All the Balls in the House

That's right, all of them!

ADDED June 01, 2010

Among us parents, I'd like to share a little secret:  today's game can really help tire your kids out.  Use as necessary.

And, as a bonus, it's really fun for kids, too.

It's something of a "silly sport."

In soccer, the object is to get one ball into the goal.

In basketball, the object is to get one ball into the basket.

In hockey, the object is to get one puck into the . . . well, you get the idea.

In today's silly sport, though, your kids will score only when they get all the balls in the house into the goal.

First, gather all the balls in your house.  By all balls, I mean just that:  baseballs, footballs, basketballs, tennis balls, soccer balls -- all are needed.  (Ideally you'll find at least six balls to use.  And if you feel that you guys have too many balls for ths activity, well, of course you're allowed to pare the number down a bit.)

Choose a place in the backyard to be the goal, and point that out to all the players.  You don't need expensive, regulation goal posts, of course.  The space between two patio chairs will work fine.. . .

6 Ways Your kids can learn to conserve water.

With your help.

ADDED March 09, 2010

Water is a precious resource, of course, and it's something that we should not waste.  Here at Today Is Fun, we think that learning about water conservation should start at an early age and continue for a lifetime.  So today we present a list of five ways your kids can help conserve water:

1.  Kids are great helpers when it come to drying dishes, so if you are washing just a few plates, teach the kids to fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.  There's no reason to leave the water running.  (Also, we're not encouraging you to trust a 5-year-old to dry Grandma's fine china.)

2.  Have your kids check all the faucets in the house for leaks.  A small drip from an old faucet can waste a lot of water -- and kids are great at this kind of check-up. . . .

Flashlight Games

A sure way not to get bored

ADDED January 25, 2010

It has been raining for the last week here is Southern California, and the rain was welcome fun for a day.  On the second day, though, you realize that people here don't plan on the rain.  At my kids' school, the lunch area is outside, and on a normal day this is fine;  the worst they have to deal with is the marine layer.  By Friday of this week, after all classes had been inside all week, my wife and I hardly knew the rambunctious ruffians that we were picking up from school. 

 

So we had to put on our thinking caps and do something fun and unusual everyday.  The ideas had to be affordable, unique, and possibly educational — but always fun.  On Monday, we came up with Flashlight Games. . . .

Guess Your Seat

The hints will help!

ADDED November 19, 2009

Today's craft is a special way for your kids announce how thankful they are for each person around the Thanksgiving table.  All you will need for the craft are a few pieces of Fall-colored construction paper (red, brown or yellow will work nicely), a pen, and maybe some Thanksgiving stickers if you want to be fancy. 

Here is what you do.  First, fold the 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper into quarters and cut. You now should have four small pieces of paper, fold each of these in half so you have a little name plate.

Next, have your kids put their thankfulness caps on and -- as a family -- think of why you are thankful for each of your guests.  The reasons can be serious ("We are thankful for your wisdom") or a little bit silly ("We are thankful for your brownies.")  Write a reason on each card and have the kids distribute them to the places.  Just make sure your guests have fun trying to find their seats, and I am sure this will be a memorable way to start the special meal.

Have fun -- and I know Steve is not a fan of name cards at the table telling you were to sit (if you are not sure of his position on the subject here is the post).  But I am really hopeful he will like this.

 

Hide the fun

And guess away the day!

ADDED September 08, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grab three cups and a small toy.  Give them to your kids . . . and you have the makings of a whole bunch of entertainment.

We have all seen the cup and balls magic trick.   You know: the magician puts a ball under one of three cups, the audience tries to follow which cup the ball is under and never can (because it is magic).

Today we are not going to teach any magic -- we really don't know any -- but what we do know is how to entertain kids.  So set up the cups, hide the small toy, mix up the cups and let them guess where the toy is.

This activity is especially "magical" for younger kids (three and under), who will ask for many repetitions.  They can also exercise some coordination and motor control by trying to trick you with the ball and cups.  (Please, no wagering, people.)

Hidden fun is just a guess away. Have fun!

Lunch on a Lifeboat

Watch out for sharks!

ADDED August 11, 2009

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!

A fun thank you note.

Is it possible?

ADDED July 28, 2009

For many kids, there is nothing quite as dreaded as a thank you note.  (Though not a kid any longer, I have to admit that I, too, am not a big fan of writing thank you notes.)  Of course, I very much appreciate what I have been given, but thank you notes are not great fun to write.  For kids (and me), this kind of writing is an assignment that is, well, an assignment -- a required task needing a lot of flowery language and a chore that takes up time I could be doing other things such as playing a whole house game , making some race car paper or a Creature Craft .

Given this problem, I have come up with a solution to help us all.  TIF has a way to make thank you note writing fun.  By incorporating some folding, coloring and cutting, thank you notes can become a beautiful craft and not a boring chore. 

First, you need someone to receive the thank you note -- an aunt or grandparent will do nicely. 

Secondly, you should have some construction paper, scissors, and crayons on hand. 

Instructions:

Fold your paper edge to edge to form a triangle and fold again until you have a small triangle.

Next, cut some notches out of the triangle and along the V on the bottom.

Unfold your creation

Decorate your creation and write your thank you note

Send or give your note to a deserving person

And repeat!

Hopefully this idea will make the task of thank you notes more palatable and a lot more fun!  (For both kids, and -- um -- adults alike!)

 

 

 

 

Thank you to FEP for the awesome thank you note craft!

The Summer Activity Belt

Batman's child would own one

ADDED July 16, 2009

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!

A Picture of Freedom

Some quick activities to make the 4th special

ADDED July 03, 2009

 John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail about the celebration of American Independence: "It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

He was right; the Fourth of July is a time to celebrate all that makes America great.  Today we suggest you and your kids take the suggestions from Mr. Adams (a key player in Founding Fathers tag) and do each in your home.  We suggest you "solemnize" the day with:

Pomp and parade.  Fourth of July parades are great fun (and they're also free.)  If there's not one happening in your area . . . have your own!  Have the kids dress in red, white, and blue.  Have them march and wave flags.  A little patriotic music would probably help things, too.

 

Shows.  Encourage the little stars in your home to put on a show featuring American History.  They should use puppets or costumes.  If they want, they can use the "History of the Fourth of July" as a starting place, and explain that to their audience.

 

Games.  This doesn't need any explanation.  Family games are fun.  Use the holiday to take some out and play!

Sports.  Badminton, horseshoes, croquet or blind man's bluff are all classic, old-timey, games, that are fun for kids and parents alike.

Guns.    This was a good idea in 1776.  Not so much now.

Bells.  Do you have any bells in the house?  Sleigh bells from Christmas or bicycle bells are fair game.  Explain to your kids that in olden days, people would ring church bells as a way of letting everyone in the vicinity know about big news.  Bells were rung, for instance, after the Declaration of Independence was signed. If you have a bell handy, let the kids ring it.  America's two hundred and thirty-third birthday is big news!

Bonfires.  We think a barbecue would be a modern day equivalent.  A beach bonfire would work, too.

Illuminations.  Of course, fireworks shows are fun and free so if your kids can stay up, visit a local fireworks show.

And President Adams didn't say this explicitly, but of course, the Fourth is a great holiday to spend with people you love!  So do it!

Have a great Fourth -- from TIF!

 

 

 

Hooray for American Power Breakfast Trio

Three breakfasts -- all patriotic!

ADDED July 02, 2009

This Saturday, if you are not going to a pancake breakfast at the Rotary Club, make one of our Power Breakfasts for your little Patriot.  We took some tips from grocery-store cooking magazines, and we have come to this conclusion: all 4th of July food must feature blueberries, strawberries, and something must be white (and it all must be delicious.)  This is not a problem, because blueberries and strawberries are on our list of "Power Foods" that help kids grow big and strong. If you missed the "Power List" here is the link.

