Childhood Beckons

Sidewalk Chalk Farm

2012-05-23T01:26:00.002-05:00

Sidewalk chalk is a staple of our summers. We even keep it in our summer fun activity bag so we have some whenever we'd like. And we love to use sidewalk chalk as a base for more pretend play. On this day we added some animals and other toys to make a sidewalk chalk farm for a fun playdate.

We started by drawing the base of the farm. We drew a farmhouse, barn, pond, lots of grassy spots for the animals to graze, a dirt road, and sun.

Then we added the toys! The boys set up various areas of the farm before they decided to do some farm work. They plowed the fields, fed the animals, and went fishing in the pond. This definitely encouraged pretend play and sharing.

This is such a great activity because you can really tailor it to your kids' interests! We've had a lot of fun with pretend play cities where we only needed an imagination, the sidewalk chalk, and a few cars.

A Tip for Playdates:

Encourage each family to contribute a type of toy. Have the toys differ for ease in pick up and to ensure that the toys go back to the right home without quarrels or confusion. For instance, one family could bring the animals and another family could bring the tractors.

You might also like:

15 Outdoor Playdate Activities- No Playgrounds or Toys Required

Letter Sounds Hopscotch

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Connect with Your Kids- When You're Far Away

2012-05-20T13:32:00.000-05:00

This week, Valerie from Inner Child Fun and I asked some very talented bloggers for their tips on helping kids connect with family and friends that are far away. We've compiled the responses into a post with ten different themes and a few resources. You can visit Inner Child Fun for this week's post - Ideas for when you're far away.

10 Helpful Tips for Making Up Stories

2012-05-18T07:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I wrote about storytelling with clouds and I shared my attempt at making up a story. I really wanted to include some tips for storytelling, but for ease of reading and navigation I decided to gather all of my best tips into a post of their own. I am a mom that has struggled with making up stories. so I thought I'd share a few of the things that helped me.

10 Tips for Making Up Stories

Practice. I'll never forget R's reaction when I first started making up stories. He very sweetly said, "Mama, that story wasn't very good. But it's okay. You tried." And he was right. It was absolutely awful. I stumbled through it and it wasn't entertaining in the least. But I did try. I kept trying and practicing and I did get better. R appreciates my efforts and I bet your child will appreciate yours.
Let go of perfection. Yes, practice is a great tip (if I do say so, myself) but you should also let go of perfection. Know that even when your best story falls a little flat, you are still building and nurturing a connection with your child.
Add their interests. You know your child best. You know what they like so use that to your advantage when you are telling stories. Base the story around their interests.
Use their name. I've found that if a character in the story has their name it makes the story more entertaining.
Use various voices. An easy way to make any story come alive is to change your voice for various characters. Don't worry about seeming silly. Your child will like it and that's what matters.
Make it interactive. Ask questions. If it's something you've said throughout the story, young children can anticipate the answer and repeat it back to you. You can also build your story around their answers. If you are telling a story and have no idea what to say next, ask them a question and use their answer.
Build a series. Once you've created a character that they love, stick with it. Build a series by adding onto the character's adventures.
Relate the story to your child's life. You could work through your child's fears, doubts, and anxieties by having a lovable character work though the very same problem. As well as celebrate accomplishments and special occasions! It's instant story material that is familiar and helpful!
Act it out. You are sure to bring any story to life by acting it out. Please don't be afraid to cut loose and act silly. Enjoy the giggles.
Tweak a classic. You don't have to start from scratch. Change the details of a classic to make the story new.

More Resources for You

Storytelling 101- Marnie from Carrots Are Orange shares ways to incorporate more storytelling throughout your day.
5 Steps to Make Reading Books More Meaningful - Kim from Little Stories shares five tips to make reading a book more meaningful over at A Mom With A Lesson Plan. These are great tips and would be great for storytelling as well. Plus, it's a super cute video that your child will enjoy watching with you.
Storytelling with Illustrations- In this post I share tips for making storytelling fun by adding your own illustrations.
Storytelling Pinboard- Trisha from Inspiration Laboratories has a wonderful board on Pinterest dedicated to storytelling. It's full of ideas and tips!

I know how difficult it can be to make up a story as you go and I hope that you've found these tips and resources helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

Do you have any tips for storytelling? I'd love to read them! Please feel free to share your tips and tricks.

Storytelling with Clouds

2012-05-17T08:14:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in a couple previous posts (here and here) that watching clouds could be a fun activity. Were you a little skeptical? We've laid back and looked at clouds (and it was very enjoyable on it's own!) but it never took up an afternoon. Until now. We used the pictures we found in clouds as a starting point for storytelling, and he loved it. I knew he would enjoy this activity, but just how much kind of surprised me. So I have to share!

We started the afternoon by playing at the park. When he started getting tired and hot, we took a break underneath the shade of a big tree. We laid back and looked up at the sky and I asked him if he could find any pictures in the clouds. Then we told stories based on the pictures we seen.

For our first story, R seen a giant mouth in the clouds. I want to share the story with anyone that's interested in getting a glimpse at one mom's attempt. It didn't take long to actually tell the story, but it's a decent amount of reading so I'm including the story, "The Very Hungry Giant" in a separate page. You can find it by clicking here. I made this up as we went along and R's interactions will be in orange.

It wasn't long before R was up and acting out the story as I told it. He shook and stumbled when the giant's tummy was growling. He picked various pieces of grass and weeds for the different foods. He was engrossed in the story.

After I finished my story, R found different pictures in the clouds and told his own stories. He didn't want to stop! And he didn't want to go back to playing. We sat and he told stories as I listened. And I was engrossed. I think that he's probably a better storyteller than I am.

Have you ever struggled with storytelling? Check back tomorrow for simple tips for storytelling.

