0 Indoor Kid’s Games – Not For Children Only

Games are one of the more important activities for toddlers and adults to interact and bond. Some of these are well-known, and some are enjoyed not just by children. Adults can be children, too, at least on rainy days.

Hot Potato

The “potato” here has to be something soft and lightweight (a small plastic ball, perhaps or a very small stuff toy) that cannot break if it falls on the floor or gets thrown onto something hard.

This is actually a version of the musical chair. Music is played and the “potato” gets passed around. When the music stops, the “potato” suddenly gets “hot” and has to be thrown to the next child.

If there is no music, and someone is still holding the potato, she is out. Whoever drops the potato is counted out too.

Animal charade

This is going to be great if there are silly children around. Children sit around in a circle and one child goes into the center.

The “animal” child acts out with NO SOUND only a very small portion of any animal action (a lion’s roar, a rabbit jump, etc.) he imagines and get the group to guess it. The animal child stretches the action if nobody gets it. Anyone guessing correctly gets to play the animal.

Hot Lava

Put some papers on the floor as “stones” to step on, the rest of the floor is a flood of “hot lava” from a volcano. There are two sets of “stones” for each team to travel, with parts that merges, meaning there are only a stone or two for use.

The object of the game is to transfer “dinosaurs “eggs” (rolled up socks) one by one from one end of the room to the other. The fun part is when two teams will fight out the parts where there is only one stone to step on.

Any “accident” and the team member has to start from the starting line again.

Trip to Spain

Two children from each team are blindfolded. Once they are, the floor will be littered with soft objects (stuffed toys, pillows) as the obstacle course.

The blindfolded children are then made to walk and go to the end of the room across the obstacle course. Their team mates will guide each one of them, meaning telling them where to go to avoid hitting objects on the floor.

It is fun because both teams will be shouting directions and there will be shouting. The first one to reach the goal wins for his team.

Zoo

There will be pairs of children for this game. Each pair will represent an animal they want. (Make sure there are no duplicates.)

The children will all be securely blindfolded and scattered around the room. At the signal, they will look for their pair using only SOUNDS of their animal. There will be barking, meowing, clucks, quack-quacks and all kind of animal sounds in the room.

The winning team is the one who met each other first.

Considerations

Prizes could be candies and other goodies. Disputes and arguments (if any) shall have the game restarted. Any game wanted by the children to be played over and over should be played, unless there will be objections. Indoor kid’s games should be enjoyed, not disputed.

• Guessing Games: In this game you have to blindfold the young child. When they cannot see anything you have to jingle keys or snap your finger and have them guess what the sound was. This will help them to think of what things sound like.

• Hot or Cold: A great indoor toddler activity that teaches the child to listen. In this game the adults tell the toddler where to go in the room to find what is hidden and the child has to listen to the adults and make it to the object. The adults cannot say things like "a little more" or "step forward" they can only say hotter or colder. Hotter means that they are getting closer and colder means that they are getting further away from it.

• Memory: A game played with a deck of cards that are laid face down so the children cannot see the other side. This indoor toddler activity is modified for toddlers to use only 4-8 cards so they can easily find the mates to begin with. Going from the left of the dealer and continuing clockwise you take turns flipping over two cards to see if they are a match. If they are you get another turn. Then when all of the cards are gone you count up your mates and see who has the most and that is the winner.

• Hand Puppets: Needing some fun for those rainy days? This is a great way to pass away the time when the weather is looking bad. All you need for this indoor toddler activity is some hand puppets for the adults so they can put on a show or you need enough hand puppets for all so they can play it together. A glove with faces painted and hair attached on the fingers make great hand puppets/finger puppets.

• Story Time: The best time spent with your child is reading a good story to them. It helps them to have inspiration and want to read for themselves and they can learn to read at a younger age. You could have an older child read to them or the adult that is watching them can read to the toddlers. Usually this gets the children making some interesting stories up from the pictures. Tip!! A good story before naps or bedtime helps them to unwind and settle down.

• Indoor Tents: Build the tent out of blankets and your kitchen chairs or other household furniture. Use pillows, stuffed animals or anything soft for the sides and flooring. We used some old sheets and tied some string to the four corners. I then tied them to door handles, bedposts, or baby cribs for their roof. Just be sure it is sturdy and nothing will fall on them while playing. One of our children's favorites and will keep them busy for hours!

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0 Getting To Know Your Laptop Computer Parts

A laptop is not really much different from a desktop in terms of the components that make them work. The most striking difference is that the laptop has "miniaturized" the desktop's parts and then tightly packed them into a vessel that can easily be carried around. This makes the laptop very convenient for people who are always on the go and have to use the internet at the same time.

