Wednesday, May 7, 2014

3 Fun ABC Games for Active Kids





Teaching kids the alphabet is one of the first learning goals for every parent. It also happens to be the first step in preparing your child for kindergarten. But not everyone finds it easy to memorize the alphabet song and letters. Some kids need extra help and flash cards may or may not do the trick. Here are a few interesting and fun ABC games for active kids.

ABC Games for Active Kids:
 
1. Match the Letter
Here’s a simple ABC game to test your toddler’s alphabet skills.

You will need:
• Letter magnets
• Marker pen

Instructions:
• Clean the surface of your refrigerator door.
• Write the letters of the alphabet on it.
• If your child is a beginner, make sure the letters are all lowercase or all capitals and in order.
• For more advanced learners, scramble the letters and write them out of order. You could also mix up lowercase and uppercase letters.
• Now ask them to study each letter carefully. What does the shape remind them of? Is it thick or thin, long or curvy?
• Next, have them find the correct magnet to match the letters written on the fridge.
• Cheer them on as they hunt for the letters.
• To make things more exciting, you might want to set a time limit and award a prize to the winner (if you are playing with more than 1 child).

2. Letters on the Sidewalk
Turn the sidewalk or driveway into a game zone with this energetic ABC game.

You will need:
• Chalk (for summer)
• Painter’s tape and cut out letters (for winter)
• Squirt gun
 
Instructions:
• Use the chalk to create a ‘letter path’ on the sidewalk.
• Ask your child to follow your instructions instantly. He is not allowed to stop and think.
• When he is ready to start playing, shout out an instruction like “Hop to J.” Or, “Run to P.”Mix up the letters and see how fast he can identify them.
• Continue the game until all the letters are covered.
• For some extra fun, ask him to use the squirt gun to clean the sidewalk.

3. Pool Noodle Alphabet
This ABC game is the perfect learning activity for summer evenings.

You will need:
• Pool noodle
• Baby pool

Instructions:
• Cut up the pool noodle and write a letter on each piece.
• Scatter the pieces into the baby pool.
• Have your little swimmer jump and try to find the letter you call out.
• Reward him with his favorite food when he finds all the letters – after all, all this strenuous activity is bound to make him very hungry!


Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Top 5 educational games and apps for kids

Photo by – babbagecabbage


Educational games have captured the Windows, Android, and Apple platforms with their versatility and educational content. We have compiled our favorite educational games and apps for teens that we think are currently the best!
 
Available on iOS, Windows, and Android platforms, myHomework helps kids to organize their homework and other related work by giving them space to record homework assignments and projects, keep track of responsibilities and schedule extracurricular activities. The educational app can be accessed from any remote location making sure that the teen’s assignments and projects are always available, even during group studies. The date reminder tool in the educational app helps kids to keep track of their assignment deadlines.
This great educational game is unfortunately not available on Android, Windows and iOS being its chosen platforms. The biology game requires players to survive as a multi-cellular organism in a tide pool in an hour long play. The educational game is divided into 18 separate functions with the player eating smaller organisms and avoiding being eaten by bigger organisms. After every three levels, the player is given a choice to upgrade to an organism in any four of these categories - perception, attack, defense, and movement. 
Popcap.com originally developed the online education game as a video game – Psychobabble. The original game required players to choose words from a word bank and create sentences, phrases, in teams, and enter the answers in a chat room that was a part of the game. Due to the cost and time of monitoring these chat rooms for racy content, the game was eventually discontinued. Today the educational game is back in a new avatar! Available on the iOS platform, the game offers a variety of options to build one’s vocabulary and quicken the brain’s association with words. 
Developed by Vivity Labs, the educational app is only available on Apple iOS. It’s just the right app for teens who find it mind boggling to deal with and balance busy schedules and developing hormones! Brains Trainer ensures their minds stay sharp amidst the chaos! Just a few minutes every day on the app can boost teens’ brain power, memory and problem solving skills!
Space Chem, developed by Zachtronics Industries, is available on all the three platforms of Google, Apple, and Windows. The educational game is loosely based on the chemistry and the principles of chemical bonding. The player is required to produce one or more specific chemical molecules by programming two remote manipulators called “waldos”.
With these 5 educational games apps, teens will soon learn that learning is as fun as sending IMs on smart phones and tablets!