Traveling last Christmas, I was on the prowl for fun stocking stuffers that would keep little-fingers busy on the plane. Flexipuzzle hit the jackpot.
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It's that time again and this year my boys, once again, chose two great costume ideas...
Have a child that needs to practice their math facts? Forget the flash cards... try the FACT BALL app that brings math and pinball to their fingertips.
However, both games use simple letter tiles to mix and spell words of every size. Of the two, Bananagrams is best for mixed age groups. The traditional rules of the game requires players to use their tiles to create any combination of words, as long as the words are linked. At our house we have altered the rules to say that player under ten - need not connect all their words. This seems to level the playing field and keeps the fast action game - fun for everyone in the family.
 The Oregon heat is here! When the temperature hits 90'+, you'll find my boys and I spending the late afternoon down in our 'cool' basement. It's a private retreat (filled with Legos and books), where we can hide until the day's heat passes. When evening comes, we venture out again. And... sometimes after dark, we move to the backyard deck to soak up just a bit more of cooler air.
Tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese, and a bit of balsamic vinegar!
Here's one of my favorite snacks to bring to a summer potlucks. The best part: little hands can help with the quick and easy assembly. 
Drizzle the vinegar over these gems right before serving.
I say 'old' because it was published in 1971 and now can only be purchased through eBay (or received as a gift from dear family friends who are cleaning out their basement). This game combines map skills, mathematics, social studies, and even the dark side of politics (one brother is continually bribing the other brother for better cards). In the end, you tally your electoral votes and hope that the best man (or woman) wins!
Most favorite gift of our 9 year old birthday boy:
When our youngest read about this game in his Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine, he was immediately sold. After playing the game with him, so was I. This boy loves football and this game brings the different components right to your fingertips. Now, while I am not a huge fan of 'football', I did find the board game entertaining. You need just enough strategy and just enough luck to score the touchdown. My third grade son and I have been learning to play the recorder this winter. I wanted him to learn a bit more about music, but without adding another appointment/lesson to our family schedule/budget and so turned to the activity that was part of my own elementary school days. A quick trip to the Willamette Valley Music Company and we were up and running for under $10. We purchased a small plastic recorder and a beginning music book.
Just spending 20 minutes, two or three days a week, has been a nice opportunity to tackle this project together. Our boy picked up reading the music notes quickly and has shown quite a bit of curiosity in what is ahead. Here are two of the first songs he has mastered. Little by little, we are learning together.
Easy and inexpensive, this quick craft made impressive decorations and can be sized for windows, trees, or door decorations. Proud of his discovery, my son prepped all the materials (paper, scissors, tape, stapler) in our front room, and gave everyone in the family a tutorial. He was a great teacher! Now looking around town, I see we are not the only family who likes this craft. Do you want to join the fun? Here's a Youtube video by kongo204 with all the details: |
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