meta-dad

DIY Dad – Paint Your Own Piggy Bank

Looking for a simple craft project for the kids? Here’s a good one. These kits come complete with stickers, stamps, paint pots and brushes. Use this as an opportunity to talk about all the different ways people earn money, the positive impact of saving money. Financial advisers and academics alike all say More »

The expanding world of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’

Maurice Sendak’s ground-breaking 1963 book Where the Wild Things Are established him as a true visionary in the world of children’s literature. In 1964 he received the Caldecott Medal for the book, and More »

Contagious casual game for the whole family

Just when you least expect it, London gets invaded by Monster Vikings…

This game has been around since ‘05 but with over 1.5 million plays it still has plenty of sticking power More »

DIY Dad; 5 simple dad-friendly kids activities

I will be the first to admit, it can be quite a challenge taking care of three boys when my wife isn’t around, or heaven forbid, I need to take them with you to get my errands done, but with the right attitude you can turn a quick trip to the grocery store into a scavenger hunt or turn your living room into a theater.

Allow these fun times as a chance to listen to your kid, play on their terms, while maintaining fair play and encourage healthy social interactions. Young kids, toddlers and preschoolers alike spend most of their day playing by ‘our rules’, let this be a chance for them to dictate things a bit; it is good for their confidence and promotes self assurance.

1. Masterpiece Theater – turn the living room into a More »

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 »

Solar powered toy car

The toy of the future has arrived!

Naef Mouvelette Solar Car is designed by Peter Wuthrich for Solar Toys & Naef Toys, Switzerland. This toy received great reviews at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in Germany. It’s solar operated and has a small solar panel on top. In direct sunlight, the solar panel gives power to a small engine that drives the wheels. By deduction, I assume there is no rechargeable battery which means this toy will only work in direct sunlight.

An amazing gift, nonetheless, for the Little Inventor in your life. This educational toy is for children under 10 years old due to fragile parts (solar panel).

$79 bucks [+shipping] @ Nova68.Com