The Commerford Zoo Kids Fun Fair travels around the east coast putting on kids’ fairs with a petting zoo and kiddie rides. We recently went to a fun fair at the DCU Center in Worcester and had a great time. This is not a full-featured circus or carnival, but was a welcome break from the cold we’ve been experiencing. Tickets were $10 per adult and kids under 12 were free with a coupon that you can get at the ticket booth. These tickets gives you access to all of the animals, but the games and rides are À la carte with cash or tickets for purchase.
The Animals
Commerford has a wide variety of animals including elephants, lemurs, monkeys, snakes, camels, a zebra, various birds, and even a uni-cow, which is a large cow with a single horn on its head. You and your kids can feed many of the animals, so bring your quarters and hand sanitizer. For an additional charge, pony, camel, and elephant rides are available as well as photographs with many of the animals.
Rides and Games
Carousel and kiddie rides await your little ones in exchange for tickets and cash. Tickets can be purchased for the rides at booths throughout the venue and can be purchased individually for $1.25, or save some money and buy them in blocks of 12 ($12.50), 24 ($25), and 36 ($37.50). Rides required either 2 or 4 tickets per person and included a carousel, train ride, car ride, super fun slide (highly recommended!), a huge bouncy, and several others. Games required a few dollars to play and included your standard carnival games of water gun squirting and balloon burst, all to win stuffed animal prizes.
Overall Thoughts
This fair is smaller when compared to the large, outdoor carnivals and fairs throughout New England, but is a nice change of pace to get out of the cold and see some animals up close and personal. While petting zoos can get old for parents, kids never seem to be able to get enough of seeing animals in this setting. The fact that kids were free was a benefit, but we ended up spending $20 for two adults to enter and $12.50 on tickets to go on a few rides. We spent an hour and a half at this one, and could have extended that to 3 hours if we ate there and took in a few more rides.
This post comes from our sister site in Chicago and was written by Larry.
We had a crew over for the football playoffs a couple of weeks ago and all the kids were comparing their holiday presents - their new Leapster, Wii, and Nintendo games. They were discussing which game they liked, which games they were going to trade, and what they wanted to get next. However, just one week later, my kid was staring at his games. Mario Kart was still a blast, but everything else he either mastered, was bored of, and in some cases wasn’t old enough for.
We had the same problem with buying DVD movies. So we solved that problem by letting him take one of every 3 of our NetFlix movies. They come, he watches them many times, and we send them back, without the expense of buying the DVD. So I searched for similar services for games. SmartyRents and Gamefly came to my attention immediately.
SmartyRents has cornered the ”try before you buy” service for educational games. Started by credentialed teachers, they rent games for Leapster, Didj, Clickstart, Little Leaps, the V suite of game consoles (Smile, Motion, Flash, and Smile Baby). They have also gone through and documented the exact skill sets that each of the games teach so you know if it is age appropriate. Interestingly, they also have the back catalog for all of these consoles, so you can rent games that are actually out of circulation. Packages start at $9.99 a month for 1 game at a time and up to $24.99 for 4 games at a time.
Gamefly is concentrating on the exact opposite, more traditional part of the game market. Focusing on the Wii, PS3, PSP, XBOX, Nintendo Game Cube and Nintendo DS they sell everything from Super Mario Brothers to Grand Theft Auto. With over 7,000 games, you can rent one game at a time for $15.99 a month and 2 games at a time for $22.99 a month. The site sorts by popularity or release date and provides information on what type of equipment you need to play. So for Wii, it will let you know if you need the Steering Wheel for the game.
So if your kid is like mine and seems to go off and on with games, leaving you frustrated at the $30-$50 games that are just sitting there next to your TV unused, SmartyRents and GameFly provide a great alternative using the NetFlix model.
Are the short, cold days of winter giving you and your kids the winter blues? We’ve got the cure with our ultimate guide to Bowling in Massachusetts! What better family activity to get you out of the house during the long winter months. We assembled some basic background information as well as a map of all the venues across the state in this post. Get out there and bowl yourself a turkey (that’s three strikes in a row!).
Candlepin or Ten Pin?
It’s rare that you will find anything other than ten pin bowling outside New England (and Canada), so we consider ourselves lucky to have the choice when it comes to the type of bowling. While the two are similar in that the goal is to knock down ten pins using a urethane ball, candlepin and ten pin are quite different when you compare the size of the balls, the shape of the pins, and the rules of the game. We won’t go into all of these here, but remember, they are different games.