A beautiful stack of Patriotic sweetness

Founding Fathers Tag

They gave us Independence, let's give them a game!

ADDED June 30, 2009

 

 

 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.)

Kid's Activity: The Family Handshake

Every family should have one!

ADDED June 17, 2009

For better or worse, kids innately love secrets. Well, at my house we have created a secret "family handshake."  (In olden times, secret handshakes were used to identify members of exclusive groups, but we just have fun with it.)

Our family's handshake changes quite often -- so much that sometimes I am not quite sure that I am still a member of the family. 

Now, I am not going to give away our secret family handshake here (unless you are family -- then send me an email.)  But here are a few hand moves you can combine to make up your very own secret family handshake:

First, start with a "normal" palm-to-palm handshake.  Like this.

After that, you can do a thumb-to-thumb shake.  Like this.

 

 

And then, on to a knuckle-to-palm shake. Like this.

 

 

Followed by a fist bump.  Like this.

 

 

Practice until you can repeat a pattern, then try adding some of these more advanced handshakes to increase the fun and secretiveness.

Try the Lion's Paw.  Making your hand into a claw, grab onto each other's wrists. It looks like this. 

Or the Floating Spider is a good one to try.

 

Or the Smooth Shake.

 

Even the classic high five to low five. (A two parter.)  Can be incorporated into you Family Handshake.

 

 

This activity is something that you and your kids can do just about anywhere, and it does signify that you are part of an exclusive group: your family. 

Have fun, and extra points will be awarded to anyone who emails us a photo or video of their family shake in action!

Kids' Activities: Snail City

Fun in your own yard

ADDED June 16, 2009

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 fascinating animals -- and a little bit odd.  They're in pretty much everyone's backyard, so today we suggest you and your kids go out and study them, for a slimy, slow kind of fun.

 

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!

 

 

 

Kids' Activities: Bike Bell Memory

Ring, Ring,Ring

ADDED June 15, 2009

 

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

Kids' Activites: Activity Tube

Make your own fun!

ADDED June 02, 2009

After many months of tinkering and experiment, we are proud to reveal our "Activity Tube."  This invention is designed to get your kids moving, but please don't confuse today's Activity Tube with our previous Regulation Bopper, as they are two different items.

Length: Construction time 5 minutes and 10-15 minutes of activity.
Parental Involvement: Writing, reading for younger kids
Kids Should Be Able to:  Be safe with markers

 

 

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!

Trip to Market

A fun and free outing

ADDED May 22, 2009

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

High-Wire Flyer

Orville and Wilbur would be proud. And possibly a bit riled up.

ADDED May 21, 2009

Anything that moves is inherently interesting to kids.  Keeping that in mind, we made a really cool zip line flyer the other day out of some simple things that we had around the house. It was awesome and the end result looked like this. 

Here are the simple, household items my kids and I used to create what we call our "High-Wire Flyer:" some paper or an empty basket from a pint of strawberries, two paper clips, a string of about 15 feet, one quarter and two places to tie the string!  Easy.

First, start by making a paper airplane.  Luckily, you don't need to be fancy or an aeronautical engineer: the classic fold and fly model paper airplane will do just.  Second, bend the two paper clips to form an "S" shape, and carefully stick one end of each "S" clip through the top middle of the top plane.  Next, tape one quarter to the front of the plane (two if you can afford it in this economy) and finally, tie one end of the string to a tree, banister, slide or clothes line and tie the other end lower than the first, to a rock, shrub, chair or outdoor water valve.  (You need to make a path that travels from high to low.)  Remember, the more extreme your line's angle, the faster your plane will fly. Now, 3,2,1 launch!  With a small push your plane will travel quickly down the line making a perfect landing every time.

 

If you are really handy or have more than one kid, try making parallel lines and you can race planes.   If you have room in your yard, try crossing two lines and you can have an exciting mid-air dog fight! As with everything we make here at TIF, we suggest that the kids color the plane, because everyone knows that will make it go faster.  Or at least look faster.

To the skies, people!  And we know you have a choice when you fly, so thank you for choosing Today is Fun.

Classical Spring Music

Aural Edu-tainment

ADDED May 19, 2009

Springtime is upon us, and in honor of that fine season, we present some beautiful classical music for you to share with your kids.  Today, we celebrate Spring with a free audio download, an excerpt from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," and its first three movements, Spring.  Put it on your Ipod to listen in the car while you drive to school, or make a CD and enjoy listening during breakfast tomorrow.  This type of thing is an easy way to introduce your kids to great music -- and just might save you from having to listening to one of those wacky, guitar-toting children's troubadours.

To make your listening time more educational, have your kid listen for streams, thunderstorms, birds, trees rustling in the wind, and a dog barking in the the music. Vivaldi wrote the music so that the orchestra would make music that resembles each of those things.  You guys can find each of those:  all you need is creativity and some perky ears.

We are big fans of classical music here at TIF, so drop us an email info@todayisfun if you want many more kid friendly recommendations (sorry, troubadours need not apply).

 

Click on the links below to play while browsing TIF.

 

Play Movement 1 Allegro 

Play Movement 2 Largo

Play Movement 3 Allegro

 

Have fun!

 

 Thanks to John Harrison for the beautiful music and skepsis and januszbc for the the photos!

Everyday Hypothesis

Lab coats and safety glasses not required

ADDED May 18, 2009

We are big fans of science here at TIF. And one of the most fun parts of science, we think, is forming a hypothesis and testing it out.  Luckily, you don't need beakers, bacteria or Bunsen burners to form a hypothesis -- just a willingness to observe and test, test, test!

A hypothesis is a statement that is testable and includes a prediction as to the outcome based on the 'variables' being studied.

To make the explanation simple, I explained to my kids that a hypothesis usually has the words if and then. For example, "If I we build a tower nine blocks high -- nine blocks is variable #1 -- it will stand.  But if we build a tower ten blocks high -- ten blocks are variable #2 -- then it will fall".  Hypothesis formed and ready to test! 

 

You can create a hypothesis from almost anything that can have a different outcome based on variables. "If I build a house out of blocks, then my three-year-old sister will knock it over in two minutes or less."  Or, "if I take a bath quickly, then Dad will read me two books before bed."  And here's a favorite:  "if I eat all my dinner, then I will get some pie!"

My daughter and I have had a lot of fun over the last few days forming hypothesis and testing them out. Just about anywhere we go, we are able to play what we call, "Make a hypothesis," and it is cute to hear a nine-year-old talking about science.  In our testing, we have bounced balls (several sizes), pushed shopping carts (with several riders) and toppled towers (of varying heights).  The result of all this scientific work has not been a research grant, colorful sash, or dinner-plate-sized medal, but a lot of fun.  And some science education along the way. 

Explain to your kids today what a hypothesis is and let the fun begin.  We would really like to hear what you think of our blog, posts, and how handsome we are, so please drop us an email info@todayisfun.com or leave a comment below.   If you leave us a message then we will be happy!

 

Thank you to estherase, mikefischer and jalb for letting us use your photos!

No Cut Kite

Get some Spring fun a-flyin'!

ADDED April 22, 2009

For today's fun activity, get out the crafting supplies and make a kite!  It's a perfect outdoors activity to get some creativity pumping and legs running. 

Kite construction can be as easy or difficult as you want. And if you want to be technical about it, a kite -- or deltoid -- is a quadrilateral with two disjoint pairs of congruent adjacent sides.  (I copied that from Wikipedia). With your "deltoid," be creative and let inspiration strike with different shapes and colors.  In our opinion, the funkier the better.
 
A traditional kite has a construction that looks like this.

 

 

 

We made a few kites the other day that did not require any scissors (they did, however, require a little parental folding).  Our kites had a nice, classic kite shape and very easy to make.

