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!

Ask anything you want or tell me something I don't know

A nice, nightly night-night ritual

ADDED July 23, 2008

 

In our house, we have a boy who is just old enough to have his own 'big kid' bed, but not quite old enough to understand the concept of staying in that bed at night.

We take a number of steps to remind everybody in our house that beds are for bedtime, and we have a nice nightly routine that includes reading a book and telling a story.

After the book and the story, and when the kids are lying quietly in bed, I do the final part of the nightime process. I say to each child in turn: "Ask me any question about anything you want, or tell me something, anything, that I don't know."

The point that I'm conveying to them here is that we're done talking for the day, and that it's time to move on to resting and being quiet.

This activity is also further encouragement for kids to feel comfortable sharing information or asking a question. There are many times when kids are not invited to make any statement they'd like (during school, at church, etc.), and I want to make sure to give them chances to communicate anything at all with me, and to get into the habit of doing so.

And like all the ideas on our site, there's a lot of fun to be had here, too. For instance, what will your child's minds come up with for questions, or for information you don't already know? In our house, I was recently told that a dinosaur popped his head out of a volcano and tried to eat one of our family's friends! Well, I certainly did not know that one before.

We're interested in the rituals you do with your kids in your house. To share, please email us at info@todayisfun.com, or leave a comment here.

Animal Action

A game that gets the kids moving and exercising some creativity

ADDED July 22, 2008

I recently caught my lovely spouse playing this game with the kids.  I immediately decided to steal the idea and put it up on this site, as this activity fits with our theme this week (simple and fun) and it's a great way of expelling some of the kids' energy out before bed.

To do this one, you chant the following words:  

Animal action, animal action, animal action.

Everyone act like a __________.

And you fill in the name of the animal.  The kids' job, of course, is to make their bodies into the shape of the animal you named.  They then run around in that shape, making the noise of the animal.  

The point of this exercise is not accuracy.  In our house, elephants, octopuses and guinea pigs seem to resemble each other very closely (and they all seem to growl ferociously, too, for some reason).  Instead, the goal here is to look at the different things we can do with our bodies, and to get those bodies moving!

Have fun, but be careful.  You never know when you'll encounter a snarling octopus or a ferocious guinea pig.

Eat It or Don't Eat It!

Yet another of our kids games that is easy, fun, and instructional

ADDED July 20, 2008

This is another very simple game. There is a certain, almost Zen-like beauty to the simplicity of this activity, as we'll explain in a moment...

You list a few things for your kids. They have to tell you "Eat it" or "Don't Eat It" for each. A plate of spaghetti, yes. An apple, yes. An entire house . . . absolutely not!

After your turn (try to rattle off about ten different items to ask about), your kids can take a stab at listing things for you to eat or don't eat.

Once your kids understand the concept, you can start to get tricky with them. For instance, "elbow pasta" is a favorite in our house. But just plain old elbows . . . don't try to eat those!

Of course, this is a very easy way to review for small children what people eat, and what they shouldn't. As a case in point, I always remind my little guy that crayons and Play Dough are on the "Don't Eat It!" list.

And now for the beauty of this game, as we mentioned above. The thing is, "Eat it or Don't Eat It!" is simple and engaging enough for small children that they can play it themselves, once you show them how. We have witnessed kids as young as four and two playing this game by themselves for ten to fifteen minutes at a time! And ah, what a sweet, peaceful, and relaxing ten to fifteen minutes that was.

Have fun, and at your next meal time, please stick to the "Eat It" list. No houses, no elbows, please.

 

How Many Fingers Am I Holding Up?

A game for kids that helps little ones learn math concepts

ADDED July 19, 2008

This activity is another in our series about teaching numbers and counting.  And okay, it's pretty simple, we admit it.  Please don't demand your money back.  It really is a great, fun introduction to these concepts for little kids.

First, have the kids close their eyes. Then hold up a number of your fingers.  

"How many fingers am I holding up?" you ask.

Then your child guesses, while keeping eyes closed.  You respond to each guess with "More," "Less," or "Absolutely right!"

Once your kids get the concept, you can close your eyes and take a shot at guessing how many fingers they're holding up.

(During a recent run through of this game, my boy really surprised me.  After I guessed all the possible numbers - 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 - and was told that I was wrong every time, I opened my eyes to discover he was holding up all his fingers on both hands.  He was delighted, of course, and I was foiled again.)

Have fun playing this learning numbers game with your kids, but whatever you do, for your own safety and the safety of your self esteem, don't try to play this one with any teenagers!

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!

Weekend Reading -- Dear Zoo

Look out kids, I'm afraid the Zoo sent another package

ADDED July 11, 2008

A fun flap book for little kids, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell is about a zoo trying its best to send a new pet to a child.

 

(Check out this book on Amazon here.)

Each page shows a crate, a carton, or a cage, and your kid can move the flap to see which animal is inside.  No matter what, the hapless zoo always sends the wrong animal--none are suitable for pets.  The zoo sends an elephant, but it is too heavy.  It sends a giraffe, who is found to be too tall.  The lion is too fierce, and so on.

We don't want to give away any of the plot's twists and turns, but in the end, things work out pretty well.  There is a happy ending.

This is a cute, fun book that will make for a nice reading time with your toddler.  So get out of the sun this weekend and curl up with a book.