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15 Outdoor Playdate Activities

2012-05-15T08:07:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I get caught up in the planning of playdates. I want the kids to have a great time and I try to plan creative and fun activities. And they usually like what I plan. But often, all kids really need is a playmate and a big open space. I was reminded of this fact sometime last week, when R and his buddy played for three hours straight underneath a big shade tree. All they had was each other and their imaginations. They had a blast.

So I thought I'd share a few ideas for a no frills playdate. Chances are you won't even need my suggestions. I bet your kids will have their own ideas! But if they need a few ideas to get them started, you can share these kid-tested favorites.

1. Play "Red Light-Green Light."

2. Look at bugs.

3. Play Tag.

4. Pretend to be airplanes. Or wild animals. Or anything else you can dream up.

5. Have races. Don't just run. Who can crawl the fastest? Hop? Crab walk?

6. Compare boo boos.

7. Play "Simon Says".

8. Roll down hills.

9. Play "Follow the Leader."

10. Watch clouds. Find various shapes in the clouds. What can you see?

11. Do flips!

12. Play with rocks.

13. Play hide and seek. Just make sure there's an adult watching!

14. Climb trees.

15. Make land art. Make art out of found objects in nature- rocks, twigs, flowers, etc.

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10 Simple Ways to Celebrate Mother's Day With Your Kids

2012-05-11T23:04:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day in the United States is this weekend and I've been thinking about how I'd like to spend my day. In the past I've cherished sleeping in and getting a short "break" for Mother's Day, but as R is growing older I'm finding myself wanting and cherishing different things. So I thought I'd share some simple ways to celebrate Mother's Day with your kids.

10 Simple Ways To Celebrate Mother's Day With Your Kids

Start the day by inviting your children into your bed for some cuddling and tickling. All of the giggles are sure to get your day started off right.
Sit and look at your family's picture albums together. Tell your children the stories surrounding the pictures. Talk about their births and early years.
Tell your child why you love being their mom.
Ask your child to tell you why they are happy that you are their mom. Record their answers.
Enjoy some family time spent outside. Go fishing, hiking, or take a walk around the neighborhood.
Go on a picnic. Even if you stay indoors.
Sit down with your child and look through the previous years' Mother's Day cards. You'll both enjoy looking back and seeing how they've grown.
Take silly pictures together in a photo booth. Or stage your own photo shoot.
Cook dinner together. Turn on some music and have fun making a mess in the kitchen.
Curl up and read a few of their favorite books. What was their favorite book as a baby? Toddler? Now?

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mamas!

How are you planning on celebrating Mother's Day?

Pretend Play- Fishing

2012-05-09T01:54:00.000-05:00

Fishing is such a wonderfully fun and relaxing way to spend the afternoon. But if you can't get to a body of water, what are you to do? Pretend fishing, of course! This is such a simple and fun activity that will stretch your child's imagination (and your's if you choose).

Supplies:

Imagination- The only thing you truly need. Props are just a bonus.
Fishing Pole- Ours is an old piece of unused PVC pipe with a string and bobber tied onto it. You could use a stick or a dowel. Or nothing tangible at all.
Boat- Ours is a boat made from a huge cardboard box and hot glue. You could use any box or laundry basket big enough for your child to sit in. Or nothing tangible at all. :)
Extra People- (Or pets) For fish! Or they could just imagine the fish.

The Play:

Solo- If your child has never fished and has no idea what to do, you could show them how to play by demonstrating yourself. Pretend to catch a great big fish. Pretend it gets away. Have fun with it. Then let them takeover. Let them make up their own stories and scenarios and watch how their play evolves. R's imaginative play usually starts slowly and then speeds up and changes direction as he gets more engrossed in the activity and really puts himself into the story. For instance, this time his play started out as him catching fish and such, and evolved into catching sharks and swimming to shore for more bait. It was entertaining to watch!

Group- Want to join in on the fun? Maybe you could both do the fishing. Or take turns fishing for one another (or siblings and friends). We made up silly songs to trick the fish into taking our bait. We were surprised when a catfish was lured into the boat with a flower as bait! We battled with great big ticklefish. For those of you that are unfamiliar with "ticklefish," they are huge, merciless fish that will tickle it's captor until they are thrown back. Anything goes!

Happy fishing!

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Connect with Your Kids- 50 Screen Free Activities

2012-05-07T01:57:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of Screen Free Week, Valerie from Inner Child Fun and I thought we'd get together to compile all of our best tips for connecting with your kids through unplugged play. You don't have to be completely screen free to take advantage of these ideas. Whether you're screen free, want to reduce your screen time, or just take a break.. these fun ideas will surely help you recharge and connect.

We've separated the tips into times of day because we know each time frame presents it's very own challenges.. and opportunities. We've also created a free printable with 50 screen free activities for you to use. You could put it on the fridge and use it as a reminder or bucket list. Or you could cut apart the list and add the pieces to a jar that you choose from.

Morning

1. Living Room Dance Party -- Crank up the tunes and get everyone up and moving! Bonus points for the wackiest dance moves.

2. Cereal or Oatmeal Toppings Buffet -- Invite the kids to help you whip up a batch of oatmeal, and set up a small buffet with a variety of toppings to chose from, or set up a cereal bar for kids to make their own mix-and-match cereal creations.

3. Host a Pajama Play Date -- Ever have the urge to stay in your pajamas all day? Invite friends over for a play date where everyone wears pajamas and slippers (parents too!). Ask everyone to bring their favorite breakfast treat to share. Read bedtime stories, and be sure to have plenty of coffee and tea for the parents.

Afternoon

1. Set Up an Invitation to Play -- Set up an inviting play activity by combining a few sets of toys. Break out the blocks and play animals, the play dough and construction toys, or the stuffed animals and toy kitchen supplies. Your child will be entertained by the novelty of it, and as an added bonus you could use the opportunity to pick out something you'd be interested in playing with too!

