Book Description

Winning financial wisdom aimed at teaching kids real-world money skills.

From the bestselling author of Get Clark Smart comes this valuable new resource enabling parents to pass "Clark Smart" skills for saving and spending wisely on to kids of every age.

Clark Howard -- bestselling author, money-saving expert, and host of the popular syndicated radio program The Clark Howard Show -- is back with more of his winning financial wisdom, this time aimed at helping parents teach kids real-world financial skills for today and every day. Parents of children of all ages -- from elementary school through high school, college, and beyond -- will benefit from Clark's sound, uncomplicated advice across a comprehensive range of topics. In Clark Smart Parents, Clark Smart Kids, he addresses everything from allowances -- when and how much to give -- to teaching teens about credit cards and navigating the purchase of a first car -- how to get it, pay for it, and insure it -- to saving for college, paying off loans, staying out of debt, and much more!

A hands-on workbook section that parents and kids can use together will help assess personal spending and saving styles as well as show ways to improve them. It's all here in this must-have resource for parents. ... Read more

Book Description

107 interactive games and activities can be found in the pages of this easy-to-use book. Each game is fun, experiential, easy to lead, unique, and requires minimal resources. With 65 team challenges and 42 activities that help any team get to know one another, become comfortable with each other, and open up, there is something for every group.

If you work with youth, corporate groups, therapy groups, church groups, scouts, families, school groups, sports teams, at camp, or with any other group who must work together you will find helpful games and activities in this fun, energetic, and purposeful book! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The best I've seen.
This book was exactly what I was looking for to build teams with my middle schoolers. Many activities would also be useful with high schoolers or adults. I have a lot of the traditional games and team building activity books, but none were as well arranged or easy to use. Activities that use few or no props or items that are easy to find are what work best for me! This book is full of them!

Team-Building Games
What a great book! I am a high school teacher, and I'm not only trying to teach my students about literature and grammar, but also about teamwork, cooperation, and communication skills. This book has lots of activities that are divided into 4 levels from learning peoples' names to really opening up and sharing personal stuff. The instructions are easy to understand, and most require little preparation and supplies that you usually have around (pens, paper, tape, chairs, etc.) The book is well-organized beyond the 4 activity levels as well; for each game, the author clearly states the objective, the needed materials, instructions, and variations on the activities. For the second two levels, she also includes excellent discussion questions. It seems to me that these activities would really work with ANY group. Well worth the investment.

Pretty Good stuff!
Good book with good activities. Some are more involved than others and require some hefty prep and set up (if that's a problem, check out Miller's Quick Teambuilding Activities book, it's similar, but only has short, quick activities for when you are on a time crunch). I especially liked the writing format here, easy to skim the activities and quickly grasp the essense so you can decide if this is the one you wanna use!

Great for Boy Scout Junior Leadership Training!
I purchased this book to supplement the team building games provided by BSA. I was extremely pleased with the games that are offered in this book. We decided to try "Cup Stack" at one of our first training sessions, and since then it has become a staple game for us. The variety of games available has enabled us to create a completely new variation of Junior Leader Training every time out. I have just ordered Alanna's second book to enhance our program even further.

Excellent
Not a bad book... it is easy to follow, very easily adapted to many different audiences and I cant wait to use it this summer. Activities are well organized and practical.

I am so pleased with this book, I am going to order more by Alanna Jones. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Summer Review/Comments by Professional Educator at UAB
Engaging for the child. Mostly math and language activities of differnt types, styles, and complexities. Tasks get progressively harder toward the new school year. A good general purpose review and prep to keep skills fresh and build a few new ones before schools starts in August. Moderately well-illustrated.

