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,

Snowflake Tortilla

Delicious edible momentarliy decorative treat.

ADDED December 15, 2008

Snowflakes are fun to make but they are even more fun make when you can eat them.  This is a great idea for an after school snack or just a fun cooking activity to do today with your kids.
 
First grab a few tortillas pop em in the microwave for a few seconds so they are warm, carefully fold the tortilla in half and then in half again.  Then using scissors cut triangles circles and diamonds into the tortilla to create your edible snowflake.  
 
When you finish cutting the tortilla unfold it put in on a plate and if you want a treat that is a little more sweet, toss the tortilla back into the microwave for about 15 seconds, spread some butter, cinnamon and sugar on it once you have your snowflake ready to eat take a few seconds to behold the beauty of your creation and eat it.  There is nothing like a nice warm snowflake treat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ages 4-12, educational, quick activity, rainy day fun, see our disclaimer,

Vowel-No-Vowel

Fun with vowels and no-vowels

ADDED December 08, 2008

 

What do you get when you take a piece of paper and write a vowel, a no-vowel, and a vowel?

If you can figure out a funny punch line to the above question, please email us with it.  But actually, we're not joking.  The real answer to that question is:  you get a word.

Try it with your kids.  First have them take a blank piece of paper and write down all the vowels:  A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y.

Now have them draw a line around those vowels, to separate them from the rest of the blank page.  Now that we've got the vowels nicely aligned, we're not going to be writing in that area any more.

Have your kid write any letter that's not a vowel (a "no vowel"), then any vowel, and then another no-vowel. 

Now they've done it:  they've got a word!

Well, some kind of word.  We're willing to concede that it might be gibberish.  But it will be some kind of word; it will be something that you guys will be able to pronounce.

The first time my 4-year-old tried this out, his no-vowel, vowel, no-vowel creation was:  ZEC.  Well, it's pronounceable at least, right?

But after we pronounced Zec, I could see a light go on for him.  His next creation was:  CAT.  Then DOG.  He was on a roll.

Then he said, "Daddy, I just wrote no-vowel, vowel, no-vowel, no-vowel."  What was that, I asked.  It turned out to be his friend, JACK.

This diversion will get your little ones thinking about letters and vowels, as well as how they all go together to make words.

And when you guys are learning like crazy and having loads of fun, you can try this tricky one on for size:  YIPPEE!  (Also known as:  sometimes vowel, vowel, no vowel, no vowel, vowel, vowel)

ages 4-12, educational, good any time, good at home,

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,

Thanksgiving jokes

Easy to remember and funny.

ADDED November 20, 2008

ages 4-12, good any time, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, good for mealtimes, no 'props' needed, verbal activity,

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,

Fun with Flickr

And with funny buildings, too

ADDED November 11, 2008

 

Most of you have probably visited the website Flickr.com.  If you haven't, it's definitely worth checking out...for a few hours.

Flickr is a site where anybody and everybody can upload and share their photos for free.  There are millions and millions of photos there, some of them dreadful and some quite amazing.  Simply put, you (and your child) can find anything there.

In fact, here's the first part of today's activity:  if you and your child are so inclined, try to think of something that Flickr can't show you.  An unusual jar? A funny race car? A chocolate bar?  Your child's favorite movie star?  Do a search for any of these:  Flickr's got pictures of them.  A skating rink?  The kitchen sink?  Things that are pink?  Englebert Humbertdink?  Yep, they're on Flickr, too.

And Flickr is great to use as reference, too.  Here's the next step of our activity today:  type "building" into the search field at Flickr.  You and your kid will find thousands of results.  Have a look at some of the different buildings people across the world have built.  Now type "weird building" in.  You'll find many, many very interesting and sometimes very weird constructions there.  

After you guys have enjoyed those sights, take out your trusty paper and markers.  It's time for you guys to create weird buildings of your own.  As you guys draw talk about what makes buildings "normal" or "regular," and what makes them different and strange.  Also ask, because it adds to the fun, "Would you like to live in this weird building?"

Have fun exploring Flickr and the wonderful world of weird buildings.  

(Today is Fun is not affiliated with Flickr in any way.  We think they're cool, though, and hopefully vice-versa.)

ages 4-12, art supplies needed, educational, good at home, longer activity,

Construction Instructions

Drawn to scale, sort of!

ADDED November 10, 2008

 

 

This fun game is inspired by the instructions that come with a complicated Lego toy.  It's also inspired, to a lesser extent, by those Ikea directions that never seem to work out right (or that always include a reference to some mysterious, not-included part.)