Here are the folding steps we used (but as I said earlier let inspiration stike because we want to see photos of crazy kites!)   First, fold the paper in half like this. 

 

 

 

Then fold down the top third like this.  Next fold each of the corners in toward the middle like this (this part might require some parental help). 

 

 

 

 

Tape the four folds down and your finished product will look like this. 

 

 

 

Now you are ready to color.

 

 

 Use markers, crayons, glitter, or even pictures cut from old magazines. If your kids are stuck for decoration inspiration, share with them the meaning of kite decoration in Chinese culture:  the pictures on kites convey certain wishes—a crane or a tortoise for a long life, a dragon for prosperity, and a carp for strength.  All kites are considered to be good-luck charms.

When the decoration is done, tape some string onto the kite and see if it will fly.  We have found that most homemade kites don't fly very well so worry not, use your kite as a decoration for a few days and then recycle it.  Have fun!

The Today is Fun Semi-Official Power List

Foods that will give your kids power for today and every day

ADDED April 09, 2009

We have received many emails about yesterday's post.  In it, I mentioned a "Power List" that I had written out for my kids.  (As you might remember, my kids like anything with the word "power" in it.)  

I listed foods that would give them plenty of "power," and I taped it up on our fridge.

My list is nothing special.  And I warn you, I am not a dietitian.  (But I did make the list using information at nuval.com.)

 

In case you can't read my chicken scratch in the accompanying photo, we proudly present . . .

The Power List
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cantalopes
Carrots
Celery
Cucumbers
Grapes
Honeydew Melons
Lettuce
Milk
Oranges
Pineapples
Strawberries
Tangerines
Water
Yogurt

Instead of asking for cookies as snacks, now my kids are asking for things on the Power List.  And they're getting plenty of power from these healthy foods, I can tell.  Believe me, my kids are not lacking for energy!  We have also created a TIF "Power List" that you can print out and use to create your own "Power List".

Thank you, everyone who wrote to ask about this.

All the things on my list

A little help please

ADDED March 24, 2009

 

 

I went to the market with one of my kids the other day to pick up a few things for dinner.   We only needed a few things, so a list was not necessary.  But somehow, I forgot two of the things we needed and brought back three things not on the list!

(I admit it:  I have a doughnut problem.  If the kids ask, I buy). 

Needless to say we had to return to the market.

On my return trip, I decided I would use my kids to help me remember what was needed.   Therefore, again no list would be needed.  This time, it worked perfectly.

Having your kids "be" the list makes the trips to the store a lot of fun. If they remember a few things, and I remember a few things, we won't forget anything.  Everyone does a little work; it's very democratic.

The fun for the kids is multiplied when they get to remember something that they particularly like to eat.   They love to remember blackberries, marshmallow creme or roast beef . . .  but on the other hand, it is not quite as fun when they have to remember potatoes, parsley or peppercorns.  It's also great fun to see if they can remember where some of the common items we buy are kept at the store.  (Of course, everyone remembers where the doughnuts are because I will always buy them.  I have something of a doughnut problem).

Next time you go to the market involve your kids, give them some responsibility and make it fun.  (And always saying yes to the doughnuts helps, too.)

(Photos compliments of the talented gtstuff and martinlabar)

Letter Rubbing

Pop-art

ADDED March 11, 2009

For this activity, you will need some Legos, scissors, crayons, and white paper.  It also is a good idea to know you alphabet, if your child is still learning today is a great day to review!

 

To get started, have your child create their initials using the Legos; it should look something like this.

 

  We found that if you use skinny Legos to create your letters it works best.  But any size letter will do.

Also, if you can attach your letters to a bigger Lego like this, it makes the coloring easier.

Next, cover the Legos with a piece of white paper and gently rub over the letters with the crayons.

 

That should result in something that looks like this.  As your kid rubs with the crayons, the raised letters underneath will slowly be transferred to the paper. 

 

If your child likes this activity, move on from initials . . . to full names! Have fun making your own pop (and pop out!) art.

This Land Is Your Land!

A colorful and informative print-n-color activity

ADDED February 25, 2009

Everyone's colored a map of the United States at some point or another. It's  always fun and sometimes messy.  But here at TIF, we are fans of art with a purpose.  We're talking about coloring that tells a story and provides deeper meaning.

Today we have a cool map of the USA to download and color.  The map includes a fun and informative key that your little cartographer can use to enhance the experience.  

Have your colorer use one color for your home state, another color for states where you guys have family or friends, and yet another color for states that you have visited. Finally, find states with names that tickle your funny bone, and assign them a "funny name" color.

Of course, for little kids, this map can be a great introduction to our States and to maps in general.  For both younger and older kids, this activity could serve as the starting place for some nice one-on-one, parent-kid time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun making your own infographic today!

 

(And remember, you can upload your infographic artwork to our Facebook page.  If you are not a Facebook fan of TIF, join on up!)

 

Click images to download 

 

 

Heritage Feast

Take a trip to the old country

ADDED February 24, 2009

 

Many families have a special dish or dinner that they serve during the holidays, but not many kids know the history behind the dish.  So for dinner this week, make one of your special family dishes:  it could be spaghetti, sushi, or squab.  Whatever it is, have a little fun by taking a dining trip back to the old country.

While preparing dinner, let your kids help. Kids are always good at stirring and sometimes pouring.  While you are cooking, share memories you have of a time when you cooked with your parents or grandparents.

When it's time to eat dinner, you can talk about the country where this dish originated and where your family is from making special mention of the heritage you share.

For maximum points, don't forget to invite your parents or grandparents.

And of course, if you don't have a family special meal, why not start one up?  Have your family decide on a food item that you guys could make and share regularly.  

Enjoy your special meals this week!  Let us know how they go.  And yes, we'd be happy to take any leftovers off your hands!

 

Thanks to cobalt for use of their delicious photos

Travel Week starts now!

All Aboard

ADDED February 23, 2009

What is Travel Week?  Well, it's just an awesome collection of crafts and activities you can do with your kids.

This week, we will be featuring a fun dinner, print 'n' play activities, games to play in the car, and as always, several opportunities to educate and entertain.  Pack your bags because this ship sails today!

 

 

A big thank you to dougellis for the picture

Alphabet License Plate Game

Entertain your little detectives with a simple game to play in the car.

ADDED February 23, 2009

 On your next roadtrip, try playing this fun game that I remember from my own childhood.  As you are driving along, tell your kids that they are alphabet detectives and that they need to find each and every letter. Only when every member of the alphabet has been found will you be able to solve the case of "The Missing Letter."

Here is how you play: have your kids scan the license plates of other cars and look for the letter A.   When A is spotted, all the detectives move onto the letter B, and so on.  When all the letters have been discovered, congratulate your detectives on their fine work and declare the case of "The Missing Letter" solved.

This game is fun because it can be played several ways: it can be played as a group as described above, or competitively (each person searches on their own and the first one done is the winner).

Remember, "travel" could mean the way to school in the morning or getting stuck in traffic in the afternoon.  Have with your fun with your on-board detectives! 
A big thanks to woodysworld1778 and ohlove for the use of their photos

 

 

 

 

Red Hearts

It's like musical chairs . . . but more fun!

ADDED February 13, 2009

 

Here is a fun and rowdy game you can play today.  All you need is some red construction paper, scissors, and kids.
 
First have everyone cut out a heart and write their name on it.  Then place the hearts around the room.  Next, have everyone hold hands.  Finally -- and this might be the most important part of the game -- play some Valentine's music (we like Dean Martin or Frank Sinatara).   As the music plays, everyone should rotate in a circle. Then, when the music stops, everybody needs to run and grab a heart.  Read the person's name on the heart and give that person a hug!

Then spread out the hearts again and repeat!

