Creative Brain Series Question #4 - Fountain of Youth?

Here we go again with question #4 - Imagine you have the choice to drink from a fountain that will keep you at any age forever.  At what age would you drink from the fountain and why?

This post is part of the Creative Brain Series from Growing Play on creativity, imagination, outside the box thinking, something quick to do while you are waiting or a boredom buster.  The series will include one question every couple of days to get children and adults to think on their feet.  There is no right or wrong answers just try to be creative.  Spend 1-2 minutes to think or just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind to share your answer.  

I struggled answering this question.  Partially because there are positives and negatives to every age and stage in my lifetime.  So here goes nothing - I would actually pick right now!  My mid forties.  Although my life is very hectic at times, all my children are still living at home (college in only two years away for our oldest), we have a decent balance between work and home life and I have a statement my almost 80 year old mother made years ago stuck in my head...she stated one of the happiest times in her life was when my 6 siblings and I were all younger.  

Answer Creative Brain Series Question #3
Answer Creative Brain Series Question #2
Answer Creative Brain Series Question #1

Creative Brain Series Question #2

I figured I would get this Creative Brain Series going fast and furious.  Here we go with question #2 - Imagine that you are trapped in the witch’s house in the story of Hansel and Gretel. What would you do or say to escape?

This post is part of the Creative Brain Series from Growing Play on creativity, imagination, outside the box thinking, something quick to do while you are waiting or a boredom buster.  The series will include one question every couple of days to get children and adults to think on their feet. There is no right or wrong answers just try to be creative.  Spend 1-2 minutes to think or just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind to share your answer.  

My answer to question #2: Our father is a dentist, if you let us out he can fix all your cavities. (remember answer quickly - my answer is the first thing that popped into my head and then I couldn't get it out of my head!)

Write your answer in the comments.

Answer Creative Brain Series Question #1

Word Association or Disassociation Game

Word association is a simple word game to play while waiting in a restaurant, on a long road trip or sitting around the campfire.  All you need to do is to start with one word and then say the first word that pops into your head.  The next person says the first word associated with the previous word.  Continue this pattern until a set number of words (ie 100 words or everyone takes 5 turns).  For example, if player one says CLOUDS, player two says the first word that pops into his/her mind ie SKY, next player says BLUE, next player says RAIN, next player says RAINBOW - POT OF GOLD - LEPRECHAUNS - ST PATRICK'S DAY - GREEN - GRASS and so on.....

For word dissociation, just change the rules and state the first word that pops into your mind that is NOT associated with the word.  For example, the starting word is FIRE - WATER - LIGHT - DARK - RAINBOWS - STARS - EARTH'S CORE - OUTER SPACE and so on....

Try it yourself.  Creating word associations is much easier than creating word dissociations.


Waiting Games is a 22 page download of twenty games to play while on a road trip, waiting for an appointment or sitting around a campfire.  This collection of activities encourages children to develop self-regulation, creativity and communication skills while they wait.  Get more information here or add to cart below. 

To order Waiting Games for $3.99 click on the ADD TO CART button. You will receive an email with a link immediately following payment to download the book.  

City Hunt and Find Puzzle

Need something for the older kids to do to keep them busy for a few minutes while waiting, riding in the car or just plain bored?  Here is a challenging puzzle to practice visual perceptual skills.  Print the City Hunt and Find puzzle from Growing Play.  

Need more game ideas?  Check out Category Games.  

Collect Moments Not Things

We are returning from an unbelievably awesome vacation in Florida.  You know what made it so awesome?  We did nothing but go to the beach everyday.  Beach combing in the early morning, then swimming, lunch on the sand and more swimming.  I have to admit it was one of the best vacations of my life.  We all just enjoyed each other's company with practically no bickering.  Doesn't get any better than that!

Definitely makes me realize we need to collect moments not things.  Time goes by too fast!

More to come about our 24 hour road trip to Florida with 6 kids.

Color Car Road Trip Game

We have been playing different variations of this game for years.  

Here is how you play Yellow Car: Everyone looks for yellow cars. The game scores as follows: regular yellow car - 1 point, any yellow pick up truck - 5 points, yellow Mustang - 5 points and yellow Hummer - automatic win!  We keep score until someone finds a yellow Hummer but you could just do it for a certain amount of time.  We also play this game over multiple car rides. We just remember our score and pick up where we left off.

Then over time we mixed it up and play a cooperative version called Rainbow Car.  Here is how you play rainbow car: Work together to find cars in the color of the rainbow.  You must do it in order.  Therefore, first you look for a red car, then orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple.  When you are done you start back over at red again.  

Happy car hunting!

Why Do Children Get Motion Sickness in the Car?

With six children, we have had our fair share of kids that get car sick (myself included).  If you understand why children and adults get car sick it may help to prevent it.  Car sickness results when the brain receives conflicting information from the inner ears, the tactile system, the eyes and your internal expectations.  The best example of this is when someone reads in the car.  You look down at the words in the book and your eyes are fixed on a stable object.  Your inner ear senses motion.   Your joints may sense motion if you go over bumps and around curves.  This confusion in information to the brain may result in feeling nausea, cold sweats or even vomiting.  

Of course not all people get car sick.  It is very rare for infants or toddlers under the age of 2 to get motion sickness.  Women are more prone to motion sickness than men.  From my own personal experience, when I was pregnant I would get motion sickness very easily,  In addition, the older I get the worse it is.  I get nauseous just from riding on a swing!

So since the car sickness comes from confusing information being sent to the brain the easiest thing to do is to try to send clear signals to the brain that you are moving.  Therefore, keep your eye gaze out the window.  This tells your eyes that you are moving which matches your inner ear information.  Roll down the windows and let the body know that you are moving by feeling the wind.  If the car sickness persists, pull over where you can safely walk around, and let the child get out of the car.

To prevent children from getting car sick eat plain foods before and during the ride. 

We are planning a long car ride for next week so I plan on doing a quick blogpost series on games to play in the car.  With all the tablets, video players and smart phone use, some good old fashioned games while looking out the window will help pass the time and prevent motion sickness. 

Do you have any tips to offer to prevent motion sickness in the car?