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!"
share this postWhat I Feel Lucky About
Help your child list things to be grateful for
ADDED November 27, 2008
It's no easy task to explain gratitude to small children. Some people point out to kids that not everybody has similar nice stuff: a nice house, nice parents, nice toys, etc. We're not sure how effective this is, though we certainly respect the attempt.
For small kids, we suggest talking about feeling lucky. I feel lucky, for instance, to have such a lovely spouse and great kids.
It's very common around this time of year to ask kids, "What are you thankful for?" We think that question might be too vague, and it might elicit a response such as, "Um, I don't know."
To talk about gratitude with your kids, give them some easy prompts. (In fact, this could be a car game, too, as you go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house.)
Try asking with "what is something about _______ that makes you feel lucky?" For instance, what is something about your friends that makes you feel lucky?
Here are some "lucky" topics to discuss with your little ones, to fill in the blank in our suggested question.
(1) Their friends, family, and pets
(2) Things that they play outside
(3) Things that they play inside
(4) Things at their school
(5) Toys or books
Why do this with your kids? Well, not to fish for compliments or gratitude. We're sure your kids appreciate you, and if they mention it, great. If they don't, that's okay, too.
One reason to do this is because grateful people are happy people, and it's never too early to start teaching that tip. When you feel lucky about something, you are happy, right? We all have so much to feel lucky about, and to be grateful for, both kids and adults, so why not lead our lives feeling that way?
Happy Thanksgiving!
 |
ages 2-7, verbal activity, |
Secret Holiday Gourd
Toy and decoration all in one
ADDED November 19, 2008
Most houses around
Thanksgiving have those little holiday gourds for decoration. They are festive,
but really serve no purpose beyond that.
But we have figured out a way to make them festive and fun all at the
same time.
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ages 2-7, art supplies needed, good at home, |
Thanksgiving leaf sculpture
Holiday beauty for all to behold.
ADDED November 18, 2008
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than have your little ones make a cool Thanksgiving leaf sculpture? Nothing says thankfulness like leaves.
First go out and collect some really big leaves. We used magnolia leaves because of their leathery texture, but really any leaves will work. Just make sure they are not to brittle and still have their stems. Next, have your kids lay two or three leaves out in an interesting pattern, making sure the stem and leaves overlap a little bit. Then mark where the stems overlap (you can use a pencil or just eyeball it) and make a tiny cut in the leaf. Once the cut is made, insert the stem into the leaf to connect one leaf to another. Continue inserting the stems into the leaves until your child's masterpiece is complete.
Have fun and send us photos of your sculpture and we will post them for all to admire.
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ages 2-7, good at home, quick activity, |
Look the moon!
I'm sleepy already.
ADDED November 17, 2008
Here at TIF, we really like the moon, it's big, bright and looks like a big ball. We shared "First to find the moon" a few weeks back , and today we have another moon activity called "Look the moon." This activity is best played at night just before bed time; it is a simple activity that even the smallest kids will enjoy so much. We just know you will be playing every night.
First, you need to find a pillow or stuffed animal to play the part of the moon. Once everybody is in agreement about who or what will be playing the moon, on to the fun. Next make the moon rise in the sky. And when the moon rises everybody puts their head down on a pillow, the floor, or an available shoulder and goes to sleep. Then when the moon lowers on the horizon everybody opens their eyes slowly, stretches and wakes-up. Then rise the moon and repeat!
Try it tonight, remember "when the moon is up heads go down." Good night moon!
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ages 2-7, may rile them up, see our disclaimer, |
House band
Rock the house
ADDED November 07, 2008
Some days kids need an opportunity to be loud and rowdy. With a few simple household items, you can make a little band that will make the neighbors consider calling the cops.Collect a tissue box, the tube from an empty roll of paper towels, two plastic cups, two spoons, two pencils or even two Hot Wheels cars. Anything percussive will work perfectly.
Once you and your child have collected the necessary instruments, crank up your favorite music and play along. Try and play with the percussion if possible. If you don't have any musical training, it's not a problem; this activity is about noise, fun and creative instruments.
Rock it and make some noise!
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ages 2-7, good at home, may rile them up, quick activity, rainy day fun, see our disclaimer, |
The Scariest Thing in the Whole House!
Get those young minds working (and teach them that there isn't really anything to be scared of)
ADDED October 29, 2008
Sit your kids down on the couch and tell them that, in honor of Halloween, you are going to show them the scariest thing in the whole house!
