GoodNCrazy » goodncrazy summer series

Aliens VS Legos!!

Carissa — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:25:46 +0000

I recently started working with…

(A fabulous little company dedicated to helping parents wade through the thousands of Android apps and games out there. Finding the best and reviewing them, and giving family friendly ratings!)

One of the first articles I wrote for them was about kicking summer boredom and keeping kids entertained.
(It’s awesome of course… go read it!)

And yesterday we tested out one of the suggestions…

Aliens VS Legos!

First, Building the City:

It took them nearly 2 hours to set up this ‘Lego City’ (and Lincoln Log ranch house of course!). I was surprised at how long they were willing to work at this!

Then time to create the Play-Doh Aliens: (So scary!)

And it was time to ATTACK! (This took 2 seconds BTW.)

The end.

(Love to hear your summertime boredom busters. Read more of my ideas on the Famigo Blog.)

I was not compensated for this post.
However I am part of the Parent Advisory Board for Famigo.

Lemonade Stand, Garage Olympics, Learn While Playing With Water!

Carissa — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:33:24 +0000

Summer Science Series continues!

What are all these pictures??

A GARAGE OLYMPICS of course!!!

Read all about it over on the SmartPlayBlog!

ThinkFun.com Writer And ‘Fun Expert’ Interview

Carissa — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:22:25 +0000

Welcome to SmartPlay!

As Maria Montessori once said, “Play is the child’s work.” Well, I either never fully grew up or am just about the luckiest adult ever, because Play, in one form or another, continues to be my work every day! A former elementary school teacher, I now work at ThinkFun, the company behind Rush Hour and Zingo!, as head of Education and New Media. Central to everything I do is the need to think creatively and problem solve on the fly. These are skills every child needs to handle the challenges of tomorrow… and this drives the work I do every day.

As parents and teachers, we have endless opportunities to celebrate our kids’ achievements. We cheer our children on at spelling bees, science fairs, on the sidelines at soccer games, and in folding chairs at piano recitals – celebrating the product of much training and hard work. As important as it is to recognize end results, we need to highlight and honor the thinking processes along the way.

Parents and teachers today have a huge job to do – we must equip kids to tackle 21st century challenges, preparing them for careers that have yet to be imagined… pretty daunting! As Daniel Pink so articulately says, “We need to prepare kids for their future, not our past.”

So how the heck do we do it?! To tackle what lies ahead, the most valuable thing we can teach children is how to be creative thinkers and problem solvers… and what better way to build these 21st century skills than through play?! I launched SmartPlay to connect with like-minded thinkers, like the Carissa here at GoodNCrazy.com, who believe that learning should be FUN!

I’m thrilled to be a part of this community! Let’s get the dialogue rolling and have some fun… we just might learn something along the way!

Charlotte Fixler (@SmartPlayBlog) Is the author of the blog ThinkFun.com/smartplayblog. She calls herself an expert in FUN! Aren’t you glad you now know who to talk to about your summer time boredom issues! Hurry, she’s waiting to answer your questions…

Here are some suggestions she gave me when I asked about Summer Science ideas:

She said…

I’m no science buff, (I am a former teacher!), but here are a couple ideas that come to mind

Exploring Gardens – learning the parts of flowers -lots of fun crafts you can find for this– leaf rubbings, taking inventory of plant colors (kids have a sheet with 5 colors listed, make a tally each time they spot a color while taking a neighborhood walk)
Weather - (collecting rainfall, graphing daily weather patterns, temperature, learning about clouds, weather forecasting, etc)
Animals – Zoo visit, research project, paper mache models, masks, safari Rush Hour (from Thinkfun.com of course!)

Healthy Summer Foods For Kids | Two Listsd

Carissa — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:54:47 +0000

It’s summer time FINALLY!

We had the coldest spring I’ve ever known. Heck it snowed only 2 weeks ago!
(I so wish I was kidding.)

Along with school vacation comes the dreaded mom conundrum:

What to Feed the Kiddos All Summer Long!

Especially at snack time, it gets hard to keep them from eating a lot of junk.

I was looking for ideas and found a couple articles by Dr. Joanna Dolgoff perfect for moms looking for healthy eating ideas this summer! First she has a whole article dedicated to helping your kids eat well even when sending them off to camp. But even for kids not at camp I LOVE her suggestions.

Top 10 Healthy Snacks

Hummus with fresh carrots, celery and peppers for dipping.
Peanut butter spread on rice cakes.
2 cups of air-popped popcorn.
Trail mix made of low fat and low sugar granola, assorted nuts, seeds, raisins and craisins.
Non-fat plain yogurt topped with fresh berries.
1 cup of edamame.
Apple slices and low fat string cheese.
1 small whole wheat pita stuffed with 2 turkey slices, spinach leaves and fat-free cheese.
Baked sweet potato chips.
Your favorite flavor Fiber One bar.