So now we're going to discuss the laptop's major components and do it in a way that can easily be comprehended even by those who break out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of computers. We're going to enumerate the major parts and discuss briefly their respective functions.

MOTHERBOARD
This is one of the most expensive parts of a laptop, and easily its largest internal component. It is also referred to as the system board or logic board. The motherboard is where all the internal components are connected to, and serves as the primary circuit board for all the laptop's functions.

MEMORY OR RAM
The amount of memory or RAM installed on your laptop has a major bearing on performance. Quite simply, the more memory is installed, the more efficiently your laptop can perform multiple operations at the same time. It is widely known as "volatile" memory because information stored by the RAM is lost once the laptop has been shut down.

HARD DRIVE (HDD)
The hard drive is your laptop's main storage device. It is where all programs and files are stored. You can lose all of your information if your hard drive malfunctions, and that is why owning an external hard drive to back up your files is always a good idea just in case an untoward incident causes permanent loss of data in your hard drive. While the RAM is coined as "volatile" memory, the hard drive in turn is referred to as "non-volatile" memory because information stored can still be retained by the hard drive even after the laptop has been turned off. Data in the hard drive can only be erased if it's written over or deleted by the user.

PROCESSOR
The processor (or CPU) is simply the brain of the computer. It is the primary component that processes all information and executes your computer's commands. The CPU can easily overheat because of its many functions, making it necessary for any computer to have a heat sink and a cooling fan plugged on its motherboard.

KEYBOARD
The keyboard is the main input device of your laptop. It is used to enter commands on the computer, or to put it simply, used as the device the user can utilize to "talk" to the computer.

OTHER COMPONENTS
The remaining parts of a laptop are the CD/DVD optical drive, LCD screen, video card and the wireless network cark. The CD/DVD optical drive allows you to read and write data from/to a CD or DVD disc. The video card is an expansion card that allows the computer to send graphical information through the LCD screen, while the audio board produces the sound that is emitted through the laptop's speakers.

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0 A General View About The Bicycle

A bicycle, pushbike, or bike, is a pedal-driven land vehicle which has two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. They were first introduced in 19th-century Europe and then quickly evolved into its familiar, current design. Numbering over 1,000,000,000 in the world today, bicycles provide the chief means of transportation in many regions and also a popular form of recreational transport in others. The bicycle is amongst the most notable of human inventions. However there is a lot of confusion regarding when and who invented the very first bicycle. According to general belief, the earliest bicycle was a wooden scooter-like contraption named ‘celerifere’ and it was made by Comte Mede de Sivrac of France in about 1790.

An Overview of the Bicycle –

The basic shape and configuration of the frame, wheels, pedals, saddle and handlebars of the bicycle has hardly changed since the first chain-driven model that was developed in around 1885, though many important detail improvements have been made since, especially recently by the use of modern materials and computer-aided design. For example, the conventional design of the saddle or the seat of the bicycle has remained more or less the same. Though there have been experiments with noseless seats, people still prefer the conventional size.

Lights are another important yet ignored factor in bicycles. Even if one does not intend to use ones bicycle during the dark, one must have a precautionary lighting system. Lighting in the bicycle will serve the purpose of seeing others and making yourself visible to others both of which will help in avoiding any possible casualty in the dark.

As far as the frames are concerned, different materials have come to be used. Carbon, aluminum and magnesium are frames which are very popular. Even titanium frames have been promoted but as they are quiet expensive, they are used only by the cream.

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0 Laptop Batteries: Giving Your Laptop A New Life

There are just too many brands of laptop batteries in the market that sometimes it becomes very difficult for us to buy a battery for our laptops. There are the popularly known computer companies such as Apple, Dell, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Fujitsu, Sony and many others. However, if you are looking for one to give your laptop a new life, it might do you good to study the top three among all brands. That way, you can compare the advantages and disadvantages of using one against the other.

Be Guided In Getting Your Laptop Batteries

Go visit some shops or stores specializing in laptop batteries. This way; you will be guided in getting the kind of laptop battery that will surely give life to your laptop. You should check the various models as well as the corresponding prices of each kind of laptop battery on computer shops, distributor stores, or simply online. Aside from the convenience it gives you, online shopping can be so safe, handy, easy and so simple to use.

Check For Warranties And Refund Guarantees Before Buying

Wherever you may decide to purchase your batteries, no need to worry anymore because distributors and sellers now make sure that customers will be satisfied with the battery replacements they get. You just have to weigh your options among the so many brands to choose from. There are even offers of a 30-day refund guarantee on the laptop batteries you will be purchasing, a 1-year full repair as well as providing you with a warranty to replace any parts that are experiencing malfunctioning defects.

