On games: "Shape-O"

Another easy project that has yielded much fun and laughter is my simplified version of "Bingo." We use shapes and small objects around the house as markers. (Today APC chose Barbie shoes and the boys small wooden blocks.) The best part is when someone achieves 3 in a row and gets to yell, "Shape-O!!!" I mean, what game isn't fun with an exclamation when you win? The parts are easy and self explanatory to make.

The card






The call squares



Happy "Shape-O" players



Not only does every one enjoy getting a little loud, but they practice their shapes to boot.

This game is easily modified and can be used to practice numbers and letters as well. What variations can you all come up with? I hope you'll share!

On Games: Ladder-bee

The Cs have a fenced in yard. It prevents the dog AND the children from escaping. It also provides a helpful apparatus that H and I used to invent the game we played all last summer, Ladder-bee. A variation on lawn golf, Ladder-bee uses a frisbee instead of a golf ball lariat. The object is to throw your frisbee into one of the horizontal fence poles from a distance of 35(ish) feet. If you hit the top post you receive 3 points, the middle 2 points, and the bottom 1. If it goes over you lose a point and H has to run to the neighbors yard to fetch it. (That's my favorite rule. That kid needs to run of some energy once in a while!) :-) Thankfully we have like 6 frisbees so we have a few throws before he runs to collect them. The winner is the first to 21 and you have to win by 2 points.  Once again, thank you to the gods of random ideas for helping me think this up. I'm sure you could find something in YOUR yard to create a variation. It's not as easy as it sounds, but it's quite fun!

On Games: Impromptu Twister

What to do with 3 bored children and 1 multicolored rug? Why not play an impromptu game of twister? That's just what we did one day and it was a big hit. Not only were we working on learning non-primary colors (ie. sage green, rust, navy blue, and cream) but we challenged ourselves physically, practiced coordination, and had fun to boot! It started with my randomly calling colors and body parts and ended with the four of us on the floor in fits of giggles.

My job is often overwhelming, stressful, and demanding, but I am thankful for the days that I have random bouts of inspiration that lead us to fun-filled and educational activities. Sometimes the best ideas come from an everyday item to which you never gave a second glance.