The Chemistry Of Fireworks

A little class on pyrotechnics before the big show tonight.

Happy Fourth of July.

To: Mr. President - From: Kids - Re: Kids' First Order Of Business After The Inauguration

 "I would take over the world. Then I would destroy Pluto. Then Mercury. Then I would build giant battleships. And then I would build a ladder to the moon."

"I would take the taxes that are used for silly stuff and give it to people who need it. I would also band alcohol and drug use If I saw someone using drugs or drinking I would make them pay a fine.

"I would make everything a thousand dollars, and to get all the money from the store I would make the food free! And the children would have to obey there parents. I would hand out free puppies!"

"I will write a book saying I was president and the title will be Derek. I would make all the kids in America a puppet. I will buy a big bed and flat screen TV. I will go and have a vacation in Hawaii. I will go golfing in a plane. I will get my own store."

"I would not allow war. I would not allow guns. Then people wouldn't get killed."

"I would paint the world pink. I would make sure everyone is treated kindly. I would make sure nobody gets left out. Everyone will treat the animals, plants, & nature good."

"I would make lots of trees. I would make homes for people. I will read books."

"If I were president I would help others when a storm comes. I can help people any time. And i'll help the sick and poor get better and help them find jobs and schools. And I will give them a gift for loving God."

Free puppies, no war, and a ladder to the moon. Oh yeah. Nobody getting left out, a puppet for all the kids in America, and trees- lots of trees.  Let's elect some kids!

Zombie Apocalypse For Kids II - The 3 Best Parks For Practicing

Along with the many questions you face as a parent, I'm sure you've asked yourself,  "What's the best park for my kids to practice what to do in case of a Zombie Apocalypse?"

Then you might have thought, "Wait, how do we even practice?"

That part is easy. I covered it in a recent post.

So now onto the three best parks to use for practicing. After some thought and consideration I've come up with a couple of choices. Of course, I had to have some requirements. First, the park can't be too big or too small. We need a Goldilocks park - just the right size.
The park also needs a boundary or fence to keep the players in when they are out of eyesight. The park also should have hills and slopes and places for cover, maybe even some play equipment that can be used to hide in or be chased around.

So now for the three best parks for practicing the Zombie Apocalypse- in no particular order.

1. Atlantis Play Center 13630 Atlantis Way, Garden Grove. (714) 892-6015

The park is a nice size. Perfect for larger groups of kids. It has hills, hiding places, mature landscaping, restrooms, and is fenced in. It costs $2 per child to get in but it has everything you need for a good game of Zombie Tag.

It's best to start at one of the flat grass areas. Maybe the one in the back of the park next to the sea serpents. The park is large enough to have a long game. If any little ones get bored as they practice for the end of the world they can hit the Viking Ship or slide down the long cement dragon slide.While you practice for the zombie apocalypse take a minute to appreciate the unique cement play sculptures created by Benjamin Dominguez & Sons for the park.

The park isn't open all the time. Check out their page for hours and directions. Weekends can get a little too crowded for undead to be running around.

2. Bluebird Canyon Park 798 Blue Bird Canyon Drive, Laguna Beach

This park is a little gem a few blocks from the ocean in Laguna Beach. It was created in the early sixties just like Atlantis Play Center. The play equipment at Bluebird Canyon Park has been updated but still is unique. There's a four story rocketship, climbing stations, a giant side by side metal slide, and a trike trail.

The park is mostly fenced in and has a colorful front gate. Bluebird Canyon Park is a smaller park so the group practicing for the zombie apocalypse should be a little smaller. It's also a popular park with smaller kids and their caregivers in the mornings and is busy some afternoons since it's next to a Boys & Girls Club.
But the park has great hiding places, a small tunnel, a bridge, a clean restroom, and shade.

3. Heritage Park 18600 Bloomfield Ave, Cerritos

A beautiful island park designed and themed around Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride"  located in a larger city park.The park is surrounded by water and you must pass through covered bridges to reach to the top of the park where the Old North Church is recreated with a small play structure and slide inside.

There's a small harbor and kid-size colonial village. The park is a work of art created by David Volz Design which is also responsible for other attractive parks in Orange County like Pioneer Road Park in Tustin, Los Rios Park in San Juan Capistrano, and George Washington Park in Anaheim.

The park has many paths and places to hide. It's a good size for 5-15 kids playing Zombie Tag. The water acts as the boundary. There isn't much flat ground in the Paul Revere play island though, and the restroom is past the water in the surrounding part of the park.

