On the wild success of retro games your kids will love!

Fraboom Expert Victoria

My job is to find and host great games for children online using things like, cartoons, animation, creative challenges and role playing. Yet, with so many high tech options at our fingertips, I’m always amazed at how awesomely retro your kids idea of fun is! Some of our most popular games are perfect for injecting a little fun into road trips, family night, or even hostage situations! (Disclaimer: I sincerely hope you are not hostages, but if you are, blink twice. Ok, we’re good.)

        One of the best things about childhood is that the classics are still new. Believe it or not, a game’s entertainment value is not directly related to the amount of energy it requires to play. One request I’m always surprised to get from the kids in a Fraboom live class is Hangman. I Love Hangman. I didn’t know I loved it until 21 years into my life. My sister and I were stuck in a car for 7 hours on a Saturday and around hour 5 we decided to play hangman. We were saved! We spent the next hour and half going back and forth picking movie titles for the other to guess. After hours of play with my sis, I started playing Hangman in one of the live classes at Fraboom, our online kids museum, and it was a hit!


Tips for avoiding tears: Stick to themes or movie titles and take turns being the guesser every game, no matter who wins. That way if you’re bad at the game, you don’t have to suffer the whole time. Hangman is a simple and easy way to entertain the problem solvers and movie buffs in your brood.

        Of course, Hangman requires the ability to read and write, if your crowd is too young for that, fear not! May I suggest what is possibly the most highly anticipated game in my arsenal; Name That Tune. Children go nuts for this one! Give a hint or theme(country, pop, Princess movies) and sing the tune of the song. First person to guess correctly gets the most points! I’m not sure what it is about this simple game but the kiddos love it every time. Also, it’s one of the few times in life when being a terrible singer works in your favor—get the key notes right, throw in an interpretive dance, and you have just become the funniest parent ever!

        My final suggestion to you, the boredom-butt-kicking Moms and Dads, is a little game called Who Dat. In this game you pick someone in your head (Abraham Lincoln, Tinker Bell, a kangaroo) and then give hints as to who you are until someone guesses correctly. I am male, I have a top hat, I gave the Gettysburg Address, I abolished slavery, I’m on the penny. Abe Lincoln! This one can be super educational and very fun —especially if you have odd family members.

In the end Fraboom works so well because your child isn’t killing zombies by themselves in a dark room. By providing live hosts we can add a hint of high tech to some time-tested favorites in the game arena. These live hosts are able to react to the witty things children say and ask, they can adapt the content for a particular group of kids (Dinosaurs, math or space anyone?) and they can provide every child a chance to learn and play in a safe and competitive environment.

        As you can see, finding activities for kids to keep them from killing each other in the back seat on the way to Grandma’s house is not the headache it appears to be. Don’t be afraid to try the classics and join in yourself! Because playing with you is way more fun.

What low tech classics does your family enjoy? Fraboom teachers are always looking for new and fun games and we would love to see your comments!

Never fear, the Live Presenter is here!

Fraboom Expert Leslie

Batman had Robin. Lucy had Ethel. Han Solo had Chewbacca. But, what about you? Who’s your ally in the Great Quest to Raise Smart, Passionate Kids?

It could very well be a Fraboom Live Presenter. That’s right. We think we could be your 7 foot tall Wookie.

….If we haven’t lost you yet, here’s how:

In the great wide world of activities for kids, we may have one of the most unique forms of interaction available online or anywhere for that matter. When a kid enters our Online Children’s Museum, they can join a LIVE class and interact with a zany, creative, live person. It is this live person who wants to be your partner-in-crime!

You see, our aim is much like yours. We don’t want kids (or their parents) to settle for aimless entertainment. All of our activities are meant for children learning, discovery, and development. Unlike most games online, we make sure each of our activities help kids learn something new and discover what they’re good at. Like you, we believe in the best of your kids! We believe they have a great future and their current passions for things like art, science, and problem-solving could get them there.

Now, it’s time for a little trust. Trust us to serve as your sidekick. Let us help your child explore new and exciting topics. Let us reinforce what you, the parent, wants your child to learn and experience.

We’ll even wear spandex and a cape if that makes you feel better. (But, we imagine that it does not.) Visit a Live Class at Fraboom.com and meet your new best friend, a live Presenter. Maybe start with Train Your Brain, How to Draw, or our Bugs Class!

Internet Safety: The Most Worthy of Headaches

 

Fraboom Expert Victoria

When I got my first email addresses(big deal!), my mom talked to me about internet security and how I was never to talk to anyone I didn’t know online; but the idea of being careful around someone who wasn’t even in the same room as me seemed preposterous. When I asked her why, she then explained that you just never know. You never know who it really is or what they’re really doing.

