepingbag, tent and flashlight?

Answermaster answer.
All three are used for camping.

Try it today and use the comments section to let us know what you little Quizmasters come up with!  

ages 4-12, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, Good for bathtime, good for mealtimes, good for the car, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, rainy day fun, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Sounds like a…holiday

A great game that can make a drive a festive adventure.

ADDED December 18, 2008

I am sure everybody reading this will very soon be driving in a car with kids.  There will be traffic, inclement weather and festive kids music playing on the stereo.  Instead of being frustrated with your situation embrace it.  Spend a few minutes talking with them about what specific sounds they are likely to hear at Christmas.  

Here is a list of what my kids came up with
Rain on the car and house
Music in the car and house
Dishes at a family dinner
Bells
Popcorn popping while watching a special movie
People saying, “Ho, Ho, Ho”

If your kids are younger they might also like practicing the holiday sounds they hear.  Really nothing is cuter than three year old saying,”HO HO HO”.  
If your kids are stuck for sounds use our list as a starting point and make today fun!

ages 2-8, educational, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, quick activity, verbal activity,

Christmas Light Spotters

Put the kids to good use this holiday season

ADDED December 10, 2008

 

Great for the car this time of year, no matter what holiday you celebrate...turn your children into Christmas Light Spotters!

It's fun for kids to see holiday displays, but you can amp up the enjoyment for everybody.  First, if you have more than one kid, you can assign them different sides of the car to be in charge of.  If they see something exciting on their side, it's their duty to report it to the rest of the car.

Another idea is to give the kids different colors to spot as their "goals."  For instance, "Nick, you're in charge of finding some red today!  Jake, you need to tell me if you see any green lights."  Making the search a bit more specific increases a kids' interest and enthusiasm.

Your family could also create a mental list of special characters you've seen in holiday displays:  how many Santas, Rudolphs, Frosties, etc.  Special attention (or extra points) could be given to the rarer characters like Mrs. Claus and the Grinch.  If you want, you could take this mental list and make it an on-paper one.  That way, you could keep track of how many of each character you've seen during the entire Christmas light season.

Finally, everyone could spend each ride looking for their "most favorite" holiday display.  And yes, most favorites are allowed to change frequently.

Whether or not you play these Christmas light games, by all means do make a point to get in the car at some point in the next weeks and go searching for beautiful light displays.  Your kids will really enjoy it.  And you can think of it as a much less expensive version of Disneyland.

 

--S

ages 3-12, good for the car,

Words that end with A and T together

Fill in the blank and turn on the fun

ADDED December 05, 2008

Have you ever noticed how many three letter words end with A and T together?  Using A-and-T-ending words, we created a fun game that you can play with your kids in the car, at dinner, before bed, and beyond...
 
First start with the word "CAT."  Spell the word (C-A-T) and then ask, "Can you think of any other words that end with the '-AT' sound?"  

If you think it will help the activity along, provide more examples of words that end with -AT.  Words like hat or rat.  

Once you and your kids have thought up many, many words that end in -AT, start at the beginning of the alphabet and work together to add the -AT sound after every letter in the alphabet.  (This sounds like it might take a while but it is faster than you think.)
 
In our house, when we have finished going through the alphabet and laughing at all the funny made-up words like "jat" and "qat," we move on to other ending sounds like -AN.

Have fun, and please let us know if you can find the meaning of the words "yat" and "yan!"

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

Point and say, point and delay, point and no way!

A tricky, fun word game that'll get those brain cells moving

ADDED November 24, 2008

In honor of this festive Thanksgiving week, we're posting activities with special holiday relevance.  However, you'll certainly be able to tweak this one for non-holiday days, too.

Imagine this:  it's Thanksgiving afternoon, and dinner is still an hour off.  The kids are restless, a little shy around various unknown relatives, and bored with the assortment of toys you've brought along to the dinner.  So, give this game a try . . .

 

First, "point and say."  This one's simple.  You point at anything you see, and say what it is.  "Candle."  "Grandma."   "Place mat."  "Gravy."  Easy as can be.  

