Why??? Nerf for girls.

My parents, sister and I went to the movies last Sunday for my mother's birthday. Through all the advertisement and commercials before the movie, we saw this:

Seriously? My sister and I shook our heads. Why would girls want their own version of the Nerf gun? I thought Nerf guns were cool when I was younger. If there were more kids in my neighborhood, then I'm sure we would play with those cool sticky foam darts.

*I'm not going to talk about the conversation of allowing kids to have "guns".*

(source)

I just want to express my feelings when I saw those girls in the commercial. Did you watch the video yet?

"I am strong." 

"I am fierce." 

"I am determined." 

"I am confident."

They sound off as they run in a field, shooting their pink and girly bows and revolvers. Oh, please. I wouldn't buy these toys when I was younger. I'd rather have the original Nerf shooters. Some kid would be sure to attack me because they'd see my glittery feminine weapon. 

Do we really need our own girl versions of Nerf guns to feel "confident" and "fierce"? The answer is NO.

I'll admit, the crossbows are pretty neat. But why are they so girly? I'd rather have camo.

Buzzfeed also gives some good pointers about this new toy for girls. 

Congratulations, Hasbro. Thanks for trying to keep us equal. [/end sarcasm]

This is my own opinion. I was not paid to write this. I'm a sociologist, so topics like these will come up on certain occasions.

Easter Games, Crafts and Recipes

I am reposting this entry because the last couple of ideas did not post!

My church is having an "Eggstravaganza" Easter event today, and I get to help with the crafts! I had a lot of fun helping the kids last year. I thought a list of new games and crafts would be a good idea for this year. Here are some different games and craft ideas that I found.

GAMES:

Picture: The Taste Tester

1) Memory Game - from MarthaStewart.com
Play a matching game that tests who has the best memory. Make matching pairs of colored eggs, dyeing on side only. You could also take plastic eggs and change only the bottom colors. Set eggs face down in an egg carton. The first player tries to find a match by turning over two eggs. If they match, he keeps them and goes again. If not, he turns them face down, and the next player is up. Kids keep taking turns until all the matches are found. Whoever finds the most matches wins the game. Plus, you could put little gifts inside the plastic eggs for more fun, like this next game.

2) Find the Coin - From Little Family Fun
Place a penny (or better yet, a golden dollar) in a plastic egg. Place other little treats in the other plastic eggs, so that they all have something in them. If you have a big group of kids, let them choose one egg and see what's inside. You go around the group until someone finds the coin. You can even place a golden ticket in one, so whoever gets the ticket wins the grand prize. You can also put Bible verses inside to make the game more story interactive, like these Resurrection Eggs from Sofia's Primary Ideas and TeachKidsTheBible.com. Or, you can try this next fun game.




3) Left Right Easter Game - from Diva Girl Parties and Stuff
Give every child a gift (or a plastic egg with goodies). Explain to the kids that they will have to pay close attention to the story, because while someone is reading the story of Jesus, the kids will have to listen for the reader to say LEFT or RIGHT. Whenever they say LEFT or RIGHT, the kids will pass their gifts in that direction. At the end of the story, they can open whatever gift they have in their hands. This game is good for any party or holiday. You can follow the story from Diva Girl, or you can write your own.

CRAFTS:

4) The biggest hit in our Easter event last year were these Magic Color Scratch Crowns from Oriental Trading. Kids of all ages enjoyed scratching different words and designs to make their crown personal. 

5) Secret Message Necklace Egg Craft - from Parent Teach Play
Another one of the crafts we've done at my church's egg hunt are bracelets and necklaces the kids can decorate themselves. I love how focused some children get when they are making things that they can proudly wear. I love this necklace idea from Parent Teach Play. You can use any color string or yarn, and the kids can add whatever color beads and trickets. Then just add a plastic egg with a message inside and you have a wonderful craft any kid would cherish.

Recipes:

6) Resurrection cookies - from Beneath My Heart
I never heard about these cookies until this year. I love the idea that you can share the story of Jesus' death and resurrection while using everyday ingredients to give your children a better understanding of the story.