Hey Colorado . . . Winner Winner Family Dinner

How important is family dinner to Colorado families?

If you wish to instill family cohesion, encourage siblings to get along or get your kids to talk to you more, one excellent way to do this is through family dinners. Of course it’s not always easy to coordinate busy schedules, work and after-school activities, but just two or three nights a week is all you need to change the dynamics of your family.

Why it’s a good idea

Studies support the theory that families who eat together enjoy a happier life and better relationships. Students who ate family meals had higher academic scores and fewer behavioral problems. 19% of teens whose families did not share meals reported feeling alienated from their families compared to the 7% of teens who did enjoy family meals.

Students who ate more meals at home suffered less from obesity and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at the University of Columbia discovered that students who eat with their families are less likely to drink, smoke or use drugs.

Best practices for family meals

Meals at home with the family can be beneficial, but you must follow some best practices in order to achieve success. Start with a ban on electronics at the table. This means the dinner hour is a tech-free one (that goes for parents too!)

Schedule your dinners and give them as much status and importance as studies, afterschool activities and work engagements. Aim for three meals a week and these can include weekend breakfasts and lunches. Every family can set aside three hours a week to share together no matter how busy you are.

Make it fun! Be inclusive so that your kids look forward to these experiences by allowing them to choose what they want to eat for family dinners and allowing them to help with cooking, music selection and table settings.

Family meals should be a fun, positive experience, so don’t use this time to criticise, fight, argue or talk about issues. If you have an issue to discuss, wait until after your meal. Mealtimes should be positive family experiences or you will create a very negative atmosphere that makes meals unbearable.

Add to the positive experience by having themed dinners, including desserts, telling jokes and sharing all your funny stories from the day at work or school.

It can be really tough to find the time to enjoy a meal together when family members have such busy schedules. However, taking just a couple of hours out of your week can really help to foster positive relationships between family members and keep communication channels open. Make meals a fun and positive event that your family looks forward to sharing. Family meals can be really great places to make memories and share stories of your life.

Let's Get Moving: How to Keep your Kids Fit Through Winter

As the days shorten and the old Jack Frost settles in for a long visit, it’s more difficult to motivate yourself to get outside and have fun. Your natural inclination is to hole up at home and eat comfort food, but this isn’t healthy or productive. Here are some practical and fun ways to keep your family fit this winter.

WINTER SPORTS

If you haven’t taken up a winter sport, then this is the perfect time to find something you enjoy doing. Skiing, snow shoeing and skating are great traditional winter sports to keep yourself busy. If you want to do something more local, taking walks around your neighborhood or in natural areas can be really interesting over the winter. You can also toboggan with younger students and have snowball fights. Check out these snowball gloves which you can make with an old ball and a glue gun.

WINTER PROJECTS

When you have a goal for the winter, it’s easier to motivate your students to get outside. Take a look at this amazing igloo. This was built from ice bricks that were frozen in old orange juice cartons. It took several months to make, but ensured hours of outdoor winter fun. If an ice igloo seems like too much effort, make a snow fort instead.

GEOCACHING

If you live in a place with no snow, try Geocaching. This is a super fun game where participants create a geocache and hide it in a secure natural location. This location is then posted to the Geocaching website here. You can use your smartphone or GPS to locate a geocache. Fill in the log book and take an item from the cache and leave another one for the next visitor. Visit the website for instructions on how to play the game and what items are acceptable.

NEW HOBBIES

Swimming - I love swimming in the winter. It’s a great all-body workout and its fun too. You can join a gym or your local YMCA to get access to an indoor pool. Games like water polo and volley ball also take place at indoor pools or get your students ready for the summer with swimming lessons.

Dance Classes - No matter their age or music preference, there is a dance class that’s perfect for your student. From ballet to hip hop, learning some new moves will make them more confident, it will improve coordination and is a great workout too.

Indoor Sports - From martial arts to gymnastics, having an indoor sport option that your student enjoys is a great way to keep them fit this winter. If they aren’t into sports, get a gym membership so that they can swim, workout or join an exercise class.

Games for Building Vocabulary and Memory Skills

When I was a child in Mexico, we used to play a game called “Te vendo una gallina,” or “I’m selling you a hen.” It’s a great game for building vocabulary and flexing the memory. It lends itself well to variations, including a bilingual variation my kids use, and it’s perfect for long trips in the car. I suppose you could play it alone, but it’s definitely more fun with at least two players. Here’s how it goes:

Player 1: I’m selling you a hen.

Player 2: A what?

Player 1: A hen.