Fine, let's move on to "point and delay."  This one is a little bit more tricky.  For the very first item, you point and say nothing.  For instance, you point at the candle, and this time, instead of saying "candle," you say "hmmm."  Then you point to the next item, Grandma.  You don't say Grandma, though; you say "Candle."  Then the place mat.  You say "Grandma."  (You don't have to do the same items or the same order as 'point and say.'  This might work well for younger kids, but it's not required.  We're just using the same items and order here for ease of explanation.)  

Okay, do you understand "point and delay?"  Kind of tricky, huh?  Now the next:  "Point and no way."

This time you point at the candle and say, "Hippopotamus."  You point at beloved Grandma and you say (affectionately), "Sofa cushion."  You point at the place mat and say "Purple pants."  No way!

These are fun and challenging.  They really get everybody's brain cells working.  (They'd also work quite well as a car game--if you can concentrate carefully on the road during the "No way!" exchanges.)

Have some fun with this sorta tricky one.  Oh and one more thing, no matter what you do, if you're pointing at Grandma and she can hear you guys, you better choose words that are respectful and kind!  Give Grandma a break, please, would you?

ages 4-12, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, no 'props' needed,

Crazy Letter Sandwich

A tasty, tricky and tremendously entertaining letter activity

ADDED November 14, 2008

In our extended family, there is a darling toddler girl named Mckenna.  She is insanely adorable.

For some unknown reason, my two boys, "Rough" and "Tumble," are entranced by this sweet little girl.  Any activity that invovles a mention of little Mckenna is sure to be a hit.  And so, Mckenna became the starting point for this game.  (When you play, of course you can use a name that has relevance in your family.)

To start the game, I say, "I'm making a sandwich.  Here's what I was thinking to put in it:

•  Mustard,
•  Mayonnaise,
•  Mango,
•  Melon,
•  Mckenna, (yes, that wonderful little girl) and . . .

•  Pickle relish."

Then I ask Rough and Tumble if they can tell me which ingredient doesn't belong in my sandwich.  They know that I can be somewhat tricky, and they quickly catch on to what I'm doing.  Poor little Mckenna stays in my lunch, but pickle relish is out!

After you've asked your kids about your sandwich options, do it again with a different letter.  "I'm making a sandwich.  Here's what I was thinking to put in it:  Grapes, Granola, Goat cheese, Grandpa, a Gorilla and some alfalfa sprouts."

This activity gets kids thinking about letters . . . as well as what belongs or doesn't belong in a group or category.

Because we are who we are, we're including a list of alphabetical ingredients you can download and print.  That way you don't have to think too hard.  Click here.

(Disclaimer:  we at Today is Fun in no way encourage or condone eating kids -- or biting in any way.  This game is just supposed to be silly and fun.)

Good luck making those crazy letter sandwiches!  Bon appetit!

ages 4-12, educational, good any time, good for the car, verbal activity,

Clue Countdown

A clue per finger until there are no more left!

ADDED November 13, 2008

 

Think of something -- anything.  Hold up one hand, all five fingers extended.

Tell your kid, "I'm thinking of something.  You can have five guesses to figure out what it is.  And I'll give you a clue before each guess."

(Let's say you're thinking of a cloud.  The first clue you provide is "It's in the sky." Lower one finger.)

If your child doesn't guess the correct answer, provide another clue and fold down on another finger.

(The second clue could be, "It's fluffy.")

I like to try to make the first clue general and then get more and more specific as the guessing goes on.  And I like the last clue to be pretty much a giveaway.

(The last clue, for instance, could be "Rain comes out of them.")

If you're kids can manage it, have them think of something and take five guesses at what it is.

This is a good variation on twenty questions.  Young kids might not know the right questions to narrow the range of answers down.  (Little ones might not ask, "Is it a mineral or a vegetable?")  With this game, you guide them and help them along towards the right answer.

Three, two, one.  Fun!

ages 3-12, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, verbal activity,

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)

ages 2-8, good for the car, no 'props' needed,

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.

ages 2-8, educational, good for the car, no 'props' needed,

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…?”.

ages 4-12, good for home, good for mealtimes, good for the car, may rile them up, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Kids Games -- How long until we get there?

Now it's actually fun to hear this phrase in the car

ADDED August 17, 2008

 

The name of this game is, of course, a classic American kids' whine. No roadtrip is complete without hearing this complaint from the backseat - and without it being repeated every five minutes.

