Food Fun Family

Summer Games Scavenger Hunt Activities for Kids

Lolli — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 01:04:08 +0000

When I was growing up, watching the Summer Games (ie, the “games that shall not be named”) on TV every 4 years was EVERYTHING. As in, everything stopped and we watched the events all day, every day. I was fascinated by all of the summer sports.

I am so excited about this year’s Games in Rio, partly because my kids are actually into a few of the sports that will be represented in the Games…and partly just for nostalgia’s sake. My oldest son is a runner (both cross country and track & field) and three of of my kids spent the last 2 months swimming competitively. I know that they’ll be glued to the swimming and running events this year.

To celebrate, I’ve pulled together a fun, ACTIVE scavenger hunt. Instead of searching for things, they’ll be checking off things that they DO.

So print off this month’s scavenger hunt, grab a few pencils, and get active!

(Click HERE or click the image above to download the PDF version of this scavenger hunt!)

How to use this Summer Games Scavenger Hunt Printable

This scavenger hunt is a little different than my others. Instead of hunting for things, you’ll see how many of the activities on the list you can do! You can put on your own Summer Games. Make it a party, invite a few friends over and have fun with it! Simply print off as many sheets as you need, and then go get active!

Print:
PDF version of the SUMMER GAMES scavenger hunt
Jpeg version of the SUMMER GAMES scavenger hunt

YOU make your own rules. Do each “event” in order, as a team, or compete side by side. There are no rules. Just have fun!

Be sure to check out my other scavenger hunt printables and check back soon for MORE fun throughout the year!

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

10 Safety Tips for Pokémon GO Players

Lolli — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 13:05:12 +0000

Pokémon GO is a new mobile game unlike any other. Yes, the kids and I have been enjoying playing it together like so many other families.

Pokémon GO requires players to go outside to play and get the full experience of the game. This has led to a slight problem, though. Tons of people are aimlessly walking around trying to catch Pokémon, staring at their phone screens…seemingly unaware of their surroundings (like busy streets and other people). I am shocked at how many people are going out late at night (especially when I hear of kids going out alone in the dark!) or going to remote places without a buddy.

There are so many good things about Pokémon GO, like helping people get out and get active, but there are many things that worry me about how so many are playing the game, so I gathered these 10 safety tips for Pokémon GO players. This way you can continue to catch ’em all….without having to worry.

Play with a Buddy

Perhaps my best advice is this: don’t play alone! There are stories of criminals luring people to a remote pokestop with the intent to rob or even kidnap. Pokémon GO is more fun when played with friends, anyway, and there is safety in numbers. When visiting pokestops or gyms, it’s always a good idea to bring along another person or two. Remind kids that it’s never, EVER ok to follow someone they don’t know anywhere, even if there’s a promise of a rare Pokémon.

Look Up & Be Aware

You don’t have to constantly stare at your phone’s screen to play Pokémon GO. You can put your phone in your pocket with the app still on and it will vibrate to alert you when a Pokémon is near you (you can also go to Settings and select “Battery Saver” to put your app on battery saver mode whenever you turn the phone upside down. This helps preserve battery a ton!). When you remember to look at your surroundings instead of your phone screen all the time, you won’t accidentally walk into another person or into the middle of the road…..or a ditch where you could twist an ankle. Always watch where you’re walking.

Catching a Pokémon

If a Pokémon pops up on your screen, you do not have to be right next to it to catch it. You just need to click on the Pokémon, and it stays with you until you can catch it. Many people think you need to be next to a Pokémon to capture it, and has lead to people walking into busy roads, which isn’t safe! Always, always move to a safe spot to catch a Pokémon and never step into (or stay in) a dangerous situation just for the chance to catch a new, rare Pokémon.

Bring Supplies

Walking is a huge part of this game. If you are planning on going out for awhile, bring some supplies. Pack a backpack with things like water to stay hydrated, snacks, phone charger (since the app eats up your phone battery), etc. If you are playing at night add in some supplies like a flashlight and maybe bring something to protect yourself, like pepper spray. But remember – your most important supply may be the friends you bring along!

Dress Comfortably

Since walking is a big part of this game, you’ll want to make sure you are comfortable. Comfy shoes are a must as well as making sure you are dressed for the weather. If rain is in the forecast (or if you live somewhere where rain can happen any day, any time, make sure you have an umbrella and enough battery power to call home if a ride is needed.