Player 2: I’m selling you a hen and an apple.

Player 1: A what?

Player 2: A hen and an apple.

Player 1: I’m selling you a hen, an apple and a house.

Player 2: A what?

Player 1: A hen, an apple and a house.

And so on.

• Players choose their own words for the list (with the exception of the first word, which by convention has always been “hen”).
• The order of items listed, as each player adds a word, must remain the same.
• Play continues until someone messes up the order or can’t recall an item on the list.

The list can become very long, and you will be amazed at how well your kids will begin to remember long, ordered lists.

Now, here’s a fantastic bilingual variation my kids made up. This one works better if there are three players so that players get a different language on each of their turns, but it still works with two players.

You don’t need to be bilingual to play, you just need a Spanish-English (French-English, etc.) dictionary or an app like Google Translate on your cellphone. But it does help if someone playing or observing has some basic skills in the language to help with pronunciation. It is fair to look up words you don’t know in the dictionary. So here is the variation:

Player 1: Te vendo una gallina. (Spanish for hen)

Player 2: Una que?

Player 1: Una gallina.

Player 2: I’m selling you a hen and an apple.

Player 3: A what?

Player 2: A hen and an apple.

Player 3: Te vendo una gallina y una manzana.

Player 1: Una que?

Player 3: Una gallina y una manzana.

Player 1: I’m selling you a hen, an apple, and a house.

Player 2: A what?

Player 1: A hen, an apple, and a house.

And so on.

Here are two more variations, but the possibilities are endless. Just last weekend my boys created a version using just the Spanish words for different birds (gallina, cuervo, colibrí). Another variation requires items to be added to the list in alphabetical order, after hen, of course (e.g., hen, apple, ball, cat, etc.).

I Went to Scotland Game

The next game is great for vocabulary, memory and analytical skills. Here’s how it goes. One person is the moderator. The moderator thinks of a pattern and keeps it to herself. It can be any sort of pattern and, as players become more experienced, the patterns can become very complex. For illustration, let’s begin with a very easy, recognizable pattern — the alphabet.

• The moderator starts by saying, “I went to Scotland and I brought back some apples.”
• The next player makes a guess by saying, for example, “I went to Scotland and brought back some oranges.” (This player thinks the pattern might be fruit.)
• The moderator responds, “No.” Play continues to the next player.
• If a player gives a word that fits the secret pattern, for instance, “boat” in this case, the moderator says, “Yes.”
• The player who has guessed correctly has two choices: either to declare the secret pattern or continue play.
• If he declares correctly, he wins. If not, he’s out.

After all players have guessed a word to try to fit the pattern, the moderator gives the next word, and play continues. In this example, she has given apples already and another player has guessed “boat” correctly, so her next word would be something like “cat.” Any player can try to declare the pattern on his turn. But if he is wrong, he is out! The winner is either the player who declares the pattern correctly first or the moderator for stumping everyone.

Here are more games you might find fun.

• First is a list of the top 10 road trip games. One of these looks like the “I Went to Scotland” game but is much simpler.

• Next, some online games for younger children for building vocabulary, from pbskids.org.

• Here are some online games in Spanish from pbskids.org.

• Last, is a list of vocabulary-building games from Scholastic.com.

Have fun! What are some games for building vocabulary and memory skills that you like to  play with your kids?

Silvia M. 

DIY STEM Projects for Kids in Castle Rock

Like many of you, I recently bought bargain binders, dollar notebooks and other school supplies.  However, in the name of after-school enrichment at home and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) projects, I also took advantage of seasonal sales to stock up on supplies for my makerspace.

Makerspace?

A makerspace is basically a spot where you make stuff. It could be an elaborate community creative space, an area in your basement or garage, or just a TV tray in a dedicated corner of your family room. I’m lucky to have a home that came with a well-worn workbench in the basement, the original man cave, if you will. But like a cave, the basement workshop is a dark, dank spot that isn’t much fun to hang out in, so it functions more as a storage area. The actual tinkering and creation of things tends to take place on my dining room table. Regardless of location and aesthetics, the making is more crucial than the space.

Making is not only a creative outlet but is also an activity that can build STEM knowledge, the most sought-after 21st-century skill set. Designing, measuring, building or even taking things apart helps developing minds enhance abilities in these critical areas.