Her next article is about organic fruits and veggies. When should you buy organic? I’ve read a lot about this but I think Joanna makes it super clear, the reasons and the times when it makes sense for you and for your kids.

15 items ordered from most to least pesticide containing.

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic Blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers
Spinach
Kale/ Collard Greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported Grapes
Lettuce
Imported Blueberries
Carrots

Apples? Really? And celery tops the list? I didn’t know that? The fact that imported grapes and blueberries are on the list is interesting too? Does that mean local ones are okay I wonder? We eat a lot of several of these items. And I once heard a suggestion to take a look at the top three items your family eats the most of and try to at least buy those in organic. Especially when thinking about kids.

Read the Rest of the GoodNCrazy Summer Series!

***

Dr. Dolgoff is a pediatrician who specializes in child obesity. She is amazing and is very active in social media. She answers twitter questions and is very approachable, find her @JoannaDolgoffMD. She wrote the book ‘Green Light, Red Light, Eat Right’, and I swear by it. I’m using her 100 calorie ‘light’ system myself this summer…

This is not a sponsored post.

‘Science’ Summer Boredom Series Kick’s Off! (With BUGS!)

Carissa — Thu, 27 May 2010 17:02:36 +0000

The ants go marching one by one hurrah… hurrah…

This spring has been cold. And by cold I mean… SNOW. In April. SNOW. In May! Apparently the ants are not very happy about it. (HECK, I’m not happy about it!) But the ants have decided to gather their friends and warm up in my kitchen.

One morning we found ants in our cereal. That was the final straw. I asked around and apparently TERRO is the best product to get the ants out of your cereal and back in the yard where they can freeze off their little ant butts with the rest of the cold critters!

I feel bad about the poison and all… But the whole thing made for the most interesting ‘experiment’. And right now I have a little boy who is ALL OVER understanding the world of science. He’s 6, and he brings home books from the library EXCLUSIVELY from the ‘project’ section (he calls it)… the children’s non-fiction area.

Everything is a mini experiment to him. Growing sprouts on the window sill. Constructing different options for his marble maze. And now… watching the ants form perfect lines and circles around the ant bait and to and from the tiny hole next to the door frame. It got me thinking about this upcoming summer vacation and the boredom that always tags a long…

This will be my third Beat the Heat, ‘Help! My kids are driving me CRAZY!’, summer boredom series. And we are going to focus on anything and everything SCIENCE related!

What better way than to start off with bugs and insects!

IDEAS For The Library
(a kid’s gotta research right?)

On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects (Cat in the hat learning library)

Don’t Squash That Bug! The Curious Kids Guide to Insects (Lobster Learners)

Besides watching ants trail in and out of your house…

Here’s a big list of fun and fabulous Bug inspired creations and activities!

Try capturing potato bugs. Making an outdoor terrarium for the little critter. Help your kids think about what bugs need to be happy in a small bucket?

Yucky Roach World

A whole world of disgusting on Discovery.com’s “Yuckiest Site on the Internet”!
Follow Ralph the Roach in a day in the life of a roach… YUCK!

Ladybug Craft (doubles as a frisbee!)

Make a simple ladybug craft from a paper plate and a little red and black paint. If you don’t have the googly eyes just paint ‘em on!

What sounds do insects make?

Make a Cicada noisemaker with instructions from FamiliyFun.go.com. With simple items from any store, swing the noisemaker around and start buzzing like a bee today!

Order up a Butterfly growing kit!!

Head over to Amazon.com there are several different options from Insect Lore. This is SO on our list of summer fun things to do after our big family reunion road trip!

Frog Mouths on your elbows!?

Have you SEEN these Amazing Hoodies from Mouthman.com? I am so in love.. (they make adult sized shirts… I might buy one for me!) These aren’t really bug related but I had to share anyway.. and frogs EAT bugs right??

Paper Caterpillar Craft!

What a simple paper craft idea for little kids! Make this folded paper caterpiller from DLTK-Kids.com. My 9yrold little girl will love this I can already hear her creative brain whrrrring at the thought!

Disclosure: amazon links are affiliate links.
See all of the GoodNCrazy Summer boredom posts.
See only the Science Summer Series 2010.

Indoor Boredom Ideas, Rainy Day Or 100 Degrees!

Carissa — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:32:00 +0000

{click to see the whole series}

1.
Indoor Play activities: Great ideas for younger kids.. Create-a-Road and Pinch and Clip

2.
Visit Playgroups USA Wow! what a fabulous amount of information and ideas about creating, joining and keeping your playgroup interesting! See this massive list of activities.

