Tomorrow is a Social Media Day Indy tweetup benefiting “Toys for Tots“. Registered guests who bring in an unwrapped and unused toy will receive two drink tickets.  There will also be plenty of great eats for everyone. WonderBrains will be attending this event with toys in hand and ready to donate to this great cause.

What better way to celebrate the Holidays by giving back to the community and meeting new people. Toys for Tots is a great organization that has been around since 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The goal for this event is 200 toys! I encourage everyone to spread the word about Toys for Tots and help them save toys for children this holiday season. To find a local drop off location, go to http://www.toysfortots.org/donate/toys.asp

Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook for updates and pictures of the event.

When?

Wednesday,
December 8, 2010
5:30 PM

Where?

Houlihan’s Restaurant + Bar
6020 E 82nd St
Indianapolis, IN

For more information about the event, http://bit.ly/eZ9pUm

Zingo! 1-2-3 - What better way to build a child’s reading and counting skills than with Zingo! 1-2-3, the newest game in the award-winning Zingo! product line. With Zingo! 1-2-3, players must match their numbered tiles to their corresponding challenge card. The first player with a full card wins the game by yelling “Zingo!” Two levels of play focus on counting and addition. WINNER! 2010 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award; 2010 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval! Buy Now

Zingo! To Go - Now you can take Zingo! zaniness on the go! Everything you love about original Zingo!, now in a fun, portable package. Just shake the Zingo! Zoomer car to expose the two dice. Got a match? Turn over the corresponding stop light on your game board. The first player that turns over a completed Traffic Light wins! With no loose pieces and a snap-together game board, this Zingo! is designed for family fun on the go! For ages 4 and up and 2 to 9 players. Learning Skills: Reading and Spelling, Memorization, Matching Skills. Buy Now

Solitaire Chess – If you like Rush Hour, you will LOVE Solitaire Chess. Solitaire Chess is a single-player logic puzzle that uses traditional chess moves on a 4×4 game board. Players exercise sequential reasoning skills as they plan ahead to eliminate all but one piece. Buy Now

Zig-Zag Knot – This “cousin” of Gordian’s Knot is elegant but cunning. Untangling Zig-Zag Knot is not as easy as it looks! Slide each piece in the correct sequence of 37 moves to take Zig-Zag Knot apart. With every move you make, one or more pieces will move easily —but there’s only one right answer. It’s up to you to determine which move is the right one! Included solution guide shows complete solution as well as full instructions for putting Zig-Zag Knot back to its original form. Brainteasers can help boost intellectual skills that can bolster the mind in the same way that physical exercise protects and strengthens the body. Buy Now

Visual Brainstorms – At home or on the go, this whimsical stack of cards keeps minds of all ages thinking “fun.” More than 100 zany visual puzzles, logic problems, mazes, math challenges, encoded messages, and more will test and amuse players for hours. Great for solitary or competitive group play. Visual Brainstorms offers solutions to each problem—plus Bonus Questions on every card for twice the fun and challenge. Learning Skills: Abstract Thinking, Problem Solving. Buy Now

TipOver – Nominated for Specialty Toy of the Year in 2006, the sky is the limit with this game. Players set up their game board to match the challenge card and then must create a path to the red crate by using the red tipper man to tip over the blue, yellow, and green crates. All without allowing the Red Tipper Man to jump over any crate – or touch the game board. Players must choose each move carefully, because every action influences the next. Learning Skills: Spatial Reasoning, Problem Solving, Strategy Development. Buy Now

My boys are at the age where we have to designate a “postal” helper for the day and take turns.  They both LOVE to get the mail and bring it in the house, mainly because they love to see if anything has their name on it!  So this summer, I’ve found a way to get mail to my kids!

First of all, find a state or country with your child that you might be interested in.  Perhaps the grandparents live there, or maybe you are planning a vacation in the future to a certain area.  Or, if you have school-aged children, maybe it is a region or a country that will be discussed in school this upcoming year.  Then, write a letter (my son writes ours) to the state’s chamber of commerce or the country’s embassy.  If it is a popular tourist destination, write them directly.  Many of these addresses can be found online or at your local library.  When children write to places such as these, expressing an interest in the area, the offices are usually more than happy to oblige and send packets of information. 

This is a great way to get your child interested in other countries or involved in the planning process of a trip.  The information that is received is usually great for school projects and reports, too!

Are you looking for something different to try on your annual trek to the beach this year?  Want to find a new venue in that sleepy town you love to visit each summer?  Try some of these out on your next vacation, and perhaps these will spark new ideas as well! 

• Sometimes, the weather simply doesn’t cooperate with us when we go on vacation (okay, a lot of the time).  So, we’re always on the hunt for a local library.  Libraries are great places to hang out and read, check out local programs, and even find out about other activities in town.
• While my kids love to hit the souvenir shops at the beach, our favorite places when visiting somewhere out of town are more local shops.  My kids love to explore new stores, even grocery stores!  It is a great way to get out and see something new, even if it is “just a grocery store”!
• Look for local parks.  We have many visitors in our hometown who come here simply for our amazing parks department.  Not everyone is blessed to have such a system, but most places do have playgrounds and other places to let off some steam and just “be”.  See if there is an elementary school with a playground nearby as well (be sure school isn’t in session, though!).
• If you are going to a major attraction, consider matching clothing or hats for the family, even if it is simply the same color.  Make sure it is something easily spotted (like red, yellow or orange) and that everyone is aware of it!  Keeping up with younger kids in a large area is stressful enough – make them easy to spot and track down!  And, try to hit big amusement areas as early as possible.  The earlier you get started, the more you will get to see and enjoy.  Our favorite plan is to play hard early and enjoy a late lunch.  Then, while my 3 year old naps, my older son enjoys the pool and activities around our hotel or camp area.  We finish off the day with dinner and more fun activities.
• Purchase a local newspaper to find out about farmer’s markets, craft or hobby shows, and any other local activities that might be of interest.  These are events that will probably be lots of fun, but they might not be easily publicized for those other than the “locals”.  Our town has a great bike shop – yes, bike shop!  It is a wonderful place to go in and browse with all of the interesting configuations for bicycling.  It is one of the most popular stores in town.

What are some of your favorite tips to find new things to do in your favorite vacation spot?  Leave a comment and let us know!

We tend to spend a great deal of time on the road during the summer, whether it is on our bikes or in the car.  Being prepared for all this travel, across town or long distances, is a slightly different approach from the rest of the year.

SUNSCREEN!  My kids spend the majority of their summer outside the house, so sunscreen is a given each day.  Try to remember to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside.  If you are bike riding, this is especially important because you might not realize just how much sun you’re getting as you pedal around town.  Follow the instructions on the bottle and lather up as necessary.  Sunscreen isn’t a seasonal item; while the sun might not be as intense in the winter as it is in the summer, sunscreen should be used year-round.

GET GERMS UNDER CONTROL!  I always carry a disposable box of wipes in my car, especially in the summer months.  No one wants to eat ice cream after playing in the sandbox at the park, and when a place to wash up isn’t readily available, I can always count on the wipes to do the trick.  They are great for cleaning up spills in the car, too!

BE PREPARED FOR STORMY WEATHER!  I have a small bag in my trunk with my “essentials” for bad weather: umbrella, a disposable rain parka, bottled water, and “dry” snacks, such as pretzels and crackers.  In addition to things for bad weather, I also carry a towel, a spare change of clothes for the boys, and a first aid kit.  As much running and playing as we do during the summer, we make sure we are prepared for whatever comes our way!