The big decision here is which size bowling ball is best suited for your kids? If they are on the young side, candlepin may be the best option as the weight of the ten pin ball might be too much for them. You may also want to consider finding a lane that offers bumper bowling. This is where temporary bumpers are installed on your lane to prevent any gutter balls and give your kids a much better chance at success.
Where to Bowl?
Would you believe it if we told you there were over 100 bowling alleys in Massachusetts alone? We put together an interactive map of over 90 bowling venues for you to browse and locate one near you.
Shoes
We’ll probably never fully understand the fascination, but kids seem to love bowling shoes. We know it can’t be the comfort level and assume it’s something to do with the slick bottoms that allow you to slide on the wooden floor, but whatever it is, these are a big hit. Pick them up at the counter and lace up.
Finding the Right Bowling Ball
If you are going candlepin, you most likely don’t have any options here as they usually just have one type of bowling ball. In ten pin, the options are numerous. You may want to ask the clerk if they have any lightweight balls for kids behind the counter. This could be a good time to break out your knowledge of kinetics to enlighten your kids on the behavior of different weighted bowling balls or you could just tell them that you probably want to get the heaviest ball that you can comfortably handle.
Scoring
While my wife tells me the scoring system in bowling is simple, I beg to differ. This is why I look for bowling alleys with automatic scoring so I don’t have to worry about it. Most alleys have these installed, so there is a good chance you’ll be in luck. Just input the names of your bowlers and let the computer tell you when to bowl and keep score for you. This is one of the few times when I actually like computers. If you are going old-school with paper and pencil, make sure someone in your group knows how to score or get some instructions from an employee at the venue.
Technique
Don’t expect your kids to start out with a full right to left hook to score a strike every time. Most kids should start with the under-hand, between the legs throwing technique until they have the strength to use just one arm. There are some good lessons to learn around lining up in the same spot, targeting where you throw using the lane markers, and realizing that you do not need to throw the ball 100 mile per hour to knock down quite a few pins. Bowling is a great family sport to get you out of the house during these winter months. Good luck and have fun!
When you think of Yankee Candle you probably think of a small, aromatic store at the mall where you can always find a last-minute gift for your favorite candle aficionado. Last weekend we visited Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield, MA, and the only similarity to the mall stores is that they both sell candles. Yankee Candle Village is a huge complex featuring dozens of themed rooms selling every type of candle, craft, and candy that you could ever want.
The complex can be a bit daunting, so once you park you will want to find a map and plan out your day. There are two main eating facilities if you want to plan your visit around a meal. Chandler Restaurant is a full-service restaurant serving up traditional New England fare. We ate here and the service and food were great! We had to wait 45 minutes for a table on a busy Saturday, but there was plenty to do to fill our time. There is also a food court with a variety of options, and there are plenty of places to eat outside if you choose to bring your own food.
The Village is a maze of rooms, one after the other after the other, and each one has a different theme to it. There is a general flow through the rooms with the crowd, but as we stated before, you may want a map to figure out where you are. There are only a couple places with registers. Even though there are many registers at each station, the lines were still long. We ended up walking back through half of the complex to avoid waiting in what looked like a 30 minute check-out line.
For the younger kids, there is a decent-sized toy store with lots of open items to play with. Santa and Mrs. Claus are right in the middle, and a station is set up to write your letter to give them if you didn’t bring one with you. Close by is the Christmas Village (adjacent to the Department 56 section) where it snows every four minutes. Our kid got a kick out of the indoor snow, which was small particles of soap.
The main candle room, in addition to every variety of fragrance and size, has several different stations to make your own candles, House Warmer jars, and even an area where you can create a candle in the shape of your hand. The line for this was very long, so we didn’t do it, but you essentially dip your hand into some liquid creating a form which is transformed into a candle.
Mom says: Candles, Pandora, Vera Bradley, and Department 56 all under one roof… what’s not to love???!!! This is a great place to get into the Christmas spirit!
Dad says: I was impressed with the sheer magnitude of this tourist attraction, but be weary if you are sensitive to candle smells, large crowds, and 100’s of knick-knacks.
Yes, we have had some good luck with the weather, but it continues to get colder and colder. A great way to warm up this winter is at Magic Wings in South Deerfield, MA. This butterfly conservatory is guaranteed to be a quick fix for when you are in the mood for some tropical weather. The 8,000 square foot conservatory is home to nearly 4,000 butterflies and is quite impressive.