In a recent survey by the Family Online Safety Institute, you parents showed that you are actively aware of your child’s use of the internet. Of the parents polled, 93% had set some sort of rule or limitation to their child’s use of the computer. Of those parents, 79% set the rule that their child must use the computer in a common area of the house. This is a great start and a simple, non-scary reminder to your kids that even as they’re getting more comfortable online, there are still rules and accountability. However, Only 36% of parents were concerned about their children providing too much personal information online.

Kids are not as skeptical as they should be when online because they feel safe in their own homes. While we want our children to feel safe at home we want them to be cautious when they explore the online world. We need to remind our kids that while they may physically still be under their roof they have entered another world that has very real dangers. This problem is especially true for elementary school kids who are still gaining wisdom and learning discernment—and they will tell a listening ear everything about themselves unless you warn them not to. When we get excited, our judgment slips. Otherwise, how do you explain Star Trek Conventions? So make online safety a regular family topic for conversation.

Even if you’ve already talked about safety in internet activities for kids and they roll their eyes saying, “I know!” they still need to be reminded. Consider how many times you’ve told them to clean their room, or wear deodorant. How’s that workin’ out for you? Talk about internet safety a lot and set clear standards and expectations. My parents always used phrases like, “This is what our family does or doesn’t do,” and that helped because I never had to explain myself to my friends who thought I was being a baby.  Because, like we discussed earlier, excitement leads to bad decisions, which leads to Fast and the Furious 6, which, I’m not even kidding, is currently in production.

           Now seems like a real great time to mention that each and every one of our Fraboom live events is COPA compliant and follows children’s internet safety laws down to the smallest detail. Every Fraboom teacher passes a background check before they’re put in front of the camera, and we are frequently monitored. On all counts, Fraboom is 100% safe and sound!

The Never Tell List(This is the standard we keep at Fraboom and we recommend this list for your home!):
Never share your last name or last initial.
Never share your birthday.
Never share what school you go to.
Never share what grade you’re in.
Never share your phone number.
Never share what state you’re in.
Never share your address or zip code.

Your children may already know about internet safety, but it is very important that they are continually reminded about the details surrounding their safety online. Keep reminding them what it is you expect of them when they are online. Keep that conversation coming and that way we can all work to a world where excitement doesn’t have to lead to poor choices (how exactly do you return a Shake Weight?).

Spending Time with the Kiddos!



Fraboom Expert Leslie

The benefits of leaving your kids to their own devices:

• They use your walls as coloring pages. Yay, creativity!

• They google search “games for kids” and wind up meeting a guy named Gary, who’s 43 years old! Yay, new friends!

• They abandon anything remotely educational and stare into space for an hour. Yay, wallpaper!

• They decide a night of scholarly, fun brain teasers means hitting each other over the head with a remote control multiple times. Yay, using your noggin!

Ok, we may have gotten carried away. We know a little independence won’t hurt your kid. But, we also know...

The benefits of spending time with your kids:

• You learn something new about each other. For instance, let’s say you’re attending our Daily Doodle class and completing one of our online coloring pages. You may learn you have a future DaVinci on your hands, while your kids may learn they’re better at art than their folks.

• You can make sure that the time spent on the computer is not only safe, but also educational and adding value to their lives. Who knows...you may even learn something cool. Did you know that cockroaches can live nine days without their head or that President John Quincy Adams would take a morning walk down to the Potomac River and swim naked? No...it’s true. One morning, a woman news reporter named Anne Royall sat on his clothes until he gave her an interview. Adams did the interview while standing chest deep in the Potomac.

• You discover that games for kids, like the ones on Fraboom.com, aren’t just fun for kids, and that you quite like playing them too. (Without ever admitting it, of course)

• You connect with your kids before and after school, creating inside jokes, establishing family values, and sharing memories to be told around the family table for years to come.

Where to start on your quest for connection, safety, and fun with that small human who looks a bit like you? How about Fraboom.com?

10 Fraboom Values

Fraboom Expert Ryan

Before a new piece of media goes up on Fraboom, we have already spent months thinking about it, writing about it, meeting about it and even arguing about it. In this process, we have found the same recurring principles tend to shape each decision. Allow me to share ten of these ideas that are very valuable to our team as we create content for your kids:

1. Encouragement
Our mission at Fraboom is “To foster hope and encouragement in the children of the world.” Every company has a voice, and we try to use ours to encourage creativity, learning and discovery in the the kids that we influence.

