VIDEO GAME REVIEW: MineCraft

OK, I'm visiting my brother for Thanksgiving and all 3 of his kids are playing this game.  It's got this hypnotic chill music playing and blocks...lots and lots of blocks.  And they are playing it ALL THE TIME on the X-box. (you can play it online or on various game systems) At first I thought it was really boring looking, but then they explained all the cool stuff you can do it. Turns out it's pretty interesting and a whole lot of fun!  The game is called MINECRAFT.

First of all, you can build things with the blocks, like Mansions and castles or rocket ships to the moon.  That's right, you can build a rocket...that really flies...and there is a MOON!  I heard you can find moon-rocks there. The Minecraft universe has all sorts of places you can explore where there's stuff you need to collect to build with.  Actually you have to MINE the stuff...I guess that's where the name of the game comes from.  One place I saw was The Nether a spooky otherworld place with lava and monsters... oh yeah, there are monsters!(but only if you want them). It's also a battle game if you want where you can fight gigantic spiders and zombies if that's what you like to do.   You can also hunt and kill animales and when they die they leave meat.  if you eat raw meat your character will slow down, so you have to build an oven, cook the meat, and yo'll get health...or hearts...or something. I'll admit it, I never played the game. I did spend hours interviewing these three expert player and if you can enjoy watching a game for hours think how much fun it must be.

So, to sum up you can play by yourself, play with your friends, play with strangers.  You can have a creative fun time building awesome stuff, exploring worlds, or go battle crazy and kill zombies. Prepare to lose hours...days...months...in this building block world of awesomeness.

PARENTAL WARNINGS: The x-box allows you to play with others and communicate with them. Make sure you know who your child is playing with.  Seems like it's a game for children of all ages.  Also there are lots of cool Minecraft youtube videos that show you how to do cool things, but some of them have adult language, so screen appropriately.

KIDS REVIEW: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1tBXe0JGyc&feature=related

GAME: Rhyme Time

Rhyme Time is easy to play.  Just start off with saying a word.  Start simple with a one syllable word like cat.  The next person needs to say word that rhymes with it. A rhyme has the same ending sound.

A:  CAT!
B: HAT!
A: Uh....BLOW?
B:  Nope!  I win!

Once you get bored with the one syllable words kick it up a notch with multiple syllable words.  No repeating word or doing other peoples words, though.

A: Mistake
B: Awake
C: Cupcake!
A: Heartbreak
B: Awake!
C: Repeat, you're out.  Ummm.  Heartbreak?
A:  Copy!  I win!

Then when you've really got it try doing sentences.  They don't have to be the same syllable length at first.  Once you're a Rhyme Master you can trade sentences that have the same length.

Music Review: Jacob Collier "Isn't she lovely"

Check out Jacob Collier's arrangement of this Stevie Wonder classic "Isn't she lovely". It is performed by six Jacob Colliers, joined this time by Jacob Collier on melodica.  he blends with himself really well.  So far he only has 6 videos up but they are all pretty great.  Thanks to my cousin Collins for recommending this me!


 

Cool stuff made from Balloons!

I like to make balloon animals. The most complicated thing I can make is a teddy bear using the pop twist. It's called a pop twist because you have to pop part of the animal while you are making it. I pull it off about half the time. I looked it up on youtube and couldn't find any teddy bear tutorials with that use the pop twist.  This video is pretty good however.  Check out the pictures below to see what else people have made out of balloons.

 Check out these beautiful dresses made from balloons

Mr. Chang Chao Fu’s entry into the Balloon Art World Challenge, in Taiwan. 

Music Review: Share It Maybe

Music Review: Share It Maybe
from Claudia the smart alick

This is a super fun spoof song. I love it when people take songs and give them new lyrics. This one works becuase it's good musically. It works on it's own as well as mimicking all the rhythms and rhymes on the Carly Rae's "Call Me Maybe."

 

Published July 2012 SesameStreet. Cookie Monster spoofs Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Maybe."
For more fun games and videos for your preschooler in a safe, child-friendly environment, visit http://www.sesamestreet.org

Sesame Street is a production of Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit educational organization which also produces Pinky Dinky Doo, The Electric Company, and other programs for children around the world.

Music Review: Bob Ross Remixed

 The video above is from the regular PBS site and videos they remixed and made into  music. Robert Norman "Bob" Ross was a painter, teacher, and TV host. He created The Joy of Painting, a great show that ran for years. He'd often say catch phrases with particular panting techniques. What did you pick out when you listened?

Bob Ross, was remixed by Symphony of Science's John D. Boswell for PBS Digital Studios. It's a great example of an interesting body of work. I enjoyed the music. John D. Boswell (melodysheep) has more remixes here: http://www.youtube.com/melodysheep. This is the second in a series of PBS icons remixed.

This video was produced by the Public Broadcasting Station or PBS. They have a station that is just for kids pbskids.org which has some pretty good shows on it. If you watch any of those feel free tor recommend one for me to review.

VIDEO! Math coolness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av_Us6xHkUc&feature=channel&list=UL

This girl is super smart and pretty funny.  Click on the link above to listen to a fun song, see funny loopy imagery and also learn about mathematical symmetry groups  This video below is based on a true story and shows you how to make really cool 

Hexaflexagons!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIVIegSt81k&feature=share&list=ULVIVIegSt81k

Viharts video is fun but might be a little fast. Here's one slowed down so you can make one yourself.



 This video was made by a kid! Her version is a little different and totally works too. I also love that she made this tutorial. It's really good.
If you can figure out how to make you're own HEXAFLEXAGONS post a picture in the comments section.