Photo: Nina Meehan

Summer is upon us! The evenings are longer, the weather is warmer and the days are slightly less hectic…maybe. Summer is a terrific time to embrace creativity as part of your family’s routine. During the school year, things tend to be more regimented, but the summer offers days with different rhythms. And while every day or week can feel chaotic, sometimes a little bit of chaos is the best way to help keep creative minds active. Creative thinking is often just about looking at the world around you in a different way, so here are a few ideas to help inspire your family as part of your family’s daily routine: 

  1. PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD: Take turns making different kinds of breakfast foods with faces. Can eggs be a beard? How about bacon eyebrows? What can you do with some blueberries, toast and a banana? Children of all ages can get involved with the fun of making their breakfast into a Mr. Potato Head game. BONUS: Take a picture of all the faces and make a collage of the photos at the end of the summer!
  2. COUNT YOUR RAINBOWS: You may have played “punch buggy” as a kid, well here is a less violent way to keep your eyes peeled on the outside world as you drive back and forth from camp or weekend getaways. Take turns finding rainbow colors in order. The first person that finds something that is red, the next orange, etc. through the entire rainbow, wins! BONUS: You can also play competitively with older kids, but they need to declare what they see “I see Red, on the Fire Truck!”
  3. ALPHABET STORIES: While enjoying a summertime sandwich, challenge your family to an Alphabet Story. The first person starts a story with a sentence beginning with the letter A, then the next person adds on with a sentence that starts with B, all the way until Z.  HINT: Name one of your characters Xavier, so when you get to X, you can easily start a sentence like, “Xavier left the castle and hiked up the Mountain.”
  4. MAKE A MAP: As a family, make up an imaginary world. Start with some group sketches. Does the world have a forest, deserts, castles, plateaus, mountains? Then with some poster board, glue, ripped up paper bags, paint and rocks and dirt from the garden create a 3D version of a map of your world. This can be a multi-day or multi-week project.  BONUS: Once the map is made, use it to create stories about things that happened in the different regions of the map. Everyone can take turns telling a story every night. 
  5. BRING A STORY TO LIFE: If your house is anything like mine, dress up is a daily occurrence, but I rarely remember to take the time to link dress up with story. Next time your little one finds a special outfit, use it as a springboard to make up a story together. Who is the person who wears this special outfit? Where do they live?  BONUS: Dedicate a breakfast, lunch or dinner to the story, so if it’s a princess, make a fancy tea, if it’s a superhero, find some “super-power foods” to enjoy!
  6. SEE CREATIVITY IN ACTION: Visit cultural institutions for inspiration! Visit your local museums, go to a craft fair and ask the artisan how things are made, listen to live music, see theatre!  

 

This post originally appeared on Piedmont Post.

Nina Meehan is CEO and Founder Bay Area Children's Theatre and the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. An internationally recognized expert in youth development through the arts, Nina nurtures innovation by fostering creative thinking. She is mom to Toby (13), Robby (10) and Meadow (5).  

   

It’s August and school is upon us! Last year was just about the weirdest year ever for our kids, so this fall might feel a little intimidating or scary for some little ones. The good news? Kids are resilient and strong, but it makes total sense that they might have a lot of big feelings associated with being back in the classroom. Here are five creative ideas that might be helpful to ease the back-to-school transition:

1. Act It Out
If kids are nervous about going back to school, try roll play! First, act out what the first day of school might actually be like, then try the OTT version (Over the Top) where everything is silly and exaggerated. Try switching rolls. You can be the teacher and your child can be the student and then switch!

2. Draw It Out
Help kids feel ownership of their back-to-school process with an art project to decorate a new lunch box or a backpack. Using glitter glue pens or fabric markers give kids the freedom to go to town on an item they will be bringing with them to school. This gives them a sense of control and helps them bring their own unique perspective and artistic voice into an otherwise unfamiliar situation.

3. Play It Out
Kids need practice reading other people’s emotions—particularly with masks. Remind them of the importance of using their eyes to express and read emotions. Practice “HAPPY” “SAD” “ANGRY” and “SILLY” eyes. Make it into a game and see if you can guess each other’s emotions.  

4. Talk It Out
Let your story be their school super power. Tell them the story of your first day of school or a memorable moment from your childhood at school with this framework:  

A LONG TIME AGO, WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I HAD A HARD TIME WITH ___________ .  

I FELT ___________ WHEN I WAS GOING TO ___________.  

I TOOK MY DEEP BREATHS AND I __________.  