2. Kitchen Table Puzzles -- Puzzles can be a great way to connect and pass the time. For younger children, fill the table with various small, easy puzzles. The variety will occupy them and keep their attention. You could set out a larger and more advanced puzzle for older children. While they piece it together, you could cook or do chores nearby. Keep the conversation flowing and pop over to help add a piece now and then. Just be sure to set them out on a large piece of cardboard or puzzle mat so you can easily move it without destroying all of their hard work when it's time to eat.

3. Recruit Your Kids -- Ask your kids for help with dinner. They will likely jump at the chance. Younger children can help wash vegetables and measure and mix, while older children can take on even more responsibility for the meal. Put on some fun music and enjoy your time together in the kitchen.

Night

1. Extend Bath Time -- Start the bedtime routine a little earlier than normal and prolong bath time. Run an extra special bubble bath and extend the fun by adding more warm water once the original turns cold.

2. Have Fun Outside After Dark -- Grab some flashlights and glow sticks and head out after the sun goes down for some nighttime fun.

3. Listen to an Audio Book -- Your local library may offer a selection of audio books. Click here for plenty of family-friendly suggestions.

4. Impromptu Puppet Show -- Craft up your own puppets (they can be as simple as photo cut-outs glued onto craft sticks) and put on a show.

Inspiring Screen-Free Alternatives

Visit your local library.
Build a fort together.
Bake something yummy together!
Go fishing. Go for real or just pretend to go!
Play a game of invisible basketball.
Climb a tree.
Make your own sidewalk chalk stencils.
Act out a favorite book or movie.
Go to the park.
Play Red Light, Green Light or another classic childhood game.
Make wishes in a fountain.
Go on a picnic.
Build and fly your own kite.
Tell stories.
Craft up some handmade gifts for Mom (Mother's Day is coming up!)
Have family game time.
Host a birthday party.... for your child's teddy bear.
Dress up! Pretend play through dress up can be fun for the whole family.
Write thank you notes together.
Go camping and leave the screens at home or camp out in your living room and pretend they aren't there!
Build a marble run.
Go on a nature walk.
Clean one room of the house together. Pretend you are filming a cleaning commercial.
Write to a pen pal.
Plant a container garden.
Communicate with lightening bugs. All you need is a flashlight!
Go stargazing.
Have a candlelight night. Go completely unplugged and eat, play and bathe by candlelight.
Start a lemonade stand.
Try to find pictures in the clouds. What can you see?
Build a town with blocks. Use masking tape for roads.
Go on a treasure hunt.
Make a potion lab.
Take turns reading to each other.
Make mud pies together.
Go on a bug hunt!
Whip up a batch of homemade play dough.
Make pet rocks.
Do a puzzle together.
Visit a "U-Pick" farm and pick your own fruit!
Make your own scratch and sniff paint.
Look through family photo albums and share favorite memories.
Craft up a batch of tissue paper flowers, then make "deliveries" to friends.
Make your own musical instruments and start a family band.
Build an obstacle course together.
Make paper airplanes. See which style of plane flies the straightest, fastest, etc.
Paint...with water!
Have a joke contest. Try and get the most laughs.
Start a stamp collection.
Volunteer for a cause as a family. This could be as simple as picking up trash around your community.

We hope you have fun unplugging and connecting! For more ways to connect, please check back for more posts in this series.

Connect with Your Kids- Through Art

2012-04-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's time for another Connect with Your Kids post! I'm really excited about this week's theme. Today, Valerie from Inner Child Fun and I are sharing 10 creative tips and five fun activities to inspire you to connect with your kids through art. I hope that you'll stop by her blog and check out this great post!

We hope that you have a ton of fun connecting and making memories with your children through art! Have you been inspired? Please let us know! You can leave a comment or message me on Facebook to share your experience or a picture.

Guest Post at ThinkFun!

2012-04-24T02:32:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited to be guest posting for ThinkFun! I'm over there sharing about learning through play with their amazing game Rush Hour Jr. As a mom, I can see so many educational benefits from playing this game. And R loves it. It has quickly become his new favorite. I really can't say enough good things about Rush Hour Jr. I hope that you'll stop by and check it out. I'm even sharing my very first video!

{ThinkFun sent me Rush Hour Jr. to review. The opinions are my own. I was not compensated for a positive review. It really is just that great.}

Does your family love the games from ThinkFun? What's your favorite?

Mad Scientist Mystery Game

2012-04-23T10:39:00.000-05:00

{Today I'm pleased to bring you a very fun and creative guest post from Didi of Duck Duck Octopus. It's a game and it's a snack. Plus it's fabulous! If you like this post, be sure to visit Didi's blog and take a look around. Thank you, Didi!}

Carving food into intricate shapes and characters is fun, but time consuming. I am a big advocate for making meal time engaging, but like most parents, I don't always have the time to devote to preparing extravagant gustatory creations. I make robot sandwiches and ocean-inspired lunches when I can, but on days where time is short, having a few quick recipes in my back pocket helps.

The Mad Scientist Mystery Game is one of my favorite quick snack recipes. This recipe engages the senses, and is guaranteed to make snack-time a fun food adventure.
The only special accessories you need are plastic disposable pipettes, and a graduated vessel to hold a beverage. The pipettes are available online, and may be purchased in some places for a mere 10 cents a piece. I usually have a ton of these squirters on hand because they are great for a myriad of activities. If you don't already have them in your craft supply closet, get a bunch! The graduated vessel isn't required, but it does look impressive next to the snack. A small plastic flask or graduated cylinder does nicely to add a "mad scientist" feel to the set-up.

I know I don't need to tell you this, but I'll put it in just in case. Please make sure the plastic pipettes and graduated vessel are new, and fresh out of the packaging. These items are being used for food preparation, so you want to be sure they are clean. Residues from other activities are not only unappetizing, they may be dangerous to ingest, so only use brand new pipettes and graduated vessels, please and thank you.

