Make a Collection

Look closely at stamps
Back in the day (before the Internet), it was common for kids to have collections of items that interested them.  Before email existed, people collected stamps from letters and packages they received.  Stamps were, and still are, miniature pieces of art. With a magnifying glass, you can really appreciate the wonderful variety of artwork!

Today, you may not receive many pieces of mail with postage stamps.  If you have any, take some time together to really look at the details. 

Design your own stamp
From there, try your hand at designing your own, unique stamp designs!

Start a new collection
When you get a chance to go outside to a park or natural area, what can you find that interests you?  Look with the eyes of a scientist, artist or explorer!  You might find:

• pine cones
• acorns
• nuts
• interesting leaves, plants, flowers or grasses (I know you won't pick the wildflowers, but you can take photos!
• interesting birds
• beautiful pebbles or small rocks
• sand - have you ever looked at sand through a magnifying glass or microscope? Amazing!

Whatever interests you, enjoy exploring and collecting together!

Food Styling & Food Art

Don't worry, I'm not suggesting that you waste any food by creating art and then not eating it!  You can "plate" some beautiful creations, take photos, then enjoy eating your art!

Start simple:

1. Do you know the story of the star inside the apple?  Read the story together first, then cut the apple through the middle (not from stem to flower, but right through the "equator") to reveal the star within.  Then enjoy eating it together!
   Click to download the story, retold and shared by Laura on ComeTogetherKids.com
   
2. Do you know how to make an apple swan?  Watch a YouTube video to learn how to do this.
   Search for "How to make an apple swan".
   
3. Search Google Images for "food art for kids".  There are hundreds of fun ideas!

Want to get serious, particularly for teens interested in preparing food?  Do a Google search to see how chefs "plate" foods.

Write a Letter to your Future Self!

On the first day of each new school year, I asked my students to write a letter to themselves, to be opened on the last day of the school year.  When the letters were written, I collected them and filed them away, returning them to the students on the last day.  Over the course of the year, most students forgot about the letters, and were surprised to read their message from the past.  They were also surprised about how much they had changed and grown within that year.

Today's challenge is for each family member to write a letter to their future self.  When the letter is done, file it away in a safe place to be opened in the future. You can aim for one year, five years, ten years, whatever you like!

Topic ideas

• How you feel right now
• what is happening in the world right now
• your family
• friends
• Favourite:
• toy or game
• TV show or movie
• what you hope to be doing in the future
• the steps you will take to achieve your goals
• what worries you right now
• what helps you to feel comfortable and happy

You can keep it simple or get creative.  Draw a picture of yourself now, or what you think you will look like in the future.  Make predictions.  Have fun imagining your future self reading your letter!

Silly Fun Time - Dance Party!

Everyone needs a chance to unwind and have some fun.  Perhaps it's time to let your hair down and have a dance party together? 

What fun and funny dances do you know how to do already?  You can also use YouTube to learn some new ones.  Can you do:

• the Twist
• the Swim
• the Funky Chicken
• Disco dancing
• robot dancing

Need some choreography to follow?  You can find kid-friendly dance routines at:

GoNoodle   https://www.gonoodle.com/for-families/

YouTube  search for "Just Dance kids"

Do you have some favourite songs that make you happy?  Try playing them and singing along; maybe create your own dances to go with them.  Some songs you might know:

"Happy" by Pharell Williams  https://youtu.be/ZbZSe6N_BXs

"Happy" performed by Walk Off the Earth  https://youtu.be/IbVoo7YLWnI

"Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves  https://youtu.be/iPUmE-tne5U

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin  https://youtu.be/d-diB65scQU

Silly Fun Time

Parents around the world are trying to do a balancing act between competing forces.  It's clear from posts on social media that this is a challenge unlike anything our generations have ever faced.  Children are aware when parents are stressed, worried and upset, and children miss their friends and the stability that comes with daily routines.