With two large rooms, the conservatory is fairly spread out and has wide, paved, walkways making it easy to get around, even with kids. They ask that you leave any strollers outside. Be sure to walk throughout the entire conservatory as there is much to see. Fruit and sugar water feeders are everywhere for the butterflies to land on, making it easier to get that perfect picture.
A hatching station is behind glass so you can get up close and see the butterflies emerge from their cocoons. Baby quail are running around everywhere, so watch where you step! In the middle of the first room is a Koi pond and a little bridge, and in the middle of the second room is a gazebo. Benches are throughout the two rooms, providing a great opportunity to rest and enjoy the scenery; sit still and perhaps a butterfly will perch on you. They also have a great display of tropical animals. Most are in the second room, but there is a giant iguana in the first room.
There are a two different food options at Magic Wings. Monarchs Restaurant is a full-service establishment and a food court serves up standard burgers, sandwich, pizza and salad items.
The time has come to start thinking about the masterpieces you and your family will create for Halloween. Will it be a scary face, the silhouette of a black cat, or the logo of your favorite sports team? Fear not, you still have time to decide!
The Pattern
Some pumpkin carving kits have stencils included. If yours does, it’s a good idea to make some copies of them as you will probably want to toss them out after one or two uses. If you do not have stencils, check online. Be careful as there are lots of sites that will seem to be free and then want $2.29 for the pattern you just promised your kid. Here are two that are actually free: ehow.com, pumpkinglow.com.
If you prefer to draw your pattern freehand, the best thing to use is a china marker, which you can buy at a craft store. Pencil works, but is hard to see, and a marker does not rub off at all, so any mistakes in cutting will be seen by all.
Gutting the Pumpkin
Time to get dirty! Everyone knows to cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin and gut out the seeds… so what is there left to say? Plenty! If this is your chosen approach, be sure to tilt the handle of the knife at about a 45 degree angle away from the stem to ensure the top won’t fall in when you are done.
For those of you looking to do something different, cut the bottom of the pumpkin. This will be more of a challenge with gutting, but it will keep people guessing how you hollowed the pumpkin without taking the top off. It will be easier to light the pumpkin too, as you can just set up your light and lower your pumpkin onto it. Because you will be lowering the larger top part onto the small base, it is helpful to draw a small line (vertically) where you cut the hole so that you can use it to line up the pumpkin when placing it down.
Use a spoon to scrape the inside of the pumpkin, making sure you save the innards as we’ll be baking pumpkin seeds soon enough.
Carving
If you are using a stencil, apply it with tape to the face of the pumpkin. Use a push pin to poke holes along the lines of the image. Be sure to poke plenty of holes so you can follow the stencil clearly afterwards. If you are designing your own, draw your picture on the pumpkin.
There are two schools of carving – cutting everything out, or just peeling off a few layers of the outer skin. The first is easier, as you only have to worry about the final look. The second requires more tools and more patience, as you will want some consistency. The nice thing about this look is that your light will make the design of the pumpkin glow without having to look at the source of the light (notice we didn’t say candle…). If you go this route, be sure you really scraped the inside of the pumpkin as much as possible; you won’t have to peel as many layers on the outside. Check your local hardware store for some small saws and other tools that can be used for carving. Often times these can be easier to use and more sturdy than store-bought carving kits.
Lighting
Everyone knows you can use a candle, but that can be a bit of a hassle. Who wants to worry about fire, wax, and keeping it lit? Our tool of choice is a basic light bulb. We light to use the strands of light that are used in ornamental villages (think Department 56). If you don’t have any of these hanging around the house, you can find them at your local hardware store usually. Plug these into an outdoor power strip and you will never have to worry about the candles going out again.
When to Carve
Once a pumpkin is carved it will only last for a few days, maybe even a week. Some tips to help it last longer: keep the pumpkin out of sunlight during the day; soak it in water overnight; coat with petroleum jelly; buy a pumpkin spray.
Final Thoughts
While you are gutting the pumpkin, make sure you save the seeds. Separate them from the pulp, rinse them off, coat them in olive oil and some salt and get them into the oven. Remember to take pictures, don’t worry about the mess, and have fun!
We took advantage of National Free Museum Day this weekend to visit the Boston Museum of Science with some friends and our son. It was a nostalgic visit for several of us who hadn’t been to the museum since our school days. While much remains the same at the MOS, there are rotating exhibits and lots of live and interactive shows to see.
Admission to the main exhibit halls is $20.00 for adults and $17.00 for kids 3-11 years old. Omni Theatre shows cost $9.00 (adults) and $7.00 (kids) with discounts on additional shows the same day.
