Mom's Resource: Active Kids

Places To Visit

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:31:00 GMT

Park or Nature Centers-

Take along frisbees or footballs, also take along food and enjoy a picnic! Also check out some nature centers and experience the outdoors!

Beaver Creek Reserve- www.BeaverCreekReserve.org
Cty. Hwy. K, Fall Creek
715-877-2212
Thrill at close-up views of the residents of this 360-acre multi-use wildlife reserve and the skies above. Here visitors will find diverse woodland and prairie habitats and three different facilities: the Eau Claire county Youth Camp, the Wise Nature Center and the Hobbs Observatory. Over five miles of scenic trails give visitors the chance to view many of the reserve's inhabitants, including deer, bear, beaver, wild turkey, golden-winged warblers, tufted titmice, and lady slippers or jack-in-the-pulpits. Self-interpretive trails, wildlife photography blinds, butterfly gardens, feeding stations and boardwalks are designed to enhance your up-close outdoor experience.

The Greenhouse
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Campus
715-836-2637
Trek through a tropical rain forest or wander across an arid plain and wonder at the profusion of botanical species growing in the University's greenhouse.

Chippewa Valley Auto Tours
Eau Claire Visitor Center
3625 Gateway Dr., Eau Claire
715-831-2345
Experience the Timber Trails of the Chippewa Valley where tall stands of timber once brought early settlers and riches to the valley. Canadians and Europeans poured into the region that had been home to the Ojibway Chippewa Indians since the 1600's. View the impact of the last great glacier's crushing ice and rushing meltwater in area prairies and glacial moraines. Travel through the farmlands, towns and villages where diversified agriculture and industry sprang up to replace the exhausted timber and wheat-growing economies at the turn of the 20th century.

Chippewa River State Bike Trail- www.Chippewa-River-Trail.com
800-344-FUNN
This 23-mile railbed trail offers an easy ride through an awesome landscape of prairies, woods, craggy rock formations, rivers and streams. The trail connects to the Red Cedar Trail in the Dunnville State Wildlife Area.

Beach-

Grab your swimsuit, a towel, and some floaties and head to the beach for a day of swimming!

Library-

Take some time to go to your local library and check-out some educational books. Maybe have "treats" for your child for reading a set amount of books.

Museum-

Check out the Children's Museum, Science Museum or even a Historic Museum!

Some around the Eau Claire Area Include:

Chippewa Valley Museum- www.cvmuseum.com
1404 Carson Park Drive, Eau Claire
715-834-7871
See award-winning, professionally designed exhibits about Ojibwa Indians, the area's first towns and industries, and early farm life. Enjoy a treat in a turn of the 20th century ice cream parlor, marvel at an eight-foot, 21-room dollhouse, and find unique gifts and books in the museum store.

Paul Bunyan Logging Camp
1110 Carson Park Dr., Eau Claire
715-835-6200
Bigger than life, Paul Bunyan and his faithful blue ox, Babe, welcome visitors at the entrance of this authentic replica of an 1890s logging camp. The Interpretive Center provides an excellent introduction to the camp, with actual file footage of historical logging operations, authentic artifacts and logging tools. You can tour the bunkhouse, cook shanty, wanigan, foreman’s office, blacksmith shop, barn and heavy equipment shed.

Dells Mill Historical Landmark and Museum
Cty. Hwy. V, Augusta
715-832-7871
This remarkable, five-story building, built in 1864 is entirely constructed of hand-hewn timbers fastened with wooden pegs. Except for the grindstones, the mill machinery, including the millwheel, gears and pulleys, is also fashioned entirely of wood. The waterpower generated by Bridge Creek is transferred from waterwheel to milling machinery over 3000 feet of belting and 175 pulleys.

James Newman Clark Bird Museum
University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
715-836-2637
Tour this remarkable circular museum from the early 1900's.

Children's Theatre-

Enjoy some live shows at your local Children's Theatre!

Zoo-

Take a trip to the zoo. Depending on age have children identify the animals, sounds they make, or even where they normally live!

Take Me to the Ball Game-

Get a couple tickets to check out local sports such as baseball, football, etc. Could be Highschool, College, Semi-Pro, or Pro either way it's always a ball!

Landmarks-

Find landmarks near you and map out a tour to go visit them. Also, research some history of the landmarks and make it educational for your child!

