Introducing your child to theater

This is the time of year that local high schools put on their spring musicals. Frequently the musicals are based on stories familiar to children. The other great thing about these plays are they are much cheaper than the professional children's theaters. Depending on your child he/she may be able to sit through the entire production as young as 3 but by kindergarten most children will not only be able to sit but will also be able to follow the story line. If your child gets antsy and you have to leave at intermission, don't feel bad. It is about you and your child enjoying the theater together not about if you make it to the end.

Last spring I took my oldest son who was in kindergarten to the local high school to see Cinderella. After the play all the performers were in the lobby greeting the kids and posing for photos. We could have been at Disneyland with the way those little boys and girls were looking at the high school students in their costumes. We are looking forward to seeing Peter Pan in a couple of weeks.

If you do plan to take your child to a high school play consider purchasing your tickets in advance or getting there early. In my experience they sell out most of the time. If you do go to a play or have taken your child to the theater in the past consider leaving a comment about your experience.

Snail's Pace Race

For my first game review I chose Snail's Pace Race. This is a great game for introducing the youngest of players to board games. The game is cooperative instead of competitive so there are no tears or fights at the end of the game. The snails are racing each other not the players. This game introduces kids to basic game rules, like taking turns and using a dice to determine moves, while helping them learn colors. For older kids you can introduce the concept of estimating and predicting. While Snail's Pace Race is not the most exciting game for adults it does add variety to the standard preschool board games and is much short in duration than Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders. The other huge advantage of this game are the pieces are made of wood so they stand up well to the not so gentle hands of young children. Snail's Pace Race is a high quality game that is great for the young gamer (2-5yrs old).

Why am I doing this?

Why am I doing this? I ask myself that question everyday for any number of reasons. As for why I am starting a blog there are several reasons. Our family loves to play board games and I would love to share some of the ones we enjoy playing. People, there really are kids games that are fun for even a grownup to play. Although you won't find them at Toys'R'Us or WalMart. I want to share ideas with other parents about crafts and games to entertain kids. I want to show what life is really like behind closed doors with three boys. I think more than anything I want to do something that reminds me that I am a grownup and capable of interacting with the outside world.