Water Play for All Ages

Getting kids to play outside when summer temperatures rise can be tricky. (Isn't it funny how we spend the long Ohio winters wishing for summer, only to complain it's too hot to go outside in the summer?) But if you're anything like me, you don't want your kids hibernating indoors with the air conditioning and video games. Let's face it, playing in the sprinkler isn't much fun after the age of five, either. So we've tried to come up with a few water games using Water Blaster Water Cannons to get all ages--even teens-- active outdoors this summer.

If you haven't seen a water cannon, you really need to check one out. Made in the U.S.A., water cannons are easy to use and clean. Just point it in the water, pull the handle back to fill it, and push the handle in to spray the water back out. The faster you push it it, the faster and farther the water comes spraying out. Check out this VIDEO to see them in action. Once your cannon is loaded try these fun activities:

• Bucket Blast: Have a friend hold a bucket at one end of the yard while you stand at the other with your canon and a bucket of water for refills. Load and fire 5 times to see how much you can get into the bucket. Then switch and you hold the bucket while your friend tries. This game would also work great as a relay event. Each team member could take a turn loading and firing into a bucket to see which team lands the most water in its bucket.
  

• Bubble Blast: One person blows bubbles and then stands back and keeps score as another person tries to blast as many bubbles as possible with water. Switch roles and compare scores!

• Wet Tag: Whoever is it "tags" people by spraying them with the canon. Can you tag everyone before running out of ammo?

• Wet Laser Tag: Every person grabs a cannon and loads. If you get hit, you're out. Use a big bucket full of water in the middle of the playing field as a refilling station. Can you be the last one standing?

Do you have a Water Blaster Water Cannon game or activity idea? We'd love to hear it! You never know, we might give you a prize if we like your idea!

Outdoor Family Fun for Memorial Day Picnics

The smell of hotdogs and burgers is in the air. The long Memorial Day weekend is almost here. And so far, it looks like we're going to have sunshine. But if the thought of spending a hot afternoon in Uncle George's backyard with nothing to do but listen to Aunt Marge complain about her bunions has you dreading the weekend, we're here to help. Here are a few fun ideas that all ages can play outside.

1. Boochie: This bean bag and ring toss game is great fun for all ages. Pick your color and put your special score-keeping, instruction-giving wristband on. As you click your wristband to keep your score, it tells you how you have to toss your items: between your legs, with your eyes wide shut, etc. Toss yours the closest to the Boochie to score a point. The first one to 11 wins. Great, active fun that is simple enough for a 5 year old and challenging enough to keep adults entertained. Different wristbands have different challenges, so switching them up will keep interest high for a long time!

2. Water Cannon: If you don't mind getting a little wet, bring a water cannon (or 3!) to the family picnic. All you need is a bucket of water to go with it, and let the fun begin. Shoot at each other, or set up fun targets to see who is the sharpest water shooter. It's easy to load and easy to empty. Just keep it away from the grill so those burgers don't get ruined.

3. Stomp Rocket: Okay, I know I've talked about these before. But they really are that fun! No one can resist stomping on the launch pad to see how high he can make the foam-tipped rockets go. Kids can't seem to help chasing them either. Just be sure you're far enough away from the potato salad to avoid a messy landing.

Hopefully, at least one of these ideas will work for you and yours so you don't get stuck rubbing Aunt Marge's bunions. Enjoy the holiday weekend! And look for us with Mrs. Fisher Cat in Hudson's Memorial Day Parade!

Outdoor Fun: Give a Jump Rope a Try

I'm afraid to write it. Living in northeast Ohio, I'm aware how the weather can change from sunshine and singing birds to blowing swirls of snow before I finish this post. Yet I'll go ahead a say that spring seems to be on its way! It's time for running and playing outside again.

We get a lot of folks in the store this time of year looking for fun outdoor activities. We have plenty. We have stomp rockets, Beam-os, and kites (oh my!). All of these are fun, active ideas for outside play. But the often overlooked toy is a jump rope. In fact, when I suggest a jump rope, many people literally wrinkle their noses as they ask, "Any other ideas?" Okay, I kind of get it. A jump rope is anything but a new concept. But I'd like to make a case for getting your kids a jump rope or two this season.

1. Jumping rope is great exercise. Ten minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to running one mile! But it's not as hard on the knees as running.

2. If you add music and/or rhymes to the jumping, it's now building the brain right along with those leg muscles. The added rhythm and coordination involved in jumping to a chant or beat gets the brain working more in tune with the body.

3. It can be played alone or with friends. Taking turns twirling and jumping is a great way for kids to play together and encourage one another. A single-length rope is great for alone practice time and speed building.

Still not convinced? Maybe the jump rope rhymes below will inspire you to try. Have a rhyme of your own you remember? We'd love for you to post it! Pictures of your kids jumping? We'd love to see them to help inspire others! Happy jumping!

RHYMES:

Down in the valley
Where the green grass grows
There sat ______(girl's name)
Sweet as a rose
She sang so long and she sang so sweet
Along came ______(boy's name)
And kissed her on the cheek.
How many kisses did she get that week?
(count & jump until you miss)

********
Apples, peaches, pears, and plums
Tell me when your birthday comes.
(Jump to the months until you come to your birthday month and then count to your date.)

*********

Cookies in the jar, candy in the dish;
How many pieces do you wish?
1, 2, 3, 4, . . (count & jump until you miss)

*********
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn all around (spin as you jump)
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground (touch)
Teddy bear, teddy bear tie your shoes (jump on one foot while you "tie" one shoe)
Teddy bear, teddy bear read the news (hold hands up like your reading paper)
Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs (alternate feet while jumping)
Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers (hold hands in position and close eyes)
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn out the light (reach hand up to flip the switch)
Teddy bear, teddy bear spell "good night"
G-o-o-d N-i-g-h-t (try to jump and spell as fast as you can)

********
Cinderella, dressed in yella
Went upstairs to kiss a fella.
Made a mistake,
Kissed a snake,
How many doctors did it take?
1, 2, 3,...(Count & jump until you miss)

Active Play That's Easy on Mom

I am tired of standing in the sun, pushing my kids on the swing. There. I admitted it. My kids, like all the others on this planet, love going to the park. Of course they do. Why wouldn't they? And I like to encourage it. I like keeping them physically active and breathing in fresh, summer air.

But there is the reality of what park time can mean for adults. It can mean feeling the sand stuck to your sweaty forehead while you pretend to eat the 100th sand ice cream cone your twins just made for you. It can mean yet another round of tag where you try to strike the balance between running fast enough to keep them on their toes, but no so fast that they can't get away. And the swings. Please tell me I'm not the only one who dreads when her kids want to swing. Pushing them on the swing is fun for about two minutes for me. Then I just start to feel miserable. I even find myself wishing to be back in the sandbox; sand in your underwear isn't that bad, right? But I do it, and I even try to smile.

Still, I need a break. But I still want my kids to be outside playing. So here is what I tried. I got them a stomp rocket set. What great fun! They played for hours, taking turns jumping on the pad to launch the foam-tipped rockets into the sky and then racing to retrieve them. They could work it all by themselves! No mom standing in the hot sun for a couple of hours required!

When they complained the other day that it was too hot to be running around, I simply turned on the sprinkler and let the rocket launching begin again. Their creativity soared like the rockets as they pretended launches were delayed or dangerous because of the rain. They stayed cool and active. I gained a couple more hours sitting in the shade on my porch swing, sipping iced tea. Now that's the kind of swinging a mom can enjoy!