Free-Choice Learning

Belinda @ Kids Matter

Can you imagine a world where the only things we ever learned were what we were taught in school? Never having been a history buff, the year 1492 is now just the memory of a rhyme about something Columbus did. Yes, that something was very important to America but nonetheless, it was 521 years ago and didn’t encourage my desire to learn about history in the least. What inspires you to learn? Do you have a compelling urge to learn, seek fulfillment, or explore? What drives you to quench that thirst for new information?

Personally, I can’t imagine living a life knowing only what I know at this very moment. Life is about living, learning, and aspiring to fulfill one’s self. Learning is exciting, adventurous, and yes, even scary at times. Albert Einstein said it best, “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” It is wisdom that feeds are minds and fulfills us. In order to acquire wisdom a person must be receptive to learning. To learn we must recognize that we have formal learning in a school setting and informal learning in the world around us. Given that a mere portion of our lives, roughly 10-20%, is spent in a school setting it is only reasonable to conclude that the opportunities of the world are our greatest teachers in life.

Working off a theory based on the elements of choice, control, and personal identity promoting learning in an informal setting, Dr. Shawn Rowe and Mark Farley from Oregon State University developed a study named after a term they defined as, “Free-choice learning”. This term is defined as all the learning we do that takes place out in the world, not in a school setting. Through the aid of a grant from the National Science Foundation they built a lab to monitor and record how people choose to learn. This can be compared to a learning museum; a hands on facility where instead of just looking at a picture or statue you interact with the exhibits.

A most inspiring way to promote family time would be partake in free-choice learning as a family unit. Many of us have done this for years and weren’t even aware that this is what we were doing. How about that family vacation where you took the kids spelunking? (Spelunking is cave exploration.) You got out as a family and learned about the world around you. Instead of your child sitting in a classroom viewing pictures of stalactites in a science book, you introduced them to the real life thing and had a phenomenal time doing it. I’m not saying learning in a school setting is not important because it very much is and is the basis for which we begin our education. I’m just saying that if I had been on the ship with Columbus in 1492 it would have been a much more exciting, educational, and memorable event for me. Kick it up a notch… add some spice to your learning by injecting life experiences. Start with a book on caves then visit one. Bring learning to life and allow the report card to be the smile on your child’s face.

Childhood Obesity

Parents today want the same things for their kids that every other generation has wanted. We want our kids to be successful, happy and healthy. Sadly, that is not the case in many homes today. As children and families become more sedentary, parents have to work longer hours and screens like TV, computers, phones, etc. are constantly distracting kids and keeping them from being active. Their health is declining at an alarming rate. The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

Today, approximately one in three American kids or teens is considered overweight or obese. This rate is nearly triple the rate of childhood obesity in 1963. As parents get busier and kids become more sedentary, this epidemic continues to grow. Today’s children are being diagnosed with diseases that have historically been “adult problems”, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels. In addition to the physical issues, these children are also experiencing more psychological issues such as low self-esteem, negative body image, and depression.

What can you do to give your kids the best chance at a healthy life?

• Start by restricting screen time. Restrict the time they can sit and use these devices. Encourage them to go outside and play. After a healthy dinner, take the entire family for a walk around the neighborhood. If you don’t want to walk, pull out the bikes.
• After work, take the kids outside and set up an obstacle course in your backyard. Use a rope or a garden hose to outline the course. You can then race the kids, or you can perform the course as a relay team.
• Play ball! You can pull out a basketball, baseball, soccer ball, football, softball, kickball or any other ball that you have in the house. Get outside and divide the neighborhood into teams. You can mix kids and adults on teams, or you can have a kids versus adults game. A little competition is a good way to get kids interested.
• Plant a garden. Not only will you get fresh vegetables for the table, but also your kids will get exercise working in the garden. Research shows that kids are more likely to eat vegetables that they grow. Take the kids to the local garden shop and let them pick out a few plants that they want. You may also plant a theme garden. For example: a pizza garden and include plants like tomatoes, peppers, basil, onions, etc.

