"Brain Quest" Dinner Game

I bought these brain quest cards for my kids.  There are like a thousand questions on them and it's a great way to learn new facts.  So I decided test all of our brain smarts by having a Brain Quest Dinner Game.

We took turns asking each other questions.  The person asking got to pick which question to ask (each card has several questions to choose from).  The guessers raced to be the first one to answer the question correctly.  The guessers had to raise their hands, so whoever raised their hand first got to try answering the question first.  If the guesser got the answer right, he/she received a point.  The person with the most points at the end of dinner got to pick the family activity we did together after dinner.

 

We actually had a lot fun asking each other questions from these cards during dinner--it was a simpe, fun family competition!  Brain Quest cards are available for all different grade levels, so you can even get your younger children involved.

To make this dinner even more fun, give everyone a special invitation before hand!

{Click here to print your own Brain Quest dinner invite}

Water Party Games

This summer I helped organize a couple of water kid parties.  I decided to compile a list of the water games we played.  It took a little bit of searching and brainstorming to come up with some of these water games, and some we improvised as we went along.

So, as a quick reference, here's some fun and easy water games your kids are sure to love:

{1. Drip, Drip, SPLASH!}

This game is played just like "Duck Duck Goose" except the person who is "it" is holding a wet sponge.  Instead of saying "duck, duck..." the "it" person says "drip, drip..." as they walk by everyone holding a wet sponge over their heads and literally drip water on them.  When the "it" person chooses someone to chase, he/she yells "Splash!" while squeezing all the water out of the sponge on top of the other player's head. If the "it" person makes it around the circle before being tagged, then the other player is now "it"; otherwise, if the person is tagged, then he'she is still "it" for the next round.  When we played this, all the kids wanted to be picked to be "splashed" on--it was so fun!

{2. Water Balloon Toss}

 Each player needs a partner and 1 water balloon.  Each set of partners starts by standing 1 step apart and 1 partner tosses the balloon to the other.  If the other partner catches the balloon, then both players take 1 step backwards (away from each other) and toss the balloon again.  Repeat until the water balloon pops, then both players are out. Play until there is only one partnership remaining, and they win!

The water balloon toss can be played in teams.  Each team forms a line, standing shoulder to shoulder, and 1 balloon is passed from person to person starting at one end of the line and ending at the other end.  If the balloon doesn't pop, then all the players take 1 step away from each other (lengthen the line because now there are gaps between the players).  Repeat until the balloon pops and a team wins.

{3. Water Crab Soccer}

Crab soccer is played like regular soccer except that all the players are doing the "crab walk."  Usually the goals aren't as far apart as regular soccer because walking like a crab is kinda slow and not always easy.  To make crab soccer even more exciting, someone follows the ball on the playing field and squirts it with a hose.  This way, any players that go after the ball are also getting soaked!

{4. Over-Under Sponge Relay}

For this game you will need 2 buckets of water and 1 sponge for every team.  The players need to stand in a single-file line with a bucket filled with water at the front of the line and an empty bucket at the back of the line.  The first person in line dips the sponge in the bucket of water and then passes it over his/her head to the next person; the next person passes the sponge under his/her legs; then the sponge is passed over head; then the sponge is passed under legs; etc. ...until the last person in line has the sponge and squeezes out whatever water is left into the empty bucket.  Then the last person takes the sponge to the front of the line and is now the "first" person and the relay starts over.  Players keep passing the sponge until the bucket at the end of the line is filled with water.  This game was fun to do with teams so that each team was competing to fill up their bucket the fastest.

{5. Water Balloon Relays}

For both of these water balloon relays, each team member needs a water balloon.  Divide into teams and get in a single-file line.  For the first relay, each team member has to run down the field, sit on their water balloon (and make it pop), and then run back and tag the next team member.  The fastest team to complete this relay wins.

For the second relay, each team member has to walk (or jump) down the field with a water balloon between their knees, drop their balloon (without popping it), and then run back and tag the next team member.  If the water balloon pops, that player is out.  If the water balloon drops but doesn't break, the player can stop and pick it back up and then keep walking down the field.  The team with the most unpopped balloons at the opposite end of the field wins.

{6. Ice cube down your back}

This is a game of endurance.  Each player has 1 ice cube.  On the signal, each player drops the ice cube down the back of their shirt and try to get the ice cube to melt the fastest.  This game can be cool and refreshing but can also be fun to watch everyone squirm!