Encourages independent reading and offers a suggested reading list--though parents should review any of these books for appropriateness for their child.. In choosing books for independant reading the key is for the child to enjoy reading challenging materials--let your child choose what interests them as much as possible. ... Read more

Book Description

This companion volume to The Out-of-Sync Child presents activities that parents of kids with Sensory Integration Dysfunction can do at home with their child to strengthen their child's abilities-and have some fun together along the way. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Any Child Has Fun!
This book transformed the way I looked at education...not just for children with special needs, but ANY child. This book is bursting at the seams with practical, detailed descriptions of activities that parents, teachers, occupational therapists can participate in with children to promote their sensory integration and academic success. I really appreciated the instructions giving ways to create or purchase equipment and also different variations on one activity to fit the needs of the child(ren) you are working with. This is a beautiful companion to "The Out-of-Sync Child" and I would highly recommend both of these books to anyone who cares about or works with children.

Great Ideas for all kids
This book has a lot of great ideas for kids with sensory integration problems, but I really think all kids will enjoy and benefit from the activities. It is easy to read and follow the instructions for the activities.

READ this for any child delays - physical,motor,speech
This is a fantastic resource that I reference again and again for great play ideas that actually help my son develop his brain in the areas of motor planning, fine motor, bilateral, etc. This book is FULL of great play ideas, like bean bag mania for bilateral integration and a simple length of cottom tubing as a proprioceptive giving tunnel. The obstacle course section alone is worth the price of the book; examples include, use flour to mark an outside obstacle course, like a line of flour on the grass for a somersault section... Get this book now, it is the number one idea resource for parents whose children are in OT (Occupational Therapy).

Amazing Insight
I just bought another copy of this book for the director of my daughter's preschool program. Carol Kranowitz has done an excellent job of outlining symptoms of and explaining sensory integration dysfunction.

Time for children with disabilities to have FUN!
Carol Stock Kranowitz has done it again! He first book, The Out-of-Sync Child was a god send for parents and teachers of children who have difficulties with processing and interpreting the sensory stimuli that they are bombarded with each day. Now, she goes a step further with her newest entry The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, which is a treasure-trove of activities that can help a child feel more comfortable with tactile, vestibular, proprieceptive, and other forms of stimuli. This really neat book starts out with an introduction to sensory integration and explains the sensory difficulties that children with Dysfunction of Sensory Integration [DSI] experience and then she discusses SAFE [Sensory-motor, Appropriate, Fun, and Easy]. Each subsequent chapter focuses on a particular sensory modality, such as vestibular, proprieceptive, visual, auditory and olfactory and gustatory [smell and taste].

Each chapter starts out with a thumbnail sketch of a child with that particular sensory challenge, then give a brief overview of that sensory dysfunction, including a modality. Each activity lists the appropriate age range, the materials needed, what the child can do, and the sensory benefits that the activity offers. Each chapter is like this, so the teacher or parent can select the chapter that best fits the child and go from there. This is also true for the section on SAFE activities for sensory-related skills, such as motor planning, oral-motor skills, fine-motor skills, and bilateral coordination. At the end there is an appendix which includes a glossary of terms relating to sensory integration, recommended materials, a list of places where materials can be ordered from. This book should have been available yesterday and it is not time for children with autism and related disabilities to have FUN while having a sensory processing therapy and there's not better place to start than this book! A DEFINATE MUST HAVE! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kept him busy!
I didn't want our son to forget what he had learned in Kindergarten over the summer, so I decided to challenge him for the 3 months he was off. This book was EXCELLENT! It breaks up the months and the activities so it's not all of the same thing until they get sick of it. The reward system worked great and if we missed a day, our son knew exactly how many pages he had to make up. I will definitely buy the 1 to 2nd grade book in June next year!

Good Summer Review/Comments by Professional Educator at UAB
Engaging for the child. Early math, shapes, sound matching, simple reading and other language activities of different types, styles, and complexities. Tasks get progressively harder toward the new school year. A good general purpose review and prep to keep skills fresh and build a few new ones before schools starts in August. Pretty well-illustrated.

Encourages independent reading (though what kids at this age can read is still fairly limited)and offers a suggested reading list. In choosing books for independant reading the key is for the child to enjoy reading challenging materials--let your child choose what interests them as much as possible. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Disappointing but useful
I bought this for my grandson, who has just finished the first grade, in hopes it would help him keep up the skills he learned and get him a little ahead for next year. I also bought the 4-5 book for his sister and brother.

