10 Tips for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Activities

These ideas were suggested by tweeters at a PBS Kids Curious George-sponsored MomItForward Twitter Girls’ Night Out party:

1. Make simple ornaments out of recycled products. @NoFlashCards says making lid ornaments is one of her favorites. She’s also made advent calendars out of baby wipe lids. Similarly, after opening gifts, you can keep boxes and other material to build a spaceship or playhouse. Decorate with old wrapping paper.
2. Make thank you notes for gifts to relatives with your kids. Check out PBS’ card maker e-card ideas or SplitCoastStampers.com.
3. Write an annual letter to your child, maybe filled with observations about the past year and hopes for his or her future, suggests @PBSKids.
4. Make marshmallow snowmen, suggests @GoGrahamGo.
5. Have the kids make napkin holders. @GoGrahamGo posted a free printable DIY holder that you can personalize with your child’s face.
6. Make Santa pancakes Christmas morning. Here’s a Curious George version.
7. Play Grinch Christmas Bingo, suggested by @WonderForge.
8. Make treats. @MinkyMoo provides this recipe for Chocolate & Salted Caramel Mug Cake and @GoGrahamGo provides one for Great Grandma’s Potato Candy.
9. Take treats to neighbors. @RedRover raves about making four different kinds of Greek cookies and taking them around: Koulourikia, kourabiedes, baklava, and loukoumathes. She says, “They’ll change your world!”
10. Put together a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child.

What fun family activities do you do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate the holidays?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

PBS KIDS recently launched over 40 new cross-platform games designed to help children ages 2-8 build critical math skills. They include PBS KIDS’ largest offering of interactive math content for preschoolers to date.  PBS KIDS even has mobile-friendly games to keep your kids entertained when you’re on the go!

One of the games that they are super excited about it is FETCH!, Lunch Rush, which is now available on the App Store. Available for free, the app uses the camera on iPhone or iPod touch to overlay computer-generated graphics on top of the physical, real-world environment. Extending PBS’s leadership in using augmented reality as an educational tool, FETCH! Lunch Rush opens a new world of learning by teaching kids ages six to eight math skills, like addition and subtraction, while blending the virtual and real world into a truly engaging experience.

To learn more about the lab, games, and ways to make education fun for your kids, mark your calendar and join us Tuesday as we chat with @PBSKIDS!

Party Topic

Join PBS KIDS Lab and our panel of experts as we discuss educational activities for kids during the holidays! The party will be held on Tuesday, December 13 from 9-11 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, December 13 from 9-11 p.m. EST (8 CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #PBSKIDSLAB)
• Topic: Educational Activities for Kids During the Holidays
• Who: Brand Panelist: @PBSKIDS, Community Panelists: @c2cmom @OhMariana @pluslily @Living_LaLaLand, Moderators: @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee @MomItForward
• Party Favors: Click here to enter the giveaway.
• RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

RT @MomItForward Join the @PBSKIDS #gno Twitter party 12/13 (9-11 ET) on education during holidays http://bit.ly/w4xeoX #PBSKIDSLAB PLS RT

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

Their newest game, FETCH! Lunch Rush, was designed for students in grades 1-3. In this multiplayer app, Ruff Ruffman has to collect the lunch order for his studio crew. The challenge is keeping track of how many pieces of food everyone wants using augmented reality “markers” (printable hand-outs) that prompt activity within the app. The app uses 3-D imagery to reinforce the early algebraic concepts, helping kids to make the connection between real objects and corresponding numeric symbols. Ruff then gives orders for food and users choose the game piece with the number corresponding to the correct answer by looking at it through the phone and tapping it.

So this holiday season, instead of sticking your kids in front of a TV, hand them an iPhone and have them play with Ruff Ruffman. The game is not only entertaining, but it is also educational! What’s not to love?

The Prizes

This week’s giveaway is all about educational activities for your kids during the holidays. INSERT 10 will receive PBS KIDS Prize Pack (ARV: $25 each).

Entry Requirements

For a chance to enter and win, please complete the following requirements and leave a separate comment for each on this post, including links to your original tweets.

1. Follow @PBSKIDS on Twitter.
2. Like the PBSKIDS Facebook page.
3. Answer the following question in the comment section below: How do you make education fun during the holidays?
4. Tweet the following:

• RT @MomItForward @PBSKIDS has mobile-friendly games to make education fun for kids! http://bit.ly/tijyd6 #gno #PBSKIDSLAB PLS RT

• RT @MomItForward GIVEAWAY! Enter 4 a chance 2 win a #PBSKIDSLAB Prize Pack (10 Winners) http://bit.ly/tijyd6 #gno PLS RT

Optional Entries

The following are extra entries that are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry for each completed item. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed optional entry.

