A Christmas Story Was Made For The Kids And Everyone Else

It is that time of year. As the Holiday season creeps up on to us, the greatest holiday season movie of all time prepares to be shown again and again. A Christmas Story may very well be the best holiday film ever made. Released in 1983, A Christmas Story reveals everything it is to be a kid or a family during the festive season and makes it hilarious all at the same time.

If you've seen this movie before you know exactly what I am talking about. If you haven't seen it yet, by Joseph, make time for you and your kids or even somebody else's kids who you have permission to be with, to go and see it. In fact, you probably won't have to go far to catch it. If you have access to television, and I understand if you are in prison that could be tricky, but if you are free and have access to a television, I can assure you the wait will not be long. Anytime now A Christmas Story will begin to be shown on countless channels at every hour of the day and night.

In a lot of ways this movie is like your favorite dessert. You can't wait to get some of it. It is hilarious. It is fun. Most importantly, it is great for the whole family. Sure, I know a few of you are saying what about It's A Beautiful Life. Sure, that film is classic too. Jimmy Stewart is a legend. The film is both touching and heart warming and you must be some kind of ogre not to like it. Fine, I will give you all that. However, it isn't like A Christmas Story for so many reasons that I just don't have the time to go through them all.

Let's face it, if you watch A Christmas Story for the first time and don't like it, just walk straight out of your home and check yourself into an insane asylum. Trust me, you got problems. Something has to be seriously broken for you not to love this flick.

I guarantee you if you grab your friends and the kids and huddle around to enjoy this film, A Christmas Story will change the way you look at desk lamps. It will make you want to wash the kids mouths out with soap regardless of what they say. And you know how badly you want to stick your tongue on that freezing metal pole during the winter. I say go for it!

If you haven't seen A Christmas Story yet, you'll love it. If you have, I'll see you guys at the mall. Don't get too close though kids, you'll poke your eyes out!!

Rush Hour Fun Kids Game

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and didn't get injured while shopping yesterday. I chose to avoid the madness. Just didn't feel like standing in lines for hours.

My little girl did manage to receive a great little game that has begun to occupy her for tons of time. I have to say I'm thrilled about it. There is no computer screen to stare at for hours and it actually makes her think. I'm a big supporter or that.

The game is called Rush Hour and it is made by Thinkfun. It is basically a puzzle type game where she assembles a series of cars, trucks and buses on a little grid. Inside the grid is an ice cream truck that has to move out of the traffic jam. She is limited in the ways and directions she is able to move the other vehicles and just has to figure out a series of moves to solve the puzzle and free the truck. Sound simple enough? It comes with forty levels and I would be the first to admit it is fun. No TV. No computer. Just the game and her brain. Good fun.

This one comes with a high level recommendation and you should definitely check it out. It comes in two levels of difficulty. One for ages 6-8 and one for 8 and up. 8 and up... that's us parents! Don't pretend like you don't like to play these things.

I am being beckoned to... have fun.

Kid Rock Stars Great For Sleep

Forget the sugar crashes and baby Bach tapes, I figured it out. Just when you thought all hope was lost for getting your kids off to sleep or even just having them relax with no end in site to some hyper fit, the solution arises.

I discovered that by putting on something like Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers on TV, my little one will either rock out until she is ready to fall over exhausted or she will get bored out of her mind watching them. The final result seems entirely dependent upon her mood. Sometimes she feels like watching and other times she could care less. Regardless of the mood, at some point after them being on, she feels like going to sleep. What a discovery!

This is better than finding out how good milk goes after chocolate chip cookies. We all know how good milk is after chocolate chip cookies. Most people don't know that milk was discovered after chocolate chip cookies, specifically for drinking after that tasty treat. Pilgrims were sitting around wondering what to do after consuming vast amounts of cookie dough for a country festival when one of their kids was found messing around under a cow. A little further investigation and some pasteurization and boom... the rest is history.

In any event, cookies and milk may be great but if you need the kids to pass out trust me, put on one of these teeny bopper groups for a little bit and soon after, they will be sound asleep. I know it sounds like it would go in the other direction but give it a few songs and watch what happens... exhaustion or complete boredom followed by the big snooze. It is truly magical. I always found these kid bands super dull but I never thought they would have such a tremendous effect on my kid.

Hey look, if it doesn't work for yours, go for the cookies and milk immediately thereafter. There is some great stuff released in milk, I think it's called melatonin, that helps your kid konk out. You know as well as I do those kid bands should serve some useful purpose since their not making real music. Might as well use them to help your kid fall asleep.

Good luck I hope you find the same magical results as I.

Report Card Time: Let's Celebrate

It's that glorious time of year when the little ones come home with all the news about how school has been going. That right, it's report card time. Moms and dads get to find out if anything has actually been going on over at that school the kids go to every day.

Now my little girl is only five so of course I was expecting to see things on her report card that looked like "plays well with others" or " good control of fine motor skills." What I ended up seeing almost knocked me over.

My little munchkin had things on her report card that read like " she exhibits excellent comprehension of syntax and regularly forms both simple and complex sentence structure exercises within daily problem solving matrices." I'm sorry, can I get an interpreter please? Does this mean she is qualified to work at the United Nations building?