Return with a small object, anything in the house. (Maybe use a paper napkin to hide the object and build the suspense.) Make sure it is as not-scary as can be. One of the kids' teddy bears or girl dolls would work perfectly. Present the item with a dramatic flourish and say, "Oh my goodness! The scariest thing in the whole house!"
Your kids are sure to look at you like you've truly lost your mind. Good. That's the point.
Now try to convince them how scary the thing you're holding actually is. Try something like this: "Oh, it is scary! Look how curly its hair is! And do you see that cute little pink bow? Scary!!!"
Of course your kids will think you're loony, but they'll also get the joke here. Really, the thing is not scary at all! Duh!
Now it's a kid's turn to go off and return with something completely scary (but actually not). They should reveal the item and try to convince you that it is in fact quite frightening.
Keep taking turns and trying to scare each other with completely not scary items.
And if you want, this would be a fine time to show your slightly nervous kids that there is nothing scary in the house! Sometimes around Halloween, movies try to make things seem scary. But really, nothing in your house is.
(But whatever you do: don't look in the drain in the downstairs bathtub, please. For some reason, we haven't got around to cleaning it for almost a year. It really, really is frightful. But other than that, nothing in our house is scary!)
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ages 2-7, |
Measure the stick
A fun scavenger hunt for your next walk.
ADDED October 21, 2008
It has been quite windy at my house lately, and that has caused a lot of leaves and debris to fall. (This might be the reason that this time of year was originally named "Fall.") So my kids and I made up this fun game called "Measure the Stick". It makes a Fall walk outside all the more entertaining.As you are strolling along, scan the ground and choose a small stick. Ask your child if they can find a stick that is the exact same length. Once the hunt begins, you get to have fun watching your child measure and compare to see if other sticks match up. To be honest, it is very difficult to find another stick that's exactly the same length. So in the end, you might need to accept a stick that is 'close enough' as the 'winner.'
Enjoy all the measuring and comparing.
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ages 2-7, no 'props' needed, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
A Monster at the Fork Store
Bon Appétit! Well, almost.
ADDED October 17, 2008
Sit down on the floor of a room or the grass of your yard. Tell your little one that you are a nice, healthy human being and as such, you are exactly what monsters like to eat!
And tell your child that, for the moment, he or she is the monster. Have your kid come and pretend to eat you.
But wait! Wait! As the monster approaches and is about to take a bite, stop and remind your monster that yes, even monsters need forks! So, point to another place in the room or the yard and say, "You have to go buy a fork from the fork store!"
Once that 'purchase' has been completed and the monster returns for another attempt, ask the monster to go buy a spoon before starting the meal. And ketchup. And a napkin. And a place mat.
The trick is never to get eaten by thinking up more stuff for the monster to purchase. Even better, try to have the monster come up with ideas as to what will be needed for the meal.
This is a fun, silly game that will provide a reason for kids to run around and release some energy. Also, kids like acting like monsters, and adults enjoy not being eaten.
And don't forget to send the monster for a bib, eating humans can be messy business!
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ages 2-7, good at home, good for a group, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, summer activity, |
First to Find the Moon
Scan the sky every night for a very exciting sighting
ADDED October 14, 2008
This isn't a kids game, exactly, but rather a fun late afternoon ritual. Who can be the first to find the moon?
Sorry to say, there isn't a glorious cash prize for the winner.
Rather, the first person who spots the moon is rewarded by being given
the title "the Moon Catcher" for the day. Hooray for the Moon
Catcher! Thank you for helping our family find the moon.
(I've found that reminiscing about past victories can help assuage
the feelings of the second place finisher. "Remember how you spotted
the moon yesterday? You were my Moon Catcher yesterday." Another
consolation prize for non-moon-catching siblings is the title "Airplane
Catcher.)
Moon catching has become a fun late afternoon ritual in our
family. On a ride home from a play date, or on a walk around the neighborhood,
I start to hear the kids ask, "Who's gonna catch the moon?"
It's always nice when Mother Nature provides a free, fun activity.
And please, there's just one request we have to make of the Moon
Catcher of the Day: Once you've caught it, please put it back. Other
kids are looking for the moon, too.
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ages 2-7, no 'props' needed, quick activity, |
Close Out Sale at the Hat Store!
Tons of fun with head gear
ADDED October 01, 2008
How many hats does the average family own?
