Mood Music
All music is mood music!
ADDED July 29, 2010
Have you heard of Pandora before? It's internet radio, and it's very fun. If you haven't already, you should try it out!
In Pandora, you create your own personalized radio stations based on certain criteria. You could type in "Mozart" or "Metallica," and Pandora will play music by those people -- as well as music related to those terms. You can even type in the name of your favorite song (for instance, I like "El Rancho Grande"), and Pandora will play your song and what it thinks is similar.
If Pandora or the concept of internet radio is not for you, no big deal. For today's free, fun activity for your kids, you can use the regular old radio -- or your CD's or iTunes collection. (A lot of cable and satellite providers also offer "radio" stations as part of their free packages -- you could use those channels, too!). . .
In Pandora, you create your own personalized radio stations based on certain criteria. You could type in "Mozart" or "Metallica," and Pandora will play music by those people -- as well as music related to those terms. You can even type in the name of your favorite song (for instance, I like "El Rancho Grande"), and Pandora will play your song and what it thinks is similar.
If Pandora or the concept of internet radio is not for you, no big deal. For today's free, fun activity for your kids, you can use the regular old radio -- or your CD's or iTunes collection. (A lot of cable and satellite providers also offer "radio" stations as part of their free packages -- you could use those channels, too!). . .
Draw What I Draw!
Good practice getting your kids to listen to you and follow your lead!
ADDED July 28, 2010
Today's activity is very easy and very fun. It involves both following instructions and being creative.
Grab some crayons, some blank paper, and some children at loose ends.
Start the activity off by thinking of a simple shape you could draw, such as a cube or a house. Don't tell the kids what you have in mind, but rather begin drawing the shape slowly, line by line. The kids should copy your every line on their pieces of paper, so when you guys are all done, you will all have the exact same (or extremely similar) shapes. . . .
Super Olden Days Pinball Wizard
Much better than the real thing!
ADDED July 27, 2010
My kids love pinball, and I think because of the same reasons that I am not a fan.
Essentially, pinball is loud. There is a lot of racket and often a lot of flashing lights. My kids were given a small pinball contraption as a gift, and well, I'm ready to re-gift it!
In order to better satisfy the pro- and anti-pinball contingents in my home, I have invented a new, more mellow version of the game: super olden days pinball.. . .
The Fastest Kid-Inspired House Remodel Ever
Add some walls and new rooms to your house this summer
ADDED July 26, 2010
This one is very easy, and it makes for a very fun activity for your kids.
Today, you and the kids are going to be changing the dimensions of your house. All you need is some masking tape.
Put the masking tape on the floors in your house to create new "walls" and "rooms." Of course, your kids should definitely contribute their thoughts as to where new walls and rooms should be.. . .
Today, you and the kids are going to be changing the dimensions of your house. All you need is some masking tape.
Put the masking tape on the floors in your house to create new "walls" and "rooms." Of course, your kids should definitely contribute their thoughts as to where new walls and rooms should be.. . .
Combine two groups of toys as never before!
Combinations are fun and creative!
ADDED July 23, 2010
Today's activity is very simple, but sometimes the best things in life are very simple! As you know, my kids really enjoy making "set ups" with their toys. (A "set-up" is when the kids take a selection of their toys and, well, set them up.)
Today, we'd like the kids to make a special kind of set up. Tell your kids to combine two toys they've never combined before . . . and then play with them.
For instance, your kids have some toy cars. They also have some Star Wars figures. Have the Star Wars figures ever ridden on the toy cars?
Your kids have a bunch of plastic plates and plastic foods. They also have about a hundred stuffed animals. Has the herd of animals
You get the idea. Now go turn the kids loose!
Oh, but there are some rules. The idea here is to combine only two sets of toys. At least at first. The idea is not to have a hodgepodge of toys every which way. Instead we are focusing on carefully considered combinations. What two sets can be combined for maximum fun?
And if the kids have successfully set up two groups of toys, we'd also like them to clean those up before experimenting with two other sets.
Combining is fun! We hope that this makes for hours of free and relaxing fun for your family this weekend.
Today, we'd like the kids to make a special kind of set up. Tell your kids to combine two toys they've never combined before . . . and then play with them.
For instance, your kids have some toy cars. They also have some Star Wars figures. Have the Star Wars figures ever ridden on the toy cars?