Get outside with your kids and show them the way to be healthy. Children will do what their parents do; just telling them to do something is not enough. You must be willing to play with them and interact. These are the days that your kids will remember. They will not remember sitting down to watch TV each night; they will remember the games you played outside or the hikes you took together. Take the time to teach your children about health and wellness. It will be a lesson that stays with them for a lifetime!

By: Angie @ Kids Matter

The Path Back to Nature

Following a butterfly across a field of wildflowers, lying in the grass picking out cloud animals, watching squirrels play a game of tag, or a father holding hands with his son as they walk gingerly through the woods in search of wild game are simple things that trigger fond memories from childhood. For many, sadly, this is not the case today. Somewhere, in the age of technology, our children have lost touch with nature. The closest some come to nature is the enchanted black forest in a computer game. It’s time to reintroduce our children to nature, as a family, and build memories while stimulating growth, intelligence, and physical fitness. Research has shown that regular time spent in nature facilitates better social and physical development; improves fitness, motor-skills, and well-being; supports creativity and imaginative play; inspires collaboration while reducing stress, violence and bullying; creates feelings of empathy; and supports whole-child development and learning.

The distance from nature that we have incurred as a “techno” family has triggered alarming trends in the increase of obesity, attention disorders, and even depression in our children. The 2012 Kids Count Data Statistics show that only eight states in the U.S. have a higher rate of children with one or more emotional, behavioral or developmental conditions than Kentucky. Research indicates that nature has a calming effect, and taking into account the fast paced lives that we lead, we are all well aware of the need to relax. Introducing our children back to nature is a step in the right direction toward stabilizing their emotional and physical well-being.

This is an opportunity for you to merge the worlds of nature and technology which, in turn, will take you into a whole new relaxing, yet stimulating, world. There are many sites related to nature on the internet. Here are some tips to help you learn where to start. A must stop in your search is a site by Richard Louv, author of the bestselling book, Last Child in the Woods (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2005). Louv has defined a term, “nature-deficit disorder”. This term explains exactly what occurs when limiting or removing nature from the upbringing of our children. Last Child in the Woods is part of a growing movement termed, “Leave No Child Inside”.

If you are ready to take that leap, to create everlasting memories while focusing on the mental and physical growth of your child, you are just a click away.

1. Richard Louv's website- Children and nature movement and how you can get involved.

2. Children and Nature Network - A Stronger, Closer Family.

3. National Environmental Education Foundation - Children and Nature Initiative Prescriptions for Outdoor Activity

4. National Wildlife Federation - Connecting Kids and Nature: Working towards 10 Million Kids Outdoors.

Belinda @ Kids Matter

Monday Meanderings - Frugal Summer Fun Pt. 2

Time for some more activities for your family to do this Summer, without breaking the bank.

The Art Girl Jackie has a great tutorial on Sharpie Tie Dye. I love how she finished it off with an iron on.

Here is another great spin on the Melted Crayon Art that I see all over the Internet. This one is by Come Together Kids and I love the heart in the middle of the canvas.

Alphamom has a great tutorial on Sandpaper Printed Shirts. I love this idea and I am thinking of doing Super Hero logos for my son this summer.

Lastly,Create With Your Hands made a great sidewalk chalk neighborhood. My son would be so excited yo get all of his cars out there and go to town!

Let your creative side flourish this week with some frugal ideas!

Monday Meanderings - Snowmen

Cold weather is here and as much as I already miss summer, I love snowmen. Real snowmen or fake snowmen, I love them all.

Enjoy some of the great snowmen that I found online.

First, we have The Frugal Teacher with a great expiriment documenting the lifecycle of a snowman! I think this is an amazing idea and as soon as I can clear out some space in my freezer, we are doing this.

The Idea Room made the cutest snowmen out of powdered sugar donuts. This would be adorable on the table when the kids wake up. Imagine how excited they would be, especially if school was called for a snow day too!

This is Olympia, the world's tallest snow woman. She was built in Bethel, Maine, she is 122 feet and 1 inch tall and was built in 2008. When they built Olympia, they beat thier own record of tallest snowman. They had built one in 1999 that had previously held the record. Olymia's eyelashes are skis, her lipstick mouth is made of tires that are painted red, her arms are actual trees and her scarf is 100 feet long.