There were more and more comments written under every subject category. It took us half an hour to get through the report card because every comment section was like an encyclopedia. I can't believe how much these teachers write today. I'm guessing it has something to do with the school board. What was amazing was that after writing these huge progress reports after each and every subject, there was a separate comment area for the teacher to give and overall evaluation. That's right, more comments.

After getting through all the grades and all the comments it would appear as though our kid is brilliant. I know all parents say that about their kids, but based on the feedback she received, over the next year or so our little girl will probably be remodeling the space shuttle. She may have already found a vaccination for the common cold. It is possible that I am reading a little too much into the report. Needless to say, she done real good.

Truth be told, she wasn't even all that interested. She just really enjoys going to school. She is at that age when it is all still a lot of fun and she happens to have an incredible teacher who knows how to make it enjoyable. She really doesn't see it as work yet. I am in no rush for the days when it will be a challenge to get her to do homework and wonder if she will let us see report cards. Hopefully she will always enjoy it.

Now I was just trying to come up with a really good reward for her for doing so well in school. I'm open for suggestions. I was thinking I might really be generous and let her wash my car.

Kids Toys For Sale May Not Be Great Deal During Holiday Season

That fateful moment has definitely fallen upon us. We either get out there and start shopping for the kids holiday gifts or we sit the kids down and explain to them that Santa Clause doesn't really exist. Sometimes it's a tough decision. Then again, if you are a procrastinator when it comes to holiday shopping you still have tons of time.

Nobody truly enjoys that moment when you are going through the racks of kids toys and games at the store and realize it may just be cheaper to move someplace they don't celebrate the holidays. I hear that Lebanon is beautiful this time of year. Perhaps you take a long hard look at the price tag for the newest Disney action figure and you begin to think, maybe my son isn't really my kid. After all, I was on a lot of drugs when they handed him to me.

Truth be told, we love our kids and wouldn't give them up for anything. Definitely not at retail prices anyways. What you should be aware about during the holiday season however, is that while you are hunting for goodies for the kids, these retailers are hunting for you.

A great story that comes out every year around this time is the warning about the liquidation sale. This applies to your kids' stores as well. Remember, when a store is having a "going out of business" sale or implies that they are liquidating, it is not really about that kids toy store anymore. This type of sale generally means that liquidators have taken over. That means a new group of individuals are competing for your dollar.

When the liquidators come in, it means that you have to take a close look at prices. Don't be afraid to ask around the toy store. You will probably be surprised to hear sales people tell you that the prices of those Power Rangers were actually lower before the sale. That is because it is a different toy seller trying to maximize on the buyout.

During the holiday season it is also a great time to shop around. If you were really good, you looked around ahead of the holiday season to get a feel for the pricing on those toys that your kids really wanted. This is the best strategy generally because you will know right away when you walk in to that store with "sale" signs up all over the place, whether it is a genuine sale.

The holiday season is when most retailers expect to make the bulk of their annual sales so you will see lots of deals being offered. Make sure that before you grab that doll house or super hero you are not being taken on a holiday hustle.

Don't be afraid to shop around. Due to the increased appearance of these so called blowout sales, other retailers like to compete accordingly. That means you will probably find better pricing elsewhere especially if it was liquidation pricing you were looking at. Some of these liquidators actually discount the prices of goods as well. They are not all bad. However, often the discount is not very significant. You probably will still find better prices elsewhere with a little shopping around as retailers fight to stay competitive during this crucial time of year.

Best of luck finding those genuine kids toys for sale and remember, before you decide to run away to live a life of anonymity this holiday season, take a little time to shop around. You may be pleasantly surprised. If not, there are always great prices on flights to Guam this time of year.

Puppet Shows Are Great For All Kids

We were sitting around when out of the blue, my little girl asked if I would put on a puppet show for her. I asked her where she got the idea from and she gave me the classic "I don't know." Without hesitation I jumped into action.

I put together a makeshift curtain and stage and before long the show was about to begin. She really has a great time with it. Barely before I had a chance to start in, she was asking the characters questions and wanted to get in on it. She couldn't stop laughing. It was great.

The lead characters of the puppet show were three individuals that you may or may not be very familiar with. One was a dolphin from Marine Land. This was an actual puppet, according to my daughter it was a girl dolphin who was just happy to have escaped captivity and was more than happy to live out her days in a puppet show.

The next character was a big wrinkly dog who bared a striking resemblance to a neighbourhood crime watch mascot. He was saying anything about it and he may have been my little girl's favorite of the three. Finally, there was a classic favorite, Zoey, from Sesame Street. Zoey always was hysterical and when I take control, you might even think she has been throwing a couple back. I know you are going to say she is still a little young to be drinking but if you had to spend every waking hour with Elmo, you would drink too.

Oh yeah. I said it. Elmo drives us crazy. It's OK if a couple other characters take the limelight once and a while. Let's face it, that guy is not the brightest in the world. He doesn't age so he doesn't get much smarter. All he is ever doing is shaking and giggling and if he were a relative of yours, you would have put him away in a "place" to be kept a long time ago. So, needless to say, we prefer Zoey. She is a much greater pleasure to be around.

