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If your family life is like mine, youre strapped for time. Are your kids craving fun time with you, but you arent sure what to do? Does it seem like the only time you spend with them is driving around, waiting for scheduled activities to start or putting them to bed? Life with kids is busy. As much as wed like to make memories with our kids, its hard to find a couple of hours that arent filled with schoolwork, sports or other obligations. But heres a secret you dont need hours. You can turn time thats normally idle into a fun activityan adventure! This eBook will help you fit kid fun into the nooks and crannies of your dayall in 15 minutes or less. And yes, you can find 15 minutes. Well show you how. Print this eBook out, grab a pen and circle the activities you think your kids will love. Next time you find yourself idle with the kids, youll know what to do.
Michael Stelzner Dad and founder of My Kids Adventures P.S. On the following pages youll find creative new activities along with some classics that you can use to make memories with your kids (or grandkids) in less than 15 minutes. P.P.S. These ideas are from the amazingly talented writers and editors of My Kids Adventures. Be sure to check out their bios on the last page.
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Now get out there and have an adventure together! Youll find ideas on the following pages.
Car Activities
As parents, it sometimes seems that we spend more time in the car than anywhere else. The good news is that those short trips to school, practice or the store are a great time to connect with your kids. In the car, youve got a captive audience, its relatively quiet and the view outside is constantly changing, which can be great for games. Next time you turn the key, be sure to turn off the electronics and connect with your kids during the drive. Here are some ideas for connecting with kids in the car in 15 minutes:
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Whats the Song?: Sing (or hum) just a few notes and everyone tries to guess the song. Add more notes or lyrics if theyre stumped. Alternatively you can switch the radio on and off quickly or change stations. I Spy: Choose something you can see and say I spy with my little eye something... You can say a color, shape or some other defining characteristic. Other players try to guess what youre looking at by asking yes/no questions. 20 Questions: Think of a person, place or thing and tell the other players which of those 3 categories its in. They can ask up to 20 questions to come up with the correct answer. All of the questions must have yes/no answers. As a variation, you could have an unlimited number of questions.
Where do you think that family in the car in front of (or behind) us is going? Tell a joke.
If you could snap your fingers and be anywhere right now, where would you go? Make your favorite animal sound.
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While-You-Wait Activities
A lot of time with kids is spent waiting aroundfor practice to end, for the doors to open, in line
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or a No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting. Oh The Places Youll Go, Dr. Seuss
Rather than standing around bored or yakking on the phone while your kids try not to squirm, use your wait time to do something fun together. Turn wait time into a chance to connect with your kids.
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Body Sculpture: One person is the sculpture. The others are the sculptors. Move your sculpture in different silly ways. The sculpture has to freeze in whatever position he or she is molded into. You can also have two sculptures that the sculptors make interact. This game usually ends when someone is laughing too hard to be a good sculpture.
Step 2: Print out the template for a cootie catcher and add your challenges. Here is a good template for PowerPoint: http://downloadablecootiecatchers.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/blank-template1.ppt
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Watch this video to learn how to fold a cootie catcher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHT3N-pXVTY Step 3: Play the game. Heres how: one person asks another to first pick a color among the four choices. Based on the number of letters in the color, the cootie is opened and closed that many times. Then a number is selected among the choices shown. Depending on the number selected, the cootie is opened and closed that many times (or you can spell out the letters in the word). Finally a number is selected and the action is revealed.
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Non-Tech Activities
For all its benefits, technology is one of the biggest deterrents to family fun. How many times have you sat down to check email, find some recipes on Pinterest or make a couple of quick calls, only to discover an hour or more has passed and its already your kids bedtime? Its easy to get lost behind a screen and just as easy to pass these bad habits on to our kids. Have you ever popped in a movie to keep the kids occupied while you get something done? Finding 15 minutes to spend with your kids is as easy as pressing a buttonthe Off button. Take time back for your kids by turning technology off for awhile. Here are some ideas for fun ways to connect with kids, unplugged.