Whenever you get a complicated Lego toy, or a model airplane, there are always instructions included in the box.  You can see how to build the item, and you can also see what it is supposed to look like in the end.

Well, why do you have to buy something to get these kind of directions for your child?  You can make these very easily!

Choose some of your child's toys: blocks, Legos, or Tinkertoys certainly work well.  (But you could really do this with any toy:  even toy cars or Barbies.)  Have a look at the toy you've chosen, so you have a good sense of all the different parts and pieces.

Then take out a piece of paper and a pencil.  Draw 'something' for your child to build with the toys in question.  This could be a house, a tower, a maze, a pattern . . . anything.  Make the drawing clear enough to show your kid what toy goes where.

Now your child takes over.  Hand over the 'instructions' you've created and point towards the toys.  Of course, you can be standing by to help with any questions.  But really, your kid should be able to re-create your drawing with the toys without too much of your input.

(If you're using toy cars or Barbies, you might not be able to draw instructions for a house or tower, but instead make instructions for a pattern with them, or to align them in a specific, interesting way.)

The next step of this game is for your child to draw 'instructions' for you to create a toy construction.

Have fun with your instructions and constructions!  (And please remember to submit bulding plans to the city for approval and to make sure everything is up to code!)

ages 4-12, educational, good at home, longer activity,

Miscellaneous Squiggle

A creative and fun drawing game

ADDED October 16, 2008

 

 

So easy, so fun, and yep . . . totally free!

First, have your kid take a crayon or marker and make a squiggle or line on a piece of paper. 

Well, that was easy.  Now for the more challenging part:  you have to take some crayons and your child's squiggle and turn it into something recognizable.  You have to look at the squiggle and say, "What could I make from that?" 

It's not hard, actually.  You'll have a look at the squiggle and see that it's actually smoke curling out of a chimney, or a leopard's paw, or a fairy princess's toothbrush, or whatever.

You don't have to be an amazing artist by any stretch.  Just try to make it clear to your child what you're drawing.

Now comes the fun part:  you make the squiggle, and your child has to create something from it.  (This is a bit more enjoyable, because you get to sit back and be entertained by your child's creativity.)

We think this is good, addictive fun, and in our house, kids and parents keep trading turns for quite some time.

And just as grandma used to talk about turning lemons into lemonade, you get to turn miscellaneous squiggles into fine art!

 

(In case you're interested, the above squiggle was drawn by a kid, and an adult made the art.  The squiggle below was drawn by the adult, and the beautiful art was created by a kid.)

 

ages 4-12, art supplies needed, good at home, rainy day fun,

Donate Used Toys

A fun activity and a helping hand for people in need

ADDED October 08, 2008

The other day, as the cleaning machines were working away (see our Cleaning Machines post), my son said, "Why do we have to put so many toys away?"
 
"Because you have a lot of toys!"  I said.
 
He continued, "If we had less toys, it would not take so long to put them away".
 
I though about it for a minute, and he was right.  My kids have far too many toys. I think if I were to divide their toys in half they would still have enough toys to last at least till the 7th grade. The sheer volume of toys in most houses has brought about an industry of organizational professionals jjust to tell parents what to do with their kids' stuff.
 
Since I am kind of a do-it-yourself kind of guy, I decided to do something about the toys, something that would not require a trip to Ikea or an organizing professional.

Since this site is all about fun, I tried to make a hard conversation fun.  My kids are a little older, so they understand that some people are not as fortunate as they are, and they understand what "donate" means.  And we decided to start donating.
 
So we took all the their toys out of every bucket, tub and shoebox.  We made a little game out of getting rid of the clutter.  (Just like on one of those ever-so-popular house de-cluttering shows).
 
The activity worked really well:  just a "keep" box and a "go" box.  No questions asked.  After the boxes were sorted, we decided what toys were worth keeping and what toys needed to go . . . and just like that, it was done.
 
It was amazing:  we de-cluttered, then donated.  In the end, everybody won.  In my son's mind, he had less toys to pick up and we were able to give some nice toys to some less fortunate people.  Not to be preachy, but it's one thing to donate when everything's going wonderfully, but it's also important to give during the bad times, when the economy isn't so great and when our natural instinct is to circle the wagons and cling to our stuff.  

We donated two boxes, and it felt good for parents and kids alike.

 

info@todayisfun.com 

ages 4-12, educational, reading activity, verbal activity,

Pass the thumb

Equals restaurant fun

ADDED October 06, 2008

Sometimes when we are out to dinner at a fancier restaurant and the kids are growing restless we will play this quiet game. It does not require anything other than our hands (and as I mentioned, it is a quiet game).
 
