Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner Spring 2008

Dave’s kids love to go Letterboxing.
But, what is Letterboxing?

Letterboxing is an intriguing mix of treasure hunting, art, navigation and exploring interesting, scenic and sometimes remote places.

Here’s the basic idea: Someone hides a waterproof box somewhere (in a beautiful, interesting or remote location) containing at least a logbook and a carved rubber stamp, and perhaps other goodies. The “hider” then usually writes directions to the box (called “clues” or “the map”), which can be straightforward, cryptic or any degree in between. Often the clues involve map coordinates or compass bearings from landmarks, but they don’t have to. Selecting a location and writing the clues is one aspect of the art.

Once the clues are written, hunters in possession of the clues attempt to find the box. In addition to the clue and any maps or tools needed to solve it, the hunter should carry at least a pencil, a personal rubber stamp, an inkpad and a personal logbook. When the hunter successfully deciphers the clue and finds the box, he or she stamps the logbook in the box with the personal stamp, and stamps the personal logbook with the box’s stamp. The box’s logbook keeps a record of all its visitors, and the hunters keep a record of all the boxes they have found in their personal logbooks.

Sound like fun?
Go to www. letterboxing.org to get all the details that you need to get started.

Kids’ Corner Summer/Fall 2007

Make Your Own Travel
Tic-Tac-Toe Board

What You Need

Cardboard
Construction paper
Popsicle sticks
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Glue

How to Make It

Cut a piece of cardboard into a 6"x6" square.
Lay four Popsicle sticks across it like a tic-tac-toe board and then glue them down. You may have to cut the Popsicle sticks so there are no cracks.
Creative ideas for decorating your board:
Take any color of construction paper. Cut out flowers as your pieces. Make five of any color for one person and five of another color for the other person.
You can use colorful chips as pieces.
You can color your cardboard.
Next, play tic-tac-toe!!!!

Kids’ Corner Winter 2006

Counting Cows Car Game

Teams on the left and right side of the car count cows
throughout the day on their side of the car, while trying to
distract the other team from actually seeing any cows on their
side. If you pass a cemetery (or boat) on your side of the car,
you lose all your cow points...provided the other team sees the
cemetery (or boat) and catches you! Variation: if you see a
white horse after a cemetery (or boat) then you get your lost
points back. The winning side gets whatever they want to eat
at the next stop.

Cow Jokes

How does a farmer count his cows?
A: With a cow-culator!

Why do cows have bells?
A: Because their horns don’t work!

How do you keep a bull from charging?
A: You take away his credit card!

What do you call a cow that has no milk?
A: An udder failure!

What do cows do online?
A: They instant moo-ssege each other!

What do cows do to relax?
A: They listen to Moo-sic!

What do you call a cow wearing a crown?
A: Dairy queen!

Where do cows go when they want a night out?
A: To the moo-vies!

Kids’ Corner Winter 2006

Recipe

Cinnamon Snack Mix for 4 Kids

Ingredients:

3/4 cup honey graham cereal
1/2 cup bear-shaped graham cookies
1/3 cup ramen noodles, crushed
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 or 3 tablespoons golden raisins
2-3/4 teaspoons butter
2-3/4 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix honey graham cereal, bear-shaped graham cookies, ramen noodles, almonds and golden raisins.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and blend in honey and orange juice. Spread over the cereal mixture and toss to coat.
4. Spread mixture onto a large baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
5. Cool. Bag into small sandwich bags.
6. Enjoy during your car trip!

