Try This: Super-Cool Early Bikes

Just in case you're still Christmas shopping: Tyke Rider

These bikes are so awesome! I really like the pink one of course ;)

Cool Mom Picks blogged about this, that's where I saw it! http://www.coolmompicks.com/2009/12/for_a_childs_first_bike_skip_t.php

Winter Family Fun: Scavenger Hunts

A few weeks ago two young boys came to our door asking if we had anything bigger than the item they had (a spoon) we could give to them. And quickly! We gave them a banana.

Did you ever do a neighborhood scavenger hunt? I fondly remember a couple of birthday slumber parties during which we were paired up and sent around the neighborhood with a sheet of things we needed: a paperclip, a stick of gum, a penny…

This game can be modified to be played independently in your house. Here are some free downloadable Scavenger Hunt pages. Each person gets one and everyone runs around the house gathering their items. The first person to return to the start with a completed list wins.

You can also play this outside. These Outdoor Scavenger Hunt pages list items like a brown leaf, a blade of grass and a worm.

Snow Play!

We had a great snow-storm!

I love playing in the snow with my kids. Rooster says his favorite parts are snowball fights and shoveling snow... see our post on why he likes that!

and

John, about to get whacked by a snowball from Rooster (really he and his daughter were trying to pose for a picture!)

Winter Family Fun: Ice-Skating

On Boo’s 4th Birthday we went ice skating. It was a blast! My mother-in-law was there, as well as another family we are friends with, and it was both fun and simple. We rented skates, put them on, and headed out on the rink. We rented two gliders to help non-skaters.


The rink only has five of these (I have no idea why, that seems really dumb business-wise since they cost us $4 each to rent for a couple of hours and probably cost $4 to make). By the time our friends arrived, there weren’t any left. For the most part, their five-year-old daughter and four-year-old Boo used these cool contraptions. The twins tried them out but one wasn’t interested in skating at all and the other preferred to skate with Mom or Dad.

Of the three adults skating, none were what you would call “good”, probably both T.K. and Rooster were “better” (or at least more fearless). So it was a bit nerve-racking to help the littlies and we were thankful for the gliders.

While it was an expensive outing where we live, you may have more options and we all know what good deals competition can bring (can anyone say “dollar menu”?). Anyway, it was a great active outing that we will definitely repeat. In fact, T.K. and Rooster have already gone again, with Grandma to watch.

Are You Green? How About Toxic? Or Polluted?

I've been reading this: Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child's Toxic Chemical Exposure. While it can be a bit overwhelming to think of the toxicity of EVERYTHING, I think it's important to be knowledgeable and aware. It's not a book to read lightly but certainly it will make your next shopping trip longer...in a new, exciting way!
As a family, we try to be "green" but certainly there is much, much more we could do. There are limits to what we can, and will, do in our daily lives. One day I'll have to blog about light bulbs.
Our non-profit, Project Playtime, is a green organization. Do you know of some green organizations and websites we should check out? Tell us here.
I'm still reading Jennifer Taggart's book. It's a bad time of year for me to have a library book I can only keep 14 days but if I do manage to finish it I'll give ya'll a better review. In the meantime, here's her website if you want to know more about her and Smart Mama's Green Guide.

Winter Family Fun: Sardines

It’s like the opposite of hide and seek. One person hides and when you find him you hide with him. The last person seeking becomes the next hider. This game is hilarious with a bunch of toddlers and preschoolers… it moves quite quickly!

another inside game...

Family Ice-Breakers

On the Project Playtime website we talk about setting family goals. We focus on setting goals about family fitness, such as going for a family walk after dinner each night or doing stretches together for 15 minutes each morning.



Your family might want to set other goals, too. If you want to spend more time together as family, have a family meeting so everyone can talk about how to do this. If you need to decrease the money being spent, have a family meeting and get everyone's ideas about where to cut back.


You might think the most important thing to bring to this meeting is your paper and pen, or maybe a whistle or gavel. But I say you must start with a fun ice-breaker. Yes, I know that ice-breakers are meant to help poeple get to know one another. But there's no reason why they can't be used as fun family activities as well. Here are some of my suggestions:






- Write "would-you-rather" suggestions on small paper scraps. Put a bunch into a jar/cup/hat and take turns pulling one out to answer. Rooster's recent question was "would you rather have no fingers or no teeth"?



-Put a post-it note on everyone's head with an animal written on it. Take turns asking questions to figure out your animal (my kids like to guess, so we allow one question and one guess per turn).



-Have a find-it picture and work together to find everything: Here's some you can do online, here are some printables from Highlights magazine, or pull out one square from the Pictureka


 game if you have it.



-Have a quick personal scavenger hunt. Give each family member a different list (see here for free downloadable ones on our website). Set a timer and everyone must run around and get each other's initials. Each list on our website has one "action" item- so when you return to the table, whoever initialed that item must now perform!



The final result of these meetings should be a few measureable goals (or perhaps just one: everyone is present on Sunday mornings for brunch and goes to church together). For more information on family goal setting, see our Project Playtime website.