Here's a couple around the Eau Claire Area:

Anderson Log House
Carson Park, Eau Claire
715-834-7871
Now located on the grounds of the Chippewa Valley Museum, Lars and Gretha Anderson built this two-story log home about 15 miles away in Chippewa County, where they raised their ten children. Built in the late 1850's, the style of construction in this house reflects its owners' Scandinavian heritage.

Sunnyview One-Room School
Carson Park, Eau Claire
715-834-7871
From 1882-1961, Sunnyview School served children in grades 1-8. A part of pioneer America's way of life, the school now serves as the site of hands-on learning for many of the area's fourth-graders.

Chippewa Valley Railroad
Carson Park, Eau Claire
715-831-0900
For a genuine old-time thrill, ride this 1/4 scale working railroad through the park. The train features coal-fired steam locomotives, a diesel locomotive, wooden 1880-style passenger coaches, streamline passenger coaches, a gondola car and caboose. The railroad's must-see features include the depot, passenger waiting canopy, roundhouse, turntable, switchyard and the oldest interlocking tower in the state.

Mommy and Me

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:31:00 GMT

Activities for Parents and Children to do Together!

1. A Game of Balloonatics

You'll need:
• a colorful supply of balloons, both long and round

• two boxes, to serve as “goals”

• colorful markers to decorate your goal box (optional)

What to do:
If possible, print out these directions. Read them through with your child before you begin.
With your child, gather everything you need.
Together with your child, color and decorate your “goal” box, keeping in mind this game will be played as though you were playing hockey with balloons.
Help your child blow up and tie two balloons per player, one round and one long for each.
Decide if you will be able to play indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather.
With your child, place the goal boxes at opposite ends of the room, or a reasonable distance apart if outdoors.
Stand, together, in the center of the room, with your long balloon poised as a hockey stick or tennis racquet, and the round one as a puck or tennis ball.
Ask your child to say, “One, two, three, go!” and try to get your round balloon inside your goal, without using your hands, before your opponent.

2. Fitness Card Game-

You'll need:
   • a deck of cards

What to do:
   If possible, print out these directions. Read them through before you begin.
   Explain to your child that the card tasks are:
   Ace = Free pass
   King = 10 push ups
   Queen = 10 high kicks
   Jack = 10 jumping jacks
   Joker = Free pass
   Heart = That number of jump rope jumps
   Spade = That number of sit-ups
   Diamond = That number of push-ups
   Club = Free pass
   3 of a kind = Free pass
How to play:
   Your child deals a card to you. The card is face down.
   You turn the card over and complete the task.
   Now she deals herself a card and completes her task.
   She will continue dealing the cards until all of the deck has been dealt.

3. Hot Grounders Baseball-

You'll need:
• gloves

• baseball

What to do:
If possible, print out these directions. Read them through with your child before you begin.
With your child, gather everything you'll need always remember exercise safety.
Together with your child, decide on the length of the playing area. It should be long enough for each of you to have room to throw the ball overhand. You may wish to start at fifteen to twenty feet apart. Decrease or increase the distance according to your child's skills.
How to play:
Explain to your child that you will throw a ground ball to her.
After she catches the ball, she returns the ball to you using an overhand throw. Encourage your child to move as fast as she can.
She can score a point only when she catches the ground ball. If she misses, it does not count.
Continue throwing ground balls to her until you have reached 25 throws. Keep score as you go.
Now it is your turn to have your child throw grounders to you!

4. Fly a Kite-

Kites are cheap and kids love them. Stay clear of power lines and enjoy.

5. Bubbles!–

Make your own with water and a small amount of dishsoap and/or glycerin. Use straws or funnels for blowing the bubbles.

6. Fun with Cleaning –

Choose either windows (Kids love to squirt spray bottles), dusting, or tidying up. Make it fun with music, incentives (such as hiding money to be found when tidying) or prizes for getting all the windows cleaned.

7. Plant some flowers, vegetables or herbs-

You can use an empty egg carton to start or buy some little starter containers. Once they are big enough, transplant them outside. It’s fun to grow your own plants!

8. Volunteer -

How about a visit to a local nursing home? Or maybe you could take an elderly neighbor on an outing with you, say to a bookstore or coffeeshop. Helping others is always a positive experience.

9. Star Gazing at Night –

Ask what patterns they see. Tell them about the constellations you know. What do they think of the stars. What do you think? What’s out there? How big is it?

10. Coloring -

Both crayons and magic markers are so much fun. Both free drawing and coloring books. The possibilities are endless.

11. Painting! –

Finger paints, brush paints, any kind. The only key here is to completely let your child express his/herself freely. Don’t guide too much except for instruction on how to use the paints.

12. Play Catch –

With little kids, you can start with catching stuffed animals that are easier for them to grab onto, then graduate to an actual ball.

13. Make Ice Cream-

Things You'll Need:
   2 tbs. sugar

   1 cup of half and half

   1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

   1/2 cup of rock salt

   Ice cubes to fill a gallon-sized ziplock bag

   2 gallon ziplock bags

   1 qt. ziplock bag

   Bowls

   Toppings

   Spoons

Step 1-

Assemble all of your ingredients so that you can mix the ice cream quickly.

Step 2-

Pour the half and half, sugar and vanilla extract into the qt.-sized ziplock bag and reseal the bag with some air left in it.

Step 3-

Mix the ice and rock salt together in the larger gallon-sized ziplock bag.

Step 4-

Place the bag with your ingredients into the bag with the ice. You may want to consider double bagging by placing both into another gallon-sized bag in case the ice leaks at the corners.

Step 5-

Shake the bags continuously. Have everyone in the family get involved, as this is something that many kids love to do. You need to shake the bags until you can tell that the mixture inside has hardened.

Step 6-

Open the large ziplock bags and discard the ice, rock salt and used bag.

Step 7-

Empty the bag holding the ingredients into bowls and enjoy your very own batch of homemade ice cream. This recipe makes enough for 1 large serving or 2 small servings. Add your favorite toppings and you are set.

Winter Holiday Games

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:49:00 GMT

Try Some of These Games Over the Winter Holidays!

1. Candy Cane Pass-

Supplies:
4 candy canes per team (have a few extras due to breakage)

How To Play:

Player holds 4 candy canes between fingers and passes them down the line, teammate to teammate, without dropping.

2. Pass the Ornament-

Supplies:
Straw for each child
Ornaments cut out of tissue paper (tree, bell, star, etc.)

How To Play:

Pass the ornaments down the line, teammate to teammate, by inhaling and exhaling on the straw to hang on to or release the ornament. No hands!

3. Rudolph Dash-

Supplies:
Vaseline
Cut circles out of red construction paper

How To Play:

Have child put Vaseline on their nose and then put the red circles on their nose. Relay race to the finish with each new person adding their red nose. If nose falls, go back to bowl and add more Vaseline and reapply nose.

4. Santa Says-

How To Play:

Played similar to Simon Says. The player up is "Santa". Player will say "Santa says hop on one foot". The children will hop on one foot. Player will say "Stop". The children are to keep hopping on one foot until player says "Santa says stop". Repeat for additional activities such as take one baby step forward, step backwards, turn around, sit down. Sometimes Santa will say "Santa says" and sometimes he won't. It's a fun game to play with young children.

5. Book Exchange-

Supplies:
Inexpensive book gift wrapped for each child
Book- The Gingerbread Man

How To Play:

Children set in a circle, each one holding a wrapped book. A Room Mother reads The Gingerbread Man story. Every time the word "ran" is spoken you pass the book to the person on your right. Continue doing until the story is over. Whoever has the book on their lap at the end of the story is theirs to keep and open.

6. Fill the Christmas Stocking-

Supplies:
Stocking, spoon and bowl for each team.
Wrapped candy.

How To Play:

Divide into teams. Have children line up at one end of the room. At the other end, hang a Christmas stocking for each team. Place a bowl of candy and a spoon in front of each team. Each child takes a turn taking a candy from the bowl with the spoon. They then carry the candy on the spoon to the stocking and drop the candy in the stocking. Race back to the next person in line, give them the spoon. First team to fill the stocking wins!

7. Santa Santa-

Supplies:
Santa sleigh

How To Play:

Have children sit in a large circle and blindfold one child. Another child will be given the sleigh and must say:

Santa Santa, where's your sleigh
Someone's come and taken it away
Guess who Guess who?

The blindfolded child gets three guesses. The child who has the sleigh is next to be blindfolded.

