The 10 Minute Game

A Game a Day Keeps the Grumps Away...

As long as it's a 10 Minute Game!

I love playing games, I really do. However, games that last a long time, require a lot of setup, or lots of instruction, are just not my type. I like simple and fun games that are quick to setup, fast to explain, simple to catch on to, and where play time is ten minutes or less. It is tough for me to justify playing Monopoly or Settlers of Catan on a whim. I do have ten minutes to get out a quick one and have a little fun.

Christmas brought us two, new "ten minute" games. The whole family has already mastered them and we have deemed them as "Keepers". 

Tenzi
This was a gift from my sister's family. It is the BEST! This is a one minute game or possibly 30 seconds (depending on how many rounds you play). Each person (up to 4 players), receives ten dice of the same color. However, each player's dice are a different color. I may have blue...she may have red...he may have pink, etc. Everyone rolls their dice at the same time and the object of the game is to roll your own dice until they are all one number. 
Example: I roll my dice and three of them are fives, the rest are random. I set aside my fives and roll the other seven until they are all fives. I yell "Tenzi" when all ten dice are the same. There are may variations that make it fun and fast-paced. Tenzi is the perfect game to play with younger children, too. We have played it at least 50 times, and we tend to play at least 20 rounds each time the game is brought out. Everyone wants to play so I got us another set so 8 people can play at once. BEST GAME EVER!!!!! 

Spot it
I first noticed this game at a lunch date with a friend. She had her five year old with her, and to provide some entertainment, she took this game out of her purse and this cutie went to town with matching fun. The cards are circular, filled with random items such as a four leaf clover or a paint splat or a lightning bolt. Sometimes the items are big, sometimes they are small. Each player is given one card to begin with. The remaining cards are in a deck with one card turned over. The first person to spot a match between their card and the top of the deck (by shouting out the item) gets the deck card. The next card in the deck is turned over and the matching adventure is on again. Sounds easy? Well, it is harder than you think. Sometimes it takes me 15 seconds or more to discover that I actually have a match, because each card has 10 or so items on it and the object is not always the same size as a previous card. My youngest child received Spot it for Christmas. This is another fun one that takes only five minutes to get through, is fast paced, and addictive. However, since you are competing against other people, some tears of frustration may be shed. 
Tip: If you're playing with younger ones, keep the older kids out. They tend to take over and the little people get upset. A four and six year old play well together, but when the fourteen year old is in, he'll find all the matches and then you'll wish the game was never pulled out in the first place. 

A quick, 10 Minute Game is a great motivator...

"Get all ready for bed and we'll have time to play a 10 Minute Game"
"Go tidy your room and we can play a 10 Minute Game"
"Want to play a game after dinner? East your veggies!"
"Get dressed for the day and we can play a game!" (My 4 year old loves to live in her PJs)
"No more grumps! Cheer up and we'll play a game!"
"Get ready for church by 10:15 and we'll play a 10 Minute Game."
"Let's have a 30 minute quiet time and then we'll enjoy a game together." LOVE THIS ONE

...You get the picture.

I'm developing a 10 Minute Game bucket. When it's time for a quick game, get out the bucket and pick one. Or, have two games going - younger kids on one, older children on the other. 

Stay tuned for more ten minute game ideas. February is our Media Fast Month so we'll be doing a lot more game playing for the next 24 days.

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Lessons from the Disneyland Disappointment

Dental, plumbing, and cars to pay.

Disneyland, we'll catch you another day!

Plans were in motion to visit the Happiest Place on Earth over the summer. Making it a designated stop for our California Dreamin' Trip, everyone was ecstatic, especially our youngest daughter. She spent hours combing through the scrapbook of our Disneyland trip from 2006. Obviously, she wasn't born yet and was slightly confused at seeing her older sister at a similar age and wondering why it wasn't her. She spoke of Disneyland several times per day and could not wait to see the "Princesses". 

Bushman Family Disneyland Trip - May, 2006

My 3 Oldest Girls with Princess Aurora - May, 2006

Unexpected Summer Disasters came, and kept coming. We were inundated with expenses that were beyond our control...car problems, plumbing issues, garage door repairs, delightful dental work...things that had to be taken care of. How would we pay for our Disneyland trip?

Oh, the painful decisions we have to make as parents! How could we disappoint our little 3 year old who talked about going to Disneyland every day? The trip was getting closer and closer, and the children were asking for trip details and itinerary. 