Shovelling Fun

Our industrious big boys knocked on doors and asked to shovel snow. Together, they earned $15 and had a few hours of fun exercise. "Work" they say- but very physical work! According to the calculator at Health Status, they each burned about 660 calories. And FYI, not a very family-friendly website- there's a lady in a "swimsuit" getting fatter and then skinner on the sidebar. Rooster and T.K. think it's hilarious.

and




and

HEY

Turn. Off. Your. Computer. And. Go. Play.

Commonly Fun

I use Common Sense Media to check out movies, and occasionally Wii/DS games, before our kids watch them. I love that you can read why a movie received that particular rating. For example, I compared Angels in the Outfield with Little Big League . Both are baseball movies for kids rated PG- but Little Big League has two deaths, one funeral, a child renting "dirty movies" in a hotel room and some foul language. Angels in the Outfield has a few "swear words" (many times the review will actually tell you which words are used, but in this case it didn't). Wonder which one I'll choose for the boys to watch??!!






Today Common Sense Media was plugging their "favorite game of the year": Wii Sports Resort. Their review? "Wii Sports Resort is family-friendly, gets you moving and is fun for all ages"... I hope Santa brings our family this fun, inside, active game!

Winter Family Fun: Indoor Rock Climbing

No matter the weather, you can go rock climbing! There are indoor rock-climbing facilities in most cities. If you’ve never climbed before, call ahead and ask when their next introductory class is. Ask about recommended beginning ages. Some places may say that children need to be a certain age (8, 10, even 13) but then also have a smaller children’s climbing area for younger aspiring climbers. Ask about what is required to climb and how much rentals cost. Find out about group discounts; perhaps this would be a good opportunity to get together with another family for an active outing!

Winter Family Fun: Hot Springs

Some family friends rave about hot springs in the mountains a few hours from here. When we lived in Southern California, we loved visiting hot springs. Google your location plus hot springs and then watch your children’s eyes light up when you pull out their swimsuits in December.

MUST HAVE!!

As you courageously try to purchast everyone's special gifts this year, don't forget to get something that will inspire activity. Under our tree this year there will be a new football. Simple, inexpensive and I know my boys will try out their spirals in my parents' front yard on Christmas. Oh sure, robotic battery operated toys will bring smiles and immediate satisfaction but what will last? That football!

What's your must-have activity item for your family this year?

Winter Family Fun: Sledding

Two years ago John took a bad big fun jump on the boys’ sled and broke it. He had a huge bruise that lasted weeks… but the memory of that will forever be talked about in our family.


Last year A had no interest in sledding with us- she just tugged around our blow-up sled at the bottom of the hill, occasionally sitting in it and smiling up at us. Another forever memory.

I can remember being very pregnant with the twins, very sick to my stomach, and still trying to enjoy the family sledding trips. I can remember before we had kids at all, sledding with John in North Lake Tahoe.

Ready to make your own sledding memories? BE CAREFUL! You’ll still have fun!

Try This: A Skateboard?

 
Last Christmas, Ripstiks were a hot gift, particularly for upper elementary-age boys. I even personally know a few boys who still love theirs! No, my boys don't have one... yet....
 

Winter Family Fun: Snowboarding

I posted about snowboarding a bit before. I recommend this sport to everyone. So far we are 3 for 3 of kids loving it and I can’t wait to start the girls this year.

Podcasts

As this blog continues on, we become more aware of other healthy blogs out there (either through our own searching, from someone who contacts us, or a friend-of-a-friend type). There's a sidebar on the left of this post with some healthy blogs we like. Sometimes I visit a blog and I am struck by the beauty of it- the content, the ease... So folks, that's what I strive for. Constantly looking to improve our little piece of the internet.
Recently, we've seen two types of podcasts. Here's a video podcast on healthy eating during the holiday season and here's a link to a new podcast series about exercise. I imagine that the second one you would download and listen to on an ipod... at least that's what I did. It was fairly simple. The video podcast I watched on my computer... but admittedly I did not watch the entire thing. I can read faster than she talks, I guess, so I prefer blog posts.
Do you utilize podcasts? Which type? Do you want to correct my verbage? Does the non-video podcast have a better name?

Winter Family Fun: Puddle Jumping

If my rain walks suggestion didn’t stir your imagination quite enough, think of Puddle Jumping! You need an area where it is safe to run, possibly fall, and visit lots of puddles. Unused soccer fields are usually great. If you like, bring a whistle to attract the kids’ attention. Shout instructions like jump in five puddles before the whistle blows or find a puddle and act like a duck in it or jump in as many puddles as you can in 30 seconds.


Rain boots, wellies, snow boots… you need something waterproof for everyone's feet and the taller the better. You can also use regular shoes and socks but plan for them to be stripped off in the car on the way home. If you walked it will be a pretty miserable walk home!

Once everyone is home and dry, warm up with hot cocoa. Here’s my recent blog entry on this winter-time treat my family loves.

Happy Birthday T.K.

Happy 9th Birthday to our oldest baby! Watching you grow and learn is an amazing blessing. Thank you for all you teach us. Just don't grow SO FAST!

WE LOVE YOU!