Showing posts with label Family Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Times. Show all posts

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Summertime Fun Ideas

by Betty Benson Robertson - Used by permission
  
Bike Scavenger Hunt: Prepare a question sheet ahead of time, with scavenger hunt locations and questions, such as: How many links are in the swing chain at Fremont Elementary School? How many owls are on display in the front window of the gift shop? What two credit cards are displayed on the window of Smith Construction Company? Ride together to the places listed, record answers and then return to place of origin.
 
Crazy Challenges: Work together in setting up various events such as: discus throw using paper plates; javelin throw using straws; shot-put using marshmallows; diving with each person tossing jelly beans into a container of water; one-yard dash by pushing Trix cereal across the floor with their nose, and standing high jump using a donut suspended from the ceiling about four inches above their mouth - one bite wins.
 
Cupcake Decorating Contest: Make cupcakes and divide them among the children. Provide creative supplies such as icing, sprinkles, M & M's, raisins, and nuts. Each child decorates cupcakes. Pour glasses of milk and eat the cupcakes!
 
Frisbee Golf: Frisbee Golf is played like miniature golf except Frisbees are used instead of balls and clubs. Find an area with several trees. Attach a large number to each tree. Each child tosses a Frisbee to the first number, keeping track of how many tries it takes. Continue through the course until the last number is reached.
 
Gigantic Scavenger Hunt: Each child takes a large trash sack to a heavily littered area and hunts for trash. Encourage your children to continue being "Trash Detectives" to help care for God's beautiful world.
H. O. P. Day: "H. O. P." stands for "Help Other People." Make a list of things the children can do for neighbors or friends. This might include mowing lawns, washing cars, washing windows, or writing a letter for an elderly person.
 
It's A Secret: Select a place your children will enjoy visiting such as the zoo, a museum or a restaurant. For added fun, let each child guess the secret destination.
 
Paper Airplane Mania: Create airplanes from leftover school notebook paper or scrap paper of some kind. Hold a contest to see who wins the highest in flight and farthest in flight.

Note from Lois: For the "Gigantic Scavenger Hunt," because unknown trash items may be involved, it would be a good idea to wear gloves.  We never know what is out there.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Meaningful Family NIghts

Note from Lois: I highly recommend using these wonderful Family Time Activities books to use with your children to impress upon their hearts many spiritual truths.  These guides for parents will help in leading children of all ages. There are great object lessons to strengthen each message - lessons your children will never forget.  They will look forward to Family Nights with you as you use this "never dull," but exciting resource!  I am very impressed with these creative books. Specific instructions and all you need for meaningful and fun family nights are found in these creative resources.

Kirk Weaver is the founder and director of Family Time Training and has labored long and hard to develop a system that makes parents appear creative and cool in the eyes of their own kids. Kirk has written and published hundreds of Family Time lessons, all of which are designed so that parents can follow the directions and cook up fun activities.

Wiggles, Giggles, & Popcorn; Bubbles, Balloons, & Chocolate - for preschoolers
 
Seeing is Believing; Playing for Keeps; Running the Race - for all ages
Tried and True - for teens
 
Using the Language of Children ~ Children learn through activities. The new Family Time Activities books use that language to teach children spiritual truths. For example, teach about Daniel's three brave friends in the furnace by cutting out the cardboard men, soaking them in the alcohol/water solution and then lighting them on fire. The alcohol burns but the water protects the cardboard men from burning. Or the oatmeal plague reminds kids of the Israelites who complained. Put some cold wet oatmeal on a child's arm and let him wipe it off with the grace wipes. Just think, all week when you hear whining you can say, "Should we get out the oatmeal?" Kids learn tremendous spiritual truths from these ideas for Family Time in your home. Learn more here.  http://www.biblicalparenting.org/FamilyTime.asp

Friday, January 14, 2011

Fun Kids' Activities and Crafts They'll Love

        Why not build more good family memories by planning special creative fun for your children or grandchildren?   These stilts remind me of the sturdy wooden stilts my dad made for us kids when we were young, using two solid triangular wooden blocks fastened securely onto two sticks.  We had such fun "walking tall" with those stilts!
        Kaboose and Family Crafts have each given prior permission to post their activities for you, so enjoy doing one or more of these now or later!  You can click either the title of each craft or copy and paste the link to see these wonderful instructions. 

Watermelon PiƱata - Parties or Decoration  - Age Group: 8 & up | Difficulty Level: Average

Paper Plate Porthole - Age Group: 6 & up | Difficulty Level: Easy

Kids' Can Stilts - Age Group: 7 & up | Difficulty Level: Average

Sand Sculpture - Age Group: 5 & up | Difficulty Level: Easy


How to Make Shadow Puppets ~ Teach your kids to have fun without their toys by bringing shadows to life. See how to make a dog, swan, and rabbit with nothing but your hands, light, and a little imagination. http://video.about.com/familycrafts/How-to-Make-Shadow-Puppets.htm
A Challenge for Mom and Dad:  You might work on putting on a shadow puppet show with a spiritual message for a meaningful family night!  Then encourage the children to do the same! 

Crafting Tutorials ~ If you are new to crafting or just want to learn how to do a new technique or use a specific medium, check out these educational how-to's and tutorials.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Object Lesson: When You Pass through the Waters / Make Up Your Own

Object Lesson: When You Pass through the Waters, I Will Be with YOU!

by Lois Breneman, © 2005, Heart to Heart Newsletter

This object lesson will show how much Jesus loves you, as it makes Isaiah 43:2 come alive!  Take the time to do this with your children or delegate it to one of your children to take charge and demonstrate to your family. 

Stuff a paper towel all the way to the bottom of a clear glass (one you can see through), so it will remain there when turned upside down.   Fill a large mixing bowl or sink with water.  Now completely immerse the glass, upside down, into the water, keeping the glass straight (no tipping to the side).  You will see that the paper towel remains completely dry, even though the entire glass is immersed deep in the water.  The paper is totally shielded, even though there is no lid on the glass!  Now pull the glass straight out of the water, without tipping, and you will see it is completely unaffected by the water! 

You can talk with your family about how we are like the paper towel and the Lord is able to shield and protect us in real life as the glass does.  The Lord is L"OO"KING after you!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze. ~ Isaiah 43:2

Make Up Your Own Object Lessons for Special Family Times
Website shared by permission

Children learn lessons in a more permanent way when they not only hear a concept, but see it as well.  This educational resource of Robert Krampf's is an excellent tool for parents and grandparents.  Just go to the Internet, watch one of his favorite science experiments on video, and write out your own object lessons to teach children biblical concepts.

Homeschoolers, Christian school teachers, Sunday school teachers and camp directors will also find this link to be a great resource.  Each science experiment has the possibility of not only teaching a scientific concept, but a biblical lesson found in God's Word.