It's time to have some fun together!  Do you remember what made you really laugh when you were your child's age?  What was really fun and funny?  Depending on the ages of your children, maybe it's time to:

• blow up a few balloons and try to keep them up in the air
• have a Nerf™ gun or ping-pong ball battle (put the breakables away in a safe place, and emphasize safe play)
• play "Hide and Seek" or "Twister"
• teach your child to speak "Pig Latin"  (I know you'll regret it later, but it will be fun for a while, and they'll have fun practicing with friends over the phone or online)
• demonstrate a "magic trick" if you know one, then teach your child how to do it

Time to watch some funny videos together?  What made you laugh out loud when you were younger?  Many classic comedy shows are now on YouTube!  Depending on which decades you grew up in, that might include:

• Warner Bros. cartoons, Bugs Bunny, the Flintstones, Yogi Bear or The Jetsons
• Scooby Doo
• Mork and Mindy
• The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock or Dinosaurs (Jim Henson)
• Animaniacs

Do you just need to giggle and belly laugh together right now?

1. Go to YouTube and search for "laughing babies"
2. Love dogs?  Try https://www.facebook.com/animalAWE/videos/1115230035479580/ 
3. Love baby goats?  Try https://www.facebook.com/joe.kuebler1/videos/10223482566279075/

❤️ Whatever you choose, I hope you can have some time to laugh and have fun together. ❤️

Logic Puzzles and Strategy Games - part 2

MORE STRATEGY GAMES















"Connect Four™" (Hasbro boxed set shown above)
  * YouTube video - how to make your own game from cardboard:
     https://youtu.be/kaW8ryqqCsA 
  * You can also play this at various online game sites


SOS - download a game board and instructions using link below


NIM - you can use any small objects like buttons, macaroni, coins, etc. to set up your own game.  For a demonstration and simple rules:
   * Try to beat the computer at https://www.archimedes-lab.org/game_nim/play_nim_game.html


Towers of Hanoi
   * Play it at https://www.mathsisfun.com/games/towerofhanoi.html


Hex - a two-player strategy game played on paper.
Download a game board and instructions using the link below.



Download game boards and instructions from my collection here

Music Classes for Younger Children on YouTube

An Edmonton-area music teacher is hosting free online Music sessions for younger children on YouTube.  You can read a news story about her and her channel here:

https://edmonton.citynews.ca/video/2020/04/03/edmonton-music-teacher-launches-educational-youtube-channel/

or go directly to her classes here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChlw_ZKVp4u75qA2QSwreSw

Google Earth - some AMAZING features you may not have explored!

Google released its first version of Google Earth many years ago, and it just keeps getting better and better!  Even if you have used Google Earth quite a bit, there may be some features and surprises that you haven't explored.  Now, the newest version of Google Earth has moved online, with a whole new interface.  See what you can discover together!

From the Google page, click the 9 little dots (3 rows of 3) that make the icon for Google Apps.  Scroll down the list until you find Earth.

Alternately, you can go straight to:

https://earth.google.com/web/

There's a whole world out there to discover!

Learning Languages

Do you speak another language?  Are you already in the habit of helping your child learn another language?  If you don't speak a second language right now, have you thought of learning together with your child?

If you are fortunate enough to speak more than one language, you already realize that this opens up:

• awareness and better understanding of other cultures
• awareness of other ways of thinking about life and our world
• the ability to communicate with more people, including family members who speak another language, and people you meet when travelling
• ease of travel - reading signs, packages, news; routine communication at hotels, when shopping, at restaurants, getting directions; etc.
• future job opportunities

Whatever your background, whatever your reasons, consider working together with your child to explore and practice speaking another language.

Resources

1. There are many computer programs and apps to help, such as DuoLingo and Rosetta Stone.
2. YouTube has many videos to introduce you to new languages.  For example, I have created a collection of introductory French videos for children. In YouTube, search for "Mr. G. Bell" and click the French folder.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4U6lcbwk7Ej1iO81Hb7nIw 

Harry Potter at Home

Author J.K. Rowling has created the "Harry Potter at Home" website for children around the world to explore.

https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home

Spring / Seasonal Study

Many people in the Northern Hemisphere are already experiencing Spring!  (Not us - we're still at -18º with snowstorms!)  Families in the Southern Hemisphere will be entering the Fall season soon.  In contrast, many families in the tropics will either be in the wet season or the dry season.

