Getting back to Parenting magazine’s “Good Guy Websites,” here are a couple of sites for the writer/creator in the family.  As a reminder, these are sites recommended for boys roughly 10-12, although many girls would also  enjoy them.

Parenting suggested tikatok.com, where kids can write, illustrate, and publish real books. There is no monetary obligation for joining; costs are only incurred when you order a book your child has written.  Hardcovers start at $18, paperbacks at $15, emailed books are $3.  The site differentiates between stories for all ages, 8 and up, and 10 and up.  For the 8+ age range there are Story Sparks including — but not limited to — “Aliens, Robots, and Space,” Dinosaurs, “Heroes and Villains,” and “Ghosts and Monsters.”

The site looks really interesting, and I think that many aspiring authors would really enjoy playing around on it.  I couldn’t help but notice, though, that something about the site made it appear aimed more towards girls than boys.

With that in mind, Makebeliefscomix is more likely to appeal to the testosterone set. The comic book format is a lot of fun and included are both writer prompts and story ideas.  The final product is less polished than ones from tiktok, but lack of polish is undoubtedly an important charm for comic books in general.  The comics are printable and email-able, so kids can easily share them with each other.  Overall I think both sites have their up-sides, but I’d be much more likely to recommend makebeliefscomix to a tween guy.

Who knows, maybe the next Stan Lee is hanging around your house, just looking for a creative outlet!

Several months back Parenting magazine spotlighted what they called “Good Guy Websites” for boys roughly ages 10-12 years old.  (For a good read on the phenomena of boys this age, I found this Sonoma Family Life.com article.)  This is the first of several blog posts reviewing their suggestions and adding my own comments.

Boyslife.org — This is the website for the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America.  (Read what I wrote about the Pinewood Derby website back in January here.)

• My Just-Bridged-From-Tiger-to-Wolf Scout is really into jokes, so the ones on this site are a hit.

• He hasn’t extensively played the games, but they appeared cute and age-appropriate (read: not violent).  I’m pretty bad at them, so the average 10-12 year old boy will most likely find them easy and fun.

• I thought that the chance to look through pictures of what other scouts have done is neat.  It’s a great way to build excitement about scouting — as well as about the variety of activities in which Scouts participate — but I’d suggest parents closely monitor the site before allowing their child to post anything.  Basic precautions on posting identifying information (or any information at all) should be thoroughly discussed first!

• I also really liked the Outdoors and Gear section once I scrolled down past the Gear Guy Buying Guide.  (Great, just what we need: more things to buy!)  But under Outdoors the page on How to Skip Rocks caught my eye…seems like a fun read for anyone!  I think that most kids would find advice on how to fish at night, build an igloo, or build a firefly lantern really interesting.

• Under Hobbies and Projects there was a dizzying array of projects kids could undertake.  Since we do an annual road trip every summer, I checked out Fun Games to Play in the Car.  Nothing spectacular or new, but kids are much likely to try something they “discover” for themselves than if mom or dad suggest the exact same activity during 8-12 hours in the car!  Other projects seemed even more interesting.  Can my Scout really learn how to build a Composter Tumbler or a Solar Hot Dog Cooker?  Well, not without a parent present, but it’s definitely intriguing.

• I’m curious to hear if anyone has experience with the Contests page.  Please let me know!

Stay tuned for the next couple of blog posts with more sites for boys (and girls!) this age.

When two feet of snow blanketed the Washington, DC region this winter, my family was set for entertainment.  We shoveled, we sledded, we watched movies, we shoveled some more, we played board games, we frolicked in the snow, we made things with perler beads, and we shoveled yet again.

But by the time the schools had been closed four and then five days, we were casting about for some new activities.

So, we made giraffes.  Seriously, we made giraffes!  And then we emailed them to a Norwegian guy named Ola and got to see them online.

Backstory:  in 2009, a Norwegian man named Ola Helland bet his friend Jorgen that he could get people to email him 1,000,000 pictures of giraffes by January 1, 2011.  The giraffes have to be hand-made.  No computers, no snapping pictures at the zoo.  However, outside of those parameters anything goes.  The bet was for a case of beer, but neither of my kids even asked about that.  They just loved the idea of making giraffes.

And we did!  We drew giraffes, we built giraffes from LEGOs, we arranged string in the shape of giraffes, we manipulated random household items to look like giraffes and, yes, we even attempted to sculpt a snow-giraffe.  Except for the last one, they all turned out pretty well.  Then we took pictures of our creations and uploaded them to www.onemilliongiraffes.com.  Within 24 hours I received an email saying that our giraffes were available for viewing on the website, and updating us as to how many giraffes were still needed.

