Category Archives: Families

Kazaana & Radio Disney Help Kick Off Girl Scouts Winterfest this Weekend!

. Bloggers, Events, Families . , , , , ,

Kazaana & Radio Disney Help Kick Off Girl Scouts Winterfest this Weekend!

‘Tis the season to give and to receive and we have the best idea for taking care of both- come along with Kazaana to the Girl Scouts of Northern California Winterfest! Kazaana and Radio Disney are teaming up to bring you a day of funs, prizes and games at this, the last BIG event celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouts. It is a magical winter wonderland of crafts, games, and holiday shopping created by Teens Take Over and troops from all over Northern California. You can make your own unique room decorations, impress people with your glamorous jewelry-making abilities, stand out from the crowd with face paint and henna tattoos, play exciting games to win prizes, and shop for one of a kind holiday gifts that you will not find at the mall!

This event is also the culmination of a week-long food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank by the Girls Scouts and you can pitch in by bringing 2 cans of food with you to Winterfest. Kazaana will also be in the giving spirit, and for every kid who signs up for Kazaana at our booth, we will donate an additional can of food to the food drive. But you won’t be going home empty handed, as all kids who sign up also get a very cool, exclusive gift!

See you there!

Details:
Winterfest 2012
Sat, Dec. 1, 2012, 10am – 3pm
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
$15.00 per child + 2 cans of food or non-perishable food items
$10.00 per adult +2 cans of food or non-perishable food items

cc courtesy from daz smith on Flickr

Fun Summer Science Experiments for Kids

. Education, Families, Kids & Tweens . ,
If your kids are into science, there’s no reason for the learning to stop when school is out. By raiding your pantry and Grandma’s candy supply, you can build a miniature laboratory in your kitchen. These experiments are appropriate for kids as young as six, with varying levels of help from Mom or Dad.
Check out the instructions below for two science-packed summer days.

Continue reading →

cc courtesy of JefferyTurner on Flickr

4 Great Day Trips for Kids

. Families, Kids & Tweens . , , ,
Summer is fully upon us, and once school is out the days can get a little long. It’s great to mix up the routine when you can, but busy schedules and tight budgets can put a full-fledged summer vacation out of reach. Instead, consider doing a monthly or bi-weekly day trip with your kids. It’s a great way to get them out of the house and keep their minds sharp until fall. Below are three ideas for successful day trips.
Be a world traveler. If you travel without a plan, your kids will pick up on it and get restless. Use a world culture as a theme, and plan your day accordingly. Download a translator app on your smartphone and learn a few phrases in the language you choose. Then, order lunch from your country of choice! Listen to music from that culture, and check out a few books from the library about faraway places.
cc courtesy of cyclonebill on Flickr

10 Great Classic Movies That Both You and Your Kids Will Love

. Families, Kids & Tweens . ,
After a long summer day at the pool or on the beach, it’s time to curl up with your family and watch a great movie. Choose one of these 10 classic kids’ films to guarantee a night of family-friendly fun -that will also ignite some serious childhood nostalgia!


1. The Wizard of Oz

Your children will be inspired by this adaptation of Frank L. Baum’s classic novel in which Dorothy uses all her courage to navigate through a fascinating but dangerous magical world and return home to Kansas. With remastered bright colors, peppy songs and unusual characters, this movie has overarching appeal.


2. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie’s tale is one of overcoming poverty and loss with pluck, honesty, and love. This colorful rags-to-riches story features catchy songs and includes fantastic characters (Oompa Loompas, anyone?) that your kids will love.


3. Old Yeller

This timeless story of a boy’s bond with his dog deals with themes of love, companionship and change–topics that your kids are learning to understand. Old Yeller does include some violence and is more suitable for older children.

Continue reading →

cc courtesy of sundaykofax on Flickr

Making Grandma a Techie

. Families . , , ,
Your parents want to spend more time with their grandkids, but you all live busy lives. Kids are swamped with academic commitments, dance lessons and soccer practices, and that once a week call to grandma that you are able to slot into their schedule just doesn’t really feel like quality time. Thankfully, grandparents can adopt a few key technologies that will help them connect with the grandkids easily and often.


Video Messaging Services

Face time is important, but it doesn’t have to happen in the same room anymore. Video chat programs allow your parents to chat with the kids in real time using only a computer, a webcam, free software, and an Internet connection. Through a video chat, your kids can talk with relatives in a more comfortable and interactive way- think of it as the ability to show AND tell! Ask a kid over the phone, “how’s school going?” and you are lucky to get a response of “fine” out of them. But over a webcam, they can show off their artwork, the A+ they got on their spelling test, or even the new family dog. Now, that’s vastly more interesting for both parties than a quick phone call, right?  These programs are also a great way for grandparents to talk to or play games with friends or other relatives who have retired to other cities.

Continue reading →

cc image courtesy of smith on Flickr

Texting Grandma – How Connections Have Changed as Grandparents Have Become More Tech-Savvy

. Families, Kids & Tweens . , ,

At PixyKids, we love when kids use technology and their creativity to connect with others. Some of our favorite stories come from grandparents who are integral to their grandchildren’s lives, in part enabled by technology. Grandparents may be nervous about using digital technology as it changes so quickly, but more grandparents are becoming tech-savvy because chances to develop stronger relationships with the grandchildren are too good to pass up.

Changing World

Until recently, children who lived far from their grandparents might only get to see them during summer vacation or holiday celebrations. The rest of the year, a monthly phone call was normal. A recent study by AARP has shown how much this has changed. Today, over a quarter of grandparents use electronic forms of technology to communicate with at least one of their grandchildren every week. More than 50% of grandparents indicated that their furthest grandchild lives over one hundred miles away, and 61% of grandparents reported they feel they do not see their furthest grandchildren enough. Distance can be shortened with the world’s ever-advancing technologies: increasingly today, grandparents are finding new ways to connect with their grandchildren, through video chat or texting. Kids’ lives move so quickly that frequent contact keeps grandparents up-to-date on school, their friends, and sports games. Continue reading →