Leveraging the Love for playing Dragon Games

Kids are fascinated by dragons (adults are too, but that's not for this post!) and by extension all things dragon. When the How To Train Your Dragon movies were released, the frenzy for HTTYD theme parties grew phenomenally. Although there are many interesting creatures on Earth, kids are fascinated by dragons even though they are not real and they cannot be seen around.

Overnight at the Chabot Science and Space Center by Steve Jurvetson

It has been observed that younger kids enjoy science experiments. But, as they grow, for some reason, many of the same kids get disinterested in science. Sometimes, its the way science is taught or it could be a teacher who does not inspire. Make sure you talk to kids about cool science jobs. Watch fun science shows. To keep their interest alive, here are three things you could try:

1. Dragon games 

This a good site for dragon loving kids. They can learn science in the world of Berk, where players can hatch dragon eggs and train their dragons. Other than the usual quests there are educational quests which focus on science used in everyday Berk life. It could be building a lightning conductor, understanding animal behavior, going into volcanoes, solving problems of noxious gases or a bunch of other things.

2. Science Centers

Introduce your kids to science via these centers designed for kids. These places inspire kids and build a lifelong interest in science. Parents can find a place close to their home and take kids from a young age. Even while on a holiday, its good to find a museum or a science center to take the kids to. People who deal with kids are trained to make the activity fun and appealing. There are even summer science camps which might interest kids. As they are designed for different age groups, parents can pick and choose a suitable one.

3. Science Experiments

When the kids are young, they love experiments. Start them on simple experiments they can try their hands at. The parts which are tricky can be handled by an adult, Make sure the kids are safe. Parents can even buy books which list science experiments for young kids or they can look for a suitable one online. There are videos with where you can watch the experiment and then try it yourself.

Other than this, schools and teachers can inspire kids to enjoy science. Kids enjoy tales about scientists and how they made their breakthrough. This gives a human face to science. Parents can easily find opportunities to point out the science aspect of ordinary things like yeast in bread increasing a loaf's size, rust forming on iron, water turning to ice, the shrinking Sun, the massiveness of some of the stars we see etc. Science is all around us, and it is for us to help our kids see it. 

I want a 'Dragon Go'

People are playing 'Pokemon Go' in a rather addictive way. There are reports of distracted players having accidents in this augmented reality game. What I want is an augmented reality dragon game. Pokemons are imaginary Pocket Monsters, so why can't there be a game to look for dragons?

Wooper in Kato, Hyogo 2(Harima Central Park) by Kasadera

Imagine the fun of looking for hidden dragons in our real world. And finding them! Maybe it would just be on my little screen, but it would be there. Dragons that I had spotted!

When science games can revolve around dragons, why not games to spot dragons? The Pokemon franchise makes tons of money thanks to addicted players. Imaging the money a dragon spotting game would make. Pokemon is familiar to a smaller group of people, but dragons - now they have been fascinating people for centuries. Across borders, cultures and ages.

It would also please me no end to meet other such dragon lovers in the most unexpected of places!

A Timeless Game we Love

Some games are timeless. People of all ages enjoy them and these games can be easily played by people of all ages. Games have to be interesting, must have a fun quotient and should be scaleable as in kids must be able to play while young but then they should be able to get better and play for many more years.

How could I resist? by  Mike Lynch

One of the best games which suits the bill is Scrabble. Young and old enjoy it. It can have players with varying competencies. Though it seems like a simple game, there is sophistication built in and the fun quotient is incredible. 

In many families, for years, family time meant Scrabble time. Many adults play it on their phones too. Word Wars is a movies which shows how Scrabble is a blood sport for some. That is the beauty of this game. It means many different things to different players. 

Father's Day Gifts for a Dragon loving Father

Father's Day is around the corner and it's a good time to start thinking of a nice gift for fathers. What if the father loves dragons? Good for his kids, but what do you gift such a father?

a good day by marco antonio torres

Here are a few ideas:

1. Get him 'Braq' a fully articulated dragon

Designed by Sonia Verdu, it's a dragon printed in 42 separate pieces on a 3d printer. Then the fun is in assembling it with an elastic cord. This makes it a fully articulated toy. Here's the link for more details.

2. Play around with e-lo lights
These are some of the most beautiful lights for designing. Just requires the e-lo wire, inverters and some imagination in shaping the wire to look like a dragon of your choice. With their strobing effect, this dragon will be a surefire hit!

3. Print a collage of images
Everybody loves a personalized gift. Get the kids to ask relatives and collect some images of their father from childhood to adulthood. Create a collage in the shape of a dragon and print it out. Rest assured that this gift is going to plaster a big smile on the dragon mad face of father!

Have a great Father's Day!

How to Train Your Dragon 3 and Earth Day - what's the connection?

It would have been nice to have HTTYD3 release in 2016, but it's not to be until 2018. The third part is going to drop us off where the Cressida Cowell books begin, with Hiccup talking of a time when dragons shared space with humans, which in turn means HTTYD3 will show a parting of Viking and dragon!

The books progressed to movies which in turn spawned a whole virtual Viking World with dragon games. Here fortunately dragons are not extinct. As I was reading about HTTYD3, it occurred to me that Earth too has seen the extinction of a series of creatures, some we know of and others we might not even be aware of. Fossils of dinosaurs help us understand creatures which seem more imaginary than real.

Dragon (Paul Halliday's) by Henry Burrows

Speaking of extinctions

Some of these extinctions are natural, but are humans causing some extinctions with our bad unsustainable choices. Are we as a dominant species disturbing the balance of nature with our oil spills, pollution, garbage floats etc.? Perhaps April 22nd being Earth Day, it is a good time to understand how we fit into this jigsaw of nature, and make choices which contribute to sustainable living. As David Brower the environmentalist said, “We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” 

Simple changes

Simple changes in the lives of ordinary citizens can help keep Earth as our home planet for longer. Reduce use of tissue, carry cloth bags, recycle your dry waste, compost, plant trees and most importantly teach your kids to live sustainable lives. Create less wastage. In our minds we must understand that what we do today will affect us tomorrow. Everything is interlinked. We are tightly coupled with the Earth's ecosystem, and must therefore ensure that our actions do not start an imbalance which might be hard to correct. 

This  Earth Day - activities for kids

Schools organize a variety of activities for their students. Along with this it is important for parents to lead by doing something special for Earth Day. It need be big, but it could be memorable. It is just an observance, but one of the world's biggest and most secular. 

1. Take a Walk

Yes, it's simple. Take a walk. Look around. In a jungle or a concrete jungle, nature has a way of creeping in and surviving. Be it a patch of green or the call of a bird, the happiness and calm we get from nature is incomparable. Our learning from nature is never complete. 

2. Share with one other

Young or old, the state of our planet affects one and all. Talk to one other this Earth Day to help them understand how their actions can make a positive change. Coax them to make a teeny weeny change - perhaps reduce their shower by a few minutes and save water or start carrying a cloth bag for shopping. 

3. Make a recycled item

Even as recently a few decades ago, people recycled extensively. With the use and throw mantra taking root, we have become a populace which uses and throws with little thought. But now there has been a rise in people who are recycling, designing new stuff out of the old and feeling good about their contribution towards reducing waste.