Game: "the American Un-Dream"

The American Dream: if you work hard enough, you'll succeed.

Do you believe this?  Many people do.

Too bad it's not true.

Let's look at 6 obstacles that can get in the way of success, assuming you work hard:

1. RACE: if you're anything but Caucasian
2. GENDER: if you're not male
3. MONEY: if you don't have enough
4. FAMILY: if you don't have support or the "right" connections; G-d forbid if you're abused
5. ABILITY: if you're mentally or physically disabled, or if you haven't had enough education or the "right" education
6. VALUES: if your values aren't compatible with those who decide if you succeed or not

This is one reason why, for example, Obama's success doesn't mean that all African-Americans have the same chances of success: most don't have access to the opportunities he had because he was actually raised in a White family.

Game:
Roll the dice.  Whatever number you get, see if you can think of a successful person with that many handicaps. 
For example: If you roll a 4, think of someone who is African-American, a woman, in a wheelchair and poor who has achieved financial success. 

The higher the number, the more difficult. 

And that is why the American Dream isn't true.

Word monster: reading game for a 3 year old

Take two A4 papers.  Tape them together along the sides so that the one in back is a little higher than the one in front.  Draw a monster so that the big mouth is on the opening.

Make small cards with names of people and other words your child knows. 

Say a word and have her find the card and "feed" it to the monster.

After "eating" 3-4 words, the monster has to poop them back into the box.  Only naughty monsters poop directly onto the table!

If the word is wrong, the monster throws up dramatically.