


Here is a list of ten creative, fun ways to use a blanket. There are probably hundreds more, but here are ten suggestions to get you started.
1. A blanket could be a boat.
2. A blanket could be a cape (for good guys and bad guys alike.)
3. A blanket could be a space ship.
4. A blanket could be a reading nook. (Or even better, a quiet reading nook.)
5. A blanket could be a sled (if you have wood floors and brave children.). . .
Length: Twenty minutes or so.
Parental Involvement: Encourage observation and use of senses.
Kids Should Be Able to: Spell simple words. Observe and . . . have fun!
Summer continues this week, and I am sure your patience is growing thin, as is your wallet. So why not take a trip to a local Botanical Garden? The flowers are beautiful and if you pack a lunch, it's a free outing. (Have i mentioned that we are fans of free?)

My son and I went this past week, and it was a blast! Now, on the surface, two guys at the botanical gardens does not sound like so much fun, but I promise it was . . . and in true TIF fashion it was also educational. We decided to go on a Five Senses Walk.
Here is how a Five Senses Walk works: First explain to your kids that everybody has five senses. They are seeing, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. For a Five Senses Walk to be successful, you need to make sure you use all five senses at sometime during your walk and then report your findings to the group.
When you smell something that is good, tell the group. If you see something that is beautiful, tell the group. If you touch something that is soft, or carefully touch something that is rough, tell the group.. . .
With kids on summer break, sometimes the afternoons can get a bit rowdy. When it gets too rowdy, I think everyone needs to take a break. If your kids are like mine and no longer take naps, maybe a little silent reading time is what everybody needs. It is a perfect way to settle everyone down so you can get dinner made, fold some laundry, or just have a silent reading time of your own.
Here is how we do silent reading. Feel free to make up you own rules, but this is what works for us.
First of all, at my house the activity is called silent reading, so there is no talking. Secondly, each person will need a back-up book -- that is, a book that a kid can read if they finish their first book. This cuts down on talking. Third, silent reading has a time-limit. Time is accurately monitored by a timer that will beep when silent reading is over. Finally, wherever a kid is in the house when silent-reading starts, they need to stay there until silent reading ends.
I know it sounds like these rules were made by a dictator, but I have found that if everyone knows the rules before we start reading, a lot more reading happens, and a lot less time searching for a loophole.
Also, if silent reading is not something for your family, try "room time," or "yard time," or any of the other great activities here at TIF!
Happy weekend!
thanks to sugarpond and bastian for letting us use their photos
I like the word "lifeboat." It seems hopeful word; no matter how bad things get, a lifeboat can always save me. And if you are seeking entertainment today for your kids, try this activity. It just might save you.
Spread a blanket out on the floor and tell your kids
that the blanket is a lifeboat. Everything will have to be on the boat
or it doesn't make the trip. So they should get a book to read, a
blanket, and anything else that will help them on their "voyage." If
your kids are anything like mine, the lifeboat will kind of full and
sitting rather low in the water.
Here are a few fun activities you can use to make your lifeboat adventure fun:
Lunch on the Lifeboat:
Have the kids wait on their raft while you are making lunch and then
"swim" their meal out to them when it is ready. Just make sure that the
sharks don't eat your food!
Rest on the lifeboat: Spread out
the raft in your kids room during rest time (I don't expect too much
actual resting to be done.) Close the door and let the gentle ocean
breezes float them off to dream land.
Sail the lifeboat to a far off land:
Have your kids ever flown anywhere in a plane? If they have, then why
not pretend to sail there in your lifeboat? If they have not flown
anywhere, look at a map and pick an exotic destination. (Land-locked
countries could pose a challenge, I suppose.)
Whatever you choose to do, it is always fun to break up the routine. And lunch on a lifeboat may be just that. Have fun!
Thanks to gurms and admitone for the inspirational photos!
Length: Thirty-ish minutes
Parental Involvement: Print the sheet. Explain the idea. Let the kids do their thing and, later, review their answers with them.