The puppet show was a huge success. I highly recommend it the next time you are searching for something to entertain the kids with when you don't have much time or prep. It is definitely one of the lost arts. Don't give me any of that, "I'm a grown up. I'm beyond puppet shows." Let's face it. Even as adults, we can't get away from puppet shows. If we could, there wouldn't be any ventriloquists. We know how many of those guys there are around and all they really are, are grown up puppet shows. You know you especially like it when they make the dummy say naughty things. Don't lie! You love it! The ventriloquist is just a grown up puppet show.

Try throwing a puppet show together for the kids sometime without the language, you'll all have a great time. After the kids go to sleep, break out the dummies. Who knows? You might make a new friend.

Power Rangers and Kids Still a Strange Mix

This weekend I was spending some quality time with my little girl when we decided to take a break and watch a little TV. As we were flipping through the channels we came across the Power Rangers show.

I don't get this show at all. It is a bunch of kids that also have the power to transform into these fighting characters who take on the most bizarre villains I have ever seen. It's ridiculous. These bad guys can barely move because their costumes are made of some industrial rubber adhesive that can't be comfortable. I don't know too many bad guys who would dress up like Godzilla to rob a bank or something.

How is it nobody else ever comes after these weirdos? The kids have to call out their character names to transform. I remember similar heroes when we were kids, they were called the Wonder Twins. They were ridiculous too. They were a brother and sister team that always walked around wearing sky blue coloured pyjamas. When the bad guys were around one would say "form of a bucket" and then the other one would say "shape of water" and then I would wonder what would happen next because they would turn into a bucket full of water but they would need a third brother or sister to throw it. No worries. The bucket would of course just float through the air and the water could be thrown accordingly. Ridiculous and hilarious.

I guess the big difference is how violent these shows are now. I know violence in kids programs has always been around in one form or another. The road runner and coyote show are a great example. However, these Power Rangers are always fighting, it's always fighting with the fear of death attached. My little girl loves it. Fortunately, I'm able to influence her to watch other stuff when I'm around because she doesn't really care right now.

I guess I'm old fashioned at heart and would rather see her enjoying the Mickey Mouse Club Show or H&R Puff n Stuff (remember that one). It doesn't bother me as much to think she is watching something hilarious instead of something so violent.

Crayola Color Wonder Markers

First I would like to say thank you for the well wishes I received regarding my little girl. You should know she is feeling much better now and back at school having a blast.

I was away for a little while and came across another pretty amazing product for kids. These are the Crayola Color Wonder Markers. The Crayola Color Wonder Markers are great because first of all, they encourage the kids to be creative. You really can't go wrong with that. Anything that brings out the artistic side of our kids is something I will always cheer about.

The real amazing thing about these markers is that they are not like other markers. When you think of markers you probably think of a particular kind of mess. Also, depending upon how imaginative your kids are, I'm sure you have seen their tremendous works of art in places other than their coloring books.

Well here it is. The great thing about the Crayola Color Wonder Markers is that they will only draw on the special accompanying paper. That's right. So if your kids like to color outside the lines and onto the table, no worries. The Crayola Color Wonder Markers will not leave lines or trace on the table. If your kids are running around with the markers and accidentally rub against your walls, you don't have to worry about finding marks on the walls. The Crayola Color Wonder Markers only work on the special paper that comes with the kit and that in itself is genius.

Sure, you have to give up on finding the next priceless work of art on your living room wall when you get home but hey, them kids got to learn to channel their gifts with a little discipline. The Crayola Color wonder Markers make for a great gift and will cut down on your clean up time significantly. I grabbed some for my little girl and she loves them.

Warm Whiskers Great For Kids...And Parents Too

There is a great gift idea that I came across recently that the kids will love and parents can use after the kids have gone to sleep.

If you haven't heard of them before, Warm Whiskers has a line of stuffed "toys" that also serve another useful purpose. Unlike many stuffed toys, the Warm Whiskers line is filled with Lavender or Buckwheat. This scores points in the natural column as far as manufacturing is concerned. Also good to know if you are little concerned about the plastics ingredients in some toys today. Check my earlier toy post about plastics to get more details.

Warm Whiskers have a variety of characters that the kids can choose from like cats and dogs and they seem to be well made. They are actually being marketed as aromatherapy pillows and neck wraps and when you see them, you'll know what I mean. They are clearly shaped somewhat differently than most plush toys. However, if you bring one home or receive one as a gift, don't think the kids won't want to play with them because they will.

Here's the kicker. The plush animals can be heated in the microwave and they applied to the neck and back to help relieve aches and pains. That's right. You're going to be fighting with your kids for this one. That's why I recommend waiting until the kids go to sleep to use it. You will probably also want to wait until the kids are sound asleep before you put it in the microwave. You wouldn't want your little ones seeing that and thinking you are trying to whack the new puppy.

If Warm Whiskers are already making a home with you let me know what you think of them.

