With so much entertainment easily available on the homefront (television, video games, computers, etc.), we often forget that the performing arts are alive and kicking in communities across the nation - and much of this is low cost or free. 

Take some time to search out what is available and get in the habit of going out to an event - live music, dance, theater...or other live performance - at least once a month.

Part of the fun is just the outing. Have you ever watched young children at an event? The learning is tremendous - tons of people, tons of language, tons of new information about the world.

Whatever happened to the lost art of tongue twisters? 

This is a great activity to get the family laughing together, but it is also connected to vocabulary development, literacy, and speech articulation. Try some of the beauties on this website with your family - no fair practicing first! ;)

Unless your child is an ‘artist’, he or she may be reluctant to choose an art activity at home. Art can be incredibly absorbing. It takes our heads, hearts, and hands to new places without us even realizing it.

Participating in an art activity with your child can make the activity safer and more desirable (especially for young children). Clay work, bead work, weaving, drawing, watercolor painting, and several other art activities are relatively easy to get supplies for and dig into, even as a novice. If this is not a staple in your household it can provide a nice change of pace - and may quickly become a family favorite.

(As a bonus, many of these activities help strengthen fine motor skills, which can positively impact writing control!)

Solving problems without pencil and paper or screens can be a revelation for children. We often forget what ‘hidden’ messages they are taking in, just through their daily experience at home and school.

This is an opportunity to remind them that we most often work with tools, but what is most important in learning is developing our heart and mind (and some would argue hands). This activity focuses on the mind.

Mental arithmetic can work at almost any age beyond age 4. You can even do early numeracy at 2 or 3. For example, counting with your child (you say “1”, they say “2”, you say “3”, etc.). Another game improves problem solving and estimation: “I am thinking of a number between 1 and 50” and as the child guesses you say “higher,” “lower,” or “that is my number!”

We are also big fans of competitive counting games - mostly variations on Nim. For example, counting to 10, with whoever says 10 as the winner, but each turn you can count either 1 or 2 numbers higher. As children get better they should be able to determine how to win the game every time (assuming the child gets to choose whether to go first or second).

These are just a few of an endless array of mental math ‘game’ possibilities - and they’re great for car rides!

We live in an amazing time in history, but sometimes fail to take advantage. We can speak face to face, through video, across the world, for free. This assumes you have a computer with a web camera and fast enough internet, but many of us have the tools and fail to act. 

Make today the day you break through that invisible wall, sign up for a service like Skype, and talk with a relative. 

Our youngest likes this so much he often will choose it when he has free time. This is a great way to encourage reading as he can read a book long distance to his aunt (for example). Making connections, building relationships, extending language skills ... what a great way to learn!

It is no mystery that we at JLN are huge fans of games, but this recommendation is about getting together with other families for a multi-hour gaming extravaganza. Just add some food and everybody wins!

For adults, it is a chance to relax and play some games (a rarity for many of us). For children, it is a chance to play games with other people, cross ages (older kids playing some younger games and vice versa), and play games with other adults. Plus, including multiple families means new games, and children pretty universally love OPT (other people’s toys).

Storytelling is an incredibly powerful medium for sharing important values, transferring information, and building language skills. It also can provide a glimpse into your past that helps your child understand who you are and what makes you tick.

In many families, stories are what bond the generations together. Your children will surprise you with how well they remember these moments even months later. The honesty, the sharing, and the joy of story are important and could be a great part of your family time.

As parents, we’re constantly working to place our kids on the right path - but what’s at the end of that path?

It’s worth taking a moment every now and then to think through what your child is striving for. Success in school isn’t necessarily the same as success in life. Are you constantly talking about financial rewards? Material goods? Or do you work toward less tangible things like making good decisions or being a good person?

It’s important for kids to realize that success doesn’t necessarily mean achieving a stated goal, it’s figuring out how that goal and others work together to define your life path. Ask your child/ren what success means to them - it might just surprise you.

It is fun to sing, but it can be a little bit embarrassing too - at least for the majority of us. Singing in the car has some distinct advantages, though: everyone is trapped, there is not a lot to do, and once a couple of people start singing it is easy for others to “join the crowd.”

This is a great way to share music, often starting with a favorite song chosen by the youngest member of the family. This could be done using favorite CDs, the radio, or an ipod/mp3 player. Singing is universal, so providing practice for children while sharing a special family moment is a great opportunity in more ways than one.

Sometimes adults get frustrated because children will not jump into new activities and situations, but if you think about it, adults generally avoid new activities and situations and are risk averse. 

Modeling risk taking by openly trying new, possibly embarrassing things, can be incredibly powerful for your children to see - and can lead to lots of positive conversation. It could be jumping into a sport your child is playing, singing, playing one of their favorite video games, or any new activity that seems relevant and interesting to your child. Try it, you might like it. ;)