Kids Should Be Able to: Think about their lives. Make judgments about their preferences.
The other day, I took some of the Today is Fun crew out to dinner. When we were all done eating, the waitress brought the bill (oh, joy) and another slip of paper: a satisfaction survey.
I don't really mind participating in satisfaction surveys. In fact, I have opinions, and I'm always happy to share them!
When my kids saw me filling out the form, they were curious. What was I doing? When I explained, they immediately wanted in. They had opinions about our dining experience, too.
As it turned out, we had accidentally been given 2 surveys, so I let them fill one out, too. My boys especially liked choosing a number between one and five to grade their time in the restaurant.
And that got me thinking...why not create a satisfaction survey geared specifically for kids? What are your kids' thoughts and feelings about their world? And wouldn't it be fun for them to tell you?
Unlike the restaurant questionnaire, though, we don't want your kids to rate you in any way. You're a parent and beloved family member, period. We don't want them to rate anything about you or your parenting. We don't want to know how much they liked breakfast today, for instance. As far as we're concerned, all devoted and loving parents get a five out of a possible five!
But we are interested in other aspects of their lives. On a scale from from one to five, how much does your child enjoy:
Renting DVDs and watching the movies on them?
Drinking a milkshake?
Playing with a dog or cat?
Singing a song?
Helping you wash the car?
Helping you make dinner?
Swinging?
The goal here is to get kids reflecting on their preferences in life, and also to transforming those thoughts into a number from one to five.
(Just so we're all clear: this is meant to be a fun, positive activity. If kids start "hating on" everything, or just being negative about the questions -- or about other kids' responses to the questions -- well, that's not the point. Try to emphasize aspects of these things that your child does like. A little negativity goes a long way. And frankly, negativity is pretty boring, if you want my opinion.)
Oh, and one more thing, we've created a free, downloadable and printable questionnaire for your child, with 30 questions . Click here, print, and ask away!
We hope you enjoy today's activity. We also hope that you're a satisfied customer, and that you'd rate our website, Today is Fun, as a five out of five!
(Thanks to sun dazed for the five star thumbs up image, too!)

Length: Thirty to forty-five minutes
Parental Involvement: Explain the idea. Participate in the thinking and the guessing.
Kids Should Be Able to: Think about aspects of animals. Guess.
We will tell you that today's fun kid activity is a game -- and indeed it is. But there is so much more here lurking beneath the surface. We're really getting kids to look at things a bit differently. Also, today we are going to study the details that make up the bigger picture.
Oh, and we haven't yet announced: today's activity comes with a free download. Click here to get the guessing sheet we've made, then print and go.
Once you've got our free, fabulous activity sheet all printed out, you can explain the concept to your little one.
Length: Thirty to forty-five minutes
Parental Involvement: Explain and lead the excursion outside. Make sure the kids don't hurt their fingers on the rocks!
Kids Should Be Able to: Follow directions, manipulate cumbersome objects, and exercise a bit of care around "biggish" rocks.

If
your kids are anything like mine, they love stuffed animals. Most
nights, if a certain stuffed animal can't be found, no sleeping will be
accomplished until it is found and returned to the safe and loving arms
of its child owner. Since these friends are such special members of the
family, why not have a birthday party for them with your kids?
Now
you don't need to make a big to-do with bouncers, elephants (a friend
went to a kid's party with real elephants), and face painting. Just a
simple gathering -- maybe during lunch, with the guest of honor sitting
at the head of the table. Make it fun and ask your kids what the guest
of honor would like like to eat (mac-n-cheese is a favorite meal of
many a stuffed animal), make some cupcakes, sing happy birthday, and
open gifts. I guarantee that it will be a good time for everybody
involved.
Here is a quick list of things you and your kids can do to make it a special day for that very special stuffed animal:
1. Make the cupcakes together. (Kids are expert batter and frosting testers.)
2. Have your kids make a gift. Yesterday's activity is great for this.
3.
Make sure your kids ask what their stuffed animal wants for lunch. You
might be surprised to find out that some stuffed animals have very
complex palates.