8. Memory Game-

Supplies:
18 items in box

How To Play:

Show the items in the box to the children. Remove one or more items out of the box (without children seeing you). Have the children guess what items are missing. For older children put items on large tray or cookie sheet. Cover. Remove cover for 20-30 seconds and then remove tray from room. On your mark, the children are to write down as many items that they can remember from the tray before you yell, "STOP". Most correct answers wins.

9. Gift Unwrap Relay-

Supplies:
Empty boxes wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper

How To Play:

Divide the class into teams. Put a stack of presents at the end of each team's course. The first child in each team runs to the presents, unwraps one, and races back to the next person in line. First team finished unwrapping wins! Note: To make cleaning a little easier, parents may wish to adapt this game to where the child unwraps, throws away the paper, then runs back!

10. Word Find-

Take a Christmas related word such as: Christmas, Poinsettia, Candy cane, etc. and find as many smaller words from it as possible before the timer runs out.

Example: Christmas
Words: sit, is, his, miss, rat, tar, this, math, chair, rim...

Example: Candy cane
Words: candy, cane, and, dance, day, nay, can, dye, an, any...

11. Twenty Questions-

Teacher starts by choosing a Holiday related person, place, or thing. The teacher says, "I'm thinking of something". The children try to guess what it is by asking no more than twenty questions that can be answered "YES", "NO", or I DON'T KNOW". The student who guesses correctly is next up.

12. Clue-
Teacher thinks of person, place, or thing. Teacher gives a clue. Begin at one end of the room and work your way around allowing each student to take a turn guessing until one student solves the case. The student who solves the case goes next.

Example: Frosty
Clue: I'm thinking of someone who wears a hat
Clue: He loves snow
Clue: He'll melt if it gets too warm outside

Clues should be age appropriate for the children playing.

13. Freeze-

Supplies:
Holiday music

How To Play: Begin playing music. Everyone moves and dances until the music stops then they must "freeze" in whatever position they happen to be in.

14. Littlest Angel or Good Elf

How To Play: Challenge the children to do random acts of kindness for others for one day. Tell them that they are not to reveal that they have done these nice things and if someone should ask them, "did you make sisters bed"? they can reply, "Must have been a good elf".

This game helps children realize we don't always have to be recognized when we do something for someone else. If playing with preschoolers or kindergarteners, you may want to send a note home with them explaining how parents can help.

15. Three-Legged Stocking Race-

Supplies:
   Oversized stocking that will fit two feet
   Tie
   Tape to mark finish line

How To Play:

Pair up kids. Have each pair put a leg in the oversized stocking and tie it at top so that it won't fall off. Make sure you have plenty of space. Put all the pairs at one end and mark a finish line at the other. On your mark the kids race to be the first pair over the line.

16. Pin The Nose On Frosty or Rudolph-

Supplies:
   Big Picture of Frosty or Rudolph
   Red circle or orange carrot shape for each child, with adhesive on back and their name on the front
   A blindfold

How To Play:

Blindfold the player, spin 'em around and let them try to stick the nose where it's supposed to go. Give a prize for the player that gets the closest.

17. Holiday Scramble-

Supplies:
Index cards
Paper bags.

How To Play:

Choose a Holiday word such as: Christmas, Candy Cane, Santa Claus, Reindeer.... Write the letters of the word on individual index cards. Do this two times, making two sets. Put each set in a brown paper bag.

Divide children into teams. Give each team a bag. The first team to decipher what the word in the bag is wins. A variation of the game would be to divide into teams with the same number of children as there are letters in the word. Each child gets a letter and they must hold onto the card and stand in the proper order to spell the word for all to see.

http://holidays.kaboose.com/xmas-party.html

Snow Days!

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:06:00 GMT

Here are some fun in the SNOW games for you to try!

1. SNOW HURDLES-

Lightly pack a bunch of basketball-size snowballs and then use them to build a course of hurdles to jump over in a round of follow the leader or create a relay.

2. ROPE TOW-
Team up for a slip-sliding variation of tug-of-war. Tamp down a wide, shallow trench in the snow to serve as the midline. Then, take up positions at the ends of a long, thick rope and let the tugging and towing begin. Whichever team pulls the entire opposing group over to its side of the trench wins.