The Exhibit Halls
With over 700 interactive exhibits, spread across the museum’s “Science Is an Activity” floor plan, every step of your stay at the Museum of Science is chock full of fun and learning. To aid visitor’s in navigating the 33 current exhibit’s and live shows, the museum has prepared an Early Learner’s Guide. This guide lists exhibits that are especially enjoyed by kids 8 and younger and provides a suggested order to visit to minimize backtracking. We’d suggest printing this out as a guide when planning your trip through the museum. You can find this list here. http://www.mos.org/discoverycenter/elg
Below are a few of our favorite exhibits.
The Discovery Center
Designed for kids up to 8, The Discovery Center offers hands-on activities that provide children the opportunity to learn by trial and error. Some of the areas are built for smaller children and some for older children, which is great for families with multiple children; the older ones will not complain of being bored here.
The lower floor has a special section for newborns from 0-12 months of age, complete with a rocking chair. Next to it is a ramp with some dress-up clothes, such as bees and animal fur vests. Children can also crawl under the ramp, which is very exciting when others are running above. This floor also has tanks with animals (we saw a frog and millipede) and a lit-up wall with colored rods for the kids to move and make designs with (think Lite-Brite, but really big).
Mathematica
This exhibit has been around since the museum opened in 1981 and is timeless in it’s ability to engage kids and adults in learning and experimenting with math. From the huge history of math wall to the soap bubbles forming on wire shapes, Mathematica is full of hands-on activities to teach math in an interactive way.
Science In The Park
The park-like setting of this exhibit invites kids to swing, jump, see-saw, and run on playground equipment to learn about the forces that put things in motion. Your kids can run a race against others or try to keep pace with moving lights to learn about speed and acceleration. They can hop on the see-saw to learn about balance and the fulcrum or spin on a metal plate to learn about momentum.
A Bird’s World
On the lower level of the Museum, this exhibit takes you on a virtual tour of Acadia National Park and displays every species of bird in North America. Make sure you check out the “Sneaking Corridor” to see how good your stalking skills are.
Seeing Is Deceiving
From spinning wheels to M.C. Escher drawings, this exhibit features dozens of images and optical illusions that will trick your eyes and boggle your mind. Several computer work stations give you a more in depth look at how some of these illusions work into tricking our brains into seeing what we do and several of the exhibits allow you to ‘take apart’ the illusion to understand how it works. This one is for older kids and adults and is on the top level of the museum along one of the hallway walls.
Food
The food court offers several different options including Wolfgang Puck’s pizza, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, BBQ-style sandwiches, and a full salad bar. We found the prices to be reasonable considering it is a museum and the wide variety of options made it easy to please everyone in our group.
Overall Thoughts
We will always be huge fans of the Museum of Science and visit at least once a year to see what is new. Some of the exhibits are a bit dated (computer revolution), but the classic exhibits continue to deliver on their goal of educating kids and getting them excited about science. Check the website for current events and live shows as you’ll want to catch shows that interest you and are included in your admission price. We’ll cover the planetarium and Omni theatre in another post, but it’s always good to try and include a visit to either of those when you come to Museum of Science.
If you plan to visit more than once a year, think about the membership. It comes with 2 hours of free parking with each trip, which is just enough time for a quick visit, as well as passes to the planetarium and the Omni theatre.
I’m sure you can see the commercial playing in your head right now (for those that have no idea what we are talking about, here is the commercial).
For many parents, this is a joyous time of the year – finally, a quiet house! The rest of you may not be so happy. The images of your happy child climbing onto the bus in their first-day-of-school outfit, clutching their new backpack, are replaced with nightmares of paperwork and schedule changes. Fear not. We’re here to help with some tips & tricks.
Shopping
We know you have probably been busy running around for the typical items – shoes, clothes, bags, lunchboxes, etc. When it comes to the supplies the kids will need, leave it to the school to decide. Some schools send out lists ahead of time, but many do not. You may find yourself running around wasting your time and money, which no one is happy about. Chances are that your kid will come home with a list from his/her teacher of what is needed for class (unless he/she is in high school, where each teacher will give a different list!). Until then, keep the notebooks and writing utensils to a minimum.
Organization
Sure, the kids need to be organized, but so do you!
Keep a family calendar. Locate it in a central place, like the refrigerator. Mark every appointment on it for every member of the family, and encourage your kids to add their events as they come up. It will help you to avoid scheduling conflicts, and it will teach your children the invaluable lessons of independence and self-sufficiency. Instead of asking you for the answer to a question, perhaps they can reference the calendar. Want to get really creative? Use a different color pen for each member of your household.