This is the perfect game to play outside: with a large group or with your extended family (grandparents love hugs).  And if your kids don't want to give hugs, then just have them say "Happy Valentine's Day!"
 
Oh, and I just found a heart with my Beautiful Wife's name on it.  I think I'll go get my hug right now!  Have fun.

 

Thanks to tekmagika for the photo

 

Valentine Heart box

A great color-n-cut activity

ADDED February 11, 2009

Today we present a fun craft that you can do with your kids. Once it's colored, cut, folded, and taped, you will have a unique Valentine's Day craft that is a special way to say "I love you."

First, print one of the crafts we're including here.  We have three levels:  Level One is the easiest to cut and looks like this. (click on each craft to download)

 

Level Two requires a little more scissor skills and will look like this. 

 

 

Level Three is the most difficult and will look like this.

 

Color the boxes, adding any Valentine's messages you guys want. Then cut out the box, following all the way around the edges.  Next fold the paper along the dotted lines, and place a small strip of tape on the grey tabs, forming the box.

Try this activity with a group and let everybody encourage each other and help  with the coloring and cutting.  Remember, these Valentine's boxes can be a little delicate, so just like love:  handle with care!

 

 

****UPDATE crafting action photos****

 

 

 

 

Thumbs up? Thumbs down!

A possible hit TV show.

ADDED January 14, 2009

 

When my family and I are driving places in the car we often find ourselves listening to the radio. Everyone is happy as we ramble along . . . until the music stops, and the radio ads begin. This is when I frantically change the channel searching for music, trying to avoid the latest information on mattress sales or low, low auto financing.

As I spin through the presets on the radio, it is fun to let everybody vote before landing on a station. To get the kids talking (and sometimes keep them from falling asleep), I will stop on each station and ask them to put their thumbs up if they like the music and thumbs down if they don't.

One of my kids always gives thumbs up to Top 40 and funky oldies. The other will give a double thumbs up to classical. It is very interesting to see what they like and why. Try it with your kids and see how they vote. (And if you want, get them talking about their vote . . . and respecting the votes of others.)

 

And please, please when I break out into song, get those thumbs pointing right up!

 

 

Photo credit is given to the talented and popular:

amatthews for the blue shirt guy, 41339216@N00 for the double thumbs up girl, daedrius for the thumbs up kids

 

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!  

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Huggy!

A nice monster

ADDED December 04, 2008

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

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

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

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

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!

 

 

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!

Alpha-Candy-bet

Get rid of the extra candy with some reading fun

ADDED November 06, 2008

Because Halloween was on Friday this year, I think my kids got the most treats I have ever seen.  One of their cousins received 136 pieces of candy! That is a shocking number of treats -- an amount so huge that even eating one piece a day (which is the maximum amount kids can eat at my house), it would take 4 months to eat it al!.  Since taking the candy away all together might cause a mutiny, my lovely spouse and I made up an activity that helps the kids chose what candies to keep.  And it gets them reading all at the same time.
 
Here is what we did:   we told them they could keep 27 pieces of candy but they had to find the letter "A" on the wrapper of the first piece of candy, followed by the letter "B" on the next piece and so on until the whole alphabet was represented.
 
So off they went reading each wrapper carefully looking for every letter in the alphabet to maximize their candy returns. For my wife and I, it was fun to hear, "Oh look a Kit Kat. I like those, and it has the letter 'A' in it. Now I need 'B' do you see 'B?'  Butterfinger! Butterfinger has 'B!'"  We also enjoyed hearing the benefits of picking M&M as your "M" candy (because it has two M's)
 
Of course we ran into a little trouble filling out the whole alphabet: the letters X and Z proved a little hard, but after reading the list of ingredients we found all the letters quite easily.
 
In the end each of my kids had 27 pieces of candy, and after they went to bed, my beautiful wife and I played our own candy selection game.  The rules were simple:  what do we like and what should we throw away!  Happy sorting!

The Big, Big-As-The-House, House-Sized Board Game

New fun with the toys and stuff you already have.

ADDED November 03, 2008

My kids and I have been playing board games for while now and this activity is a new twist on a old favorite, the board game.  With this activity, we will take a few items that you already have and use them in a different way to create a giant board game that can be played literally all over your house.  This game is as big as the house!

To play this game you need at least 20 blocks or Legos and a pack of playing cards or dice.  Each player will also need to select a favorite toy to use as a 'marker', like a bear, doll or action figure.

To start, create a trail around the house with the blocks.  Make it huge -- this is a house-sized game.  Each block in the path will be a space for your game. You and your kids can make the path go under chairs, around furniture, and upstairs.  Send your path thru the tub, slide it down the stairs, you can even make it go outside. Just make sure everyone knows where the trail starts and where it ends.

Each player will draw one card from the deck and then move the number of spaces on the card. For example, if you draw a five, move five spaces; if you draw a king or ace, move eleven spaces.  (Alternately you can use dice to come up with a number of spaces to move.)

Then add some fun rules of your own, at my house each player has to act like their marker when they are moving (roaring and snorting animals are best). Another rule we like to add is anytime your marker lands on the stairs you get to slide to the bottom, this often ends in a lot of stuffed animal tumbling action that is a crowd favorite.

Now that you have your giant, house-sized board game set up, play it!  And when you are done, change it and play again, then tear it down and play again tomorrow!  Also if you have a house that is over 10,000 square feet make sure you limit your game play to just a few rooms, like the ballroom and salon.  And make sure you stay away from the grand piano and elevator.
Have fun!

Send Your Kids a Postcard

Use the post to tell 'em they are the most!

ADDED October 24, 2008

Everybody likes to get mail, but kids don't seem to get that much outside of birthdays and holidays.  So today, pick up a few cards or postcards and drop 'em in the mail.

Make each parcel special by adding stickers, writing in colorful marker, or adding stamps of their favorite animals.  You can also put on some lipstick and give it a kiss (Moms only), or add lots "X's" and "O's." If your little one has a nickname address, it to their cute little alter ego. Use your imagination to make the envelope and message fun.

Your child will love to get this special piece of mail, so try it today!

One more thing if you are feeling really adventurous: try sending a piece of mail from the dog.  That is sure to get a big laugh!

Hug Fight

A really nice kind of fight

ADDED October 23, 2008

Everybody has heard of pillow fights, water balloon fights, and even the perennial favorite from cafeterias across the land: food fights.  

But have you ever heard of a "hug fight?"

Hug fights are best at night, right before bed.  They are actually very peaceful, gentle, and don't take a lot of effort.  To have a hug fight, all you need to do is call out "Hug Fight!" and everyone in the room hugs the person or people closest to them.  After a few seconds someone else yells "Hug Fight" again, and at this point you need to switch and hug someone else. Keep yelling "Hug Fight" until everyone in the room has been sufficiently hugged.

I like to do this at night as we are putting the kids in bed, because I get a really good tight hug from everybody.  And it's fun to yell at night.

Why not have a hug fight tonight with the ones you love?

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.

Your own Freaky Friday!

Fun weekend bedtime activity.

ADDED October 10, 2008

Weekend bedtime is a great time to play this fun game.  (The weekend part for this suggestion is key, because it might rile your little ones up just a bit.)  But the joy on my kids' faces makes any rowdiness well worth it.

This game started one night as my lovely wife and I were putting our kids to sleep.  My beautiful spouse said, "Can you put me to sleep instead? Can you two be the Mom and Dad?"  Being the opportunists all kids are when it comes to staying up late, both kids in unison said, "OK!"  They quickly turned off the lights and closed the door, leaving the room dark.
 
I could see their shadows under the door wondering what they should do. They were the parents now. What exactly do parents do after the door closes?
 
I waited a few seconds and started to cry, then asked for water and said I was scared. Each statement caused a flurry of activity:  water was poured, questions were asked, hugs were given -- and each time the light went off very quickly and the door was closed.