3. FLAG IN A SNOW STACK-

Tie a white cloth to the end of a short stick or around the bowl of a wooden spoon. Then, give each child a chance to hide it by staking it anywhere within a predetermined set of boundaries. Keep track of how long it takes for the rest of the group to find it. Whoever hid the flag that takes the longest time to spot wins the game.

4. STRIKE OUT-

For this pitching contest, first mound up snow to create three bases and a pitcher's mound. They should each be about 2 feet high and 20 feet apart. Next, build a tin can pyramid on each base. The challenge is to knock down the stacks in order from first to third base by throwing snowballs from the pitcher's mound. The child who succeeds with the fewest pitches wins.

5. HAT TRICK-

Once you've built a plump, frosty snowman to stand sentry in your front yard, make a game of topping him off in style. Take turns trying to land a hat on his head by throwing it Frisbee style from 10 or so feet away.

6. GET ON A ROLL-

Pair up for a contest in which the object is to finish with the biggest snowball. The contest ends when the teams can no longer roll their entries or when you run out of snow.

7. POWDER-PUFF FOOTBALL-

All you need are two teams of three or more people to play, along with a spray bottle filled with a mix of water and food coloring to mark the playing field (a large rectangle with a centerline should suffice). The teams line up at opposite ends of the field (the North and South poles) for a kickoff. Once someone on the receiving team catches the ball, he tries to move it back across the defense's goal line by running with it or passing it to a teammate. Play stops if the person with the ball is tagged by an opponent or slides out of bounds. The teams then face off again on the spot. After four tries, or a touchdown, the ball goes to the other team. The game ends when either team gets cold.

10 Rainy Day Activites

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:57:00 GMT

Here are some ideas for those rainy days!

1. Treasure Hunt-

Here's How:
Pick a prize and find a hiding place for it.
Create your clues. Adapt them to your treasure hunt game players. Make picture clues for pre-readers. Clip images from magazines and catalogs or find them online if your drawing skills are as weak as mine are. Challenge older kids with riddles, puns, or even math problems: Tell them they need to take 3x6 steps or turn 45 degrees, for example.
Try increasing the activity level in your treasure hunt game. With each clue, include direction on how to travel to the next hiding place: hopping, crawling, waving both hands in the air, and so on.
Hide your clues. Again, adjust difficulty to match kids' abilities. Aim for challenge, without too much frustration. Consider hiding clues under rocks, inside plastic eggs, etc. Or see if you can find ways to leave messages without paper. Use magnetic letters on the fridge, or write on a chalkboard, say.
Set ground rules: No running in the house, no pushing other players aside, and so on, as needed.
Hand over the first clue and set the wheels in motion!

2. Put on a Show-

Challenge a group of kids to stage a play or talent show. Give them a theme or opening lines to get them started, if they need a little jump start (how about "Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Rainy Days, a princess was born with webbed duck feet . ").

3. Bring Outdoor games IN-

Play basketball with a soft foam or sponge ball, or just wad up some newspaper; the hoop can be any basket or receptacle (either hung on the wall or resting on the floor). Have kids shoot from different parts of the room or in different ways, in an indoor version of HORSE.

4. Take a Field Trip-

Hit an indoor pool (if you don't have a gym or community center membership, check hotels—they sometimes sell day passes), ice or roller rink, climbing wall, bowling alley, or inflatables play space to blow off steam.

5. Indoor Sandbox-

Use a large plastic bin, dishpan, or aluminum-foil roasting pan as your box. Fill with rice or oatmeal and stock with scoops, funnels, spoons, toy cars, a plastic tea set—whatever suits your child's interests.

6. Set up a rainy-day construction site-

Break out the couch cushions, old blankets, hula hoops, and cardboard boxes and have the kids build a fort or an obstacle course.

7. Up, up, and away!-

Blow up some balloons and play keep-away or "volleyball." Or use paper fans to play a version of table tennis: Use your fan to create gusts of air to blow your balloon across the table towards an opponent—get it past her to score a point. (Remember, the scraps from popped balloons are a choking hazard, so take precautions if you have small children.)

8. Get crafty-

Painting a large mural or pounding clay works your child's muscles too. Spread out a big sheet of paper (in the garage or basement if you can!) and try different ways to paint, from spattering to footprints to rolling old balls in paint and then on paper. Messy? Yes! But good for lots of laughs too.