Folders, folders everywhere! Kids come home with a lot of paperwork, so set up a folder for each child in a main area. Teach them to put anything that you need to see into that folder on a daily basis, preferably as soon as they come home. Young children will need a lot of help with this, but they will eventually catch on and it will make things easier in the future. Folders for each grade level are helpful as well. Instead of throwing their art and report cards into a box or a drawer, put them into the folder marked for that grade. At least it will be somewhat organized! Use a binder if you want to cut down on drawer space.
Those backpacks always get thrown on the floor somewhere, so set a specific location in your house for those and other school-related paraphernalia. This will cut down on you tripping over one more thing on the floor.
Routines
Changing the schedule will be tough for the family… especially mornings.
If you haven’t done so already, start waking the kids up earlier. This will be a shock to kids of any age. When they are tired, younger kids will be more whiny and the older kids just won’t talk to you (then again, they may be more whiny, too). Just remember that it is truly in their best interest to change their internal clocks before the first day.
Have the kids lay out their clothes the night before. This will cut down on the early morning fights, which no one is ever in the mood for.
Breakfast can be rushed, even skipped at times when everyone is running around. Kids burn a lot of energy and they can’t run on an empty stomach. Make it easier by setting the table the night before. This will help for the first few weeks of school.
Fun Stuff
Let your kids know you are thinking about them and love them. Sneak a card in their schoolbag or place it on the breakfast table to be found on the first day of school. Take a picture of your kid leaving the house or getting on the bus every year. Write notes and leave them in their lunchboxes; with older kids you can email or text them. Little things like these will keep the lines of communication open for years to come.
Mom Says: My favorite back-to-school tradition was going out to breakfast with my mom on the first day. Just make sure to get your kid to school on time… my homeroom teacher from senior year never forgave me.
With only a couple weekends left until the kids go back to school, it’s time to start making plans for their last big hurrah. Throw the Ultimate Sleepover for your family and you will make priceless memories that will last the rest of their lives, and yours.
Who to Invite
This is a great opportunity to bond with your kids. If they are young, they will love the idea of hanging out and doing fun stuff with their parents. If they are older they may not like the idea as much, so allow them to invite a friend or two. Sometimes more people = more fun!
Where to Sleep
The best part about a sleepover is not sleeping in your own bed, which leaves room for creativity. You can keep it simple and camp out in the living room by using the floor and the couch, or even some blow-up mattresses (parents may especially like this option!). Remember making forts when you were young? Your kids may love to sleep in one.
If you want to get really daring, sleep outside! You can pitch tents, sleep in your camper that is parked in the driveway/backyard, or even arrange some lawn chairs and sleep on those. Depending on how the night goes, you may wind up in the living room anyways.
What to do (other than sleep)
There are a million games or activities you can come up with to do with your children. Just think of something you did when you were little that was a huge treat, or just plain fun. If you need some ideas, here is a list we have come up with. Some of these are for older kids and require parental supervision:
Make your own sundaes
Tie-dye shirts. You can buy shirts at a craft store or just a package of men’s undershirts and search for directions online.
Remember your field day races from school: eggs on spoons, egg toss, sack race, tug o’ war, three-legged race, etc. Come up with your own family field day.
Play some team sports: volleyball, badminton, soccer, football, baseball, etc.
Make fried dough
Pizza party – everyone can choose their own toppings. Be sure to make it big enough so everyone can try each other’s creation.
Have a dance party. What better way for your kids to learn to dance than to do it in your living room where there are a limited number of people to judge their moves, or yours! Don’t forget a stick for a limbo contest.
Dress up. Let the kids go through your closet and try on some old dresses, suits, and shoes. Makeup and hair can be a bonus!
Paint – this can be messy, so it’s a great outdoor activity. Buy some cheap frames to hang their artwork in the house; it looks nicer than hanging it on the fridge and they’ll love that you value their work.
Hang up a sheet outside… the opportunities are endless! You can make hand puppets if you light it from behind. You can use it as a backdrop for a variety show, karaoke, or lip-synching. Rent a projector and play a movie on it. If you’re really technically savvy you can make a slideshow of pictures of your kids, which is a great surprise for them and a wonderful keepsake.