Here is how you play: Everybody sits with hands on the table in the "thumbs up" position.  The game starts when the person who is "it" uses their thumb to point at another person.  The thumb is now passed.  (No one's hand ever needs to leave the table to pass the thumb. We're not encouraging wild body movements with this game.)  

Once the thumb is passed, the next person is "it" and can pass the thumb to someone else. That's it:  simple, easy and a surefire way to keep everyone occupied till the Casoulet arrives.
 
If your kids are a little older, add some other rules to make it a bit trickier and keep everyone on their toes.  Make a rule that you can only pass the thumb with your left hand or you can only pass the thumb if you point to someone with two thumbs.
 
You can play until your meal comes or your thumbs grow weary, but everybody wins!  Next time you are at a restaurant don't ask to pass the salt and pepper, ask to pass the thumb.

info@todayisfun.com

ages 4-12, good for a restaurant or public place, no 'props' needed, quick activity, see our disclaimer,

CODE CRACKING

You're never too young to start deciphering secret-agent-style messages

ADDED October 02, 2008

 

This is a great activity to fill some of your kids' time.  It's both educational and fun, too.  It will even work for little kids who aren't yet reading. (But the participants do need to know their letters.)

In some newspapers and activity books, they have messages in code for teens and adults to figure out.  This is similar, but for younger kids, we suggest giving them a coded message *and* the key at the same time. 

With the key, young children can enjoy concentrating and figuring out the secret message.

We've provided a couple of secret coded messages here, and the keys necessary to decipher them. Print them up and let your young code cracker have at it!

(Note to very sugar concious parents:  two of the coded messages we've included here involve praise for cookies and cake.  We hope this is okay; we just want to keep your kids on their toes, not cause unpleasant altercations or additional trips to the dentist.  The possibly objectionable messages are the even numbered ones below.)

We hope you 99 • 13 •17 • 77 • 55 !

 

Click to download:

Code #1 Key

Secret Message #1

Secret Message #4

 

Code #2 Key

Secret Message #2

Secret Message #3

 

photo of deciphering boy by plasticrevolver

ages 4-12, educational, good at home, longer activity, rainy day fun,

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- MAKE A PARACHUTE

Learn about gravity and how to defy it

ADDED September 25, 2008

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

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

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

info@todayisfun.com

ages 4-12, good any time, good at home, good for a group, quick activity, see our disclaimer, summer activity, verbal activity,

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- STICKY NOTE TREASURE HUNT

Follow the Squares to the Fun

ADDED September 23, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

info@todayisfun.com.

ages 4-12, art supplies needed, good at home, see our disclaimer,

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,

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Cleaning Lemon

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

ADDED September 08, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

ages 4-12, good at home, longer activity, see our disclaimer,

How to entertain kids -- Quarter Collectors

More fun with money

ADDED August 06, 2008

 

Turn your kids into Quarter Collectors. This activity will make trips to the store more fun, and it will teach your children about all our American states.

As you may have noticed, quarters these days don't just have the traditional eagle on the "tails" side. Lately these coins have been showing up with representations of each state on them.

Here's all that you need to do get this activity going:

First, find a container to hold the quarters. Second, print up a map of the U.S. You can get a free printable map here or download a PDF one here.

Now you guys are all set to go. Have the container, the printed map, and a handful of quarters from different states on hand to help you explain this new activity to your kid.

Each time your child adds a new state to the collection, he or she should color the state in on the map.

With every new quarter, you and your kid should talk about the state and review the images depicted there. The Indiana quarter has a race car-why do you think that is? You can see a Scissor Tailed Fly Catcher (it's a bird) on the Oklahoma quarter. And what is that very long, boxy looking thing on the North Carolina quarter?

You can choose to give your kid a new state each day, or you both can review the change you get back from your errands.

Have fun learning with your Quarter Collectors!

And when you've got all fifty states, please mail the collection to us here at Today Is Fun. We also will accept any other forms of currency in your collection.

ages 4-12, art supplies needed, educational, good at home, rainy day fun,

What is my balance?

Help encourage your kids to save.

ADDED July 31, 2008

We opened a bank account for the kids the other day.  It’s their own bank account that they use for their personal savings.  It does not have a debt card or checks and it barely has a balance but it is a place they can put birthday money or money they earn from practicing the piano.

I certainly am no professional with money management but I hope it will help them understand how hard it is to earn money and how expensive it is to buy things. 

They both really like to go online (with my help of course) to check their balances and trips to make a deposits have been fun so far. I’ll let you know how it works out as time goes on.  Hopefully they will realize the car they want will not pay for itself.

ages 4-12, good at home, see our disclaimer, verbal activity,

Lk, M! N vwls!

that is...Look, Ma! No vowels!