9. Get your game on-

Stock your toy shelf with indoor games and toys that encourage kids to move, from classics like Twister to new hits like the Nintendo Wii.

10. Get Wet Anyway-

Suit up with boots, raincoats, and warm socks and get outside—you won't melt. Splash in the puddles. Belt out "Singin' in the Rain" while you twirl your umbrella. Do your best impressions of ducks, frogs, and fish. When you come inside, swap chilly rain gear for a warm bath or a cup of soup.

Water Games

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:40:00 GMT

Hot Day? Cool Off With These Water Games!

1. Balloon Squat Relay-

What is needed:
   One water balloon per player, plus extra
   Two or more groups of friends
How to play:
   Two or more teams line up. They pick up a water balloon and run to the finish line. There they sit on the water balloon and pop it, then they run back to the starting line and the next person goes. If their water balloon pops before they reach the finish line they must go back and get another. First team done wins!

2. Fill a Cup Relay-
What is needed:
   Plastic cup
   Large bucket of water
   Sponge
   Two or more groups of friends
How to play:
   You need a plastic cup & sponge for each team, and a bucket full of water. The second person in the line on the team, places the empty cup on their head. The first person runs back and forth from the bucket to the cup, squeezing the water out of the sponge into the cup. When the cup is full the second person empties it onto the first persons head. Then repeats the process using the second & third people, until the whole line has done it. The first line who is finished wins.

3. Ice Cube Melt Water Game-

What is needed:
   One ice cube per team; same size
   A group of friends
How to play:
   The first person holds and rubs the ice cube until their hands get to cold. Then they pass it to the next person, and so on, until the ice cube melts. What ever team melts their ice cube first wins.

4. Over the River-

What is needed:
   One hose with a water source
   One person to control the stream of water
   A group of friends
How to play:
   The person holds the stream of water very low to the ground and everyone lines up and skips over it. Then the stream gets inch higher, everyone skips over it. If anyone hits the stream, they are out. The last person is the winner.

5. Plug the Leak-

What is needed:
   One cup with a hole in the bottom per team
   One bucket of water per team
   One empty bucket per team
   Two or more groups of friends
How to play:
   The first person fills their cup and places it on their head trying to plug up the hole. They race to the empty bucket and pour their water into it. When both teams are finished, the team with the most water in what was their empty bucket wins.

6. Penny Toss-

What is needed:
   A bunch of pennies, half painted with white out
   One pool
   A group of friends
How to play:
   Toss all of the pennies into the pool. Allow a certain number of kids to go and get a penny at a time. If they come up with a penny that has been painted with white out they win a prize!

7. Raindrops Relay-

What is needed:
   Two buckets per team, one filled with water
   A plastic baggie per team
   Two or more groups of friends
How to play:
   Put a bunch of pin holes in the plastic baggie. The group lines up sitting down, one in front of the other ~ so they are facing the back of the person in front of them. The bucket filled with water goes behind the last person, the empty bucket goes in front of the first person. This bucket should be marked at the halfway point. The baggie is given to the first person. When the race starts, the first person takes the baggie to the back bucket, fills it with water and then trys to get the water to the front bucket, but she has to carry it over the heads of her team. She dumps what water is left in her baggie into the front bucket. The line shifts up and she sits in the back. She then passes the baggie to the front person, and that person repeats the process. The winner is whatever group fills their front bucket to the halfway point first.

8. Sponge Relay-

What is needed:
   One large sponge per team
   One bucket of water per team
   One obstacle course
   Two or more groups of friends
How to play:
   Each person dunks their sponge in their bucket and places it on their head. They then proceed through the obstacle course as fast as they can with out dropping the sponge. If they drop the sponge they have to start all over and redunk their sponge. After getting through the course they pass the sponge to the next person who proceeds in the same fashion. The first team done wins.

9. Twister-

What is needed:
   One hose with a water source
   One twister game
   One person in charge of the hose
   A group of friends
How to play:
   This game is played the same way the regular twister game is played, only you continually wet down the game.

10. Water Balloon Toss-

What is needed:
   Water balloons
   A group of friends paired off
How to play:
   Each pair stands face to face with one holding a water balloon. They toss it to each other and then take one step back. Each time it is tossed they take one step back. The pair that has there water balloon intact the longest wins.