Having observed what it took to get our oldest grandson through the school system and prepare him to compete for the best colleges (he won a scholarship to West Point), and having raised and educated four children of my own, I'm probably (dare I say it?) more qualified than a teacher to judge what's best in terms of academic materials. (I have also taught at the elementary level as well as in college.)

This material is too repetitive in terms of lessons already learned. It doesn't provide enough new material to be interesting, much less challenging. My first/second grader grandson is a disinterested but average student and he breezed through this book with barely a nod.

To be fair, the book did half of what I'd hoped. It does help him keep the skills he acquired. It doesn't, however, move him ahead. I will have to provide exercises to do that on my own.

The competition for top-notch colleges today is fierce. It will probably only get "fiercer" in the future. I'll be looking for other sources to help my grandchildren excel in their schoolwork.

Sloppy editing, and not challenging enough
While Summer Bridge has been a fairly decent way for my daughter to keep her skills fresh over the summer, it really wasn't challenging enough to hold her interest. She finished each day's work in about 10 minutes, and said she found the material boring. I think it'd be more useful to a child who needed a little remedial work before starting second grade. Much of the material was actually work that she'd done in kindergarten, and it's not as though my daughter's a prodigy; she's on a par with other children in a parochial school.

The other thing that annoyed me was incredibly sloppy editing - sorry, folks, but "gnat" is not spelled "knat", and there were a number of exercises that were misprinted. Since this isn't an inexpensive book, I don't appreciate spending money and finding it full of errors. Also, the instructions for some of the exercises were pretty unclear - there were a couple where I had to check the answers page to be sure of what my daughter needed to do. I'll hesitate before buying the same series next year, even though the concept is a sound one.

Summer Bridge Activities - First Grade to Second Grade
I would recommend this book to those first graders who still need to learn basic skills. It provides a great deal of practice in any basic skills taught in first grade and those needed to advance to second grade. However it requires about one full hour of work daily, which I think it's too much for a vacationing child who worked hard throughout the school year and obtained good marks.Besides it does not provide worksheets for any book even though there's a list of good reading books on one of the first pages. Another bad point of this workbook is the layout which is rather dull and will not attract the eye of your child. For those average to advanced first graders I would suggest a book like "Summer Smarts" which provides less practice in a more kid-friendly layout.

Summer Bridge Activities - First Grade to Second Grade
I am a teacher. I think that this book is perfect for a child that is in need to work on skills he/she has not mastered yet because it has so many pages! A child who has worked hard and has suceeded first grade does not need so much exercise. Besides pictures are boring and no reading guides are provided. "Summer Smarts" has fewer pages, activities are funny and related to a first grader's experiences. And it provides guided reading at the end of the book. However I would strongly suggest " Summer Bridge" to a child who has struggled during first grade and/or to a child who has not mastered basic skills yet.

Solid summer material
I was concerned that my daughter would lose some of her school skills over the summer. This book is designed to be attractive to kids, and easy to use for parents. It's set up so that kids get rewarded for their efforts. First grade concepts are reviewed, and second grade ideas are prepared for. It's easy to use, and well worth the price! I'll be purchasing the 2nd-3rd grade edition this year! ... Read more

Book Description

All new parents are eager to help their baby discover the world around them, and BABY PLAY was designed to help parents engage their infant in activities that will encourage developmental skills. From the first month home through the twelfth, BABY PLAY offers doctor-approved, age-appropriate activities that stimulate discovery, begin communication, and nurture parental bonding. Developed in close consultation with the play experts at Gymboree Play & Music, the book contains an introduction that explains the value of "play with a purpose," information on how babies learn, and tips outlining what a parent can do to help their little on get off to a good start.

The book also includes a glossary of key terms in child development, beneficial to any new parent, as well as detailed information on how parents can identify development skills as they emerge in their baby.From stretching exercises to puppet games, BABY PLAY encourages learning during that first critical year of life.