4. Make sure their pal is all ready for the lunch by having your kid sit them at the head of the table.
5. Set yourself up for future fun by putting the stuffed animal's birthday on the calendar.
This is a perfect activity to perk up your summer, and the best thing is it costs nothing! Happy Birthday!
Photos bykyleandkelly and kishimoto via Flickr, thanks to a creative commons license.
***UPDATE*** MommyinLA (here is a link to her twitter page) sent us these pictures of her boys enjoying a stuffed animal party! (Well, it was an alien party, actually.) Thanks and keep the photos coming!

Here
at TIF, we try to be a few of the "Founding Fathers of Free." Our
readers trust us daily to provide activities for their kids that are
not only entertaining but completely cost free. Today is no
exception: we have an activity that not only costs nothing but that
might just save your sanity later this summer. Today we present: "The
Summer Activity Belt."
It does not take a PhD in child
entertainment to make a "The Summer Activity Belt." Instead, you need
just some imagination and a belt.
In our house, we re-purposed a
belt from an old Halloween costume. This old belt had some holes in it
which were perfect for hanging and attaching things to. If you choose
to purchase a belt like ours -- and we don't suggest it because we like
free -- the Army surplus store in your area is a cheap place to start.
Have
your child attach anything to it that they might find entertaining on a
walk or outing this summer. Think of things to keep them occupied in
any situation or items that would be useful on an adventure. My son --
I
should mention he is the inventor of the "The Summer Activity Belt" --
chooses to carry in his belt: a pair of sunglasses, a pedometer, a
house key, a library card, and (not pictured) a moleskin
notebook and a wallet. The belt could just as easily carry a pencil,
some Lego figures, a magnifying glass, binoculars, or a book. The great
thing about "The Summer Activity Belt" is that it can carry items as
varied as your children's interests, and they are solely responsible
for making sure it is chocked full of activities that they find
interesting.
We think you'll find that "The Summer Activity Belt" makes a bold fashion statement and can go a long ways toward keeping your kids entertained. Make one today!
We all have heard of the Guinness Book of World Records.
At the moment, it is a very popular book at my house, featuring such
important entries as the furthest distance an egg has been thrown, the
fattest cat, and the longest time spent ironing (this last record was
definitely not achieved at my house). The Guinness Book contains
information sure to entertain any child (and guaranteed to make a good
impression during one of the many power lunches I am required to attend
while promoting todayisfun.com.)
The Guinness Book of World
Records got me thinking that summer is here. What a perfect season in
which to achieve some of our own records! We are not going to try our
hand at competitive eating, miniature horse husbandry, or sword
swallowing, but we just might see how many times we can catch a ball
without dropping it (our record is 177 consecutive catches), how many
times we can ride our bikes around the block in 5 minutes (the
neighborhood record is 3 times), or whether it is possible to hug your
father while eating a peanut butter sandwich (record not yet attempted).
This
summer if you are in need of some quick entertainment, see how far,
long or frequently they can do something. It's fast, fun and free.
Use our competitions listed above as a starting point, and then create
some of your own records!
Let us know what records your kids
break, and we'll can send you an official TIF Book of World Records
certificate (suitable for framing). We are always available at
info@todayisfun.com.
Alas, there is a record for most Brussels Sprouts eaten in one minute (24). But my kids are not the record holders . . . not even close.
Length: A few minutes of conversation and then 15 minutes of running
Parental Involvement: Review a few of the Founding Fathers with your young children. You can pretty much read them the relevant paragraphs below.
Kids Should Be Able to: Listen and run.
Yesterday, we were talking with our kids about the 4th of July and the story behind this most festive of holidays. We mentioned the "Bad Guy" King George III, but didn't mention the "Good Guys" -- the heroes of early American history. To help your kids become familiar with a few of the fifty-six delegates (because fifty-six is a lot) who signed the Declaration of Independence, we present "Founding Fathers Tag." It is a simple way to bring educational American History fun into your kids' lives (and don't worry there won't be a test.)