Every tiny colonial building has some type of play structure inside so it can get a little cramped in the buildings with more than a few kids playing inside at once. The park is popular for kids and adults- even wedding parties- so it's best to visit during the week.

The play island also closes at dusk and opens late one day of the week. Check the website for hours.

I hope one of these three oddballkidfun parks will find a place in your family's Zombie Apocalypse preparation plans. You can never be too prepared, right?

Best Car Hill In Orange County

The best part of going down a hill is not being able to see the bottom for a second when it seems like you might have just jumped off a cliff. About half way down you think you left your stomach at the top. And you know if it's a good drop when at the end you realize you were holding your breath the whole way.

There are a lot of ways to get that feeling. Maybe Splash Mountain at Disneyland or the Giant Slide at the O.C. Fair. Maybe a ski slope or dropping into a half pipe. But our family's easiest and cheapest option is to hit the best car hill in Orange County.

The hill drops from the top of Laguna Beach along 3rd St. from Park Ave. going north towards Laguna Canyon Road. The drop is just about a block and ends on Mermaid St. There's a lot of traffic on 3rd so try going down during off peak hours so you can slowly inch over the top and have the kids try and see the bottom of the hill over the cars hood. You can accelerate down the hill because the transition to the flat part of 3rd is nice and smooth.

Have some oddballkidfun speeding down our family's favorite car hill in Orange County.

Trick or Treat

A world-wide-weirdie from Ken Reid via Monster Brains

Happy Halloween

Do I have to wear that costume? 

If you want candy, you do. 

But don't take a picture. 

Okay. (I lied.)

Hobo Pippi Longstocking: Umm, does that beard itch? 

Lumberjack with foam Legoland hatchet: No! Okay! Stop talking about it!

Do I have to wear that costume?

It's the only one that fits you in the dress-up clothes.

But do I have to?

If you want candy you do.

Okay. But don't take a picture.

Okay. (I lied. Again.)

Now smile. One, two, three, cheese

Much better. Have an oddballkidfun Halloween!

Zombie Apocalypse For Kids - How To Practice

As a concerned parent, I'm sure you've asked yourself,  "How can I prepare my kids for the Zombie Apocalypse?"

The answer is, of course, practice, practice, practice. Once every few months, just like a school fire drill, all families should practice how to behave in the Zombie Apocalypse until what to do becomes second nature.

Luckily, the practicing part is fun, painless, and pretty easy. We're going to play a game. Gather up anywhere from 5 to 40 participants and play a zombie version of tag. There are two good games: Zombie Tag and Doctor's Antidote.

Zombie Tag is a lot like a playground tag game with a few small differences. To start playing Zombie Tag an original zombie must be chosen. This person is "it" to start. The original zombie's goal is to tag any other human and turn them into a zombie. Once the original zombie tags someone they are also a zombie and now both zombies will chase the rest of the players until there is only human left. The last human is the winner.

During the game the zombies should identify themselves by saying "Brains,brains, brains" or walking with their arms outstretched or limping. Zombies should walk or jog but they shouldn't run. There is also no safe place for humans to go to during the game. Remember, no one is safe from a zombie apocalypse!

A more involved game is Doctor's Antidote. This one begins with one player called the doctor. The players gather around the doctor before the game starts and close their eyes. The doctor quietly taps about half the players on the shoulder to become zombies. The players keep there eyes closed and stay quiet until the doctor is finished.

Now the game can start. The players are in two groups: humans and zombies. Everyone waits with their eyes closed as the doctor hides. It might take a couple of minutes for the doctor to find a good hiding spot. Once the humans give enough time for the doctor to hide they can open their eyes and start looking for the doctor. The zombies then start their own count to thirty to give humans a head start. Once the zombies finish counting they can open their eyes and start looking for the humans.

Th object of this game is for the humans to find the doctor, who has the zombie antidote and bring him or her to a pre-chosen location- the hospital. If the humans bring the doctor to the hospital then humans win. If the zombies tag all of the humans before they bring the doctor to the hospital then the zombies win.

There are a few rules for Doctor's Antidote. Zombies can only walk in this game- no running. They cannot guard the doctor if they find him before the humans. Zombies aren't that smart! The doctor cannot hide close to the hospital before the start of the zombie attack. Also, tagging the doctor does nothing because with the antidote he or she is immune to the zombies.

Now that we know how to practice for a Zombie Apocalypse, all we need is a good park to play in. I'll cover that in another post.

Good luck and stay safe when the Zombie Apocalypse reaches your town.

Global Cardboard Challenge At Caine's Arcade

On Saturday my son and I spent a few hours enjoying the first Global Cardboard Challenge at Caine's Arcade. The event was one of more than 200 events in over 30 countries across the world. The event was created by the team behind the Caine's Arcade films and their Imagination Foundation which was formed to find, foster, and fund creativity and entrepreneurship in kids.

We've visited Caine's Arcade a few times. It's always a treat. This time we created our own cardboard game from a mailing tube, boxes, a Twix cereal box, a pencil, duct tape, and some Gatorade caps. Our goal was to create a small copy of one of my son's favorite ticket redemption games at Chuck E. Cheese - The Smokin' Token.

Here's our cardboard game...

And the original...

While we were there we helped out a group of kids and adults create a cardboard tunnel maze. The ingenious pieces used to connect the cardboard were donated by a company called makedo. 

The maze tunnel started off as a small painted cardboard entry and a few boxes but by the end of the day covered as much space as a basketball court. All of the maze was built that day by kids, parents, and volunteers. 

The maze included secret rooms, a fort, and many twisting pathways. Local school kids spent so much time exploring and crawling through the maze that they would come out covered in sweat. Friends played hide and seek once the maze grew. 

The event had places to build using only recycled items, cardboard boxes, and imagination. The street was blocked off toward the end of the event to have a kid parade. Kids marched in a row showing off their creations and hand made musical instruments with all the adults standing in a long line giving the kids high fives. 

Every time I've visited any Caine's Arcade event I've been impressed. The events are a genuine appreciation and recognition of kid's creativity and sense of fun. 

Most places dedicated to engaging kids and families - from kid's museums to Disneyland - try hard to look clean and new with bright colors and shiny surfaces. Caine's Arcade, on the other hand, gets dirty cardboard, tons of paint and packaging tape and tells the kids to have fun. Even great kid-focused art programs at almost every museum will have the kids put on smocks to keep the paint off their clothes. Caine's Arcade events seem to encourage kids to sit on a messy floor and get their hands dirty.

This is my son after the event. His knees are covered in dirt, he's sweaty from crawling through the tunnel maze, and he's proudly displaying a few of the things he put together at the event: a cardboard tube bazooka, a cardboard and packaging tape drum, and a large cardboard tube he squeezed into and rolled around in before the kid's high five parade. 

Caine's Arcade inspires kids to create without rules and have fun trying things out. The leaders of the Imagination Foundation behind the Global Cardboard Challenge encourage kids to be kids. This is a place where looking forward to a four square game is commonplace. 

The best part of the day for me was during a visit by L.A.'s mayor and a city councilman. Before the speech most of the volunteers were herded behind the podium. A group of kids visiting from local programs were also seated behind the mayor for the cameras. But there were still a few kids running around. And during the mayor's speech, while the audience was quiet, you could hear a handful of kids playing hide and seek in the tunnel maze. They would laugh, then yell, then laugh again and chase each other. I thought that was a great moment. The mayor came to speak at a family event and some kids didn't care, they just wanted to play. That's what Caine's Arcade is about for me- letting kids imagine, play, and create- not because adults tell them to but because they want to. And because it's fun. 

Halloween Candy Mashup

Jerry Seinfeld's routine about candy, kids, and Halloween mashed up with Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony. Created by MysteryLarry. Enjoy the sugar-coated sweetness.

Thirty Minute Stretch-Your-Legs Break At The Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia

On our road trip to the Maker Faire a while ago we stopped and had a great time at the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia in San Mateo County. It's an oddballkidfun kind of museum celebrating the wonderful world of Pez. But it's even more than that. Its small storefront also houses a gift shop, the Classic Toy Museum, and the recently added Banned Toy Museum.

There are thousands of Pez dispensers displayed. Everything from the first dispensers with heads like Casper and Popeye to an unusual 1968 psychedelic eye dispenser to current Disney movie characters. You can listen to a podcast audio tour from your couch if you can't make it to Burlingame for information on all the unique dispensers. 

The gift store has a wide variety of dispensers to buy from the most recent to old favorites. It also has the world's largest Pez dispenser. A snowman that's 20x the size of a regular dispenser. Instead of giving candy it dispenses a regular size, new Pez dispenser in a plastic box. Just be careful to not touch it. Read all three signs "Do Not Touch". Got it? Good.

