Three Fun Dad and Kids Activities

This is a guest post from John Hughes on fun activities Dads can do with their children.


I’m always aware of how fast my kids are growing, and I want spend as much time with them as I can before they become teenagers with a permanent attachment to their mobile phones and iPods. It isn’t hard to find an activity that kids will find fun…the challenge is finding something that both you and your children can enjoy together. Here are a few fun activities for you to do with the kids – no mums allowed!

Get active

We all know that Aussie kids on average tend to be a little soft around the edges (literally). As a dad, you want to make sure that your kids are healthy, so kill two birds with one stone and enjoy some quality time with the kids outdoors doing something active. Whether it’s throwing a Frisbee, kicking a ball around or climbing trees, just get the little critters on the move and work off a bit of that puppy fat. They’ll get fitter and enjoy a healthy dose of fresh air and vitamin D. As a dad, that’s your job. Resulting mud and grass stains… well, that’s Mum’s job.

Cook up a storm

Spending time getting your kids to achieve something is its own reward, but a delicious treat at the end is a nice little bonus! Kids love creating things, so why not teach them a useful skill while they’re at it? Download a recipe, dust out the aprons and get the kids making something simple and scrumptious. They’ll love to see their handiwork taking shape and then getting to eat it. As long as you clean up afterwards, I can see this one getting the tick of approval from Mum as well. They could make great little domestic sous-chefs in the future as a result of the work experience you’ve given them. Just be sure you supervise anything involving heat, fire and knives.

Bushwalking

Hit the great outdoors and take the kids out on a trail. See the animals and plants and immerse yourself in the wilderness for a while. The solitude will give you plenty of time to talk with the kids and build some character; plus, every dad wants to show off their Bear Grylls skills. Just as long as you don’t end up drinking your own urine and don’t have to confront too many life and death situations, it should be a fun experience for the kids.

Doing it for the kids

While I wouldn’t mind checking out places to buy used cars on the weekend, there can be plenty of time for that later. Your kids won’t be kids forever though, so savour every moment you can with them!

3 Action Packed DVD Giveaways from Disney Entertainment

This giveaway has ended, but subscribe to the Giveaway Newsletter so you don't miss my next one!

I was approached by Disney Entertainment to review some dude movies.  Yeah! Bring it on! Nothing like a bit of action films to break the monotony of watching Upsy Daisy and Iggle Piggle with my little boy every day.

Disney Entertainment has also kindly offered one lucky person the chance to win all three of these DVDs.

What are they?  Well, here they, kindly reviewed by yours truly..

Killer Elite

Available on Blu-Ray and DVD from July 4

Statham, Owen and De Niro.  If that doesn't scream dude movie, I don't know what does.

Killer Elite is set in the 80's. The first action scene was very cool, but then our main guy is randomly reading a letter in a combie van in Australia. Very random, I just want to know why they are killing dudes.

Lots of bang bang shoot em ups and the sounds are so realistic when a gun is fired. Something I haven't noticed in a movie before.

We've got some pretty cool hitman story going along, but I don't feel like we are in the 80's like the movie is supposed to be set in. At least as the movie goes on, I understand better why folks are getting shot at. We've got hitmen for hire people, and scary dudes at that.

Ooh look! There's that guy that hosted the TV show "The Mole".

Oops, enough of that, there's a car chase! Bah, for five seconds.. don't they know action movie car chases only end when things explode?!?

Argh! Enough of that, there's a fist fight! PULL HIS MOUSTACHE OFF, PULL HIS MOUSTACHE OFF!!!

Sorry about that, got into it a bit there :-)

Without going into a lot of detail and giving anything away, the best way to describe this movie is intense. Storyline could be better, but nothing surprising for an action flick. Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro are all good, although Owen has one weird eye for some unknown reason and De Niro is hardly around at all. But like I said, action & suspense. That's what it's all about and it's pretty good.

Watch the making of in the special features to learn about how it is loosly based on a true story.

Pretty good. I give it three out of five.

John Carter

Available on Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D and DVD from July 4

I've been looking forward to John Carter ever since I first saw the trailer. The special effects look amazing and as soon as this movie starts, it doesn't disappoint. Starships like a flying electric insect, strange angel like folks flying from the sky. Pretty cool, let's see how the story goes.

