Love to Laugh and Learn - Page 17 of 28 - Fun and interesting activities to do with the children in your life.

Love to Laugh and Learn Turns 4 Years Old!

October 7, 2015 by Mama Carmody 8 Comments

Love to Laugh and Learn Turns 4 Years Old!

I’m celebrating my blogs 4th year in existence. It’s been a rough year. Last year, at this time, I was so excited that my blog had gone from 1000 followers to 5000. Earlier this year, I found out I had been spammed and I didn’t have near the following I thought I did.

Thank goodness I have followed the suggestions of Bob Lotich, from Christian Personal Finance, and Jonathan Milligan, from Blogging Your Passion. They both said that you should choose a topic, for your blog, that you are passionate about. It should be something that you love even if you never make a penny from it. I do love sharing ways to have fun with your children while sneaking in a little learning in the process.

If you have followed be for any length of time, you have seen me put these ideas into action. I don’t simply tell you about these activities but I document them as I enjoy them with my grandson and great-nephew. Here are my little helpers:

Many thanks go out to their mommies for sharing them with me and sometimes accompanying me on our adventures.

As I take a look back at my very first post, “Learning Should Be Fun”, I hope that I have fulfilled my original goal. “My real vision for this blog is that it can help families have fun learning together…”

I would love to hear from each of you. Have you found value in the activities I have shared? Which ones have you tried? I would love to hear about the successes and the failures. If you have suggestions of activities you would like to see me blog about, please share those too.

Thanks to each and everyone of you for your follows and your support. May God richly bless each of your households.

Most Sincerely,

~ Mama Carmody

When Do Children Start Learning
The Lessons – Overview
Colors – Overview
Shapes – Overview
Fun with Music – Overview

Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School

July 22, 2015 by Mama Carmody 8 Comments

Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School

Shake Rattle and Roll is not simply the title of a song from the early ‘50’s; it’s also a fun musical experience at Bongo Boy Music School. This particular class is geared for the little ones; birth to 36 months. There is another class for 3 to 8 year olds, called Jam as a Fam.

Today, I’m going to share with you about the fun we had at the Shake Rattle and Roll class. This will be our third trip to Bongo Boy Music School. Our first trip was in March of 2014, when we took our 32 month old, great-nephew. We were able to make a second trip when our grandson came to visit from Texas. He was 8 months old at the time. Both of them really enjoyed their time at Bongo Boy.

Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School

Just recently, we were able to take our grandson back for a visit. He is almost 2 years old now. He had every bit as much fun as he did on his first trip.

Our grandson is still enjoying Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School.

The class is set up to allow the children to experience music and rhythm through several different mediums. During the time we were there, we used the drums, some shakers, scarves, “quackers” (a percussion instrument that sounds like a duck’s quack) and our bodies. I say “we” because everyone is encouraged to join in. It’s very important for the adults to set the example. The little ones are always watching you.

Several energetic songs were used to encourage participation. One of my favorites is “The Freeze” by Greg and Steve. I used that song in my preschool classes when I was teaching.

Besides the fun with rhythm and music, there are some important secondary lessons that happen during Shake, Rattle and Roll. One of them is sharing. There is plenty of equipment for everyone but sometimes a little one likes to wander and play on another drum that someone is already at. The other lesson is cleaning up. At the end of the session all of the instruments need to be put up. Miss Colleen (our instructor) tells us what needs to be brought to her and the children take the items up and put them in the bin. On all of the occasions we have been there, the children have been very excited to help with the clean up. Miss Colleen makes everything fun!

The very last thing we did on this trip, to Bongo Boy Music School, was get up and move our bodies. As you can see in the following video, our grandson really enjoys moving his body.

As you can see, we really enjoyed Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School. We will definitely be heading there again before my grandson and daughter head back to Texas.

Bongo Boy Music School offers several family friendly events:

On Mondays – Free Community Drum Circle for Special Needs at Bongo Boy Music School
On Thursdays – Free Community Drum Circle for the Whole Family
On Saturdays – Shake Rattle & Roll – for ages from the Womb to 36 Months & “Jam as a Fam” for Ages 3 – 8 yrs old

Do you have a music school or drum circle that your family enjoys? We would love to hear about your experiences with music!