11. Water Balloon Volleyball-

What is needed:
   A large amount of water balloons
   Two sheets, or large towels
   One volleyball net
   Two groups of friends
How to play:
   Set up two teams with a sheet on either side of a net. While team members are holding on to the sides of the sheet, place 5 water balloons in the middle, have them toss the balloons to the other side. They must catch them with their sheet and toss them back over.

12. Duck Duck Splash-

What is needed:
   One sponge
   One bucket of water
   A group of friends
How to play:
   This game is played the same way that Duck, Duck, Goose is played only you wring out the sponge on the persons head when you 'splash'.

13. Ice Cubes and Piggies-

What is needed:
   Wading pool
   Large bag of ice cubes
   Two groups of friends
How to play:
   Using a child's wading pool throw some large ice cubes in and have a relay with teams as to who can take the most ice cubes out using only their toes or feet in a designated time period.

14. Water Limbo-

What is needed:
   One garden hose with a source of water
   One group of friends
How to play:
   Get a garden hose and turn it on full. Put your thumb over the left or right half of the opening to create one jet of water. Now you limbo under the water stream. Each time the group walks under the water you lower it. The losers are obvious because they get soaked.

15. Watermelon Relay-

What is needed:
   One watermelon per team
   One swimming pool
   Two or more groups of friends
How to play:
   Each team lines up in the pool behind a floating watermelon. The first person in line pushes the watermelon to the other side and back, but must not have their feet touching the bottom of the pool when they are pushing. They then pass it to the next person. The first team done wins.

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/games/a/watergames.htm

12 Classic Outdoor Games

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:19:00 GMT

Try These 12 Classic Games for Some Outdoor Fun!

1. Swing the Statue- One player is chosen to be "it." He or she takes each of the other players in turn and, holding them by a wrist or hand, swings them in a circle and then lets them go. The swung player must freeze as soon as possible and hold that position as long as possible. The first player to break the freeze becomes "it." Since the first player swung must hold the position longest, begin with the oldest child first. The entertainment value comes from seeing the strange positions that players end up in and watching them try to hold those

2. Sneaky Sprinkler- One person is designated as "it" and controls the water faucet. Kids should be dressed in swimsuits or old play clothes. The children cavort around the water sprinkler. When "it" turns on the sprinkler, everyone must freeze and get sprinkled on until "it" turns the water off. The last person to move gets to be "it."

3. Horse Basketball- Players line up. The first player announces what shot he is going to make and takes his shot. If he misses, he goes to the end of the line. If he makes the basket, the next player must make the same shot. If the second player misses, he gets an “H,” and it is the next player’s turn to announce a shot and try to make it. Each time a player fails to make a shot that his predecessor made, he gets another letter until someone has spelled “horse.” At that point the player is out. The other players continue play until only one player is left.

4. Red Light, Green Light- One person is designated as “it” and plays the part of the stop light. The other kids line up about 20 feet away from “it.” Facing away from the other kids, “it’ calls out “Green light!” The other kids move toward “it.” “It” then calls out “Red light!” and turns around quickly. Any of the kids who are caught moving must go back to the start line. Play continues until someone reaches and tags “it.” That person then becomes “it.” The trick to winning this game is to move smoothly so that you can freeze instantly until you are within reach of “it.”

5. Shadowing- A group of at least six is needed to play. One player is designated as "it" and gets a two-minute head start, followed by two "shadowers." After two more minutes of pursuit, one of the shadowers goes back to the group and starts them in the right direction. The second shadower continues to pursue "it," dropping pebbles, kernels of corn or something similar as clues to guide the group toward "it." "It" wins the game if not found within a predetermined period of time.

6. Hide and Seek- A spot is designated as "home," boundaries for hiding are set and one player is chosen to be "it." He or she counts to a predetermined number before calling out, "Ready or not, here I come!" When "it" sees someone hiding, he or she must run back to home base and call them out. The players can look for opportunities to come out of their hiding places and come in free. A traditional way of ending the game if players are still out is to call, "Ally, ally, in free" or "Come out, come out, whereever you are" or some variation thereof.

7. FlashLight Tag- One player is designated "it" and given a flashlight. "It" counts to 50 while the other players hide. When "it" finds someone, he or she shines the flashlight on the other player. That player then becomes "it," and the first player is free to go hide.

