Got 1 Minute? 3 Art Games to Boost your Kid’s Strategic Thinking, Problem Solving and Visual Recall

By Ruthie Briggs-Greenberg

It’s Monday. You have to get your kids to school, and you’re only on your first cup of coffee. What can you do that will help them think better and not annoy you? An art activity! What, you ask, is an “art activity”? It’s something that exposes kids to art. Why should you do it? According to the National Endowment for the Arts, kids with more art experiences had higher GPAs than kids who lacked those experiences. How do you start? Pour that second cup of coffee, set the timer for 1 minute and do one of the following:

GAME 1: (The timer is set, right? Did you pour that second cup of coffee?) Ask Junior “How many things can be done with spoons?” Now wait. If Junior hasn’t had breakfast, they might say, “I don’t know.” But, if Junior just had a bowl of sugary goodness, the answer may be, “You can eat with spoons, dig with spoons… Uhhhhhh…..” Then Junior may fall silent. This is where you say, “Keep going…”  Junior may come up with one more answer, something involving “you can fling a spoon.” The minute will pass.

What’s the answer? An unknown number of things can be done with spoons. Think outside of the box, or in this case, the silverware drawer.  This idea of thinking beyond what is obvious frees your child’s mind to use their imagination.  Imagination leads to solutions. Let’s get back to the spoons.  If you weld spoons together, you could build skies, or a wall, and then you could make a house of spoons, (no, it’s not cheating, I never said, “a spoon,” or that the spoons had to remain in their original form). The question leads your child, and you, to think strategically to solve a puzzle. This method of thinking creatively frees up your mind to design, imagine and build ideas that don’t exist. That’s how art starts. You’ve spent a minute and engaged in strategic thinking.

GAME 2: Grab a pencil and a piece of paper. Ask Junior to draw a bicycle with circles, and lines. Did you set the timer for one minute? If your coffee has kicked in, you can try it too. What does this game do for Junior? It makes them think about design principles of how shapes fit together for practical use. If you want a hint, a very basic bike can be drawn using 5 circles and 11 lines. Wait a minute, how is this art, you ask? It is art because it involves organizing shapes and lines and creating a design. So you’ve just covered design, which fits under problem solving.

GAME 3: Open the cupboard and let Junior look at it for 8 seconds. This is not the time to obsess over the fact that there is high fructose corn syrup in half of the breakfast cereals. Close the cupboard. Ask Junior, “How many colors can be made from the colors on the boxes inside the cupboard?” You’ll probably get this, “I don’t know”. Who thinks about cereal boxes and art? Ask Junior to open the cupboard and see if there is red, yellow and blue inside, if so, you have the three primary colors. All colors can be made from the three primary colors. Play a color addition game (go on, the first part wasn’t even 20 seconds). What is red plus yellow? Orange. Was there a yellow box on your shelf? A blue one? Sure there was, everyone has that blue box of pasta on the second shelf, so now you have yellow plus blue. You get the picture. Now you’ve covered visual recall.

Wow, look at you, covering strategic thinking, problem solving and visual recall all before your 3rd cup of coffee! Junior used art, or thinking about art, to fire up those synapses before class. Thinking about art will carry over into other areas of study, such as math, language, and science. Ultimately art allows individuals to create something from nothing by strategically analyzing a problem and solving them. If you have five minutes, tour the world’s greatest museums online. This may lead to conversations about the historical context that art was created in, or the purpose of art. If you ask Junior what they think about a painting they are looking at they may say, “I don’t know”. That’s ok, school doesn’t train our kids to think of possibilities, it teaches kids to have answers. Get Junior thinking and they will come up solutions to all kinds of life situations. 1 minute art games lead Junior to strategic thinking, problem solving and visual recall, and you did it all without a 4th cup of coffee.

Photograph by D Sharon Pruitt via Flickr/Creative Commons

Smoothies for Quick, Healthy Breakfasts

Regardless of your best intentions, mornings with kids never seem to go quite as planned. Quickly getting yourself and your kids dressed, fed and ready to face the day is no easy task. While your family is adjusting to the morning routine of a new school year, take some of the pressure off by providing a healthy breakfast that, when necessary, can be taken to go.