Now that you have all of your lovely new equipment ready to go, here is what you do:

Instructions:

Get several different flavors of the squeezable fruit or vegetable pouches that are available in the organic section of the supermarket. The pouches are meant to be a portable snack for school lunches, and are perfect for this activity. Flavored yogurts also work well. Don't be afraid to experiment with different mixtures. Creating unique flavor profiles is part of the fun!
Dispense pureed fruits, vegetables, or yogurt into small cups.
Number the cups, and create a master key for the ingredients.
Number the pipettes.
Use the pipettes to suck up the purees or yogurt. Make sure the number on the pipette matches the number on the cup.
Arrange the pipettes on a plate.
Pour a beverage into the graduated vessel, and set beside the pipette snack tray. Get creative with the beverage. Use a brightly colored drink, and add plain seltzer water to make some mad scientist bubbles. To really mix things up, use a vegetable-based beverage like V-8 juice. Your child will not expect to drink vegetables!

Once you have the snack put together, it is time to start the mystery game. Present the snack to your kids, and give them a piece of paper and pencil. Have them eat the contents of each pipette one at a time, and let them try to guess what is inside. The paper and pencil will help them keep track of their guesses. Your little foodies will have a blast, and so will their taste buds, as they try to decipher the mystery snack.

What are your favorite creative, quick and easy recipes?

Didi is a fun mom who likes to make mud pies, stomp in puddles, and fingerpaint. She is also the founder of duckduckoctopus.com, a blog about play-based learning, outdoor adventures, and mindful-parenting.

Storytelling With Illustrations

2012-04-20T02:26:00.000-05:00

Storytelling is a staple activity in our household. It adapts well and often serves as a springboard for other activities. It's one of our favorite past-times and the benefits are numerous. Storytelling, by itself, is a wonderful way to connect with your children and it's a ton of fun. Imaginations are flexed and stretched by the power of your words. It's truly amazing. Lately, we've been adding onto the experience by illustrating our stories. It does not take the place of storytelling with words alone, but it is a wonderful change of pace with it's own pleasures and benefits.

R delights in telling his own stories and has come to love illustrating them as well. He gathers us around his easel and sets to work. He names his story in advance and sets the stage. He draws a little and then speaks. We hang on his words and his pictures. And his actions. As he draws, he further engrosses himself into his story. He begins to act out emotions. He's not reciting. He is storytelling. It's absolutely wonderful to watch.

Emoting during storytelling.

I love seeing his stories evolve along with his artwork. I adore getting a glimpse into his active imagination. He knows he's entertaining us, but I'm not sure he grasps just how much.

And he's learning. While we are being entertained. While we are bonding. He is learning.

Tips For Your Family

Use what you have. If you don't have an easel, this activity would be lovely done on paper while you cuddle on the couch. And, as an added bonus, you have a special keepsake afterwards!
Take turns. Let your children see you tell a story and illustrate it yourself. Then give them the stage and listen intently.
Let go of perfection. You don't have to be an artist or a particularly remarkable storyteller. Your child will love it regardless and appreciate your effort. And, chances are, you'll get better with practice.
Use various voices. An easy way to make your stories more interesting and fun is to use a new voice for each character. I think the best part of that is watching your child mimic you and experiment with voices of their own afterwards.
Tell an array of stories. You can share a classic favorite from your childhood or make up a special story just for your child.
Build a Series. Once you make up a character, perhaps based on a special little boy or girl you know, you can build upon that story by describing new adventures. It will be very exciting and give your children something special to look forward to for next time.

*By the way, Mommy Labs has a fantastic post about the benefits of storytelling and why it is so important for childhood. I think it's beautiful and a must read.

I hope this activity is as magical for you, as it is for my family. Happy connecting!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing or following me on Facebook for future updates. I hope to continue to inspire you to savor the childhood that beckons you. Thank you for reading!

Connect with Your Kids- 10 Simple Tips for Outdoor Play

2012-04-18T06:59:00.000-05:00

Spending time together outdoors is a wonderful way to connect with your kids. This week, Valerie from Inner Child Fun and I got together to bring you 10 simple tips to help you do just that. We hope that these ideas inspire you to get outside and start making long lasting memories with your children. And we hope that you thoroughly enjoy yourselves while doing it!

1. Put Together a Nature Pack - Take a backpack, and together with your child, fill it with items from around the house to create a go-to nature pack. You may want to make one for each member of the family. Some items to include: water bottle, sunscreen, bug repellent, small jar & tweezers (for specimens), compass, sketch pad & colored pencils, first-aid kit. The next time your family is ready for a quick hike, you will already have everything packed!

2. Play The Classics - You don't need a lot of expensive playground equipment or even a big backyard. You can have a lot of fun together as a family by playing some simple classic games like "Red Light, Green Light" and "Simon Says."

3. Make the Most of Good Weather - This can mean postponing household chores until the evening, but it's well worth it to take advantage of beautiful weather and spend some time with your child outdoors.

4. Have Some Rainy Day Fun Too - The weather doesn't have to be perfect to spend a bit of time outdoors. Minutes after a rainstorm is perfect for puddle-jumping -- even more fun when Mom and Dad join in too!

5. Don't Stop at Sundown - You can even take advantage of the evenings you're all together. Give everyone flashlights and head out after dark. This fun little twist will surely create lasting, special memories with your children.

6. Picnic Breakfasts - Take your breakfast outdoors, and enjoy a picnic breakfast together before the kids leave for school. This works well for those days that reach high temperatures by the afternoon. A picnic breakfast doesn't have to be complicated -- some healthy cereal, bowls, spoons, and a thermos of milk will work nicely. Plus, coffee tastes better when sipped while sitting on a picnic blanket. True story.

7. Build A Fort - For a memorable time, try building a fort or making a secret hideaway as a family. It doesn't have to be big or fancy. Get creative with your materials and have fun. Spend some time hiding out when it's all put together. You can have secret family meetings, read books, or even eat dinner in there.