Truly, laptops may lose their appeal rather quickly when you always search for any nearby power outlet just so you could charge up your batteries. Can there really be a secret for keeping your laptop batteries fully or heavily charged as often as possible? Well, you might be surprised but yes, there are various ways by which you can make sure that your batteries are always fully loaded with life anywhere, anytime. Here are some simple helpful tips you may follow to ensure your batteries always have new life.

Hack Down On Your External Devices

Make sure that you always shut down your external devices, especially if you are not using them. This may include USB devices such as your mouse as well as your Wi-Fi which is one common cause of battery drain. It also means that you should avoid charging up some of your mini gadgets such as iPods using your laptop, because this will always totally wipe out your battery life.

Defrag On A Regular Basis

When you defrag your laptop batteries, make sure that you do it habitually. This will surely make your hard drive much more efficient than before you defragged your batteries. However, be reminded that you should never defrag while while your laptop is on battery. And just after you have defragged your batteries, you will see how faster your hard drive is going to be. Obviously, defragging could mean reducing the workload for both the hard drive and your laptop batteries.

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0 I Spy – The Classic Indoor Kid’s Game

I Spy certainly looks like one of the oldest “car games” around. It is one of the simplest mental-visual games around. Games, as in all things, are most fun when they are simple. It certainly fits the bill as one of the better ones in indoor kid’s games.  

The game also has so many variations not just as a car game but both as indoor and outdoor games. The object is changed to people and they are usually played in classrooms (when the teacher has not arrived yet, etc.), cafeterias, or school grounds where there are people.

The game of looking

These “car games” had a long history themselves. Maybe, they were developed as soon as the first cars rolled down the streets. Whatever the story is, it is better than the current electronic gadgets that grab the entire child’s attention and only to himself.

 This old game (and other games like it) has given the chance to have the parents interact with the kids and with themselves. Moreover, this is one game where the kids can use their imagination and creativity.

At this point in today’s technology, kids are being bombarded with all sorts of electronic stimuli. Some of them are portable (game boxes, phones with games, etc.) that they can bring out of the house.

Sadly, all of them had taken out the child’s chances to think. Most of them are all about finger and arm dexterity and reflexes.

The game

In playing with little children, it would be good if you can help build your children’s understanding of, say, color. You could say, “I spy with my little eye, something moving with the color of….”and mention the specific color.

If it gives them some problems, you can then go with explanations like “a cross between …” and give out familiar colors. After some time, without their even knowing it, you had given them some lessons on colors (identifying it) and alert meticulousness (looking for it).

Playing with more than one child is even easier. One person goes first and the first person to guess the object or person will get to spy the next object. When the child guesses the object, then it is that child’s turn to spy something.

You can keep it going and forth with them. If your turn comes up, you can then put it the little color and alertness lessons in your “spying” declarations.

Older children

If the child is a little bit older, you can use letters. “I spy with my little eye, something starting with the letter B.” If the child knows some basic reading skills, you can easily play this game with him or her.

If one of you never guesses the object and “gives up,” the person who did the spying gets to take another turn. Or you can get to be specific: “I spy with my little eye, something that begins in letter a, so red and so delicious…” etc.

Other car games

There are many other car games as there as children who can think of games like it. Which make indoor kid’s games more colorful, interesting, fun, funny, and never boring.

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0 Classic Board Games as Indoor Kids’ Games

If you are a parent who is encountering problems when thinking about indoor kids’ games that would keep your children in company during those bad weather days, brace yourself. Your favorite board games could fit the bill. Take a look at several classic board games. Maybe it is about time you introduce them to your children, if they are still not familiar about those. Such board games could be considered as classic as they have already stood the strenuous test of time.

Here are five of the classic board games that have successfully transcended from generation to generation. Many people hold these games dear to their own hearts. It is about time you introduce them to your children as their new indoor kids’ games.

Chess. This board games is considered as among the most popular. The game could be traced to as far back as the early 7th century. It is a strategy at its best. Chess is one board game that would make kids think, strategize, learn, and be scheming. Some children may not like the board game but others do. It is time you make them realize how chess could be more fun than expected.

Monopoly. One of the planet’s most popular board games get even more popular. This board game is played like purchasing property and real estate. You have to develop the ‘acquisition’ and make sure opponents would lose their money long before you do. Monopoly has gone several versions and is now reaching out more to children. There are variations for kids like Disney editions, cat and dog edition, and deluxe editions. Kids would surely have a grand time.