Whatever the season, you can do a detailed, multidisciplinary study of everything related to the season.  (see the Snow Study posted on March 21st as one example)
If you can go outside safely, first-hand experience is the best!  If not, you can combine computer research and observations of the world outside your window!

Journal

• record the high and low temperature each day for a couple of weeks, then make a graph or chart to show the changes
• record sunrise and sunset times as well, and make another chart or graph
• draw pictures of the same plants or trees to show how they change through the season

Garden - Plant Study

Do you have a garden where you can plant things?   Consider possibilities:

• plant things that you can eat later (peas, carrots, potatoes, etc.)
• plant seeds that will grow into flowers or other plants you like
• plant bulbs now that will flower in the Fall

Do you have a way to plant seeds in containers in your house? 

• learn how to sprout seeds into sprouts that you can eat
• plant herbs that you can use when you are cooking, like thyme, rosemary or oregano

If it's Fall where you are, can you:

• harvest any food
• collect seeds to plant in the Spring
• plant bulbs now that will flower in the Spring

Animals, Birds & Insects

What animals, birds and insects are around at this time of year?  Where did they come from?  Where do they go?  What do they do?

Fine Arts

• write a story or poem about the season
• write a song, or the script for a play
• draw, or paint a picture about the season
• can you create a dance or movement piece that tells a story about the season?

How else can you learn more about the seasons?

Art project idea resources

Art Project Idea Resources

UKkidswindows - public group on FaceBook for art project ideas

Pinterest - for thousands of project ideas!

YouTube - search for "How to draw a _______ for kids" or "How to make a ________ for kids"

Storytime - part 2

Stories being read to you:

Audible - https://stories.audible.com/start-listen


Eric Carle reads "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"
https://youtu.be/vkYmvxP0AJI


Storyline Online Youtube Channel - Celebrities read picture-books to you!
https://www.youtube.com/user/StorylineOnline/videos


Looking for more?
https://growingbookbybook.com/online-literacy-resources/?fbclid=IwAR16zqopF18haP9fpdgG8eDjO6kvRLS0p8iYZY81mZ3mC7_616w1iQdjo-o

Online Field Trips and Classes for Kids

Many people and organizations are offering unique Field Trips, Classes and resources online for free!  In no particular order:

Marine Biology Camp
https://www.geekwire.com/2020/whale-experts-launch-free-virtual-marine-biology-camp-entertain-inform-kids/?fbclid=IwAR1kMOt4eKPzQcTIMIQsShpolSoSn0E5IxBivpLrfx67WTrOBmrVSfp_-b8&linkId=84964803


Let's Draw a Cat (from "Let's Draw a ____ series on YouTube)
https://youtu.be/X9qVV3uj5MM


NASA's entire media library for free!
https://www.diyphotography.net/nasa-makes-entire-media-library-publicly-accessible-copyright-free/?fbclid=IwAR3J6WkmjwMKMQjpOzehWqD9rPaaY6KCJNHeS7PQgXIOhSNxcz5420vRgDs#disqus_thread


Scholastic Learn at Home website
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Logic Puzzles and Strategy Games - part 1

Have you played "Tic Tac Toe" (aka "Xs and Os" or "Naughts and Crosses") recently?
Do your children know how to play?
Did you know you can take this simple strategy game to many, more challenging levels?

Tic Tac Toe
Level 1 - play the standard game on a 3X3 grid.  Rather than wasting a lot of paper by making large game boards, click below for a printable page with many small grids.  Print on both sides to get even more games on a single page.

Level 2 - try playing on a 4X4 grid or a 5X5 grid.  Is one more satisfying than the other?

Level 3 - 3D Tic Tac Toe!  Imagine a regular 3X3 grid on the table, with another hovering directly over it, and a third hovering directly over that.  Now you can get three in a row vertically as well as horizontally!  It takes some serious thinking to play this one!
You can play this on paper using 3 grids side by side,  imagining their spatial arrangement as top, middle and bottom. 