Stocking Your Makerspace

• Mark It — My boys were never big on traditional art supplies like crayons and paint, but your mileage may vary. To make markers more interesting, acquire a range of types like gel pens, permanent markers, spy pens or paint pens, taking care to note which ones may leave permanent stains.
• Build, Baby, Build — Fill your space with inexpensive building materials:

Toothpicks

Straws

Wooden skewers

Popsicle® sticks

Drinking straws

Twist-ties

Chenille stems (formerly known as pipe cleaners)

Corks (go ahead, finish that bottle of winein the name of enriching your child’s education)

Tubes from toilet paper, wrapping paper and paper towels

Sturdy corrugated cardboard boxes, as well as chipboard from cereal and snack boxes, are like giant building blocks. They can also be cut, colored and otherwise manipulated to make new things. (http://cainesarcade.com/)

Finally, PVC piping and joints are another great resource for all kinds of fanciful inventions.

• A Cut Above — Special scissors make special projects. Look for scissors that leave unique decorative marks like jagged edges, wavy edges and other intricate styles.

• When Things Get Sticky — What my younger boy lacked in attraction to crayons he made up for in his love of tape. It started when he was in preschool and last year, as a seventh grader, he came home from school with an inventive sculpture created solely out of transparent tape (created during a few stolen moments in class, apparently). This is an amazing decade for tape. In addition to old standbys like masking, painter’s and transparent tape, there’s an explosion of decorative tapes on the market that can add a splash of special to any project. Even duct tape now comes in bright colors and fun patterns that have not gone unnoticed to makers. Loads of duct tape projects are just a click away.

• Connect — Tape can also hold things together, as can paperclips and brads, those brass tack like objects that have two little legs or prongs and allow for motion between connected objects.  Twist-ties, chenille stems and magnets can also be used for this purpose. If your child can safely handle the heat, a hot glue gun really helps things stick together.

• Electrify — Help your child dabble in electronics with basic supplies, such as button cell batteries, LED lights, battery leads and DC motors.

You might feel more comfortable with a starter kit that comes with suggested projects or a set like littleBits that enables kids without prior electronics experience to easily add sensors, lights and movement to maker projects. It’s worth noting that littleBits are also the most girl-friendly electronics I’ve come across to date.

If your children are ready to take their electronics to the next level, read up on things such as Arduino, theRaspberry Pi or the Makey-Makey, which makes anything into a keyboard. You can check out one of my younger teen’s projects here.

Did I miss anything? You might have noticed I didn’t mention glitter. It’s pretty much the only craft supply I ban from my house, and with two boys, I’ve never had anyone question my policy. What are your favorite maker supplies?

Kim Moldofsky started out as a dolphin trainer and later became a potty trainer. Now this leading Social Media Mom of two teen boys blogs hosts online chats and createsvideo content in addition to consulting and speaking at events.

Kim married her love of science and passion for blogging in 2012 by launching a blog reflecting her interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). That blog, The Maker Mom, is dedicated to helping parents raise STEM-loving, Maker-friendly kids.

Kim M started out as a dolphin trainer and later became a potty trainer. Now this leading Social Media Mom of two teen boys blogs hosts online chats and creates video content in addition to consulting and speaking at events.

Kim married her love of science and passion for blogging in 2012 by launching a blog reflecting her interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). That blog, The Maker Mom, is dedicated to helping parents raise STEM-loving, Maker-friendly kids.

Five best Board Games for Middle and High School Students

Holidays can be long and when rainy days or long trips confine teens to the home, there are many games which can encourage them to spend some time with family members. This gives them a break from their computers and phones and gives you all an opportunity to have some family fun while learning.

Settlers of Catan

This board game is intense action mixed with resource management. Each game takes about an hour to play and can accommodate up to six players with an extension pack. Players must gain resources such as sheep, wheat, wood and brick to build settlements, armies and roads. This is a strategy game which teaches students to think ahead and use their resources and bargaining skills wisely. Settlers of Catan has been voted the best game of the year in the US and Europe. This game is very engaging and every game is completely different from the last.

Say Anything

This is an excellent way to get your teens talking and helps them to build social skills. Players will have to practice excellent communication skills to win and it helps you to get to know each other a little better. The game takes about 35 minutes to play and is easy to follow: 1) Ask a question from the card you draw. Some examples of questions include: “What’s the best movie of all time?” or “If I could have a BIG anything, what would it be?” 2) All the players write an answer and turn it face-up. 3) You choose which answer you like most (this is based on wit, style and accuracy). The players then try to guess which answer you picked. This is a great game for getting to know family members better and it.s fun to think of new and original answers to the questions.

