November, in the U.S. and Canada, is a time to celebrate gratitude. But since I wrote about family activities around Thanksgiving last year, this year I thought I’d write about one of the things for which people around the world are grateful: bread. 1. You might want to start by exploring the many varied kinds … Continue reading
It may be the day before Halloween in the U.S., but it is never too late for a good parody. I’ve written before about how parodies can give students motivating and effective practice in analogical thinking, and this week I discovered a new one. Ludwig Bemelmans’ classic children’s book Madeline tells the story of twelve … Continue reading
Do you have plans for November 21, 2013? How about joining an effort to create the largest children’s art event in history? (And U.S. teachers, a Thanksgiving-appropriate activity to boot!) Last year Everyartist.me, brainchild of artist Brendan O’Connell, set the World Record for a collection of children’s art. In April 2012, 8,416 young artists filled … Continue reading
One of the best things about fall in Michigan is watching the leaves change. Trees that are mostly green October 1st are brilliant with color in just a few weeks. I’ve done an earlier Family Fun post on leaf activities, so this month we’ll look at activities that focus on changing colors. 1. Of course … Continue reading
My husband loves television and is the classic remote “clicker,” as he speeds across the channels in search of the next most-interesting-thing. As a result, I learn about all kinds of strangely-fascinating programs I might never discover. One of these is History Channel’s American Pickers, a reality show that follows “pickers” Mike Wolfe and Frank … Continue reading
When I was young, LEGOs® were brightly colored rectangles that came in a box. Children lucky enough to have some could build anything they could imagine. Today, there are all manner of specialized LEGOs®: Star Wars LEGOs®, James Bond LEGOs®, even “LEGO Friends” targeted at girls (LEGO Friends Dolphin Cruise®, LEGO Friends Heartlake High®—yikes!). Each … Continue reading
It’s time again, for the Global Cardboard Challenge! The Imagination Foundation describes the Challenge: “The Global Cardboard Challenge is an annual challenge that invites kids around the world to design and build awesome creations using cardboard, recycled materials and imagination. The challenge culminates in a Global Day of Play on October 5th, marking the 2nd … Continue reading
Can it really be time for back-to-school? In Michigan, the store displays of pens and notebooks seem to appear just as the summer temperatures soar, confusing my sense of season altogether. Still, one of the great benefits of the academic calendar is that it gives us two “New Years” each year, two opportunities to resolve … Continue reading
Years ago, just as my husband and I were about to head for a Maine vacation, he had a scary encounter with a blood clot that kept us homebound. In the midst of that frightening time, a wonderful group of friends arrived at our doorstep with a large box. It was, they declared, a vacation-in-a-box. … Continue reading
Every summer has some days when it is too rainy, or too hot, to spend all day outside. For days like that, exploring ways to be an inventor can be just the ticket for creative summer fun. 1. Introduce your family to Rube Goldberg inventions. Rube Goldberg’s cartoons of amazing fantasy machines have inspired budding … Continue reading
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