Playing with scissors

Activity: Cutting paper
Required materials: Paper, kid's scissors with metal blades and blunt ends (like these), a bowl, crayons/markers (optional)
Age: Probably 3 and up (under close supervision)
Reason to try it: It's simple, fun for the kids, and easy to clean up

Let me start by saying that kids need the real thing when it comes to scissors. We have had the plastic kind. Yes--they are safer than metal, but they just don't cut as well. Getting each of my kids good scissors was worthwhile.

Recommended activities:

1. Making 'soup'

Letting kids cut up paper makes a mess. It's an easy-to-clean-up mess, but it's still a mess. Try telling them to make soup with their scraps.

How is this done? By simply putting scraps into a big bowl.  This keeps the scraps off the table and floor in an engaging way for the kids.

2. Coupons

Coupons made for me by my son

I'm a coupon-clipper. The kids see it every Sunday. Give them a chance to help. Either save the coupon section (that you don't need for yourself) or let them make their own.

My daughter calls her little scraps coupons. She doesn't color them first.

My daughter designated the red piece a coupon. 

3. Cutting practice

Draw lines on paper and have your kids cut the paper by following the lines. This improves their manual dexterity and fine motor skills. Here I did some zig-zags, some wavy, and some plain straight.

Try drawing shapes for older kids.

For clean up? Just brush any loose scraps into the bowl. Same with the scraps on the floor. Simple!

____________________________

Stealing Time giveaway update --  Unfortunately, there is no winner due to the lack of comments. 

Portland Children's Museum - part II - Chagall exhibit

Here, in my second part about the Portland Children's Museum (see first post here), you'll learn more about the fantastic Chagall exhibit at the museum. It's there until mid-January.

Outing: Portland Children's Museum

Cost: $9 for adults and children 1 and older (you can buy tickets for $8 online here). Info about membership here. Parking is additional. They have free first Friday afternoons-info here.

Travel time: Located next the Oregon Zoo. Map here. 

Age: Any age, but a child who is mobile will have more fun.

Reason to go: The current special Chagall exhibit is excellent.

I took the kids to the Portland Art Museum a couple of weeks ago to see their new Body Beautiful exhibit. It was beautiful but how would the kids do on their first trip to the museum? They were well-behaved, yet I won't be featuring it as a recommended activity at this time. My three-year-old had trouble keeping her hands away from the art.

This Chagall exhibit is so refreshing for that reason. It's designed with little hands in mind. The mini-gallery of art made by kids is the first part of the exhibit.

 

I was struck with how mindfully the rest of the exhibit was structured. Each representation of Chagall's art featured an activity and phone to listen and learn more.

Kids can do weaving here.

This puzzle mimics the lines of the painting.

The illuminated puzzle re-creates the stained glass window.

There's more than these activities. Kids can paint or contribute to a mural in the large art station.

 

I can't think of a better way to expose kids to great art, encourage their creativity, and teach them that art doesn't have to be hands off. Maybe the next time we visit the grown-up art museum, they will appreciate the pieces even more.

Portland Children's Museum

Rain or shine, the Portland Children's Museum is usually the kids' first request when I ask them where they want to 'go'. How's that for a positive review? 

Outing: Portland Children's Museum

Cost: $9 for adults and children 1 and older (you can buy tickets for $8 online here). Info about membership here. Parking is additional. They have free first Friday afternoons-info here.

Travel time: Located next the Oregon Zoo. Map here. 

Age: Any age, but a child who is mobile will have more fun.

Reason to go: With the rainy season upon us, this is a fun alternative to a park. Plus, the current special Chagall exhibit is excellent (check back next week for more about that, or click here).

First, let me say that the best time to go is at opening or in the late afternoon. The exhibits are much more fun (especially for kids under 5) when they are less crowded.

Now I'll go through the highlights of this museum for my family. 

The Dig Pit is filled with old chopped tires. It's mostly enclosed so a good spot if you have more than one child. Plus there's some tables for parents.

The Pet Clinic lets kids take care of stuffed animals. There's an exam area complete with X-ray films and some artificial grass to take the animals for a 'walk'. My daughter actually loves being a receptionist here.

Kids can 'drive' a bus and ambulance or play with trains in the Vroom Room. The ambulance has working lights and the train area is huge!

Water Works is just awesome.  I shied away from this room for a long time. Big mistake! It's easily my kids' favorite.

The rock climbing wall encloses a play camping station and volcano slide. My son loves all three.

The Baby's Garden is for kids 3 and under. It's enclosed so they can't escape and wonderful for the museum's littlest visitors. This is also a nice spot if you have two kids.

The Zany Maze, found outside the entrance, is a small hedge maze with lookout above. There is a gate to keep the kids inside. I've seen 'The Shining' too many times for me to like it. My kids love it  though! 