Airborne Will Keep You Healthy During this Cough and Cold Season

The good news is my little girl is starting to feel much better. She has not slowed down one bit. It would appear that she is going to be one of those people who will deny that they are feeling sick and walk right through it. That is great except I wish it would translate to the nights when she likes to wake us up.

For the most part the cough is almost gone. Thanks to all the great suggestions I received, it looks like chicken soup and lots of liquids have won out as the best treatments for our little girl. She is even back in school with all the other little cold monsters, building up her immune system.

There is something that we discovered during this season that seems to be working. There is a great product that was designed by a grade school teacher called Airborne. It is an all natural tablet that dissolves in liquid that you take before you head out to somewhere you may get exposed to germs etc. Basically, that means everywhere.

The wife and I have been downing the drinks periodically and for the first time in several years, we have not picked up our little girl's colds. I am glad I can share this information with you while at the same time I feel like I may be jinxing us. Hopefully I will not be writing to you next week with a 104 fever cursing ever discussing this.

If you are looking for a great defense against the flu this season and prefer to try and stay natural, try out Airborne. It seems to be working great. It is also highly recommended for long airplane trips and other situations where you are locked into being around a large group of strangers for extended periods of time. If you are one of those people who just don't get sick, well good for you. Maybe you should be selling off parts of your DNA or perhaps you are completely in denial. In any event, different things work for different people and this seems to be working for us. Apparently there was a little controversy about it in the past regarding a claim that it cures the common cold but you would have to be a little dense to buy into that. I don't really care as long as it does the trick for me and so far so good.

Try out Airborne. If a grade school teacher came up with it, you know it has to be pretty good stuff to withstand the kinds of things she had been exposed to. You'll probably hear about it being used by NASA soon.

Kids Healthy Snacks Shaped Like Letters

One of the wonderful moms who recently started visiting the blog mentioned that the graphic I use makes her want to bite the letters. I agree that if you were a kid who enjoyed all kinds of tasty treats, those letters can suck you in. I made the graphic like that on purpose.

This weekend we went to a birthday party and the layout was incredible. What is most significant to this post however, was that the dessert table was full of tasty treats that were in the form of letters. They had spelled out a number of birthday wishes using fresh fruit and cookies and gummy treats.

Now I know I titled this post healthy snacks. I stand by it in that the fruit selections were delicious and healthy. They used apple slices, pineapple, watermelon and mandarin wedges. There were bowls of honey and yogurt for dipping. I would say, that is relatively healthy.

Now as for the cookies and gummy treats... you have to give me some slack. I had to give them top marks for creativity and those treats were amazing. Cookies and gummy treats may not be healthy in the traditional sense but follow the following argument.

When you arrive at a birthday party with thirty or forty screaming kids, it may put you into a particular mood. That mood may cause you to act in a manner that will help preserve your own sanity. With that many kids running around you also enter into a self-preservation mode. In so doing, your body expends a significant amount of energy and gets worn down.

Upon entering into the worn down state your body seeks replenishing. The consumption of delicious cookies and gummy treats can make you smile. The smile in turn make you feel better about life in general. When you feel better about life, that is healthy. Therefore, cookies and gummy treats may be just as healthy as fresh fruits.

I rest my case.

Kids' Cough and Cold Season is Upon Us

It is without a doubt the season that all parents dread. I live out east so we have regular winters and my little girl has been hit with a brutal cough. This thing sneaks up out of nowhere and sounds like she is storing a bull frog in her chest.

There is no way a little girl like ours should be carrying around a cough or cold like this one but what can we do. During a recent trip to her class for parent teacher interviews we saw that at least five other kids in her class have the same thing.

With this kind of cough ramp id in her class I am amazed that any of those kids ever get better. I swear they should have quarantine for some of them, let them get better, then they all come together again. You know, just like that movie with Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo. I think it was called Outbreak. Good move, nasty virus.

What amazes me the most is how their teacher never seems to get sick. She has had the same one for the past two years and this woman is the picture of health. It doesn't matter if the kids are all sitting there coughing up the newest strains of super flu, she doesn't flinch. I think it's the nose picking that drives her the craziest.

Anyway, we are not big fans of cough syrups for kids. We have usually followed the advice of our pediatrician in that department and he doesn't really believe in them. What we do give her when she seems to have multiple cough and cold symptoms is Pedia Care for kids. The stuff is easy for her to swallow and it seems to work in giving her some temporary relief.

If your kids are hitting the cough and cold season and need to try something, I would recommend the Pedia Care but more importantly lots of rest and liquids. You moms know what works the best.

Movie Review: Madagascar 2... The Kids Will Love It!

I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that we were thinking about going to see Madagascar 2. It just so happens that is exactly what we did. Madagascar 2 was great. I couldn't think of a better thing to do with my little girl on a dreary rainy day.

Madagascar 2 is terrific for so many reasons. The cast is back and that makes it worth the trip all by itself. To see Sasha Baron Cohen and Chris Rock joking together in character is almost as good as seeing the two of them live. It was just a great idea to get this grouping of comedic actors together to do the voices. They all would have had great careers as children's entertainers. Well, maybe not Rock. I think he would have snapped eventually.

