Piratey Things

Tyler received an Usborne Pirate themed Kid Kit from Uncle Gary and Aunt Carole as a gift and it's taken us a bit of time to get to do it, but this week he decided that It.Was.Time. On Wednesday night I told him that as long as he could get his homework done during Afterschool Care, we would be able to do the Pirate kit Thursday after we got home. Anyone who knows kids will realize that he darn sure didn't come home with homework last night! He was so excited to get started:And even more excited when he made the "first treasure" sighting!

This kit was soooo cool! It came with a lump filled with treasure to excavate, a brush (like an archeologist uses at a dig site), a small hammer and chisel set and an amazingly written book filled with facts about Pirates. Tyler had read the book the previous night so the whole time we were "excavating", he was regaling me with the information he learned in the book. Inside the lump, he found the pieces to a treasure chest, a ring, some pirate coins (which came from a Spanish ship, apparently), and a pistol and cutlass.

He was very excited by each piece he found and had a great time talking like a pirate. He coached me on how to say "Aye Aye Cap'n" with appropriate pronunciation and had a great time telling me the ways in which Pirates and Ninjas are similar and different.

As a parent, it is so fun for me to see him excited about things like this. Activities that make learning fun and that create memories of shared activities.

So...if you have a kid, or know someone who has a kid...RUSH out right now to buy them a Kid Kit. I'm thinking a Dino Dig, an Egyptian study or a magnet adventure might be in my future!