ADDED July 07, 2008

If your child doesn't know what vowels are, tell them: A, E, I, O, U, and (that's right), sometimes Y. For "phase 1" of this activity, you guys just might want to talk about the vowels each day for a week.

Once your child gets the concept . . . it's time to get rid of those special letters. No more vowels for you!

In our house, we like to imagine a world with no vowels. We start with simple words, such as dog and cat. First, I ask my boys where the vowels are in each of those words, and once each has been identified, we spell the words *without* vowels: dog and cat become dg and ct. The most fun part of this exercise is trying to pronounce the words without vowels. (I think dog and cat sound like dug and kit, both sounding kind of clipped and pronounced with a lot of emphasis. I also find that I clench my teeth when uttering these vowel-less words.)

Then we start talking about family members, and what would happen to their names without vowels. Daddy and Mommy's names are especially difficult to pronounce without vowels, but we try anyway. (Three impassioned D sounds and three long Mmmm's, respectively.) We talk about our friend Paul, whose name is manageable and still sounds relatively Paul-like, but then we discuss Alicia and Ana, whose names sound nothing like they do with all of their vowels.

In our house, things generally break down from there, and the kids want to talk about every word without its proper allotment of vowels. It really is dctnl and fn, but sometimes a bit xhstng! (educational, fun, exhausting!)

ages 4-12, educational, good any time, good at home, good for a group, good for a restaurant or public place, verbal activity,

Morning Muffins

A simple muffin recipe makes any morning fun.

ADDED June 18, 2008

Certain mornings cold cereal does not work. So what the kids and I like to do on a weekend morning is make this simple mini blueberry muffin recipe. It is quick, easy and has little clean up so you can get on with other things. It is also best if we can make the muffins and not wake up Mom. Try it this weekend I guarentee everyone will be pleased with the results.

 

For some reason I memorized this recipe. So what I like to do is have my kids test me every time we make these just so I don’t forget something important. I like to think it helps them with reading and I can empathize with them as they memorize spelling words. They also do a majority of the measuring and all batter testing.

If you don’t want to memorize the recipe (and I don’t blame you) print it out and let your kids do the reading and measuring.

Try it and let me know how it goes. When I say everyone can do it I do mean it.
1. 2 cups of flour
2. 1/2 cup sugar
3. 3 tsp baking powder
4. ½ tsp cinnamon
5. 1/8 tsp salt
6. 1 egg
7. ¾ cup milk
8. 1/3 cup butter
9. 2 tsp vanilla
10. 1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix all dry ingredients add wet ingredients and fold in blueberries (or cranberries or chocolate chips!)
Fill greased mini muffin pans
Bake for 10-15 min or until golden brown.
Sprinkle tops of muffins with a little cinnamon & sugar or powdered sugar and eat!

 

Let us know how it goes and email us at info@todayisfun.com photos of the results.

 

*Original recipe for muffins can be found here
http://www.bfeedme.com/mini-fresh-blueberry-muffins-recipe/
Thank you!

ages 4-12, educational, good at home, good for a group, good for mealtimes, longer activity, reading activity, verbal activity,

DON'T Knock Down My Tower

A rowdy, rough-housing, fun and physical game

ADDED June 13, 2008

First, a warning. Most of our ideas are pretty mellow, and nobody will get hurt while trying them. This one is different. Be careful! Somebody could get hurt.

This activity can get a little rough, and it might be a fun one to do with Dad over the weekend.

Okay, now that we've offered that disclaimer, here's the game . . .

Set up a stack of things: dominos, blocks, whatever you have available. It should be a 'tower,' and it should be a foot or so high.

Now you tell the kids, "DON'T knock down my tower!"

If your kids are like mine, they'll immediately see the game here, and they will absolutely want to do just that very thing.

The object is for the adult to try to stop the kids from knocking the tower down.

That's it. The kids do whatever they can to knock the tower down, and you do whatever you can to stop them.

This can be difficult, especially the more children are involved in the activity, and especially if your kids are determined and wily, the way mine are.

Because this game can potentially be rough and can involve some falling down, you'll want to play it somewhere that offers 'soft landings:' on the grass, for instance, or on a nice thick carpet. And it's a better game for older kids than for littler ones.

Have some fun with Dad this weekend. And whatever you do, don't knock down my tower!

 

(See the post right below this one for some great, possibly last minute ideas and suggestions for Father's Day.)

ages 4-12, good for a group, may rile them up, see our disclaimer,