The jokes and plots are new but the characters are all just as much fun as in the first one. There are also a couple of new editions that I can't tell you about because you have to see the movie. Go ahead, ask me, I might tell you about them. Nope, I won't.

A great part of this film is something that Pixar captured in another great kids movie, Monsters Inc. That is, characters that might otherwise be scary or engage in scary activity are made to be cute and hilarious so that kids can really enjoy them. If you recall in the first one, the lion kept wanting to eat his friend the zebra. That was just made to look cute and hysterical. My little girl just kept falling over laughing each time it happened. Kudos to the film makers on that one.

Of course the next great thing are all the action figures. My little girl found a few little ones that actually talk when you shake them. I told her that she already had a bunch of them from the first movies. She explained that those were the animals from the first, not the second. Despite the fact they were the same, they were now stars of a second movie so we had to get them AGAIN! Of course I let her have a couple. I'm a sucker.

If you haven't seen Madagascar 2 yet, grab the kids and go check it out. You will have a blast.

Dora The Explorer Available Still A Mystery

OK, here it is. I don't know too many parents who are not familiar with Dora The Explorer. She has to be part of the most successful kids franchise since Sesame Street. Much like Sesame Street, Dora The Explorer has tons of videos and games available related to the show. There are also countless action figures and dolls that the kids can get related to all the characters on the show.

It is a fun show and great for kids as is demonstrated by the huge following it has. There is something hilarious about it though. I say hilarious because I know if I say something concerns me, people reading this might think I'm serious and I don't want that to ever happen. The day we get to serious about things that are fun for our kids is the day we forget why we had kids in the first place.

Here's the thing. This Dora character is supposedly out there in the woods or the jungle and she is figuring out puzzles and riddles and trying to make good choices to get through her day. She runs around with a talking monkey who wears rain boots. So my question is really, what kind of role model is Dora for our kids? What little kid do you know gets to run around forests and jungles by themselves? She has to go through snake and alligator infested waters half the time, the other times she had to brave the elements just to find food. That's not right.

What kind of parent lets her kid run around on her own like that? That's not safe. That mother should be investigated. Why is nobody concerned about the talking monkey? Why is he wearing boots all the time? Have you ever seen a monkey that wears boots all the time? That's not right. If the monkey could really do all the things he is supposedly doing on the show, including talking, he would have been on Letterman by now.

Let's face it, Dora sets a dangerous example for our kids. I can't have my little one coming to me one day and explaining she wants to go rock climbing by herself with a monkey because she saw Dora do it. When that happens... well... it sure would be a lot quieter around here. In any event you know what I mean.

Just to get even, I went out and got my little girl a Dora The Explorer toilet seat to sit on when she has to go. That's right! That's how I got back at them. I gave them money. I am so lost. Dora got me. Next time you hear from me I will be in the amazon with a talking cow looking for a giant gingerbread diamond.

Leap Frog and Baby Tad are Great for Little Kids

There was a toy that I had meant to discuss a while back but completely forgot about until recently. I'm glad I remembered.

Leap Frog has an amazing assortment of fun educational toys for kids. One of the most amazing is one that we had for our little girl a little while back and I highly recommend it for all parents. This is a great toy for kids aged anywhere from 0 to 36 months.

The toy is called Baby Tad. There are a few versions available. I believe the one that we had was the Leap Frog Hug and Learn Baby Tad. I'm a grown man and I'll be the first to admit I was a little fascinated by this little guy. I'm not saying I can't be easily fascinated, I'm not spending my weekends designing a more efficient rocket fuel. I'm just saying this toy is great.

Your child is able to activate several functions simply by squeezing different parts of the toy. By squeezing Baby Tad's hand with the sunshine, there are a number of songs that are activated that your child can sing along with. There is also a shape recognition game that they can play.

By squeezing the hand with the moon, Baby Tad plays a selection of classical tunes that will relax your child and either prepare them for a nap or just chill them out. It will automatically turn off after six minutes once activating this function. It will also turn off by itself if nothing on it is used by your child after a certain amount of time has passed.

There are a couple other versions with similar learning games. I think it is great for a variety of ages and is a fun companion to your little ones even if they don't quite understand the functions right away. Trust me, they will get the hang of it.

If you are looking for a great gift idea for your or somebody else's child, the Baby Tad fellas are a great choice.

Madagascar 2 Kids Favorite

Well tomorrow we are going to be off to see Madagascar 2, Escape Africa. I am looking forward to it. The first Madagascar movie was great. The kids really enjoyed it. It was amazing how it was written in such a way that kids can enjoy parts of it while simultaneously jokes are written in for parents.

The first one and I believe this one feature a tremendous cast. We really like Chris Rock and Sasha Baron Cohen in their roles. Those guys are hilarious in any situation. I am sure it will be quite the adventure.

The last time we went my daughter couldn't stop laughing about David Schwimmer's giraffe character and the penguins. She thought they were hysterical. She really got a kick out of Cohen's little guy as well. The entire film was just filled with incredible comedic moments that blended friendship and trying to eat each other in a way I had not seen before in any movie since Alive. Remember that one? No lions or zebras in that. Just soccer players. Not quite the same idea.

