Grammar Games

Hey, I had a really nice thank you note today from a mom who bought a copy of DOGGIE DAY CAMP. When she shared it with her stepson, who was struggling a bit recognizing adverbs, Bubba's story seemed to flip the adverbial light on for him.

Hip-hip-hooray for all THE PET GRAMMAR PARADE critters! Their mission is to make learning fun for kids-- KITTY KERPLUNKING and HAMSTER HOLIDAYS.

Check out these online grammar games for more grammar fun:

Fun Brain Grammar Gorillas

Grammar Blast from Houghton Mifflin

February Fun

HIGHLIGHTS has a "click and play" Hidden Pictures interactive game just in time for Valentine's Day. See if you can find all the hidden pictures and make the illustration transform into bright colors--"Making Valentines."

For more interactive kid computer fun, check out Guardian Angel Publishing's new online magazine GUARDIAN ANGEL KIDS. Here is the link to their Games. You can draw and paint, solve puzzles, and find matches. Or watch one of the book videos. Or download one of the free books or coloring pages. There's more than enough fun stuff to fill your week as you countdown to Valentine's Day.

And don't forget to read "The Foolproof Valentine's Plan" right here on my website.

Fun and Games and Writing

Let's have some fun today. Do you like to play memory games?

How about matching up cards or answering game questions?

HIGHLIGHTS has a colorful memory game online this month--Memory Lanes.

I plan to go back and play the game again and try to beat my score. I didn't have as good a memory as I thought. :-)

Exploring your memory is a great way to create details for stories.

Pretend you wanted to set your story in your house.

• What color is your front door?
• What material is the floor in your living room? What sound do you make walking across it?
• How would you describe the view out your bedroom window?
• What do you hear when you open the window?
• What do you smell cooking when you walk into the kitchen?
• Is it warm or cold when you step outside?

I hope you enjoy challenging your memory today.

Frosty Feathered Friends

This is turning out to be an awfully cold winter.

Lucky for us we can go inside where it's warm.

The birds and other wildlife don't have that opportunity, so it's important they are able to find food to fuel their bodies.

If you can, leave some birdseed out for them. You'll enjoy watching the variety of birds who come to feast on the tempting treats you've provided.

HIGHLIGHTS online magazine has a fun bird quiz you can play. You'll not only be able to see possible bird visitors to your feeder. You'll be able to hear them as well.

You can go to the library where you'll find books on birds, like BACKYARD BIRDS OF WINTER by Carol Lerner. You'll discover interesting information about the birds visiting your backyard. You can even keep a log of the different birds you see each day. Keep binoculars handy and a camera. Can you snap a shot of one? Or try to draw a picture.

Which ones are your favorites?

National Gaming Day at Your Library

This Saturday libraries across the United States are sponsoring a NATIONAL GAMING DAY.  Of course, we all know how much fun it can be to visit a library on a regular day--with all the books, magazines, computers, videos.  Not to mention story times, book talks, and special programs.

NATIONAL GAMING DAY will be "the largest, simultaneous national video tournament ever held." How cool is that? This could possibly make it into Ripley's Believe It or Not, don't you think?

And Hasbro has donated a PICTUREKA game to every public library branch in the U.S. so board games can be played as well. They'll try to set a record for the most people playing a board game in the U.S. as well as a video game. It sounds like your local public library is the place to be this Saturday.

To find out more information about NATIONAL GAMING DAY at your library, call your closest branch. Or click on the link above and read all about it. There is an online map you can use as well.

If you can't join in the fun on this Saturday (or if your library isn't taking part in National Gaming Day), you can try The Library Camp Out game at my website.  Or the Breezy Geography Match Up game would be great one to take along to the library. And if you want to check out one of the coolest stories about gaming, try Jody Feldman's THE

 GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES.

Here's to good games and good reading!

Craft Activites for Autumn

HIGHLIGHTS magazine offers some online craft activities designed especially for right now.

Try this easy autumn leaf wrapping paper.

You can make this a "green" project by using newsprint or other paper for recycling.

Or try this stamped Rosh Hashanah card. It's made with an apple for a delightfully different design.

For another craft of the season, try making a SPIDER from my website in the KIDS section. Or one of the Halloween games.

Or if you want more fun and games, visit HIGHLIGHTS Games and Giggles.

Kyra, age 8, from Florida sent in this joke:

What's green and oinks?

Kermit the Hog!

Send me your favorite joke, and I'll share it here. Have a hoppy day!

Online Games for Educational Fun

I've discovered a treasure house of free online games at Primary Games.

This site offers games that cover the curriculum from Math, Science, Language Arts, and more. Plus, there are curriculum guides for the games to help match up the difficulty level and subject interest.

I tested a few of the games. CODE BREAKING was fun--trying to figure out which letter stood for which symbol without using too many "hints." I did good on THE TYPING OF THE GHOSTS which really tested my typing skills--and I consider myself something of a typing whiz. It was a challenge even for me. NAME THAT PRESIDENT was a cinch, but DRAGON UNIVERSITY left me all washed out trying to stay afloat on the word logs. I'm not really that awful of a speller. I think maybe I didn't move quickly enough. 

Allow yourself plenty of time when you visit Primary Games. And if you haven't already explored some of the games on my website, please do so. If you're planning a Halloween party for next month, check out my list of spook-tacular games. One of my favorites is the EYEBALL RELAY. There's also a monster-licious Halloween Crossword Puzzle. I triple-dog dare you to solve that one.

The monster coloring page at the top right is courtesy of artist, John Blackford. You can see more of his illustrations at his blog.

More Gollywhopper Adventures

Jody Feldman, author of THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES, informed me that she has a new website for the book. It has several games for you to try--just as though you're playing the real Gollywhopper Games with Gil Goodson from her story.
Here's the link: http://www.gollywhoppergames.com/
Have fun!