In a surprise twist, we are in the time of the American Revolution. It's Cowboys vs Indians. Yeeeha! Hehehehe. Oh no wait, we're on Mars now. Awesome! Poor John Carter can't work out the gravity. Cool idea by the writers! Just wondering how he's breathing without any oxygen. Is there oxygen on Mars? I dunno..

Ahh who cares, there's no time for that now, alien babies are being born! It's all going on, I really don't know what's going to happen next. It's so far very original, but saying that it feels like the movie has taken ideas from computer games I used to play like Dune and Starcraft. That's great though because I love those games, but the storyline is starting to fit too much in at once.

Ha! Red vs Blue with the Green the extra bystander. Exactly like the Dune games! The nerd in me is happy! (God I hope some of you out there get this awesome Dune reference)

The storyline I'm not really caring about, I just look forward to what kind of action this movie is going to show next, cos John Carter is kicking some arse.

Overall, there's some cool monsters, cool aliens and wicked special effects. This movie is a good night's viewing, if you let yourself go and enjoy the sci-fi. Two and a half out of five.

London Boulevard

Available on Blu-Ray and DVD from July 18

Never heard of this movie. Know nothing about it. Sometimes that's a good thing. Although, me and an old gal pal of mine were once standing at the cinemas, trying to decide what to watch.  We saw the word "RANDOM".  Yeah! That sounds cool, lets watch that!  ..sigh.. it was Random Hearts with Harrison Ford and some chick. A love story.. blergh..

Anyway, I do digress.  All I know about London Boulevard that it has one of my Hollywood fave hotties is in it. Colin Farrell.

Oh! Oops.. I mean, Keira Knightley. Love her. her.. love her..

Anyway, shhh, movies started. Just realised it's set in London. Quick aren't I? Loved London when I was there. Here's hoping I love the movie too.

Mitch, aka Colin Farrell is an ex-con, trying to avoid the lure of crime. Doing a good job so far, making it look like we're in for a low-action/high romancy type movie perhaps. (Random Hearts, here we come..)

Pow! Hmm maybe medium action :-)

Looks like Mitchell has got a pretty well known reputation. No idea why, or what he's done, but I'm very intruiged!

I sort of just sit there and watch, soaking it all in.  It does feel rather long winded in parts.

The movie is very new age London gangster. Knightley is great, Farrell is dark and the movie rolls in ways you wouldn't expect. It is so slow at times, but it builds the suspense to be worthwhile.

It's weird and intense, but it will bring discussions with your mates on how things turn out. Two out of five.

DVD Giveaway Time

Disney Entertainment are kindly offering to give away a DVD copy of Killer Elite, John Carter and London Boulevard to one lucky winner.  Enter below (open to Australian residents only)


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Thanks for taking the time to read!  Hope it helps you on your next DVD rental or purchase.

Good luck with the giveaway!

- tork

Fatherhood Comedy - Jim Breuer

Thought I'd share funny stories on life as a father and a husband.  I definitely relate to this guy.

Jim Breuer's take on his wife and kids

Enjoy!
- tork

Bad Blogger Step 9: Need More Fibre in my Posting

It's Step 9 in my I'm a Bad Blogger series. You can find my original bad blogger post here.

9. Post as irregularly as possible

Ok.

What.. is that a bad thing?

I couldn't be more irregular unless I printed my posts out on cardboard and then ate them.

But why force daily posting similar to sites like The Huffington Post?  Or churn out something twice a week?

How about, write something when you feel like it, when you are moved to. If that's every day or every week, great! So long as you love it!

Write when you want and your readers will know it.  Write so you aren't giving the experience that something new you've written is similar to what a monkey would write that is being paid with a box of carrots.


hehehehe I love monkeys.


Be eccentric, be unpredictable, be different.

Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice.

Pull down your pants and slide on the ice.

How often do you post?

- tork

Share a Dad - RaisingAmelie.com

I'm well overdue in sharing with you another dad blogger.  And look, an Australian!

Alejandro from Raising Amelie was the first dad blogger that I stumbled across.  He writes about his ventures as a dad and sharing a few piccies along the way.  Was great to see another dad when I was first starting out blogging.

Anyway, go visit! :-)

- tork