2. Education
Our research team is passionate about communicating information that is up to date, accurate and relevant. When we create content we strive to work with experts that help make sure we are teaching the right things in the right way. We have been incredibly fortunate to work with such amazing experts as Buzz Aldrin, Gerald Ford, Bill Bradley and educators at the Smithsonian Institution. We also love the fact that teachers partner with us and use our website to reinforce their classroom curriculum.

3. Entertainment 
When you’re scrambling to find something entertaining to keep your child occupied and you Google “games online for children,” the last thing you want to find is something boring or destructive. In fact, at the Fraboom Museum, “boring” is a nasty word. One time I said “boring”, and my manager threw a pie in my face just to prove that discipline can also be fun. Don’t tell her I typed the B-word in this article. From now on I will reference the “B” word as the word that shall not be named.

4. Humor
I’m trying to figure out if we have a value for humor or if we have a problem taking things seriously. Probably a little bit of both. Either way, we figure that trying to make people laugh is a good thing. So, why not slather every game, cartoon and book with a little funny-sauce? Laughing makes kids happy and we LOVE to make kids happy.

5. Relationships
In our minds, the perfect picture of someone experiencing our content is a parent or guardian sitting next to their child at the computer together. We love knowing that our website can be a connecting point for parent-child relationships.

6. Creativity
The ability to harness the power of one’s imagination is a life skill. With this in mind, we have designed activities for children that will stretch and build creativity like a muscle. For more on this see, “Cultivating Your Child’s Creativity".

7. Excellence
From our animators to our writers, from our live action video producers to our live presenters, we all want to make great content. We don’t believe that we can just “throw something together” because “they’re just kids.” In fact, we think that children deserve the highest quality site that we are capable of producing. There are too many websites out there that allow the almighty dollar to drive their decisions. We would be lying if we said we don’t want to make money (Hey! A guy’s gotta eat.) But we will never reduce quality in order to make a bigger profit. If it isn’t good we won’t use it.

8. Storytelling
All of Fraboom’s content tells a story that will have a beginning, middle and end. You will find unique characters littered all over the museum. From our animated, bug-eating character, Fred Smertz to our live game show host, Suzi Smiles. Even the museum itself has a backstory that we plan to release, bit by bit, over the next few years.

9. Safety
Because we interact with children, all of our employees undergo an in-depth background check and are thoroughly trained in child safety protocol. We are proud to say that we are 100% Coppa compliant, and we are committed to making our museum safe and sound.

10. Interaction
Media doesn’t necessarily have to turn your kid into a couch-zombie. Our museum engages children socially, visually, artistically and kinesthetically. We often send children away from the computer so that they can take lessons learned in Fraboom and apply them to real life. Screen time is like everything else in life; when used in moderation it can be a wonderful tool for growth and education.


These are ten principles that are important to our company. We’re curious. What’s your perspective about our list? Would you add other items we should use as a guide when we create our content? Leave us a comment below.

Cure for the Common Lack of Creativity

Fraboom Expert Victoria

“There’s nothing to do!”

     Raise your hand if you used to whine this to your parents in the middle of a long afternoon—actually, I’ll probably get a better response if I ask who here has heard this from a child with a room full of toys, two computers in reach and a gaming device at their disposal?

Wow! Look at all those hands!

        Kids today have so many entertainment options available to them that they eventually hit a wall. All of the prepackaged fun has dried up, resulting in a creativity drought and a lazy brain. We call this Creativity Drought Syndrome or CDS. Signs that your child may have contracted CDS include, but are not limited to: whining that there’s nothing to do, lethargic moping, heavy sighing and dry mouth.

     The true test is to place a cardboard box, a pair of scissors, some crayons and a roll of tape in front of your child. If they don’t know what to do...then your child has CDS.

     The sudden inability of little Timmy to break out of his shell and create something new is one scenario where Fraboom Live Classes may be helpful. While the Fraboom Museum may be online, it is anything but docile. That’s because Fraboom is not just free games and cartoons thrown onto a website. In a live class, the kids aren’t observers, they’re participants; an integral part of the flow, mood, and activity of the class. Kids at Fraboom are frequently called upon to recall what they’ve learned in school or use their wackiest ideas. They are forced to practice both learning and creating. By waking up both of these skills, we steer them away from thinking ‘all fun is going to be handed to me’ to ‘what fun should I create next?’ and that is where it gets real fun for kids!

     Our job is to encourage your child to use their imagination and brain. We prompt, poke, prod and push your child to exercise that pink blob located in their head. Just like any other part of the body the brain needs to be challenged and exercised. In Fraboom we strive to train that brain!

