Get Up and Play!

This summer is a great time for you and your child to try something different. There are plenty of toys like yo-yos and hula hoops that can be mastered and taken to a new level. Your child will be amazed at how fun these toys are!

Benefits of Play

Time spent away from the TV/computer can have long-lasting benefits for the development of your child. When children play, they are improving their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being which keeps them happy and healthy. Play also allows parents to connect more fully with their children, and gives them an opportunity to spend more time together.

Despite these benefits, however, play time is often sacrificed and replaced with screen time in front of the TV or computer. However, these ideas will be sure to get you and your child off the couch this summer to learn a new skill and have some fun together!

Yo-Yoing

Think yo-yos are only for walking the dog? Think again! Since the 1950’s, yo-yos have been evolving at an extreme rate. With the introduction of ball bearings, aluminum bodies, and polyester string, yo-yoing has transformed into a sport that is enjoyed all around the world!

Benefits of Yo-Yoing

Just like play, yo-yoing has a number of benefits that help your child’s development. Some of these include:

1. Develops fine motor skills
2. Improves hand-eye coordination
3. Increases creativity
4. Develops acute spatial awareness

Yo-yoing also benefits children with learning disabilities like ADHD by increasing their self-esteem and self-confidence as they learn new yo-yo tricks. 

Back to Basics

Just like anything else, you have to master the basics before going pro! Check out these tutorials for the essential yo-yo tricks that every yo-yoer needs to know!

- Sleeper

- Walk the Dog

- Rock the Baby

photo credits:

Jennifer Williams/The Ithacan

If you’re looking for more yo-yo fun, come by the Children’s Museum on Monday, July 20 for a yo-yo demonstration and lessons by Donald Hodgkinson

Click here for more info

Hula Hooping

Hula Hooping is another great toy to master this summer! Just like yo-yos, Hula Hoops became popularized in the 1950’s. As the fad grew, more than 100 million plastic hoops were sold across the country over the course of two years! Since then, ‘hoopers’ have taken this simple toy to crazy new levels as it’s grown into its own competitive sport.

Benefits of Hula Hooping

1. Gets kids moving and exercising without them realizing it
2. Improves fine and gross motor skills
3. Helps improve confidence
4. Increases body awareness and spatial skills

Ready to start? Watch Lolli Hoops of the Boston Hoop Troop demonstrate some of the basics

If you’re looking for more hooping excitement, check out the Children’s Museum on Thursday, July 30 for a hula hoop demo by the Boston Hoop Troop! Click here for more info

Sources: :

Benefits of Play
Benefits of Yo-Yoing

Benefits of Hula Hooping

The Hula Hoop

U.Fund Dreams!

If you’re one of the many parents who are already concerned about paying for their child’s higher education, the U.Fund is here to help! The Children’s Museum in Easton will be hosting a date of the U.Fund Dreams Tour as a part of Free Fun Friday on July 26.

The idea behind the U.Fund is for parents to have a safe savings account for their child’s future. Parents do not pay taxes on any money earned in their U.Fund savings account or on withdrawing money to pay for educational expenses. Furthermore, “There’s no annual account fee, no income restrictions, and you can start saving with as little as $15 a month. Contributions can be made automatically from your bank account. “*

The U.Fund plan is a Massachusetts 529 college savings plan operated by MEFA, Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. The U.Fund “combines significant tax advantages and age-based savings strategies managed professionally by Fidelity Investments, program manager of the U.Fund. A 529 college savings plan lets you save for higher education expenses at colleges and universities across the country, with flexible and affordable savings options.”*

To promote this opportunity to parents, MEFA and Fidelity are partnering up with museums and special events around Massachusetts on what is called the U.Fund Dreams Tour. 

On the dreams tour, the “activity pavilion” will give children a chance to pose for portraits dressed up as their aspired future profession i.e. astronaut, teacher, zoologist and more! Children will also get the opportunity to create art depicting what they want to be when they grow up. At the same time, parents will be able to learn about saving and planning for their child’s future.

There are many opportunities to win money on both the U.Fund Dreams Tour and on the U.Fund website here: http://www.mefa.org/mefaufund/

We hope to see your family at the Children’s Museum in Easton, and take part in the U.Fund Dreams Tour!

*Quotes were taken from the U.Fund website and can be found at http://www.mefa.org/mefaufund/.