Get Your Game On with Plays.Org

We're now entering the third week of my son's school break, and as expected, he's spending most of his time playing video games. I really don't mind if he plays video games for hours, after all, he's now on vacation and he deserves this break after finishing seventh grade with flying colors. Besides, with the pandemic and all, and the strict quarantine guidelines here in the Philippines, kids can't go anywhere and are required to stay at home all the time. Playing video games is their way of coping with the pandemic, and connecting with friends (think Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox) whom they haven't seen face to face for a long while.

Aside from the usual games on Playstation, Yue also plays games on his smartphone and on his desktop. (Yes, video games everywhere, on all platforms, haha!) Just recently, he discovered plays.org - a treasure trove of fun and free browser-based online games. The site immediately caught his eye not only because of the graphics, but also because of the plethora of games to choose from.

Well someone's having fun on plays.org! (Excuse the faded keyboard letters, lol)

Plays.org currently has over 150 games in their catalog, with one or two new games being added everyday. You can see some of the more popular game titles on the site's homepage, and you can check out the different game categories when you scroll down towards the site's footer. The site has pretty much everything - from classic arcade games to simulation games, puzzles and pattern games, even logic and word search games that can help sharpen the brain and improve your memory. What's even great about this site is that you don't have to download or sign-up anything. You simply play the games on your browser. There are no annoying ads or pops-up, too, which can be very annoying and bothersome when you're in the middle of a game.

Archery Stickman.

Some of the games that Yue found really fun and interesting are Super Knight Adventure and the Archery Stickman Game. The latter, as the name implies, is a basic game with stickman figures. You simply need to shoot the other stickman with arrows before he shoots you.

Super Knight Adventure.

Meanwhile, Super Knight Adventure is a beat-em-up game where you battle against zombies and collect coins and gems while you're at it. The objective of the game is to defeat the zombie and obtain the key to the treasure chest. You move on to the next level once you open the treasure chest. Yue enjoyed this game so much that he was able to finish all ten levels in fifteen minutes (maybe less). 

I played some of the games myself, and the geek that I am naturally gravitated towards the word games and the puzzle games. I love the Waffle Word Finder Game because it is reminiscent of my all-time favorite word game Boggle. 

Waffle Word Finder.

Find the Hidden Pug, on the other hand, is a cute and simple game inspired by Where's Waldo, where you need to find the pug hidden in a sea of dogs. There's a time limit, of course, so you have to find the pug as fast as you can.

Find the Hidden Pug.

I had a lot of fun browsing through the collection of games, and my son seems to have made it a goal to try each and every one of them, haha! Yue's playing time can go on for hours, but as long as he's done with his household chores (he's now in charge of watering the plants and vacuuming the house), and he doesn't skip meals or lose sleep over video games, then I'm cool with it. Being cooped up at home for more than a year now can definitely take toll on our kids, and these video games can help them get through the isolation and madness of this COVID-19 pandemic. 

Five Rewarding Activities Parents Can Do with Their Children.

One of the most difficult things as a parent is trying to find the time to give to your children, but not take away from your day-to-day responsibilities. Time with your kids doesn't have to be only about the kids. Want to do something that your kids will love, but also beneficial to you as a parent? Pick from these five activities below:

Coloring
Coloring is not only fun for children, but can also be a great stress reliever for parents as well. Whether you are choosing a coloring book and crayons or canvas paper and paint brushes, coloring is fun for everyone.

Yue at age 2 with his favorite Ernie plushie back in the days.

Coloring helps with motor skills and help in the development of muscles in your child's fingers, hand, and wrist that are important in developing a better handwriting. It also helps push boundaries and lets your child know that it is good to think of new ideas. There are also many benefits of coloring for adults such as reducing anxiety and stress, maintaining focus and mental as well as physical health.

Coloring is meditative. It is something that can be done without thinking too much. Thereby shutting the brain down and giving yourself a much-needed mental break. Staying between the lines takes focus and concentration, but adds no stress. Coloring is a perfect way to train yourself to focus on one thing at a time. Outside demands can wait until your time coloring is complete.

Build Something Together
Another great way for children and adults to work together is to build something. Whether you want to find a way to hang blankets up all over the room or maybe even get some large empty boxes stacked together, building a fort is a fun and imaginative learning opportunity. There are plenty of sources online that show you how to build a box fort.

Yue's favorite Ninjago Legos.

Much like coloring, building Lego blocks are not only for kids anymore. Concentrating on building will relax your brain and help train you how to focus on one thing at a time.

In addition, building model cars can be very time consuming for children and adults, but it teaches a very nice lesson about completing work and having a reward for it. Now each time your child looks at the car or plane they can think of the time and effort put into it.