• Follow @momitforward on Twitter.
• Like Mom It Forward on Facebook: http://facebook.com/momitforward.

Terms and Conditions

Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. ET Wednesday, December 14. See all terms and conditions here. This giveaway is available to U.S. residents only. 

This year, why not make some popcorn or hot cocoa, cuddle on the couch, and enjoy a series of Curious George movies with your family to kick off the holiday season? Spending this quiet time as a family might be all you need to truly enjoy the holidays…and who knows, this could even become a new holiday tradition!

PBS KIDS is featuring the broadcast premiere of the original Curious George movie on November 23, which will air as part of the CURIOUS GEORGE Holiday Spectacular.  A three-movie on-air event that is sure to be a new family tradition, the Holiday Spectacular kicks off with Curious George, featuring the voices of Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore and Dick Van Dyke, as well as the music of Jack Johnson, followed by Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey and Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. Encore presentations of the Holiday Spectacular will air on PBS KIDS throughout Thanksgiving weekend (check local listings).

So, grab some snacks, cuddle under a blanket, and share laughter and fun with your family during the holidays as you watch the adventures of CURIOUS GEORGE!

The Prizes

This week’s giveaway is all about holiday family traditions. Five lucky winners will receive a PBS KIDS CURIOUS GEORGE prize pack (ARV: $50).

Entry Requirements

For a chance to enter and win, please complete the following requirements and leave a separate comment for each on this post, including links to your original tweets.

1. Follow @PBSKIDS on Twitter.
2. Like the PBS KIDS Facebook page.
3. Answer the following question in the comment section below: What is your favorite family tradition?
4. Tweet the following:

• RT @MomItForward Join @PBSKIDS #CuriousGeorge #gno Twitter party 11/15 (9-11 ET) on holiday family traditions http://bit.ly/ud7AS1 PLS RT

• RT @MomItForward GIVEAWAY! Enter 4 a chance 2 win a #CuriousGeorge Prize Pack http://bit.ly/vFm5l8 (5 Winners) #gno PLS RT

Optional Entries

The following are extra entries that are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry for each completed item. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed optional entry.

• Follow @momitforward on Twitter.
• Like Mom It Forward on Facebook: http://facebook.com/momitforward.

Terms and Conditions

Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. ET Wednesday, November 16. See all terms and conditions here. This giveaway is available to U.S. residents only. 

Knowing the struggle that children face on a daily basis both in the classroom and at home when it comes to learning, PBS KIDS recently launched over 40 new cross-platform games designed to help children ages 2-8 build critical math skills. They include PBS KIDS’ largest offering of interactive math content for preschoolers to date.

To learn more about the lab, games, and ways to use technology to make learning fun for your kids, mark your calendar and join us Tuesday as we chat with @PBSKIDS!

Party Topic

Join PBS KIDS Lab and our panel of experts as we discuss ways to make math fun for your kids, using educational games and tech! The party will be held on Tuesday, October 25 from 9-11 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, October 25 from 9-11 p.m. EST (8 CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #PBSKIDSLAB)
• Topic: Educational Gaming and Technology
• Who: Brand Panelist: @PBSKIDS, Community Panelists: @teachmama @c2cmom @scrappinmichele @peekababy @Living_LaLaLand , Moderators: @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee @MomItForward
• Party Favors: Click here to enter the giveaway.
• RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

RT @MomItForward Join the @PBSKIDS #gno Twitter party 10/25 (9-11 ET) on educational gaming/tech http://bit.ly/rtBOAW #PBSKIDSLAB PLS RT

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

These games include PBS KIDS’ largest offering of interactive math content for preschoolers to date. The games comprise several suites, each of which is centered around a PBS KIDS media property. Available for free on the new PBS KIDS Lab website (PBSKIDS.org/lab), each suite links a set of games across platforms which are accessible through computers, mobile devices and interactive whiteboards so that kids engage with the same characters as they move from device to device. The content is also linked by a curricular framework which leverages games on a variety of platforms to support key math skills.

