FAMILY FUN FRIDAY - Marshmallow Toss Game!

The object of this game is to catch as many marshmallows in your mouth as you can, before the time runs out.

You Will Need...
* Marshmallows (You want the large marshmallows. Not the minis.)
* Masking Tape (To mark boundaries)
* Bowl or bucket (This is to spit, or drop the marshmallows into after they are caught in the persons mouth)

How To Play...
Take the masking tape and make two lines on the ground, about 7-8 feet apart. Players are not allowed to cross these lines. If you are playing with small children, put these lines closer together.

Separate your family into teams. You want 4 or 5 people on each team. If your family is only 4 or 5 people big, no need for teams. :)

Choose someone to be the "catcher."

Have the "catcher" stand behind one of the lines you marked. Have the rest of the family (or team) stand behind the other line. They should be facing one another.

The line of players is given the bag of marshmallows.

When you say "go" the first player in line will grab three marshmallows and throw them to the "catcher" for them to catch in their mouths.

Give the "catcher"the bowl or bucket. When they catch a marshmallow in their mouth, they can spit it into the bowl to make room for the next one.

Once the first person has thrown three (one at a time of course), they rotate to the back of the line and the next person in line throws three marshmallows at the "catcher."

The "catcher" who catches the most marshmallows in their mouth wins.

How To Keep Score...
You can go by time: Set a times for 2 minutes. The players would continue to throw three marshmallows each, to the catcher. At the end of three minutes, count how many the "catcher" caught in his/her mouth and remember the score. Have each player take a 2 minute turn as "catcher". Whoever ends up catching the most marshmallows is the winner.

You can go by rotations: Have each person throwing the marshmallows, rotate through a certain number of times. For example, once each person has thrown to the "catcher" three times. The round ends.

Competition in big groups: If you are playing with extended family, or friends, youth groups etc... Divid the group into teams of about 5 people. Each team will choose a "catcher" to begin. Teams will set up and race one another.
*You can either have them race to see who can catch a certain amount the fastest. (First team to 50 marshmallows)
*They can give every one on the team a turn to be the catcher and then see how many the entire team caught.
*Or...as soon as the teams "catcher" successfully catches a given number (lets say 10) marshmallows in their mouths, they rotate to the back of the teams line and a new "catcher" takes their place. The first team to rotate through their entire team wins.

You get the point.

Your family and friends will love this game. Marshmallows will be bouncing all over the place and laughter will ensue.

Have fun, and have a great weekend!!!

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY - Bubble Master!

We have said it before and we will say it again. Families that play together, stay together. So, let the games begin.

For this game you will need... 

Bubbles

Hula Hoop

Object of the Game...

Get a bubble through the hula hoop. Using only your breath. 

Here's how you play...

1. Establish a starting line. 

2. Choose someone to hold the hula hoop. They should stand about 6-8 feet away from the start line, depending on how old your players are. Older kids and adults, stand farther away. Younger, closer. You will want to hold it up so the opening is facing the start line. 

3. Choose someone to blow the bubbles. They will stand behind the start line. 

4. Everyone else will stand in between the start line and the hula hoop.

5. The bubble blower, blows bubbles. Everyone then tries to get the bubble(s) through the hula hoop. The catch, players can only use their breath to propel the bubble. They will have to carefully blow the bubbles. Working to keep them from popping on the ground and floating off course. Some players will want to be down on the ground so they can blow the bubbles up. Some will want to be on the sides of the bubbles, etc...

6. Players are not allowed to touch the hula hoop. (unless you are the one holding it up, of course).

7. As the bubbles pop, the person blowing the bubbles, keeps blowing and providing bubbles while the rest of the players carefully blow the bubbles toward the hula hoop, trying to blow them through. 

This is a fantastically fun game to play with your family. You can time yourselves and see how long it takes to get a certain number of bubbles through the hoop. You can have teams, and race. 

If you are playing with a large group, divide them up into smaller groups and have them race one another. 

This is also great for kids, big and small. Get everyone involved and be sure to take turns blowing bubbles at the start line, using your breath to move the bubbles, and holding the hula hoop.

Have fun!

What are you doing this weekend? Anything fun or exciting?

Anyone watching the BYU vs. Utah Football Game? 

Who do you want to win?

Images found via Google Images. Original links found here and here.

