Amazing Kids

The highly entertaining 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia came to a close with a thrilling gold medal game in men’s hockey between the United States and host Canada. In what was the most publicized and popular hockey game since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” U.S. victory over the then-U.S.S.R., the commentators acknowledged how kids would be on their rinks and streets back home pretending to be the stars of the game.

Perhaps, though, some kids don’t need to wait for “superstar” status. Between periods, pro hockey games often feature on-ice entertainment, from funny games to shot competitions. In a 2009 Boston Bruins game, 9-year old Oliver Wahlstrom may have fooled everyone with this crafty goal.

He hardly even looks like a 9-year old in the video! Can you imagine how impressed the fans (and maybe any scouts in the stands!) must have been?

Stay tuned for more kids doing amazing things here at the Growing Tree Toys blog.

My first handstand attempt at 6 years old: I was standing barefoot on the edge of the hard blue gym mat with my hands held shakily in front of me. Taking a step forward to brace myself, I placed my hands on the mat and pushed my feet in the air (but they didn’t stop there) – they kept going and going until … I crashed miserably onto the floor!

Balance and coordination are two skills I don’t have, so I’ve a laundry list of “no-no” activities that require large amounts of both, including handstands, skateboarding, and walking (on occasion). As an outsider of the “balance and coordination” group, I was awed and amazed to find that there are people – with awesome skills and years of dedication – that actually combine all three!

The question becomes: What has four limbs and rolls upside down? A handstanding skateboarder of course! These daredevils combine their love of skateboarding with their gymnastic ability to not fall over when their feet are in the air, leisurely coasting down hills and around curves up to a few miles at a time.

Best of all, this is one upside down activity that all ages can enjoy. In this YouTube video, Greg Bock throws down the skateboard handstand that he’s been practicing since 1975 – and he’s managing it on a curved, downhill driveway!

While I don’t recommend that you try this “hands-down” brand of skateboarding, I do think that it looks like fun (from a spectator’s point of view)!

According to my parents, I learned to read whole books when I was 2 (it was probably closer to 3), I learned to walk at 9 months (which is true), and I was “oh so smart and talented!” What did you expect? They are my loving parents.

While I believe I was a rather ordinary child, I’d like to introduce you to two toddlers who are anything but ordinary!

Two-year old Aiden Silva, with the aid of GeoPuzzles from GeoToys, has memorized the names of every country and its capital across the globe – even with weeks of studying, most adults would not accomplish such a task! From France to Ethiopia, this super-smart toddler can identify each country by shape and expertly pronounce (for a 2-year-old at least) their tongue-twisting capital names.

Aiden’s mind-blowing talent was justly awarded the Relly Award in the Junior Achiever: Amateur category. Way to go Aiden! I know I couldn’t remember all of those countries and capitals – especially in front of a studio audience! NOTE: The Relly Awards are Regis and Kelly’s spoof of the daytime Emmy’s where the winners are presented with a golden stool.

Here is a video of the terrific toddler in action:

Another toddler who turns ordinary into extraordinary is three-year-old Zach – a fantastic finger painter who turns splotch marks into works of art! Considering that even as an adult I have trouble drawing stick figures, it’s strange to watch this tiny tot create a picture of a Ninja Turtle using only blue paint, green paint, and his fingers. Watch the master at work (enjoy!):

What a talented couple of toddlers! They blow me away!

Source Citation:
“3-Year-Old Relly Award Winner Makes ‘em Roar!” http:abclocal.go.com. September 29, 2009. November 19, 2009. http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/entertainment&id=7038555

I remember the good old days when extreme sports were skateboarding and skydiving, but as more kids and adults attempt to conquer extreme sports, sport innovators reinventing the concept of “extreme” in hopes of out-performing everyone else. While trying to create a sport no one has ever seen before, one amazing kid has combined two of my favorite childhood toys – the hop ball and the trampoline – to create the ultimate bouncing experience!

Now, you may love the original Hop Balls (as well as the colorful and sparkly ones made today), but did you ever dream of turning your favorite low-to-the-ground bouncing ball into a sky-high aerial assistant?

And while I loved attempting to perform front flips on my neighbors oversized trampoline, I never dreamed that it could be used as a building block for the most unconventional action sport I’ve seen to this day.

So, the question becomes what do you get when you combine a traditional Hop Ball, an oversized trampoline, and a dedicated aerial acrobat? Why, you ask? Here’s why … Drum roll, please!

(We don’t recommend you try this at home – ever!)

Can you believe this kid was brave enough to go toe-to-toe with two extreme bouncing forces and come out on top? I can’t! And (for 10 minutes after I saw the video), I was smug enough to think “it’s not that hard” until I took my old trampoline and my sister’s hop ball and tried to just bounce up and down – I failed miserably! This new action sport requires use of coordination muscles that I have yet to develop, which leaves me with a whole new respect for this fancy flipping, sky high daredevil.

Yesterday, thousands of people around the globe spent the entire day attempting to break completely obscure and unbelievable records during the 5th annual Guinness World Record Day – and I missed it! Though I wasn’t fortunate enough to participate in any number of this year’s amazing record shattering events and world-record attempts, let’s take a look at some of those mind-boggling feats.