7 Fraboomified Tips To Becoming One of Those “Fun” Parents

Fraboom Expert Leslie

1. When it comes to creativity, there are no rules.
Now, we’re not condoning allowing your kids to paint all over your new living room furniture. Nor are we in any way anti-rules. But, if too many rules are placed on creative activities, like writing, dancing, singing, cartooning, painting, or craft-making, a kid is likely to end up discouraged. What do you think would have happened if Picasso’s parents told little Pablo that both eyes HAD to go on opposite sides of a person’s nose? Give your kids a chance to express themselves without any rules or expectations, and you may find they have a genuine gift!

If you need a good starting place in your quest for out-of-the-box fun, check out the Cartooning Exhibit and How to Draw classes in Fraboom.

2. Realize how funny your kids are.
A big part of being a fun parent comes with listening. We’re sure you value every word that comes from your kid’s mouth, but it never hurts to reinforce that with a belly-laugh. I know you think you’re the funniest person in the world, but the shortie sitting across your breakfast table each morning could very likely have you beat. Take time to understand your kid’s unique sense of humor and encourage them to discover it! Just make sure your little comedian understands that every joke has an appropriate time and a place.

3. Bring those A Games to family night.
There’s nothing wrong with some healthy competition. We know you like to win, and it’s likely your kids also like to win. But, did you ever think while doing all that winning (or losing), you could also be teaching your kid something along the way?

There are many games out there that knit the family together, while driving home important educational topics. Future fun parents of the world, try bringing your “A Games” to Fraboom.com for a fun competitive evening of learning enjoyment.

4. Let your kids cook dinner.
Every now and then, it’s fun to let kids take the wheel. Since allowing an elementary or middle student to drive your SUV is highly dangerous and illegal, we suggest giving them full reign of the kitchen!

Cooking is another great opportunity for kids to express themselves. With this activity, we know you can’t completely embrace the “no rules” rule, but give them a few kitchen guidelines and see what kind of fun you can cook up. Start by making a meal menu and follow that up with a family outing to the grocery store. The grocery store is one place where you can implement the “no rules” rule. Who says what’s normal to put on homemade pizza? The stranger the ingredients the more fun you may have when you get home. Go home and prepare what may be the most meaningful meal your family has ever eaten.

Parents should join in on the fun and connect with your kids over the mixing bowl!

NOTE: We cannot guarantee that this meal will taste even remotely good, but it could change your relationship with your child forever..

5. A little spontaneity never hurt anyone.
Look back on your own childhood for this one. Often great memories come from family vacations planned months and months in advance. But, what about those special moments where something fun just happened? Those moments where out of nowhere, your dad woke you up at 6am saying you were driving out of your way to your favorite donut shop before school. Or, when your mom decided on the spur of the moment that you’d be spending the day at the local zoo instead of in your backyard. While school is very important, a surprise mid-day visit from mom or day to sneak away and catch the latest Hollywood blockbuster may provide a lifetime of memories. Who knows that adventure may even teach your child more than that day’s math lesson.

To all those over-planned, calendar-booked ‘til June of 2015 parents out there, we think it’s awesome that you plan fun for your kids! Don’t stop doing what you’re good at, but every now and then, try and spring something new, creative, and unexpected on them.

6. While hunting for children games, pull out their favorite instead of yours.
We know you’re dying to play four hours of scrabble, but is your 10 year old? During the next game night, make time for everyone’s favorite game. And, don’t be too quick to write off all the games available online. For children games that are fun, educational, and not a 100-year old board game, check out Fraboom.com. Maybe start with Quit Shovin’ or Beeline.

7. Encourage, Encourage, Encourage!
You’ve probably noticed tips 1-6 already covered this. But, in case the importance of encouragement hasn’t quite stuck, we’d like to drive our point home.

The greatest gift you can give your child comes with encouraging their strengths, talents, and discovery. Want to be on the cutting edge of fun, but not quite sure where to start? How about telling your kids they’re good at something? If they are great at soccer, take them to a professional game. If they excel at music, make sure they see the local symphony or Broadway show, and if art is their thing, get them to the local art museum. Show them what is waiting for them as they get older. Support them and help them create goals that will inspire them for a lifetime.  If you struggle finding that one “thing” that gets your child’s blood pumping then bring them to Fraboom.com, where every activity is designed to help children discover their passions!

How Modern Technology Can Help Our Kids!

Fraboom Expert Ryan

We’re all concerned about the negative things that can happen when kids misuse technology. If they play Angry Birds too much, they may try to break your nicest vase by launching your parakeet at it with a slingshot. If they spend too much time on the internet, they might use your credit card to buy a lifetime supply of fruit snacks from Ebay. Hmmm... Maybe I’m just projecting some of my own fears onto you. Anyway, I actually want to talk about some of the positive ways we can use technology to help our kids.