8. Red Rover- Divide the group of kids into two teams. The kids then form two lines holding hands and facing each other. The lines should be 30-50 feet apart. The team chosen to go first calls for a runner from the other line, saying, “Red Rover, Red Rover, let Thomas come over!” Thomas then takes off running and tries to break through the other line. If he breaks through, he chooses one of the kids that he broke through to take back to his team. If he doesn’t break through, he has to stay with the other team. The game ends when everyone is in one line. The game is fun because of the suspense of wondering when your name will be called and wondering whether the runner from the other team will choose you as the weak spot to try to break through. It’s not a highly competitive game as everyone ends up on the winning team; however, Red Rover has been banned on some playgrounds as too rough. Obviously the game works best if the kids are close to the same age. Three practices should definitely be banned. The first is double-linking by holding each other’s wrists or arms. Hands only can be joined. The second is raising the arms high to “clothesline” the runner. The third is thrusting the joined hands outward so that the runner encounters the equivalent of an outthrust fist.

9. Kickball- Kickball uses the basic rules of softball and baseball: four bases to run, three chances to kick the ball and three outs to an inning. Almost anything can be used for bases; old throw pillows or pieces of shingle will serve well. The pitcher rolls the ball to the kicker. Bouncing, other than the little bounces that you get when the ball rolls over grass, is not allowed. If the ball rolls over home plate and is not kicked, that is a strike. If the ball is kicked but goes foul, that is a strike.

The fielder can catch the ball and tag the runner, or step on the base, or throw the ball at the runner to make the out. The ball should not be thrown at the runner's head. If the ball is thrown at the runner and misses, the runner may advance only one additional base. A kicked ball that is caught in the air is an out.

The team that is in the field should space themselves out according to the numbers of players. They will, of course, move in for the smaller players and out for the stronger players.

Other rules can be agreed upon before play begins. Since you won't have a standard "batting order," you may want to kick in order of ages, or in alphabetical order. You may have to have special rules for balls that go over fences, into the street or into a ditch. Agreeing upon special rules is part of the fun!

10. Four Square- Draw off a 10-ft. square with the chalk, then divide into 4 even squares. Number them 1-4, going clockwise. Draw a diagonal line in 1's box, to be the serving spot. The player in the 1 square is known as the king. Number 2 is the queen, while Number 3 is known as the jack, and Number 4 is the peasant. The point of the game is to advance to the king's spot and stay there as long as possible.

The king serves by bouncing the ball into any of the three boxes. The player whose square receives the ball must hit it into another square. The ball can be hit in the air or after one bounce. Play continues until a player fails to return the ball. At that point, that player has to move to the peasant's spot, and the other players advance.

11. Hopscotch- The first step is drawing the grid. The first player tosses a marker into the first square. The marker must land completely within the square. The player hops through the court, landing on one foot in single squares and both feet in double squares. At the end of the course, the player turns around and moves back to the beginning, stopping to pick up the marker on the way back. If a player steps on a line or steps out of the grid, the turn is over. If the player successfully finishes the course, he or she throws the marker into the second square and repeats the exercise. The first player to move the marker through the entire grid wins the game.

12. Capture the Flag- Players are divided into two teams. Each team has its own territory with a boundary designated between the two. Each team must also designate a spot to serve as a jail. This need not be anything more than a particular rock or tree that a prisoner has to touch. Another decision that must be made is how large the designated safety zone around the flag should be. When the game begins, each team must decide where to place its flag. Once placed, it cannot be moved, although it can be guarded. Those guarding their own flag may not enter the safety zone around the flag unless in pursuit of an opposing team member.

Once the flag is placed, team members are assigned to guard their own flag or to enter enemy territory to try to capture the other team’s flag. Any player in enemy territory can be caught and put in jail. The classic Boy Scout rules say that the capture is made by holding the other player long enough to say “Caught” three times. Some play that tagging the other player is sufficient. Prisoners can be released by being tagged by a teammate, but only one prisoner can be rescued at a time.

A team wins the game by capturing the other team’s flag and bearing it back to their home territory. If a flag is seized but is recaptured before reaching the opponents' territory, the flag is set up where it was recaptured. If a game must be ended before a flag is captured, the team with the most prisoners wins.

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