The new PBS KIDS Lab also offers a myriad of resources for parents and teachers. PBSKIDS.org/lab aggregates games by age and skill area so that adults can search for the games that will be the best fit for their kids. Parents and teachers can also search the game library by familiar and trusted PBS KIDS series. Additionally, the site helps parents and teachers learn how the games support learning by providing details on the games’ curriculum-based content.

This new collection of games furthers PBS KIDS’ efforts to innovate across platforms to both educate and entertain America’s children. PBS KIDS is increasingly serving children wherever they live, learn, and play – online, on mobile devices, on TV, and in the classroom.

The Prizes

This week’s giveaway is all about ways to reclaim your body. Ten winners will receive a PBS KIDS Prize Pack (ARV: $25.00).

Entry Requirements

For a chance to enter and win, please complete the following requirements and leave a separate comment for each on this post, including links to your original tweets.

1. Follow @PBSKIDS on Twitter.
2. Like the PBS KIDS Facebook page.
3. Answer the following question in the comment section below: How do you make education fun for your kids?
4. Tweet the following:

• RT @MomItForward @PBSKIDS recently launched 40+ new games to help children build math skills http://bit.ly/r4w2zo #gno #PBSKIDSLAB PLS RT

• RT @MomItForward GIVEAWAY! Enter 4 a chance 2 win a @PBSKIDS
  Prize Pack http://bit.ly/r4w2zo (10 Winners) #gno #PBSKIDSLAB PLS RT

Optional Entries

The following are extra entries that are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry for each completed item. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed optional entry.

• Follow @momitforward on Twitter.
• Like Mom It Forward on Facebook: http://facebook.com/momitforward.

Terms and Conditions

Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. ET Wednesday, October 26. See all terms and conditions here. This giveaway is available to U.S. residents only. 

The realization that we are slipping as a nation, not just financially but scientifically and mathematically, is something we’ve been experiencing over the past few years. The realization that we really need to do something about that is just now kicking in, if statistics recently released by PBS Kids is any indication.

“Years ago, we identified a gap in children’s media – there was very little content available for kids to build critical literacy and STEM skills – especially on TV,” said Lesli Rotenberg, senior vice president, Children’s Media, PBS.  “We saw this as an opportunity to develop great narratives grounded in core curricular areas. Since then, we’ve worked with the best producers in children’s programming to develop a lineup of preschool series that meet this need. And we’re seeing great results – it’s clear from our ratings that kids are responding to this content.”

As well they should. It is obvious from this data that parents have realized the need for the improvement of their children’s STEM education, beginning at an earlier age, and esteem PBS as a reliable source of that for their preschoolers. Experts do in fact state that “strong elementary math skills are important if students hope to succeed in later grades and beyond—and because a mastery of each new math concept relies on an understanding of prior concepts, success must start at an early age (ital. added).”

Of course, these parents are focusing on STEM education for their kids so that they can help them build better futures for themselves. But President Obama himself has also focused on it lately as well, saying that “it is of the utmost importance to all students and critical to U.S. competitiveness,” at an April 2011 town hall event at Facebook’s Palo Alto, California campus. Perhaps he has recognized that improving STEM education nationwide is not only a way out of our current recession, but also a possible means of improving America’s math and science literacy, past 24th or 28th place, to first.

If we want to insure a better future for our children and our country, the experts say it is STEM education, beginning at an early age, that is the key. PBS Kids is a proven way to start.

Why do you think STEM education is important? How are you helping your children improve and/or enhance their STEM education?

The Dinosaur Train Challenge is comprised of 92 geocaches hidden in the U.S. and Canada, each one featuring a dinosaur, containing educational information related to that dinosaur, and hiding in a museum, zoo, aquarium, or aviary. The geocaches are made and hidden either by PBS station representatives or families who like Dinosaur Train. Anyone can make a geocache or participate in the challenge, regardless of their experience level. Everything they need to know can be found here.

Here’s what we did:

• I went to pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/geocachingchallenge. About halfway down the information page, I found  a link to the list of Dinosaur Train geocaches. After clicking on that link, I scrolled through that list until I found one located in our state. I noted the description, small map, and logs of previous visits from other users. Even without the actual coordinates of the cache, I had a good idea where it was hidden.
• I programmed the coordinates of the cache into my GPS and grabbed a Dinosaur Train-related trinket that I happened to have on hand. It’s customary to trade stuff in geocaches: you put something in (i.e., a trinket, book, or something cooler, depending on the theme and location of the cache) and take something out.
• As soon as we got on the road, my GPS told me what direction I needed to go and the approximate distance to the cache. It led us to within 10 or 20 feet of it. All GPS’s have a margin of error (here’s why), so they’ll get you in the area of a cache, but it’s up to you to interpret whatever clues were provided by the maker of the cache or those who’ve visited it before you. Therein lies a big part of the fun of geocaching.
• This cache was hidden in Tracy Aviary. It actually took two separate visits to find it, complicated by bad weather and traffic. The staff of the Aviary didn’t even know it was there, but Dave Orndorff, the curator, was kind enough to let me in for free the second time to continue my search.