8. Bring the Indoors Outside - Do you have a favorite indoor activity? Whether it's board games or coloring, you can bring most indoor activities outside for a bit of change and fresh air.

9. Nature Photography Hikes - Nature hikes are always fun (and great exercise too), but give your child an old camera, or an inexpensive disposable camera to try and it becomes an even greater experience! Your little shutterbug may surprise you with some unique photos. Later, on a rainy day, turn the photos into a scrapbook together.

10. Learn Together - Learning something as a family is a wonderful way to connect. Check out a book on nature and take a look around your backyard or local park. How many birds can you identify? What kind of tree is that? Find the answers together.

Favorite Outdoor Activities:

1. Colorful Bubbles Art - This is a simple and fun art activity that your kids are sure to love. Take turns blowing colorful bubbles as other family members chase them with pieces of paper. The bubbles leave behind pops of color when you catch them.

2. Outdoor Color Match - Put paint chip cards of different colors on a binder ring, and punch a large hole in each shade. Go outside and try to match all the colors!

3. Kick Croquet - Cut old pool noodles in half, and use garden stakes to keep them in place for a fun game of kick croquet!

4. Climb A Tree - Spend an afternoon climbing trees. Cheer for your little climbers from the ground, or surprise them by joining in on the fun!

5. Build a Bird Feeder from Recyclables - Did you know bird feeders can be made from just about any recyclable? Building bird feeders is a simple and easy activity to enjoy with your child, and foster a love of nature. Here are some examples to get you started.

What are some of your favorite ways to connect with your kids outside?

15 Ways to Have Fun Outside- In The Dark

2012-04-16T01:58:00.001-05:00

We love playing outside and the fun shouldn't end just because the sun went down! So today I thought I'd share fifteen ways to have fun outside.. in the dark.

Flashlights are fun! Give the kids flashlights and take a look around. Much fun can be had by simply exploring with a flashlight. What looks different at night? What does my mouth look like with the flashlight? My fingers?
Flashlight tag. Tag players using the beam of light, or simply play tag with flashlights to guide the way.
Flashlight limbo. How low can you go? Two people, holding flashlights, face each other and make a steady beam of light for others to limbo under.
Catch the light. My son absolutely loves chasing after the ever-moving beam of light. I shine it around and just when he thinks he's caught it, I move it again. He has so much fun and this really tires him out. He also enjoys reversing the play and watching me scurry after the light.
Catching shadows. We've also had a lot of fun chasing each other's shadows. The object is to catch the other person's shadow by chasing after it and jumping on it. All you need is a porch light that shines out into your yard and you're ready for some fun.
Shadow puppets. Shine a light onto the side of your house or fence to set the stage for an evening of puppet shows.
Catch lightening bugs.
Put a spin on some classic games. How much fun is "Red Light, Green Light" or "Duck, Duck, Goose" in the dark? Lots, actually.
Glow in the dark dancing. Put on shows for one another, or simply rock out with glow sticks.
Hide and seek with glow sticks. One person hides a glow stick and then all of the others try to find it. The person that finds it first gets to hide it again.
Hunt for glow sticks. Hide a bunch of glow sticks all throughout the yard and let the kids hunt for them.
Flashlight hunt. One player hides an object, like a rubber duck, and the others try to find it using their flashlights.
Build a campfire. Listen to music. Play cards. Cuddle. Make s'mores.
Tell spooky stories. But maybe not too spooky.
Tell stories with constellations. Show your children a few constellations and then ask them if they can find any pictures in the stars. Ask them to tell you more about the object they see. Can they make up a story about it? Can you?

More Tips:

Regular flashlights are great fun, but a child-size headlamp can make the night extra special and some of the games a bit easier.
Make sure your yard and area of play is safe before playing. As with anything, supervise your children and use caution and your best judgement.
Set a timer to let everyone know when the play must come to an end to transition smoothly into bedtime routines.

What are some of your favorite ways to have fun in the dark?

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How To Decorate Toy Train Tracks

2012-04-13T11:22:00.000-05:00

{ I am absolutely thrilled to have Rebekah from The Golden Gleam guest posting on the blog! She is sharing a terrific idea to extend the play time for your child's toy train tracks, and it's an idea that I plan on doing with R as soon as possible. If you like this post, you can find more like it by visiting The Golden Gleam. Thank you so much for sharing, Rebekah! }

When my daughter was a toddler, the train set was one of her favorite toys, but now that she is 4 1/2 years old, it is neglected. Since I am not ready to abandon it yet, I have figured out a way to make the train tracks more appealing to her. We decorate the tracks to create scenery and stories.

When I ask her if she would like to decorate the train tracks with me, she is enthusiastic about playing with the trains. She helps me look for items to decorate the tracks. We collect an assortment of crafting materials and various odds and ends.
Ideas for Materials to Decorate Train Tracks

scraps of felt or fabric
paper bags
rocks
pom poms
cotton balls
flat glass marbles
tea lights
toilet paper tubes
shells
small toy animals
empty food boxes
lids
coins
twigs
artificial flowers
tissue paper
blocks
ribbon

Once we have gathered our materials, she decides how each item will be used along the train tracks. For example, strips of green felt will be a grassy meadow and cotton balls will be snow. She arranges the items around the train tracks.

We play trains when the decorating is complete. The materials may cause problems for the trains like when a snowstorm covers the tracks, and we work on solving that problem in our story. Sometimes the materials help solve problems like when she threw blue craft marbles (water) on top of a fire (orange feathers).

Adding an element of creativity is a great way to bring new life to an old toy. It brings play and art together, and encourages children to create stories and use their imaginations.

Rebekah is a former teacher and now stay at home mom who writes about ways to light up kids through art, play, learning, and a lot of love over at The Golden Gleam. If you want to follow more of her creative ideas, like The Golden Gleam's Facebook Page.

Spectacular Sponsor!