Do you know what these are? They are bread ties that have been painted to look like snowmen. Get all the details at Crafts by Amanda.

Now, I love a big snowman, but there is nothing cuter than a snowman in miniature. These are from Martha Stewart and are 8 - 12 inches tall. We usually make mini snowmen to sit on the garden wall in our yard. They look cute all lined up and each scarf is a different color.

Stay warm, but make some snowmen soon!

Lost Ladybug Project

Do your kids enjoy science? Would they be interested in helping out the Entomologists at Cornell? This is your opportunity to contribute to a real scientific study and teach your children the impact that all people have. In the past 20 years the number of native species ladybugs has been declining rapidly and the non-native species are becoming more abundant. The rare species are the two spotted and the nine spotted ladybugs. The shift has occurred as people have imported ladybugs for bio control. There was such demand for ladybugs that they have now shifted in nature and the Asian species are more common that the natives. The researchers at Cornell are working hard to figure out the drastic change and what must be done to get the ladybug system back into balance. Please help out by going to their website. The Lost Ladybug Project is an important bit of research being done shoulder to shoulder with children, parents, and scientists.

Ladybug History

Some believe that ladybugs were given their name in Europe after the red robes of the Virgin Mary ("Our Lady") or because farmers believed they were sent to them by "Our Lady" to save the farms from the "ravages of pests". They were originally called "The Beetles of Our Lady" and that was eventually shortened to "Lady Beetles", which they are commonly called now.

Ladybugs are predators and a gardener's best friend. They feast on primarily aphids. Even in the larval stage they will consume aphids and other soft body insects such as mites and white flies. All of the insects consumed by ladybugs are considered pests in gardens. If you find ladybugs in your garden you can rest assured that they are eating these pests and you will not have to resort to chemical use.

Ladybugs hibernate in the winter and they prefer to hibernate in groups. They will frequently get under the siding of a home and sleep away the winter. During hibernation they will consume their own body fat to survive. Have you ever found a ladybug in your home? Often times they will be hibernating the warmth inside your home will awaken them, They then travel towards the heat and right into your home. Sadly many of the ladybugs that wake up mid-winter and go into our homes will not survive. Ladybugs need humidity to survive and to stay hydrated. Most homes are very dry in the winter causing the ladybugs to dehydrate.

When ladybugs are frightened they will leave a small yellow substance in their wake. This is not a waste matter, instead it is their blood. When they are frightened they will pull in their legs and pretend to be dead. To keep up the look of death they will release a bit of blood  from their legs by way of "reflex bleeding". Many of their predators find it to be foul smelling and will not consume them.

The Lost Ladybug Project is a great way to get involved in science and the website is a wealth of information. There is a teaching section with lesson plans, identification tools, and so much more. Get involved in Science!

Monday Meanderings - Keeping Cool

I am not sure where you are, but here in KY the weather has been hot and humid! That means we need to find ways to keep cool so I thought I would go on a search to see how others are keeping cool this summer.

First we need a yummy dessert that does not require turning on the oven. Teaching with TLC really delivers with her amazing Ice Cream Cake. Doesn't it look delicious?

As much as would love to just eat dessert, I need some other nutrition too. Here is the  Katie Brown Blog with some great no cook recipes. I want to try the Gazpacho with Goat Cheese recipe that she links to from Real Simple Magazine. It looks delicious and the Farmer's Markets are bursting with fresh tomatoes!

If it is too hot to go outside where you are maybe you could do some of these activities.

The Line Game - Each person gets a piece of paper and they each draw a line on a piece of paper. It can be any kind of line: straight, angled, curvy or any other shape. Once the line is drawn, everyone switches paper. You now have to make a drawing from each other's line drawing. It is always fun to see what one person can make from another person's beginning.

Another great activity is Mad Libs. No need to always have the Mad Lib books, you can also make up your own stories. For Example:
Storyteller: There once was an animal. What kind of animal?
1st child: A Kangaroo!
Storyteller: There once was a kangaroo named_________.
2nd child: Star!
Storyteller: There once was a kangaroo named Star. Star liked to __________.
1st child: Wear socks!
Storyteller: There once was a kangaroo named Star. Star liked to wear socks.