When you have your water party, remember to remind everyone to wear, sunscreen, clothes that they can get wet in (like swimsuits), and to bring their own towels and maybe a change of clothes depending on what other activities you have planned.

{7. Water Gun Draw}

Give each player a small water gun filled with water, then have them stand back to back with a partner.  On the count of the 3, each  player walks and takes 3-5 steps away from each other. Then the players turn around quickly, "draw" their water guns, and shoot at each other.  When we played this game, it pretty much turned into a free-for-all water gun fight until we had the kids line up with their partners and start over.  Just make sure that you have an easy way to keep refilling the water guns so that the players and quickly refill and keep shooting at the other players.

{8. Free-For-All Water Balloon Fight}

For our free-for-all water balloon fight we made sure that everyone started with at least one balloon and then yelled, "ready, set,...go!" We also tried to get everyone to stay in a certain area to make clean-up easier. 

This may require that you fill up A LOT of water balloons, so I suggest you get some help.  Also, most water balloons come with a hose nossel to make it easier to fill, and some even come with a balloon-tie piece so that your fingers don't get raw from tying water balloons. 

{9. Slip 'N' Slide Kickball}

This water game is played just like regular kickball (which is baseball but with a kickball).  However, for the bases, you use buckets or pools of water that the kids have to stand in to be "safe."  For home base, it is best if you can use a slip 'n' slide.  Our kids LOVED the slip 'n' slide into home base.  In fact, after the kick ball game, they kept taking turns over and over on the slip 'n' slide--it was a hit!

For refreshments, we prefer to have something like Otter Pops or Creamies, something quick and easy that will help the kids to cool off and relax after playing in the water and sun.

Tea Party

Today was just a day for my daughter and I.  I considering going out somewhere to do something.  But then I thought, why not relax today.  It feels like we are always going places, rushing from place to place to do things and get things done.  Sometimes my daughter just needs to be home together--and we both enjoy it.  So we kept it simple and played at home.

So, instead of going out...

we hosted a tea party.  A baby doll tea party.

Together we got out the easy bake oven (that my daughter has wanted to use for awhile), found a recipe and baked a mini cake.  We also made some graham cracker cookies with chocolate frosting (one of my favorite treats growing up).  We got out her little card table, spread a table cloth, and then set the table with my nice china dishes.  Instead of tea we filled the tea pot with milk and I sliced a few plums to balance out the sweets.

After the table was set, my daughter collected her baby dolls and we all gathered around the table for the tea party.

After we were done eating we played one UNO--a fun, family card game.  We both had so much fun today--talking, pretending, and laughing together!

Sherlock Holmes Date Night

I saw this "Clue Mystery Puzzle" and thought it would make a fun activity for my husband and I when the kids went to bed.  Like a "date". :)

The puzzle comes with a mystery scenario that you read.  When you complete the puzzle, you try and figure out what happened and solve the mystery.

While we put the puzzle together, we watched episodes of the new BBC Sherlock Holmes series (what do you think of the series?).  You could also watch either of the recent Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr, both are fun mysteries. 

{Tuesday's Tip} S-L-O-W Down

Last week I decided to play in the back yard.

We had a relaxing BBQ for dinner--fish and veggies.

{Ladder Golf}

Then I set up our ladder golf game. As we were playing and having fun, the thought came to me, "I need to slow down!"

 I don't need to go somewhere else to be entertained. There are lots of things we can do right here at home and we can have just as much fun (if not more fun) together!

Sometimes I get it in my head that we need to go somewhere to have fun.  We are always going and rushing places.  Instead, I need to slow down and enjoy activities at home.

Here are a few other games we like to play in the back yard:

{Bocci Ball}

bocci ball, soccer, frisbee, 

{Croquet}

croquet, volleyball, and badminton. 

Pick one and have a stay-at-home, slow-down evening!

Nerf Birthday Party

Last month was my husband's birthday and I wanted to throw a party that would be active, simple, and fun for the whole family.  We ended up having...a Nerf Birthday Party!

The inspiration for this party came from The Dating Divas blog (they have lots of awesome date ideas).  When I saw it I knew it would make a great birthday theme for my husband's party!

The only supplies I purchased for the party were 4 Nerf guns, so everyone could have their own.

We started off the party with BBQ steak and veggies for dinner. 

For the table setting I used a yellow table cloth and placed a Nerf gun at everyone's place setting.  I also had a few snacks to go along with dinner as well.  I guess it was not all healthy.  ;)

 After dinner we each did a little target practice.  

I had a bulls-eye and stacked blocks all set up as our own little shooting range.  