We had to break it to them: we just could not swing the Disneyland portion of the trip because of the expenses a fore mentioned. It was the perfect opportunity to discuss financial wisdom, debt avoidance, sacrifice, priorities, and disappointments. Our older children understood and accepted it. Our youngest three were sad, but the attitude of our other five was a fabulous example to them and they quickly got over it.

Our youngest daughter kept talking about Disneyland. Every time she did, I distracted her by saying, "We're going to the beach. We get to play in the water and build sand castles and look for sea shells." Over time, when California was mentioned, she said, "We're going to the beach!" Hooray - she got over the Disneyland Disappointment!

Life is full of disappointments...not making the team, low test scores, trouble with friends, inferior role in the school play, not placing in the spelling bee, cancelled plans, broken relationships, and more, and more, and more.  As parents, we try to spare our children as much as possible, but sometimes it's out of our hands. How do we help them handle these disappointments?

Pray for them, hug them, encourage them, VALIDATE their disappointment, distract, try to find a replacement, listen, cry with them, optimistically look to the future, or cheer them up with something special. Be patient with them, for it just may take some time to get over the disappointment.

Back to our summer, I was excited to find discounted tickets to a local theater company's production of Sleeping Beauty Kids. What a great deal to give my youngest daughter a "Taste of Disney".

She loved the show, except for the parts with Maleficent. After the production, we got our very own princess picture!

Four Pretty Princesses with Princess Aurora!

They also got a shot with Maleficent. However, Little Miss Muffet was too scared so she missed out!

Three Brave Princesses with Maleficent!

Our very own Princess Picture for $2 per ticket. Now that's a bargain, Disneyland. 

Today's Stick-to-it Tip: Dealing with disappointments is part of life. How we treat the disappointment is key to building character in our children and for parents, too.

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

DON'T EAT PETE!!!

Pete: A piece of food that you don't want to choose or your turn is over!

It's as simple as that.

Years ago, my children were invited to a birthday party of a family friend. This super-amazing mother of 11 introduced to our family the best birthday party, time-killer, boredom-buster, or Sunday afternoon game...

DON'T EAT PETE!!!

It starts with a simple make-it-yourself board game. Throw in a snack item such as peanuts, raisins, marshmallows, chocolate chips, cereal, pretzels, M&Ms, or an assortment. Add the players and that's all it takes for a fast-moving, interactive game that any child, even toddlers, can play.

Rules of the game:

Don't Eat Pete may be played with three or more people.

Create a game board such as this...

It took me just a few minutes to make this in Print Shop. Whenever I play this game at a birthday party, I change-up the board game to match the theme of the party. 

Other ideas include stickers on a piece of paper, drawing shapes, numbers, or letters on a sheet of paper, or use a muffin tin. All you need is a way to designate which space or picture is "Pete".

Filling up the muffin tin for the next round.

Put one snack of choice on each picture. Send one child into another room for a minute while the other participants determine which photo is Pete. For example, in the Christmas board above, the Santa hat may be chosen as Pete. 

Ready to start the next round

The child in the other room is called back in. The child proceeds to choose a snack off of each piece, trying to avoid "Pete". Obviously, this child does not know which square was chosen as Pete. When Pete is chosen, everyone yells, "Don't Eate Pete", and that person's turn is over. That child gets to keep the snacks that were chosen prior to choosing Pete. 

DON'T EAT PETE!!

DON'T EAT PETE!!

Fill up the board again and send the next participant into the other room. Continue until they're "Petered" out!

Tips:

Children can eat the snacks as they go or give each person a bowl or bag to store the goods for future enjoyment.

Make it into a contest. Save the loot in a bag and the person with the most pieces at the end is the grand prize winner. Fun for a birthday party!

Teach the kids NOT to stare at Pete. If the "picker" is good, they watch the eyes of the other kids and can determine the general area of Pete.

The children who stay in the room should take turns choosing who Pete is going to be.

Generally, the person that determines who Pete will be for the round, gets to go in the other room and be the next participant.

If you want to play with a big group, have several game boards and split people up into smaller groups.

If you want to eliminate the food aspect, use pennies or nickles. Call it, "Don't Pick Rick" or "Don't Take Jake".

This is a great activity for older children to take with them to a babysitting job. Just make sure they determine any allergies of the children they're babysitting.

Don't Eat Pete is a fabulous option for Family Home Evening. The Treat AND Activity can be combined into one game.

She loved it at 10....