Tic Tac 15 - Player one can only place even numbers in the grid.  Player two can only use odd numbers.  Win a round by making 3 numbers in a straight line add up to 15!


Tapatan - (like Tic Tac Toe, but even more fun!)
Download a Tapatan board (link below).  They're easy to draw, once you know how.  Each player uses 3 game pieces that can be moved around the board.

The game is played in two parts.  The first part looks just like Tic Tac Toe, trying to get three pieces in a row.  If a player does this, that round is over before you even get to part two!

If part one is a draw, players now take turns sliding one of their pieces along any line to an adjoining empty circle.  The first player to get three in a straight line wins. 

Nine Men's Morris - (a level more advanced than Tapatan, and still fun for Middle-School and Adults!)
Nine Men's Morris was played by knights in castles more than a thousand years ago.  It's a great strategy game with simple rules.
Download board and instructions (link below)

Click here to download game boards from my collection

Make a Family Video!

My friend Bob Dawe, a realtor in Vancouver, recently posted some ideas for families at home.  One of his suggestions was to make a family video together.

When I was young, I remember my sisters playing dress-up, (mostly in parents' old clothes), and making up "plays".  Why not take this a step further?  SmartPhones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers have built-in cameras and video software.

Teens might enjoy making a stop-motion animation video, or writing and recording a Rick-Mercer-style "rant".

Have fun getting creative together!

Word Games

Do you have any word games at home?  Do you remember any that you played as a child?

Board Games / Boxed Games

• Scrabble™
• Jr. Scrabble™
• Boggle™

Word Games using pencil and paper

• Hangman
• Word Searches
• Crossword Puzzles

Word Games - no equipment required

• I Spy With My Little Eye
• Cumulative word games : 
• Player 1 "For the picnic I brought a watermelon."
• Player 2 "For the picnic I brought a watermelon and a cheese sandwich."
• Player 3 "For the picnic I brought a watermelon, a cheese sandwich and a ...."
• (keep going until someone forgets something, have a good laugh, and start a new list!)
• Repetitive chants - Eg. "Going on a Lion Hunt"
• Storytelling chants
• Call and response chants
• Make up a story together - leader says part of a sentence, then lets the next person fill in an important detail and continue the story.  Keep passing it along, and see how the story evolves!
• Places in the world game - Player 1 says the name of any real place in the world.  Player 2 has to use the last letter of that place as the first letter of another place in the world.  Keep going until somebody is stumped!
• Silly sentences - make silly sentences using the same letter to start almost every word in the sentence. 
• Tongue Twisters

Looking for more ideas?  Try:
https://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/word-games-for-kids/#gallery/9-fun-word-games-for-kids/slide-4

What other word games were fun for you when you were a child?

More Educational Websites & Parent/Teacher Resources

My original post about Educational Websites was posted on March 25th.

Here are some more:

BBC Schools (no longer updated, but still has some great activities!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/index.shtml

Enchanted Learning (a goldmine for parents and teachers of elementary/primary school children!)
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/siteindex.shtml

Magic Schoolbus
https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/the-magic-school-bus/

Kids.Scholastic.com
https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/home/

Storytime, Middle-School & Teen Fiction Online

Did you know there are many children's storybooks and picture books online?  Many sites are set up to have someone read the story to you while showing the pictures!

Elementary/Primary School:

TumbleBooks
https://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/

StoryLine Online
https://www.storylineonline.net/

CBEebies
https://global.cbeebies.com/



Math stories:

TumbleMath
https://www.tumblemath.com/




For older children & teens:

Teen Book Cloud
https://www.teenbookcloud.com/

Websites - Just for Fun

There are many websites that have been created for children by reputable organizations.  They combine engaging topics, graphics and interactivity to keep children engaged while parents get things done!

PBS Kids
https://pbskids.org/

CBC Kids
https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/explore

CBEebies
https://global.cbeebies.com/

Sesame Street Games
https://www.sesamestreet.org/games

National Geographic Kids
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

Seussville
https://www.seussville.com/



Looking for more great links, curated by the American Library Association?
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncdm