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No Batteries Required: Serious Fun with String Games
All Fun, Games, Virginia Johnson, Kids Blog
03/08/2011 - 8:00pm
String fun

People all over the world, from the Arctic to the South Pacific, love to play with string. They often use the pictures that the string suggests to tell stories from their ancient traditions. The Inuit might use sinews or leather from the animals they hunt, and the islanders might use tree bark fiber. You could use macrame or nylon cords or even simple, white string to show off your creations.

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Penguin Power
All Fun, Animals, Birds, Virginia Johnson, Wildlife, Kids Blog, Natural World
03/01/2011 - 6:55pm

They're very cute, very sturdy, and are excellent parents. Colored in black and white with sometimes a splash of orange, penguins make their homes in lots of different places, from South America to Antarctica.

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Dig This!
All Fun, Ancient history, Archaeology, FYI Articles, Jews, Mummies, Shipwrecks, Slavery, Trojan War, Virginia Johnson, Kids Blog, History, Multicultural, Religion/Spirituality, Science and Technology
01/03/2011 - 4:35pm

Wouldn't it be cool if even a few of the old stories were true? Legends say that giants walked the Earth, Atlantis vanished under the sea, and Greece and Troy fought a devastating war over a beautiful woman. Amazing, but true: all these stories are based on facts.

Archaeologists digging in China discovered the fossils of Gigantopithecus, a giant ape standing 9 or 10 feet tall. These huge but probably gentle apes died off 500,000 years ago. Traditionally, villagers collected their bones and made them into medicines. They called their finds dragon bones. Some have wondered whether pockets of the animals may have survived into later centuries, giving rise to the legend of Big Foot.

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Deck the Halls
All Fun, Christmas, FYI Articles, Recycling, Virginia Johnson, Wreaths, Crafts and Hobbies
11/29/2010 - 7:09pm

Holly and ivy, pine and balsam, there are so many sweet smells of Christmas. You and your family can make your own beautiful wreaths to decorate your home or give to friends and neighbors.

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Ready, Set, Draw!
All Fun, Dinosaurs, Drawing, Egypt, Local artists, Virginia Johnson, Kids Blog, Crafts and Hobbies, Self-Help and Instructional
11/01/2010 - 3:33pm

All it takes is a piece of paper and a pencil to make a great drawing. Even if you don't think you have any talent, step-by-step guides will have you sketching in no time.

Drawing Cartoons and Drawing Step-by-Step

Amaze your friends by drawing pictures of cartoon characters. Looney Tunes' web site has step-by-step instructions for Bugs, Daffy, and the rest of the gang. Step-by-step instruction books from the library can give you the confidence to create cars and kittens, dinosaurs and spaceships. The youngest artists may enjoy Ed Emberley's very simple books which turn basic shapes into cool cartoons.

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A Basket of Plenty: Create a Cornucopia
All Fun, Autumn, Greek mythology, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Virginia Johnson, Crafts and Hobbies
10/26/2010 - 3:13pm

Brimming with the fruits of the harvest, the cornucopia has become an important symbol of American Thanksgiving. Its origins go further back in time to the ancient Greeks. According to their myths, young Zeus gave his foster mother Amalthaea a goat's horn that could be filled with whatever she wished.

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Running!
All Fun, Running, Virginia Johnson, Kids Blog
10/01/2010 - 5:41pm

Running is one of the easiest ways for you to stay fit and have fun this summer. If you practice running, you can keep up better in all kinds of sports. You can also run in local races sponsored by the Fredericksburg Area Runners Club.

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Puppy Love!
All Fun, Dogs, Pets, Virginia Johnson, Kids Blog
09/13/2010 - 1:58pm

Is there a puppy in your future? A puppy is a cuddly ball of warmth, a flurry of fun with a bounce and a spring when you come through the door after school, and a pal for when you're feeling down. It's true that a dog doesn't care if you're wearing mismatched socks or forgot your homework. In fact, he can give you the classic excuse for not having it. While we can't guarantee that the teacher will believe your story, it's a good bet that you and your new canine friend will have some great times together.

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