Your kids have a bunch of plastic plates and plastic foods. They also have about a hundred stuffed animals. Has the herd of animals
You get the idea. Now go turn the kids loose!
Oh, but there are some rules. The idea here is to combine only two sets of toys. At least at first. The idea is not to have a hodgepodge of toys every which way. Instead we are focusing on carefully considered combinations. What two sets can be combined for maximum fun?
And if the kids have successfully set up two groups of toys, we'd also like them to clean those up before experimenting with two other sets.
Combining is fun! We hope that this makes for hours of free and relaxing fun for your family this weekend.
The Bad Bathroom
Semi-scary good times
ADDED July 22, 2010
My kids have not yet done this activity, but I am confident that they will love it. Yours will, too -- I promise.First of all, it's called the "Bad Bathroom." Wouldn't that name grab a child's attention?
The idea is simple: while I'm doing a couple things around the house today, the kids will turn our downstairs bathroom into the "Bad Bathroom." That is, they will use their imaginations and art supplies to make it as scary and dangerous as they'd like. (And my kids will certainly like a lot of scary!)
What will the kids put up in there to scare me? Pictures they've drawn of dragons? Monsters and witches? I'm not sure, but I do know that I'll have a big reaction. And I'll be very scared, I promise!
And if you're not excited by the idea of your children re-decorating your bathroom, that's fine. Use a bedroom, pantry, or closet instead. (Though the "bad laundry room" doesn't have quite the same ring!)
And once the activity is done, please have the kids clean up after themselves. A big mess that I have to clean up is my idea of really frightening!
(Thank you, Karen Horton, for the not scary bathroom image.)
Idioms for Your Kids!
Funny coded phrases
ADDED July 21, 2010
You know that we like to have fun here at Today is Fun. We also love language and learning.
So today we're going to combine fun and language.
One really entertaining aspect of any language are the expressions and idioms.
To explain 'idiom' to kids, tell them that idioms are kind of like codes.
(I don't know about you, but my children love codes!)
Idioms are phrases -- or groups of words -- that don't make sense unless you already know what they mean when put together. Again, just like codes!
Also, idioms often don't mean what you think they mean at first! (How crazy is that?)
For instance, my four-year-old knows that when we buy somebody a birthday present, we can't then go up to that special person and "spill the beans."
What do beans have anything to do with the situation? Nothing! It's an idiom!
English is chock full of great idioms. Today your kids will be having fun learning about idioms . . . and stumbling across some that they've generated themselves.
First, though, here are a couple of common English idioms for you to discuss with your kids as examples. Ask your kids what these simple sentences mean:. . .
So today we're going to combine fun and language.
One really entertaining aspect of any language are the expressions and idioms.
To explain 'idiom' to kids, tell them that idioms are kind of like codes.
(I don't know about you, but my children love codes!)
Idioms are phrases -- or groups of words -- that don't make sense unless you already know what they mean when put together. Again, just like codes!
Also, idioms often don't mean what you think they mean at first! (How crazy is that?)
For instance, my four-year-old knows that when we buy somebody a birthday present, we can't then go up to that special person and "spill the beans."
What do beans have anything to do with the situation? Nothing! It's an idiom!
English is chock full of great idioms. Today your kids will be having fun learning about idioms . . . and stumbling across some that they've generated themselves.
First, though, here are a couple of common English idioms for you to discuss with your kids as examples. Ask your kids what these simple sentences mean:. . .
Justified!
How do your kids line up?
ADDED July 20, 2010
I recently needed to address a lot of envelopes for a personal project. That task wasn't too awful; there are certainly worse chores!
To make the addressing a bit more interesting, I gave myself a challenge: to "justify" all the lines for the addresses. This was just a bit tricky, and it did keep my interest up.
To make the addressing a bit more interesting, I gave myself a challenge: to "justify" all the lines for the addresses. This was just a bit tricky, and it did keep my interest up.
Do your kids know what "justified" means when it comes to written words? Justified means that all the lines "line up" perfectly. The edge of each line starts and ends at the same point on the page or computer screen. It looks pretty cool, I think. Most books, magazines, and newspapers justify their paragraphs.. . .
Library of Congress Cataloging Information!
Hidden, right-in-front-of-your-face book fun!
ADDED July 19, 2010
Today's activity is a bit unusual and -- I think -- very fun. I hope you try it out with your kids and that a good time is had by all!