IT WAS SCARY AT FIRST, BUT THEN I REALIZED ______________.  

5. Dance It Out
Do you walk to school? How about dancing to school instead? Take turns leading different silly dance moves as you walk. Bonus: play some fun music on your phone as you go! Not walking, but driving? No problem, use arm-dancing that you can do SAFELY while driving!

Whatever you choose to do, keep in mind that the more creative play and imagination you can bring to the back to school process, the more your kids will have opportunities for laughter and joy! Laughter is proven to reduce anxiety and stress and, I think we all could use a little of that this fall. 

RELATED STORIES:
Unpacking Back-to-School Feelings
Stop Doing These 8 Things for Your Kids This School Year
Books That Will Get Your Child Excited about School

This post originally appeared on Piedmont Post.

Nina Meehan is CEO and Founder Bay Area Children's Theatre and the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. An internationally recognized expert in youth development through the arts, Nina nurtures innovation by fostering creative thinking. She is mom to Toby (13), Robby (10) and Meadow (5).  

   

If you think you have to travel to Santa’s workshop to scope out the latest and greatest toys — think again. The Chicago Toy & Game Fair, held November 18 and 19 at Navy Pier, gives guests a little taste of the North Pole’s specialty: toys, toys and loads of toys. The largest event of its kind in the U.S. lets you touch, see and explore the goods, plus meet your favorite characters and game inventors. Here are our picks for best in show.

Play and Test the Hottest Toys
ChiTAG provides the perfect opportunity to touch, play and test the hottest toys on the market pre-holiday. You’ll want to pop into the Demo Area where you can get your hands on LEGO playsets, Build or Boom, Shark Bite, Catch the Fox, Rummikub Twist, Fish Food, all new Doggie Doo, Greedy Granny, Ultra Dash, Marbleocity, Automoblox, Magformers, Tileblox, Clicformers, Ice Cool, King Frog, Reef Route, Woo-Hoo, Flower Fairies, Peter Rabbit Secret Garden, 8-Bit Art Mario and many more toys and games.

Inventor Meet and Greets
Ever wanted to meet the inventor of BopIt? Operation? Jenga? Meccano Meccanoid? Shopkins? You can say “hello” and get inside knowledge from all — they’ll be in booths at the Fair. Also, meet up-and-coming inventors and take their products for a spin. You’ll be able to say you knew them before they were hot!

Pitch your Game Idea
If you’ve got an idea for the next hot game or toy, here’s your chance to pitch it to the pros: The ChiTAG New Inventors Track is a hot workshop held during the show. Budding inventors have the chance to pitch companies such as Hasbro, Spin Master, Mattel, Bandai, PlayMonster, Asmodee and many more from around the world, while also learning more about how to develop, license and market new toys and games. Space is limited, so register to attend.

Yo Yo Yo! Enter the Yo-Yo Championship 
On November 18 at 9 a.m., yo-yo champs will battle it out at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. Test your yo-yo skillz and battle it out with the pros by entering the Illinois State Yo-Yo Championship. All you need to do is pre-register and upload your accompanying yo-yo tunes. Not a yo-yo pro? This is a battle that’s a blast to watch.

Meet Princess Etch-A-Sketch
Jane Labowitch is an artist you’ll want to meet. Her medium? The amazing, iconic Etch-A-Sketch! She’ll be making appearances throughout the fair. Check out some of her time-lapse Etch-A-Sketch masterpieces!

Compete in the National Rummikub Tournament and Win a Trip to Israel!
Rummikub is a quick-action board game that combines the thrills of rummy and Mahjong. If you think you have what it takes to play against the best Rummikubbers in the nation, pre-register for the National Rummikub Tournament. The winner will receive a free trip to Israel to compete in the 2018 World Rummikub Championships.

Young Inventor Challenge
The Young Inventor Challenge gives kids the chance to show off their very own toy & game inventions to toy & game industry professionals, the media and other kids. Kid inventors (ages 6-18) will need to pre-registerCheck out original toy and game creations, meet their kid inventors and vote for a winner during the Challenge, which takes place on November 18 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Need Your Favorite Star Wars Characters
If you’ve ever wanted to high-five Darth, here’s your chance. The characters from Star Wars 501st Legion: Vader’s First will be wandering around the fair waiting to meet their fans and pose for photos.

