Tag: high school

Individual Handshakes

Individual Handshakes

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Some simple hand action can go a long way to help your kids feel loved! 

I struggle sometimes with lumping my kids all together in our experiences. It can be hard to maintain those important individual relationships with lots of kids! When I saw this video of Barry White, Jr. welcoming his students to class with an individualized handshake, I knew I had to try it!

So. Much. Fun. Be amazing today and create a secret handshake with each of your kiddos. You could start by showing them these handshakes to get their ideas going!

The cool Baymax fist bump from Big Hero 6 here.

The cloud guy handshakes from Trolls here.

Then, let THEM develop a fun handshake you can use together in greeting, goodbyes, or when your kid needs a smile.

*Hint* Most kids will want this handshake to be home use only, so don’t pull out your moves at the school carnival or as you drop your child off at a birthday party unless they initiate it. (It may just come up with their therapist 10 years later.)

Have fun!

Spy Cookie Capers

Spy Cookie Capers

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My husband is masterful at inventing creative dates. Before we were married, he once told me to be dressed all in black when he picked me up. We went to his apartment, made cookies, donned black knit caps, and went out on “capers” as he called them. In the cover of the dark night, we found our professor’s houses. We rang the doorbell, left cookies, and ran. It’s how I’d imagine Pollyanna doorbell ditching if she ever did such a thing. I thought the date was fun, and knew he was a keeper.

Try it with your family tonight! Sneaking around corners like a spy is part of the excitement, so don’t forget to dress in black and get into character! (Just don’t act too suspicious. You don’t want to create fond family memories of jail time!)

Playdough Pictionary

Playdough Pictionary

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I love Playdough Pictionary! Use regular Pictionary cards or simply write 5 words on scrap paper. Divide family into teams. Pick a card, show to one person on the other side, then try to sculpt out your word for your team to guess before the other team. (If you write your own words, the word-maker may need to sit out). Have fun!

Girls Name/Boys Name

Girls Name/Boys Name

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10 minutes/Elementary and up/

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This is a family favorite! Pass papers around and watch as a twisted story unfolds.

Hand out paper and pens

Write down the following parts of the story, folding the paper over the previous line, so that no one sees what has already been written. Pass to the next person. 20170105_102059

A girl’s name (any female, real or fictional, known by everyone in the room)

A boys’s name (any male, real or fictional, known by everyone in the room)

Where they were (Wal-Mart, Disneyland, the backyard…)

What they were doing (Making bracelets, shining their shoes, making sushi…)

What she said (“You look like you’ve had a bad day.” “This girl is on fire!” etc.)

What he said (“I caught you a delicious bass.” “You have big ears.” etc.)

What the result was (They bought a motor home and toured the West. They  launched a new line of lipstick. etc.)

Pass the papers once more.

Read one at a time, adding phrases to connect the story. “She said…” “The final result was…” Enjoy the story!

 

 

Body Builders

Body Builders

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Whole Family
10 Minutes or Less
Paper and pens/markers

This is one of our favorite quick games that all ages can play together. As you can tell, any artsy-ness I have is with words and music, NOT with visual arts.

Sit in a circle

Draw a head on your paper, ending with the neck20170105_105346

Fold paper down, showing only the very end of the neck

Draw the torso and arms, ending with the waist 20170105_105541

Fold paper down, showing only the belt or end of  waist

Draw the hips and legs, minus feet

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Fold paper down, showing only the tips of the ankles

Draw the feet

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Fold paper down

Give them a name

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Toss papers in the middle and everyone take one

Go around the circle, unroll your creations, and have a good laugh!

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