Length: Twenty minutes or so
Parental Involvement: Some supervision, but for the most part hands off
Kids Should Be Able to: Collect snails without hurting them
Snails are most
active in the morning, evening, and -- at my house -- any time the
sprinklers are on. If your kids are anything like mine, they like to
catch anything they find in the yard and put it in a plastic container
for observation. Snails are perfect for this.
What we do at
our house is grab a plastic container like this and fill it with
snails. This can be little yucky, but once I showed my kids how to
pick up the snails (very carefully by the shell) they were hooked.
We have had a great time looking at snails' eyes which can be found on their upper tentacles, the different shell sizes they have, and trying to keep them in their container. We also learned that snails smell using their lower set of tentacles, they are herbivores eating only plants and the snails found around our house are called garden snails.
When
we are done with our snail observation, we gently put them back where
we found them in the yard so we can continue our observations another
day.
Remember, please treat all God's creatures with respect and compassion!
Have fun with this one!
I really try to look for fun in everything I do with my kids, and Bike
Bell Memory is a perfect example of how you can take anything and have
a good time with it.
Where we live, there are a lot of
pedestrians on the sidewalks. Pedestrians are not always ready to be
assaulted by unskilled, shaky bike riders (that is, eight and nine year
olds on two wheelers), so in an effort to make innocent citizens aware
of our presence, each kid in my house was presented with a bike bell.
Suffice
to say, there is a lot of bike bell ringing thanks to my very
enthusiastic children. Their free-form, bell-ringing fun only stops
when we play "Bike Bell Memory." Here is how it goes: first I use my
bell to create a simple rhythm that is easy for the kids to duplicate.
After they repeat the pattern I created, I will create another rhythm
that is a little harder, and they repeat. We continue doing this until
we have to stop for a traffic light. Then one of the kids takes over,
and they will create a rhythmical pattern that we all need to repeat.
Bike bell memory makes passing people a whole lot easier because the constant
ringing is sure to get the attention of everyone within earshot (as well as all the
dogs in the neighborhood.)
You like this idea? Please leave us a comment, and let everyone know!
Thanks to marcusramberg for the photo
Length: 10 minutes or more. If it's a hit, there will be repeat performances.
Parental Involvement: Explain the activity, share ideas as to how to play.
Kids Should Be Able to: Coordination, motor skills needed. This could be good, though, for kids who don't feel confident doing other sports.
My son made this game up, and I think its great! It just shows that if you supply the opportunities to allow kids to be creative, they can make their own fun with just about anything.
My lovely wife was saving a few empty oatmeal containers for some sort of school project when our son got his hands on them. He had been throwing a hackey sac around, and when he saw the empty containers, inspiration struck. He combined the hackey sac and the empty oatmeal containers to create a Jai Alai or scoop-ball-type tossing game that was the perfect way to pass a Saturday in the backyard.
To play, you throw and catch the ball using the empty can -- it is just that simple! It took a little practice, but once we got the hang of it, we were able to create several variations that made the game even more fun. We counted to see how many times we could toss the ball back and forth without dropping it, then we marked out a rough court and played a game where one player tries to throw the ball over a line while the other player tries to block it. Then we created another version of the game where one player tries to throw it as high as he can and the other player catches it.
The game was great for practicing coordination and sportsmanship (because, yes, sometimes someone has to lose.) Best of all it was a very creative way to pass an afternoon.

Thanks to my son for this fine and fun game! (If your kids make up some fun games, please send them in to us! We are always available info@todayisfun.com)
Make no mistake,
people. You know it's coming. Summer Break is almost upon us! The
kids won't be at school, they'll be at your house. At your house, and
looking for fun things to do.
In case you haven't started
stocking up for the calamitous event that is Summer Break, we have a
list that will help you start. We are calling it our suggested "Summer
Pack," and it contains free or very inexpensive materials you can use
to keep the kids busy. With these supplies on hand, you'll be able to
get your kids doing crafts, activities, and games without much prep
time.
