Showing posts with label Summer with kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer with kids. Show all posts

Saturday, July 14, 2012

10 Water Games Kids Can Play

Before posting this article I would like to thank Debbie Denard from Nanny.net who recently sent me an email that said :" I spend a lot of time on the Internet browsing blogs, and I must say that yours has caught my attention. Coincidentally, we recently published an article entitled (10 Water Games Kids Can Play) that I believe would draw considerable interest from your readers. If you are interested in sharing with them, then feel free to do so" 
Thank you Nanny.net 

Enjoy the article!


kids water summer games



Whether it comes from a sprinkler, a swimming pool, or the beach, there’s nothing quite like playing in water in the summertime. The mere mention of water is enough to move kids to paroxysms of joy, especially when a trip to the pool is relatively rare. From the sprinkler to the shallow end, here are ten great games that kids love to play on long, hot summer days.
  1. Water Balloon War – Older kids love the competitive nature of a good, old-fashioned water balloon fight. A laundry basket makes a great container for freshly filled balloons; simply line the bottom with a towel to prevent any sharp edges from puncturing the balloons, causing them to detonate early. For a new twist on an old favorite, stage a game of dodge ball, replacing the ball with water balloons.
  2. Water Hose Limbo – Replacing the stick in a traditional round of limbo with the stream from a water hose takes the game to an entirely new level. Limbo is better with several players, so save this one for a day when your brood has their buddies over.
  3. Sponge Relay – A relay race is even more fun when the object is to fill a bucket with the water from a sponge. To play, each team gets two buckets and one sponge; one bucket is filled with water, which kids dunk their sponges into, and the other is left empty. Running to the opposite side of the “track,” each team member wrings the sponge out in the empty bucket and returns to their team. Rather than passing a baton, they pass the sponge. First team to fill their bucket wins.
  4. Marco Polo – Generations of kids have played a rousing round or two of Marco Polo whenever they were poolside; keep the tradition alive by teaching the rules of this classic game to your own youngsters.
  5. Not-Quite Piñata – Everyone loves a piñata; in this twist on the classic party game, water rains down in the place of sugary treats. Fill a ten-gallon garbage bag with water, and suspend it from an overhanging tree branch or other structure. Follow the traditional rules, allowing kids to take turns whacking at the bag with a broomstick. Helpful hint: dress kids in swimsuits, as they’ll get soaked when someone succeeds.
  6. Water Gun Tag – Put those water guns to good use by launching a tag offensive; the person who is “It” gets the water pistol, while all other players attempt to evade her. Because a successful “tag” will leave discernible evidence, there’s no disputing a changing of the guard. Don’t be surprised, however, if the chance to wield a water gun inspires kids to compete for the honor of being named “It!”
  7. Swimming Pool Ring Toss — With nothing more than a handful of ping-pong balls and an inner tube, kids can enjoy hours of entertainment. One child is put in charge of the inner tube, moving it slowly back and forth as another tries to toss the ping-pong balls into the middle. For a low-competition alternative that keeps rivalry at bay, instruct kids to work together to get all of the balls into the middle of the tube, rather than pitting one against the other to prevent it.
  8. Liquid Jump Rope — Substitute the rope for a stream of water from the hose for a great way to keep kids cool while encouraging physically active play during the warm summer months. An older child or adult should control the hose to keep the stream consistent.
  9. Sharks and Minnows – Another classic pool game, Sharks and Minnows is a variation on the traditional game of Tag, modified to suit a swimming pool. At the beginning of the game, the “minnows” line up at the side of the pool while the shark hovers in the middle. At the shark’s count of three, the minnows attempt to swim across without being tagged. When a minnow is tagged, they join forces with the shark and work to capture their former teammates; last minnow swimming is declared the winner.
  10. Swimming Pool Volley Ball – Inexpensive pool volleyball sets can be picked up at your local big-box retailer, and provide hours of summer fun. Because the resistance of the water makes it almost impossible to move quickly, a game of swimming pool volleyball becomes a bit more challenging than its dry-land counterpart. These sets often come with several rackets and a shuttlecock, allowing kids to switch to swimming pool badminton as the mood strikes them.
Though kids absolutely love them, slippery slides with small pools at the end are quite dangerous. Kids should always have strict supervision when using such toys to prevent reckless behavior. Also, pieces of rubber left behind by broken water balloons present a significant choking hazard to small children and can be dangerous to wildlife. Make cleaning up part of the game to ensure that each piece is properly disposed of, and slather on the sunscreen to avoid painful burns.

http://www.nanny.net/blog/10-water-games-kids-can-play/

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Nine Summer Water Games For Kids

Those kids of yours need to be always entertained and what's best, during this hot weather, than water games.