Make a fire – don’t forget the marshmallows, hot dogs, and s’mores. For a really different idea, put potatoes next to the fire for baking and make a topping bar with sour cream, broccoli, bacon bits, butter, cheese, chives, etc. You may be surprised at the toppings your kids choose! Want to spice up the boring flames? Get a copper pipe and drill holes into it, then insert a piece of garden hose equal to the length of the pipe and throw it into the fire. The reaction produces multi-colored flames that are sure to wow the kids. The fire can be used in the morning to make bacon and eggs.
Watch a movie together and make popcorn to go with it.
Live on a lake or have a pool? Go for a late-night swim under the stars.
Get a box or two of sparklers and show the kids how to write things in the air with them. If you’re good with a camera you can use a long shutter speed to catch the moment.
Make luminaries. Give your kids some paper lunch bags and let them cut out some designs on them. Put a few inches of sand or some rocks in the bottom and when night falls, put a candle in the bottom and place them around the yard for light.
Mom Says: I have great memories of dance parties with my family. It didn’t make me a better dancer, but we had a lot of fun! You don’t need to pack everything into one night – split it up and do an activity here and there to keep the fun and bonding going.
Dad Says: We all spend a lot of time looking for places to go with our kids and sometimes forget the adventures we can create in our own house or yard. Include your kids in the planning of the Ultimate Sleepover to make sure you have activities they are interested in.
I receive a pretty steady stream of phone calls and emails with new organizations, books, movies, and TV shows that are trying to teach our kids about the environment, ecology, going green, and the issues currently facing our planet. I talked with Victoria Lauren at Blue Vision who developed the site saveplanetblue.com. Victoria’s concept of creating a virtual world where kids can learn about the environmental challenges we face intrigued me so I took a look at it the other day.
Save Planet Blue is a membership site that is currently offering free access to some of its content. Over time, the site will have a subscription model and Victoria is passionate enough about the environment that they will be giving a portion of the proceeds to various environmentally focused charities. One you sign up as a member, you get to create a weebol like avatar that lets you customize the gender, hair color, skin color and the color of your clothes.
Once created, you are propelled into the virtual world where the arrow keys move your avatar around the screen. When passing some locations on the screen, you’ll be prompted with factoids about environmental issues. There are also gates that will take you to different parts of the world. Currently, the Rain Forest is open for free playing.
Within Rain Forest, which comes with jungle like noises in the background like birds and monkeys, there are several games that entertain and teach kids. We played the following games:
Puzzle game. The Puzzle games comes with various level of difficult but provides you with various numbers of pieces that usually combine to make a rainforest animal.
Match Game. This concentration like game has you match rainforest insects. My kids was fascinated and disgusted by so many bugs in so many colors and shapes. At the end of the game, factoids regarding insects pop up.
Recycle It. This game was high action and stress. As garbage flies down a conveyor belt you need to put it in the correct recycling bin (paper, plastic, glass, metal) or risk filling up a landfill. At the end of the game, you are reminded with different facts about how much waste is produced and the impact on the environment.
Petey’s Repeat. This game brought me back to the days of Simon (that multi-colored sound game from the 70/80’s). Except the noises were various plants and animals from the rain forest. My kid concentrated hard to remember the pattern and giggled when he lost.
Banana Toss. Definitely our most favorite game was throwing bananas at the monkey. If you hit the monkey it makes a good squash sound and if you throw at a different animal you lose points.
Overall, I think Save Planet Blue has the right idea. Like many of these children’s sites, the graphics are very intense and can put a lot of strain on the computer. I also think the games and the world can be even more educational with more learning opportunities than just at the end of the game. But in general, it did a good job of entertaining a four year old while sneaking in some education about the planet. Look for this site to expand quickly with new features and possibly even expand into TV or on-line videos.
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"What will I do with my Kids today?" is on the lips of every parent, every day. Once you get past breakfast, the grueling decisions start. You have done the same things a million times. Crazy Kids is the cure. We’ll provide reviews on everything Kids do and let you and other parents comment on them.
The Crazy Kids Blog will highlight a specific activity each week to give you a more in-depth look at one specific idea. We are all in this together and Parents must join in the fight against boredom and repetition. Good luck, have fun and let us know what you think.
Mom Says: My favorite back-to-school tradition was going out to breakfast with my mom on the first day. Just make sure to get your kid to school on time… my homeroom teacher from senior year never forgave me.
Dad Says: We all spend a lot of time looking for places to go with our kids and sometimes forget the adventures we can create in our own house or yard. Include your kids in the planning of the Ultimate Sleepover to make sure you have activities they are interested in.
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