The Chill of the Spill

as if our planet weren't already in enough trouble, you and your children have seen the devastating effects of the gulf coast bp oil spill. there is much to be done to restore it to a healthy ecosystem.

here is an easy 1 minute activity to do:

log on to www.restorethegulf.com with your family. each of you can type in your name signing the petition to let president obama know that the entire country is counting on the government to fix this.

as they say on their site, "do it for the sandcastles, do it for the pelicans, do it for the oysters..."

the lesson: we ALL have a voice, and it has POWER. talk to your kids about the responsibility that comes with that power; standing up for what is right, what you believe and protecting those who can not protect themselves (in this case, the oysters).

Acme Library - Kids Make It Better

here is a fun book to do with your kids (or let them do it themselves).

a "write-in, draw-in journal", KIDS MAKE IT BETTER asks it's readers questions and gives them the space to fill in answers. questions like,

"how would you get people to stop fighting?"

"what would you do to help animals who have no place to sleep?"

"what would you do to get more people to share?"

it's a great thinking activity that is "others oriented" and perfect for summer; on a plane, in the car or sitting on the grass under a tree.

Summer

my beautiful and wise cousin, carolyn, sent me this quote which i wanted to share with you all.

"i truly believe it is one of the greatest gifts we teach our children to show them through actions that they can make a positive difference in the lives of others" - sandra magsamen

this summer keep your families busy doing just that.

scroll the (over 100) activities listed on the acmesharing.com website. i know that my boys and i will be; planting an organic garden, having a canned food drive and baking dog biscuits for the rescue shelter - no name just a few.

happy summer.

Marco Polo

hopefully your summer has had some beach time, or at the very least, pool time. as you and your family enjoy the buoyant joys of swimming and splashing, remember the dolphins.

makers of THE COVE, a new film by ric o'barry (trainer of FLIPPER), ask us to help save the dolphins. each year in a small village in japan, over 20,000 dolphins are slaughtered and their meat is sold as "whale meat". most japanese people don't know of this injustice.

this movie isn't for the kids but the subject of helping to save these amazing mammals is.

easy things we can do to help is:

1.) choose safe seafood.

2.) write to our leaders to help get the word out in japan.

3.) teach our kids to be kind to all living creatures.

here's a link to write to japanese ambassador fujisaki

*** amazing fact, "of all the wild animals on earth, only dolphins have been known to come to a human's rescue. the primary enemy of a dolphin is humankind".

At Home Heroes

i can't fight it. SCREEN TIME is everywhere; TV, computer, video games, portable DVD players, iphones, ipods and portable gaming systems like a DS or PSP. jeesh. that's a lot of screens. if you can't beat em, at least you can make it worthwhile. i know (from too much personal experience) that there are some amazing games on the market that can be used as learning tools. so goes it for online gaming.

HABITAT HEROES is a website with social networking for kids and information to educate and inspire them about the environment. sharon lowe, the founder of HH says that treating other living creatures with respect is of the utmost importance to her family, and that children learn better by playing - we can all agree with that. so she has put to practice these ideas to help teach kids about the animal habitats that are being affected by global warming. players choose an animal and make their way through the site.

www.habitatheroes.com

the lesson: their eyes glued to a screen, at least can be productive. children often relate to animals' struggles as they also feel like voiceless beings themselves.

***added bonus: once kids learn games on this child friendly site, a parent might just have time to say... open a magazine?? return a phone call?? ahh, the dreams. how they change.  

Bigger Big Sunday

every spring BIG SUNDAY arrives and this year it is upon us may 3rd. this is a day where families everywhere volunteer to help a long list of organizations. similar to michelle obama's "call to service", this day asks you to just DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING to help out. anywhere.

i keep hearing schools talk about "100% participation" about different things from giving money to parking in the correct pick-up spot, BUT... what if we had a world where giving back had 100% participation? imagine what that would look like. 

here's the link for BIG SUNDAY

if you can't find anything near you, feel free to take ideas listed on this site and have your own "little sunday".

the lesson: true, our kids have homework and soccer and ballet and sunday school. our lives are FULL, but if we can expose them to helping and giving kinds of experiences, they will shine, grow and feel in ways that will reward not only the recipient of the help, but mostly your child. they will feel big and significant in the world. they can make a difference.

*** added bonus: i say SUNDAES for all participants of "big sunday"! of course, you'll have to organize the trip to ben and jerry's on your own.