Zoolapalooza Review

July 13, 2015 by Mama Carmody 22 Comments

Zoolapalooza Review

Zoolapalooza is a concert series at the Indianapolis Zoo. It takes place on four consecutive Fridays. On these evenings the zoo stays open a little later.

Last Friday night we decided to take our daughter and grandson and check it out. The concerts are free with admission and since we have a zoo pass, we didn’t have to pay a thing to get in. The concerts take place under a big tent so they happen rain or shine. Which was a good thing on this night because it looked like the sky would open and dump on us at any time. It never did but we were safe it it had.

We arrived early enough to check out a couple of the animals before we headed to the concert. We always have to stop and say hi to the seals. They were barking their greetings this particular evening.

We also stopped by to see the orangutans. Several of them were awake and moving around. One in particular seems to be smitten with my husband. It makes eyes at him every time we go….must be a female.

Enjoying the orangutans and Zoolapalooza.

The animals get to stay up a little later during Zoolapalooza. They don’t have to go to bed until 7:00. The rides also stay open until 7:00. As an extra bonus, members receive free access to a different ride each night. The night we were there the free ride was the carousel, which made me very happy. That’s my favorite ride. Someone else is beginning to enjoy the carousel as well.

We decided to enjoy dinner while we listened to the music. They offer a different specialty menu during each concert, as well as the regular zoo options. This night the theme was Americana. There was a full salad bar as well as Zoo-liders. My husband asked what Zoo-liders were. I told him they were sliders made from zebra…don’t panic! I made that up just to tease him. They were sliders but they were made of chicken, beef or BBQ pulled pork. You could choose two Zoo-liders. You also received freshly made potato chips and either potato salad and coleslaw for $8.99. You could include a soft drink for $9.99.

My husband and I chose the Zoo-liders and my daughter chose the pizza, which is one of the regular food options at the zoo. My grandson chose to eat one of my Zoo-liders and some of his mom’s pizza. He really enjoyed dinner accompanied by music as you can see here:

Music was provided by Jayne Bond and the Pink Martinis. We had a lot of fun. There was quite a bit of dancing as well as singing along with the band. Besides the music, there were a couple of stations set up to help entertain the little ones. I was VERY thankful for that because my almost 2 year old grandson was constantly on the move. The two stations helped keep him in the vicinity of the music.

One of the stations was sponsored by Indiana Credit Union. They had a basket full of dress-up clothes. There were items suitable for boys and girls. There were some great props like guitars and microphones too, as well as a backdrop where you could take your own pictures.

The other station was sponsored by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. I loved their sign.

My grandson really enjoyed “petting” the instruments.

I was very thankful for the two stations because my grandson kept me running between the stations, the dance floor and the table we were at. We really enjoyed our evening and will definitely be returning.

I’m sorry to say that the Zoolapalooza concerts have concluded for this year but do not fret, more musical fun awaits. The Animals and All That Jazz concerts have started. They happen on Thursday evenings through August 6th. They run on the same concept as the Zoolapalooza concerts. There will be a different group performing each Thursday night, with specialty food offerings and a free ride for members.

Just like the Zoolapalooza concerts, Animals and All That Jazz concerts are free to Zoo members and included with regular admission. Visitors can save $2 at the gate by bringing an empty Dean’s milk carton to the Zoo to be recycled. Advance tickets are also available at IndianapolisZoo.com or concert goers can find a coupon on the Zoo’s Facebook page that’s good for $4 off admission at the gate after 4pm on the night of the event.

Here is a list of the remaining concerts for this year. Pick a date (or two), pack up the family and plan for an evening of fun, food and music. I just might see you there.