• We found the cache! It contained a logbook for us to record our visit, a few bird or dinosaur trinkets, and information on the microraptor, a small, bird-like dinosaur. We left our trinket and took a travel bug, and then spent a couple of hours exploring the whole aviary.

What educational outdoor activities do you like to do with your family? What skills do these activities teach your children?

He’s now eight, and it seems there’s no shortage of resources in terms of specific experiments (his favorite kits are the Scientific Explorer kits, books (his favorite is his Usborne Big Book of Science Things to Make and Do), places (his favorite is the Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life), and TV shows (his favorite is PBS Kids’ Dinosaur Train). He’s done one of these almost every day this summer, except for the days I said he had to do either math or spelling or reading, because even scientists have to know how to do those things too.  So when I got the opportunity to do a sneak preview of Dinosaur Train’s Big City adventure, premiering on Monday, he was super excited. So was my two-year-old. Both of them insisted on watching it straight out of the box, and sat entranced the whole time.

So it got me thinking: I can see why Dinosaur Train is interesting to young boys on the surface, just because it combines ancient tough beasts and trains, two things they instinctively love. But what specific strategies does Dinosaur Train employ that makes it both enjoyable and educational? What strategies can I take away and model in my own educational exploits with my kids? Here’s what I found:

First, ParentingScience.com offered these tips for teaching kids about paleontology:

• Teach concepts, not statistics.
• Compare extinct animals to living ones.
• Offer age-appropriate explanations.
• Present good illustrations for kids.
• Let kids see the evidence for themselves (e.g. fossils)
• Inspire critical thinking by presenting “clues” and asking questions.

These are good tips, one which many “over-the-counter” kids’ science books and products do not always follow, I think. Even better, though, are these tips provided by PBS Parents, which state, first of all, that “explorations, even simple ones, do not help children understand complex ideas.” Thank you!

• Listen carefully to your child. Engage her in conversation about what she thinks, and encourage her to explain why she thinks as she does by asking questions such as, “Why do you think the snail is eating that leaf?”
• If your child says something scientifically incorrect, help her discover for herself what is correct rather than correcting her.
• Model curiosity. Wonder aloud: “I wonder what will happen to this pudding mix when we put the water in?”
• Keep in mind that children develop at different rates as you do science activities with your child.

As I watched Dinosaur Train Big City with my two boys, I could see these tips and strategies modeled, and was thankful for the great resource that they offer to me to help me foster my sons’ love of science.

Disclosure: PBSKids provided me, through their PR company 360publicrelations, with a movie premiere kit, which included a copy of the Dinosaur Train Big City premiere, movie popcorn, a red “carpet,” and some swag. The unabashed adoration of all things PBS expressed in this post is my own, sincere opinion.

To celebrate the upcoming premiere of Dinosaur Big City, PBS KIDS wants to chat about all things science…but don’t grab your lab coat just yet. Mom it Forward is bringing in the brains behind PBS KIDS and the Jim Henson Company, who creates DINOSAUR TRAIN, to discuss how to keep science fun and age appropriate. We’re going to be discussing how to get kids excited about science and how parents and teachers can make it fun…which includes discussing dinosaurs!

Party Topic

Join PBS KIDS, the Jim Henson Company, and our panel of experts as we discuss ways to make science fun. The party will be held on Tuesday, August 16 from 9-11 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, August 16 from 9-11 p.m. EST (8 CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #PBSKIDS)
• Topic: Making Science Fun
• Who: Brand Panelist: @pbskids, @hensonparents, Community Panelists: @carissarogers @noflashcards @ColoScienceMom @AmyOnThePrairie @c2cmom, Moderators: @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee @MomItForward @TimeOutMom
• Party Favors: Click here to enter the giveaway.
• RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

RT @MomItForward Join the @pbskids #gno Twitter party 8/16 (9-11 ET) about making science fun http://bit.ly/nMKC14 #PBSKIDS PLS RT

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.