...and still loves it at 15!

Don't Eat Pete has provided hours of fun for the children, and hours of sanity for Mom. Here's a High 5 for Don't Eat Pete!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

California Dreamin' Travel Tips: Part 3

If you have 16 Mike and Ikes,

and you take away 7 Mike and Ikes,

How many Mike and Ikes do you have left?

Travel time in the car does not equate to turning off your brain. All of those hours driving to Southern California can be used for some exercising of the mind. My daughter was in need of some brushing up on her math facts, so I began with the repetitions: 8+9, 7+6, 9+4. 13-7, 15-9, 17-10. That didn't last very long. She freezes when she hears the dreaded "minus" word. Then, a bright idea popped into my mind. Use the Mike and Ikes as a treat and a tool for teaching subtraction.

We spent the next 45 minutes practicing subtraction problems with the Mike and Ikes as the manipulatives. After five subtraction problems, she was allowed to eat 1 piece of candy. It was one of those brilliant Ah-hah moments that just came to me...

We are stuck in a car. We have limited supplies at our disposal. She is bored. She needs something to do. I need something for her to do. Treats are always an incentive. She needs help with her math facts. Put them both together and...Bingo!

 

More California Stops - Visiting the So. Cal. LDS Temples

Los Angeles, CA

We arrived at Sunset

She ran into her friend from school!

Our first stop when we arrived to CA = Grody Picture

It was dark as we were leaving!

 Newport Beach, CA

My 4 Girls

Love Temple Pics!

Relying on the camera timer doesn't always get the best pics.

Random, but cute.

San Diego, CA

Love Big Bro/Big Sis Photos

And another - with PURPLE

GORGEOUS - but another timer pic.

All the kids wanted a pic here...but I can't post them all!

Redlands, CA

We always have to get a fountain pic.

Just a pretty shot

Can you even see us?

These temple stops were the perfect half way points for most of our long jaunts in California. It provided some welcome travel breaks and even better, beautiful and spiritual enlightenment.


More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Media Fast - Day 1

Since we're in the middle of a sugar fast, why not a media fast while we're at it? Actually, I will give the credit to my son's sixth grade teacher. The entire class is having a month long media fast from Feb. 1 - Mar. 1. 

"...there is a downside to the modern media because of the great volume of it pouring into our lives. We are in an era when the information superhighway will have the capacity to cut a wide path into our homes. As we consider the importance of nourishing our intellects with the promising potential of superhighway resources, we must be ever cautious about...the impact of media upon our lives. "

M. Russell Ballard

We decided, as a family, to support our son and his efforts by participating in the media fast, too. Here are the rules:

1. Music: Listen to classical or Sunday/church music only

2. Cell Phones: No texting or games. If someone sends you a text, call them back. Cell phones can be used to make calls but please don't make one when you're having a conversation with someone else. (Exception: you may communicate by text with a parent/child)

3. Television/Video/DVD: You may watch ONE sporting even each week. You may watch TWO movies for the month. These need to be done with at least one other family member.

4. Computers: You may do homework and research, but no games, social networking, instant messaging, etc. You may spend up to 15 minutes per day checking and sending email.

5. Video Games: None

We had a family council on Sunday night where we discussed the media fast. Each member of the family committed to it. Some were not too thrilled about it, but they did commit. I'm very proud of them for their willingness to do a hard thing. Instead of focusing on all of the things they're missing out on, we tried to bring out the positive about having more time to focus on things that matter most...family, sleep, extracurricular activities, homework, service, opportunity to make money, etc. Also, the class is going to have a celebration at the end of the month, so our family is, too.

Yesterday was Day 1. I didn't think I would notice very much after just one day, but I was surprised. Here are some of the positive things I witnessed...

1.  My little people played together all day. They played dress up, puzzles, games, tea party, and more dress up. The arguing was diminished.

2. My first grader had more desire to do her school work. She is a movie watcher...it was nice to see her more interested in playing and working.

3. When my five older children came home from school, they gather around me and we talked for at least an hour. It was fabulous! They talked with each other, laughed and had a great time. No fighting!

4. Two of our sons enjoy teasing their little sister. When she purchased a FurReal with her Christmas and birthday money, they spent time helping her figure it out.

5. My son hasn't practiced the piano for a few months (he no longer takes lessons). He sat down and practiced for a half an hour, rather than checking out www.nba.com.