Special Needs? Check Out the Super Power Sensory Hour
On both Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m.-10 a.m., Neighborhood Parents Network will be hosting a Super Power Sensory Hour providing early access to families of children with special needs. Since this special event starts before the doors of ChiTAG fair opens to the public on both fair days, kids with special needs will be able to see, touch, feel and experience all the wonders ChiTAG has to offer, minus the sometimes overwhelming crowds. Pre-register here for this free event.

Don’t Miss…

    • The Good Time Kids, Élan Dance Company, Improv by Kevin Reader and Chicago Kids Media are live on stage Saturday and Sunday. Check the fair schedule for performance times.
    • If your kids love YouTube unboxing videos, they’ll love ChiTAG’s LIVE Unboxing with toy and game unboxings from the fair’s Play Influencer team.
    • Giveaways! Many exhibitors will be giving away toys and games throughout the day.
    • After playing your way through ChiTAG, head to Michigan Ave for the Festival of Lights.

Chicago Toy & Game Fair
Held Nov. 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. & Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tickets are $15/adults; $8/children ages 3-12
Navy Pier, Festival Hall A
600 E. Grand Ave.
For more info, go online to chitagfair.com

Have you been to the Chicago Toy & Game Fair? Tell us what you think in the Comments section below!

— Amy Bizzarri

Photos: Courtesy of Chicago Toy & Game Fair

Tiny Talkers just won a Totally Awesome Award for Most Lively Language Class in Portland. We recently spoke to them about their experience as a business owner, the best advice they’ve ever received and more. Hear what they have to say below!

 

Red Tricycle: Your community recently voted you “Most Lively Language Class” – what do your customers value most about your business?
Tiny Talkers: My joy, enthusiasm and commitment to the families that I work with. Families also tell me that they appreciate the diversity of the topics that I teach. One parent said “It’s not just practical stuff like ‘eat’ and ‘more.’ It is fun things like animals and weather and transportation which really got my child interested in language and eager to learn how to communicate either with his hands or vocally.”

RT: What do you want people to know about your business that they don’t already know?
TT: I infuse a lot of music into my toddler and preschool classes and encourage parents of younger babies who take my workshop to do the same. Musical activities stimulate the brain while offering rich language opportunities and encourage physical coordination. Combining music while learning to sign with your child is a winning combination and when done in a group setting offers an enriching experience that builds community in a holistic way. In other words…it’s a lot of fun!

RT: How did your business get started and what was the motivation?
TT: My business was born about 9 years ago around the time my second child was born. My motivation has always been to pay it forward. Using sign language with both of my children was the biggest gift I ever gave myself in my parenting journey. By teaching it to others, I feel like I’m bringing more happiness to the world. Happy kids = happy parents/caregivers.

RT: Tell us, what do you start your morning with: 1. coffee 2. tea 3. mimosa 4. water 5. all of the above.
TT: Water with lemon in it. I’m a fancy girl like that.

RT: What is the most awesome thing a customer has ever done for you?
TT: My students give me gifts daily. I’m touched every time a parent or a caregiver takes time out of their day to send me an email with a story about how sign language helped them that day along with countless photos and videos of their kiddos signing. It’s incredibly rewarding every time someone reaches out to me. When one of my students “graduated” from my class, they gave me a framed photo of him signing “thank you” to me. That meant the world to me.

RT: What is your biggest pet peeve as a business owner?
TT: There is never enough time in the day to get everything on my to-do list done. Some days I wish I could channel my inner Star Wars nerd and create a clone army of myself to get it all done.

RT: How do you keep your stress levels down?
DD: Summer time fills my cup. We are a big camping family so being able to completely get away and unplug helps to keep my stress in check and memories of summer time fun has an amazing way of carrying through the rest of the year. During the school year I like getting outside for long walks and hiking (weeding does not fall into the anti-stress level category!) or doing something artistic. Anything right brained makes me happy and recharges me.

RT: What’s your secret superhero power as a business owner?
TT: While I’m not out there in spandex and a cape, I feel like making my students feel like they are achieving stronger bonds with their kids is my super power. I tend to think outside the box, so I can always bring new ideas to the table to make signing not only effective but fun.

RT: Tell us, what is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received (as a parent or business owner)?
TT: Dolly Parton said something fantastic once that is always in my mind when I’m having a tough time: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

RT: How about the worst piece of advice you’ve ever received?
TT: “Sleep when the baby sleeps” said the most unproductive parent ever.

RT: Is there a special offer you’d like to include for Red Tricycle readers?
TT: $5 off your next workshop or class through February 1, 2017.

 

Check out their website here.

 

Photo credit: Serravision Photography