The story can go on and on. You can also ask the kids to tell you the story. Once it gets some length to it (4-5 lines) ask them to repeat it to you. This will be fun and it will work on their attention and recall skills.

If you can go outside, try some of these ideas.

Come Together Kids Blog has a great Bubble Refill Station. The kids just go over and put more bubble solution in their containers. No worries! They also include a bubble mix to make at home.

Build a Kidwash! The kids can go through on foot or on bike. Keep cool is the name of the game. This post came from Discontinuity on Indestrucables.

Keep cool in this hot and humid weather!

Tuesday Teachings - Worms, Worms, Worms

This past Friday (July 15th) was Gummy Worm Day! My son's teacher was so kind and invited me into the classroom to do a special segment on worms/gummy worms. I had so much fun and I think the kids enjoyed it too. I am sorry I do not have action pictures of the kids participating in the activities but I did not want to put a bunch of kid's pictures on here with out parent approval first.

First, I purchased 2 inch petri dishes for the whole class. Once I received them, I washed and sanitized them well to make them food ready. I then laid a small gummy worm in each dish and made blueberry gelatin to surround them. Each child then had a gummy worm snack to eat. They really enjoyed this, as how often does anyone eat anything out of a petri dish?

Next we played a game of "Pick Up Worms". I cut up several pipe cleaners/chenille stems into a variety of sizes and we used tweezers or ice tongs to pick them up. This was much like the game my son and I played picking up snakes, I just renamed it. To make it a bit more of a challenge, I put the "worms" in a container filled partway with colored rice.

We also played a rousing game of "Worm in the Apple". All of the kids stood in a line with their legs spread. They were the apples. The child at the end of the line was the worm and had to crawl and wiggle through every one's legs. When he reached the front, he also became an apple and the new last person was the worm until everyone had a chance to be the worm.

I also made up a little sheet for everyone to measure their worm. For this, they used a gummy worm. I taped a seamstress' measuring tape down to the table and we measured each worm a couple of ways. First we just laid the worm down and measured it. Next, we stretched it out as far as we could without breaking it and measured it. This turned into a discussion of elasticity and how even though we stretched the worms, they went right back to their original shape. In addition to measuring the worms in inches, we also had a pre-made measuring stick of "unifix cubes". The kids wrote each measurement on their sheet and at the bottom of the sheet was a box to draw a picture of their worms.

The last activity was probably one of the favorites. I actually bought a container of night crawlers. I put a few in larger petri dishes and gave the children magnifying glasses to investigate them. We wrote down all of the words that they used to explain and describe the worms. In the beginning several kids were hesitant to touch the worms but by the end everyone was letting worms hag out in their hands. At the end of the experiment, we went outside and released the night crawlers into the garden that they have. The classroom is growing tomatoes and marigolds. We explained how the night crawlers would crawl around in the soil and make it loose and easy for the roots of the plants to go down deep and allow the plants to grow happy.

Children's Garden

Metal Fence with Cutouts from Children's Artwork

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Marcia Farris, Director of the Arboretum in Lexington, KY. If you live in the area then I am sure you have visited the Arboretum numerous times but I was interviewing Marcia for something very special. They have opened the new Kentucky Children's Garden. My family made a visit to the Arboretum the day of the grand opening and we were excited to see the diversity offered in the Children's Garden.

The Butterfly Garden

Marcia was kind enough to take some time out of her busy day to sit down and discuss exactly how this garden came about and what the plans are in the future.

In 2004, the Arboretum hired Herb Schaal of Fort Collins, Colorado to be the conceptual designer of the garden. Once they discussed all the options and were able to narrow down the choices, they began fundraising to make their dream a reality. As of 2011, they have raised $1.2 million of the needed funds and only have $80,000 more to go for completion.

Spider Labyrinth Garden

This dream came about as more and more families came to the Arboretum for walks, family time and classes. The Little Sprout classes offered at the Arboretum were filling up and the staff was being forced to turn away children that wanted to enroll in the classes. They knew that the interest in outdoor and environmental activities could be sustained and that the 25 square foot garden plot that was currently being used as a Children's Garden was inadequate for the volume of visitors.