Well, why not turn it to your advantage? Why not make a game of it?

Since you're the adult and the person driving, you can make the best guess as to how long it will take you guys to reach your destination. So, make a guess, and announce it to your passengers. ("I think we'll be home in 20 minutes.")

This game is best played with two kids, one who can choose to say your guess is too low and the other to say its too high. I stick to my guns, and hope for my guess to be neither too high nor too low, but right on the money. The person whose prediction winds up being correct wins, of course. (If you have more than two kids in the car, you can figure out a way to make this game work. Teams of kids could hope for ‘too high, for instance.)

The true fun of this game comes after the guessing. My kids demand constant updates: they want to know how much time has passed and who is winning. We talk about how traffic and stoplights slow us down, making the trip longer. We talk about how a lack of traffic and good visibility helps us move along smoothly. (And we talk about speed limit laws - the reason we're not just putting the pedal to the metal with abandon.)

When you reach your destination, someone will have won and other people will have lost. Congratulate the winner, but here's another chance to help the kids be ‘good winners' and ‘good losers.' We're happy for the person who has won, of course, but it's just a car guessing game, and we'll do it all again during out next outing.

And in the end, everybody has won. You've taken the annoying whine and turned it into an entertaining game.

ages 3-12, good for the car, no 'props' needed,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- What do you hear?

How to entertain kids with silence

ADDED August 11, 2008

Some car rides are rowdy. When a group of kids is going to a party or on an outing be prepared for a loud ride.  And when you mix in some sort of children's folk singer on the stereo be prepared for shrieks of joy and peals of laughter that only dogs can hear.

Today we have a quick idea that can quiet the car down, keep everybody entertained and it works with a group of kids or just a few.

What I will do to get everyone's attention is first I will put all of the windows in the car down.  The noise and sudden burst of wind will shock everyone into silence for a few seconds. When the group is quiet I will tell them of a new game we are going to play.  This is a quiet game and to play you need to be quiet and listen carefully, we are going to listen as we drive and we will tell each other what we hear.

Soon silence is all I here combined with an occasional, “Oh, I hear a horn and a truck” and “Oh there is a dog”.  

This is one of our favorite kinds of activities because it takes all of the rowdy excitement that kids have and transforms it into something structured with a little learning along the way. Try it and let us know how it works for you!

Commenting is easy and fun so let us know what your kids hear info@todayisfun.com don't forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

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 27, 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!

ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, Good for bathtime, good for mealtimes, good for the car, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer,

Eat It or Don't Eat It!

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

ADDED July 20, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Counting everyday and every way

Daily fun with numbers

ADDED July 14, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Where Do You Know?

A fun and simple quizzing game about your kids' favorite characters

ADDED July 10, 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!

ages 3-12, good any time, good for the car, no 'props' needed, verbal activity,

Red, White and Blue hunt

Entertaining Game of finding the colors in the American flag.

ADDED June 29, 2008

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Albert the Aardvark

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

ADDED June 26, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you ever seen a PoodleRex?

Word jumble silliness!

ADDED June 19, 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.

ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for mealtimes, good for the car, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Portable Game Books

Print out these handy games for anytime fun.

ADDED June 04, 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

 

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,

Traffic Jam Pack

A little planning ahead will save the day when you're in a jam

ADDED May 28, 2008

At some point, you're going to be stuck in the car with the kids, and you're all going to have to do some waiting.  It's inevitable.

So why not plan a head with a 'traffic jam pack?'  Maybe this idea isn't rocket science, and maybe it's something that has occurred to you before.  But have you actually taken fifteen minutes and put it together?  Do it today, and you'll be glad when you need it.

Get (1) a sizable bag and put some of the following stuff in it:

(2) A couple of picture books
(3) Some new, small, and interesting toys
(4) A CD of music that the kids haven't heard yet
(5) An easy snack, such as granola bars or a box of raisins
(6) An index card or two to help you remember some good-for-the-car Today Is Fun ideas (such as "Great Gadzooks" and "Bigger or Smaller.")

The trick here is novelty.  The more new stuff that the kids haven't seen before, the better.

And maybe you and the kids won't just wait it out.  Maybe you'll manage to have some fun.

good for the car,

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).

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 25, 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 th