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY - THE BEST Game!

Just can't say it enough, This game is really fun.

The MATERIALS will depend on what you do in your family. You can also play with no materials at all. Keep reading, you will see what I mean.

How to Play
You will want to choose a Host. Then, if your family or group is large, arrange everyone into groups. If you are smaller, then everyone can play as their own team. If you are playing with lots of people the rule stands that everyone has to participate in at least one round.

The Rules
The Host will announce the contest category for the group. (For example: "The Tallest")
Then, each group will select one person who they think will win the category.
There will be a category contest and if a person has "THE BEST" within the category, his or her team gets a point.

*if you are playing as individuals, everyone will compete in each category and the winner will get a point.*

SO this is how it would work. The Host would say "The Tallest". Then, if you are in groups, each group would pick the person they think could win "The Tallest". One person to represent the group.
Then, Once every group has their representative, or each individual is ready, The Host will then announce what has to be done. For example, with "The Tallest", then the Host could say, "The Tallest...Thumb".
Everyone playing that round would come together to see who had the tallest thumb. That person would then get a point.

Here are some category and contest examples. Use these, and add your own.

-The Tallest....THUMB
-The Fastest....CRAB WALKER
-The Highest....JUMPER
-The Longest....STARE IN A STARING CONTEST
-The Fastest....ALPHABET SONG SINGER
-The Quickest....TO BALANCE 5 DICE ON THE END OF A TOUGUE DEPRESSOR HELD IN YOUR MOUTH.
-The Farthest....MAKE A PAPER AIRPLANE AND SEE WHO'S GOES THE FARTHEST.
-The Shortest....SHOE SIZE
-The Biggest....WHO CAN BLOW THE BIGGEST BUBBLE.

As you can see, the possibilites are endless. You can make them as complicated or basic as you would like. You will find your family/group, laughing out loud.

What are you The Best at? Do you have the tallest thumb?

Have a Great Weekend!

4th of July SALE SALE SALE!

4th of July is here, and you are going to be with lots of family and friends. What are you going to do? Do you need some great games and activities to play together?

You're in luck. The Family Fun Friday Activity Book, in PDF version is ON SALE right now. For the next 24 hours you can get the complete book for $7.99. Delivered straight to your inbox.

It will arrive in time for the 4th of July celebrations. You will have your download before the end of the today, and you will have all you need to have a great 4th.

This is also the perfect time to buy the book so you have it for your family reunions, lazy summer days, and family road trips and get togethers. The games are also great for girl's camp, scout camp, block parties. You name it.

To purchase, simply click the red "Buy the Book" button on the top right of the page.

Be sure you leave your email in the notes to seller so that I can get you your book quick.

Remember, Families that play together, do stay together. Let me help your family spend time together.

p.s. you can also purchase the Hard Copy of the Book ON SALE for the next 24 hours also. Simply click on the same red button and choose the book. It will be shipped quick, just not by Wednesday. :)

p.s.s. Book cannot be made into multiple copies or sold or reproduced in any maner.

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY - Ooga Booga Look!

Great News, you don't need any supplies for this game.

And...your kids will think this game is hilarious.

With your family or any group of people, gather in a circle with arms on the shoulders of each person on both sides. Like a huddle.

With head and eyes looking down to the floor the group slowly starts to walk in a circle while everyone chants, ..."Ooga-Booga, Ooga-Booga, Ooga-Booga, Look!"

As soon as the group says "Look", everyone stops walking in a circle, and lifts their head to LOOK INTO THE EYES OF ANOTHER PERSON IN THE GROUP.

If two people are both looking at each other, they are out of the game. Repeat the above steps until only two players remain. They are the winners!

If you have small children, have everyone play on their knees so that you are the same height.

Family Fun Friday- Dr. Seuss & The String Game!

So...Who is having Green Eggs and Ham for Dinner? Anyone...Anyone...Bueller...Bueller?

Our daughter on the way to school today to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day. A little Cat in the Hat meets Cindy Lou Who.

Our kids love Dr. Seuss. We read his books often, and they love to celebrate at school. I love reading Dr. Seuss books to the kids. I actually do little secret challenges where I try to read "Cat in the Hat" to them fast, without making any mistakes. Try it, it is fun. :)

To celebrate the day, play a game and have some fun with your family. I am sure the good "Dr." would approve.