Look at what this book offers:

** Includes over 100 activities for babies 0-12 months.
** Organized by appropriateness for each month of life.
** Includes wide variety of play activities, from ball rolling to imitative play.
** Developed in consultation with the play experts at Gymboree.
** Contains a useful glossary of key terms in child development. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Colorful Book with lots of ideas for games with babies
This book is very nice and has lots of ideas for stuff to do with babies. A lot of the stuff are things most people do with babies anyway (Peek-a-boo, stretching and cycling) but it does have some ideas for songs you can sing while doing them and lots of great stuff to encourage babies development. Everything is categorized in age-appropriateness and skills. The index can be used to find activities using the skill you want to encourage in your baby (grasp and hold, coordination etc) If you have a new baby or are a caregiver or grandparent get this book of fun things to do with baby. This book also includes inexpensive toys you can make at home using stuff around the house.

Fabulous book to use through baby's first year
I got this as a gift when my son was almost 5 months old. I wish I had gotten it sooner because it has so many great ideas. The book is laid out according to age and the games you can play at those ages. Each page describes an activity you and your baby can do together and then explains what motor skills are used and developed. What I really like about this book is that it uses items that you already have around the house to make interactive "toys" for your baby. It just goes to show that you don't have to spend a lot of money to occupy their time. Oh, I almost forgot about the songs. The authors include lyrics to songs that you may have long forgotton since your youth. I had run out of songs to sing until I read this book. Now we have a whole new library!

Fabulous!!
This book gives you lots of ideas for playing with your infant right from the beginning. It is fabulous for first time parents and makes a great baby shower gift. I used it in conjunction with the Wee Exercise DVD (by LeBlanc and Barnes) and found the two together to be a great combination!! Either one alone is fabulous as well! Enjoy!!

Creative Ideas for Maximum Loving, Minimal Equipment
I am always on the look out for books that can help busy parents come up with creative ways to engage their babies in simple ways that may make a lasting contribution both in their loving relationship as well as help the baby's development over time.

This title does both nicely with colorful, inspiring illustrations as well.

Especially valued as well is the authors intentionally chose activities that are loosely structured, don't require purchase of special stuff and create the context for a lot of loving interaction between the baby and parrent.

Even as a creative parent, I run out of new ideas and love finding new techniques in one place, as Gymboree lays out here.

a good book for first time parents
I was first time parent and never really been around with other kids before. I didn't know what to do or how to interact with my baby. Playing with your baby is such important thing and will help them develop physically and mentally. This book helps a lot and is very easy to read. I would recommend to new parents that are not very experience with kids. ... Read more

Book Description

* Is your child halfway through first grade and still unable to read?
* Is your preschooler bored with coloring and ready for reading?
* Are you worried that your child will become lost in overcrowded classrooms?
* Did you know that early readers hold an advantage over their peers throughout school?
* Do you want to help your child read, but are afraid you'll do something wrong?

SRAs DISTAR® is the most successful beginning reading program available to schools across the country. Research has proven that children taught by the DISTAR® method outperform their peers who receive instruction from other programs. Now for the first time, this program has been adapted for parent and child to use at home. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a complete, step-by-step program that shows patents simply and clearly how to teach their children to read.

Twenty minutes a day is all you need, and within 100 teaching days your child will be reading on a solid second-grade reading level. It's a sensible, easy-to-follow, and enjoyable way to help your child gain the essential skills of reading. Everything you need is here -- no paste, no scissors, no flash cards, no complicated directions -- just you and your child learning together. One hundred lessons, fully illustrated and color-coded for clarity, give your child the basic and more advanced skills needed to become a good reader.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons will bring you and your child closer together, while giving your child the reading skills needed now, for a better chance at tomorrow. ... Read more

Reviews (201)

