Who Am I?

Do you have some old file folders?  Don't throw them away!

They can still provide some fun and entertainment for you kids.

· Who am I?    

Paste a large picture of an animal inside a used or new file folder.  Pictures can be found in magazines, calendars, computer, fronts of cereal boxes, or even old greeting cards.  Cut off enough of the front of the folder to just let the ears of the animal show.  Children guess what animal has those ears.  When they open the folder, they can see the whole animal.

 

Want to add some variety?  Using a utility knife on a cutting board (adults) cut tiny windows in the front of the file folder so kids can peek at the total picture.  Can they identify the animal by just looking at a tiny piece of the picture?  Does the picture look the same in all the peek windows?  

 

File folder games are quick and easy to make, take up very little storage,

travel well and are a lot of fun! 

 

What variations of this activity can you create?

 

 

 

 

This blog post was inspired by the book: 

Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes :
Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky B. Baxa available from Amazon.com both in paperback and Kindle editions.

180,full color, pages of non-stop fun!

 

 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I close my eyes and listen...

A strong steady beat rings loudly to my left.  I never noticed the clock ticking so loudly.  The air conditioning is running, there is a forced air sound coming from the vents.  There is another deeper sound I can't identify and if I am not mistaken a bird just chirped outside my window.  The Grandfather clock sings out the chimes...oh!  it is three quarters of the hour.  The tap of the keyboard keys sound different from the push on the space bar.
                                                                    

Sounds... they are all around us, yet we often don't pay attention to many of them.

Have you ever noticed that if you close your eyes the sounds around you seem to be amplified?  When one sense is taken away the other senses have heightened awareness.

Listening Activity

Pick a location to sit in a comfortable spot.  Close your eyes and start listening.  Keep count of how many sounds you hear and what they sound like.  You could set a timer or "play it by ear" :-).

After you have opened your eyes, compare how many different sounds were heard.  Were all the sounds identified?  Did everyone hear the same thing?

Try this inside.  Compare the sounds in different rooms or the difference between the basement, attic and/or garage. 

Listen outside.  Compare being in the country to the city.  Compare daytime to the night.  You will be amazed at the sounds you hear in the evening and early morning.  Compare and contrast the differences.  Experiment with different locations and times.

Have fun!

Effective Communication

I have saved this cartoon for years because I just love the message!  How many times have we been guilty of saying, "mmm", "ahh", "ohh", etc. when someone we love tries to tell us something?  Effective communication takes time and active listening.  It requires listening with your eyes, as well as your ears.  It requires listening without flipping through I-phones, watching TV or reading
e-mail.  It requires talking to, not at, our family.  So, take the challenge.  Turn off the "electronic guests" in the room and really connect with your family.  Start building deeper, stronger family relationships. You will love how it makes you feel!