Our family is a bit
above average in that department, I think. A quick tally of the hats
in this house revealed an amount weighing approximately three and half tons.
If you're similarly blessed with too many hats, why not turn them into a fun activity?
Assemble all your family's hats somewhere that's easily accessible for kids: on a bed or sofa.
Each
kid gets a turn to visit the store. What works really well is if a
parent is in the other room -- that way the kids can get the hat on, then march away and
show off each "new purchase" from the hat store. "Look at my new hat!"
If you have a digital camera handy, it adds to the fun to snap a pic of each new hat on display.
When
each hat receives its fair share of admiration, it's time for the kid
to return to the hat store. Oh, and scarves and gloves are fair game
to be retrieved from the hat store, too.
Are you guys ready to have some fun in your house today? At the drop of a hat!
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ages 2-7, good at home, may rile them up, not good for a restaurant or public place, |
Tip Toe Practice
Sneaky stealthy and most important SILENT fun
ADDED September 30, 2008
If you have a pre-schooler in your house, have you ever lain in bed
early in the morning and wondered if instead you actually had a
wildebeest living with you? Or an elephant? Or some other loudly
clomping beast of the jungle?
We have wood floors, two darling but heavy-stepping children, and a Mom who likes to sleep in whenever possible.
So in honor of sleeping in, and daring the impossible, we present Tip Toe Practice.
First
step: have a tip-toeing demonstration with your little ones. (Kids
seem to like this word, too, by the way. There's something kind of
funny about it.)
Secondly, try this game: Sit cross-legged on the floor of a
hallway, with room to get around you on either side. Close your eyes
and have your kids try to tip toe by.
If you hear the
tip-toe-ers, let out a loud monster growl and -- with your eyes still closed --
grab them. If you're right, the kids get another chance to try to
sneak past you. If you're wrong, your kids will be quite proud of
themselves (and delighted to see you growling and grabbing at nothing.)
It's a fun, vaguely educational activity, and it provides hope for Mommy's pleasant Saturday morning.
And
just think: maybe when they're teenagers, this Tip Toe Practice
activity will help them sneak back into the house after curfew! Oh,
wait a minute . . .
(For more fun quiet games we've posted try our 1, 2, 3 Quiet Game or What do you hear?)
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ages 2-7, good at home, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, rainy day fun, |
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!
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ages 2-7, reading activity, |
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.
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ages 2-7, may rile them up, quick activity, see our disclaimer, |
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!"
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ages 2-7, good at home, may rile them up, see our disclaimer, |
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- The Sharket
A fun, sorta wet way to buy groceries
ADDED August 31, 2008
Where do creatures of the sea shop for groceries? At the Sharket, of course!
First, designate a place in the house to be the Sharket. Then, have your kids gather up all the sea creatures in your home. These ocean animals could be stuffed animals, plastic toys, dolls from the Little Mermaid, or even pictures. (If you find you don't have any sea creatures at all, your kids could make some with their art supplies.)
After the sea animals have assembled, then find all the play food in your house. Again, use whatever you can find . . . and make more if needed.
Once the animals and food are in the Sharket, each kid takes a turn to help an animal buy an item of food. "Look, my octopus chose an eggplant." It's good to talk about which foods the animals would like and which foods the kids do like.
And this is quite important: in a Sharket, the customers and employees don't walk around. They have to move in 'water ways,' such as swimming, splashing, wading, floating, and so on. This is a good opportunity to talk about different words that mean moving in the water. (No actual water is required here, of course.)
Try the Sharket at your house today. And see how your kids can have fun with sea food.
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ages 2-7, good at home, |
How to entertain kids -- At the market
Fun times with what you have on hand
ADDED August 28, 2008
Sometimes shopping is not the most fun activity for kids. The waiting, price comparisons and bargain hunting is an adult activity. And unless a cereal needs to be picked out there is nothing much to do but sit and wait till the shopping is done. Of course we have a solution for that. Let your child play with your cell phone.
On the surface this might seem like a risky proposition but take a minute and explain to your child how careful you need to be with a cell phone and what a big responsibility it is to be able to use one. Then open up the camera function on you phone and show your kids how to take a picture or a movie and let them entertain themselves with this little piece of technology we all have.
You will definitely end up with a lot of photos like these actual photos taken by a three year old with my lovely wifes iphone but it is so fun!