Amazing!
My son started attending phonics lessons when he turned 3-1/2 years old. He coped well with the single sounds but when the class moved on to three-letter words, he just couldn't do it and he totally lost interest in learning to read. So when I first got this book, he simply refused to try it (note: this book is quite useless unless the child wants to learn). I was finally able to motivate him with some fun stickers that he sticks on the pages after he completes each task. He was a lot more receptive to the methods presented in the book. We progressed quite smoothly, repeated some of the later lessons which were harder. It has been five months and my son is just over 4 years old. Not only is he able to read, this capability has strongly boosted his self-esteem and he enjoys reading.

structured program
This worked well for my five year old son who still had another 6 months to go before starting kindergarten. I felt he had the potential to learn reading basics but although I'm a teacher I wasn't sure how to approach this task with my own child. He didn't seem to be picking it up from my "whole language" approach. A homeschooling mom recommended this to me and I bought it immediately. It is a very scripted program (which goes against my grain and my training!) but I gave it a try. I have to say, the method has worked. I am halfway through the book and my son now knows most letter sounds and blends and can sound out words, it makes sense to him. It is far from "magic" however. It requires a sustained committment, and the child has to focus and concentrate at each session, but the lessons are short enough and there is enough repetition for him to experience success, which is motivating. I also don't follow every script exactly and have skipped the "sounds writing" part of the lessons. I'll go back to that part later. My main focus now is on phonetic awareness, and the book works for that.

Outstanding Book-- my son looks forward to lessons!
This book has aided me in one of the most rewarding experiences in parenting so far. I started teaching my 4 yr old to read without any guidance and found myself misleading him. This book helped me teach him clearly and covered many aspects of reading I hadn't anticipated such as reading comprehension and punctuation. We spend good quality time together and to keep it interesting I find myself coming up with creative ways of keeping it fun. This is probably the best buy I have ever made for my child. He is reading extremely well now and will be more than prepared for kindergarten.

Worked for us!
I used this book with my 4 year old son, and he's reading very well now. For the first 8 or 10 lessons, I found I had to work pretty hard to keep his interest, but once he was able to read words and stories, he wanted to do 2 or 3 lessons at a time. Based on the results of the book, he's been moved into a reading class with older kids at his school (his school has both a pre-school and elementary grades). I'm planning on trying the book with my 3 year old daughter this summer.

Good for kids not familiar with letters
I bought this book for my 5 and 4 year olds. I LOVED the concept and can see how wonderfully it would work with young kids who have not yet been introduced to letters.
My kids were already very familiar with the names and sounds of the letters and did not like to call them "sounds". We stopped using the books for now because they are reading well with phonics and love the other books we have. However, maybe at some point they will get confused with words where the sounds don't make much sense.
I might return to this book and continue from the last half - it is amazing the texts kids can read if they follow this book religiously!!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Buy these books a year ahead
I bought this for my grandson and granddaughter, who have just finished the third and fourth grades, in hopes it would help them keep up the skills they learned and get them a little ahead for next year. I also bought the 1-2 for our just-finished first grader.

Having observed what it took to get our oldest grandson through the school system and prepare him to compete for the best colleges (he won a scholarship to West Point), and having raised and educated four children of my own, I'm probably (dare I say it?) more qualified than a teacher to judge what's best in terms of academic materials. (I have also taught at the elementary level as well as in college.)

This material is too repetitive in terms of lessons already learned. It doesn't provide enough new material to be interesting, much less challenging. Reading to and with them provides more in terms of education than these workbooks. They're just too easy.

To be fair, the book did half of what I'd hoped. It does help them keep the skills they acquired. It doesn't, however, move him ahead. I will have to provide exercises to do that on my own.

The competition for top-notch colleges today is fierce. It will probably only get "fiercer" in the future. I'll be looking for -- and developing -- other sources to help my grandchildren excel in their schoolwork.

excellent series
The Summer Bridge Activity series of books is an excellent way for kids to have fun and learn during the summer. I have used the book with three of my children at different grade levels. My children have continually entered the school year tops in their classes. I would recommend these books to any parents who are interested in their childs learning abilities. Great books.