Modern technology can be used to help kids develop their social skills. Of course, social networks or texting could never replace face to face interaction. These advancements can, however, become a powerful supplement if we use them correctly. Whether your child is interacting with other users in Club Penguin’s social network or being trusted with their first texting package on their cell phone, they are, in fact, relating to people in the way that most people communicate today. I see these platforms as an opportunity to actively grow their communication skills and pass on your family’s values concerning relationships. As parents it is important to teach your children how to use social platforms responsibly and safely just as our parents taught us how to use be safe when we were kids.

Parents can use technology as a way to connect with their kids. Think about the American cliche’ of a father playing catch with his son. Our culture has come to associate a meaningful relational connection with the throwing of a baseball. The baseball is not relational. It is the intentionality of the parent that decides to do something with their children that makes that activity meaningful. Why not try and learn what that “mitt and ball” will be for your family? Even if that means that you have to learn how to play a game on the Xbox 360. Spending time together online is a great way to bond with your child and learn more about who your kids are as people.

Use the internet to help your kids become self-learners. I remember getting frustrated with a video game I was playing when I was in the 4th grade. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t beat level six. So, I hopped on the internet, found a video game tutorial website and used that information to pass the level.

I’m glad that my parents let me explore the internet within safe boundaries so that I could practice critical thinking and problem solving. It’s like exploring an encyclopedia or the periodical section of the library when we were kids... only much more powerful. Help guide your child in ways that allow them to solve problems themselves using technology as a tool.

Finally, take advantage of the educational media that is so widely available online. As a parent, you already know that you have a huge part to play in the education of your child. The school exists to aid this process, but ultimately, it is your responsibility to create an environment in the home that lends itself to learning.

The good news is that more and more companies are producing educational content for new and evolving technology. Sesame Street recently released, “Once Upon a Monster,” a game for the XBOX 360 that teaches kids about friendship, sharing and teamwork. Even at Fraboom, the online children’s museum that I create content for, kids can experience educational games, interactive books, videos and even live classes. Let’s get intentional about influencing the media they consume.

Well, that was refreshing! We talked about kids and technology without being negative! Okay. One last technology-fear confession; I worry that if my future kids play with an iPad too much they may think that it actually is their parent. They will become bored to death of me because I don’t have any cool apps. I’m not paranoid. I’ll just keep a close watch on that conniving little tablet so that it doesn’t destroy my family! Anyone else have this fear? No? Okay.

Single Mom or Dad + Games for Kids = Heck Yes!

Fraboom Expert Victoria

Calling all single parents and their young! First of all, hello, it’s nice to meet you. Secondly, we’d like to say that we’re huge fans! And finally, we invite you to come have an adventure that is perfect for one parent and a kiddo or two.

If you’re looking for something awesome to do with your kids that’s fun, entertaining, and might make you the coolest parent ever, well you may want to wander by the Fraboom Online Children’s Museum. Fraboom was created for mom and dad to sit down with their kids and have adventures together! This isn’t just a place full of games for kids to play and disappear for a while, it’s an educational and exciting experience for everyone.

If you’ve got an afternoon and an internet connection, I say hop onto Fraboom together and see what you can see! Everything is designed to entertain and educate so YOU—the ever-wise grownup—will definitely come in handy. The wonderful thing about exploring Fraboom together is that it is designed to start conversations, pull out your kids interests and present you with new experiences to share. Plus, you get to show your kid how smart you are when you know the answer…or how humble you are when you don’t. Yay life lessons! You can also set up the time to learn more about your kiddies while they’re having a blast. Ask them what their favorite subject is in school or their favorite hobby and pick the exhibit you visit based on that.

Game Time Tip: Here’s one of our fun, fun games called Toon In that we play in our live class Train Your Brain and that you can easily play outside of that class for strictly one-on-one time (this is also a nice way for mom or dad to be the ring leader). It works best with our Boom Toons (in FraboomTv) as they are packed full of facts!

1.    Tell the kids to pay close attention.
2.    Play about 1 minute of a cartoon.
3.    While they’re watching write down a few questions about what was said in the video, for example, how does a spider know she’s caught her prey? Or is the ventricle the upper or lower chamber of the heart? What color was the boys shirt?
4.    Ask away!

This is also nice when you have more than one kid with you as there’s no fighting over the mouse. Also, prizes are never a bad idea. Maybe the winner gets to choose which cartoon you do next or which exhibit you visit in the Museum. “Toon In” is a great way to learn together, have fun, and be impressed by your kids super memory!

No matter what you choose to do at Fraboom it will entertain, encourage, and just be way too much fun!