2012-04-12T10:18:00.000-05:00

I'm thrilled to have my cute lobster designs as my newest sponsor! And I'm thrilled for several reasons. my cute lobster designs is the wonderful design company that did my blog's redesign and Tasha, the designer, was an absolute pleasure to work with. (And isn't the new look fantastic?) Don't have a blog? Don't worry! They have something for everyone!

I was really nervous about paying for someone to design something for me. What if I didn't like it? my cute lobster designs really set me at ease. Her prices are more than reasonable and she assured me that she would work until she had it right. And she did. She was more than willing to tweak her initial designs to see if I liked something better. But I found that her designs were so intuitive I wasn't changing much. Her designs are custom and individualized. Want something sophisticated? She can do it! Playful? Got you covered! I love her talent for design. You can check out some of her designs in her Etsy store.

I also really loved the process of working with her. She took the time to get to know me and what kind of look I was after. She responded quickly to questions and concerns. She really went above and beyond. I would recommend her to all of my friends, so I'm happy to recommend her to all of you.

And as I said before, she has something for everyone! I feel confident that my cute lobster designs could be beneficial to you, my readers. She does invites and clip art and is open to branching out. Oh, the birthday party possibilities! If you have a design need, please don't hesitate to ask.

You can reach my cute lobster designs directly by email at: mycutelobsterdesigns {at} gmail {dot} com.

Or you can visit her Etsy store.

I'd like to say thank you to our newest sponsor! And thank you to everyone that reads. Thanks so much for supporting Childhood Beckons.

Connect With Your Kids- Tips for Family Game Time

2012-04-11T10:24:00.000-05:00

The very first post in this incredible new series is here! Valerie, from Inner Child Fun, and I got together to bring you 10 tips to make your family game time an enjoyable experience. Inner Child Fun is hosting our ideas this week, so please be sure to stop by and check it out. You can find the ideas for family game time here.

Playing Card Holder for Kids

2012-04-10T22:11:00.001-05:00

I was browsing through the book 1444 Fun Things To Do With Kids by Caryl Krueger and ran across this amazing idea! It's a playing card holder to help kids that can play a game of cards, but can not yet hold all of their cards in their hand. Isn't that genius?! By the way, this book has a lot of other great ideas and is worth looking into. I own a copy and you can buy yours here. Or you might be able to find a copy at your local library.

Before this wonderful craft, whenever R and I would play "Go Fish" I would have to look away as he arranged his cards in front of him. But now he can arrange and hold all of his cards by himself. This makes playing cards during family game time much easier for everyone. R was very fond of this craft as well!

What You Need:

Two matching plastic lids

Stapler

Stickers

Directions:

Put the two lids together, tops facing inward. Staple them together in the center. To finish, use stickers to decorate and cover the staple. Yes, it really is that simple!

I used two Cool Whip lids because I liked the size. You can also use smaller lids (sour cream, dip, etc).

I hope this simple little craft changes your card games for the better!

Upcycled Flower Craft

2012-04-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm thrilled to have a guest post from the wonderful blogger behind JDaniel4's Mom. I began reading JDaniel4's Mom blog way before I had a blog of my own, so this is very exciting for me!

My name is JDaniel4’s Mom and my blog is JDaniel4’s Mom. My blog features things that my four year old son and I are creating, exploring, and learning . It has a strong emphasis on healthy eating, interacting with books, and creative thinking. I am thrilled to be here on Childhood Beckons today! What an honor to get to share my idea for an upcycled or recycled soda bottle flower with you.

We tend to have a huge pile of bottles, cans, and boxes in our recycling box in the garage. Each week I take some of them to the recycling center and some items stay in the box to be used for crafts. A large soda bottle had spent a long time in the recycling box waiting to be used in a craft. We don’t get soda often so, I wanted to save the bottle for a really special craft. This upcycled flower is super easy to make and look wonderful in front of my kitchen window where the light can stream through its petals.

How did we make it?

Supplies: 1 green 2 liter soda bottle 1 pastel colored cupcake liner 1 patterned cupcake liner 1 soda bottle cap 1 large straw with a hole punched in it three inches from the top 1 brass fastener Knife with sharp point Scissors

Additional supplies for its flower vase:1 plastic water bottle with its top cut off 12 small rocks

Directions: Mom section of directions:

Cut the soda bottle so only the bottom 1/3 remains.
Cut slits around the top of the remaining bottle to create petals.
Pierce the bottom of the bottle in the center to create a hole with a sharp knife point.
Place holes large enough for the straw to pass through three inches above and below the center hole in the bottom on the soda bottle with scissors.
Place a hole in the center of the bottle cap with a sharp knife point.
Place holes in each of the cupcake liners.

Child’s section of directions:

Place the bottle cap facing up on the brass fastener.
Turn the patterned cupcake liner inside out and then place it on top of the brass fastener.
Place the pastel cupcake liner on top of the patterned liner on the brass faster.
Weave the straw into the bottom hole on the soda bottle and then out the top hole.
Place the sharp end of the brass fastener through the hole in the straw and then through to soda bottle bottom.
Flatten the brass fastener.
Fold back the petals you have in the bottle to open up your flower.
Place the flower in a water bottle.
Add rocks around the flower’s stem to help it stand up.

I hope you have fun creating a recycle soda bottle flower of your own.

Connect With Your Kids- New Series

2012-04-02T05:41:00.002-05:00

I'm thrilled to announce that Childhood Beckons and Inner Child Fun is teaming up to bring you a fantastic new series! I'm so happy to be working with Valerie. She is an amazing person with an amazing blog. You probably already know her from her blog (or have seen her on TV!), but if not, I hope you'll visit and take a look around!