A great way to avoid the summer backslide.
My daughter completed at least one full page Monday through Friday this past summer and tested the highest in her 4th grade class this fall in reading and in math. She has always been a strong reader, but lacking in confidence in her math skills. We'll continue to use this book during school vacations, and the next book this coming summer.

Good Summer Review
Workbook is a fairly comprehensive coverage of basics of third grade. As with all supplementary material, parents/teachers may want to highlight specific subjects that students need help. I found the pace to be appropriate for summer days, and the writing exercises with prompts help even the most reluctant writers to try! I recommend this book to the parents of my incoming fourth grade students.

Good Summer Review/Comments by Professional Educator at UAB
Engaging for the child. Mostly math and language activities of differnt types, styles, and complexities. Tasks get progressively harder toward the new school year. A good general purpose review and prep to keep skills fresh and build a few new ones before schools starts in August. Moderately well-illustrated. Encourages independent reading and offers a suggested reading list--though parents should review any of these books for appropriateness for their child. Books off this list that increase vocabulary and reading skill without frustrating your child are also very appropriate. The key is for the child to enjoy reading challenging materials--let your child choose what interests them as much as possible. ... Read more

Book Description

365 fun, creative activities to stimulate your toddler every day of the year.

This book contains 365 activities (one for each day of the year) for one-and-a-half to three-year-olds using things found around the home. It shows parents and day-care providers how to:

Reviews (1)

Good activity book for summer.
This book is a nice introduction to kindergarden work. I'd particularly recommend it for kids who already like doing "worksheet" type activities. My son's older brother has started the 45h-5th bridge activity book, so both signed the contracts in the beginning-if they complete 20 days they get a trip to the toy store, and both work on their books at the same time. This is no substitute for interactive learning, or playing, or reading to them, but keeps skills from getting rusty, and in the case of my pre-kindergardener gets him thinking about the sorts of things he'll be doing next year. ... Read more

Book Description

We all want the best possible starts in life for our children, and one of the best possible starts in life, educationally, is the "method" pioneered by Maria Montessori and taught successfully today throughout the world.

Now, Lesley Britton, the leading Montessori practitioner in England for more than twenty years, will show parents how to bring Montessori home. If you would like to facilitate the development of your child's unique personality, make it possible for him to develop to his full intellectual capacity, and help him become socially and emotionally well adjusted, then this is the book for you.

Montessori Play and Learn is packed with ideas, activities, and games that can fit into your normal routine and help supplement preschool learning for your child. For planning your home, introducing your child to the supermarket or the neighborhood, and helping him discover other people and cultures, this book provides valuable tips and insights that help parents and children grow and learn together.
-- Create hundreds of learning opportunities from everyday life
-- Learn dozens of games and activities to help prepare children for mathematics, reading, science, and writing
-- Make your home environment as stimulating for your child as the best Montessori preschool ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Excellent tool for parents of pre-school age kids
Montessori school can be unbelieveably expensive (approx. 500 dollars per 8 week sessions, and that's just half days!), and your child has to be "approved" in most institutions. Based on the teaching of Maria Montessori, it is designed to help toddlers and young children learn in five simple steps: observation, participation, practice, "eureka" movement, and performance. This learning process can help youngsters be well ahead of the game by the time they go into Kindergarten. While a Montessori school can help give your kids interaction with kids of all ages, you can still apply this method of learning in the home, as Montessori pointed out: "Parents are still the child's first and most important teachers".

"Montessori Play and Learn" is a great tool to have in applying this learning method at home. It isn't difficult or complicated but does require dedication to achieve your goal. In other words, buying and reading this book and performing only a handful of the ideas on an irregular basis will not get your child where you'd like him/her to be. Activities are broken down by age groups, and games can be something as simple as putting 10 bottles of herbs and spices on the table for your child to smell and explore. Other tips included exploring the neighborhood, setting the dinner table, allowing them to do tasks (such as applying lip balm) you'd normally do for them (this gives them a sense of accomplishment), and other activities that stimulate our children's inborn motivation to learn. Worth finding a used or out-of-print copy until Crown decides to publish a revised edition.