Then I would get out of bed, and they would gently put me back in.  My wife would lose her blanket, and they would find it.   I would ask if I could eat a fried egg, and they would tell me it was best to eat eggs in the morning. It was so much fun, we played for about 10 minutes, and then the real parents put the real kids to bed.
 
My kids had a lot of fun pretending to be the parents, and they ask at least once a week if they can put me to bed.   Most of the time I say, "No, Not tonight, its to late."  But when I do say yes, they are thrilled.
 
Try tonight and have your own Freaky Friday style fun.  And try to stay in bed, okay?

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

Magnificent Micro World

Small things look really cool with a magnifying glass.

ADDED September 26, 2008

Here at TIF, we usually don't encourage buying things. We like free and are big fans of recycling and re-purposing.  But something we think every child should have is a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass opens up a tiny world that, unless you are looking closely, would go completely unnoticed.
 
Start your magnifying glass experiments with salt and sugar.  With the naked eye, both salt and sugar appear to be similar, but under the awesome power of a magnifying glass they could not be more different.  Have your kids look at the salt and sugar on black paper for maximum contrast, and they will be amazed at the differences in shape and texture.  If your kids are not old enough for this kind of experimentation, help them look at stamps, money, or even photographs under a magnifying glass's incredible power, and see what you have been missing.  Then once they understand how a magnifying glass works, turn them loose to find their own small world.
 
 Enjoy the small today! 

info@todayisfun.com

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

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT -- VEGETABLE POWER!

Make dinner a little more interesting when your kids pick the sides.

ADDED September 24, 2008

We all have heard these words: "But I don't like to eat that."  Of course this is usually referring to some kind of vegetable that is very healthy but less than enticing to a young child.  So we have an idea that will bring a little adventure to your next trip to the market and maybe, just maybe, get your pickiest of eaters to eat their vegetables.
 
On your way to the market, tell your kids that you need a little help picking the vegetables for dinner and that you want them to choose what you are going to eat.  Give them what I call the "Vegetable Power," meaning that they get to pick what powerful vegetables you will eat for dinner.

I let them chose a vegetable from the produce section that is either green, yellow, orange or red -- and what they pick we all have to eat. (Incidentally, what they pick my lovely wife also has to cook!)  We have recently eaten delicious baby corn, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, sugar snap peas and kabocha with very little complaining.
 
It seems that if I include my kids in the vegetable decision-making process, they are more willing to try something new (and I hear a lot less complaining.  Even when someone chooses brussel sprouts.)  Vegetable Power!
 
Show us your Vegetable Power! by leaving a comment or sending an email to
info@todayisfun.com

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.

Backwards Breakfast

Mix up breakfast -- no blender required!

ADDED September 22, 2008

As we all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and here at TIF we agree but we also think that breakfast should be fun. So try this entertaining idea today and show your kids what a Backwards Breakfast is.

We all know what backwards day is (the hilarious joke that is played on playgrounds worldwide) however until a few days ago I was not sure what a Backwards Breakfast was. Thankfully my daughter made up this idea and shared it with me. Now we will have a Backwards Breakfast a few times a week.

So as parents all you have to do is ask your kids if they want a backwards breakfast.  Then put the cereal where the toast and fruit should go and put the toast and fruit where the cereal goes. This is what it looked like at my house.

Let us know what your Backwards Breakfast looked like at
info@todayisfun.com.

Kids Games - - Build a hopscotch court

Have fun this weekend with a classic.

ADDED September 11, 2008

This weekend why not put all of that sidewalk chalk your kids have in the garage to good use and make a hopscotch court?  It is an activity that you can do together and good exercise for everyone. You can build a traditional court that looks like this.

Or something more fancy like the French variant called “Escargot." It looks like this.

Try and make one of each this weekend.  Email a picture of your court to info@todayisfun.com. Hop to it!

Kids Entertainment - - Find the Quarter

Make waiting for a table a little more enjoyable.

ADDED September 10, 2008

While waiting for a table the other day at one of our favorite eateries, the kids started getting a little anxious. That was when this game was invented: find the quarter.  It is very easy to play and can pass 10 minutes of time for only 25¢.  That is cheaper than some parking meters.

Here is how you do it:  take out 1,2 or 4 quarters and secretly hide them around the waiting area.  Put them in potted plants, under newspapers near your chair anywhere you think will be a good hiding spot. Then tell the kids there is a quarter for each of them hidden somewhere in the waiting area and they need to find it. Make sure you tell them the boundaries of your hiding area and set them free.  

You will get at least 5 minutes of peace while they're searching if you let the group start their hunt at the same time, even longer if you have your kids hunt one at a time. And if you are short on quarters whoever finds the quarter gets to hide it next time.

Try it today and leave us a comment letting us know “Who found the quarter.:

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…?”.

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.

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.

 

How to entertain kids -- House of Cubes

It's a house, it's an igloo, it's . . . missing?

ADDED September 04, 2008

This one requires a bit of patience, so it might work better for older kids.  It's one of our fine, fun kids games for the end of summer.  

A lot of freezers these days try to  prove their worth by making tons of ice cubes.  Ours does, and it seems that there is always a couple cubic feet worth of ice cubes ready to go in there that we never use.  So . . . why not use them?  They make fine building blocks.

Take as many pounds of your ice cubes outside as you can, along with a cup of water.  See what kinds of constructions your kids can make with the cubes.  We've got pretty good at a wall, a house sort of thing (complete with a roof), and the tricky but satisfying tall tower.  (Six cubes is our record.) 

As you stack the cubes, sprinkle a little water on top of each cube to act as mortar.

What can you build?  Please let us know at info@todayisfun.com.

And please, there is only one rule to remember here.  Whatever the kids do, they are not allowed to put an ice cube down Daddy's back while he's trying to build up the tower!

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!"

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Sshhh! Library Fun

This books looks terrific!

ADDED September 02, 2008

Here at Today Is Fun, we definitely try to promote books and a love of reading, as those things can entertain kids long after they're kids.

Trips to the library are often magical for young kids, as they first see the walls and shelves full of books.  If your little ones are old enough, this game is a way to make a trip to the library even more fun.  It's also a way for young kids to experience a measure of freedom and self-reliance in a public place.

The idea is simple, really.  When you go to the library, have hunts for certain kinds of books.  For instance, on one visit we will all try to find a book that looks terrific about pirates.  Or each person will spend ten minutes trying to find a terrific book about an animal.  Of course, the topics to find for books that look terrific are endless:  rainy days, Moms, flowers, cowboys, etc.

It's important for the kids not to ransack the shelves and to keep the books in place.  Running and yelling are of course causes for immediate disqualification.

Once everyone has found a book, we read each one.  If the book is really terrific, we check it out and take it home.

One last idea about this Library Fun game:  if the librarians and library patrons aren't bothered by the young competitors, then everyone gets extra points!

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!

KIDS GAMES -- Find the Shape

Fun game to help your kids learn shapes

ADDED August 27, 2008

Here at TIF we like to think that every day holds an opportunity for learning.  We also like to take every teachable moment and make it fun.  Today’s entertaining game is a great idea called Find the Shape.  It is simple and easy all at once.  It also can even help little ones learn shapes.

First find a willing player or players and second look for a shape that is easy to find.  Look for something big to start with that has an easily identifiable shape like a rectangular door or a round table.  And ask your kids to find the shape.  Then your kids can take turns trying to Find the Shape.

I will also add a few variations to the game to keep my kids on their toes.  I will ask them to Find the color or Find the empty table or even Find the guy in the red and white striped shirt.  It’s just another one of the great Kids Games we love!

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!

KIDS GAMES -- The human adding machine

Fun family game that everyone can play

ADDED August 26, 2008

Next time you and your kids are waiting for your meal at a restaurant or in the doctor’s office, try this fun and educational activity. This game can be played with as few as 2 people and can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. We call it "the human adding machine."

