Posted by drozzell on April 30, 2009
Ice has become such a convenience that we don’t typically think about making it. These days, with automatic icemakers and dispensers that deliver ice into your glass directly from the front of the freezer door, you don’t even have to open the freezer to get it. That is what makes this activity somewhat novel. Assuming you can find an old-fashioned ice tray, have your child take some fruit juice, or lemonade, or Kool-Aid type drink, pour it into the tray, and place it in the freezer. In a couple of hours you will have frozen fruit juice, which you can break up into pieces and suck on. What a great antidote for a hot summer day.
Posted by drozzell on January 24, 2009
There are many simple card tricks, including a lot of self-working ones that even a young kid can learn. I recommend getting a book from the library or book store with easy-to-learn tricks and teaching your son or daughter how to carry it off. (It might be a good idea to practice it yourself first!) Then let your child show off for the family or friends. Card tricks always seem to be crowd pleasers.
Posted by drozzell on December 28, 2008
I really like things that I can do with my kids that are also good for me, such as exercising together. Even better is when the activity helps others as well. Try signing up together with one or more of your kids for a walk-a-thon or walk for charity. You spend some fun time together with your kids, get outdoors for a little exercise, and support a good cause, all at the same time. This parent-child activity is like having your cake, and eating it with frosting!
Posted by drozzell on December 13, 2008
Bowling is a sport that almost anyone can play. In fact, I would say that bowling is a sport that is easy to be mediocre at (though very hard to excel at). For this reason, bowling also ranks highly as a fun activity that is easy to do. It is suitable for boys and girls of almost any age. My teenage son and I often go bowling for an hour in the evening or on a weekend. The sound of the ball crashing into pins is exhilarating, and the great feeling you get if you make a strike is hard to beat. My son and I have fun competing, but I also enjoy using the time together as an opportunity to talk about things privately that he might not want to share with other people.
Bowling is also fun for younger kids as well. Most bowling centers now have side rails that can be programmed to pop up when small kids are bowling, preventing the ball from going into the gutter (sometimes I think I need this, too!). In this case our five year old daughter can bowl with my wife, my sons, and me, turning the trip into a family outing. And even young kids can get strikes. I have watched many kids roll the ball down the lane with barely enough speed to reach the pins at the end, and then see every pin go down. That always brings a lot of smiles, and creates some good memories as well.
Posted by drozzell on December 8, 2008
This is a good indoor activity, especially good if the weather is not suitable for playing outside. Puzzles are widely available and typically very inexpensive. Make sure the puzzle is age appropriate, not too difficult so that your child doesn’t lose interest quickly. If you want the activity to be more educational, choose a puzzle with a theme: the world, United States, the solar system. I think it is best not to help out too much, but rather let your son or daughter work the puzzle with only a little assistance from you. You can scratch your head as you pretend to look for a piece, and maybe occasionally nudge it into view if you see your child is having trouble. One of my favorite puzzles for kids who are about 4-5 years old and up is a puzzle of the United States of America with pieces in the shape of the states. What a great way to learn about the 50 states while doing something fun at the same time!
Posted by drozzell on December 2, 2008
A classic activity, and not to be overlooked, is simply reading to your child. Every son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter loves to be read to. There are so many books to choose from, and so many of them are terrific. The choice of book matters less than your attitude. Just hearing your voice, happy and full of expression, means so much to a child. In my opinion, Dr. Seuss, with his creative invented words and fun rhyming patterns and word cadences, is about the best there is for younger kids. I have enjoyed McElligot’s Pool since before I could read, when my parents read this wonderful book to me, and I have read that book to my sons and daughter more than 100 times since, I am sure.
My wife and I have read to our kids since they were very young. Now, and I think it is partly but not completely nostalgic, my wife still reads to her daughters, even though they are now college-aged. They still love it! And reading to your child costs nothing but a little of your time. The reward will be to build a lasting bond with your child and create special memories that your child will keep forever.
Posted by drozzell on November 29, 2008
If you prefer a healthier option than cookies, try this fun, quick and easy alternative. Slice some fruit and cheese and create a fruit and cheese platter. Pick whatever items your child likes—grapes, apples, bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines strawberries, orange sections, tangerines. There is almost always something in season. Add some whole grain crackers such as Triscuits to eat with the cheese. Depending on the time of year, there are often local specialties. I grew up in an area with many strawberry farms where you could even go and pick your own. During the season the strawberries were plentiful and delicious. Sometimes it is fun to experiment with less common fruit like mangos, dates or figs. Your son or daughter will almost certainly enjoy this!
Posted by drozzell on November 28, 2008
This activity is always popular. Everyone likes cookies, and baking them can be almost as much fun and eating them. Easy-to-make recipes are widely available (Nestle’s Toll House, for example). If speed and easy clean-up are priorities, you can just go for the slice and bake variety—they are surprisingly good! Your child can help arrange the clumps of dough on the cookie sheet. A tradition at my house is to taste a little of the raw cookie dough. In 10-15 minutes your cookies will be ready to eat!
Posted by drozzell on November 24, 2008
There are always errands to take care of, but you can turn these into a parent-child activity by bringing your child along. Going to the hardware store, the drug store, the grocery, the newsstand—your child will enjoy accompanying you while you do all of these types of things. You meet people together, talk to people, buy a few items that you need, and while you are taking care of your errands you have the opportunity to look around the stores and talk about things that you see. Hardware stores are especially good places to go with young boys because of the variety of items on display. Tools, nails, nuts and bolts, light fixtures, gardening needs—you may get a lot of questions about what these thing are for, and this is your chance to talk to your child about them. Tell him about what you see and watch his eyes sparkle! For a daughter, let her join you to shop for a few items at the drug store or grocery. Explain why you choose one product over another. Running errands with your child is both educational and relationship-building.
Posted by drozzell on November 20, 2008
Fishing is perhaps the classical father-son or grandfather-son activity, but girls like it as well. Teaching a young child to fish is one of the quintessential times for bonding and relationship building. It can be very simple. Just fishing from the bank at a local pond or lake with a bamboo pole and worms is easy, inexpensive, and usually yields results in the form of some caught fish. Opportunities are plentiful in most parts of the country. There are farm ponds, lakes, and rivers in every state. The specific type of fishing will vary from place to place, but the basics are the same. If available, trout farms and catfish farms offer a near certainty that fish will be caught and can be taken home for dinner that same evening. My daughter’s first fishing trip was a success, catching bluegill which I prepared for dinner–yummy! I encourage every parent to go fishing with his or her child, boy or girl.