Grab some kids' books (and your kids.) Turn to the title page of any book. Do your kids know that this is called a 'title page?' Do they know why?
Okay and fine. Not very exciting . . . yet. Now turn the page and have a look at the information on the other side of the title page.
You've undoubtedly seen this kind of page before: it shows all the copyright and publishing information.
For your kids, this page can actually be very fun. Today we'd like you and your kids to look for the cataloging information here. This is usually towards the bottom of the page.
The cataloging information tells what the book is about -- and that is what's exciting here.
Today we'd like you and your kids to look at the cataloging information in some of your favorite books.
Once you've found a book's cataloging information, ask your kids: does the information do a good job describing what the book is about?
Next, set the kids loose on your family's bookshelves. Let them examine the cataloging information for each of their favorite books (and of course, you should help kids who aren't able to read much yet.). . .
Grab some kids' books (and your kids.) Turn to the title page of any book. Do your kids know that this is called a 'title page?' Do they know why?
Okay and fine. Not very exciting . . . yet. Now turn the page and have a look at the information on the other side of the title page.
You've undoubtedly seen this kind of page before: it shows all the copyright and publishing information.
For your kids, this page can actually be very fun. Today we'd like you and your kids to look for the cataloging information here. This is usually towards the bottom of the page.
The cataloging information tells what the book is about -- and that is what's exciting here.
Today we'd like you and your kids to look at the cataloging information in some of your favorite books.
Once you've found a book's cataloging information, ask your kids: does the information do a good job describing what the book is about?
Next, set the kids loose on your family's bookshelves. Let them examine the cataloging information for each of their favorite books (and of course, you should help kids who aren't able to read much yet.). . .
License Plate Talk
Fun with letter shortcuts!
ADDED July 16, 2010
For reasons that I don't need to go into right now, I owe both my children a nickel. And that money is due right now.
Unfortunately, though, I wasn't able to find a single nickel in our house this morning. I searched high and low, but apparently we're all out.
I had to write my boys each an I.O.U. As I did so, it dawned on me that I.O.U. stands for "I owe you." (Can you believe that? I actually do have a college degree, but somehow I never put that specific two and two together!)
After I handed over my promissory notes, my kids and I admired the nice shortcut one could take by writing just letters in place of whole words. We tried other quick sentences. For example, can you and your kids figure these out?. . .
Draw on Pictures!
A lot of fun changing and enhancing existing pictures!
ADDED July 15, 2010
As you may know, earlier this week we recommended a fine and fun children's book, Steal the Mona Lisa Back. Have a look at the post below to get our enthusiastic full review and recommendation.
In that book, the bad guys who steal the Mona Lisa have a diabolical plan: to draw a mustache on her! Appalling!
Well, in absolutely no way do we want to turn your children into bad guys or anything even resembling bad guys. But . . . . . .
In that book, the bad guys who steal the Mona Lisa have a diabolical plan: to draw a mustache on her! Appalling!
Well, in absolutely no way do we want to turn your children into bad guys or anything even resembling bad guys. But . . . . . .
Fake Mustache Day!
Kids enjoy this very much, I promise you!
ADDED July 13, 2010
Last week, I found a great book for the kids. It's called Steal the Mona Lisa Back, and it's all about a young boy who is charged with the task of rescuing the stolen Mona Lisa.
The book is terrific -- it's really worth checking out. It teaches kids about the Mona Lisa and the Louvre by adding a fun and exciting action story complete with bad guys!. . .
Big, Famous Art
Please participate now!
ADDED July 12, 2010
Today we're thinking about art -- and not just any art. We are focusing on famous art.
(And I have a reason for bringing this topic up. That semi-exciting, dramatic reason will be revealed here tomorrow.)
For now I will say that last week, I was thinking about famous paintings. And I came up with this question: what is the most famous painting in the world? So I sent my lovely wife an email:. . .
(And I have a reason for bringing this topic up. That semi-exciting, dramatic reason will be revealed here tomorrow.)
For now I will say that last week, I was thinking about famous paintings. And I came up with this question: what is the most famous painting in the world? So I sent my lovely wife an email:. . .
Dance A Little, Dance A Lot
Everybody dance now!
ADDED July 09, 2010
This activity is really for kids to do and parents to watch. (Are you complaining?)
Of course, you're invited to participate if you choose, but we think you'd rather just sit back and watch both the dancing and learning unfold before your eyes.
Here's what you do.. . .