3.
Rainy Day activity ideas for kids ages 6-10… I love the Family Education site for great kid fun ideas!

Anything with water! Bubbles in the sink, giving Barbies a bath, ‘painting’ the doors or any other hard surface with a paintbrush and a small cup of water… you get the idea…

Build a Fort.. let the kids imaginations run wild… spaceships, camping tents, or just plain playing ‘house’… help them out by suggesting wacky items from the kitcen as impliments for their adventure… a spaghetti spoon becomes the magic wand that drives the UFO, a rolling pin is the steering mechinism…

What rainy day or WAY too hot day indoor activity do your kids love.. feel free to share with us!

Kids In The Kitchen: Quesadillas!

Carissa — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:32:00 +0000

{click to see the whole series}

Olé! It’s Fiesta Time!

Jennifer from Savor The Thyme has provided an excellent post about creating fabulous Quesadillas with the kids! Jennifer is a Stay at home mom and fun foodie blogger!

“We have all been told to let our children ‘help’ in the kitchen and I have found that not only is it a great way to teach them about cooking, it is also a great way to empower them. What kid does not love the ideas of getting to make their own choices or ‘do what they want’? One way we let our kids have their free rein is when it comes to making Quesadillas. I simply place all of our favorite ingredients (and sometimes throw in new one) out and let them choose and assemble it.

This is truly a great way to entertain the children, use up leftovers, AND create a frugal and healthy meal.”

I love how Jen created a buffet of options for the kids to ‘try’… mine are always willing to try something once! They don’t always like it, but I think it’s really important to keep them trying!

See the rest of her post and ideas for Lil’ Kid Quesadilla options!

1.
For Mom! I have been looking for a swim suit for.. well the whole summer! What do you think? Will this one work? I found a new althetic store called Athleta.com.. cool stuff huh?

2.
I just came across this great book! You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? Hilarious! By Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt. (catch her on twitter!)

3.
For tweener girls. GirlzLikeMe! An intriguing site where girls can safely upload pictures of themselves and talk with other girls. There’s a place to upload artwork and other creative ways to express themselves. Plus check out the blog. I like that this site is run by a young girl!

4.
Car Travel Tips for Family Road Trips from About.com

5.
Fun Stuff for the Car: BackSeat Boredom Printables from FamilyFun.com.

A Soft Place To land: Try This!

Carissa — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

{click to see the whole series}

Today. OMStinkin’Heck.

Today?

You can find me at Kimba’s Crib Yo!
{Okay I sound like an idiot.}

HINT: There’s cookies and lemonade involved!

Please click over to A Soft Place To Land for today’s Summer Series Post!

Cure Kids' Mid-Summer Monotony: Week 7

Carissa — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

{click to see the whole series}

Today’s GoodNCrazy series is brought to you by the two hip dads of TodayIsFun! Take it away guys!

It’s the middle of July. Your kids have been out of school for some time now, and – uh-oh – the novelty of summer break has begun to wear off. The kids have played with all their toys quite thoroughly. They’ve settled into something of a routine with camps and summer classes. They’re beginning to know the backyard like the back of their hands. With the “newness” of summer break gone, the children in your house need some new ways to keep busy and have fun.

At our site, TodayIsFun.com, we think having a number of kids activities ready to go at all times will save a parent’s day (and a parent’s sanity.)

We offer below ten fun-filled ideas for keeping your kids busy during the summer doldrums. The kids’ activities here are pretty much geared towards ages six through eleven (roughly the ages of Carissa’s two older kids), and they’re designed for young ones to be able to do without a lot of parental involvement (because children playing happily on their own can contribute to parental sanity. And we all could use a healthy dose of that.)

(1) Ice Cube Experimentation. With just a couple ice cubes and tupperware bowls, your children can transform into temperature scientists! Watching ice melt might sound as thrilling as watching paint dry . . . but kids really do enjoy this simple experiment.
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/218/

(2) Miscellaneous Squiggle. You draw a line and your child “fills in the rest” to create an art masterpiece. Gets the kids’ creativity a-churnin.’
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/248/

(3) Monster Names. Another entry from our arts and crafts department, this is a fun way for kids to ‘decorate’ their own names. A big-time crowd-pleaser among the kids in our house.
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/367/

(4) Leaf Rubbings. Send the kids out back to grab some leaves (but please, no hacking down trees or butchering the bushes). Then, they come back in, grab some crayons, and make beautiful, natural leaf rubbing art!
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/443/

(5) Sidewalk Chalk Maze. This is generally time consuming and therefore good for kids who can stick with a project for a while. They create their own maze on the pavement outside, and then a hapless parent has to come out and try to find a way out.
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/220/

(6) Structural Problems. Using blocks or Tinker Toys or something similar the kids build a structure with a big problem: a planned flaw that will lead to the (fun) downfall of the whole shebang.
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/435/

