Tag: Toys and Games

Simple kids games – by the kids

XX and YH have lots of ideas when it comes to free play time. They will hide in the room for an hour or so and forbid us from entering while they create surprises for us. I like such surprises and am always amazed at their creativity as they set their little brains to work. I hope such childhood fun will last for as long as we can hold on to.

Here are some of the simple games they created with whatever they have at home. Best thing is they are easy to play, no additional cost (use anything in the house) and fun! Continue reading “Simple kids games – by the kids”

Try these simple fun toys to entertain your kids!

YT bath toy

We are often guilty of spoiling our kids with buying expensive toys or simply too many toys to compensate for less time spent with them or maybe just to satisfy our shopping urge.  These toys often do not last their interest for more than 3 days.  The next thing you see is your child kicking some round object lying on the floor or swinging a torchlight by its string.  Then you start to wonder where is the $50 toy you bought 2 days ago.

Here is a list of simple fun and entertaining toys that I find kids love. Best part is they are cheap fun!  And yes, all the expensive “i-“s and screen type gadgets do not make into this list.

1. Balls
Balls of all sizes are bound to keep your kids entertained.  Bring them along whenever you go to a park or places with considerable space.  There are so many games to play with a ball.  Dribbling, kicking, passing around, bouncing off a wall, heading, spinning on a finger tip, spinning on the floor, rolling, the ideas are endless.  It is best for children’s party too.

2. Balloons
Balloons are fun for kids.  The little ones love to hit the balloons and see if they can maintain them in the air for as long as possible. They are great for parties too.  You can always end the party with a game of bursting the most number of balloons.  Just be sure there are no little ones who fear loud sounds.

3. Water
Water is always fun.  If you do not have a bathtub, get an inflatable rubber pool and put it in the balcony or middle of the kitchen (yes kitchen! we have small apartments in this part of the world, no private gardens here), add in some bowls, leaking containers, bottles, colourful balls and you’ll be sure the kids will be entertained for hours.

4. Bubbles
Blowing bubbles is sure to attract most kids, even babies to the bubbling source.  Bring the bubble bottle or the handheld bubbling gun to the playground. It’s a fast and sure way to know other parents in the neighbourhood.  Ehh, probably dads will like this more.. to know other yummy mummies…

5. Bottles 
Unbreakable bottles of any shapes and sizes create endless fun too.  Put in some grains like rice or green beans, and you are off to a musical show-off.  They can be great bathtub toys!  Baby YT loves them when the bottle mouth bubbles when I put it under water and then pour out the water from a height.  Show off your creativity by using bottles to make bottle animals like what Mister Maker teaches.  Paint a bottle, stick some gluey eyes and hands, you have your little bottle animal!

6. Papers
Papers, on its own, or coupled with colour pencils, scissors and glue, are certainly time-killer for kids. Teach your kids origami or have a little competition to see whose folded planes soar the furthest and longest.  Add some stencils to make colouring fun.

Do you have more ideas on simple fun toys / games??  Leave a reply in the comment box!

Learning through Play – the fun and simple way

There are many ways to teach academic topics to kids through playing and games.  Kids find the games interesting and get to learn English, Chinese, Mathematics without knowing.  I find the ways to introduce learning something new extremely important as first impression last for a long long time.  If kids are introduced to learning in a fun way, they will not tend to be put off or reject learning the same subject matter in future.
 
Here are 5 fun ways of learning that my kids love:

1. Teaching NUMBERS using playing cards

I love playing cards.  Not to gamble with kids but to introduce the concept of numbers to my kids.  There are many ways to play to reinforce this concept.

a) Big and small – The deck of cards is distributed evenly to each player.  If there are 3 players, each player take turns to be the first to throw out a card, the next person has to throw out a bigger number card.  Whoever throws out the biggest number card wins the pool of cards.  There is a catch here.  If you always throw out big number cards in the beginning, you will end up with small number cards towards the end of the game.

What is learnt here: kids get to think of what number is bigger than the number thrown out.  They get to plan to reserve cards for the end where everyone has no big cards.  This trains their thinking and planning skills.

b)   SNAP game – Do you remember how to play “SNAP”? If you have those flash cards with a set of numbers vs a set of counting dots, you can play “SNAP” with your kids.

What is learnt here: kids learn counting and get used to patterns and train them to know the number without counting dots.

c) Memory game – Sieve out pairs of number cards, shuffle, and lay them face down on the floor.  Players take turn to open 2 cards at a time.  Whenever 2 cards with the same number are turned over, player gets to keep the cards. If the cards are different, they will have to be turned over face down till someone picks these cards again.

What is learnt here: kids learn numbers and train their memory skills.

2. Teaching MONEY

Set up a market stall selling fruits, vegetables, meat, etc using kids’ cooking toy set.  Write down 10cents, 20 cents, 50 cents and one dollar on pieces of paper and place them on each sale item.  Give your kids some money with many coins of different denominations.  Start selling to your “customers”, i.e. your kids.  Guide them on giving you more than the price of items and give them back money change.  (My kids love this part of getting money change back.  They think they earn more by getting more coins back!)  Make it more fun by selling their favourite toys as well as reversing roles!

What is learnt here: kids learn the concept of money, how to count money and get back money change.

3. Teaching ENGLISH / CHINESE


Do a “SHOW AND TELL” with your kids!  You can take turns to play this with your kids starting with you! Pick up anything, it can be a pen, a tissure box or a favourite toy and start describing the object in your hands.  You have to speak proper English or Chinese sentences, add in some simple but interesting vocabulary.  Then when it is your kids’ turn, let them rattle on and DO NOT INTERRUPT or attempt to CORRECT their descriptive phrases.  Let them be proud of their “Show and Tell” moment.  After all, they are “on stage”!

What is learnt here: Kids learn English and Chinese words and build up their vocabulary.  The game boosts their confidence and on-stage performance.  While you also do a “Show and Tell, they get to learn more difficult and interesting words and phrases from you too.

4. Teaching MATHEMATICS

It is important to recognize patterns to improve Mathematics as many Mathematics concept revolves around patterns recognition.  I play board games like “Snake and Ladder” and any games that require dice throwing.  Such games enable my kids to recognize the dots on the die for each number.  If you use 2 dice, they learn to add the numbers too. Learning music helps on pattern recognition as well.  There are endless patterns on music scores.  I teach my girl to recognize the pattern of the composition and play on the piano without counting each note.

What is learnt here: kids are trained to get used to recognizing patterns so that they are able to apply them in Mathematics concept.

5. Train the BRAIN


To give a game of “Snake and Ladder” an interesting twist, we reverse the rules with the kids. With the Up the Snake and slide Down the Ladder, the kids have lots of fun catching whoever confuses with the rules. Same goes for the card games where the smaller number card wins over a big number card.

What is learnt here: kids learn to think in unconventional way and their brains are trained to switch thinking from different perspective easily.

Do you have great fun games to entice kids in learning? Share with me!