America has its very own style when compared to the rest of the globe, and this year our record-breaking attempts featured that patented American feel. And the records are …

• Most people twirling lassos simultaneously – 23 wranglers stole the show, and the records, at the Stockyards Championship Rodeo
• Largest cheerleading dance – 297 cheerleaders from the Universal Cheerleading Association joined forces to break this artistic record
• Largest cup of hot chocolate – this steaming beverage measured 11 inches tall by 14 inches wide and held 4 gallons of liquid
• Largest collection of lipstick prints in 12 hours – Maybelline New York and the USO joined forces to shatter this record with 1,817 pairs of lip prints
• Most people sport stacking simultaneously – the World Sport Stacking Association excepted to bring 300,000 participants together from 1,406 school for this attempt

Some events are too amazing to not be seen in person (or on TV), so without further ado, let’s look at the records shown live on the CBS Early Show:

• Most apples chopped in the air using a sword in one minute – this record was attempted by martial arts master Kenneth Lee (there’s no word yet if he succeeded in surpassing his previous record of 23)
• Most hula hoops hooped simultaneously – Paul “Dizzy Hips” Blair hooped 132 hula hoops
• Longest dreadlocks – Asha Mandela’s dreadlocks were 19 feet and 6.5 inches long
• Largest cling film ball – Jake Lonsway’s ball weighed 281 pounds 8 ounces and measured 11 feet 6 inches across

In other parts of the world, Guinness World Record attempts were plentiful as the record-breaking spirit swept across the globe. Here are some kooky record attempts and successes:

• Largest bikini parade – attempted at the Opera House in Sydney, Australia
• Most nationalities in a sauna – Finland broke with record with a total of 76 nationalities
• Furthest distance to pull a double-decker bus with hair – this record was broken in the UK with a distance of 69 feet, 6 inches
• Fastest time to eat a bowl of pasta (Italy) – this pasta bowl was consumed in 1 minute 30 seconds

This was just a small taste of the dozens of records attempted and broken across the globe during yesterday’s Guinness World Record Day – I hope I help to break one next year!

For more information on the records broken, check out: http://in.sys-con.com/node/1184435

When I was eight, I swore that one day I would break a world record and be showered with eternal glory (ah, the certainty of youth)! However, while I’m still searching for that elusive World Record title, the eastern United States is bursting with record breaking hijinks!

All good things come in three’s (or so I like to believe), so let’s take a look at the recent trilogy of successful World Record attempts.

Longest Bead Chain

The East Providence Education Foundation (EPEF) broke the Guinness World Record for the longest chain of beads ever assembled. Now, I should say that they shattered the previous record of 335 feet, which was set in the United Kingdom, because their “spirited” chain measured 1,349 feet (nearly quadrupling the previous record) and was made entirely out of red and white beads – their school colors!

The EPEF “Bead It” drive (as it was affectionately called) came about as a way to bring the community together while trying to ensure that this new record stands for awhile. Here’s hoping!

Giant Rubber Band Ball

Most people use rubber bands to hold a bundle of pencils together or to roll up a poster, but sun-loving Floridian Joel Waul has spent his spare time (over the past 6 years) stretching rubber bands of all sizes into a colorful ball! Joel has officially claimed the record for the largest rubber band ball with his 6-foot, 7-inch tall, 9,032-pound behemoth creation.

And, despite a few regrettable, rubber band casualties during the “building” process – a sprained hand, a broken toe, ripped cargo pants, and broken sunglasses – this rubber band beauty is on its way to the Orlando-based Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum for all to see!

World’s Largest Meatball

What do you get when you combine 280-pounds of raw meat and an overachieving Italian chef? You get a 222.5-pound Nonni’s meatball! Mathew Mitnitsky, owner-chef of Nonni’s Italian Eatery in Concord, NH, wanted to make a statement with his restaurant’s most popular food. And what a statement it is! The previous record for the world’s largest meatball was set in Los Angeles and weighed in at 198.6 pounds, but Mitnisky wanted “to bring the meatball back to the East Coast because that’s where it originated.”

The only thing better than cooking the world’s largest meatball, at least from my perspective, is getting to eat it afterwards, which is just what this chef had in mind. While this meatball may be a little larger than traditional meal-sized counterparts, it still remains a Nonni’s meatball and, therefore, is 100% edible!

From beads to rubber bands to meatballs, there’s a record for everyone. Maybe one day I’ll find mine.

Source Citations:
“Italian restaurant in Concord breaks world’s-largest-meatball record.” blog.taragana.com. November 1, 2009. http://blog.taragana.com/n/italian-restaurant-in-concord-breaks-worlds-largest-meatball-record-214466/
Lush, Tamara. “Florida man creates giant rubber band ball.” Associated Press. October 30, 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPy6wu45voxUFM5_wMguMZ3q-X7gD9BKM9OO1
Morse, George. “School support group crushes Guinness world record.” EastbayRI.com. October 29, 2009. http://www.eastbayri.com/detail/132038.html
Thompson-Odum, Linda A. “A 200-pound meatball in Concord? Maybe.” The Hippo. October 30, 2009. http://www.hippopress.com/091029/food.html