First thing, come up with four different activities that would be fun for your kids. On ours, I wrote exercises: do five push-ups, do ten jumping jacks, run in place for fifteen seconds, and do three sit-ups. Then write down each activity on a quarter of the tube like this.
Next, insert the smaller tube inside the two bigger tubes like this.
Now, let the activities commence! Have your child pull open the two larger tubes to display the activity. Whatever message is revealed, the kid gets to do it! Then the tube gets passed on to the next kid.
One handy benefit of the Activity Tube is that it can be customized to fit any situation. I made a "Job Tube" that has dinnertime jobs on it. These jobs may not be quite as fun, but they sure are helpful. This one encourages kids to "help with dinner preparation," "set the table" and even "clean up."
Watch the magic of the Activity Tube as it occurs in your house: your kids might roll your eyes or talk back to you . . . but they won't argue with the Activity Tube!
Kids and parents will enjoy our Activity Tube much more than the boring old boob tube. Have fun and use the comments section to let us know how you use the Activity Tube!
This week we are featuring Do It Yourself crafts and games! Each activity will involve some sort of recycled or re-purposed item. We will be posting three
fun games and two great crafts all guaranteed to make sure that Today Is Fun.
We begin with a simple craft activity that all kids will enjoy for many hours. (We have found that the best crafts end up being toys.)

Eating "in season" is all the rage these days, and today we have a fun and free outing that you can take as a family: a trip to a local farmer's market. You need to eat and everybody wants to eat something that is healthy and fresh. This weekend would be a perfect time to go if you have never been.
Decide ahead of time what your budget will be (they only take cash) and then spend an hour or so looking and tasting (many vendors have samples) all that the local farmers in your area have grown. You can even let your kids help pick some of their favorites or try something new. Here is a picture of my daughter with purple carrots.
Below is a list from eattheseasons.com of all the fruits and vegetables that are in at their peak of freshness right now. So get your helpers, head over to the market and grab some goodness.
VEGETABLES
artichoke | asparagus | avocado | broccoli | corn | cucumber | fava beans | peas | radishes | rhubarb | spinach | zucchini
FRUIT & NUTS
apricots | grapefruit | kiwi fruit | lemons | limes | pineapple | strawberries
If you tell your kids to go outside and run around, you might not get
the results you'd want. Your kids might immediately start exercising
their lungs with loud questions and complaints. Their bodies might
stay inside and their muscles might work up some frowns.
But, as you probably already know, it's all about presentation with
kids. Children respond better when you just use the right packaging!

We suggest you enroll your children in an exercise class right away.
No need to drive around looking for a suitable instructor, of course,
because you are it.
Have your kids stand in an area with plenty of space around them. Now
start showing your little ones some exercises to do. We're confident
you can improvise something here; you could try teaching them: jumping
jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, jogging-in-place, etc. If you know any yoga
that might work, great. See how the kids are doing--spend as long
doing your exercises as long as all you guys are all comfortable and
happy.
And now the really, really fun part: now it's your kids' turn to be
the instructors. Kids, we've found, really enjoy taking over the
reins. My kids love watching me as I mimic their exercises, which
usually involve some extreme, crazy gestures, some wild flailing of
arms, and some practically impossible yoga-ish stances. (Needless to
say, for this exercise class, you'll want to leave your dignity behind
in the locker room.)
When my kids (five and three) lead the class, they flap their arms,
they twist their trunks, they hop and down vigorously. (It all is
quite tiring, I must say.)
It's exercise, it's entertainment, it's both! Have fun!
Even
though we're about to tell you that the object of this game is for your
kids to get a lot of points, really points don't matter here at all.
The true point is to get the kids running around and having some fun.
(You'll need a minimum of two children for this activity. Go collect them now)
Put
"something" down in the middle of a large room or yard. That something
could be a toy, a rock, a book, a manila envelope. That centrally
located item now becomes "the Golden Point." When the kids touch that
thing, they get a point. When they touch it again, they get another
point! The Golden Point just keeps giving.
