Here at the Jumpitz we’re all about learning about the world so we where delighted to hear about a new service that aims to inspire kids to learn about the world and other cultures. Little Passports has two main characters who go out and travel to a new country each month and share the experience with your kid through a package they get in the mail which includes a letter, souvenirs and other goodies.

If you want your kid to learn about the world in a fun and interactive way every month you should check out Little Passports. This is a fun service and another great thing they do is that a portion of the proceeds from your subscription is donated to select charities that they believe impact children’s lives around the world.

Follow them on Twitter where they’re always chatting!

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online kids games sites

While there are a lot of free online sites to keep kids entertained and learning while having fun, here are the one’s we think parents should definitely check out!

UpToTen

There are over 1,000 free games on this site categorized by age range, game type and skills being developed while playing the games.

Starfall

This is an excellent educational site focusing mainly on helping kids learn to read and practice reading skills.

PBSKids

With games from all the PBS kids shows, this site has games a wide age range will enjoy, with varying difficulty levels.

Disney Games

This site will appeal to kids of all ages, focusing mostly on older kids, with games from movies and TV shows.

Yahoo Kids

Definitely targeted to older kids, Yahoo has lots of arcade, board & tile games, games from tv shows, word games.

FunBrain.com

FunBrain is the #1 site for online educational games for kids of all ages. (math, grammar, science, spell, history)

Kidsgames.org

Kids games and educational software that will entertain kids all day long. Choose from jigsaw puzzles, mazes, racing games, spot the difference and many more!

Free Kids Games from theKidzpage.com

Games to play online. Kids and family games. Fun for children and grown-ups.

Games for Kids in The Stacks

Kids play play free online games, test skills and knowledge about books, try out a writing activity, and express opinions in The Stacks. There’s always something fun for kids to do in Games in The Stacks.

playkidsgames.com

Play Kids Games provides free online kids games that are educational. The focus of the site is to provide online fun through educational games.

Funschool – Fun and Educational Games and Activities for Kids

Funschool offers free online educational elementary games for kids as well as printable activities, coloring and crafts that will help kids learn and get ready for school.

What do you think, did we miss any you like?

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Obama Family

We want to share with you the letter President Obama’s wrote to his daughters right before he became President. Here are a few snippets:

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me—about how I’d make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn’t seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn’t count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that’s why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential—schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college—even if their parents aren’t rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

On his grandmother’s teaching’s:

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better—and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It’s a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

On what he wants for his daughters:

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much—although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

Read Barack’s full letter to his daughters.

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It happened to me and I’m sure it’s happened to you.  My two boys were playing and one ended up on top of the other “riding” him like a bull when he banged his head and the floor and hurt him.  I did not like that he got so rough and hurt his brother and wanted to give him a serious talking to, but what they were doing looked so darn funny that I was laughing.  Would love some tips others might have developed to maintain composure and would also love parents to share similar experiences!!!

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Hey Jumpiteerz! Let’s Pink Out for teachers today. A lot of California teachers are losing their job!

Here’s some info from the Pink Friday Website:

California’s public schools, colleges and universities are facing more than $11 billion in state budget cuts. These cuts are going to impact an entire generation of kids and alter public education for years to come.

March 13 is the deadline for school districts to issue preliminary pink slips to California’s teachers. Last year, more than 10,000 teachers got pink slips and nearly 5,000 lost their jobs. And this year could be much worse.

Please join us on Friday, March 13 and Stand Up for Schools.

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Hey Jumpiteerz! Speakaboos is awesome!

Speakaboos is a site that brings classic children’s stories online such as fables, nursery rhymes, fairy tales and folk tales for easy listening.

In some cases the classic children’s books are read online by celebrities which is excellent for young readers. You can also record your own story

There’s also a PLAY are where you will be able to create a story. There are also some cool printables of popular stories such as Cinderella and Humpty Dumpty that you can download and color.

We really liked the Diary as it’s a great way to get kids engaged in writing their thoughts.

We think this is a nice site for anyone with little ones, parents and teachers alike.

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