Checkers. This is another of those popular board games that could be repackaged to be introduced as an indoor kids’ game. Almost everyone could recognize the classic black and red checkered playing board used in the game. Among all other board games, this one is considered the simplest and easiest to learn and to play. Checkered has been around since the 1500s, when people started playing with less interesting pieces.

Scrabble. This board game is another classic. Not surprisingly, it has diehard followers. You could be one of them. However, among all the usual board games, this one may not be readily appreciated by children. This is because the game might get a little nerdy. It involves widening of the vocabulary. The goal of the game is to outwit all players. Some kids may feel intimidated as the board game could test their ability to spell and find the right English words. Once children get a hang of it, they surely would be able to enjoy scrabble and win it.

Life. This board game is a relatively newer game compared to the others. It is designed to resemble real life. Children could go through making choices that could eventually affect what they do in life. It has plenty of options; each choice holds a promise of happiness and satisfaction. You could turn this board game into one of the popular indoor kids’ games that your children would love.

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0 Charade – All-Time Popular Indoor Kid’s Game

The game of Charade is thought to have been invented in France, but more as a game of riddles. The clues are given in sentences instead of the modern “acting out” of the hidden word or object.

The acted charades later became popular in England. In the novel Vanity Fair, William Thackeray made mention of the game.

It was very popular in the 30s till World War II. There were a few TV shows in the 60s based on the game’s mechanics, and today it is still a classic party game.

Charades is often played as an after-dinner game by adults. But with a bit of coaching, kids are certainly good, if not better than adults, especially when it evolved into an action-oriented game.

Some props

There are some things needed for the game: a stop watch (one with a visible minute hand), a pen and some paper, index cards to write words, sentences, phrases, names, and a referee to keep time and the score.

Game mechanics

The object of the game is for a team’s member-player to act out a word, an idea, a person’s name, boom, movie, etc. his team mates will then have to guess the answer in the shortest possible time. The “hidden” word or idea is given by the opposing team.

The team members pepper and shout out what they think is the word or sentence is. The actor nods or shakes his head, and repeats and repeats his actions.

He can change it any which way, all in the hope of making his teammates understand it. They can begin by asking if it is an object, a person, a place, etc.

This makes for a somewhat easier guessing. When a team member finally gets the word correctly, he points at him/her and present the index card the actual word.

The referee takes note of the time. He can also be the arbiter in cases of disputes. Scoring is to be agreed by the two teams, and whoever has the highest correct guesses wins.

Dos and don’ts

The opposing team is not allowed to do anything to derail the other team who is doing the guessing. The member who guesses the right word gets to do the next acting of the word.

The team who gets it within the time limit wins the point for that round. Win or lose, the other team will do the next round of acting and guessing. The scores will be tallied after the designated number of games.

Preparations

Before the game, each team will write out the words on the card for the other team to act out. (The harder to guess the words are, the better.) They give these cards to the referee for safekeeping.

Sometimes, themes are written on the card which can be announced by the referee. So that children will have an easier time acting them out, only one word is used for guessing. Sometimes, the topics are limited to a few groups like animals, places, or famous celebrities. An indoor kid’s game should not be hard.

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0 A Child Carrier For Bikes Puts Safety Up Front

There's good news for parents who want to introduce young children to the joy of bicycle riding but are concerned about safety.

A safer bicycle ride for both parents and young children may be available thanks to what's been described as a design breakthrough in child carriers.

Even with a proper helmet, many parents find it challenging to ride with their child behind them. Some are fearful that sudden moves on the part of the child can make it difficult to steer and maintain balance. Others have reported that it's common to be kicked when the child rides behind in a standard carrier.

All that may be changing thanks to a family-owned company called Kent Bicycles. They've developed a child carrier that mounts in front of the person powering the bicycle. Called The Kangaroo, the carrier is said to make riding with a small child safer and more fun.

The carrier offers what the company calls an interactive approach to bicycling. That's because with the child in front of the driver, it's easier for parent and child to interact and communicate. It's also easier for the parent to maintain control of the child's movements. Plus, since they are riding up front, "where the action is," children are likely to find the ride more interesting and entertaining.

Experts say that since the carrier is mounted in the center of the bike, and not the rear, it is safer and gives the bike and the riders more stability should a child shift his or her weight.

The Kangaroo is designed for children from 10 months to four years of age.

The company's history dates back to the early 1900s. Its bikes and related accessories are said to incorporate the latest advances in design and technology at an affordable price. The company refuses to ship a product until it is confident it is safe enough to be used by the families of its employees.