Watch Out

If it is late at night, it is probably best to avoid Pokéstops that have lures on them, as there have been cases lately of people using them to lure people to specific spots for criminal intent. Don’t be persuaded by the fact there may be a special Pokémon in a certain area that is suspicious and don’t let others pressure you into going into any suspicious areas. If it doesn’t feel safe, stay away. Remember that there is safety in numbers and public places and daylight are always better than remote places and the dark of night time.

Be Courteous

Pokéstops can be in random places….one of the weirdest so far that we’ve heard of is cemeteries. Remember to be respectful, wherever you are catching Pokémon, whether it’s a park with young children or a cemetery or a church. It is best not to be loud and boisterous since not everyone plays the game, especially in cemeteries where people may be there to grieve or churches, where people are going to worship.

Stay off of Private Property

Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do if you weren’t playing Pokémon GO. Remember that Pokémon can be found on private property, but that does not mean that you suddenly have permission to enter that private property to catch it. If it seems appropriate, you can certainly ask the owner’s permission to enter their property, but it’s important to remember to be respectful of people’s time just as much as you are respectful of their time,

Don’t Play and Drive

Yes, this has probably been said a million times, but it cannot be stressed enough. Just like texting and driving, it is NOT safe to catch Pokémon while driving, and you should never do it. It is just common sense and hopefully not too many people will have to be hurt before players will realize how dangerous playing while driving is.

In-App Purchases

This is more of a safety tip for your bank account. It mainly applies to you if your children are playing on your device. Make sure to log out of your App Store account before you let them play because in Pokémon GO, you can make purchases. There have been a lot of coincidences where kids accidentally purchase extras within the app and they end up costing you A LOT of money.

This new game is a fun and inventive a way to get avid gamers active outside. Even people who never play video games love it! It has built its own community and is altogether really fun. But it is important to be safe no matter what.

Do you have any safety tips you could add? Have you played Pokémon GO yet? Share in the comments!

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Valentine’s Day Puzzle Cards {A Free Printable}

Lolli — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 15:41:07 +0000

These Valentine’s Day Puzzle cards would make the perfect activity for your child’s Valentine’s Day class party, or for some indoor February fun for the kids (because we all know outside play is not always an option when the weather is cold and wet and no one likes a bored child!).

Included in this printable, you will find a kid-friendly maze, a fun-loving word search, a silly word de-scrambler, and a quick cross word puzzle, all themed for Valentine’s Day.

Instructions:

To print these Valentine’s Day puzzles, simply click on the image preview above or click here to download the PDF file straight to your computer. Then click the little printer icon and you can print as many as you’d like on your home printer.

These Valentine’s Day Puzzle Printables are perfect for…

Valentine’s Day cards (just print these cards on cardstock, cut the 4 puzzles out, and write a note to a friend on the other side. Boom! You’ve got a Valentine’s Day card that is both fun and useful!

homeschool activities

after school boredom-busters

class parties

etc

Who Can Use These Free Printables?

Print and use as many of these as you’d like for home use or to share with friends and classmates, but please do not sell, redistribute or repost the PDF file anywhere else online. Thanks!

More Free Printables!

Want to see more content like this? If you LOVE these free Valentine’s Day puzzles, let me know and I can create more free content like this!

Looking for more printable activities for kids? Be sure to grab my Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt printable (and keep an eye open for the St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt printable coming soon). And then browse through my hundreds of Free Printables and Activity Sheets for kids (most of them are themed for your kids’ favorite movies, like Frozen, Inside Out, Marvel, and more!

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable for Kids

Lolli — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 06:00:39 +0000

Do your kids love doing scavenger hunts? I’m excited to share this Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable for kids!

(Click the image above to download the PDF version of this scavenger hunt!)It’s a new year and that means (among many other things!) a whole new batch of Entertainment Hop posts. Last year, I offered an almost-monthly list of children’s picture books for each of the holidays. As I brainstormed what I could do for this year’s Entertainment Hop party, I knew that I wanted to come up with a year-long idea that I could do for each theme. I was so thrilled when I thought of making monthly scavenger hunt printables for kids.