Smoothies make an ideal family breakfast, delicious and nutritious for kids and adults, alike. They are quick to make, fresh, high in fiber, and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. If you choose the right smoothie recipes, you can easily make strong headway toward giving your family a day’s worth of fruits and vegetables before they even get out the door.

photo via Bert Kaufmann, flickr
photo via Bert Kaufmann, flickr

Here are tried and true tips and tricks for making great smoothies and 5 smoothie recipes to nourish even the pickiest eaters.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Smoothies

  • Yogurt, frozen yogurt, bananas, avocado, dry cereal, or dry oatmeal will all make your smoothie thicker.
  • Add liquid slowly until you get the consistency you like.
  • While it’s tempting to throw in every bit of produce in your refrigerator, resist. Too many choices will create a brown sludge no one will want to drink.
  • Some flavors overpower others, including ginger. Use with care.
  • Adding at least one frozen ingredient is recommended, whether it be frozen fruit, frozen yogurt, or ice.
  • Choose plain yogurt. There’s enough natural sugar in the fruit, so you really don’t need the added sugar in vanilla or fruit-flavored yogurt.
  • For convenience, prep and bag smoothie ingredients and freeze so you need only open the freezer and empty the contents of a bag into your blender. Hello Natural provides a nice step-by-step on prepping and freezing smoothie bags.

5  Satisfying Breakfast Smoothies

Berry Blast Smoothie via She Knows

  • 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach (about two handfuls)
  • 2 cups frozen mixed berries
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup low-fat milk (soy, almond or coconut milk will work too)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
via She Knows
via She Knows

Peach Smoothie with Flax Seeds via Super Healthy Kids Why the flax? Flax helps aid digestion (helps avoid constipation) and is an excellent source of Omega-3, which supports brain development. What better way to start the day?

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 cup milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk
  • 3 peaches
  • 1 banana
  • 1 tablespoon of flax meal
via Super Healthy Kids
via Super Healthy Kids

Bright Green Smoothie via Weelicious Sweet and fruity and a brilliant green color. Here’s a lovely smoothie to accompany a bit of protein, such as a hard-boiled eggs, a cup of yogurt or toast with nut-butter for a complete meal.

  • 3 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 large banana
  • 2 cups orange juice
via Weelicious
via Weelicious

Vegan Peach and Oat Smoothie via The Minimalist Baker This smoothie is sweet, slightly tart, thick and creamy and satisfying for breakfast. It’s vegan, using peaches, rolled oats, chia seeds, and a touch of sweetness from OJ and banana.

  • 2 ripe peaches,
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • Optional:  1 Tbsp agave, maple syrup or stevia for added sweetness (or honey for non-vegan)
via The Minimalist Baker
via The Minimalist Baker

Tropical Papaya Perfection via Prevention Hold onto summer a bit longer with this tropical smoothie that’s a nice change of pace from the usual fruits used in smoothie recipes.

  • 1 papaya, cut into chunks
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 
½ c fresh pineapple chunks
  • 
½ c crushed ice
  • 
1 tsp coconut extract
  • 
1 tsp ground flaxseed
via Prevention
via Prevention

For more tasty smoothie recipes, check out our Don’t Forget Breakfast and Cures for the Snack Attack boards on Pinterest. Smoothies aren’t just for breakfast. They make satisfying snacks, too. Leave a recipe for your sitter to make for an easy after-school treat that’s sure to win over the kids. 

5 Simple, Healthy Summer Meals

Whether you’re coming home from work or from a long day at the pool or beach with the kids, you need a healthy dinner to feed and please your family – and you need it quick. In the heat of the summer, the less time in the kitchen, the better. These tried and true favorite summer recipes are fresh and satisfying, and so simple that you could ask the sitter to prepare them.

shutterstock_momgrocery

5 Simple, Healthy Summer Meals

Edamame Salad
A satisfying salad your kids will devour. After all, what kid doesn’t love the tiny green soy bean?

via Whyy Org
via Whyy Org

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon siracha (optional)
  • 1 pound frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup shredded carrot

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

 

Nourish Bowl
Not exactly a recipe, but rather a formula you can follow and customize to create a healthy, delicious one-bowl meal for every member of your family. Start with a big bowl with a base of dark leafy greens, top with a protein, a carbohydrate, and a healthy fat. Check out the helpful diagram and suggestions for each component.

Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 1.07.36 PM
via Nutritionally Stripped

Greens | spinach, romaine, arugula, kale, micro greens, sprouts, mustard greens, swiss chard, etc.
Proteins | tempeh, beans, quinoa and lentils (starchy-proteins), hemp seeds, nuts/seeds, eggs and wild-caught fish, animal proteins
Healthy fats | avocado, olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, hemp seeds, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, truffle oil
Veggies | carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, snap peas, peas, radish, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower; any and all veggies you enjoy!
Carbohydrates | sweet potatoes, quinoa, millet, brown rice, wild rice, beans (starchy-protein), corn and peas (starchy veggie)
Fruits: strawberries, pears, banana, papaya, mango, grapes, raspberries, apples, etc.
Dressings |  2 tablespoons hummus + 2-4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast = a super thick and creamy dressing.