(7) A map of the house. You (or the kids) make a map of the house. Once that’s done, you can “track” people and objects anywhere inside. Really, woudn’t your family benefit fromn a homemade GPS for your house?
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/102

(8) No-Cut Kite. A simple flying contraption . . . a perfect (and perfectly fun) way to keep the kids quite busy. They’ll be folding and then out back flying! (Some wind required.)
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/444/

(9) Chalk painting. Get the kids outside. Give them chalk and water and mix all the preceding ingredients together. Messy, goopy, and vaguely arty fun.
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/496/

(10) Photo walk. Great for older kids who can be trusted with a digital camera. This one gets them outside and looking at the world. Then they come back inside for some artistic achievement.
Link: http://todayisfun.com/blog/readmore/319/

With the ideas listed above, you should be in good shape for the rest of the mid-summer blues. If you’d like suggestions for more kids activities along this vein, please swing by TodayIsFun.com, where we post a new keep-the-kids-busy idea every day.

And thank you to Carissa for inviting us to participate in GoodNCrazy.com. (A life that is “good and crazy” is a great goal for families of kids to have!)

About Steve and Paul of TodayIsFun.com

Steve and Paul are the two Dads over at TodayIsFun.com. Their website offers free, fun and educational activities for keeping kids entertained and out of their parents’ hair. Between their two families they have four kids that keep them quite busy. TodayIsFun.com aims to be the premier resource for parents asking, “What can I do with the kids now?”

In case you are wondering: my blog’s disclosure.

Geocaching: What is it? Summer Series Week 6

Carissa — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:59:00 +0000

{click to see the whole series}

One of my earliest blogging pals is my feature today! Her name is Arizona. I know, AWEsome name huh?? She writes a blog titled Travel Bugs. And lately her specialty has been GeoCaching. Geo-What? Believe me, you are going to love this! And talk about perfect for the summer-time boredom doldrums!

She has written a Geocaching How-To Guide and here’s what she has to say about Geocaching:

“Geocaching is a high-tech game of hide-and-go-seek using a hand-held GPS device. It may sound difficult, but it isn’t. It’s a great way to get the whole family outdoors. It’s also a wonderful way to bond as a family since you all have to work together to find the “hidden treasure”.

A geocache is a hidden container. The container can be a simple, small magnetic key holder with a simple logbook inside or it can be as large as a 5 gallon bucket. A fellow geocacher hides it in a location and provides the GPS coordinates so others can locate it with their GPS devices. That’s the whole idea behind geocaching; find the cache! Then, go online to log your find and share your experience.”

And since we got that GPS for daddy for Father’s day… think he’ll mind if we try it out this week!!?

Feel free to share your geocaching ideas!

1.
Speaking of LOOONG Road Trips! How about these? A block of topics for family discussions! Including things like: What’s your favorite family tradition? Or What family or school rule would you most like to change? From TableTopics.com

2.
What a terrific summer series! check out CAMP wanna-laffa-lotta! Great ideas, Great fun! From the creator of LifeAsMom Thanks to Katie for the submission!

3.
Give Kids a Camera! What a great idea from Bonnie of BonnieLovesPhotography! She suggests handing kids a disposable (or inexpensive digital) camera to play with while YOU take pictures of them! Great chances for fun shots and keeps them busy and entertained too! Bonus… often the pictures they take turn out better than you’d think!

GoodNCrazy » goodncrazy summer series

Aliens VS Legos!!

Aliens VS Legos!

Lemonade Stand, Garage Olympics, Learn While Playing With Water!

Summer Science Series continues!

ThinkFun.com Writer And ‘Fun Expert’ Interview

Welcome to SmartPlay!

Healthy Summer Foods For Kids | Two Listsd

It’s summer time FINALLY!

What to Feed the Kiddos All Summer Long!

‘Science’ Summer Boredom Series Kick’s Off! (With BUGS!)

The ants go marching one by one hurrah… hurrah…

IDEAS For The Library (a kid’s gotta research right?)

Here’s a big list of fun and fabulous Bug inspired creations and activities!

Yucky Roach World

Ladybug Craft (doubles as a frisbee!)

What sounds do insects make?

Order up a Butterfly growing kit!!

Frog Mouths on your elbows!?

Paper Caterpillar Craft!

Disclosure: amazon links are affiliate links. See all of the GoodNCrazy Summer boredom posts. See only the Science Summer Series 2010.

Indoor Boredom Ideas, Rainy Day Or 100 Degrees!

Kids In The Kitchen: Quesadillas!

A Soft Place To land: Try This!

Cure Kids' Mid-Summer Monotony: Week 7

Geocaching: What is it? Summer Series Week 6

IDEAS For The Library
(a kid’s gotta research right?)

Disclosure: amazon links are affiliate links.
See all of the GoodNCrazy Summer boredom posts.
See only the Science Summer Series 2010.