The next thing you have to do is keep the kids away from the Golden Point.
First,
set up some safe areas about ten feet away from the Golden Point.
(Again, use whatever you have handy for these safe areas: chairs work
very well.) The kids can hang out in the safe areas all they want. No
harm could ever come to them there. But the kids do need to set out
from their safe areas in order to get some Golden Points.
In
between the safe areas and the Golden Point, that's where the "monster"
awaits. This monster (you or, if you want, a kid) has one purpose in
life: to keep kids from the Golden Point. Also, the monster enjoys
tickling kids who are trying to get to the Golden Point.
When a
kid gets touched by the monster, he or she must freeze. Only the touch
of another kid will work for unfreezing purposes. (The monster might
want to take the opportunity to do some tickling of its hapless, frozen
victim.)
As we said above, points don't matter. The kids can
count every time they touch the Golden Point, or not. But there areno
winners or losers here. It's just running around fun. (Oh, and
tickling. There should be a lot of tickling.)
Ah, yes. The crack of the bat, the vendors hawking peanuts and Cracker Jack, the mascots of indeterminate species. Yes, people, baseball is back. (It starts this coming Monday.) And we honor the new season of this uniquely American sport with a little . . . geography. That's right: geography.
Professional sports offer a fine opportunity to teach your children
about American places. If your kids love sports, wouldn't they be
interested to see all the cities and states from which competing teams
hail?
For the new baseball season, we've created this handy map. Print it out and pass it over to the kids.
First
have your children make a small X to show your city or town. And then,
do you guys cheer for a certain team? If you do, locate it on the map,
and have the kids spruce it up with some colors. Next, if your kids
know and remember other teams, find those on the map. Have your kids
color each in as you go along. And have them color each state you
discuss. For each baseball team, it's not enough to mention the
city--we want to know states, too. What state do the Boston Red Sox
come from? How about the Cincinnati Reds? (And if the team already
provides the name of the state, well then, we want to know the city.
Yes, we mean you: Arizona Diamondbacks, Florida Marlins and Colorado
Rockies!) Try to discuss all the teams and have your kids color the
whole map in.
Baseball team names offer an opportunity for more interesting conversations and possibly some vocabulary learning. What exactly is a Padre? Why was the San Diego team given that name? Why were the Twins given that name? What is a Marlin? If you don't know any of these answers, simply turn to trusty ole Wikipedia. (My kids were particularly interested to hear how the Houston Astros got their name. If I'm not careful, my boys, with their love of all things space- and rocket-related, might just switch allegiances on me.)
You can hang your kids' colorful map up. When the baseball team your family follows is playing an opponent, the kids can be in charge of finding the opposing team on the map.
Play ball! (And go Dodgers!)
--S
(Thank you, DeusXFlorida, for the use of the baseball photo above!)
For this one, you'll need some open space (backyard, large living room) and a number of big, "grabbable" things (trees, dining room chairs).
The game is pretty simple. Someone (you, for starters) is "it." And by "it," we mean, "the bad guy" or the "monster." You know, "it."
As with traditional tag, everybody else wants to avoid being touched by "it."
When everybody else is touching a tree (or dining room chair) they are safe and can't be touched by "it."
But in keeping with our trickiness theme this week, the reason this activity is trickier than normal tag is: "it" can tell everybody else when to leave the safety of their tree trunk or dining room chair. It yells, "Everybody switch trees! Everybody switch trees!" And so everybody must.
And this, of course, is It's opportunity to grab a hapless victim.
This version of tag is just a bit different and a bit trickier. We think it adds a bit more spice to the game. And in keeping with good ole fair play, isn't it nice to let It have a little more say in the proceedings?
Have fun running around this weekend, indoors or out. And we hope you enjoyed our tricky tips this past week!
--S
(Many thanks to wheat_in_your_hair for the photo!)
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!
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. 
A fun activity in these final days of summer is just sitting outside and watching the clouds. It is simple easy and clouds are almost always available to watch.