 

Any Veggie Frittata
This super simple recipe uses asparagus as the star ingredient, but really any veggie will do.

via Simply Recipes
via Simply Recipes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup minced shallots
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
  • 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Directions
1. Heat butter into a 10-inch oven-proof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, for 3 minutes.

2. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking, pre-heat oven broiler.

3. Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges.

 

Lemon Garlic Pasta
What could be easier (and more delicious!) than pasta tossed with lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, parmesan and roasted garlic? Dress it up with some roasted chicken, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, shrimp or fresh vegetables…. if you have the time and are so inclined. Roast garlic ahead of time if you know this dish is on the week’s menu, and you’ll have an even speedier meal.

via Wonky Wonderful
via Wonky Wonderful

Ingredients

  • 1 head of garlic (10-15 cloves)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 large or 2 small lemons)
  • lemon zest
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if you like spicy)
  • 1/2 lb angel hair pasta (cooked)
  • fresh grated parmesan

Directions
1. Place peeled garlic cloves in an oven safe dish, drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil. Oven roast at 400° for 30-40 minutes (until lightly golden browned). Let cool for 2-3 minutes, then chop.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Feel free to use a different type of pasta if you prefer.

3. In a large sauté pan over medium/low heat – heat the olive oil and chopped garlic for 4-5 minutes while stirring.

4. Add the lemon juice and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.

5. Reduce heat to low – add the salt and red pepper flakes.

6. Add the cooked pasta and toss with the lemon garlic sauce until fully coated.

7. Transfer to serving dishes and top with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon zest, fresh grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes (optional).

 

Mini Breakfast Pizza
Everyone loves breakfast for dinner. Put a twist on the usual pancakes or scrambled eggs by whipping up breakfast pizzas instead. The beauty of the recipe is that it’s highly adaptable. Use what you have on hand – English muffins, bagels or bread, any suitable meat, cheese or veggie.

via Sweet Remedy
via Sweet Remedy

Ingredients

  • 3 english muffins
  • 3/4 cup pizza sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tsp parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice open English Muffins, top with pizza sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Add olive oil to a skillet, crack eggs inside and cook on high until almost done. Add eggs to prepared english muffins and top with more cheese and parsley. Bake on baking sheet for 10 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.

What recipes do you keep up your sleeve for when time is tight or to leave the sitter to make for dinner? Share your favorites with us in the comments! 

Summer Recipes for Kids

With summer just around the corner, kids will be pining for something new and different. Why not introduce them to the kitchen? Here are a few simple recipes that you or a trusted babysitter can tackle–just set up the ingredients before you leave the house!

Do-It-Yourself Pizza

This is a huge hit in my house. Buy the small Boboli pizza crusts, or if you’re really ambitious, roll and toss your own with pre-made dough at Trader Joe’s or your local pizza parlor, some tomato sauce (you can even use whatever pasta sauce you have on hand), and toppings galore. Some of our favorites include pepperoni, olives, broccoli, artichoke hearts, and bell peppers.

Line your table or counter with newspaper or use a plastic table cloth, and let the kids start by spreading the sauce with a spoon. Layer on the cheese and toppings and don’t stop them from making a mess–that’s part of the fun. A grown up should handle the oven part, but you’re sure to see plenty of smiles when the pizzas are done. Kids love to eat what they’ve created!

Lemonade

Whether you want to actually put up a stand is debatable, but making and tasting the lemonade is always fun. Depending on the number of children, you’ll need anywhere from four to 16 lemons. You can figure four per child. You’ll also need cold water, sugar, and a pitcher.

If you have a citrus squeezer, it’s much easier. Kids can do the squeezing on their own, though toddlers might need a little help. Once you’ve got an ample amount of juice in the pitcher, add some cold water and then start with spoonfuls of sugar. Have the kids taste the lemonade after each sugar addition. Note how much sugar it takes to make it palatable. (This could serve as a good lesson on the perils of juice in general.) Once it’s satisfactory, give everyone a cup full of ice, and enjoy the fruits of your labor! Lovely on a hot summer day.

Oatmeal Pancakes

More fun than ordinary pancakes–and healthier, too! Kids will love the pouring and mixing, and if you make enough to freeze, you’ll have a healthy breakfast on hand for those busy weekday mornings.

You’ll need:
1/3 cup quick oats
1/3 cup egg white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
optional: 1/2 mashed bananas or 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Pour by 1/4 cupfuls into a skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Flip after first side is firm.
4. Remove from skillet when ready, and experiment with toppings like nut butters, yogurt, cottage cheese, maple syrup, fruit.

Try UrbanSitter when you need a summer break! Connect with babysitters through people you know–and maybe even put your feet up for a while.