6. Another son spent time dancing and playing to the piano music.

7. My little cub scout gathered the children around the table for a "tea party" while I was fixing dinner. They played happily, and I didn't have any whining or fussing to deal with.

 

8. My oldest daughter randomly gave her sister a hug.

9. This guy spent time learning the ins and outs of a graphing calculator.

10. I felt more peaceful and patient.

I'm enjoying this media fast. I know it's harder for my teenagers since they are the ones that listen to music, text and browse the internet, but if Day 1 is any indication of the rest of the month, I'm Sticking-to-it!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Make it Stick

Children love to stick. What is it about peeling and sticking, peeling and re-sticking? Cause and effect? Patterns? Repetition? Whatever it is, use that love for sticking to keep your children happy and entertained. Here are some ideas for you:

Bandaids: Kids love bandaids! If you ever have a fussy child in a place where you don't want them to be fussy, pull out a bandaid, let them open it themselves, peel off the tabs and stick. Watch them pull it off their hand and re-stick it to their leg, pull it off and re-stick. Give them a character bandaid and watch the fun last even longer. Keep a box of bandaids in your bag for emergency entertainment! My sister gives these as part of a birthday gift. Good idea! 

Tape: A roll of tape...masking tape, scotch tape, duck tape, or electrical tape is another cheap and quick way to keep a little one happy. 

Stickers: Oh, stickers. You are my lifesaver!! Find an inexpensive booklet of stickers, tear off a sheet, give your child a piece of paper and let them go to town. Or, make your own. Use blank mailing labels, design a simple label in Print Shop or any other design program, and print it off. Use pictures of your children to make it more interesting.

Products: I love this product for children over 4 or 5 - Lauri Mosaic Peel and Stick The pieces are foam adhesive that stick to the design by color/number. This is a fun craft that really keeps them busy! Another good idea for birthday presents!

Trains: just one out of ten sets to choose from

Make sure you keep your stamps hidden from little hands or the result will be this: 

At least these stamps were salvageable. Just wait until they stick them to paper!

I came up with the name, Stick-to-it Charts, because the charts we create use hook and loop (Velcro) for the pieces to "stick to" the chart. It's also a double meaning - the charts are tools to help children "stick to" their responsibilities. Read more about it: Here and Here

Happy Sticking!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Delaying = Appreciation

"Your children are getting so big...they have grown up so quickly!!" Isn't this a common statement that we've said to someone or had declared to us? Our children are naturally growing up before our eyes...getting bigger "because they have so many birthdays", as one of my children once stated. Time ticks on and life happens. Sometimes, I just want to put on the brakes and say, "Stop. Stop getting bigger. Stay my little girl for a while." 

I guess we can't put them behind bars...

But they don't want to stop. They want to be big. They want to do everything big brother or sister does. They watch Mom and Dad and want to be like them. Some examples:

Already a computer junkie?

Crazy about the iPhone...

Ready to "walk in Dad's shoes" - in more ways than one

Ready to dunk (the orange cone?) at 13 months

My new housekeeper...

Where am I going with this? I think we can slow it down a bit by delaying some of the "privileges" (not rights) that children want, want, want...makeup, ears pierced, calling boys/girls on the phone, dating, driving, extracurricular activities, own cell phone, new gadgets, outings with friends, etc. 

Don't we all seem to have the super size syndrome - you always want something bigger and better after obtaining the thing you just obtained? For example, you get your child a basic cell phone at age 12 for ease of communication, planning and logistics. Soon, the basic cell phone that he didn't have before, becomes obsolete and he NEEDS a texting phone. You upgrade to the texting phone and soon he NEEDS the iPhone. What will it be next? Another example: your daughter wants to get her ears pierced at age 8. Then, she wants to wear makeup at 11. Then, she wants to call boys at 12, etc, etc. 

Delaying has a few advantages...your children seem to stay younger for longer. Also, delaying teaches waiting, which teaches patience. When your child has to wait for something, their appreciation for the item or circumstance, once obtained, is so much greater.

Our daughter just obtained her privilege of getting her ears pierced. She has waited a long time - until her 14th birthday. I think she is more appreciative and excited about it than she would have been at age 8. She has showed great patience, and I know she'll take care of her earrings and be more responsible than she would have at a younger age. 

Getting her ears pierced with her cousin made it EXTRA special!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie! (Can you tell purple is her favorite color?)

Combat the fallacy of instant gratification with delayed appreciation, while keeping them younger a little bit longer!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!