Here’s a website for some great pumpkin carving tips:
www.pu mpkincarving101.com

Kids’ Corner Fall 2006

Recipe

Valerie Becker’s Fresh Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 Fresh Baguette
4 Plum Tomatoes
3 Garlic Cloves
10-12 Fresh Basil Leaves
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Black Pepper to Taste

Directions:

1. Cut tomatoes into a small dice and put in a bowl. Mince the garlic. Chop the basil into a rough-cut, do not over chop or the basil will turn black. Add all ingredients to tomatoes and then season with salt & pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 45 minutes and then refrigerate.
2. Cut French bread into circles. Toast the bread. (If you have the time, it would be delicious to dip each slice into olive oil and grill both sides. But toasting in the oven is delicious as well and saves a little time.)
3. You can serve the Bruschetta in two ways. First, top each piece of toasted bread with the tomato mixture and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top. Then place the bread in the oven to melt the cheese a little and place the Bruschetta on a large platter for your guests. Or, for another option, place the tomato topping in a small bowl with the bread slices around it on a platter and two smaller bowls with the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese. This allows your guests to top their own bread and also keeps the bread from becoming soggy if the topping were to sit too long on the toasted bread. (Fortunately, we never encounter this problem. The Bruschetta is gone almost as soon as it is placed on the table!)

Makes approximately 18-20 pieces.

Kids’ Corner Winter 2006

Car Games

Auto Olympics

Before going on a road trip, players make a list of ten things they can do in the car. For example, a list might include passing three cows, finding a red billboard, holding one’s breath through a tunnel, hearing a favorite song on the radio, finding two out-of-state license plates, getting a trucker to honk, passing five people in hats, crossing a bridge, passing a car with a dog in it, and getting three green lights in a row. The first person to accomplish everything listed wins.
Source: www.ParentCenter.com

Name that Tune

Here’s a game that’s great for those who like to sing or hum a tune. One player thinks of a song that everybody knows and hums its first few notes. Other players try to guess the name of the song. If they can’t guess, the first player keeps humming more notes in the song until someone guesses the right answer.
Source: www.ParentCenter.com

Road Trip Math

Help your parents figure out the gas mileage you’ve been getting, and help them calculate how long it will take to get to your destination given your average speed. You can also predict how much it will cost to fill up the tank at the next gas station and see whose guess is closest. You can also read the road map and figure the distance to your destination via the road or “as the crow flies.”
Source: www.MomsMinivan.com

Kids’ Corner Summer 2005

Wheeling Auto Art Contest Winners

Riley Elementary

Grades K-2:
1st place: Cameron Davidson, grade 2
2nd place: Scotty Shirley, grade 1
3rd place: Priya Kattappurath, grade 1

Grades 3-5:
1st place: Sarah Peluse, grade 5
2nd place: Katie Okamoto, grade 5
3rd place: Matthew Barnas, grade 5

London Middle School

1st place: Max Kadyrov, grade 8
2nd place: Juancho Dumayas, grade 7
3rd place: Kosta Gioules, grade 8

Buffalo Grove High School

1st place: Anna Kaczkowski, grade 9

Thank you to all students who participated in the Wheeling Auto Cars of the Future art contest. Winning entries will be professionally framed and hung in the Wheeling Auto lobby for one year. Please stop by to see these great works of art.

Kids’ Corner Winter 2005

Riding in a car can be fun, but like anything, accidents can happen.
Here are some tips to follow so that car trips can be as safe as possible.
• Always wear a seat belt.
• Sit in a child’s safety seat until your parent or guardian says you don’t have to anymore.
• Sit in the back seat until you’re at least 13 years old.
• Never open the door when a car is moving.
• Don’t leave the car until the driver says it’s safe.

Kids’ Corner Fall 2004

Keep the kids happy during your next trip with this fun car game!

This is a good conversation starter. Go around the car and ask each person his or her favorite color. Then have everyone think of different “favorite” questions for the group, such as “What’s your favorite movie, flavor of ice cream, song, game, toy, place to visit, book, animal, flower, fish, etc.?”

Links for Kids:

Links for Parents:

Car Games for Kids
http://wy.essortment.com/cargameskids_nhg.htm

Travel Activity Kits
http://travelwithkids.miningco.com/cs/travelgamestoys/tp/activitykits.html

Car Fun for Kids
http://www.chswpirc.org/scripts/Northwest/paper/Article.asp?ArticleID=236

Kids n' Cars
http://www.kidsandcars.org

Finding a Child Safe Car
http://www.ehow.com/how_1725_shop-safe-car.html

Car Safety Seat Guide
http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm