Be the Bus Boy (or Bus Girl)

A fun (and vaguely educational) way to keep mealtimes alive!

ADDED January 07, 2009

 

Sometimes kids are antsy at mealtimes.  They're ready to leave the table and return to their toys.  While we admire their passion for playing, we also need everybody to eat some food!  Therefore, we've discovered that cooking up an interesting topic at mealtimes helps little rear ends remain in their seats.

Here's what you do.  It's simple and entertaining:

 

While the kids are starting their meals, parade out various serving dishes.  Put them on the table for your kids to see, and together discuss what each is used for.  (For obvious reasons, please don't use precious heirlooms, such as great-grandmother's fragile collectible china gravy boat.  Such items could meet disastrous ends due to overly enthusiastic toddlers.)

 

Get a bunch of different dishes out.  Talk about sugar bowls, platters, tureens, creamers -- you name it.

What is the difference between a mug and a teacup?  Or a tea pot and a tea kettle?  What is a gravy boat?  (And why is a boat anyway, do you think?)  Do your kids know what a saucer is?  And what exactly is the point of a saucer?  (We think a saucer is used out of tradition, maybe to look nice, and possibly to catch little spills.) 

The goal here is to learn new words and to start a discussion . . . and to keep those kids at the table!

 

You should award yourself some points for variety.  How many different serving vessels can you find tucked away in your kitchen cabinets?

Have some fun with this one.  And look, you're finally getting some use out of all that stuff tucked away in your kitchen cabinets. 

 

--S

 

Photo of Portuguese dishes courtesy of pedrosimoes7.  And the single corningware shot is from studiosmith.

ages 3-12, good for mealtimes,

Photo Walk

Wasting "film" is fun!

ADDED January 05, 2009

 

Ah, the blessings of a digital camera.  Remember when we were all kids, and our parents didn't want us to waste film?  That is now a thing of the past.

Take your little ones on a walk around the block.  Bring along your digital camera, and take pictures of whatever intrigues them.

It'll be fun to get outside, and it'll be fun for your kids to direct you as to the picture taking. 

Get your kids talking about why they want certain pictures taken.  (My kids wanted a lot of shots of tires, for example.  They said they like to look to see which tires are muddy and which aren't.)

During the walk, explain to your kids that they can take some of their photos and re-create them with art stuff.  You can show them one of their pictures on the computer, and then they can draw it using markers and paper.  And they can change the image to suit their imagination.  For instance, my boys wanted to change a row of cypress trees into rocket ships lined up.  A garage door with many panels was chosen to become a board game with many squares.

Finally, you can save your kids' photos on your computer and review in the future.  It's amazing how photographing something makes it "more" of something.  Suddenly it's not just a walk around the block, it's a "special walk with Mommy's camera!"

Have fun, and please be respectful of your neighbors on the walk.  Don't trample your neighbors' flower beds, so you can take pictures through their windows of them eating breakfast.  The excuse "But my kids told me to" might not work so well!

 

--S

 

 

ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, good for a group, longer activity,

Daily Triple Treat - New Years Day Edition

Picture review, a star walk, fun with letters

ADDED January 01, 2009

 

Our week of daily Triple Treats continues!

 

Inside Treat- Spend some time reviewing your pictures from the last year with your kids. This could be a fun traditation for the whole family to enjoy.  Make it a game, see who can name the location or the people in the picture.  Or if you chose, make this activity a little more introspective and take turns sharing your memories from the past year.. 

Outside Treat-  Tonight take a star walk.  Bundle up, make some hot chocolate, grab a few flashlights and spend a go star gazing.   Try to spot Orions belt, one of the Dippers and if that is to advanced you can always play First to Find the Moon.
Educational Treat- Try one of these letter related activities
1,
2,
3.

ages 3-12,

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,

Handmade Mistletoe

Crafting and kissing.

ADDED December 17, 2008

My son the decided he was going to make some mistletoe. I am not sure if he has someone in mind to use it on but his ingenuity and enthusiasm for this craft was so sincere how can I not pass a great idea along.

First he created the leaves, this was accomplished by folding a green piece of construction paper in half lengthwise.  Second he drew three half hearts on one side of the paper with the point at the bottom and the curved top pointing down. Third on a white piece of paper he drew three small circles these are the berries.  Fourth he cut all the pieces out.  Fifth he unfolded the hearts glued them together to make the leaves and added the berries. Sixth he tied the mistletoe to a string and started kissing!
 
Here is the final result. It's great.

It was fun to see him create this truly unique craft, try it today.  Because Today is fun! And I am sure you’ll get some kisses out of it.

 

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, quick activity, rainy day fun,

Luminarias

An inexpensive, fun, and (frankly) gorgeous holiday display

ADDED December 12, 2008

 

If you haven't heard of them yet, Luminarias are a traditional Mexican Christmas display.  They're very simple and inexpensive to make and, once done, they are quite charming to behold.  What's more, your kids can play a lead role in setting them up.  

What you'll need to create your own Luminarias is some empty brown lunch bags, small sturdy candles (votives will work great) and some sand (or substitute some dirt).  Have your kids line up the bags outside and weigh them down with a couple cups of sand or dirt.  The bags should be about a foot or two away from each other.  Next, the kuds can put an unlit candle into each bag.  Now your Luminarias are set up and ready to go!

When evening falls, go down the row and light each candle (a job for you, not the kids).  Of course, you can and should put your kids to work while you're lighting the candles.  One good thing they could do is count and keep tally of how many candles are lit.  (If they're ready, you could teach them the concept of half or two-thirds when that amount of candles are lit.)  Also, who says you need to light the Luminarias in a row?  Instead, your kids could run around, inventing a creative order for you, and then they can evaluate the resulting pattern as you progress.  

(Use common sense and be safe.  Don't put the bags too close to each other or near structures or dry wood.  Don't light them if it's too windy.)

Luminarias nicely complement electric lights.  They add some natural charm to your home's Christmas display.  And your kids can contribute to their set-up and feel proud!

 

--S

 

(Luminarias photo courtesy of jared.)

ages 3-12,

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,

Cereal Box Puppets

Along with the whales, Save the Socks!

ADDED December 09, 2008

 

What's something around your house that you can use to make puppets with your kids?  Socks come right to mind, but there's a problem with them:  if you make sock puppets, you can't wear those socks anymore!  (The eyes, noses and mouths make for pretty uncomfortable footwear.)

So today we present . . . little cereal box puppets!  Little cereal boxes are often found on camping trips, but these days they're also available on the shelves of almost any grocery store.  If you buy these multi-cereal samplers, you should know that they are just the right size to make brilliant puppets with your kids.

First, cut open the boxes to flip them inside out.  Use the "blank" side as the canvas for your puppets.

Second, use markers, construction paper, glue, tape, and whatever you've got handy to make fun and funny puppet faces.

Finally, tape up the puppets back into their original box shape -- ready for little hands to use.

(Here's a couple insider secrets on making these things:  (1)  Make the puppet faces first and then tape the boxes up.  It's trickier if you reverse the order of these steps.  (2)  When you tape the boxes back up, start with a couple pieces of tape on the inside.  This will help in the sturdiness department.  (3)  Make similar faces for the front and back of the boxes, but with different expressions.  That way, during a puppet show, a happy character can suddenly switch around to be a completely shocked one!)

If you don't buy those little cereal boxes, you can save and use big ones over time.  Other kinds of boxes will probably work just fine, too.

After the puppets are done, you guys are ready for a spectacular, cereal-box-puppet presentation.  Everyone will have fun and will be able to say, "No socks were harmed in the production of this show!"

 

--S

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good at home, rainy day fun,

Huggy!

A nice monster

ADDED December 04, 2008

Huggy is a very nice monster, just listening to his name you can discern he likes to be hugged.

When you hear him say, “ Huggy” you have to hug him or he will repeat his name over and over while chasing you.  Huggy is very fast.  If you like to be chased please don't hug him.  He only stops repeating his name and chasing when he gets a hug.  Beware if you let him into your house you will have to give him a lot of hugs.  I would suggest only those who are not stingy with hugs invite him in.  

 Moms can be Huggys, Dads can be Huggys even kids can be Huggys. They all are very polite and if you don't want a hug they will not hug you and but be aware they can be persistent in their pursuit of hugs.

Should you let Huggy into your house today?  He really is a nice monster.

ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, good for a group, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer,

Box art

Recycled art is the best

ADDED December 03, 2008

After a trip to the market a few days back, as I was unpacking some magically sugary snacks, I had an idea for a recycled box art craft.  So I started flattening and saving boxes.   In about a week I was able to save enough boxes for this easy imagination charged recycled art craft.
 
First, take the three or four boxes.  Get some pens, stickers, scissors and warm up a little creativity. Second, have an adult cut the boxes to make them flat because sometimes the cardboard can be a little thick and difficult to cut.  This is your canvas. Then encourage your kids to spend a few minutes visualizing what the cardboard canvas could be. Here is a very brief list of a few things we though would be grand if made out of a recycled box:

A monster
A bus
A spaceman
A sign to a party
A big birthday card

 And then go for it!  Let those imaginations run wild! The sky is the limit (or in this case the edges of your box)!
 
And here is what we made
 A mailbox
A computer
A robot
A jump for cars
 

Try it today make your trash into something fantastic!  We will post submissions for all to see so start sending your photos to info@todayisfun.com.  The most creative piece of box art will receive a conduct happiness shirt courtesy of conducthappiness.com.

Contest ends 12/10/08!

ages 3-12, educational, good at home, longer activity,

Christmas chain

Countdown to Christmas

ADDED December 01, 2008

One of my family's fun Christmas traditions is to make a Christmas chain.  It is a great craft to do with kids: the construction is simple, and it is a fun activity to do together everyday.
 
Here is how we make ours:  first, cut 25 strips of paper that are about 6 to 9 inches long.  Next, using all the strips of paper, write the numbers 1 to 25 on the strips.  These numbers will represent how many days are remaining until Christmas.  Third, starting with strip number 1, glue, staple or tape the ends of the paper together creating one link, do the same with strip number 2, making sure link 2 attaches to link 1, then do the same with links 3 through 25.  Once the chain is complete and all 25 links are attached, your kids will have a visual representation of how many days remain until Christmas.

The excitement will build as the chain comes apart!

Have fun tearing the links off and counting down.

(but please don't stand on the tables)

 

 

ages 3-12, quick activity, rainy day fun,

Place Cards

A time-honored Thanksgiving tradition can be a fun and helpful activity for your kids

ADDED November 26, 2008

 

 

(Just so you know, I don't very much like place cards.  I like to be in control of my seating location, and I like to sit wherever my fancy strikes.  And I don't want to be stuck yet again with Aunt Nancy, who always regales me with stories about cats.)

That all being said, place cards do sometimes seem to show up at Thanksgiving dinner.  And making place cards can be a good thing to do for young kids.

First, it's an activity, an opportunity to do and make and to be creative.  Also, it's a good way to review with your kids all the people who they will encounter at the Thanksgiving festivities.  It's a good excuse to talk about all the guests at Thanksgiving beforehand, so they won't point and say "Who's that guy?  Why is that person here at dinner?"

If you don't like place cards (did I mention that I don't?), then change this activity from place card to a "gift card."  Have your kids make a postcard-like item for each person, and hand them out before the meal.  Each card could include a drawing and a stylized representation of the recipient's name.

And fine, if you must, you and the kids just go ahead and make place cards for the table.  It could be fun for them.  Just please don't sit me next to Aunt Nancy!

(All persons listed in this post are fictitious.  And I am always kind to seniors and will listen to cat stories!  That business was joke.)

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good at home,

Professional Food Tasters

Better than bad and better than good

ADDED November 25, 2008

What words can you use to describe food?  If you're like most Americans, there are three words you use to describe food:  good, bad, and delicious.  You might throw in an occasional "awful" or "wonderful," too, but of all those words we've just reviewed, only "delicious" is specific to food.

There are people whose job is taste food:  Professional Food Tasters.  And those people have to use better words than "awful" and "delicious," right?

Right.  They do.  There are many, many words to describe food specifically.  And what better opportunity for your kids to try some of these words out than . . . your Thanksgiving feast?

Here are some fine words to describe food . . .

•  crunchy
•  crispy
•  spicy
•  sweet
•  salty
•  buttery
•  flavorful

During meals this week, teach your kids some or all of the words in that list.  You could plan to include foods that get you guys talking about sweet and about salty (apples and pretzels, for example).  

Then, encourage your kids to use their new vocabulary to fun effect during Thanksgiving dinner.  This can also be a tool if they get restless:  talk about the Thanksgiving food.  What is the most crunchy thing on your plate?  What is the most buttery?  What is salty and what is sweet?  What is your favorite item?

Do try to show respect for the person who cooked the meal, of course.  We don't want your kids using descriptive words like "icky" or "inedible" during the holiday celebration!

(We didn't want to inundate you with words, so we just featured the ones above.  But here's a quick appendix of more food adjectives, if you're so inclined:  savory, garlicky, nutty, minty, zesty, tart, tangy, sharp, mouthwatering, tasty, yummy, delectable, bitter, flavorful, lemony, chocolatey, and so on.)

ages 3-12, educational, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for mealtimes, no 'props' needed,

Growing fun!

fun for young farmers

ADDED November 21, 2008

One of our favorite things to do with fruits and vegetables is keep the seeds and try to make them grow.   Whenever someone makes fresh-squeezed orange juice, cores an apple, cuts an avocado, or carves a pumpkin, the kids are there, ready to collect the seeds and start the experiment.
 
We put the seeds on a damp paper towel, seal it all in a baggie, and carefully place the experiment on the window sill in the kitchen.  Then we wait and check each day.  (Checking each day is important and fun -- and sometimes we need to inspect the progress more than one time a day!)   Once the seeds sprout, we transfer them to small paper cups, and when they look healthy and strong, we put them into the earth outside.  Most of our seeds don't make it to this final step, but is fun to try and to hope!

Due to my obsession with free stuff, my kids have become avid seed collectors.  Together we have grown watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapefruit, apples, oranges, avocado, corn, lemons, key limes and pumpkins.  And by the way, we live in the middle of the city, not out in the country.  Here is a photo of this year's pumpkin crop.

Try to grow your own plants from free seeds today.  Healthy eating is really a lot of fun for kids, especially when they're the ones who served as farmers!

ages 3-12, educational, good at home, longer activity, no 'props' needed, 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,

Wheel of Fun

Round, random, and lots of fun

ADDED November 12, 2008

 

Sometimes it's all in the presentation.

If you suggest to your child, "Why don't you do eighteen jumping jacks?", they'd probably refuse.  But if a paper plate makes the same suggestion, well, to a kid that kind of presentation just can't be argued with.

Pat Sayjak and Vanna Williams, eat your hearts out, because today we are yukking it up with the Wheel of Fun. 

Draw lines on the face of a white paper plate in order to divvy it into ten equally sized segments.  In each, write a fun or silly activity for your child to perform.  Some examples:

1.  Spin in a circle while singing a song.

2.  Take three towels from the linen closet and make some funny clothes for yourself.

3.  Draw something very fast, then make people guess what it is.

4.  Call somebody in our family on the phone.

5.  Do eighteen jumping jacks.

And so on. 

After you've filled in the activities, punch a small hole in the middle of the plate.  Either insert a spinner from one of your family's board games (we used one from Chutes and Ladders in the photo) or find a wall with a protruding nail on which to hang the wheel.  Each child spins the wheel, and then gets to perform the task.  Repeat as much as you guys want.

This is a lot of fun.  It makes for a great rainy day activity. Kids love the excitement of getting random results, and they love spinning the wheel.

If you're feeling particularly cheeky, you can sneak a couple of activities onto the wheel that will benefit you alone.  You could try adding "fold the laundry" or "wash the kitchen floor" to the wheel to see what results you can get!   Have fun, and get spinning!

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good at home, good for a group, longer activity, rainy day fun,

Mummy Mommy

(Or Mummy Dad. Or Mummy Kid.)

ADDED October 30, 2008

 

This website is all about keeping the kids on their toes for little or no money.  Terrific.  Everybody wins.  

And yet today, it's come to this...

That's right:  today we're using toilet paper to entertain the kids.  

One of the standard frightful Halloween characters is a mummy.  And what better material to 'play' mummy than toilet paper?

We recommend that you let the kids wrap you in toilet paper.  Let them mummify you.  Yes, it might not be your most dignified moment as a parent, but the kids will enjoy it.  

Much of the fun of this activity, as you will see, will be the kids trying to make the wrapping work.  It's not as easy as they might think.

If your kids are old enough, you can also use this activity to learn about real mummies.  

This activity will also further our goal of showing young kids that there really isn't anything real to be afraid of for Halloween.

If your kids are game, you can mummify them, too.  (Please be careful!  Don't wrap anyone too tightly, and watch noses, mouths, and necks please!)

Have fun.  Give it a try.  And we promise, tomorrow's tip will not involve toilet paper or anything from the bathroom!

ages 3-12,

Extremely Spooky Baby Ghost Decoration

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

ADDED October 28, 2008

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ages 2-8, ages 3-12, art supplies needed,

The Haunted Egg

A spooky, fun-to-make Halloween treat (that is actually good for kids, too)

ADDED October 27, 2008

 

The other morning when we asked my son what he wanted for breakfast, he requested a "haunted egg."   My wife, challenged by such a concept, invented this "recipe."  And voilá, just like that, I am able to present here for the first time:  a Haunted Egg!

First, hardboil some eggs.  (Children can help to gently put the eggs in the pot.  They can turn on the faucet to fill the pot with water.)

When the eggs are boiled, remove the shell from the ones you guys will eat.  (My  wife, who rather knows what she's doing in the kitchen, suggests that when the eggs are ready to come out of the pot, hold them under running cold water in order to peel them easily.)

Once the shell is taken care of, look at the ends of the egg.  Usually, one end is flatter, and you can use that for standing the egg up.  (If there's not a good 'standing' end, you can cut one end off to make a flat surface.)

Now comes the spooky part . . . poke small holes in the egg to make a ghost's eyes.  You can also make a larger hole underneath it for a mouth.  (My lovely spouse suggests a sharp knife for this, such as a paring knife.  Obviously kids shouldn't handle these tools, but they can show where to make the eyes, mouth, nose, etc.)

Kids can have some input as to how the egg will look.  They can tell you to make the eyes circles or triangles or another shape.  They can request a happy egg or a frowning one.

Serve the Haunted Egg on a plate standing up, spooky face pointing towards the young diner.  It's the most delicious--and most scary--treat for Halloween.

ages 3-12,

No Lights On An Old-Fashioned Night!

A fun way to learn about olden days

ADDED October 15, 2008

 

Today we're going to learn a little about . . . light bulbs.  This activity is fun and educational for kids of all ages.

Tell your kids (if they don't already know) that in olden days, people used candles to light their houses at night.

Ask your kids if they'd like to re-create an old-fashioned, candle night in your house.  Everybody has to agree that after the sun goes down, no lights will be turned on!

Rooms look much different in candlelight.  The absence of electricity will give the whole bedtime process a much different feeling.

(But by all means BE CAREFUL with the candles' open flames.  If you have very little ones, please keep the candles up and out of their reach!)

We've also included a fun fact sheet for you to refresh your memory as to the history of light bulbs.  And your kids might enjoy coloring it in, too.  Simply print it after downloading here.

Oh, to make the no-electricity thing authentic, no TV or computer games either!  How does that sit with you?  (Of course, when the kids are asleep, parents are allowed to check their email, send TIF tips to their friends, and watch a show or two.)

And for this activity, you don't need to go 100% authentic.  There's probably no need for you to unplug the fridge.

Candle power!  Learning is fun!

ages 3-12, educational, good at home,

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.'

 

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good at home, good for a group, longer activity, rainy day fun,

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

ages 3-12, good any time, good at home, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

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

ages 3-12, good for mealtimes, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

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!

ages 3-12, art supplies needed, good at home, good for a group, longer activity,