We all take turns holding up zero to five fingers and then it is the human adding machine's job to add up all the fingers. Then the game moves on to the next person, and they add all the fingers up and so on. To add some fun and make it a little more entertaining, I will talk in a robot voice and sometimes give the wrong answer just to keep my kids on their toes. I will also push the subtract button on the human calculator to create a teachable and challenging moment.

My kids love to play, and I like to think it strengthens their math skills. This is one of our most simple, easy and fun kids games.

Commenting is easy so let us know how the human adding machine works for you.  We are always at info@todayisfun.com and don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- Make a card for someone

Turn boredom around by making a card for someone else

ADDED August 25, 2008

What I like to do when I hear, “but I have nothing to do” is get out the art supplies and let my kids go to town making a card. It sure is hard to be bored if you are making something to give away.

So I will look on the calendar and see who's birthday is coming up and we will make them a birthday card, handmade cards are always the best. Just paper, stickers, markers and crayons are all that are required to say “Happy Birthday” and chase the boredom away.

Try it today if you don't have any birthdays coming up create a holiday card, a thinking of you card or even a Happy Tuesday card.  I am sure it will be a big hit.


Commenting is easy and fun so let us know who you made a card for info@todayisfun.com don't forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

HOW TO ENTERTAIN KIDS -- WATCH THE CLOUDS

Find shapes and learn a little science all at the same time

ADDED August 24, 2008

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!

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.

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!

How to entertain kids -- With letters

I see my letter!

ADDED August 12, 2008

Here at Today is fun we love reading and letters.  We also are big fans of encouraging kids to read regardless of age.
The first letter I taught my kids was the first letter of their name and I called it their letter.  They understood almost immediately that this one letter was special because it was their letter.  
Once they could identify their letter, I would occasionally stop on a page that we were reading and ask them to find their letter. From there we were able to move quickly to having them pick out a book that had their letter in the title and on to letting them pick out cereal with there letter in the name. Of course we ended up with sugar cereals but it was great, they were interested and always on the look out for their letter.

Try teaching your kids their letter today and see what happens.
Commenting is easy and fun so let us know where your kids find their letter or email info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us. Today is fun!

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!

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.

Market Price

A fun game to play at the market

ADDED July 30, 2008

Next time you are at the market a need an activity while you are waiting for your number to be called at the deli counter try this little time killer.  Have your kids carefully grab a few oranges or a cantaloupe and head over to the scale in the produce section. Put the fruit in and let your kids tell you the weight.  If they don’t understand how a scale works it is a perfect opportunity to teach your kids how to read it.  Start with the round numbers first and as they grow more experienced you can even begin to explain fractions!  It can kill a few extra minutes and you can educate while you shop.  Also try to weigh something big like a watermelon that is always fun but whatever you do please don't bruise the fruit.

 

Drop us an email and let us know how much your produce weighed info@todayisfun.com and don’t forget to tell your friends about Today is fun!

Local Tour Guide

A game where your kids lead the way

ADDED July 29, 2008

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.

The local tour guide really has a lot of responsibility they chose our walking route for the evening and are tasked with highlighting points of interest along the way.  They also make sure we cross the street safely and keep an eye on the dog so I can pick up after him.  

Next time you are out on a walk with your family appoint a local tour guide.  Have them point out their friends houses, places they like to go, houses that have barking dogs and who has the most cats in the neighborhood.  Each walk with my kids is always very enlightening after all the locals know all the secrets.


Drop us an email and let us know what you learned on your tour info@todayisfun.com don’t forget to tell a friend about us and remember Today is Fun!

Summer Bug Hunt

Fun Summer Activity

ADDED July 28, 2008

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!

1,2,3 Quiet Game

Quick game to help kids keep themselves quiet

ADDED July 27, 2008

I am not sure who taught my kids this game, but I overheard it from the back of the car, and it is too good not to pass on. Try this game in the car, at dinner, even in a store when your little ones are getting a little too loud.

All I do is say "1,2,3 Quiet Game" and anyone within earshot must be quiet. Once the silence is broken by any noise at all the game is over and there are no winners or losers.  Amazingly, this game has a very calming effect on the noise that a small group of children can generate.

This game is not just a game that adults lead.  I also let the kids police the game: if someone is being too loud, all they need to say is "1,2,3, Quiet Game" and the other kid will quiet down. It works like magic.

The resulting silence, no matter how brief it may be, is nice.

Try it with your kids and let us know how it works!  And don't forget we are always available at info@todayisfun.com!

The Big Performance

The final act for this weeks activities

ADDED July 17, 2008

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

Tell that story!

An easy educational storytelling activity .

ADDED July 16, 2008

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!

Popsicle puppets.

An easy educational craft.

ADDED July 15, 2008

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!

Counting everyday and every way

Daily fun with numbers

ADDED July 14, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

Fishing for fun.

Entertaining activity with rowdy results.

ADDED July 13, 2008

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!

Happy 4th of July.

Party like you're 231.

ADDED July 03, 2008

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!

4th of July Ice Cream.

Entertaining way to make a dessert.

ADDED July 02, 2008

Here is a fun idea to try this 4th of July. It combines a little science, a little cooking and in the end you will have made a dessert.  My kids and I have also done this with ziplock bags but I do prefer the coffee can method because it is so much more fun to roll it around.

I have adapted this recipe from the website ezinearticles.com the idea is super fun and super easy.

You will need:

1 lb. Coffee Can

3 lb. Coffee Can

1/2 cup Rock salt

From the Refrigerator:

1 pint Half and Half

1 1/2 tsps. Vanilla

1/3 cup + 2 tblsps. Sugar

You will also need to choose a flavor to make:

For fruit flavor:
1/3 cup of fruit. Blueberries add a festive holiday flare.

For a cookie flavor:
Crush 3 of your favorite cookies.

Or add 3 tablespoons of chocolate syrup for chocolate ice cream.

Or 2 teaspoons of vanilla for vanilla ice cream.

METHOD:

Mix the first three basic ingredients from the refrigerator together and pour into the one pound coffee can. Add flavorings if desired. Place the lid on securely and set inside the three pound can.

Add ice, and alternate layers of ice and salt outside the small can and inside the large can. When totally full, secure the lid on the large can. You may wish to add duct tape for good measure.

Wrap in a towel and roll or gently kick the can for at least 10 minutes.  This activity is best when done outside.  When time is up carefully open the cans and check the ice cream.

If it is not starting to freeze, replace lids and roll 10 minutes more. The ice cream should be frozen to the sides and bottom of the can. If the ice cream is not thick enough, place in freezer for at least ½ hour.

And eat!

Let us know how this idea adds to your 4th of July festivities, as always we are available at info@todayisfun.com!

4th of July Parade.

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!

ADDED July 01, 2008

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?

At my house usually there are many kids from several different families so organizing a parade is rather easy. However if you find yourself short on participants even a family of four can create a very entertaining parade.

First, think of a theme for the Parade.  Something inspirational like, Freedom, Liberty or Today is Fun.

Second chose a Grand Marshall. Someone who is inspirational like a baby or a pet.

Third make an order for the participants. Youngest to oldest usually works best.

Fourth turn the kids loose into the garage to collect skateboards, bikes or really anything with wheels to be in the parade.

Fifth have the kids spend a few minutes decorating their bikes and bodies for the parade.

And sixth sit back and enjoy the parade.

Drop us an email and let us know what you think info@todayisfun.com and remember Today is Fun!

Red, White and Blue hunt

Entertaining Game of finding the colors in the American flag.