Check out my list of Valentine’s Day picture books for kids AND my list of 15 good, clean romance novels for adults!

How to use this Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable

Look around in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, and you’ll likely see a ton of red and pink, lace, hearts, cupids, and more. Why not make the holiday season into a fun scavenger hunt? The best thing about this scavenger hunt is that it can be played many different ways – use the printable list as a guide and make the game your own. Simply print off as many sheets as you need, and then go have some fun!

Print:
PDF version of Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt
Jpeg version of Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt

Single-player game: race against the clock! See how many of the items on the list you can find in 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Look in the house for as many items as possible, or find things that aren’t at home in a magazine or book.

Group scavenger hunt: If you have enough players, divide into 2 teams. Each team works together to find the items on the list. Reconvene at a specific time to compare what each team was able to find.

Get creative! Some items are easier than others to “collect” as participants search for things on the list. Let the kids think of alternative methods of “collection” such as taking a picture, drawing a picture, or having an adult initial next to an item on the list. See ideas for gathering clues below.

Broaden your search area. With parental permission/supervision, teams can ask neighbors for help gathering scavenger hunt items. Maybe you don’t have a cupid at home, but a neighbor does. Make sure that kids know to only go to houses where they know the people that live there, and always bring a buddy along.

Methods of gathering “clues:”

Each person or group has a small bag and collects as many items inside the bag as the can in a set amount of time. At the end, everyone shows off the item they’ve collected.

Each person or group has a digital camera (phones, ipod, etc) and snaps a picture of each item they find.

Simply check off each item on the scavenger hunt paper as it is found or have another person act as a “witness” and initial the paper to verify that an item was found.

Use your imagination! Let the players decide the rules!

For more Valentine’s Day entertainment ideas, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

The Best Dystopian Love Stories to Curl Up With by In Our Spare Time

4 Fun Texting Games for Couples on the Go by Philzendia

The Perfect Romantic Playlist for your Valentine Getaway by Jennifer Sikora

20 Favorite Clean Romance Books I’ve Reviewed by Day by Day in Our World

Awesome Romantic Movies on Netflix by Mom on the Side

Valentine’s Day Movies on Netflix for Families by Our Family World

Paranormal Love Stories that aren’t Totally Cheesy by Pretty Opionated

Printable Valentine’s Day Word Search by MommaDJane

7 Movies That Will Give You All The Feels on Valentine’s Day by My Teen Guide

Valentine Books for Kids by Optimistic Mommy

Our Favorite Movie Quotes About Love by Style on Main

8 Totally Awesome Valentine’s Day Movies to Watch by How Was Your Day

Valentine’s Day Nonfiction by SMS Nonfiction Book Reviews

25 Valentine’s Day Movies for Family Movie Night by Stuffed Suitcase

8 Free Printable Valentine’s Day Games by Gaggle of Gamers

Anti-Love Stories by The Guavalicious Life

10 Sweet Valentine’s Day Books for Preschoolers by Views from the Ville

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Movie Review and Activity Sheets

Lolli — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 20:29:27 +0000

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – R2-D2 and C-3PO

This Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie review is strictly spoiler-free. It’s a lot harder to talk about the movie without revealing the plot, but based on my husband’s strong feelings about not saying ANYTHING about the movie before he is able to see it on Friday morning, I am determined to write a Star Wars review with NO SPOILERS.

Note: All movie stills are provided courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Right Reserved.

Should I See The New Star Wars Movie in Theaters?

In a word, YES. Whether you are a long-time, die-hard fan of the Star Wars franchise or a newbie who’s interested to see what all the hype is about, you should see this movie. I have a family full of die hard fans, and I am dying to see it with them again as soon as it is open in theaters this Friday December 18.

Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.

My Star Wars: The Force Awakens Movie Review:

I found The Force Awakens to resurrect the feel and the look of the original trilogy. It FITS. I felt like I was watching a movie that was perfectly aligned with A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. New characters are introduced (Daisy Ridley and John Boyega shine as Rey and Finn and you can’t help but love the new droid, BB8) and old characters make a surprisingly strong comeback.