Anyways we are looking forward to it and I am sure there will be some interesting moments to talk about. I'm guessing it will be another example of some great entertainment for the kids. Oh yeah, and us too.

Reading and Spelling Adventures Begin

My little girl just had her first spelling test this week. She was given a list of words that were going to be on the test about a week in advance and was told to come home and practice. She did great with the practicing and it would appear that she did super amazing on her test. We will find out for sure on Monday.

She remembered most of the words she had to spell and could tell us how to spell them as well. It is pretty exciting watching her learn and develop. I remember when she was a little kid learning how to speak, you're not sure how she is doing it, but she just does and you don't know if it will keep going well, but it just does. The same feeling is there with reading and spelling. She just continues to be amazing. This little person growing right before our eyes.

She really seems to enjoy the process as well and in consideration of this, I have found something that I had kind of forgotten about over the years and wanted to share. When I was a kid there was a great show that I really enjoyed called The Electric Company. Well, as it turns out, the origin of The Electric Company was to be a show that would help kids learn how to read. I wasn't even aware of that as a kid, I just thought it was fun to watch. I guess it really did a good job.

Turns out, The Electric Company has a website and offers DVDs in sets for purchase. I was checking out their web site and watching clips from the show. I could remember them like it was yesterday. Scary how fast time goes. Anyway, the material still stands up and is a great tool for kids learning how to read. I'm looking into grabbing a set for my kid and would highly recommend it for any parents looking for fun ways to teach their kids how to read and write.

Check out The Electric Company and let me know what you think. If you were a kid who watched the show, get ready for the head trip. It is a doozy!!

Kids and Their Candy

Thankfully I have accepted the fact that my amazing little girl is not a big candy eater. After a hugely successful haul this Halloween, I realize that she was really just amassing a collection for me.

It would seem there are a few types of candy she likes. She enjoys the chewy sour lemon things and occasionally will ask for the chocolate chip cake concoction. What I'm getting at is that I don't know what has happened to our kids.

When we were little, it used to be all about snickers minis, peanut butter cups and who can forget the Reggie Jackson chocolate bar. I think it was just called a Reggie. I'm not sure. The point is, I would come home with two bags full of great chocolaty goodness and go back out for more. My mother had to guard the cupboard where she hid the loot every night, because she knew if I had open access I would empty those bags in one sitting.

Today things are all different. I just caught a blog the other day where a woman took a picture of a bowl of candy their kids didn't want. It was all snickers bars! What is that all about?! Yes, I'm blogging about a blog, what of it?

These kids have to learn what's good again. Don't worry about all that healthy mumbo jumbo or new wave treats. My grandparents are into their nineties and they love the gooey goodness. That's how they've stayed young at heart. They don't know what year it is but they are young at heart.

So throw out those weak treats and get back to the hearty goodness that eating junk is all about. If you parents don't smarted up your kids, next year I'm giving out broccoli.

My Little Girl Loves MyePets

Every once and a while I will continue to share those trends that grab my little girl. As it turns out, Myepets is one of those trends that holds onto my little girl and won't let go.

Sure, she is like a lot of other kids in that she can be distracted off to do other things. The amazing thing is how she is drawn into this game once she begins. It doesn't really seem to be about anything. I suppose Webkinz is the same thing. Am I missing something? Is there a goal when playing with Myepets. If there is, I haven't found it yet. If any of you have found out where Myepets is supposed to go, please let me know.

I understand that the game is fun for kids. They get to go out and buy the stuffed animal and what little girl doesn't love stuffed animals. By the way, if you have a little girl who doesn't love stuffed animals, you may want to watch her a little closely. It may just be a faze and there is nothing to worry about. However, if she doesn't like them, keep your eyes open.

The stuffed animal comes with the little code to then go online and play with the animal in a virtual world. I get it. They think it's fun taking them to the Myepets vet, feeding them at the Myepets diner and shopping for them at the Myepets market.

Here is the thing. We have REAL pets. She loves animals. However, she doesn't rush to feed them everyday. She hasn't expressed a concern to make sure they have regular checkups at the vet. She definitely hasn't shown a lot of interest in cleaning up after them. I know, she's a kid. She isn't supposed to like that stuff. Then how exactly are these games designed to have do all those things on the computer? It's just a way to suck as parents into believing that anytime now they will be all excited about those pet chores and we won't have to worry about it anymore.

I can't wait for the game where they get to buy a mommy or daddy doll then go online and do things like make money for them and take care of all their bills. That should be a great game.

Harry Potter and High School Musical: Will They Compete?

I have recently mentioned both Harry Potter and High School Musical in past articles. I do so not only because they are both great fun for my little girl but also because I would love to see High School Musical and Harry Potter compete against one another in the theatres.

If anybody knows if there is a chance of Harry Potter and High School Musical going head to head in theatres let me know. Let would be an epic battle.

Imagine Harry Potter stumbles out into the high school gym. The High School Musical kids look at him like he is lost. You know they want to tease him. They make fun of his strange robe and ask him why he is carrying around a twig.