July 16: West Central Quartet

From classic to contemporary, this high-energy foursome showcases an eclectic mix of music that reaches across multiple jazz genres. Their unique approach to entertaining is sure to get crowds up on their feet.
• Menu: “Taste of Summer” with beer can chicken, salad bar and apple dumpling a la mode.
• Featured ride: Carousel

July 23: Mina and the Wondrous Flying Machine

Featuring an adventurous mélange of styles, this group offers a fresh approach to jazz music. A multi-talented singer-songwriter leads their piano-driven sound, which is highlighted on their new album — with the Zoo-appropriate name — Tigers.
• Menu: “Pan Asian” with pan fried noodle bar, salad bar and root beer float.
• Free member ride: Kōmbo Roller Coaster presented by Outback Steakhouse

July 30: Appalatin

Bridging the music traditions of Latin and American folk, this band’s foot-stomping, hip-swinging sounds have been in the spotlight on festival stages around the Midwest.
• Menu: “Night of Havana” with Cubano sandwich, salad bar and build-your-own ice cream sundae.
• Free member ride: White River Junction Train

Aug. 6: Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra

What better way to close out the series than with a rare performance by this incredible 17-piece orchestra. This veteran ensemble bring decades of experience to the stage along with a song list of familiar tunes from many big-name jazz musicians.
• Menu: “Mediterranean Night” with kabobs, salad bar and ice cream sandwich.
• Free member ride: Carousel

Have you been to Zoolapalooza or Animals and All That Jazz? Please share your experience with us? If you haven’t been in the Indianapolis area for one of these events, do you have something like this where you live?

Watching orangutans climb during Zoolapalooza.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Community Day
Fun with Music
Review: Rhythm Discovery Center
Bongo Boy Music School Review

“Learn with Play” is Here!

July 7, 2015 by Mama Carmody 24 Comments

“Learn with Play” is Here!

Learn with play is my mantra for teaching children and now “Learn with Play” is the title of a wonderful book and I’m excited to say, I’m one of the many authors.*

Learn with Play: 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun and Learning

There are 150+ activities in this collection. You will find ways to help your child attain everyday life skills as well as arts & crafts, learning activities and general fun. There is also a section on holiday activities. The majority of the activities are for birth through kindergarten age, although you will find some activities that a child even older will enjoy.
Take a look at this video to get a better idea of what this book is all about.

There are 94 talented, creative bloggers that have contributed to this book. In the Kindle and eBook versions you will find links to printables. In all three versions you will find the urls to each of the bloggers. That will give you an infinite resource of fun activities to do with your children, as we all post regularly.

Here is a picture that shows a few of the differences between the paperback book and the Kindle/ebook versions.

“Learn with Play” – Differences between the bound copy and the Kindle/ebook versions.

The paperback version is ~~$29.95~~ $26.96 (recently lowered) and the Kindle/eBook versions are $14.95. Although I love a bound book, I can see the attraction of being able to access the activities on your Kindle, iPad or other device.

There is so much fun packed on these pages, you won’t want to miss a single second of it. Click on a link below to get your copy now.

“Learn with Play: 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun and Learning”

Paperback Copy ~~$29.95~~ $26.96
Kindle Version $14.95
eBook Version $ 14.95

*Affiliate links can be found throughout this post.

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PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2015

June 21, 2015 by Mama Carmody 15 Comments

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2015

Saturday, June 13th was, once again, PBS Kids in the Park. The event was at Military Park in downtown Indianapolis. I had attended two years ago but this year was extra special. My grandson and daughter were able to attend with me.

Keagan won’t be two years old until the end of July so I wasn’t sure how much he would enjoy this. My daughter said that he watches most of the characters so we thought there would be some interest. I believe my daughter was more excited than anyone. Well, that is until the characters started to appear. Once he starting seeing the characters, this was the expression we received:

He can hardly contain his excitement once he sees the characters.

Needless to say, he was ecstatic. He must have yelled, “Super Why!” 50 times over the course of the day.

My favorite part of the day is the character parade. It is the first thing to kick off the event. My suggestion is to get there early and find a place to the left of the stage. (That is left as you are facing the stage.) This is the best advantage for the children to see the characters. The characters march up from the left side of the stage and across it, then down the other side. One of the reasons I like to get to the left of the stage rather than right in front of it is because the kids can stand or sit in their strollers and easily see the characters. We weren’t having to lift him up so he could see up on stage.