It was a great way to pass the time, and the kids and I really got into it.  I knew it was successful when — during Spring Break 2 months later — the kids suggested, “Let’s make giraffes!”  And so the fun continued!

NOTE: As I write this, the website currently boasts 839,661 giraffes.  Just 160,339 more.  What are you waiting for?

This week — April 19-25, 2010 — is National TV Turn-Off Week, now known as Digital Detox Week!  (Brought to you by the folks at AdBusters.)

The idea is for adults and kids alike to cut down on not just television but screen-time in general.  You know the drill: spend more family time, go to the library, take a walk, throw a ball, play pick-up b-ball, do a puzzle, read a book, talk to one another, etc.

Naturally, hard-core hockey fans will be disappointed to realize that Digital Detox Week comes during the NHL playoffs (Go Avs!  Go Caps!).  Similarly, most of us won’t be able to tell our bosses that we can’t get any work done because we’re keeping our computers, smart phones, and blackberries turned off.

So, I see this week as less of a “do or die” threat and more of an opportunity.  When it’s possible to partake in a non-electronic activity — with the kids, with a loved one, by yourself — do it!  When you don’t think it’s possible to entirely eliminate all use of electronics, try to use your computer to get your work done while cutting back the Facebook habit.  (Yes, I’m talking to myself here!)

Interestingly, it’s often easiest for kids to forsake the television, the computer, the Wii, and the DS.  So let’s follow their lead and just have fun!

At last, my long-awaited LEGO post!

You can start by putting the LEGO website on your little enthusiast’s KidDesktop.  Of course, this is a huge site with lots of pieces to explore.  So, here are a couple of activities that my boys particularly enjoy:

• The City Police Chase game, where your goal is to bump into the villains’ getaway vehicles.  I have it on good authority that the helicopter is the hardest!

• They also like LEGO City Coast Guard, where you literally get to pluck errant swimmers out of the water and pull them up into your Coast Guard helicopter.  Naturally, you have to avoid obstructions such as birds and sharks, and stay aware that your helicopter can only carry so many people at once.

• There are dozens of other games, sorted into creative, exclusive, preschool, and puzzle categories.  Let me know your favorites!

• They also enjoy “shopping” for new LEGO toys.  The site helps them find age-appropriate sets, and when they find something they like, they put it on their wish list.  (They can also sort by theme, category, etc…those clever LEGO folks make it easy for the little people.)  When a gift-giving opportunity comes around, I can check out their wish list for something I know they want.  A warning, though: you (or your kids) can shop directly from the site.  So make sure you don’t leave your payment information in when the kids are playing.  Unless, of course, you WANT an untold number of LEGOs charged to your card and delivered to your door…

Last thing.  My kids really got a kick out of this YouTube video.  It’s in the “Oh no, Mr. Bill” tradition.  Very amusing for both kids and their parents to watch the poor LEGO man attempt to fly.

I know I said I’d post more about Legos, but — with Cub Scout Pinewood Derby season — the official BSA Pinewood Derby site was just too tempting for this post!

I should start by saying that my Tiger Cub really enjoyed building his actual Pinewood Derby car!*

But leading up to his first race he also enjoyed surfing the Pinewood Derby site for ideas, pictures, etc.  Building a virtual car was a particularly favorite activity.  The graphics on the site are pretty cute, with each new phase of the “build” taking place behind dramatically closed garage doors.

Kids can also virtually build a space derby or a sailboat for a Rain Gutter Regatta.  And, no, this site isn’t just for boys, and it isn’t just for Cub Scouts.  Any child (and many a parent) will enjoy playing around here.

*Just a quick second of bragging rights: our Tiger Cub’s car won 2nd place among all the Tiger dens in his pack!  I don’t think his success had anything to do with surfing the Pinewood Derby website.  But spending time on the site and familiarizing himself with the cars, the race, etc, DID seem to help him enjoy the actual derby a bit more!

For the remainder of the summer, my kids will be attending “Camp Mommy” with yours truly acting as Camp Director, Head Counselor, Sports Coach, the entire cafeteria team, and just about every other role you could imagine.  Luckily, there are tons of interesting activities to keep all of us busy; luckier still, some of these interesting activities are leading me to new blog topics!

Today I took the kids to see back-to-back performances by Cathy & Marcy & Christylez Bacon and Hobey Ford.  The three performers each have video pages on their websites, and my kids had a blast re-living the shows by watching the videos.  All the videos are on YouTube, including my boys’ favorites:

(Human Beatbox)

and (Hip Hop Humpty Dumpty).  They also particularly enjoyed seeing Jubilation.  Note to Christylez, Kathy, and Marcy: we’d love to see a YouTube version of the “spoon-off!”

