Family Time - Game Night with Candy Land Castle Game

I'm really trying to get into having a regular Family Game Night.  I think it is important for all kids, but especially for Dew1 and Dew2 to learn everything that is involved with games.  Taking turns, having someone win (and technically, someone lose), following rules, taking care of toys ... all rules that our boys need to be reminded of often.  No pieces in mouths (a big one in our family!)

So this game was on Dew2's Christmas List, and was a gift from Uncle G.  Admittedly, I thought that it was going to be a challenge and learning activity for Dew2, but it turns out that he's already mastered matching shapes and colours.  So now it's an actual game!

I'm sure there are rules to follow (in fact, I know there are as they are printed on the back of the gingerbread play shapes), but here's how we played.  Each person got a Gingerbread board that has four shapes on it - two on the hands and two on the feet.  Each board has a different combination.  The plastic castle shape holds and dispenses the shapes.  They are put in the top of the castle, and when the plastic candy cane is pulled down, a coloured shape pops out the bottom.  We played that each person got a shape, and if it didn't match their gingerbread board, then it was put back into the castle.  Regardless of a match or not, each person got one shape per turn.

We played tonight for the first time, and had good success!  Everyone took turns nicely - Dew1 even repeated "My Turn" or "Dew2's turn", and no one lost their temper.  Each person worked the castle on their own turn, and everyone was fine about that.  We even got to play an entire game!  The boys didn't quite get it at first, so DaddyDew and I helped things along, like asking if they had a match, or deciding that they didn't and moving along to the next person.  But if they did have a match, we let them make it on their own.  And the amusing thing is that Dew2 won!  We celebrated the win together, and then cleaned up.  There was a bit of upset at the clean up, but everything went so well we just sang the clean up song to distract them.

A successful family event!  Yea!  We might be making progress yet.

Family Time - Game Night with Dora Chutes & Ladders

We're trying to start playing games.  We need to learn about taking turns, winning and losing, and just spending a few minutes together.  I figure it's never too early to start ... and if we don't try, we'll never figure it out.

So tonight was our second attempt at Chutes and Ladders.  And we did better!

Last time we only got to about square 30 before  it was game over.  We needed octopus arm extensions to keep the game moving, keep the kids off the board, and keep hands off of the playing piece (the little Dora figurines are way tempting!)

Tonight we got to square 50!  And we probably could have gone further, but it was getting very squirmy and we decided to cut it off while it was still a good experience.  Dew2 won, we celebrated that, and Dew1 was very happy for him.  I was pleased to see it.  Amazingly, we got both boys to square 45 before someone hit either a chute or a ladder!  So the game was actually longer than it seemed.  And it was longer than last time - progress is being made, even if it took both adults to wrangle both kids.

The weird thing for me is that I grew up with Snakes and Ladders.  But that's another post.

Family Time - Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics

Be sure to gather up the family and head to Lowe's by 10 am Saturday morning (October 24th).

This week's project is the Frankenstring Magic Trick.

If you haven't been to a Lowe's workshop before, they are a lot of fun!  Each child is given safety goggles and a mini Lowe's Apron to wear - and keep!  The projects are packed up in kits, all ready to assemble.  They say that the age is from 6-12, but we've been taking Dew1 for a few months now and while he clearly can't build them by himself, he's getting really good at hammering, and he enjoys putting on the stickers - both good Fine Motor skills for him to be developing.

It's a great project for he and DaddyDew to do together, and over time he'll get some good building skills.

When the project is complete, each child receives a certificate and a Badge - that is specific to each project - to sew on their apron.  It's so cute!

So far, Dew2 has just been an observer, although he is quite interested in the hammer and steals it whenever he can.  However, the next project is a NASCAR Car and Garage, so I've signed them both up - there is no way that it's fair for Dew2 to watch his brother make and play with something as neat as a car and garage, and not have one for himself!  Looks like both MommyDew and DaddyDew will be building that day - and, if this is any indication, every day from there on out.

You need to register online - Here - and then print and sign a waiver to take with you.  That's it!  They are every other weekend.

Have fun!

By the way - Home Depot does a similar kid's workshop once a month.  I'll let you know when that is coming up!