Ticket to Ride

This game revolves around the adventures of Phileas Fogg and players must collect railway stations to connect routes around North America. The longer the route, the more points the player accumulates. Additional points can be accrued when you fulfill your Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities. The player who builds the longest continuous railway also gets additional points. Games take 30-60 minutes to play and are a great way to inspire a love of travel and improve knowledge of North American geography.

Cranium

This is a great way for the whole family to play together because Cranium relies on a whole bunch of skills from general knowledge, humming tunes, charades and drawing to sculpting play dough. No matter the age of participants, they can all contribute to their teams with their own special talents. The fact that this game has so many different ways to answer a question keeps it fresh and exciting. Many questions are for team play which means all the teams get to participate, keeping the game fun and exciting.

Equate

This is Scrabble for math lovers. The board functions in much the same ways as Scrabble with tiles which contain numbers and equations. You can help students to improve math and especially algebra skills by playing this game. The board can accommodate 2-4 players from ages 8 and up.

5 Amazing Halloween Costumes you can make from a Box

The scary season is nearly upon us and it’s time to start thinking about this year’s unique costume. Homemade Halloween costumes don’t have to take up tons of time or cost a fortune. In fact, making your own costume often earns you extra treats because you went to the trouble to do something original. Making Halloween costumes from cardboard boxes is inexpensive and it’s really great for the environment as you recycle materials instead of using new ones. Here are some of our favorite Halloween box costume ideas from Greenmoxie.com.

The Dinosaur

You can make this costume in an house with a couple of boxes and a pair of scissors. Simply glue (or tape) the boxes together to make the body and the head. Toilet paper rolls work well as the eyes. Open a box and cut out the tail and the spikes for the back. You can paint the box green for a more realistic dinosaur.

Fortune Teller

Use a single box to cut out a front view panel and two side panels as well. Attach straps to the back of the box so that you can wear the costume like a backpack over your shoulders. Paint the outside of the box brightly and write the name of your fortune teller persona on the front. Make a little slot for fortunes in the front of the box. Print out a list of fortunes and cut them out so you can hand out funny fortunes. An alternative to the fortune teller is the claw game costume. Create the same box that your would for the fortune teller, but bend the front of the box up to create a shelf. Fill the shelf with toys from the dollar store and use your hand as a claw machine. This works even better if you have an old joystick from a computer game on the outside so that people can play your claw game. 

Sponge Bob

This is a great homemade Halloween costume when you don’t have a lot of time. Just paint the box yellow with Sponge Bob’s face on the front. Add a pair of brown shorts and yellow leggings to complete the look.

The Lego Block

This is the perfect homemade Halloween costume for the more environmentally friendly student. You will need a cardboard box and eight yogurt containers. Glue the containers to the front of the box and paint. This is a wonderful way to use recycled materials this Halloween.

The Toy Box

Choose any toy action figure or doll that you like and recreate the look with a cardboard box! Gift wrap makes for the best background and you will have to paint the front of the box with the name of the toy. Attach straps to the back of the box so that you can wear it over your shoulders for added comfort.

How to Make the Most of Fun Family Time in the Fall

Let’s face it: Once school starts, the year zips by at the speed of light. As soon as we hang up our beach towels, goggles, bug spray and sunscreen, our worlds become a blur of backpacks, after-school activities, parent-teacher conferences and holidays. So it’s very important that we take time, despite our often chaotic schedules, to sit back and enjoy this beautiful season. The falling leaves. The little nip in the early morning air. Our kids. Our families. But how?

One night when everyone’s home and there are no after-school activities, when the whole family can sit down and eat a meal together, have the family make Fall Fun Cards. We often make Summer Fun Cards at the start of the summer season, but as the kids get older, I am finding that they really benefit from having some say in what we do each season of the year. Between gymnastics, soccer, religion class, Brownies, Daisies and everything else, it’s hard to fit in our favorite seasonal activities unless we specifically set aside time for them.

Fall Fun Cards are fun and simple to make with the family.

• All you need are index cards (or any type of paper, really), markers and a few creative thinkers.
• Ask your family what they love about the fall and what kinds of activities they really enjoy doing.
• Ask what they look forward to doing every year, and explain that the Fall Fun Cards are simply little reminders—goals, really—of fun things to do in the fall.
• Have each person write one activity on a card, filling out three to five cards. Sometimes it’s fun to add a little drawing or even a box that can be checked when the activity is completed.
• Then display the cards somewhere so you can easily see them in the house. They’ll act as a reminder to slow down and enjoy this exciting season together, as a family, doing what you all really love to do. Or at least trying to, right?

• How do you keep the “fun” in fall for your family? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or find Amy on twitter @teachmama and let's continue the conversation