Just another tip on HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS from Today is fun.
Commenting is easy and fun so let us know how it going we are always at info@todayisfun.com and don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!
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ages 2-7, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- ANATOMY ON A PLATE
A fun way to learn about our bodies
ADDED August 21, 2008
Kids want to have fun, and parents want their kids to be learning all the while. Well this activity is win-win. This is a way how to entertain kids, while helping them learn, too.
Today your children are going to learn about anatomy - that is, what's inside their bodies. We'll use your child's arm as a starting place.
In our arms, we've got bones, muscles, blood, and all of the above is covered with skin. We are going to demonstrate these things using some items from the fridge.
Bones are firm and hard, so show this with a carrot, or a couple apple slices.
On top of bones are muscles. For this, use a bit of meat, such as sliced sausage or hot dog.
For the blood, use that old standby: ketchup.
And finally, for the skin the best thing is a tortilla.
Place the ‘muscle' on top of the ‘bone.' Squirt some ‘blood' on the ‘muscles,' and cover this all up with ‘skin.' That's it. Now your kid has an idea bout these anatomical parts. You can push stuff around the plate, to show how bones move. You can also show how bones can break under the skin.
This fun activity will also demonstrate a real difference between kids and adults. Once you're done learning, kids will eat this anatomical re-creation. Chances are, their parents won't find it overly appetizing.
Have a great weekend filled with fun and learning!
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ages 2-7, educational, good at home, |
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- THE INVISIBLE BALL
Mom always said, don�t throw in the house (but she didn�t say anything about an invisible ball)
ADDED August 20, 2008
You and your child pretend to throw and catch a ball. That's it. This activity might sound a little dull, but kids seem to like it.
The fun here is in the variations on the throwing and the catching. You can throw the ball hard
and throw it gently, you can toss it up high or pitch it down low. Have your kid do a diving catch or a one-hand grab. And you can vary the ball, too-see how differently you and your child throw a ball that is really hot, or sticky, or very fragile.
Have fun with this, but also remind your young ones that this is just an activity, and that society looks down on people who opt for lives as professional mimes.
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ages 2-7, good for home, no 'props' needed, |
How to entertain kids -- Music Lessons
No musical ability, or musical instruments, required
ADDED August 19, 2008
Kids are endlessly fun and entertaining for their parents. So why shouldn't parents request specific entertainment? And who wouldn't like to be serenaded with some music?Well, before your kids can perform music for you, you'll have to teach them how to play some musical instruments.
And it doesn't matter if you own no instruments or if you have no musical ability yourself. You can still talk about different kinds of musical instruments, and how they sound.
First, you'll need some "instruments." Use some of your kid's stuff for these: different books and toys. Anything that they can hold and isn't too tiny.
Once you've got the "instruments," start holding each one up and demonstrating how it sounds. (As best as you can, imitate the sounds of various instruments.) Say things like: "You play a guitar by strumming, like this. You can put your other hand here, to change the notes."
Demonstrate the strumming of a guitar, the plinking of a piano, the honking of a trumpet. See if you guys can move on to the piccolo, flute, harpsichord, even bagpipes!
This will be a fun introduction to instruments for you little ones. And one day soon, your kid just might have a real instrument, so now you can practice listening to their musical efforts while trying not to wince too visibly.
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ages 2-7, good for a group, good for home, no 'props' needed, |
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- CLEANING MACHINES
Fun way to get kids to clean up
ADDED August 14, 2008
Picking up toys isn’t nearly as fun as getting them out in the first place. But a twist on that chore will help get it done.When my kids aren’t participating in the clean up, I say, “Uh oh, this cleaning isn’t happening very quickly. What we need are some cleaning machines.”
I tell my kids that now they have to crawl around the floor, because they are the machines!
And they respond immediately to this suggestion. Suddenly they are down on the floor, making odd and vaguely mechanical noises. One of my boys, in doing this activity, recently announced he was a “Toy Plow, not a snow plow,” and that his shovel was really good at cleaning the toys. And so it was.
This twist has come in handy for me, but I don’t think you should try it if time is a factor. If your machines resemble the ones in my house, the job gets done, but with lots of time spent making particular noises, breaking down, being repaired, etc.
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ages 2-7, good for a group, good for home, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, |
How to entertain kids -- Clap, stomp, hop
Combine follow the leader and outrageous antics for a fun time
ADDED August 13, 2008
As the final days of summer are waning and the school year is approaching fast sometimes a little boredom combined with the need to run around can create a powder keg of childish energy. When this perfect storm is about to strike we will head outside for a game that combines follow the leader and the outrageous antics of a game show into one kid friendly activity that is sure to get the wiggles out.This game seems to work best when we are walking somewhere but it certainly can be played in the yard or living room with equal success.
First everyone stands in a circle and chose someone to start, there are three moves that the leader can chose from and they can be played in any combination, either clap, stomp or hop. Say the leader starts with a hop, stomp, hop and while they are doing their moves they need to say what they are doing, “hop, stomp, hop”. When the leader finishes they say "next". This is the cue for the group to do what the leader just did, so they all say and do a little, “hop, stomp, hop”. When they finish they say "next". And the next person in line is now the leader and they get three moves, any three moves they might chose to go for a stomp, stomp, clap or hop, clap, stomp or even hop, hop, hop, whatever moves they chose the group follows and you keep going around the circle until everyone is worn out.
Remember you can do the moves in any order and even repeat moves but you only get three moves so use them wisely. As your players become more advanced you can make up moves to trick the group, try hop, bark, balance on one leg or jump, roll, give a high five.
The reason we like this game so much is its simplicity kids love copying their parents and they love to have fun and be silly.
Try a little hop, hop, act like a hippo today and leave us a comment, it’s easy and fun or email info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!
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ages 2-7, good at home, good for a group, may rile them up, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity, |
HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- What do you hear?
How to entertain kids with silence
ADDED August 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!
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ages 2-7, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for the car, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer, verbal activity, |
Kids Games -- What Will You Bring?
An amazingly simple and amazingly effective way of passing some time
ADDED August 05, 2008
This works well with a couple kids, but would also have fine results with just one child.
Have your children wait in one room, such as the living room. You leave the room, but before you do ask the kids, "What will I bring back?" (If you can pull it off, try to add a lot of mystery to your voice, in order to build up the anticipation.)
Then, return with one of your kid's things: a toy, or a book, or even a shoe.
"Wow! Who had any idea that I was going to return with your shoe?"
After everyone has marveled over the object and discussed whether it was very surprising or not, then it is your kid's turn.
"First return the object I brought out to its rightful place, and then surprise me with something. What will you bring back?"
This is one of Today Is Fun's kids games that is great for filling a little bit of time, or for when the kids are waiting at home. It saved the day recently as my boys and I were waiting for Mommy to get ready to go on an outing with us.
We are very interested to know: what will you bring back?
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ages 2-7, good at home, good for a group, quick activity, rainy day fun, |
Sticks and Stones
And leaves. They make for a fun, free art project for little ones.
ADDED August 04, 2008
Go for a walk with your child around the block, bringing along a grocery bag. Your kid can be in charge of choosing some free souvenirs from the walk, which you will put into the bag. These items include leaves, sticks, stones, seed pods, blades of grass, and so forth. Bougainvillea leaves can be especially nice. The only guidelines here are: don't take too much of any one thing, and don't take anything that belongs to somebody else! (A neighbor's mail, for example, is not available for this project.)
Back at home, take out some glue and construction paper. Help your little one glue the souvenirs to the paper.
Voila! It's a masterpiece! Your child is an artist. And it's fun for everyone. (Except possibly for the neighbor, if your child disregarded one of the above guidelines!)
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ages 2-7, art supplies needed, |
Animal Action
A game that gets the kids moving and exercising some creativity
ADDED July 22, 2008
I recently caught my lovely spouse playing this game with the kids. I immediately decided to steal the idea and put it up on this site, as this activity fits with our theme this week (simple and fun) and it's a great way of expelling some of the kids' energy out before bed.To do this one, you chant the following words:
Animal action, animal action, animal action.
Everyone act like a __________.
And you fill in the name of the animal. The kids' job, of course, is to make their bodies into the shape of the animal you named. They then run around in that shape, making the noise of the animal.
The point of this exercise is not accuracy. In our house, elephants, octopuses and guinea pigs seem to resemble each other very closely (and they all seem to growl ferociously, too, for some reason). Instead, the goal here is to look at the different things we can do with our bodies, and to get those bodies moving!
Have fun, but be careful. You never know when you'll encounter a snarling octopus or a ferocious guinea pig.
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ages 2-7, educational, good for a group, may rile them up, summer activity, |
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