Today find some time to spend together outside looking at the clouds. Eat lunch outside or take an evening walk and look for animals, people or shapes in the clouds. If your kids are having trouble finding something in the clouds give them some silly suggestions of things to look for like, Grandma, the family pet or a teacher.
Here at TIF we love science and want to spread the love so while you are enjoying your time chatting and searching the skies if you see "puffy" or "cotton-like" clouds you can practice with your kids the scientific name for those clouds it is Cumulus. After all it’s never to early learn.

Commenting is easy and fun so let us know what your kids see in the clouds info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!
It's still Summer and it's still warm. One easy way to cool the kids down, without schlepping them off to a water park or beach, is to turn on the sprinklers and let them run around in the spray.
Then, find a place to hide the treasure, any off-the-beaten-track nook or cranny will do. Statues are especially good: our family has stuck a penny into the folds of historical personage's coat. We have placed a penny onto another statue's palm.
On the way to go to find out if the treasure is still there, I make sure to warn everybody that it might no longer be there. There is a chance somebody else found it. That way, they are prepped and not overly disappointed by the penny's absence. I also bring along another handful of pennies, because if the first batch is missing, well at least we can all have fun hiding new ones and trying it all over again.
During the summer when the nights are warm and long we take a walk just about every night. It’s a good exercise habit and a fun time together as a family. The dog also is a big fan of walks so we all win. But a problem developed I found we were falling into a bad habit where we followed the same route nightly. So I found a fun way to mix it up and keep the kids interested. Each night I chose one of them to be our local tour guide.
Most kids love bugs. They like to look at them and some even like to touch them. And we have a great idea for you and your little bug lovers today.
All you will need is an old pillowcase and a jar with a top and a rose bush or some kind of flowering plant. With these three things you will be well on your way to a super duper fun bug hunt.
Lay the pillowcase out on the ground and give the plant a good shake, any bugs that are not holding on really tight will fall to the ground and onto the pillowcase. Pick up the pillowcase and shake the bugs into the jar and you are all set for viewing your catch.
Help your kids count how many bugs you caught, the number of legs on each bug and how many have wings? You can also name the colors on each bug and if they are really brave they can touch the bugs.
When the viewing is over let the bugs go and see if you catch some more.
Drop us an email and let us know what you caught info@todayisfun.com and remember if Today is Fun tell a friend!
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.Animal action, animal action, animal action.
Everyone act like a __________.
Today’s craft is part three of a three part summer fun activity.
I hope you all made your puppets and worked out a little story with your child if you did not please click here and here for the activities.

Now that the puppets are made and the story is ready it’s time to put all the pieces together for the big performance. You can use something as simple as the back of a chair or couch for the stage really anything your kids can get behind will be perfect.
If you want to pop some popcorn have some drinks and light refreshments and when everybody is ready turn the lights down and enjoy the show. Cheer and have fun!
For those who are technically savvy record the show and post it on youtube.com. That way if a special loved one can’t make it they will be able to see it. Or you can just record it to show on your TV I know my kids love to see themselves on TV.
Have a great weekend and let us know how its going remember to leave a comment or send us an email! info@todayisfun.com
Today’s craft is part two of a three part summer fun activity.
Yesterday I hope you all made your puppets if you did not please click here for the activity.
Now that the puppets are made it is story time! Using a few of the puppets you have created as inspiration work with your child to create a short story that they can act out with the puppets. If your child is older they can even write it down so important plot points are not forgotten. Don’t be to strict with the story part just have fun and encourage their creativity. Make it a conversation, I like to give them the tools and let them create. If they are stuck or only mildly interested, you can lead gently by asking questions, “Who is in your story, where are they and what are they doing?” That is really all I have to do just give a little boost and they are off and running.
Most stories at my house usually involve a lot of falling down, at least one talking animal and many of the stories take place at school. I have also found that the stories tend to develop and change during the performance, kind of like jazz.
Have fun and look for part three tomorrow!
Leave a comment or send us an email to let us what your story is about info@todayisfun.com
and don't forget to tell your friends about us!
