Back to school!

August 23, 2010

It's time to head back to school! Today, kids in the Washington DC area are trudging back to school. A whole bunch of kids have already headed back, while millions more will do so soon.

There are many ways to get your kid ready – school supplies, clothes, perhaps a lunchbox. Telling your kid to study hard, and the importance of education – you can't forget that.

But another important way to get your kid ready is to talk about alcohol. Transition periods- such as new environments, new people, and new circumstances – are times where kids are very vulnerable to trying alcohol.

Since a new school year is often such a transition, you should make sure to talk to your teen about the dangers of alcohol (PDF), ways to say no to alcohol, and ways to stay busy and active. Help make sure that your kid's school year will be an opportunity for growth and learning.

Meet Our New Ask, Listen, Learn Team Captain!

August 16, 2010

CONGRATULATIONS to Captain Jessica W. of Avoca, Iowa, the winner of our "Be The Captain of the Ask, Listen, Learn Team Contest"! Jessica's essay showed that she is dedicated to saying "YES" to a healthy lifestyle and "NO" to underage drinking and will be featured in the December Issue of Sports Illustrated: KIDS alongside a special VIP athlete! Stayed tuned for more about Jessica and our VIP!

New Game on SI KIDS!

August 2, 2010

Check out our newest game, Home Run Derby, on sikids.com now!  See how many balls you can hit out of the park and how far you can make them fly!

Last Call for Ask, Listen, Learn Team Captain Contest Entries!

July 29, 2010

Calling all Ask, Listen, Learn Team members! Our Ask, Listen, Learn Team Captain contest is ending this Saturday, July 31st at 11:59 pm EST.  All entries must be received by then.  Tell us why you should be named the Ask, Listen, Learn Team Captain for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue of SI KIDS magazine!

Once you are signed up as a team member, log into your profile and fill out the contest info.  Find the details about signing up on the contest page and view the official contest rules for more information.

Good luck to all!

Make A Splash!

July 14, 2010

One of the most exciting things that many kids (and parents!) look forward to in the summertime is swimming. Whether it be in a pool, river, lake, pond, ocean - you name it - swimming is a great summer activity.

But not every kid shares that excitement of swimming.  Make A Splash, a national program created by the USA Swimming Foundation, found that nearly six out of 10 African-American and Hispanic/Latino children are unable to swim, much higher than their Caucasian counterparts.

By educating parents and using the nation's best learn-to-swim resources, Make A Splash aims to teach every child in America how to swim.

What a great way to teach kids about a fun and healthy activity while also aiming to decrease the number of drownings in children.  Check out this article from today's Washington Post about the program.

July 4th Activities and Games

July 2, 2010

Happy 4th of July to all of the Ask, Listen, Learn team members and their families! Independence Day is a great family holiday that kids love being involved in. Need some ideas for things to do this weekend? We've got you covered.

Many towns have fun July 4th festivals and parades. If your town doesn't, it's likely that a town nearby probably does. Check your local papers and news or ask neighbors for locations.

Watching fireworks, whether on the TV or outdoors, is one of the most classic activities families enjoy on the 4th. But why not make the whole day festive? You don't have to wait until dark to start the festivities.

Get the kids excited by baking fun red, white, and blue dishes. If you're planning to watch the fireworks outside, pack your dishes and get outside early for a family picnic! Whether it's a backyard picnic or a picnic at the park to watch the fireworks, kids of all ages will enjoy the fun, festive dishes.

While you're outdoors, plan some fun activities. There are lots of fun games that can be easily packed into the car. Why not try some bocce ball? Throw a frisbee, baseball, or football, play a game of tag, or even toss some horse shoes! Better yet, play a festive flag tag relay.

Kids will enjoy the holiday more if they understand the meaning of it. Instead of cracking the books open to teach them, why not make a scavenger hunt full of fun Independence Day facts? Kids will love finding the facts and learning along the way.

Face painting is fun as well and you don't have to be an artist to make it fun. Stars and stripes are easy to draw and very festive! Keep baby wipes handy just in case.

Sparklers can be a lot of fun for kids too, but make sure you take the proper precautions. Before you light them, make sure that kids understand the potential danger and keep water at hand.

Why not turn the fun day into night too? Camp out and watch the stars, make your own constellations, tell stories, and roast smores. If there isn't a camp ground nearby, camp in your backyard!

From all of us here on the Ask, Listen, Learn team, we wish you a very happy, active, and safe July 4th weekend!