One of my biggest fears about The Force Awakens was Harrison Ford’s role. After being sorely disappointed in his 2008 Indiana Jones movie, I worried that he would ruin Han Solo for me. Instead, Harrison completely stole the show and was exactly as I would have pictured a mature Han Solo to be. After seeing the movie, I was thrilled that they were able to bring back so many of the original characters that made the original Star Wars trilogy so epic.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Leia and Han Solo

This new Star Wars movie takes place about 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The story follows the evil First Order – including the Supreme Leader Snoke and the movie’s main antagonist, Kylo Ren – along side the Resistance – with newcomers Rey (a young but strong girl) and Finn (a Storm Trooper with a conscience). And without spoiling the rest of the plot, that’s about all I can say.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Kylo Ren with Stormtroopers

The story line was excellent. The script was well-written (although the lady sitting next to me in the screening laughed awkwardly in all the wrong spots and kind of threw me off a bit). The movie was packed with smart action (yes, there is CGI, but I felt like most of the action had a very authentic feel to it). And the MUSIC took me back to the original 3. The score was fantastic.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Finn and Poe

After the movie is out and my family has had a chance to see it (HA!) then I am happy to discuss more thoughts I had on the movie, including favorite quotes. But for now, I will leave you with some free printable activities.

If you haven’t pre-purchased your Star Wars tickets, buy them now. You want to see this.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Activity Sheets

Click the image above to download the full-sized PDF file to your computer. Print as many as you’d like!

Bonus: You can create your own epic movie and Flipbook from your Instagram videos here: https://www.hp.com/go/instantink

Connect with Star Wars: The Force Awakens:

#StarWars | #TheForceAwakens

Like STAR WARS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWarsMovies

Follow STAR WARS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars

Follow STAR WARS on Instagram: https://instagram.com/StarWarsMovies

Follow STAR WARS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/starwars

Visit the official STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS website: https://www.starwars.com/the-force-awakens/

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS arrives in theaters everywhere on December 18th!

© 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Strange Magic Activity Sheets and Printables

Lolli — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 18:15:40 +0000

Did you know that Strange Magic, the newest animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., opens in theaters this coming Friday, January 23? I’m excited to share these free printables – activity sheets, games, invitations and more. No compensation (monetary or product) has been received for this post. I’m just sharing because I love printables!

Here’s a little bit about the movie in case you haven’t been following it already:

“Strange Magic” is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down with world-class animation and visual effects. Directed by Gary Rydstrom (“Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation,” “Lifted”) from a story by George Lucas, “Strange Magic” will be released by Touchstone Pictures on Jan. 23, 2015.

Are you ready for some fun activities, games, and other fun stuff (like party invitations!) to keep the kids entertained this week? To enjoy any of these activities, simply click on each image and you’ll be taken to a full-sized PDF of the activity. Some of the activities include more than 1 page, so don’t just right click and run!

Free Strange Magic Printables for kids

Strange Magic Maze

Strange Magic Spot the Difference

Strange Magic Matching Game

Strange Magic Illusion

Strange Magic Fairy Jars

Strange Magic Fairy Wings

Strange Magic Party Hat

Strange Magic Party Invitations

Strange Magic Thank You Cards

© 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars Activity Sheets #Printables

Lolli — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 14:34:45 +0000

We’re big Phineas & Ferb AND Star Wars fans at our house, so when I saw these Phineas and Ferb Star Wars Acitvity Sheets I knew I had to share! Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars was just released on DVD last week, and whether you’ve seen the witty Star Wars episode or not, your kids are going to love these Phineas and Ferb Star Wars coloring pages, games and more!

Just click the image below to download the entire collection of Phineas and Ferb Star Wars printables! Note: no compensation was received for posting these printables, but the link to the DVD is an Amazon affiliate link (it would make a perfect gift this holiday….just sayin’!).

If you’d rather download the activities individually, here are each of the activities. Simply click each image OR the direct link below each image to download the full-sized PDF to print at home.

Have fun!

Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars Puzzler

Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars Maze

Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars Find the Differences

Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars Connect the Dots

Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars Coloring Pages

About Phineas & Ferb: Star Wars:

A couple of summers ago in a galaxy far, far away, Phineas and Ferb are happily basking in the glow of Tatooine’s twin suns — until plans for the Death Star accidentally fall into their hands, thrusting them (and Agent P) into a galactic rebellion and an epic struggle of good versus evil in PHINEAS AND FERB: STAR WARS(TM). Will Phineas and Ferb be able to resist the Dark Side? Will Stormtrooper Candace finally bust a Rebel? Can Agent P stop Darthenshmirtz from using his Force-powered “Sith-Inator”? Featuring five additional episodes for over two hours of action-packed fun, this mind-blowing, intergalactic adventure is a blast for all ages. May the Ferb be with you… always. (description from Amazon)

Additional Adventures include: “For Your Ice Only/Happy New Year!”; “Steampunx/It’s No Picnic”; “Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy Of Terror (Parts 1 And 2); “Doof 101/Father’s Day”; “Tales From The Resistance” (Parts 1 And 2)

Get Phineas & Ferb: Star Wars on DVD today!

© 2014, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

3 Must-Have Games for the Nintendo DS and 3DS

Lolli — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 21:06:15 +0000

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps

Do you have a Nintendo 3DS or DS fan in your family? If your kids are anything like mine (especially my boys) they would be playing video games from sun up to sun down. Granted, as the mom I tend to discourage 24-hour-a-day video game playing, but even I have to admit that our Nintendo 3DS is a lot of fun.

Today, I spent all morning sick in bed with the 3DS to keep me company…battling Rabbids, exploring the islands of Poptropica, and laughing with Rayman and his friends.

It always amazes me how fast my kids pick up on video games. They seem to be born with an innate ability to pick up an electronic device and know exactly how to use it, and when it comes to new games, they know how to find all of the hidden tricks long before I discover them.

My kids got a special pre-Christmas treat when we received Poptropica for the DS, and Rabbids Rumble and Rayman Origins for the 3DS a few weeks ago. They have had a blast testing them out for me.

Poptropica Adventures

My kids are huge Poptropica fans on the PC (to the point that we have a Poptropica map and “tips” book at home) so when I heard that Poptropica was coming out on the Nintendo DS, I was already planning on buying it for Christmas.

Poptropica Adventures translates perfectly to hand-held gaming. While the world of Poptropica is familiar to my kids, the DS game is different enough that it feels like a fun challenge (my 11 year old, who is a Poptropica online expert, mentioned that it all felt new). I love that Poptropica is a kid-friendly, violence-free play environment for my kids.

The story behind Poptropica: The curator at the Poptropica museum needs your help to revitalize the run-down building. You must explore the islands of Poptropica (Museum Island, Mythology Island, SuperPower Island, and AstroKnights Island) to collect artifacts for the museum, avoiding evil Potropicans and monsters along the way.

Rabbids Rumble:

I remember when I was introduced to Rabbids (crazy large rabbits who like to cause havoc and mischief) by my friend on the Wii, but this is the first time I’ve really been able to get into them. The Rabbids are hilarious. Hilariously addictive.

In the new game, Rabbids Rumble for the 3DS, you can collect over 100 deranged Rabbids (like a Rabbid dressed as a giraffe named Geoffrey), each with wacky combat abilities (like dropping your opponent with a toxic burp).

We love the Augmented “Ribbidity” where the kids interact with the Rabbids right in our house. The Rabbids fly around the 3DS or fight on the living room floor. My kids love it.

Rayman Origins

As new fans of the Rayman story (what can I say…we were late to the gaming thing!) we were able to experience Rayman with a fresh perspective. The first thing I noticed on Rayman Origins was the amazing graphics and 3D display. I loved exploring the extensive world, with a ton of interesting characters and a fun story line to go with them.

Another thing I appreciated about Rayman Origins is that there are more than 60 levels, over 100 characters, 6 “worlds,” and playing options for kids of all ages.

My 11 year old (my best video game critic) said, “It’s pretty easy to figure out how to play and kids will definitely have fun playing it. The graphics are pretty good, too.”

Where to buy:

You can find any of these Ubisoft games, and many others, for the Nintendo DS or Nintendo 3DS on Amazon or at toy stores like Toys R Us for $19.99 to $29.99.

Poptropica Adventures for Nintendo DS #UbiPoptropica

Rabbids Rumble for Nintendo 3DS or DS #RabbidsR

Rayman Origins for Nintendo 3DS and DS #UbiRaymanO

Disclosure: I received these three games to review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

© 2012, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.