It may seem counterproductive for some parents to think a video game can be beneficial and rewarding, but Minecraft can be. Minecraft is considered a “sandbox” game, which means you start from very little and create your world. It is a very easy to learn game. Your child will love that you are sharing interests with them, and it shares many of the same mental benefits as the activities already mentioned.

Get Active
Running around a playing with your kids may be the best activity a parent can do. Most of the games are the same as they were when you were little, so allow yourself to be a kid again.

The best way to get exercise is by having fun doing it, so play the games with your child that you played as a child.

Yue and Daddy playing arcade basketball.

It isn't just boys that like to play catch. Girls enjoy it too, so grab a baseball and a glove or a football, and toss it around the yard. Don't mind the sore muscles the next day. Another fun thing for kids and adults is to kick around soccer balls. You don't need to have expensive equipment to have a good time.

Walk, run, ride, or Rollerblade to your local park. The fresh air and sun will be beneficial to your body, and the memories made will help cement bonds between you and your children.

Swings and slides are not just fun for kids. It is surprising how much enjoyment you get by using playground equipment. You may look awkward as an adult on a child's swing, but the smile on your face will let you know it is worth it.

Learn
Learning with your child is a great way to show your child that learning is fun. Classrooms are great, but most of the time learning in an unstructured environment can be better.

Quiet time with books.

Find a day where you have little going on and fill it with fun learning activities such as picking out a book from the library or visiting a museum. There are also plenty of shows that you can watch and learn. Depending on your child's age it may be cartoons or documentaries, but make sure it is enjoyable for everyone. Do not use this time for anything other than focusing on your child and the information delivered by the show.

Moreover, it is very important for children to like to read. Reading is one of the most difficult things to learn, but it can be fun in the right environment.

Reading is important at every age, whether you are reading to your child, having them read to you, or just sitting in the same room reading. Being together is the most important part, but the habits being learned are invaluable.

Yue at an exhibition in Changgyeongung Palace, Spring 2016.

Audiobooks and podcasts can be a great way for children of any age – depending on the content – to learn while on the go. Every parent knows that those little ears are listening, even when they aren't supposed to, so you may as well take advantage of it. I am sure most kids would rather watch a Disney princess or Star Wars movie than to listen to a self-help book, but sometimes the medicine that tastes bad is the only thing that will make them feel better.

Kids Will Be Kids
For most people life was easier as a child. Use activities with your children as a bridge to the child you once were. Embrace parenthood and use the time with your children to give them growth, and find the benefits in becoming a kid once again. Parenting is tough, but all I can do is try to be the best mom possible, and keep growing with our kids.

Sneak Peek | Shu Uemura x Super Mario Bros. Collection.

 Back in the days when only landline telephones existed, cable subscriptions were costly, and the internet was practically unheard of, kids would spend their idle time playing outdoors, reading books at the library (and I say this because I used to do this when I was a kid, nerd much), or play video games on 'old school' gaming consoles like the FamiCom (Family Computer), NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), and Gameboy.

And back then, Mario and Luigi - collectively known as the Super Mario Brothers - were household names to the kids of my generation. My siblings and I used to spend hours playing this game, agonizing at the difficult stages, shrieking in triumph whenever we succeed in the boss battles. This game brings back fond memories of my childhood (granted that I don't have too many), that I just had to blog about Shu Uemura's holiday collection.

Shu Uemura x Super Mario Bros.

This year, they're collaborating with Nintendo, and this limited edition collection featuring our favorite plumber is every gamer girl's (and 80's kid's) dream!

Enter the Warp Zone to view the complete Shu Uemura x Super Mario Bros. Collection!

Here Comes Trouble!

Another fun day at the mall for my little mischief-maker! :)

Shared with Insta-Friday, Photostory Friday, and lots of Wordless Wednesdays. 

Practice Makes Perfect.

My son loves playing in the arcade. And which kid doesn't? The fun rides, the bright lights, the joyful clamor, the colorful games - they're all very inviting to a three-year-old child. If you're a parent like me, I'm sure you pretty much get the hang of what I'm talking about.

But it seems the enticing hustle and bustle of arcades are not limited to just kids and teens. I take my son to the arcade at least once a week (think of it as a reward for a good job at school) and I've seen quite a handful of adults having the time of their lives at a practice slot machine.

These slot machines are very simple and easy to operate, and just like the real ones that you find in casinos, they rely mostly on the player's luck. Its simplicity and ease of play can be highly addictive as some people actually spend hours on these free slots. Seeing how the players enjoy the game has gotten me curious, as it seems like winning in these games actually require skill and practice. I sure would love to try it for myself sometime. If only I don't have to chase after a rowdy toddler who wants to ride every single vehicle in the arcade and hops from one game booth to another!