About Valerie:

Valerie Deneen is the author of Inner Child Fun, where she hopes to inspire parents to spend more quality time with their children and less money doing it. She lives with her husband Mark, and two daughters (ages 7 and 3). Valerie's blog features over 1,000 inexpensive kid-friendly art projects, crafts, and activities - perfect for at-home or in the classroom. She is a frequent guest on various television talk shows to demo easy and frugal crafts to do with the kids. For more information, or to contact Valerie, visit her blog at www.InnerChildFun.com, or say hi to her on Twitter @InnerChildFun.

About My Blog:

Inner Child Fun is frequently updated with kid-friendly crafts and activities that won't break the bank -- many of which are made using items most households already have on-hand. The blog's mission is to encourage readers to discover the joy that comes from simple pleasures, and to provide budget-friendly ways to foster creative play in kids. Over one milion people from around the world have visited Inner Child Fun, and several projects have been featured on television, in magazines, or other websites!

The Series:

"Connect with Your Kids" will be a series of posts that feature simple ideas to inspire you to connect with your kids. Many ideas will take very little time and money, but will leave a lasting impression on your children. We will cover a variety of topics which will include: family game night, in the kitchen, during your morning routine, and lots more!

Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you! You can share your ideas with us by leaving a comment on this post, or by dropping me a line on Facebook.

Letter Sounds Pictionary

2012-03-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

We love learning through play! Letter sounds pictionary combines learning and practicing letter sounds with art and play. It's a simple favorite and all you need is a couple of willing participants and a few art supplies. We play this using the chalkboard on R's easel but you could play this anywhere using a pen and paper.

We play this game a lot to practice R's speech words. I pick a particular sound he needs practice with articulating and draw words that contain that sound. He makes guesses as I'm drawing which is perfect practice. I also like to write the word beside the picture after he guesses correctly.

Then he takes a turn to draw and I make guesses. He really enjoys drawing on his easel and gets a kick out of some of my silly guesses. It also helps make him very aware of letter sounds. He thinks of that sound we are working on and picks a word that contains it. We play this, primarily, to help him with his speech but he's getting so much more out of it. He is learning to decipher words.

He also insists on writing out the word beside his picture. I help him sound out the words and let him write it as he wishes. I'm not concerned with his handwriting right now. He writes because he enjoys writing and I don't want to take away that joy by correcting him. This is just what is right for my family right now, and right now he considers this play. I think he's learning enough without my corrections anyway.

This activity would be a perfect addition to a letter of the week curriculum, or just as practice by itself. You can focus on one letter sound or the whole alphabet. You could even play to practice word families.

More Ways To Play:

Play outside with sidewalk chalk.
Make it a fun sensory experience by drawing in a tray of shaving cream.
Draw in a patch of sand or dirt.

What are some of your favorite playful ways to practice letter sounds?

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The Kitchen Timer: For Play And Parenting

2012-03-26T01:26:00.000-05:00

Do you have a kitchen timer? If not, by the end of this post you might just want to run out and get one. They are really helpful outside of the kitchen. Oh, and they can be fun! My family uses a timer in a lot of different ways, and it is honestly one of my favorite tools. R is quite fond of the timer as well. It's marvelous for both play and parenting.

The Play:

There are lots of different ways you can use a timer for play. We've thought of a few that I'd like to share.

Use a timer during dress up play. You can easily extend dress up play with the use of a timer. Turn it into a game!

Play hide and seek with the timer. Set the timer for a few minutes as you hide it someplace clever. Can you hear the ticking? Have the kids search for the timer in hopes of finding it before it dings! For more difficulty (and fun) do this outside.

Have a no laughing contest. The rules are no talking and no laughing. I usually make a big deal out of it and say "Absolutely no laughing, no chuckles, no giggles.." Sit in a circle facing one another. Set the timer for a minute and try to make each other laugh. Make some funny faces! Act silly! R really gets a kick out of this game and asks to play it almost every night.

Play the "How Many?" game. Set the timer for a minute. How many times can you hop sideways over that line? How many balls can you make in the basket? How many blocks can you stack?

The Parenting:

The humble timer is also a fabulous tool for parents. We've used a timer for various reasons since R was a toddler. He has always responded well to it and it has helped out in a lot of situations. Here's a few ways the timer saves my day.

Use the timer to limit time spent watching TV, playing video games, or anything else that needs limits. I find that when I set the timer and tell R that he may do that activity until the timer dings, he isn't begging for more time when it's time to stop. It sets a clear limit. Very, very handy.

Set the timer so that they may see how much time they have left on any activity that is not enjoyed. We used the timer when we had to patch R's stronger eye for an hour a day. He absolutely hated his patch time for awhile, in spite of my best efforts at making it fun. He would constantly ask how much longer he had to wear it. We set the timer and his constant questions were a thing of the past. He knew exactly when he could take it off. You could also use this method with imposed quiet times. Set the timer for the amount of time they are to be playing quietly by themselves. When the timer goes off they know that quiet time is over and they can go back to being underfoot. :)

Race against the clock during clean up. Make it a game to have all toys put away before the timer buzzes. Not only does it make clean up more fun, it speeds the process along.

Use the clock to set standards for yourself. We sometimes use our timer to time our outside play. We try to get at least an hour a day of outside play, but I admit that some days I just don't feel like being out there. On those days I am tempted to come in early, so I set the timer for an hour and commit to being out there for the entire time. Use it to encourage yourself to play with your child and really focus on them when they choose an activity that isn't your favorite. And by all means, if the time runs out and you are having fun and could play longer, ignore the ding!

Are you sold on the benefits of using a timer for a tool in both play and parenting? We would definitely miss ours!

Do you have any creative uses or tips for using timers? Please let me know in the comments!

Signs Of Spring Nature Hunt

2012-03-22T03:53:00.001-05:00

It's spring time! The winter is officially behind us and nature is experiencing its rebirth. I thought the perfect way to celebrate would be to experience it firsthand. And that's just what we did! We went on a nature walk and hunted for signs of spring.

I began by talking to R about the spring. I asked him questions like:

"What do you see in the spring, that you don't see in the winter?"

"What do you hear?"

