5 fun activities for kids in rainy day

A rainy day doesn't have to ruin your Orlando vacation because there are several museums, indoor theme parks and attractions that cater to kids of all ages. Rainy days in Orlando are common during the summer months, with thunderstorms rolling in and out of theme park territory nearly every day. If you want to make the most of your Orlando vacation and the forecast calls for rainstorms and showers, here are some fun rainy day activities you can enjoy with the kids:

#1: Visit Titanic - The Experience 

If you only spend one day in Orlando, this is an indoor attraction you don't want to miss. Titanic - The Experience is a full-scale recreation of several cabins and decks of the legendary ship, and you can take a guided tour of the attraction (led by Captain Smith or Molly Brown, of course) to learn about the history of the ship and find out what happened on the fateful night when the ship sunk. The attraction houses authentic artifacts from the original ship, and features several interactive exhibits that are perfect for young children. This rainy day attraction is located at 7324 International Drive in Orlando; call (407) 248-1166 for more information.

#2: Have Dinner at Medieval Times 

The Medieval Times dinner show attraction is located in Kissimmee, a short drive from the major Walt Disney World theme parks. Kids of all ages will enjoy watching the jousting match and digging into a royal feast in an authentic stadium designed to replicate the jousting events of the medieval era. The Medieval Times dinner show is a fun rainy day activity that's available year round. The Medieval Times Dinner Show is located at 4510 West Irlo Bronson Highway in Kissimmee. Call (866) 731-9313 for more ticket information.

#3: Spend the Afternoon at WonderWorks
The WonderWorks attraction is located on International Drive near Universal Studios. Kids can spend an entire day here learning how to fly a space shuttle, playing virtual sports, and experiencing the earthquake simulator. The attraction is also home to a laser tag arena and the Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show. You can find it at 9067 International drive in Orlando; call (407) 351-8800 for more information.

#4: Visit the Orlando Science Center
The Orlando Science Center is home to dozens of interactive exhibits that teach kids about technology, nature and astronomy, as well as a planetarium that hosts some awe-inspiring shows. The center is open seven days per week and offers special programs, classes and workshops for kids throughout the year. Head here for the amazing laser light show during the summertime, or take a self-guided tour of the grounds for a fun, educational experience. The Orlando Science Center is located at 777 East Princeton Street in Orlando, a short drive north of downtown Orlando. Call (407) 514-2000 for more information.

#5: Play at DisneyQuest
DisneyQuest is Disney's indoor arcade theme park located in Downtown Disney near the major hubs of Walt Disney World Resort. Head here for an entire day of interactive games, virtual reality rides, laser tag and arcade games. Kids of all ages can enjoy this high-energy play center on any rainy day in Orlando. DisneyQuest is located at 1486 East Buena Vista Drive in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando. Call (407) 828-3800 for more information.

Publisher: uuibbui - 06:01

Big Fun For kids

It's the age old struggle: kids versus beets. Over the years, I have tried in vain to convince my kids that eating beets is great, but they were not buying what I was selling. Then I tried The Sneaky Chef cookbook, which had me preparing endless veggie purees and hiding beets in my kids most loved foods. For all my efforts, the results were often less than successful and I knew there had to be a better way. Why not take the deception out of feeding beets to my kids by making beets fun? There is no need to be sneaky in order to get kids to eat beets. Here are three fun and tasty ideas that will have kids eager to eat their beets.

Creative Painted Veggie Pizza 

Use play and creativity to get your kids to eat their beets by having them create a painted veggie pizza. To make Painted Veggie Pizza you will need two balls of pizza dough, olive oil, flour, two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and vegetable paint. First, make the veggie paint by steaming one cup of beets either in the microwave or on the stove top. After steaming, process beets until smooth in a food processor or blender. Add 1/4 cup of water so that the mixture will have a paint-like consistency. My kids love it when I make other colors of veggie paint to go along with the beet paint. Good choices are spinach, orange tomatoes and yellow peppers. I usually make a big batch of each color veggie paint and freeze for later use.

When you are ready to make your pizzas, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Divide each dough ball in half and flatten to make four small pizza crust canvases. If dough gets too sticky to work with, sprinkle with a small amount of flour. Now comes the fun part. Have kids paint their pizza crusts. I keep a supply of small food grade BBQ brushes on hand for this fun foodie project. Top each pizza with1/2 cup of cheese and bake on an oiled baking sheet about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand five minutes before slicing.

Heart Healthy Beet Apple Salad 

This salad is a surefire kid pleaser, sweet with vibrant colors. My kids call this heart salad because the deep red of the beets and pink tinged apples reminds them of valentine hearts. It really is a fitting name because beets are heart healthy root vegetables loaded with phytochemicals, folate, vitamin C, antioxidants, niacin, potassium, iron and carotenoids.

To make Beet Apple Salad, you will need to peel and shred two beets and two apples. I use my all purpose grater for this, but a food processor would also work well. My kids love Granny Smith and Fuji apples, but any kind of apple would be great. Have kids use their hands to mix the beets and apples together in a bowl. They love getting to play with their food and helping to prepare the salad will make them eager to gobble up the end result, beets and all. Make a dressing by mixing together a handful of dried cranberries, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and honey to taste. Let kids use their hands again to toss dressing and beet mixture.

Tasty Baked Beet Chips 

Another fun way to get kids to eat beets is to turn them into a healthier version of fat laden potato chips. Beet chips are great because the natural sugars in the beets give them just the right amount of sweetness to tickle small taste buds without added sugar.

To make beet chips you will need four beets, scrubbed clean with peels left on, one tablespoon of olive oil and sea or kosher salt. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice beets thinly, about the size of a potato chip. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt. Spread beets in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Flip beet chips over halfway through cooking time. Make sure you keep a careful eye on them so they don't burn. The longer you bake them, the crispier your beet chips will be.

Publisher: uuibbui - 10:41