For this game you will need...

String or yarn
Long enough to comfortably reach around the circle. Meaning, if everyone in your family was sitting in a circle, the string could reach around the whole circle with everyone hanging on to it.

Ring, bracelet, key ring, or other object that is similar. You will put the ring on the string BEFORE you tie the string end to end.

How to Play...
Every one sits in a circle and stretches the string all the way around the entire circle. So everyone is holding on to the string. String shouldn't be tight. There needs to be a little slack.

Place the ring on the string. Do this by putting the string through the middle of ring. Do not tie the ring to the string. The ring should be able to slide around on the circle of string.

Tie the ends of the string together to make a complete circle.

One person stands in the middle of the circle, and, with their eyes closed, counts to ten. When they open their eyes, they will begin to try and guess who has the ring in their hands.

While they are counting, the rest of the group, while holding on to the string, start to slide their hands along the string to "pass" the ring. Think of your hands sliding back and forth making it hard for the person in the middle to see who's hands are hiding the ring. (You will want to put your hands OVER the top of the string to hold on.)

Players are always trying to pass the ring around the circle through the whole game.

The people in the circle pass the ring around the circle and try not to get caught with the ring. Players can fake that they have the ring, fake pass the ring etc...As long as their hands stay on the string at all times.

If the person in the middle makes an incorrect guess multiple times on purpose (cheating), they must close their eyes for ten more seconds while the ring is passed around before they can make any other guesses. If a person is caught with the ring, the person in the middle takes their place in the circle and the person with the ring is now the person in the middle. The game begins again.

Alternative:
Use a larger object, like a bracelet or carabineer instead of the ring. This will make it more of a challenge to keep hidden. On the flip side, it can also make things easier if you are playing with little children. It will be easier for their little hands to pass, and for them to "see" if they are in the middle trying to guess who has the object.

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY-Spaghetti and Gummy Bears

Round up the family, it is time to play with your food.

For this game/activity, you will need

 Spaghetti Noodles (Uncooked)

Gummy Bears

Objective: To construct a tower made of spaghetti noodles and gummy bears. The tallest tower wins and must stay standing for three minutes. 

Rules: You can play as individuals or in groups. If you have a lot of people, groups of 4 work really well. More than 4 will work, but it is hard for everyone to be involved. Towers must be built of only spaghetti noodles and gummi bears. Nothing else.  If your tower falls, before the 3 minutes is over, it doesn't count. Tallest tower wins. 

From experience, I have found that each person, or group, will need about 75 gummi bears. You will want the gummi bears to be fresh. Stale gummies will not be any fun. You will want a good handful of noodles for each person or group also. When the game is over, you have a built in treat. :)

TIP: Do you have very small children? You and hubby build the towers and have the children be in charge of warming up the gummy bears. 

Have a Great Weekend!

FAMILY FUN FRIDAY-Out on a Limb!

This is THE perfect game to help your family work together and problem solve. Remember, working together in a fun activity will help our families work together when other challenges come our way also.

You don't need any materials for this activity. Just choose a starting line and a finish line 20 feet apart. Your whole family will want to play at the same time, making one group. If you have more than about 5 or 6 people in your family, then consider splitting up into two groups.

Goal: Successfully travel across the room fulfilling the exact requirements of each challenge (each Round).

Rules: Your family will learn to support each other while using a specified number of arms and legs to travel 20 feet. All group members must participate and must be connected to each other during the entire journey.

How to Play:
Travel the 20 feet in the exact manner listed below for each round (no more limbs, and no less limbs).

Round 1: 5 feet must be used to travel across the floor (Example, if you have 5 people in your family/group, everyone would link arms together and hop on one leg across the floor. So, there would be 5 feet used to travel the distance. If you had 4 people in your family. The group would link arms together and one person would walk on both feet, while the other 3 people hopped on one foot. Make Sense?)

Round 2: 4 feet and 4 hands.

Round 3: 4 feet and 3 hands

Round 4: Only 3 feet and 2 hands on the floor.

This is the perfect activity for any size family, and for group settings also.

Your family will be more cohesive as they accomplish these 4 rounds together.

Have Fun, and have a great weekend!


p.s. Sorry to be MIA this week. I seem to be behind in life, and the blog ends up getting the raw end of the deal.