ADDED June 29, 2008

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

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

 

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

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

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

Fun with Money

An old but entertaining standby: looking at and playing with coins

ADDED June 24, 2008

(This activity is for young kids, but only those old enough to be trusted with coins.  If your toddler tries to run down to the 7-11 and blow the money on candy, well then, he's not ready for this one.  Seriously though, if there's even a chance your child will put the coins in his or her mouth, hold off on this game.)

But if the kids in your house resemble the ones in mine, there are never enough toys on hand.  All the toys -- even the relatively new ones -- have been played with many times already.  So now what?

One idea is to take everyday objects and re-commission them for fun and learning.  For instance, in our house, we play with money.  Quarters, to be exact.

First of all, you're never too young to learn that guy is George Washington, and that he was a great person.  (And there is something incredibly cute about hearing your very young child say the name "George Washington.")

Second, on the other side of the coin, kids like to see the eagle.  Many quarters these days have swapped out that noble bird for other images, and those are fun to find, too.  For instance, did you know that the Oklahoma quarter depicts not an eagle, but a Scissortail Flycatcher?  (It's true.)  And that Colorado's shows some very impressive big mountains?  (Those would be the Rockies.)  More information on these special quarters is here.

Once you're done with the learning quarters have to offer, you'll find they also make fun objects for play.  You can roll them, spin them, or bounce them.  You can stack a handful of quarters and make a tower.  We like to hide a quarter among some blocks as a beginner's "magic trick."

They say money can't buy happiness, but playing with it for a while sure can be pretty fun.

How does your family learn about and play with money?  We'd like to know, so please email us here.

(Thanks to Today Is Fun reader Laurie March for suggesting this activity!  We always welcome fun and creative ways of keeping the little darlings happy and busy.)

Have you ever seen a PoodleRex?

Word jumble silliness!

ADDED June 19, 2008

Kids are always pretending to be animals. At any time a zoo full of hamsters, hyenas or hippopotami can be found thundering thru the house.  The question that always comes up is, “Dad, what kind of animal do you want to be?” I usually choose hippopotamus because they float around, listen to the zookeeper (my daughter)  and don’t get into a lot of trouble.

But sometimes when posed with this question what I’ll do is take two animals and create a new animal. It is really simple, take the first part of one animal and combine it with the last part of another animal and presto you have the fearsome ham-opotamus, the deadly hip-yena or the poorly behaved hy-ster.

Try this idea in the car or at the dinner table.  It is fun with sound effects and acting (I always encourage gentle acting), but I love to see their imaginations light up when one of these mythical creatures appear

Here is a list of my favorites The Rabburtle (Rabbit and Turtle), Buffmunk (Buffalo and Chipmunk) and Rhinokey (Rhino and Monkey) are all favorites.  And in my sons mind nothing is better then the ferocious PoodleRex (Tyrannosaurus Rex and Poodle) I just wish we could house break him!  

Next time you are asked, “what animal do you want to be” Let us know what you and you kids come up with. We are just an email away info@todayisfun.com or leave a comment.

Sticker Story.

An activity that is sure to stick.

ADDED June 16, 2008

This is a fun activity for a lazy summer afternoon. Take some stickers and one piece of paper. Have you child put all the stickers on the paper. They can be upside down, on top of each other and all over. When all the stickers are applied to the paper now the fun begins.

Look over the page for little scenes or still life portraits that have happened accidentally on the page. Point out how it looks like two of the stickers are having a conversation or how one sticker is standing on its head in a tree. As these scenes begin to develop you and your child can start to make up a story about the action on the page. They usually are short and at my house definitley silly, but Mom always loves to hear all about it.

Yesterday I heard one about a puppy who liked to ride dinosaurs to go camping. When the puppy and the dinosaurs got to the campground they made friends with a family of hamsters and roasted s’mores. Now that’s what I call a story.

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.)

A little help and a lot of learning

Daily chores made fun with the help of your little one!

ADDED June 03, 2008

On laundry day the little ones in my house always like to help. But all the good jobs are taken. Dumping the mountain of dirty clothes that’s to heavy. Folding clean clothes is too hard. Sleeping on the pile of clean or dirty clothes that’s the dogs business. So what to do? Have the littlest ones sort the clothes. You can’t wash whites with colors -- and you have to do it anyway -- so put ’em to work.

It’s really not that hard. Three piles:  white, dark and colors. If they don’t understand, this is a great opportunity to teach while you work together. Explain and show them what pile the clothes go into. Before you know it the job is done and back to the fun. An unexpected bonus: training for college laundromats.

 

What jobs do you give your little ones? Drop us an email at info@todayisfun.com or leave a comment!

The Eggs are gone, but the fun has just begun

Make recycling items into toys

ADDED June 02, 2008

 

The other day my beautiful wife was cleaning out the refrigerator and putting away some groceries.  She set aside and empty egg carton for recycling.  Our daughter asked if she could have the carton.

 

“I could paint it and make it into a ride for some of my toys," she said.

 

“Great idea," I said.  And that is exactly what she did.

So that got me thinking about what else we have that can be recycled for fun. With a little cleaning and some tape, paint or stickers, all sorts of things that were heading to the recycling bin but could be put into the fun bin.

So over the next few days, we were playing with empty water bottles in the tub, stacking tin cans left over from a pot of chili and making tunnels for hot wheels from tubes of empty toilet paper rolls. It has been fun to try and see something else in what we would have just thrown away.

We do this all the time!  And now this is not a parent guided activity. My kids are always on the prowl for new things to reuse and play with.

And when the fun is done you can still recycle, of course. We would like to hear what recycled toys you come up with. Be safe and have fun.

Jump, Hop and Skip.

Help make kids tired legs even more tired and stop complaining at the same time with this entertaining idea.

ADDED June 01, 2008

We have been trying to walk places lately. With gas prices being what they are I see both a health and financial benefit.  However little legs sure grow tired when they are asked to walk places. I do imagine if we were to walk to a toy store I would not hear one complaint but three blocks to the market and you would think we were walking uphill both ways.

So what I will do is make the mundane exciting. I will tell my kids, “let’s jump the next five cracks in the cement” and like magic their legs are healed and we are off jumping over the next five cracks. Once we have finished our hopping they will usually ask what is next and from there the game is on and the complaining ends. I will have them hopping, skipping, jumping, running forwards and backwards, they will be worn ragged and looking at the smiles on their faces you would not even know it.

What is great about this game is once it is started it really does not stop till we get to where we are going and usually we are having such a good old time we can not wait to get our shopping taken care of so we can get back to the hopping, skipping, jumping, running forwards and backwards.

This is a great activity for the mall, giant super store parking lot (hand holding required) or even a sporting event (again hand holding required) because you never park near your seats. Let us know where this idea works for you!

Out of the Box

Seriously, get out of the box, kids!

ADDED May 27, 2008

 

 

An unquestionably physical activity, this will hopefully tire the kids out when they've got an excess of energy.  But make no mistake, you've got to be ready to get physical, too.

Play this at the beach, the park, or any large-ish space.

I draw a square in the sand and stand in it.  "No kids allowed in my box!" I say.

Of course, my kids need no further invitation.  They want in!

My job, of course, is to stick to my guns, and keep those little guys out!

They run in, and I lift them out.  And so on.

At the end, I let all the kids into the square (without seeming to be giving up.)  I then stand outside the box and say, "Nobody allowed out of the box!

Fill in the blank

A simple, fun game to help pass the blank.

ADDED May 19, 2008

You say the first two words of a phrase your child knows, and wait for the blank to be filled in.

For instance, “Grandma and Blank.”  (Answer:  Grandpa.)

“Brush your blank.”  (Answer: teeth.)

“Stars and blank.”  (Answer: stripes.)

Kids quickly pick up on how this game works, and are eager to provide the right answer.  Mine are so enthusiastic at times, in fact, that they’re trying to fill in the blank before I’ve fully told them the clues.  This leads to occasional mishaps such as “Grandma and Teeth”…which everyone seems to enjoy.

