meta-dad

Go fly a kite!

Flying a kite with the kids is yet another golden activity that holds great potential for learning, bonding and just having a little fun. Ever wonder exactly why and how a kite flies? Chances are at some point your kids may ask you, right? With a little digging around I have found some great sites for explaining why and how kites fly, believe it or not NASA’s Glenn Research Center has a fantastic (and thorough) explanation of exactly how and why a kite flies.

While the forces on all kites are the same, each kite flies a little differently. Some kites are highly maneuverable and some kites are very stable. There are kites with multiple control lines that can perform stunts, while other kites can be flown to high altitudes. We can use math techniques that you learn in school to determine the altitude of a kite graphically. With a little more knowledge of mathematics, you can actually calculate the altitude at which the kite is flying” ~ Kite Flight, NASA’s Glenn Research Center

I got my kids into kites last spring with a simple $5 classic delta design and 200′ of line. I think it was a Diego design, surprise-surprise. They were thrilled at the action we got from the nearby ocean breeze. But kids being kids, More »

Great free educational coloring pages

We have a activity table set up for the kids and it is forever piled with coloring pages, doodle pads, sticker books, boxes of crayons, rubber stamps, glitter and paint markers. Coloring is something they do when they get bored with everything else. It is what they do when they’re waiting for dinner to be served. It is what they do when they are inspired to make a card for their aunt or grandmother. You get the idea.

We have found that printing free coloring pages on the backs of previously used paper is a great way to recycle at home, save a dime and offer the kids a great variety of coloring pages. Here are the latest list of free downloadable Animal & Wildlife coloring pages and other great related links to follow.

Sited Links;
National Geographic | Animals Coloring Book
Los Angeles Zoo | Printable Animal Coloring Book Pages
Fun School | Animal Adventure Coloring Pages
The Coloring Spot | Animal Printable Coloring Pages
Karen’s Whimsy | Animal Coloring Pages [*beautiful stuff!]

meta-DAD | The best kids activity and coloring pages ever
meta-DAD | Great coloring pages online
meta-DAD | Mod coloring books for your lil’ Picasso

Pajama Party Birthday Bash

In an endless search for new and exciting (for us parents anyway) themed birthday parties, my wife and I cobbled together a successful pajama theme for our son’s second birthday. All the kids arrived in their favorite jammies, most with their favorite slippers on and ready to eat. We decided to throw a late afternoon soiree, for a couple reasons, first and foremost to be in phase with the Birthday Boy’s midday nap. Surprisingly, a few of the parents thanked us for having the party at this time because it worked out better for them too.

For food, we tapped a couple of our favorite local haunts hear in West LA, Dos Hermanos catering and Paddy Mac. Dos Hermanos has been around for 20+ years and like the name suggests, is a couple brothers originally from the Jalisco region of Mexico who have been serving up distinctly regional fare out of their small yet immaculate kitchen. There menu is short but these incredibly fresh dishes are memorable with favorites like savory chicken or cheese enchiladas, hearty Birria de la Jalisco and an almost cassoulette-style fajita. You cannot beat their price at $4.50 a person, you get an entree with rice and beans, salad (with dressing), and chips & salsa.

One of the few things our son can eat seemingly endless amounts of is macaroni & cheese. Always kid-friendly and parent-approved, we decided to order some of the famed Mac and Cheese from Paddy Mac. They have a diverse menu (all Mac & Cheese) including the standard, The Ship, with five kinds of cheese (pictured above) – you know the kids won’t go hungry. Our personal favorite is the Super Mac which slips in puree of cauliflower and carrot for a super vitamin boost, which goes virtually undetected amidst all that cheesey goodness. Other items on their menu seem to cater to a more mature palette like their Gourmet Mac (braised leeks, mushrooms and a touch of Gruyere) and the Old MACdonald’s Farm (bacon, broccoli and pockets of goat cheese & feta), regardless all recipes are perfectly balanced, thus always reminding you that what you have on you plate is some fresh and fancy Mac and Cheese.

My wife was in charge of fun and games, and considering we were hosting a party full of 2-4 year olds, she kept all the games non-competitive. Here is the break-down of the activities; More »

A Whimsical + Beautiful Waste of an Afternoon

I did not know a thing about this site stumbling in, and all I know about it (stumbling out) is that I look forward to exploring it again and again and again. This is a quiet reminder that games (of the casual kind, at least) have the potential of being whimsical, artful and thoroughly enjoyable for all ages.

On the surface, there is a wonderful cause and effect aspect to most of them but there is also some very clever ones as well. Bookmark it for a rainy day and take the kids along!

Orisinal: Morning Sunshine

Cool Modern Toddler Puzzles

This 10 piece hand-crafted puzzle stands up to brighten any room. As beautiful to look at as it is fun to play with, this makes an excellent first puzzle!

Kids love to play with the pieces like a playset, parents love the puzzle as room decor. Made with lead free, child safe paints and constructed from plantation-grown rubberwood, an environmentally-friendly hardwood.

Ages 3+

On Sale at Monkey Grass for $25 [+ shipping], usually $30

Mod Coloring Books for Your Lil’ Picasso

How often do you run across a coloring books that are truly inspired? Never, right?

Renowned children book illustrator, Taro Gomi, invites kids of all ages to not only color, but also draw, imagine, and create.

Unfinished pictures and intriguing prompts children’s powers of visualization, and at nearly 400 pages, this book provides plenty of room to stretch the imagination.

Taro Gomi Books at Amazon.Com for $10-20 bucks [+ shipping]