Hobey Ford’s puppet creations are a hit as well, especially

(Peepers).  El Coqui and Happy Feet (or Tin Man, as my boys call it) were not part of today’s show, but the kiddos absolutely loved them anyway.

I hope your kids enjoy these videos as much as mine do.  Cathy & Marcy’s CDs, washboard, and other items are available on their website, as are some coloring pages.  Hobey Ford’s site includes some PDF downloads about puppeteering that adults will find interesting, and you can buy his “peepers” here.

Christylez’ site includes info on his upcoming shows.  If you are in the DC area, you should definitely try to attend a show.  He’s incredible!

I’ve mentioned before that my kids are not really into watching movies.  With the exception of Cars and Mary Poppins, I don’t think there are any movies they have watched entirely, let alone that they have asked to watch more than once.  Until now, because:  They.  LOVE.  WALL-E.

To be honest, I think my children have great taste.  Dan and I have also enjoyed our many viewings of WALL-E.  All four of us find him to be a cute, fun, lovable character.  We also like the fact that the movie is directed at kids while still remaining entertaining for adults.  There is very little dialogue in the movie, and none of it is objectionable or even eyebrow-raising.  The plot is compelling, but neither scary or violent.  And all three of my boys (6.5-year-old, 4.5-year-old, and 30-something-year-old husband) love both robots and love space.

Naturally, the mammoth Disney website has a section about WALL-E.  It features pictures of WALL-E and EVE, some cute video clips, and a handful of games.  Some of the games are a bit difficult for younger kids, but I found it cathartic to pop bubble wrap and most kids will, too.  The “Say it Like WALL-E” game is also very cute.

Just two cautionary notes about this site:

1) One of the available options is WALL-E related downloads.  If you don’t want your child downloading icons/avatars, wallpapers, and activity packs to your computer, make sure you set the KidDesktop controls to disallow downloads.  (Easily done when you set up the website.)

2) Using KidDesktop, your child will not have access to the rest of the Disney site (movies, TV, Music, theme parks, etc) from the WALL-E site, unless you specifically allow them to “click on a link and leave adisney.go.com” when you set it up on their Activity Bar.  Obviously, this is a good thing if you don’t want them ranging through the huge Disney site and the Web at large.  If you change the default option, your child can then also go anywhere their clicks take them on the Internet.  But if you would like your child to have more Disney options without access to the entire Internet, just set up different buttons on their Activity Bar for all their favorite Disney movies, TV shows, etc.

I recently checked out a great site called Kideoplayer (thanks Seth!), and I definitely recommend it.  Kideoplayer was conceived as a safe ways for kids to watch YouTube videos without being exposed to all the other non-kid-friendly stuff on YouTube.  (Sound familiar?)

Of course, Kideoplayer is a bit different from KidDesktop’s YouTube playlist.  With KidDesktop, parents choose videos for their child’s playlist.  Kideoplayer’s creator, Tom, has created a website which ONLY shows the videos he has identified as safe, educational, and fun.  As with KidDesktop, you and your child don’t see the “More From,” “Related Videos,” or “Promoted Videos.”  If you or your child don’t like a particular Kideoplayer selection, just hit the space bar to skip to the next one.  More info about Kideoplayer can be found here.  It sort of reminds me of Pandora, but with kids’ YouTube videos instead of your choice of music!  Definitely a fun addition to your child’s Activity Bar.

(A quick note: the first time I tried to “space-bar-skip,” while running the site on KidDesktop nothing happened.  I hit the KidDesktop “home” icon and could then skip freely.  Curious to hear if others also experienced this minor issue, or if it was a fluke.)

I just checked out the game site Orisinal.  The site boasts more than 60 games, featuring  cute animal characters and outdoor backgrounds done in pastel colors.  The soothing Japanese music completes the sensory experience: no violent or explicit games here!  While preschoolers and younger kids will probably find the games too difficult, older kids and adults will enjoy playing them.

A little history: creator Ferry Halim started the site in 2000.  He makes games for a living and considers Orisinal his “personal playground.”

Orisinal games don’t really have any educational merit.  Unlike many of the games for preschoolers, they won’t reinforce reading or math skills.  But they are cute, and older kids (and their parents) will enjoy wasting some time on them here and there.  Just be careful: the games can be addictive!  Good time to use the timer function on KidDesktop, or to impose your own timer system if you are the one visiting Orisinal.