Harry Potter sizes up the kids in the gym. He notices that they are all dressed for a basketball game but can't seem to ask him a question without dancing around him at the same time. The High School Musical is always going on. Harry Potter tells the kids that the robe is his formal wear from Hogwarts and it is an honour to have even been accepted. He goes further to tell them that it isn't a twig it is a wand.

The High School Musical kids size him up like he is something out of a fairy tale. He has to explain to them that he is. They tell him that they think he is crazy. He explains that he isn't and asks what kind of kids can't communicate in a normal conversation and have to sing all their dialogue. They tell him that his school sounds like an infected pig. He asks them what they think it is infected with but instead of answering they begin line dancing all around.

Harry Potter waves his wand in the air causing light and sparks to fly. The kids immediately line up for fire drill. Harry Potter explains to them that it isn't a fire drill but instead he is working a spell. The High School Musical kids tell him that their school ranks tops in the nation for spelling bees and that he doesn't have a chance. Harry Potter becomes frustrated and storms out of the gym with the parting insult that only dimwits sing when they are supposed to be playing basketball.

Really what I meant was, how well each movie would do in theatres if they came out at the same times. I'm guessing, that isn't going to happen.

Harry Potter 6 The Movie: The Half Blood Prince

Talk has been swirling around. The other kids in the neighbourhood are already getting restless. As it turns out, Harry Potter is coming back. This will be Harry Potter number 6 for those of you counting. Rumor has it, that Harry Potter's latest adventure, The Half Blood Prince will be hitting theatres in July of 2009.

I don't want to say I'm excited. What kind of parent gets all excited about an upcoming Harry Potter movie. It isn't as if we don't already have all the Harry Potter books, the Harry Potter costumes and the Harry Potter make-up. So what if it happens that Harry Potter just so happens to be the biggest phenomenon to come along since fairy tales and ghost stories were first written. None of us grown ups really care. OK, so we do.

There is no escaping that Harry Potter is incredibly well written and I'm sure The Half Blood Prince will be no different. What is amazing about this series is how well the creators of the films have captured the idea on the screen. I won't say that I have enjoyed all the films equally. In fact, I would probably say the first one was my favorite. Specifically, how they captured the life of the students at Hogwarts. That is a pretty amazing place. I don't think if I had read the book to my little girl before seeing the film that I would have been able to imagine such a great backdrop.

The story behind Harry Potter always amazes me. That fact that the author, J.K. Rowling was on the dole, that's welfare U.K. style, when she was writing it is amazing. Now supposedly she is work hundreds of millions of dollars. I wonder how many professionals decided to take a swing at becoming child fantasy writers after hearing that success story. What is even more amazing to me is how successful she was considering all the other children's fantasy series that are already out there in book stores.

Regardless, my little girl loves the films. She is not thrilled however about Voldemort. She does have a tendency to look away when he comes around and clearly doesn't like the episodes that are a little more dark. That being said, I am sure I would not be successful discouraging her from seeing Harry Potter 6 the movie even if I tried. I have just accepted the fact that Harry Potter movies are a fixture in my kid's childhood and The Half Blood Prince will be no exception.

High School Musical Captured My Kid

That's it. They have done it. The makers of High School Musical have officially brain washed my little girl. It's High School Musical this, High School Musical that, everything has to do with High School Musical. Of course she is going to see the movie today with her mother. I couldn't go. I haven't received my High School Musical vaccination as of yet. It's enough they have captured the kids, they aren't gonna take me down.

It would seem that every kid in this High School Musical series is all over Disney. They are kind of like the mob. Once you are in, you're in. There's no going back. These kids are going to be with them until High School Musical number 112 or until one of them knocks over a dry cleaners. It is amazing. I think each of the main kids in the movie are also in various television programs. This is clearly the time to be a kid with a little bit of talent.

That's right. I said a little bit of talent. These kids are OK but they aren't the greatest talents on the planet. Together however, it would appear they are about to take over the universe. I can remember when Grease was in the theatres and everybody thought that was going to be the biggest thing. It became huge. That movie is still considered a favorite today and will always be around. Only time will tell if High School Musical has the same effect.

There is something else that is odd about the High School Musical thing. Maybe it's just me. The other day my wife showed me a rag mag article about one of the kids in High School Musical and how she just bought a three million dollar house. See, that's different. I don't remember paparazzi stories about Travolta and Newton John when their film was monster. Then again, I was barely a kid back then. Do our kids really need to hear stories about eighteen year-olds having enough money from High School Musical to buy multi-million dollar homes? When our kids are in their teens they'll think they are losing valuable time while they have to go to school.

Whatever it is, this High School Musical thing is huge. The kids love it and I guess it's better than a lot of other things out there. However, I refuse to believe it is cool to break into a song a dance number when you're supposed to be playing basketball.

Fun Riddles For Kids

When thinking about what I used to consider fun riddles for kids, I remember stuff like the Billy Goat Gruff. That was always a fun riddle type situation. Fun riddles for kids were available from places like Sesame Street, The Electric Company and H&R Puff n Stuff. That last show was a real fun riddle for kids. The big question with that show was figuring out what the writers were on.