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Bedtime Activities
Bedtime is one of those times of day when your children can spend special time with you. Take advantage of this window of opportunity to connect with your kids. Getting them to bed, however, can sometimes be a struggle! When its time to turn in, remember that theyre never too big to be tucked in. Spend some time saying goodnight and sharing quality time together. Here are some ideas to make your kids hop into their jammies and leap into bed for 15 minutes of together time.
Pajama Dance
Get into your jammies. Pick a great song (or try the one below). Dance together in a silly way to the song! Its a fun way to let out a little last-minute energy. Do it together as a family. Consider having themes tooDance like a monkey! Dance like your dad! Dance like your legs are stiff as a board!.
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Your Turn
This eBook has merely scratched the surface of fun activities you can do with your kids. Just remember they grow up so quickly. Cherish the moments, create memories, start traditions and watch what happens. If youd like to discover more fun activities you can do with your kids, be sure to visit MyKidsAdventures.com, where we come up with new fun adventures every week.
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eBook Contributors
This book would not have been possible without the creative contributions from the 15 writers, editors and photographers of My Kids Adventures. An extra-special thanks to Kristin Ammerman, Jennifer Ballard, Holly Chessman and Heidi Estrada, who delivered beyond the call of duty for this eBook.
Kristin Ammerman
Kristin is a creative writer, mom and freelance marketing consultant. She lives on a farm and keeps busy with family activities from soccer and scouts to chickens and gardening. Follow her on twitter @KristinImagines.
Jane Aubrey
Crafting ought to be her middle name. For Jane, nothing beats crafting for an easy, relaxing, calm and sociable means of entertaining her children. Check out her projects at funwithjane.co.nz/.
Jennifer Ballard
Jennifer is associate editor for My Kids Adventures, where her experience as cub master, birthday party entrepreneur, marketing writer and mom of two boys all fit together and find relevance. linkedin.com/in/jenballard/
Robin Bermel
Robin socially markets small businesses and serves in various childrens ministries. She especially enjoys goofing off with and feeding her husband and three school-age children. contentineverything.com
Valarie Budayr
Valarie is a childrens book author, publisher and advocate who is committed to instilling the love of reading and play in children. You can connect with her at jumpintoabook.com.
Holly Chessman
When not offering strategic marketing advice or managing sales enablement programs for tech companies, Holly plays music, reads, watches sci-fi (think Doctor Who) and cares for her four children. takemyadviceidontuseit.com/
Heide Estrada
Heide loves to create family memories. When not working, you will find her photographing her children, trying new recipes, planning family trips or browsing Pinterest for her next project. linkedin.com/pub/heide-estrada/76/853/4b9
Christina Kettman
When she is not exploring the Seattle area with her kids, Christina works with small businesses to market their companies online. She also enjoys blogging at marketingstaircase.com.
Lisa Mason
Lisa is mom to five, ages 1 to 14. When shes not running after kids, shes running her businessSocial Media Satisfied. She writes about parenting at parentingfive.com.
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Cas McCullough
Entrepreneur and mum of three wired-in boys, Cas lives in Brisbane, Australia. She writes about her parenting and family adventures on mumatopia.com.au and her entrepreneurial adventures on casmccullough.com.
Deb Ng
Deb is a busy work-at-home mom with an 11-year-old son. When shes not off having her own family adventures, shes writing books and growing online communities. twitter.com/debng
Sarah Shipley
Sarah is a homeschooling mom of four girls, part-time employee and runs an urban farm. When shes not milking goats or preparing school lessons, Sarah enjoys creative writing. sarahtshipley.blogspot.com/
Michael Stelzner
Michael is a busy dad of three girls and the founder of My Kids Adventures. He also founded Social Media Examiner and authored the books, Launch and Writing White Papers.
Ron Vitale
Ron is the author of the Cinderellas Secret Diaries young-adult fantasy series for teens, and director of electronic communications at Temple University. ronvitale.com/
Bethany Winston
Bethany is a mom, blogger and Greenville News columnist. She enjoys helping families find that next great adventure through her two blogs, No Twiddle Twaddle and Kidding Around Greenville.
The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day. -O.A. Battista
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