After we had all practiced our shooting skills...we had a big Free-For-All!  We did not keep points or track how many times someone was hit.  We just had fun "shooting" at each other and running and hiding.

It turned out to be a fun, simple, active birthday party!!

* If you decide to host your own Nerf Birthday Party, please leave us comment and tell what you did! We'd love to hear your own creative Nerf ideas!

Oodles of Noodles

Today I'm sharing a few fun games my family likes to play in the backyard using swim noodles.  If you like swimming, then you probably have a few of these noodles just lying around.  If not, you can get some pretty cheap at the dollar store or Walmart.

Foam swim noodles are fun because you can hit each other pretty hard with them but not get hurt...usually.  You may still want to set a few ground rules before playing these games, like avoid the face, etc.    

Oodles of Noodles games:

{1} Use the noodles as swords (or light sabers) and fight! 

{2} Cut one noodle in half and use it to play tag.  For instance, you can only tag the other person by tapping them with the noodle.

{3} Play "lawn hockey" by setting goals on either side of the yard and using the noodles and a ball.

{4} Make your own croquet game using noodles instead of mallets.  The balls just need to touch different places in that yard rather than going through hoops.

{5} Blow up a balloon and hit the balloon back and forth to each other without letting it hit the ground.  You can set up a net to make this game more challenging.

{6} Put the noodles on the trampoline and pretend they are poison.  If a noodle touches you while jumping, you are out.

{7} Make an obstacle course using noodles.  For instance, you may have to jump over them, limbo under them, etc.

{8} Throw the noodles like javelins to see who can throw them the farthest.

{9} Play the Name Game. Everyone sits in a circle while one person with a noodle is "it" stands in the middle of the circle.  Someone sitting in the circle starts the game by calling out another player's name.  Then the player who is called must call out another player's name before getting wacked by the "it" person in middle For instance, if I yell..."Brian," then Brian has to hurry and call someone else's name.  If Brian gets hit by the "it" person, then he is now "it."  Players cannot call on the person who just called you and cannot call on the person standing in the middle.

If you like the idea of using swim noodles, checkout this book for more involved or team building activities: 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle.

 

"Minute to Win It" Competition

We have a lot of summer birthdays in our family so we decided to have a combined 4th of July/Birthday party this year.  For the party, I was in charge of the games and I decided to host a mini Minute To Win It competition, and it was a blast!

I'm assuming that most of you are familiar with the game show Minute to Win It.  But if not, the main idea is that contestants win a cash prize if they complete a given challenge in 1 minute or less.  I didn't include time limits or even play for prizes (although that would be fun too), we just had fun playing together!

So, the first thing I did was come up with the challenges.  I browsed a list of Minute to Win It challenges on Wikipedia and chose six that I liked.  There are a lot of challenges to choose from on this list, but each one rated on the level of difficulty which makes the list easier to sort through.

Below is the list of the six challenges I chose along with a brief explanation for each.  I ended up tweaking some of them a little to fit with our own resources and abilities.  So be aware that some of the explanations vary from the actual game show.

Minute To Win It Challenges:

{Card Ninja} The contestants must throw a playing card into a watermelon from 2 feet away.  We used one deck of card and split it between to players.  We allowed the players to move closer/father depending on how easy/hard this challenge was for them.

{Face the Cookie} The contestants, using only their face, must move an Oreo cookie from their forehead to their mouth.

{Spare Me} The contestant must drop marbles down a pool noodle to knock over ten upright markers from 3 feet away.

{Wet Ball} The contestant must use a spray bottle of water to move a balloon across the ground into a hula hoop 6 feet away.  We had three contestants do it each round and we used little squirt guns instead of spray bottles.  Afterwards, we let the kids take a squirt gun home as a party favor.

{At the Market} The contestant must place an orange (or small ball) in-between their knees and then, without using their hands, walk/hop around and over different obstacles and deposit them in a hula hoop on the ground.  Our obstacle included going around a chair and hopping over two foam noodles while moving from one end of the yard to the other.  We had four contestants go at a time and used balls instead of oranges.

{Blow Up} The contestant must blow bubbles through a hula hoop from 3 feet away.  We had three contestants do it each round and afterwards, we let the kids take a small bottle of bubbles home as a party favor.

All of these challenges were easy and fun to do for both the kids and adults.  Plus, most of the supplies we had on-hand.  For most of the challenges we took turns instead of everyone doing it at once, except for the "Face the Cookie" challenge.

Now you're all set to have your own competition.  Let the games begin!