Isn't Every Day Earth Day?

here is a fun and easy project to do as a family. create a wildlife habitat for the neighborhood animals. no, not a den for coyotes or skunks, but a bird bath or feeder for your sky bound feathered friends.

log onto the national wildlife federation for details and suggestions to make your backyard (or balcony) a certified natural habitat.

the lesson: what's ours is theirs. wouldn't we want to indulge in the kindness of strangers if we were flying north for the season?

***added bonus: dust off those expensive binoculars you never use and put them to work.

Earth Day - Movie Magic

earth day is right around the corner (it's april 22) and the first item on our list is to take the kids to see the new disney EARTH movie. here is the BEST part... when you purchase a ticket during opening week, disney will plant a tree in the brazilian atlantic rain forest (considered to be the most endangered rain forest since only 7% of it remains).

here is a link to get all the deets

the lesson: having not yet seen the movie, i can only hope that it will give our kids an amazing overview of so many of the wonders and creatures we don't see on a regular basis. this will help them to appreciate it more.

***added bonus: popcorn with m&m's and some red vines all to help this beautiful planet of ours.

Dog Day Afternoon

today's field trip to the zoo reminded me that KIDS LOVE ANIMALS, ah, duh, meredith. and it made me think more about projects that would allow kids to feel connected to animals without going to africa on safari or investing in a llama farm.

my friend, stacy, told me about this great idea:

dress up some dogs for adoption day.

1.) either get some bandanas at the surplus store, or a yard of fabric at the fabric store from which you can cut bandana shapes.

2.) give your kids some puffy paints, glitter pens and adhesive jewels.

3.) ask them to make "signs" on these bandanas that will later be worn by parentally challenged pups.

they should say things like:

i'm lovable

i play catch

hug me

i love cuddles

great watch dog

wanna play?

we all know the power of advertising, and every little bit helps.

find a rescue near you

here's a link for petfinder.com

the lesson: you could give your kids the staggeringly scary statistics about stray animals, but that might freak them out. instead, focus on how they are helping a creature who can't really help themselves. this helps kids to feel very empowered.

***added bonus: the time you spend passing out the "necklaces" and helping set up the adoption might satiate their desire to take them all home - at least for this week.

Acme Birthdays - change the present

i have come to realize that "birthday party season" is not a season, but rather a euphemism for the over-whelmed to describe what is, in fact, the entire school year.

here is a website to help. CHANGING THE PRESENT is a great place to browse with your kids to pick out meaningful gifts for their friends.

buy flowers for a playground ($5), books for kids in need ($15), feed horses ($12) or buy toys for children needing aid in recovering ($20).

click here to "change the present"

the lesson: every chance to give is a chance to help.

***added bonus: not having to make that trip to the toy store, which inevitably winds up with you bringing home more stuff that your kids didn't need.

ACME Animal Gift Guide

still more shopping to do?  help animals.

wwf

not the wrestling federation, the world wildlife fund. adopt animals and help save endangered species. the polar bears are a popular gift.

gorilla fund

help the beautiful mountain gorillas in africa. see above photo and insert "Awww".

oxfam and heifer

both get animals to families in need. animals bring in alternate sources of income. *helping people and animals, bonus points.

lange foundation

save the life of a cat or dog with $75.

the gentle barn

saving horses and cows while teaching at risk youth about kindness and responsibility. *helping people and animals, more bonus points.

A Dog's Life

this week i lost my dog of almost 12 years. it is nothing short of devastating. it has been an interesting (mostly hard) milestone for my 7 year old.

even children growing up without pets understand the love and happiness any animal can bring. 

i came across THE LANGE FOUNDATION which is an organization that can rescue a dog or cat from a city run animal shelter (which is eventually the end  for them). for a mere $75 you can give the gift of life. it's a great present for an animal lover and the lange foundation will send you (or the recipient, if this is a gift) a photo and short story of the animal you saved.

here's a link 

another great way for kids to help animals, which is a lot more active than sending a check, is to raid the linen closet. all animal hospitals are in constant need of towels and blankets. you know you have some that you will never use, get your kids to gather them up, wash and fold them and deliver them to your local vet/ clinic.

the lesson: nothing new, but helping those who can't help themselves is pretty significant, not to mention rewarding for all ages.

