Sardines-- Outside In the Dark!

Are you ready for a fantastic summer weekend? The assignment for Quidditch in the Hogwarts Summer Fun Challenge this week is to play the game Sardines. The twist is that you need to play it outside and in the dark! 

Here are the Directions: Gather your family or a group of friends. You can play this in your backyard if you have lots of hiding places or you can go to park if you need a larger space so that everyone can hide. Turn off any outdoor lights. The person that is "it" goes and hides - similar to hide-n-seek. Everyone else counts slowly to 100. When they're done counting they go find the "it". But when they find "it" they hide with him/her until the last person finds the hiding group. Then the last person becomes it on the next round. 

Warning: It can be super fun and scary if you are the last person to find the hiding group!

Note: You can also play this game inside if you don't have a big backyard. Just turn off all the lights and hide somewhere inside the house!

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Elementary Activities: Knock, Knock Your Socks Off!

By Deborah Pace Rowley

"Knock, Knock Your Socks Off" has been our favorite game to play as a family. I discovered this game almost 15 years ago in Family Fun Magazine. We played it almost weekly for family night when my four oldest were small. I was so surprised when Katie, my youngest, said that she had never played this game before. (Poor Katie. It can't be easy being five years younger than everyone else. Of course, being the baby has its advantages too. So don't feel too sorry for her! )

We quickly introduced the game to her so we could take these pictures. Now I know it is going to be a favorite of the Rudd family as well. Playing games like this as a family is a great way to teach your child important social skills. In a safe family setting, kids learn how to be good sports and accept both winning and losing with grace. They learn how to play energetically without crossing the line and playing too rough. And they burn off a whole lot of energy in the process! What could be better?

All you need is a carpeted area of the floor and some socks. At the signal, (we shout "Knock, Knock Your Socks Off! together) all the participants crawl around on the floor on their hands and knees and try to grab the socks off the other participants. When you lose one of your socks, you can continue playing. When you lose both of your socks, you must sit out and watch the rest of the game from the couch. The last player with at least one sock still on wins.

Tip: Use only clean socks unless you want to have an unfair advantage over your opponents!

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Parenting Tips: The Wacky Family Olympics (Olympics Week)

By: Deborah Pace Rowley

For a super ending to your fun Olympic week, hold your own Wacky Family Olympics.

Here are some events to try or you can create some of your own: 

Events: 

Discus Throw: See who perfect the technique of spinning around and throwing a paper plate the farthest.  

Javelin Throw: Compete in the Javelin Throw by launching pool noodles across the yard. 

Air Swim: Have a backyard swimming event where family members race by moving their arms in the motions of swim strokes across the yard. Run forward doing the front crawl, then run backwards doing the backstroke. 

Torch Relay: Make a torch out of a cone of white paper filled with yellow, orange or red tissue paper. Family members can compete by holding the torch as they race around the yard then passing the torch on to another family member to finish the face. Add to the challenge by crawling for one leg of the race, or skipping, or jumping on one foot etc. 

High Jump: Have two members of the family hold a pole or broom stick across the trampoline while family members see if they can jump over it and land on their backs. Continue to raise the pole until it can’t be crossed. 

Long Jump: Pull out a tape measure to see who can make the biggest standing long jump. 

Obstacle Course: Create an obstacle course in the backyard and have family members race to complete it in the fastest time. 

Medals: 

Make your own medals by attaching the following pieces of candy to a round piece of card stock glued to a striped ribbon. 

Gold- Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Silver- Hersheys Kisses

Bronze- Individually Wrapped Rolos Candy

Biggest Cheerleader Award: 

Competitive kids have a hard time letting other children win. Before your wacky Olympics start, encourage your family to cheer for each other and celebrate each other’s success. Lay out the medals and then show a giant candy bar that is labeled: Biggest Cheerleader! Explain that the best award goes to the person who cheers the loudest for other family members. (NOTE: You may want to have several giant candy bars ready to award to all the kids who are great cheerleaders and good sports during the Olympic activity.) Explain that we double our joy in life when we celebrate our own successes AND celebrate the successes of others. As a wise religious leader recently taught: We don’t want to drink a big glass of pickle juice every time something good happens to someone else. 

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