Don't miss the Grocery and Butterfly Bistro (very fun when it's less crowded), the Clay Studio (kids can get their pottery creations fired for a small fee), and the Twilight Trail (complete with life sized Lite-Brite). Truly, there's fun around every corner here and we've explored every single one.

Commonwealth Lake and Parks

I lived here for years before discovering this lake. I was searching for a flat place to run, and my husband, a local, suggested it as if I'd been there dozens of times.

Well, we've been there dozens of times now. What a place to take the kids! And to run too.

Outing: THPRD Commonwealth Lake Park and Foothills Park

Cost: Free

Travel time: For me about 5 minutes. It's near the junction of Hwy 26 and Hwy 217. See map here.

Age: Any age, but there is easily accessible water at the park on the lake.
Restroom options: One port-a-potty at each park. The one at the lake is wheelchair accessible.

Reason to go: The lake, the birds, and two different parks with play structures.

Commonwealth Lake is man-made with a 3/4 mile paved trail around it. 

Commonwealth Lake Park has swings, a play structure, a large soccer field nearby, and a variety of birds.

You've gotta look out for this resident goose. He might try to nip at you.

Note in the very top picture that there is easy access to the lake. As in fall into the lake access if a child wasn't being careful.

That being said, I've loved this destination with my kids for a long time. The flat, paved trail is ideal for running with a stroller or simply going for a walk. The swings, play structures, and mature trees also make this a real gem.

Foothills Park is on the side of the lake opposite Commonwealth Lake Park, and across the street.

It's smaller with no lake access. It might be a good choice if you are concerned about the water.

There is a large field behind it, and that grove of trees shown in the picture above shelters a trail.

The trail leads you through an updated basketball court and wooded area before coming out on a street about a half mile away. If you follow the map found in the link above, you end up at the Cedar Hills Recreation Center. This little trail is just isolated enough to feel like hiking, but has easy access to the park, rec center, or lake if desired. Plus the two-mile loop described in the link is a great solo running route.

It's hard to find a free, kid-friendly destination with as many options and things to do as Commonwealth Lake.

Portland International Airport

Outing: Portland International Airport

Cost: $3/hour in the short-term parking by the terminal. Prices here. 

Travel time: About 30 minutes from NW Portland if you go when it isn't rush hour (which I recommend). See directions here.

Age: Any age, but keep in mind the airport is busy

Reason to go: It's a cheap, easy way for kids to see all kind of transportation.

When traveling, the airport can be really stressful. Go to the airport for non-travel reasons, and a whole new set of opportunities emerge.

Check out the parking level 4 bridge to the terminal.

Buses.

Cars.

Airplanes (of course).

That's all before you even enter the building!

Inside, there's lots to see without needing to go through the security checkpoint. See the brown section on the map here.

Go for lunch or coffee (or other options here, but note that some are behind security), and sit near the windows to see the planes leaving the terminal.

Help your kids understand arrivals and departures. What a great opportunity for a little geography and chart-reading.

Play games of 'Where's that traveler going?'

Or even shop! With a multitude to choose from (see options here, but note that some are behind security), you can get some clothes or...

...books!

For just $3 an hour, the airport is a great destination with so much to see and do. And without the concerns of tickets, luggage, and full-body scanners, it's an outing full of possibilities.

Thanks to Noelle Johnson for the original idea.

Game: Orchard

My daughter got a great card game for her birthday. It's called 'Orchard'. 

Game: Orchard
Game type: Card
Age range: 3 and up
Skills required: Only the identification of four colors
Cost: About $9
Basic idea: Players work cooperatively to collect fruit before the raven gets it.

The simplest games are often the best. This game has cards representing a path, each of four fruits, and baskets.

To set it up, you put the path cards down, lay the four fruit cards down in piles, give each player a basket card, and put the raven at the end of the path farthest from the fruit trees.

The die has a color matching each fruit, a raven, and a basket. On your turn, you roll the die. If you get a color, you take the card that matches (blue=plum, red=cherry, etc) and put it on your basket card.

Play continues with each player rolling and taking the fruit card the die indicates.

If the player rolls a basket, the player gets to choose two fruits for his/her basket.

If the player rolls the raven, then the raven moves one card closer to the fruit trees.

This is a cooperative game. It pits (ha!) all the players against the raven. If the players collect all the fruit before the raven reaches the end, the players win. If the raven gets to the end first, the players lose.

So, in my sample game shown, play has continued. Much fruit has been taken and the raven is moving down the path.

Eventually, some fruit is gone, but the game goes on.

In this sample, all the fruit was taken before the raven reached the end.

Yay! We win.

The whole family enjoys this game. The kids have even created a 'No Raven, No Raven' chant when we play. It's also helping our three-year-old with turn-taking. {Parents: this is a very quick game. Another big plus for us}

'The Orchard' was purchased at Piccolo Mondo toys. Look out--if my kids are invited to your birthday party, this just might be one of the gifts.