"What do you think about when you think of spring?"

He had some wonderful answers and it really got us thinking about the new season. I asked him to keep all of that in mind as we began our walk. Then I gave him his backpack full of fun things to take with us. I included a digital camera for his use, binoculars, and a few other miscellaneous items. I also brought along a nature journal printable and a box of colored pencils.

I made this printable for the occasion and you're welcome to download a copy for yourself. All I ask is that you do not redistribute and that you download for your own personal use. Just click the picture to download and print.

The Hunt For Spring

He was really excited about finding clues in nature. We explored and played. We enjoyed the beautiful weather. Ours was a very long walk around a nearby park, but you could even do this activity for 15 minutes in your own backyard.

Spring is here! Here's some proof.

At one point, R decided that he would like to use the nature journal page. I brought it along in case he was inspired to draw on the walk, but I wasn't going to push the subject. I thought that it would also be a great way to recap the walk once we were home, if he wanted.

For the things he had seen, he drew a leafy green tree, an ant hill, and bee wings. He drew a happy bumble bee for the "I heard" section and a few flowers for the smell. He surprised me by drawing the wind as the very first picture under the "I felt" category. He later added a cute little inch worm that had inched up his arm. He also pointed out that the weather section neglected to have a "windy" option and drew one. He sat down and concentrated on drawing the springtime surroundings. He really enjoyed taking the time to soak in the season.

Is it spring time where you are?

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New Name For A Rejuvenated Outlook!

2012-03-21T01:48:00.000-05:00

Don't worry! You're in the right place. Dinosaurs And Octopuses has had a name change and design overhaul. I personally love the new changes because they were brought about with careful thought and reflection. The new name really means something to me and the design really captures the feeling behind it.

I really appreciate all the support I've been given by my readers and blogger friends. I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I've truly missed this place and all of you. I didn't forget about this blog or the connections I've made. How could I?

While I was away, I was doing a lot of reflecting. I realized (all over again) that even though I'm trying to balance a lot of stressful tasks, I needed to make sure I was continuously making time and putting forth effort to ensure that R has the kind of childhood he deserves. I want to give him the best childhood I can. I want him to experience things first hand and make happy memories that he can carry with him into adulthood. Childhood, like life, isn't only comprised of these idyllic moments, but I want to strive to make the most of this time.

"Childhood Beckons" was born. It is now something I say to myself when I am tempted to brush him off to do something else. It's a reminder for me to prioritize thoughtfully. Maybe I really can't read that book right then. But often times, I can.

Childhood is calling him to play and explore. And childhood is calling me to help him on his journey. It is beckoning to us. I am going to listen.

What this means for you:

This blog is a natural outlet and resource for me. It helps remind me of my goals. And it is a part of an incredibly helpful network of like minded people. I'm going to be here more than ever as I strive to remember what's important. As I strive to remember that time is fleeting and that I need to make the most out of this precious commodity that is childhood.

I've prioritized. I've focused. I've worked things out.

I'm here. And I'm here to bring you new material that will help you focus on your family and the childhood that beckons you.

I'd also like to take this time to send out a great big thank you to My Cute Lobster Designs for doing such a fantastic job and giving me something even better than what I had envisioned. Thank you!

So what do you think of the new name and look?

Art And Play: The Nature Way - Sand

2012-02-17T13:05:00.002-06:00

It's that time again! Art And Play: The Nature Way is back with another installment! This time it's all about sand. Unfortunately, we don't live close to any great naturally occurring sand. R would really love it if we did! When we think of sand, we immediately think of the beach, which happens to be R's favorite place in the world.

Once we surprised him with a small vacation at the beach. We didn't tell him where we were going. We just loaded up and drove the six hours to his most coveted vacation spot. He was really surprised! Now, anytime we say we have a surprise he immediately asks if it's the beach. Sadly, not all surprises are the beach. We were reminded of that fact just last week, when we had a small surprise for him that immediately got his hopes up. So I thought I'd bring a little bit of beach fun to our yard.

I made moon sand. It's great for sand castles and such when it's winter and there isn't a huge body of water nearby. It's crumbly, yet moldable. And it's a lot of fun! I went back to my last post about homemade moon sand and decided to do some more experimenting. I came up with a new recipe that we liked a lot. I hope you like it too.

Moon Sand Recipe

What you need:
4 cups play Sand
2 cups corn starch
1 cup flour
1.5 cups warm water

What you do:
Blend together the dry ingredients and then slowly add the warm water. I added half a cup at a time and mixed. This allowed for me to make sure it was well mixed and the right consistency.

The Final Result:
I think the final result will depend on the type of sand you use. If your sand is really coarse you might want to add more flour. I think the flour softened ours up a bit. Our end result was still a bit different from the commercial variety of moon sand, but it was our favorite homemade kind thus far. It made a good bit and was much cheaper.

The Play

I set the moon sand out in a bin on a marvelously sunny day. I gathered a few of R's beach toys and just let him play. He felt the sand squish between his fingers. He made moon sand pizzas. He used his imagination and had fun. It was really simple and child led. And without me prompting, he even proclaimed, "This is just like the beach!!"

After we got through playing in the sand, we went inside and continued our beach play with a bath filled with all of R's under the sea toys. He had a nice time splashing and playing with his sea creatures, and it really added to the experience.

I keep rediscovering that it really doesn't take much to make my child feel special and happy. This was a really easy activity to provide and it was very well received.

You don't have to take it outside though. Moon sand is a lot of fun indoors as well! If you're worried about the mess you could always set your container on a plastic tablecloth from the dollar store. After the play just pick up the tablecloth and dump the mess. It also vacuums up quite easily, and since it was so cheap to make you don't have to worry about it being wasted.

And be sure to check out Dilly-Dali Art to see their creative (and beautiful) sand art.

Did you miss the fun last time? We had a lot of creative fun with rocks.

What's your favorite way to have fun with sand?