Types of fun riddles for kids

The obvious types of kids riddles used to be a play on words type of scenario. Sometimes it would be and actual question with a very straight forward answer. The play on words would be something like, what did the sock say to the foot? Answer: you’re putting me on! That’s fun and silly for the kids. The straight forward type of kids riddle is more like what a kid might see on Dora the Explorer. The child is asked which path doesn’t have any snakes. The kid looks and sees the blue path is safe and selects the blue path. That may not be considered a fun riddle for kids by older day standards but it is to them.

There were all kinds of classic riddles for kids that seemed to come out of the age of the nursery rhyme. It would be phrased the same kind of way as the nursery rhyme but at the end would have some kind of question. It was classic, sometime slightly draped in old English with a fun riddle for kids at the end. However, it would not seem to be the choice of most kids today.

Fun riddles for kids: The modern age

It would appear as though there are plenty of new choices when it comes to riddles for kids these days. You can still go to a bookstore and find volumes of the classics. You can also pick up copies of more fun joke type riddles. Such as, what type of shoe do you wear when your basement floods? Answer: pumps. Come on, that was funny. I didn’t write it, these kinds of kooky fun riddles can be found all over the kids’ section of most bookstores today.

There is of course many other alternatives. Instead of just the classic riddles, there are other kinds of brain teasers available for the kids. By the way, these are also supposed to be pretty good for cognitive development. So while you are delivering fun riddles to your kids, you are also improving their mental health. Bet you weren’t expecting that.

The real fun stuff now is available online and probably in most toy stores. A great find that I made was Big Fish Games. It is a site that constantly updating with new developments. They seem to have tons of fun riddle and puzzle type games for kids. One of my daughter’s favourites is the hidden object type game. This is where your kid is given a list of objects that are cleverly hidden in plain sight and he has to find them all. Some of the games have second phases to them where in addition to the hidden objects, there are also fun riddles for the kids to solve. One of the games we downloaded had a series of puzzle parts with riddle questions, each having to be solved in a particular order to solve a mystery. It was a blast.

Most of these games can be downloaded in a trial format to be enjoyed for an hour and then you will be given the option to purchase or move on. So far, we just enjoy an hour with each game because there are always new ones being made available with all sorts of new fun riddles for kids available. Enjoy!

Kids Treasure Hunt Clues

We are in the process of planning a kids treasure hunt. The most challenging part of putting together the kids treasure hunt is coming up with good clues. The kids treasure hunt clues have to be clever enough so that the kids have to think about it, but at the same time you don’t want the clues to be so difficult that the kids are just wandering around frustrated all afternoon. This is our kids treasure hunt dilemma.

Planning the kids treasure hunt

When we first decided we were going to put together the treasure hunt for the kids, I thought it was crazy. It was really the wife’s idea more than mine. I remember treasure hunts when I was a kid and the ones that are the most memorable tend to be memorable for two different reasons. Either the treasure hunt did not cover a large enough area, so of course it was over very quickly, or it was too spaced out and we got tired and ran off in different directions.

When the space you are putting the treasure hunt in is too small, the kids end up finding everything too easily. They tend to not even have to look for clues. They just fumble around on their own and next thing you know they have found clues out of order or worse, they found treasure and hence your treasure hunt is prematurely finished. When any kid finds the treasure early, that is the kiss of death to your hunt.

When the space you are using is too large, you have to be able to supervise the kids and that means more helpers who have to stay motivated so the kids don’t get wiped out too early and decide to give up on your treasure hunt. I can remember one time heading off to play with cows because it looked like more fun. Don’t ask.

Kids treasure hunt clues : teams or individuals

In designing the treasure hunt clues, we also have to consider if the kids are going to work in teams or if they are going to work individually. This is really tricky because we kind of have to know ahead of time how many kids are going to be there. If there is a small group, they will obviously be working on their own or possibly in small groups of two or three. It a ton of kids are coming, sure they work in teams but then there is the challenge of figuring who is going to be on which team.

I told you I didn’t want to do this. This becomes difficult because not only do we have to know which kids are coming, now we have to determine which ones aren’t that smart. See, if the brilliant kids are all grouped together, they get way ahead too quickly and the treasure hunt is over before it’s started. If the not so bright kids are all together, they end up forgetting about the treasure hunt and they go play in the street with squirrels. Yes, I said that. Let’s face it, as much as we all love our kids, we all know that some are working with a dimmer porch light than others. Don’t get sensitive.

Treasure hunt clue proposition

We, meaning mostly my wife with occasional input from me, have decided the treasure hunt will take place in a park close to our home. It is a neighbourhood park and we know most of the kids who play there and it will be a good spot. The clues will be fun for both myself and the kids. I get to design a few of them and my wife will do the others. She says that if mine get too tricky, she will be standing there to guide the kids to the next clue so they don’t end up chasing ice cream trucks in the street.

It should be an adventure. Check back with me and I’ll let you know if the wife starts reconsidering whether it was a good idea for me to reproduce.