Today’s craft is part one of a three part summer fun activity.

All you will need to make a really fun puppet is a popsicle stick, a small toy and some clear tape. If you don’t have a popsicle stick you could use a straw or chopstick. This stick will be the part that your child holds on to use the puppet. Once you have chosen a stick have your child find a small toy that can be taped to one end of the stick. When the toy is attached the puppet is done.
Now show your kids how the puppet can come to life! It can walk along the edge of the table, behind the couch and along the edge of the tub. This is a great activity to encourage creative play and something that kids can play with on their own once the puppet is built.
Have fun and look for part two tomorrow!
Leave a comment or send us an email to let us what you are making info@todayisfun.com!
Here is a fun game you can play in the back yard, park or pool. All you need is a kid or two, bait and tackle not required.
I start by saying, “ I think I am going to go fishing”.
I pretend to throw my line in the water and reel one of the fish in.
As my fish comes in I will ask it, “You don’t look like a fish what are you?”
This is the part I like, hearing what I have reeled in and believe it or not I have reeled in everything from an old shoe that claimed to be just my size to a white blood cell.
Since I am a catch and release fisherman now comes the part they like a gentle toss back into the ocean.
As the game continues I will mix it up and not throw back things that are interesting to encourage the kids to use their imagination. Once I even reeled in the Mayor, she seemed to be wise so I kept her for a while to help me decide what to do with my catches.
It is fun and educational. They get to use their imaginations and verbal skills as they listen to each other and think up more and more outlandish things for me to catch. And I also have a lot of fun listening to what I have caught.
Drop us a line and let us know what you catch info@todayisfun.com and remember Today is Fun!
For this one, you will assemble a machine using the materials you have on hand: the kids. Machine assembly is great to do during playdates at your house, because it's more fun with more kids to be the parts.
Today America is 231! Enjoy a BBQ, watch a parade, hug a veteran, take a swim, see some fireworks and just enjoy sometime with your family.
If you are short on entertainment for the kids take a look thru the archives but most of all have a great day.
Today is Fun!


This Friday is the 4th of July and I am sure everybody that reads this blog will be relaxing poolside with a cool beverage all day, with no kids to take care of. If this pipe dream is not a reality for you and your kids are saying, “I am bored what do we do now?” Why not organize a parade?
Fourth turn the kids loose into the garage to collect skateboards, bikes or really anything with wheels to be in the parade.
Tell the kids that they are now sailors. (They can certainly be sailors on a pirate ship, if that will increase their interest.)
Show them one part of the yard, which will be their ship. Show them another part of the yard which is the shore. (Ideally, the ship and the shore should be far away from each other.)
Show them a couple other things they'll need to know: how a sea captain salutes and how a mermaid
swims (for this, the kids should lie down on the grass and "swim.") One more thing: sometimes on a ship at sea, there are cannon balls being shot from time to time, and when that happens, everybody will definitely want to duck.
Now the motley group of young sailors will need some direction from you. Have the kids stand on the ship and then call out, "All the sailors go to shore!" The kids, of course, have to run from the ship to the shore. As they move, call out, "Salute the captain" or "Swim like a mermaid!" The kids need to react accordingly. When they reach shore, it's time to go back to the ship. Call out, "Cannonball" or "Mermaid!" You get the idea.
This game is fun, it's tiring (in a good way), and it can help show your kids the difference between ship shape and landlubbers. Ahoy!
This is creative, physical and fun: Have a "Monster Class" with your kids.
A great way to pass an afternoon is to head outside and give your little ones a small cup of water and a paint brush. Sit down on the sidewalk you are now ready to paint. The water will make the cement dark, this is your paint and sidewalk is the canvas. Help you child practice letters, numbers or even words if you are fast enough. Explain how evaporation works and before you know it a whole afternoon has done just that. Have Fun!
This requires a piece of furniture in the center of a room (as opposed to one pushed up against the wall.) A dining table would work, or a sofa, or an armchair.