Today I have some new games that help address language developmental problems for preschoolers from Fun and Function. There are seven new games to address the speech-language delays and disorders that affect 5-10% of the population.

The games include the Memory Matching Game which helps children learn the plural form of irregular nouns like goose and geese, foot and feet, mouse and mice. It’s designed to improve concentration skills.
The Mad-Magnet Match series comes in a travel tote with large magnetic pieces and play activities that teach Opposites, Associations, and Part-to-Whole Relationships.
Finally there’s the Cool Cards series. All of the games have …read more

The other day I talked about our family having a weekly family game night, usually on Fridays, today I want to tell you about National Family Game Night coming up on September 23rd. Hasbro is challenging families to turn off their TV’s and play a game together as a family on the 23rd.

I know schedules are hectic, both children and parents are busy, but why not devote one night to getting “unplugged” and enjoying each others company over a game? If you can’t do it on the 23rd set aside a day and hold everyone in the family to making …read more

We try to get together as a family and play a couple games at least one night a week. Usually it’s a board game like Monopoly, Clue, Sorry, or Chess, and the last couple weeks it’s been Ruin.
Once in a while we play games on the Wii together. We have a couple versions of Guitar Hero, and Rock Band, and also have Wii Sports and their Carnival Games. I’d rather play a good board game any day, but my husband and my son love the video games, especially the music playing games like Guitar Hero. Since they humor me on …read more

I have a fun card game for you today that can get the whole family together and exercising. The card game is called Fit Deck Junior, and it would be a blast for family game night, or for a classroom.
It gives you the opportunity to do something together as a family, and get fit at the same time.

I think kids will have a blast with this. The bonus is it gets them up and moving, instead of sitting in front of a video game or the TV.
The game idea is simple, shuffle the deck, then start playing. When it’s your …read more

Buffalo Games sent me a copy of Ruin! to test out for some family fun. My son and I played it the same day we got it. Once he saw the game after school he wouldn’t let me get anything else done until I played the game with him. I did what any parent would do, and told him we could play as soon as he got his homework done (evil mom smile).
I think he got his homework done in record time. He had the game set up within a half an hour after he got home, and was ready …read more

I’m a Rubik’s cube fan from way back. It’s another favorite toy from my childhood. I used to have it down so I could solve it in a few minutes. Not too long ago my nephew challenged me to a contest to see who could solve it quicker. He won hands down. I’m not nearly as quick as I used to be.
Now there’s a new program that uses the Rubik’s Cube to increase children’s self-esteem. The program is called You CAN Do The Rubik’s Cube®!

The You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube! Program helps 8-to-18 year-olds unlock the secret of solving …read more

Are you a Total Drama Island fan? I have to say I watched it every week with my son. It was so fun to watch them spoofing reality TV (probably because I’m a reality TV junkie).
If you’re not familiar with Total Drama Island, it was a Cartoon Network animated series that spoofed reality TV, especially Survivor. The characters were put on an island, and competed to win immunity so they would not get voted off.
If you’re a fan you’ll be happy to know the complete series of Total Drama Island will be premiering on DVD on August 18th. I think …read more

Your preschooler can have their passport stamped and take a trip to China with Kai-Lan in August when Nickelodeon premieres Kai-lan’s Great Trip to China on August 14th at 10 am. The show will feature Kai-lan, Yeye and their friends when they go on a trip to China. The trip is a to visit Kai-lan’s great aunt. During the visit the children will also attend a special naming ceremony for a baby panda.

Kai-lan’s Great Trip to China will have an encore performance on NOGGIN on August 16th at 7pm, and is available nationwide on DVD.
Here’s the scoop according to Brown …read more

Since today is the 40th anniversary of the moon walk, I thought I’d share a few fun space activities you can do with your kids. Don’t tell them they might actually be learning something about history or science from any of these activities, just let them think they’re having fun.
My son enjoys science and space, so getting him to do activities like the ones listed below is easy, and it’s a bonus that he’s learning something at the same time.

Learn more about the moon with a skywatchers guide to the moon.
A printable maze to help the astronaut get to the …read more

We’re busy planning our family vacation, which will include a 12 hour car ride each way. So how do you entertain the kids for that long in the car? I’m wondering how many times I’ll hear, “are we there yet?”
My son gets car sick if he does anything close up, like reading, watching a movie, or playing video games. I have to come up with ways to entertain him, and keep him looking around.

I decided to be a little pro active this year and look for some activities to make the road trip fun for the kids. Here are some …read more