Of course, you're invited to participate if you choose, but we think you'd rather just sit back and watch both the dancing and learning unfold before your eyes.
Here's what you do.. . .
The Famous, Fun, and Fabulous Switcheroonie Art Game
Everybody gets a turn!
ADDED July 08, 2010
This is a big hit in my house! I hope it is similarly enjoyed in your home, too!
Here's what you do:
Grab some crayons, blank paper, and as many kids and adults as you can round up. (You need at least two people to play; three or four are also great!) Oh, and you'll need a timer, too.. . .
Grab some crayons, blank paper, and as many kids and adults as you can round up. (You need at least two people to play; three or four are also great!) Oh, and you'll need a timer, too.. . .
Who Will They Marry?
Your kids' toys, that is!
ADDED July 07, 2010
Okay, this one was invented by my kids. And my kids are boys. But like little girls their age, my boys too are fascinated by the concept of marriage. So they invented this game: "who will they marry?". . .
Beginning Career Counseling
Easy and fun and lasts for a really long time
ADDED July 06, 2010
This is a great one for younger kids -- first grade and below, I'd say.
It's very simple. Here's what you do: name a profession, and your child tells you what people in that profession do all day.. . .
It's very simple. Here's what you do: name a profession, and your child tells you what people in that profession do all day.. . .
Celebrate!
Happy Fourth of July!
ADDED July 02, 2010
Here's what to do with the kids this wonderful holiday weekend:
Serve hot dogs, hamburgers and apple pie. Sure, you say. Of course, you say. But do you actually do it? We think apple pie should be as linked to the Fourth as pumpkin pie is to Thanksgiving!
Bunting. Do your kids know what bunting is? Well, this holiday is a perfect opportunity to teach the word! If you want extra points, have your kids make their own bunting with red, white, and blue streamers. (Of course, for that you'd have to actually buy red, white, and blue streamers -- and you know how we feel about you having to buy things!)
Kerchief the dog. This one is our friends' family's tradition, and we think it's a great one. First thing in the morning, the whole family gathers round to put a red, white, and blue kercheif around the dog's neck. The dog looks festive -- and basks in the extra attention all day long.
We have friends who serve their kids strawberries, blueberries, and vanilla yogurt for breakfast every Fourth. Sounds good (and patriotic) to me!
Talk about freedom. Do some voting. Our ideas on family freedom and voting can be found here.
Have the kids do some red, white, and blue artwork. (We suggested this in detail yesterday.)
Talk about the "story of the Fourth of July." Our popular re-telling of this important tale -- in words easily understandable by young children -- ishere.
Tell the kids that your family is lucky to live in America! (We all are.)
Happy 234th Birthday, America!
Bunting. Do your kids know what bunting is? Well, this holiday is a perfect opportunity to teach the word! If you want extra points, have your kids make their own bunting with red, white, and blue streamers. (Of course, for that you'd have to actually buy red, white, and blue streamers -- and you know how we feel about you having to buy things!)
Kerchief the dog. This one is our friends' family's tradition, and we think it's a great one. First thing in the morning, the whole family gathers round to put a red, white, and blue kercheif around the dog's neck. The dog looks festive -- and basks in the extra attention all day long.
We have friends who serve their kids strawberries, blueberries, and vanilla yogurt for breakfast every Fourth. Sounds good (and patriotic) to me!
Talk about freedom. Do some voting. Our ideas on family freedom and voting can be found here.
Have the kids do some red, white, and blue artwork. (We suggested this in detail yesterday.)
Talk about the "story of the Fourth of July." Our popular re-telling of this important tale -- in words easily understandable by young children -- is
Tell the kids that your family is lucky to live in America! (We all are.)
Happy 234th Birthday, America!
Celebrate the 4th of July Your Way
As long as it's got Red, White and Blue!
ADDED July 01, 2010
It's July today, and that means the Fourth of July is coming right up.
Today we'd like your kids to celebrate the coming national holiday with a little artwork.
Now, some kids might not be inspired to create patriotic artwork. If your kids are like mine, they'd rather draw zombies and dragons than American flags, fireworks and Uncle Sam.. . .
Today we'd like your kids to celebrate the coming national holiday with a little artwork.
Now, some kids might not be inspired to create patriotic artwork. If your kids are like mine, they'd rather draw zombies and dragons than American flags, fireworks and Uncle Sam.. . .