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0 Choosing The Laptop Computer Parts That Suit You

Assembling your very own laptop and coming up with the perfect combination that will suit your personal needs require a lot of information gathering. To help you out, we are going to lay down the laptop's essential components and the many options you have for purchasing them.

SIZE/PORTABILITY
You will have to consider the portability of your laptop screen in regards to the amount of traveling you do. The most affordable size ranges between 13-15 inches, and is easily the most common in the market. I would not recommend this if you have to carry the laptop at long distances, considering we haven't even mentioned the peripherals and accessories yet.

Unless you are on a tight budget, there's no use in putting yourself in physical discomfort every time you carry your laptop around. Perhaps a smaller screen will suffice to make the laptop more fit for long travel. If you like to use a big screen once in a while, you have the option to purchase a 19" external screen. This can be used alongside the laptop built-in screen as well, giving you two screen sizes to choose from at your own leisure.

PROCESSOR OR CPU
Processors have raised the bar through the years to keep up with the times. The most commonly used today is the Dual Core processor, which is good enough for almost everyone. The Dual Core performs like two microprocessors in one, which makes it at par with current computing standards. If you require your laptop to do a lot of "thinking", you might consider purchasing the Quad Core laptop, which is considered the most powerful processor out in the market today.

OPERATING SYSTEM
The operating system acts as the interface that you can utilize to interact with the computer and its many functions. The most current one out in the market is Windows Vista, although many still prefer Windows XP since they share the idea that Windows Vista can be a little sluggish. A beta version of the upcoming Windows 7 has already been released, although I would recommend waiting for the official version instead.

GRAPHICS CARD
A graphic card is a processor that allows graphical information to be viewed through the LCD screen. A laptop's graphic card is built-in and cannot be changed or upgraded. Hence, it's advisable to purchase the laptop that has a high-end graphic card installed on it.

USB PORTS
The USB ports are where computer peripherals such as the printer, mouse, and keyboard can be plugged into. Before choosing a USB, think of the amount of peripherals you are willing to use. If you can do away with the mouse and prefer to use the touch pad instead, you'll have more room for other peripheral devices. In this case, a laptop with 2 ports should suffice. The port amounts in USB's are respectively 2, 3 and 4. Choose the type of USB according to the amount of peripherals you are going to use.

The final advice I can give you is to ask the vendor some questions while using the basic points discussed in this article as the discussion moves along. That way, you can ensure that you have all the available options under consideration and be able to create a laptop with the type of build you have in mind.

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0 A Car Bicycle Rack On A Budget

Getting the best price on your car  bicycle rack will take some time and comparisons.  You will like knowing that you received the best deal possible for your car bicycle rack.

A car bicycle rack that is discounted or on sale can be a great treasure to find.  New bikers may think that a car bicycle rack is not needed, but they will quickly find that this one piece of equipment can be as important as the bicycle itself.  If you cannot get your bike to different locations to ride, then you may find that you will not bike as often.  By purchasing a car bicycle rack, you will be able to ride anywhere you choose.

Boredom is the most common reason that people give up a particular type of exercise.  If you are riding the same path every day, then you may find that this routine becomes humdrum and boring.  By purchasing a car bicycle carrier, you will have the option of riding any number of bike paths in your area and in surrounding areas to help decrease the boredom quotient.

The great thing is that this equipment doesn’t have to be very expensive.  By checking the sales ads in local papers and on the Internet, you may be able to find a car bicycle rack that easily fits your budget.  All you need to do is bide your time until you find one that will work for you and your billfold.

When you are starting a new sport, buying equipment can sometimes be very costly.  By watching sales and ads in the paper, you will find that you can find a very good price on equipment.  You only have to be willing to wait until you can find equipment that you need.

Finding a car bicycle rack on sale may take a few weeks, especially if you want one that is high quality.  A high quality car bicycle rack will save you money in the long run, however, because it will be more durable than an inferior one that may cost a few dollars less. 

It is quite irritating when you buy an item and they see it on sale or discounted at another store the next day.  You can return it to the first store, if you haven’t put it on your automobile yet, but if you had simply looked around before making your purchase, then you could have save yourself time, money, and irritation.  That is why it is so important to do your research first before shelling out any money.

The internet is a great resource for finding prices for car bicycle racks.  It can be done anytime of the night or day and you do not have to leave your house to price check.  Make sure that you also read the ads in the newspaper, both personal and sales ads and see if your neighborhood bike shop has a mailing list.  All of these are ways to find the right price for your car bicycle rack.

If you do your research, you can save yourself money on your car bicycle rack.  Then you can use that money for other equipment or for a bicycle tour.  Doesn't that sound like a plan?

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