Pond with Rock Path Bridge

The new Children's Garden is situated on 1.85 acre of the Arboretum and provides an environment for hands on usage, exploring and learning for kids aged 2 and up. There are areas to get in a creek, plant flowers, crawl through butterfly antennae, walk through a labyrinth and so much more.

Pathway with Fossil Imprints

They currently have installed a butterfly garden, a birthday garden, a creek and pond area, a spider web labyrinth, tall grass prairie, Native American area and a cave. Once more funds are raised they are also planning a few other things like a short grass prairie, Pioneer garden, transportation garden and fairy garden.

Native American Garden

As you go through the garden paths you will see animal tracks and leaves imprinted in the paths. These tracks are a history of our state and the animals that have been in our area. At every turn there is something to learn, whether parent or child. They have great raised beds that include a sensory area with soft plants and smelly plants; a barnyard garden with plants named after barnyard animals and an Alice in Wonderland Garden that contains the plants Alice encountered (minus the talking).

The Cave

If you have not visited the new Children's Garden I hope you will put it on the list of things to do this summer.

Monday Meanderings - Ocean Studies

With Summer fast approaching many families will make tips to the ocean and this is a great time to teach kids about ocean life that they will normally not see.

First we have The Wonder Years Blog with a beautiful ocean mat that you can make inexpensively at home. What a great way to teach a young child about where in the ocean animals live.

At Ramblings of a Crazy Woman they made adorable Handprint Hermit Crabs.


On YouTube there is this great time lapsed video of a starfish flipping over. It took the starfish 6.5 minutes to flip but the video is sped up to be only 39 seconds long.

Have a great week!

Tuesday Teachings - The Letter L

Another week, another letter. This week we had fun learning all about the letter L. Please feel free to download a copy of the letter L below.

Letter L

Some words that start with the letter L : Late, Lose, Love, Link, Lion, Laces, List, Lip and Lay

For our lesson, we focused on Lamb, Leaves, and Lady Bugs.

First up for us is Lamb. We printed out the letter L and then my son glued cotton balls to the L while I cut out a face for the Lamb. We then glued on the face and drew on an ear and four legs. My son always enjoys an activity that involves glue so this was a big hit.

For the next craft, we pulled out the glue again. This time we printed out the letter L and glued Leaves that we collected from the yard all over the L. We also made the Leaf necklace that we featured yesterday but my son has already misplaced it so I was unable to get a picture.

Continuing the Leave theme, we also made some Leaf Rubbings. It was later in the evening by now so instead of going outside to collect leaves, we used the leaf rubbing plates that I had stashed in my supplies. This would work just as easily though with real leaves. Lay the leaves back side up on a table, lay a piece of paper on top and then use the side of a crayon to rub it over the leaf to get the impression.

For the last activity, we made Lady Bugs. I took the round yard sale stickers that you can buy at any big box store and cut a few rows of them in half. My son then stuck the halves on a letter L. We then drew in the spots and the antennas.

Foods that start with the letter L: Lamb, Liver, Lollipop, Lettuce, Lemons, Limes, Licorice and Lox.

For our snack, we went with a great activity that I found on The Idea Room. If you have not checked out this site yet, give it a try. She has some great ideas on there. Our Lollipop Cookies were very easy. The dough was a great sensory activity for my son. He is not great at rolling dough into a snake just yet but he had a lot of fun trying.

We used packaged sugar cookie dough and divided it in fourths and colored each section with food color, red, blue, green and yellow. We then put it back in the refrigerator with each color wrapped individually in plastic wrap for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Then we pulled it back out and divided each color into about 10 balls each.

Next we took one of each ball and pressed them together and rolled them out into snakes. We then  wound the snakes around and around until all of the dough was gone.

Before you bake, put a lollipop stick into each cookie. Ours baked for about 10 minutes but follow your recipe's bake time.

Monday Meanderings - Fall Crafts

Well, Fall will be here soon so I thought we could look at a Fall Craft Meandering today.

First up is the Frugal Family Fun blog. They made the cutest leaf necklaces. They used green leaves but as the leaves change colors, the leaves would be beatiful colors to make more necklaces with. I love this and will be doing it soon.