Here were some of the pictures of the parade. I believe I have the names of all the characters this time; thanks to my daughter and a couple of Facebook friends. Check out my post from two years ago: PBS Kids in the Park Review. It was pathetic. I only knew a couple of the characters and I didn’t get much help from anyone so they went nameless.

This is Daniel Tiger. His show is a spin-off of the Neighborhood of Make-Believe from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Starting at the front of the parade (the right side of the picture), that is Buddy from Dinosaur Train, next is Word Girl. Most of you are probably familiar with the next character, Curious George and the last character is Chirp, from Peep and the Big Wide World.

PBS Kids Day in the Park: Character Parade

Again, starting from the front of the parade (the right side of the picture), the first two are Migel and Mia. They are brother and sister. I’ve loved the next character since I was a little girl. That’s Clifford the Big Red Dog. He doesn’t seem to be quite as big as he was in the storybooks. Behind Clifford is Wonder Red.

PBS Kids in the Park: Sid the Science Kid

This is Sid the Science Kid. I’m not familiar with him but I loved science so maybe I should check him out.

PBS Kids in the Park: Super Why and Princess Pea

These two characters are on the same show. It’s one that my grandson simply loves. This is Super Why and Princess Pea. The dog in the picture below is Woofster. He is also from the same show.

This purple bird is Digit. He is one of the characters on Cyberchase. It is a fun children’s show that incorporates math in their adventures.

The above characters are Peg and Cat, which come from the show by the same name. Cat stopped to show us a few of his dance moves. He is definitely a groovin’ cat.

And last, but definitely not least, is Alpha Pig. He is also a character on Super Why!

Meeting the Characters

If you miss the parade you do have opportunities to meet the characters throughout the day. They each have their own tent and schedule. The only problem with this is that the wait can be very long. We were lucky enough to get in the beginning of the line for Super Why and only had a 20 minute wait. Daniel the Tiger was in the other half of the same tent but it was going to be an hour and a half wait from the time we finished with Super Why. We were going to come back and get in line later until we realized that people were already lining up. We made the decision to go ahead and get in line. My daughter and I took turns taking Keagan to enjoy other activities while one of us stayed in line. As I talked with other people I found out that most of them came with a strategy. One of the people I talked to had several adults in their group. They would split up and sit in the different lines while someone else shuffled the children from spot to spot. Since it was just my daughter and me, we only waited in the two lines. Here are the pictures of Keagan meeting Super Why and Daniel Tiger.

PBS Kids Day: Meeting Super Why and Daniel Tiger

Please don’t misinterpret the pictures. Keagan was thrilled to meet the characters. He ran up to them, gave them high fives and hugs but he was NOT thrilled with us for making him turn around to get his picture taken.

Other Activities

There were several other activities besides meeting the characters. Keagan made a colorful butterfly and was able to climb and jump at the Gymboree tent.

He raced Hot Wheels and played in a sand table at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis tent.

Children's Museum Booth — Children’s Museum Booth

There were bubbles to blow at the Child Care Answers booth.

Blowing Bubbles at Child Care Answers Booth

We stopped by the main stage a couple of times to enjoy the shows that were taking place there. Keagan loves music so this was especially fun.

There was so much more to enjoy but it was getting really hot and Brittany and I were worn out. Some of the other activities we saw were a bounce house, a fire engine that the kids could go through and so much more.

My suggestions for a great day:

*** Get there early and station yourself to the left of the stage.
*** Take extra adults with you to hold places in the lines of the characters you really want to see.
*** Bring extra snacks and small toys to entertain your child if you do have to sit in a long line with them.
*** Most of all have a magically fun day.

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2011

Love to Laugh and Learn Turns 4 Years Old!

Love to Laugh and Learn Turns 4 Years Old!

Related Posts

Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School

Shake Rattle and Roll at Bongo Boy Music School

Zoolapalooza Review

Zoolapalooza Review

July 16: West Central Quartet

July 23: Mina and the Wondrous Flying Machine

July 30: Appalatin

Aug. 6: Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra

Related Posts

“Learn with Play” is Here!

“Learn with Play” is Here!

“Learn with Play: 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun and Learning”

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2015

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2015

Other Activities

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