Bigger or Smaller

Have fun estimating everything.

ADDED May 18, 2008

My kids are always comparing sizes of things. I frequently hear things like,” I am tall enough for this” or “I am big enough to do that” or the ever popular, ”but mine is the smallest”. What they don’t realize is that they are estimating. So to keep the estimation party going in a positive way I will ask them questions about what things they see around them and have them estimate the answers.

I will ask, ”what building, tree or flag pole is taller?” “What car do you think is heavier?” Or I will say, “What line has the most people?”

I think it helps expand their vocabulary and encourage critical thinking. Besides who doesn’t like to guess which line will move faster at the market? Somehow I always chose the slowest.

Don’t Drop the Baby

Seriously . . . don't drop the baby

ADDED May 13, 2008

I did it to my kids when they were very young—and it was a surefire way to get a smile. This is also one of the first ways I really started interacting with my infant children—before I discovered this trick I was kind of a separate, distant admirer.

What you do is hold the young child up a bit, about to the height of your face. Say, “Don’t…drop…the…baby.” When you say the last word, move your hands very slightly off the child and let them fall.

Of course, you don’t let them fall. You are very, very careful…and after a tenth of a second, after they’ve dropped a foot or so, you stop their descent. This isn’t really ‘catching’ the child, since you’ve never really let go.

Anyway, safety admonitions aside, kids generally enjoy this brief free fall. It usually gets a big smile. And once they understand the game…that they always get dropped on ‘baby,’ there is further fun as they anticipate what will happen during the recounting of the preceding words.

Have fun, and whatever you do, don’t drop the baby.

Entertaining learning in the tub!

$4.00 for a cup of bubbles

ADDED May 06, 2008

Tub time is one place where teaching is not the easiest. Most books, flash cards and personal computers are not made for the bathroom. But I have found a creative way to teach fractions and math related learning without the risk of electrocution.

I will take the set of measuring cups from the kitchen and relocate their usefulness to the bathroom. Here is where the fun starts.

I will fill the tub and then ask simple questions that require my kids use the cups to measure the water and answer my questions. I will say, “ how many times does 1/2 cup fill up the 1 cup” or “ does the 1/4 cup fill up the 1 cup”? Once they understand the concept of 1/4, 1/2 and 1 then we can build on that knowledge and assign a monetary value to each cup. I will pretend like I am at a store and ask,” If 1/4 cup of tub water is one penny how much is 1/2 cup or 1 cup”?

It is a lot of fun and eventually we will start measuring shampoo, soap and bubbles and in the end I always end up paying $4.00 for a cup of bubbles. I really do love bubbles.

Note: start with 1 cup,1/2 cup and 1/4 cup. The 1/3 and 2/3 cups still confuse me.

The perfect toy

Who needs toys when you have a box

ADDED May 05, 2008

We all know that kids love boxes but here are some other uses that you may not have thought of. So I now present a list of possible uses for a box. This list is not exhaustive and let us know how a box can entertain your little ones.

 

Make it into a…
Rocket ship
Transportation for a Queen
Race car

Decorate it for…
Birthdays
Thanksgiving
Hanukkah
Christmas

Put your…
Toys in it
Pet in it
Brother in it

Wear it as a…
Suit of Armor
Big shoe
Hat

Ride it…
On a blanket (wood floors required)
On a skateboard (helmet and pads required)
To a Drive-in Movie in your living room

Make it into a…
Stage for a Puppet show
Hospital for sick stuffed animals
Garage for cars

Use it as a…
Stove for cooking
Table for eating
Throne for a King

On the go hairdo

Did you know how entertaining hair care can be?

ADDED May 04, 2008

I don’t really spend time doing hair -- my kids' hair or my own.  There are about a million other things in life to do before I get to those chores.

But when we’re waiting in line, or at the check out, it helps to pass the time to get out some hair care products.

Of course, I don’t really have any. But I make my hand into a ‘comb,’ and ask, “Who needs a good combing?” My kids volunteer, and I ‘comb’ their hair with my fingers. They think it feels weird, and kind of tickles.

Then I offer to use the hair dryer on them (a contraption that has always held a certain fascination for kids.) Making a loud, hair drying noise, I quickly move their hair around with my fingers and hands.

Then it’s time for some goop—a necessary finale to any good haircut. I hold an invisible goop bottle out, and squirt it all over the kids' hair. This involves random, crazy tickling of the top of their heads.

When I’m through, everybody’s hair certainly looks a little worse and a lot more messy…but everybody’s had a decent time, and the waiting is over.

The gate is open, the gate is closed

Release some of the kids' energy, and have fun doing it.

ADDED April 27, 2008

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.

Sit a few feet from the furniture, and stretch out your arm straight in front of you. Tell your kids, “the gate is closed.”

Now bend your arm at the elbow, so that your hand is pointing towards the ceiling. Show them, “the gate is open.”

Leave the “gate” open, and start the game. Have your kids run around the item of furniture. (If you’re more comfortable moving this game outside, by all means do so.) The first couple times the kids pass by, announce, “The gate is open.”

Now make it interesting: as a child nears, lower your arm and say, “The gate is closed.” The kids stop, and have to wait until the gate opens, before resuming their running.

My kids especially like it when they think they’ve passed through the open gate, but it comes ‘crashing down’ and grabs them suddenly. I can see their excitement and curiosity—will they make it by, or will they get grabbed by the gate?

This activity is a favorite in our house.

Costco Fort

Hours of entertainment for kids thanks to your local gigantic warehouse store

ADDED April 23, 2008

Kids like to build—that’s why blocks (and Tinker Toys, and Lincoln Logs, and Legos) were invented.

Well, when your kids are at loose ends—and argue that they’ve already built every possible structure with their toys, direct them to your garage or storage cabinet. There you will find the bounty of Costco (or other, similar warehouse store).

My kids love building as much as anyone, but they get a special delight in stacking up rolls of paper towels, toilet paper, kleenex boxes, diaper packets, and the like. Because my wife buys these items in quantities of at least one hundred and fifty (or so it seems), we always have a lot of raw material for these structures—which quickly get bigger than the kids. If anyone causes a collapse (an inevitability—and kind of fun in of itself) no one gets hurt because, well, there are no bricks, just paper towel rolls. And then we build again.

Twist Tie Pterodactyl

Shopping can be prehistoric fun for kids with this activity

ADDED April 22, 2008

 

A Twist Tie Pterodactyl is easier than it seems. Take one of the twist ties in the produce section, gently bend it to form wings and a body. Now you have a little Pterodactyl for your little one and they can both help you shop.

 

My kids love to hold the Pterodactyl and pretend it is flying as we zip around the market. Terry The Pterodactyl also helps us choose our fruits and vegetables she is a very healthy eater for a prehistoric creature.

 

If your kids are old enough to be out of the cart, the basket acts as a perfect nest to they don't wander to far. Have fun.

Uh Oh, Here Comes A Pillow

You know that this way of entertaining kids was thought up by a Dad

ADDED April 15, 2008

A little odd, maybe, but definitely fun.

Have your kid lie down, facing up. Take a sofa pillow--or one off a bed--and announce, "Uh oh, here comes a pillow." Gently throw the pillow onto your child. And repeat.

My kids like this quite a bit. The seem excited and curious to see whether I'll throw the pillow onto their faces or their stomachs. (I promise, I throw very gently. No one requires a helmet for this game--and no one gets hurt.)

When a kid is covered with a few pillows, I say, "Okay, now I have to sit down," and I apply light pressure to the pile of pillows. Sometimes my kids pretend to be an article of furniture, and other times they indignantly proclaim that they are children, and that I should find a more suitable seating arrangement.

On the Road

Entertain your kids anywhere with an invisible racetrack

ADDED April 04, 2008