This link is from Wee Folk Art where they are working on a Fall Homeschool Curriculum that you can also download for free at thier site. This week they made some great salt dough vegetables. I love teh look of them and the curriculum guide is great.

This last link is from Crafts 'n Activities for Kids and I have to say, I wish I had a straw hat on me right now. He is so cute that I need one right now instead of having to wait to go buy a hat tomorrow.

Make Your Own Fossils

The other day I was talking to my neighbor that is 6 years old. She was telling me all about how she went on a hike and the great things that she saw. As she continued to talk she told me that she found a really neat fossil while hiking. She was very impressed with the fossil so that got me thinking. My son is not ready to go hiking yet but there is no reason why we can’t make our own fossils.


Supplies:

Air Dry clay

An item to be your fossil print

We molded our clay into a disk shape and then we used a small plastic dinosaur as our fossil. We just laid the dinosaur on his side on the clay and pressed him in. We then pulled him right back out and set the clay over to dry. The clay will usually need at least 24 hours to dry. Since this was not a big challenge, I guess my son felt shortchanged because he then wanted to fossilize everything that was not nailed down. We also kept the frog fossil we made but the others he wanted to continue playing with them while they were soft so no pictures of those.

Setting the Table for Kids

As your kids are getting older it will be a good idea to teach them how to set the table for a meal. Not only will this assist you at a busy time of your day but the kids will get a sense of responsibility too. It is always a good idea to work on proper table manners.

Supplies:

Construction paper (darker color)
Fork
Knife
Spoon
Cup

Set the paper in a sunny spot outside. Put the fork on the left hand side, leave an open spot for the plate, and then place the knife and the spoon. The cup belongs up above the spoon and knife. Leave the setting in the sun for about 3-4 hours. The sun will fade the paper in the areas that are not covered leaving a perfect outline for a place setting. We only left ours outside for one hour, but it is good enough to be a sample now.

Once you bring the "placemat" inside, it will give your kids a model to work with while setting the table for a meal. Everyone likes to feel as if they are contributing in some way and setting the table is the perfect way to let the kids contribute.

Chalk Paint

It has been so hot around here that we can not usually stay outside for long but if it cools down a little we try and slip out to have a little fun.

This time we made chalk paint. If you have not made chalk paint before, I highly recommend it. The colors are so bright when they dry!

Ingredients:
Cornstarch
Water
Food Coloring

I mix equal parts cornstarch and water in a measuring cup. I usually start with 1/2 cup of each. Once they are well mixed, without lumps divide the mix evenly between the number of colors you want. I use plastic cups to paint from so I pour the chalk mix into the cups and then add enough food coloring to get a good color. It usually takes 8-10 drops for a vibrant color.

We then go out on the sidewalk and paint away, using the cheap foam paint brushes that I get in a package of 10 at the dollar store. You do NOT want to use nice brushes on the sidewalk, just buy the cheap ones.

I will forewarn you, if your child is anything like mine, he will probably look like a Smurf when you finish. I have never had a problem with the chalk paint not coming off once we get in the tub. It rarely comes off though when we are just cleaning up after painting, he has to be physically submerged in the water. Have fun and let your inner Picasso run wild!!

A Healthy Family

Kid's Activity Pyramid

There are many things we can do to keep our family healthy. One of the easiest things to do is to just go outside and play. You can play games of tag, hide and seek, kickball, throw a ball, red light/green light or Simon Says. Regardless of the age of your children, you can play a game out side with them.

The youngest kids will understand Simon Says and red light/green light, the older kids will enjoy badminton volleyball, basketball or just tossing a ball around. It does not take a lot of forethought to do these activities and not only will it improve your health and the health of your child but it will also improve the relationship you have with your kids. If you do not already have some of the games that requires equipment, now is the time to purchase it. Stores are marking everything down to super clearance in preparation for fall and winter so summer items have to go. There is still plenty of time for you to use these activities outside though.

Another great thing you can do is a 5K walk or run with the whole family. Pick a local charity and participate in their event. Not only do you get to exercise but you can teach your child about philanthropy by collecting donations. Here in Lexington we can refer to a local shoe store's race calendar, John's Race Calendar. If you look at this calendar you will see that there is at least one race every weekend that is within a short distance of our town. I bet your town is the same way.