(And don't worry, the lion here isn't all that fierce.  Really, there's no danger.)

From Where Do You Know?

A fun and simple quizzing game about your kids' favorite characters

ADDED July 10, 2008

Your kids know the characters from a number of different books and TV shows. This activity -- perfect for the car or when you're waiting somewhere -- involves reviewing all the characters and stories that your kids know.

For example, in our house we watch shows and read books from Sesame Street, Bob the Builder, Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse, the Little Einsteins, Word World, Richard Scarry, and Winnie the Pooh.  These shows and books have become the kids' favorites, and they watch the shows and read the books over and over again.

When we need to pass some time, I quiz the kids on all the characters and shows.  I ask, "From where do you know Annie?"  (Answer:  Little Einsteins.)  "From where do you know Tigger?"  (From Winnie the Pooh, of course.)

The kids like to have their knowledge tested, and they like to review all their favorites.  Sometimes, just to get their goat, you can make a preposterous statement ("Oscar the Grouch is a character on Bob the Builder") to see how your children respond.

When the kids are older and in high school, quizzes won't be quite this enjoyable for them.  But for now, quiz away and have fun while it lasts!

The Big Show

Fun behind the couch, or around the corner

ADDED July 09, 2008

Okay, the whole point of this site is to help you entertain the kids -- without being "on" all day.  We want you to get the kids going on an entertaining activity, and then get five or ten minutes to do something else yourself during that time, if you want.

At first, today's idea might sound like it would have the opposite effect.  It might sound as if you are going to be in for a lot of creative and physical effort.  Well, you might be at first.  But really try to let the kids take over.  You'll see what we mean in a minute ...

You're going to do a show for the kids.  (Or, if it helps, think of this as telling them a story and using some of their stuffed animals to help you.)

Find a place to have the kids sit down (it can be on the floor, of course) and a place where you can get out of sight and yet show them the animals.  Behind a sofa works great, or you could even do this just outside a room, hiding yourself a bit around the corner.  

If you find it's a lot of work to come up with a story, don't worry.  First, many stories for kids can be quite simple.  You could tell a story about an animal who lost something very special, who looked here, there and everywhere to find it, and who then did find it!  If you're not in the mental place to invent a story, you can re-tell or read one of the kids' books to them.  Don't kill yourself--try to make it easy for yourself.

We've found this is an amazing way to settle the kids down, especially when they've got a lot of rambunctious energy before bed.  And for those of you who feel guilty occasionally turning on the TV for the kids, notice that this isn't TV!

 

And now the payoff:  once the kids see how fun and funny the show is . . . they'll want to present you with a show of their own!  So get a drink, put your feet up, and enjoy the show. 

Machine Assembly

Put together some fun for the kids

ADDED July 08, 2008

For this one, you will assemble a machine using the materials you have on hand:  the kids.  Machine assembly is great to do during playdates at your house, because it's more fun with more kids to be the parts.

Tell the kids that they're going to be parts of a machine.  In a machine, each part does one specific action, over and over.  That's how machines work -- a machine part never changes its action.

Ask each child, or machine part, to show everybody what action they make.  (You  may want to demonstrate with an example, using your hands, arms, legs.) After each child has had a turn to invent an action, you "assemble" the machine.  That is, tell the kids stand close together, so that they're almost interacting, kind of like the workings of a real machine.  You can turn the machine on and off with your voice, or by tapping the buttons on top of the heads.

During the summer, it's fun to make a water machine outside in the yard or wading pool.  Each kid uses a water toy as part of a specific action:  squirting, pouring, dumping, etc.

At our house, we have one rule with the water machine.  You can really do whatever you want as part of the water machine . . . as long as you don't get me wet!

Lk, M! N vwls!

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

ADDED July 07, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

Use Every Piece

Some fun new ways to play with old toys

ADDED July 06, 2008

One big goal of this site is to breathe new life into existing "stuff." That is, we don't want you to buy new toys to keep the kids occupied. Rather, we want you to find new fun ways to use and enjoy the stuff you already have!

This activity is meant to do just that, to help your kids have more fun with the stuff already in your house. It will work well with any toy that has a lot of different pieces: Legos, Tinker Toys, blocks, train tracks, etc.

There are three different things to do here: Sections, Use Every Piece, and How do you put them away?

First, don't just take the toys out of their container. Even that can be part of the fun and the learning. Instead, make sections. Group all the rectangular pieces together in a area, and then all the square ones, all the round ones, etc. Or make sections based on another characteristic, such as the pieces' colors. If you guys are so inclined, count how many pieces each section has. And sometimes you might suggest playing with one section only. ("What can we make today with just the red pieces?" for instance.)

Once the sections have been created and inspected, you're ready to move onto the second part, Use Every Piece. This one is pretty self explanatory (what you do is . . . use every piece.) However, it isn't as easy as it sounds -- it can in fact be quite challenging. The tower (or house or castle, or whatever) isn't finished until your kid has used every piece! So your kids really need to figure out what to do with each piece and how to fit it into the construction.

Finally, and this last one is quite popular with parents everywhere: How do you put them away? You can put the big pieces away, then the small ones. You can make a different animal noise for each different piece you put in. You can put toys away fast, or you can put them away slowly and carefully. There are a lot of options here -- and it will be a success, as long as the kids are the ones doing the putting away!

Have fun (with what you've already got)!

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!