Oh, what fun the 10 plagues can be!  We’re reading in Exodus 7-11 about when God sent 10 plagues on Egypt because the pharoah wouldn’t let the Israelites free.  I was looking online for a booklet or activity to help my kids remember what the plagues were, but found something even better.

I stumbled upon a website called Biblical Holidays, which gives information on the Hebrew roots of Christianity and holidays from the Bible.  They had a page called 10 Plagues Adventure that gives examples of things to do in your home that will allow your kids to ’experience’ the 10 different plagues.

We just started yesterday with the water turning to blood.  After I read that part of the Bible story to the kids, we talked about what it would have been like with the smell and stickyness… ew.  Then I started them all on Math so I could go add red food coloring to their water cups, their toilet, and their sinks.  As soon as they found the first ‘blood’ they understood what was happening, and went running around the house looking for more.

So today I put out little ’frogs’ everywhere: in the cereal box, in their beds, in the fridge, on the chairs and floor, everywhere.  I called them in for school (in the dining room) and they were asking what the green things were; then I read that part of the story, and they took off looking for all of the frogs.

What came next I wasn’t expecting.  I had read the whole ‘frog’ section to the kids: the Bible says that Pharoah asked Moses to pray to God to take the frogs away and he’d let the Israelites leave; Moses prayed, the frogs died, but then Pharoah changed his mind and refused to let the people go.   So after my kids found all of the frogs, they started putting them all around the house again, then asked me to really look at the frogs.  They had colored red crayon on each one to show they were dead, and then very seriously asked me, “Now will you let us people go… outside to play?”  Of course I said no, in true pharoah form!

This is such a great activity; the kids (and me!) are learning not just facts from the Bible, but are getting a taste of what the Egyptians experienced.  The frogs got a little annoying today, always underfoot and in every area; what started as fun is growing into an irritation, and we haven’t even gotten to the gnats on our skin for tomorrow!

10 Plagues of Egypt– Part 2

My kids are becoming proficient typers, all of them: ages 8, 7, and 5.  This is not thanks to my ever-patient instruction :) but a phenomenal website put out by the BBC.  Yes, that’s the British Broadcasting Corporation, and they have a knack for getting things on a kids level and teaching effectively.

In very fun and easy lessons they teach finger placement and build speed and accuracy; I have to set a timer to limit my kids’ time on this site because they love it so much!  I’m thrilled that they’re learning to type; with so much being done on computers now, it’s a skill that is essential.

In case you’re worried about little fingers hitting keys that you’d rather they left alone (let’s not crash Mommy’s computer, Honey!) you may want to try out the Crayola USB EZ-Type Keyboard.  I have not tried this out so I can’t personally endorse it; I’m just letting you know of an option that’s out there.  I was referred to it by my friend Jessie, and there were a couple of customer reviews on the site (it’s Target) so check it out if you’re interested. 

Jessie  gave me another idea, by the way.  My kids now have extra incentive to make it through all levels of the typing game: I’ve agreed to help them each begin a private blog of their own once they are adept at typing.  Won’t THAT be fun!?