If you do not want to do a 5K, you could always put together a race for your family and a group of friends. It would be easy to go to a local track and perform your race. Before arriving, pick a few events or distances. You could have the Dads compete, the Moms compete and the kids compete. The winners of each event would receive a small award like a trophy or a medal. Be sure you have plenty of water and sports drinks on hand along with some oranges, apples and bananas to keep everyone healthy. If you do not have access to a local track, do an obstacle course at the local playground.

If you want it to be a longer lasting activity, buy pedometers for the whole family then pick a destination. From Lexington, maybe I would pick Kings Island in Ohio. When I go to Mapquest I see that it is about 115 miles. When I looked around online I discovered that 2,000 steps is about equal to 1 mile so we would have to walk 230,000 steps to get to King's Island. You could do a graph for each family member that you log the steps to every night. You can compete to see who gets to Kings Island first. It does not have to end with you actually going to the amusement park but it would be fun to then go to the place you are "walking" to.

There are lots of great ways to keep healthy and to teach your children how important it is to use their body every day. Maybe just playing in the backyard with Mom and Dad will teach the kids to love their bodies and to take great care of their bodies.

Neil Armstrong's Birthday!

Today is Neil Armstrong's birthday so I thought it would be great to share some activities with your kids about the moon. It is hard for young kids today to understand the excitement of the first man to walk on the moon so maybe a history lesson should be where we start.
Important Facts:

• In 1966, aboard Gemini 8, Neil Armstrong became the first man to perform the first manned docking of two spacecrafts with pilot David Scott.
• Armstrong's second and last spaceflight was as mission commander of the Apollo 11 moon landing mission on July 20, 1969. On this mission, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the lunar surface and spent 2.5 hours exploring while Michael Collins remained in orbit in the Command Module. Armstrong is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
• His quote as soon as his left boot touched the moon's surface "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" is one of the most famous quotes of all time.
• 450 million people around the world heard that quote as it was aired live from space.
• 15 minutes after Armstrong stepped onto the moon's surface, Buzz Aldrin joined him.
• While preparing for liftoff from the moon's surface, they discovered that in their bulky spacesuits they had accidentally broken the ignition switch for the ascent engine. They proceeded to use part of a pen to fire the engine. Neil Armstrong still has that pen on display.
• The footprints that were left on the moon during that first space walk in 1969 are still on the surface of the moon. This is possible because there is no wind or rain on the surface of the moon so footprints last there forever.

The set up for craters

The craters

For some activities we did a few different things. First we discovered how craters are formed. This idea comes from Universe Today. We put a small layer of flour in the bottom of a cake pan and then covered it with cocoa. We were then supposed to drop marbles on the surface to act as space rocks but since we had no marbles we used out bear sorters/counters. Be forewarned, this is messy when things drop in the flour/cocoa but my son had a lot of fun doing it.

Top view of star ball

Side view of star ball

The next thing we did was make Star Balls. We took card stock and cut out 7 identical circles. We then took 6 of the circles and folded them in half and cut a slit horizontally to the fold that extended about halfway through the semi circle. Take the one remaining circle and fit it into the slits of the other six circles.

A game to play is called "Man  in the Moon". All but one child stands in a line on one side of the yard. The one single person is the Man in the Moon. He chants:

"I am the Man in the Moon.
I will catch you soon,
If you are (name a clothing color or the first letter of a name)."

Once the chant is said everyone that fits the description tries to run to the other end of the yard. If they are caught they must then assist the Man  in tagging the other players. You continue the game until everyone has been tagged.

For dinner, we made Moon Crater Pizzas. I took English muffins and sliced them in half.

We then talked about how the English muffins look like the craters we made earlier. Once that discussion was over, we spread some pizza sauce on the English muffins and covered that with pepperonis.

I had taken some time earlier to cut some of the pepperoni into halves (for the half moon), the rest were left whole to represent the full moon. Next we sprinkled on the cheese and baked it.

Hope you had fun celebrating Neil Armstrong's birthday with us.