The great thing about the museum though, is that there's always something new. Here's the latest from the museum: 360 degree videos of Pez dispensers. These are awesome. I can watch these for hours. Enjoy a few. 

Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia 214 California Dr. Burlingame 94010 

Tuesday - Saturday 10-6 (650) 347- 2301 Admission- $3 adult, $1 ages 4-12

Monty Python For The Kiddies

Is it important for kids to get references in entertainment? Is it a parent's job to point out that the SpongeBob SquarePant's Yellow Album is called that not just because SpongeBob is yellow and the cover is yellow but because it's a reference to the look of the Beatle's White Album? Do older kids like the movie Clueless more or less when they know it's based on Jane Austen's novel Emma?

On Phineas and Ferb when Doofenshmirtz pantomimes a force grip while fighting Agent P and says, "Just kidding. But I made you look, didn't I?" are we supposed to mention Darth Vader to our kids and how Vader finds a lack of faith disturbing? Or when you hear the Wicked Witch theme music from Wizard of Oz during chase scenes in shows should we remind our kids why that music is playing?

Are jokes and stories better when you get the references? I don't know. I mean, what kid in the 70's and 80's knew the celebrities caricatured in the Saturday black and white Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons anyway? Porky Pig racing with Greta Garbo, W.C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy, and Clark Gable?

But coming up on Wednesday, September 26 there's a chance to increase your child's pop culture inventory by seeing Monty Python and the Holy Grail at Cinema City Theatre's classic series.

Out of love and concern for your children you'll give them a chance to learn more about killer bunnies...

and the bravery of the Black Knight who will never give up...even after a flesh wound.

The movie is rated PG but does include some adult language, gore and innuendo- especially at the castle of the vestal virgins. But you'll be increasing your child's bank of pop culture references so he or she can enjoy this wonderful world more fully, right?  

Entertainment and pop culture education all in one movie. Amazing. 

   Cinema City Theaters - 5635 E. La Palma Ave. Anaheim Hills 714-970-0865

   Classic Series Wednesday, September 26 - $7 admission - show starts at 7pm

Someday In Cincinnati

If our family ever gets to Cincinatti, Ohio, we'll make a stop at the American Sign Museum. We'll also catch a Reds game, play Cornhole, share a plate of six-way Cincinatti Chili at family-run Dixie Chili, stop at the Cincinatti Museum Center, educate ourselves at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and shop at Jungle Jim's International Market to check out their 2007 Hall of Fame winning bathroom. Here's hoping for a long road trip in our future!

Here are some photos of the American Sign Museum before their 2012 summer move to a larger location.

Gotta love the neon!

How To Make A Cheap Kid's Size Blow Gun With Giant Pixy Stix And Some Other Stuff

My son is a big fan of the Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction books by John Austin. So I decided to share one of my own school day weapons with him. Growing up I called it the gutter blow gun because I could usually find all the parts I needed in the gutter on my walk home from school.

Since blow guns are illegal in California, (Did you know that?) we made it and played with it for about ten minutes then took it apart.

We started with the supplies we needed: a pencil eraser top, a cigarette butt, a needle or long pushpin, and a long plastic giant Pixy Stix.

Next we took off the metal ferrule and eraser from the pencil. This will be the body of the dart. It works best with cheap pencils. Trusty Dixon Ticonderogas are just too tough.

Once we got the metal ferrule off we pushed a needle through the eraser. It's a little tricky getting the needle straight. We had to insert the needle a few times before we got it right.

Then we unwrapped the cigarette butt to get the filter. 

The filter will be the dart's fletch. We twisted the filter as we inserted it into the pencil eraser. 

We gently tore the cigarette filter to open it up so it would fly better and fit snugly in our pixie stick. 

After loading it into the long plastic pixy stix we were ready.

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My son gave it a try. I warned him about not sucking in when the blow gun is loaded. I also let him know the blow gun has the same rules as his BB gun. Shoot only targets, nothing that's alive. 

Success! It went right into the fence. 

He was able to shoot accurately to about 15 feet after some practice with his new darts. 

Here in Orange County we actually had a blow gun expert that lived in Orange in the fifties and was profiled in Modern Mechanix. 

Have fun. Be safe. Don't bring it to school for show and tell.