I- Have you ever realized how many summer games you can invent from a garden hose? Kids should know that it's a good idea to use an old hose for these activities. No matter how much fun they are, it's best to recycle an old hose, rather than modify a brand new one.
water hose jump
1- The Jumping Hose: You can run a strong stream and let the kids jump over it while you move it back and forth just like a jumping rope
2- Water-Limbo: The stream can be used as a limbo stick
3- Duct-Tape the holes:  Use an old leaky garden hose to play this game. Help your kid create holes every few inches down the length of the hose and your child's assignment is to try and repair it with duct tape while water is flowing out of the holes.
hose spray
4- Homemade water slides: Put the slide on the edge of a small inflatable pool, and hang a garden hose on top of the slide and let the water stream run along the path to make it easier to slip :D Your child will have a blast.
baby pool5-Water Balls Flush: Use ropes to create a circle or square on your lawn. Place balls of varying sizes and weights inside. Give your child a hose and challenge her to push the balls out with the water in less than a minute.

II- Back yard bath:  Turn a chore into a family delight. Take advantage of a warm evening to bath  your kids outside all you need is a small pool filled with water and bubbles.

III- Water Balloons Fight: Who doesn't know that game! one of my favorites, just fill those balloons with water and  make a splash with this amazing summer game!


gun waters fight
IV- Water Gun Fight: Let them put on their swimming suit and play tag.

V- A Prize In Ice: Put small treasures in your cube tray, add water and freeze. Then hand a cube to each kid and let it melt in his hand to get the prize.



Refreshing Article heh?! Enjoy that hot weather and expect more summer articles soon

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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Five ActivitiesTo Do With Your Kids During The Summer

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The summer vacation is a few days away and after nine long schooling months, your children will be expecting much. They have been waiting all year for those 90 days to rest, play and have the greatest summer ever. But after a couple of days, and if you didn't send them to summer camp, routine will kick in and they will spend most of their time infront of the TV, lying down on that couch, bored to death. They could play outside in the afternoons, but what else? What can we do to help them fill those 90 days and turn them into the most enjoyable, educational, fun adventure ever?

1- Decide to make a summer crafting project: Crafting is, without any contradicition, a very important activity. Your child will put his energy, mind and skills to finish his work. I asked my 4 years old  to choose between two crafting projects: an airpot and a farm. Well for some reason she decided that making an airport will be fun! During this summer we will keep you updated about our project, we will post how-to's crafting articles and show you step-by-step how to make an airport yourself!

2- Funny Scholastic Exercises: Make learning fun and help your child maintain the improvement he made during his school year. Review together all the topics he learned by creating an educational game or printing out enjoyable exercises. My daughter is in pre-school, and I will be posting the exercises that she'll work on this summer.

3- Cook together: When your children are involved in the kitchen they will eat better because they will feel more comfortable with your recipes, they will accept new ingredients since they have, step-by-step, followed and participated in the cooking procedure.
What I personally suggest, is for you to put a menu with two options and make them choose between those two. That way, they will feel that they are in control of that meal time that has always, or most of the times turned into a fight! They will be responsable of the choice they made and obligated to finish their plate. " You cannot be a chef if you don't taste and eat everything" this sentence always work with my daughter since she loves being a chef like her father. And even though she was one heck of a picky eater now she eats everything and tastes everything. Check out our recipes they could be useful since they are easy, quick and healthy!

4- Play dates: Before school is over make sure to take her best friends phone numbers, talk to their parents and schedule a play date every week or two. You will help your children, especially if they are young like mine, stay in contact with their friends; that way going back to school won't be as hard as it is expected to be.

5- Organize family trips: trips to the beach, to the mountain, family picnics, or camping trips. A time spent with the family is always treasured.

How To Be Super Mom wishes you a great super duper summer!

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