Monthly Archives: July 2013

The Paper Chase

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think about making something out of paper—Origami? Paper airplanes? Papier-mache? For most of us, those were activities we did in Kindergarten or in an after-school crafts program. But creating things from paper is definitely not just for kids. This week, the Parents@Play team had a chance to try out two books that made us look at paper—and what you can make out of it—in a whole new way. We produced some very cool projects. Better yet, we discovered an amazing new way for kids and parents to spend some fun, creative, entertaining—and electronics-free—time together. And we’re confident you’ll be able to do the same with your family.

Paper Made! 101 Exceptional Projects to Make Out of Everyday Paper, by Kayte Terry (Workman Publishing)
Warning: if you read this book, you may never throw away another newspaper, magazine, empty cardboard box, bag, piece of torn wrapping paper, napkin, or candy wrapper as long as you live.

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Kayte Terry is a genius. The things she creates from stuff that otherwise would have ended up in landfill or a recycling bin, are absolutely amazing. And if you’re willing to put in the time, you’ll learn how to make equally amazing things by folding, cutting, gluing, painting, molding, weaving, twisting, braiding, shredding, crumpling, and even sewing ordinary pieces of paper and cardboard.

Projects include a fruit bowl from braided newspaper, a place mat from woven strips of lottery tickets, a book bag made out of an actual book, a lampshade made from decks of cards, jewelry, picture frames, tables, photo albums, and a lot more. Any or all of these can be done by one person alone. But they’re a lot more fun to do with someone else—or a group of someone elses.

The New World Champion Paper Airplane Book, by John M. Collins (Ten Speed Press)

Unless you’re an aeronautical engineer, forget everything you ever learned about making and flying paper airplanes and let John Collins show you the way. As the proud owner of the Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled by a paper airplane (226 feet, 10 inches), Collins really knows what he’s talking about.

He starts the book with a kind of flight-school, explaining the physics behind flight, how different shapes and types of wings affect lift, what rudders and flaps do, and even how to throw for the best effect. He then gets into folding 101, starting with the most basic folds and working up to complex ones that may take quite a few attempts to master. You could skip all this and dive right into the airplane making, but your aircraft won’t be nearly as good.

Once you’re ready, you’ll find step-by-step, illustrated instructions for how to build the most amazing paper airplanes ever. We’re not talking about basic airplanes that you make in less than a minute and toss across the room. The planes you’ll learn about in this book might take half an hour or more of very detailed work to make. But instead of having a craft that stays airborne for a few seconds and then crashes, you may be able to build one that will float around for minutes at a time (at least that’s what Collins says. Some of his “follow foils” stayed up for that long. The longest we could manage was about 30 seconds).
All in all, a perfect activity for very patient parent-child teams ages 10 and up.
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Saying No to the Summer Brain Drain

From a family-togetherness perspective, summer is a fantastic thing: family trips, camping, and, if you’re lucky, a vacation. Families often use summer as a chance to bond as a family but also to unwind. This is why camping vacations to places like Iceland are so in demand. If you are interested in visiting Iceland yourself, you can look here for more information. This gives these families time in the great outdoors and a chance to just hang out. Some families also look for local, kid-friendly places to keep their children active and having fun, as well as try to spend time together as a family (See – best ranked family entertainment near me for more information). But from the school perspective, summer is a disaster. Most education experts say that kids lose about three months of knowledge over the summer and teachers have to spend the first two months of the new school year catching up. Fortunately, there are ways-most of them painless-to keep what your kids learned last year firmly inside their head. This week, we review three books that, besides offering a great way to stay connected with your kids, will help you brush up on a few subjects you probably haven’t used in a decade. All three authors were guests on Armin Brott’s “Positive Parenting” radio show. You can listen to those interviews at mrdad.com/radio, then search for the author’s name.

Summer Bridge Activities (Carson-Dellosa Publishing, Greensboro, NC)
This book (it’s actually part of a series, one for the summer between each year of elementary school-1-2, 2-3, 3-4, etc.) is pretty traditional, meaning it has worksheets, graphs, maps, and even some flashcards. But it manages to keep kids and parents engaged while reviewing last year’s learning and getting a head start on next year’s. Besides math, reading, writing, and other academic subjects, the books also include physical fitness (actually doing it, not just reading about it) and suggestions for family field trips.

Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay up Late, by Laura Overdeck (Feiwel and Friends, New York)
Bedtime stories are a wonderful way for families to spend time together-and to get kids to learn to love books. But have you ever wondered why we don’t do math with our kids before they go to bed? Sadly, math gets dumped into the category of things that most people do only because they have to, not because they want to. The goal of Bedtime Math is to change all that and to make math a fun, engaging part of our kids’ lives, to make it as beloved as the bedtime story. Each section (there are more than 30) starts with fun piece of trivia about such topics as flamingos, bungee jumping, exploding food, and team mascots. Then, there’s an equally fun math problem that uses what you just read as “props.” Actually, there are three problems on the same topic: one that involves mostly simple addition and subtraction, one that might require some basic multiplication, and one that incorporates logic along with the other math functions. It’s all such fun that you’ll find yourself reading the book long after the kiddies have fallen asleep.

Potentially Catastrophic Science: 50 Experiments for Daring Young Scientists, by Sean Connolly (Workman, New York)
Despite the name, the experiments in this book aren’t really all that dangerous-as long as you and the kids follow the directions. The book is like an archeological dig through 34 of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in human history. We start with Stone Age choppers and the discovery of fire more than a million years ago, and go all the way through rocket launches, lasers, and DNA. Each experiment includes a brief explanation of what made the invention so special, what it does, and where the potential for catastrophe was. Those overviews are so entertaining (and educational) that you could, theoretically, quit right there. But why would you when you’ve got step-by-step instructions for how to actually replicate what you’ve just read about? You’ll have a blast-especially in the chapter that talks about gunpowder.
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Making Summer Travel Fun

Planning to hit the road this summer? A road trip is a summer adventure that is fun for the whole family, one that has you hitting the road and heading off to amazing destinations. If you are thinking about this, you may want to find a car that is spacious and won’t make your family feel cramped inside, here’s a full list of seven-seaters you might want to check out, so your family can have a comfortable trip on that long trip ahead. Of course, having something to keep them preoccupied while you drive would be helpful too, so you’ll definitely want to check out some of the great travel items that will reduce family squabbling and keep the kids happy, entertained, and, most of all, quiet!

SeatPets (SeatPets)
For kids, seatbelts can be the most annoying part of any trip-even worse than a younger sibling. Kids spend half their time squirming around, trying to get the seatbelt into a more comfortable position. And if they fall asleep, they often wake up with a seatbelt mark on the face. With SeatPets, those problems are a thing of the past. Little bro or sis, however, will still be as annoying as ever. SeatPets are soft, cuddly creatures that fit over any seatbelt, making it a lot more comfortable. They also have big, soft heads (lion, cow, ladybug, cat, dog, monkey, and monster), which help keep the child’s head supported and reduce those sore nap-necks. These plush pals also come with a variety of pockets so kids can store away treasures, and a handy backpack strap, which makes it easy for Junior to schlepp his own Pet when your hands are full. $19.95 (discounted if you buy more than one). https://www.seatpets.com/

Peppa Pig Picnic Adventure Car (Fisher-Price)
If you haven’t been to Europe lately, you may never have heard of Peppa Pig. But you will soon. Peppa is a precocious porker with her own TV show and, not surprisingly, a line of toys, books, and other products, including the Picnic Adventure Car. Kids will love to act out their own road trip with Peppa and her pal George (included) and the bright red family car, which plays songs, says phrases, and even does the famous (or soon-to-be-famous) “Peppa snort” that will send your child into fits of giggles. Comes with a picnic basket and blanket. $19.99. http://www.peppapig.com/

My First Camera (Plan Toys)
Even the youngest kids are fascinated by electronics. They’re also incredibly hard on them. With My First Camera, toddlers and preschooler will enjoy “taking pictures” just like mom and dad. Plus, it keeps those little fingers busy and away from your expensive camera. The kaleidoscopic lens gives kids a different view of the world every time they look through it, and there’s even a strap to help them keep it nearby. My First Camera is eco friendly-made of sustainable materials, water-based dyes, and organic woods, meaning it’s no big deal if it ends up in someone’s mouth. $15.00. http://en.plantoys.com/

Kidzoom Camera and InnoTab 3 (VTech)
If your child is too big to be distracted by a camera that doesn’t actually take pictures, try Vtech’s Kidzoom Camera. It’s a fully functional digital camera that not only lets your child take and edit photos (with cool effects), but also make movies and play three included games. The camera holds up to 1,000 photos that are as high-res as many budget-priced cameras aimed at adults. $39.99. http://www.vtechkids.com

Vtech also has an array of tablets for kids, from the youngest right up until they’re ready for their own iPad. Officially, they’re toys, but they’re actually pretty sophisticated. The new InnoTab 3 has a child-friendly, multi-function, touch screen that’s easy-to-use and nearly impossible to break. And with Learning Lodge, which is VTech’s proprietary library, kids can download apps, books, music, or choose from games that teach them subjects like math, social studies, which will help minimize the summer brain drain. $69.99.

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