Bird Brain

it's getting pretty whiny around here. these last weeks of summer can really ride your last nerve. let's make them meaningful before that school bell rings.

here is a super cute "at home craft/ recycle/ be kind to animals" type of project.

the video link below is step by step instructions for building a birdhouse from a milk carton. it's not the newest idea on the block, but it will keep kids entertained. why not add to the fun by getting a hold of some binoculars and keeping a journal of all the visitors your house attracts. budding photographers can get in on the act as well.

as with ALL acme sharing projects, you can spend as much or as little time on it depending on the age and attention span of your offspring. 

here's how to do it - so easy!!!

the lesson: helping nature helps us all.

***added bonus: the sweet tweets coming in from the window make a happier home.

Clean Up Your Act

ewww, it's gross, stinky, unsanitary and god only knows what else, but kids can get REALLY proactive about cleaning up trash at the beach or the park. 

it is a strangely shocking thing to see a person throw trash out of their car window. hopefully our children's generation will never act this way, what with all the things we teach them about the earth, global warming and blah blah blah.

RULE #1 and ONLY - do not forget the rubber gloves from under your kitchen sink and make everyone wear them!!!

so grab a bag, lots of hand sanitizer and go.

come up with a game to get it done with flair. make up stories about who the people were who dropped these items and why, count the pieces and make a race out of who can get the most into the garbage bag or sing a jaunty rendition of oscar the grouch's I LOVE TRASH.

the lesson: without freaking out the kinder, talk to them about the effects of trash on animals; how a bird could choke on it, a squirrel can't digest paper or plastic. also share with them the pride of taking care of their world.

***added bonus: cleanliness. i'd say that's a bonus. 

here's oscar in all of his filth and glory

Let It BEE

seeing as how most of us reading this post are parents, i must assume we have all see jerry seinfeld's BEE MOVIE at least 6 or 7 times. so we all know what happens if the bees stop pollinating the flowers - just basic apocalyptic disaster. 

the geniuses at HAAGEN DAZS have taken up honeybees as their cause. there seems to be an endangered group of these buzzing bad boys. the ice creamers have made up special packets of specific wildflowers that provide these guys with the nectar they need to keep on flying along.

send for your packet, stock up on Benedryl, and see what happens.

yellow and black is the new black.

the lesson: taking care of creatures that need our help since they are probably in danger because of us in the first place.

***added bonus: planting flowers is a fun summer activity to do with the kids outside, diggin' in the dirt, playin' with a hose. 

send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

Haagen Dazs Saves The Honey Bees Program/ Domino

50 francisco street suite #400

san francisco, california 94133

here's a link for more info helpthehoneybees.com

Acme Library - Do Unto Otters

if it's the LAST thing i do, i am going to teach my kids to understand karma and the golden rule, dammit! here is a fun book that doesn't take it too seriously.

to buy this book, see acme library on the right
(this only works if you are on the acme sharing website)

Throw 'Em A Bone

bow wow wow yipee yo yipee yay. bake homemade dog biscuits with your kids, they can shape them into whatever they'd like! then find a local shelter where you can drop them off, or hand them out at a dog park, adoption or to friends. friends who have dogs, that is.

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup peanut butter - chunky or smooth
1 cup milk

preheat oven to 375F. mix flour and baking powder, set aside. in another bowl mix peanut butter and milk, then slowly add dry ingredients. place dough on a lightly floured surface (this is the part kids love) and knead dough. roll out and shape with cookie cutters or freehand. bake 20 minutes - be careful as they burn easily. cool and store in an airtight container.


the lesson: i think it's sometimes easy for kids to relate to animals. they seem to have intense feelings about pets (even those that are not their own) who might be lost or hurt or homeless. if we see a sign posted in the neighborhood for a lost animal, my son insists we drive around looking. while you bake, it would be easy to talk to them about showing kindness to others, be they 2 legged or four.

here's a link: find your closest shelter

acme birthdays - making your mark

so each child i know is living in abundance. when the calendar falls on their special day, yes, it's great to get them a gift, but we all know they don't NEED one. here's a real gift - show them that they can make a difference. log onto MARKMAKERS and choose the amount you'd like to spend. an automatic email will be sent to the birthday child or their parents letting them know they have a "gift card" there. that child can log on to the kid-friendly website and shop. they can choose to donate that money toward any cause they like; rainforest, animal rescue, books, food, medicine, the list goes on.

the lesson: our kids (and most adults) don't quite yet understand that they can make a difference. we must let our children know that they possess the power to make things better.

***added bonus, no need for gift wrap or scotch tape.

here's a link: www.markmakers.org