A must for parents with small children
Parents often wonder what activities they can do with their children to help them learn, this book is crammed with great ideas! The activities are mostly simple to set-up, they are fun for the kids and help kids learn a variety of skills. Every parent of an under-five should own this book.

Montessori for the home
Great ideas on making your home a prepared environment for your child to flourish in!

Montessori Play & Learn
I have heard so many wonderfull things about this teaching method that I am wanting to use it with my two children. So PLEASE re-print the book. So many parents are wanting to use this book to help their children to get a head in todays fast past world.

Montessori parents want this book too.
This book is highly recommneded by Montessori schools everywhere. As parents we need this book to be available. WHERE IS IT! Get us copies. It is a wonderful book that all parents should read if they have a little one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

summer bridge activities- wonderful
This book is a great book it helps kids learn over the summer and kids just love it, its interesting to. Before my son did not want to do math language or reading, but with this book its a challenge for him so he does it, and not only for that, but the activities are fun, I even think so. I recommend this book to everyone. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terrific
This is a great book to use to work with your child a little (10 minutes) every day during the summer months to keep the basic math and language skills up to snuff. It has lots of motivating rewards built in and my kids actually agreed to do it, in order to get the rewards. It was also a good opportunity for me to sit down with each of them and learn what they did and did not know from the expected grade-level skills. And to focus on the short-falls. I have used each of the books in the series now for the last 2 years and will again this year. ... Read more

Book Description

365 FUN, CREATIVE ACTIVITIES TO STIMULATE YOUR PRESCHOOLER EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

This book contains 365 activities (one for each day of the year) for three- to six-year-olds using things found around the home. It shows parents and day-care providers how to:

• Save money by making your own paints, playdough, craft clays, glue, paste, and other arts and crafts supplies.

• Prevent boredom during even the longest stretches of indoor weather with ideas for indoor play, kitchen activities, and arts and crafts projects.

• Stimulate a child's natural curiosity with fun reading, math, and science activities.

• Encourage a child's physical, mental, and emotional growth with ideas for music, dance, drama, and outdoor play.

• Celebrate holidays and other occasions with special projects and activities.

• Keep children occupied during long trips or cross-town errands.

The Preschooler's Busy Book is written with warmth and sprinkled with humor and insight. It should be required reading for anyone raising or teaching preschool-age children. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Ideas
This book is full of great ideas! If you have any questions about what activities to do with your children, than this isyour book. It is broken down into catagories, and each activity has a supplies list. The book also has recipes for paint, glue, glitter, etc to save you money. Best of all, it was written by a stay-at-home mom!

a great resource for caregivers of energetic preschoolers
I have gotten a lot of use out of the author's book for toddlers, and feared this book might contain too much overlap, but I figured it was worth a few dollars to find out and I was pleasantly surprised. This edition dives into math, reading readiness and more challenging crafts. Kudos to the author, who could have been lazy but wasn't!

The book is nicely organized and the author writes with humor and affection. A chapter of introduction helps you plan, supply and mentally prepare for those long days when you are running out of ideas, and subsequent chapters organized projects into the following sections: Rainy Day Play; Kids in the Kitchen; Outdoor Adventures; Out and About; Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic and More; Music, Dance and Drama; Arts and Crafts; and Birthdays and Holidays. Most activities are simple to set up, generally using two to four common household items. Appendices list recipes for basic paints, doughs, glues and clay; activities for a Crazy Can (a random drawing setup implementing activities that aren't messy and need little supervision); gifts children can make; best books for young children; and resources. The index lists projects (but not materials, which would be helpful in later editions).

The book subtitle, 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 3- to 6-Year-Old Busy, says it all. I found quite a few good ideas in this well-organized, friendly guide.

Great Resource or Gift
I love these books. I had The Toddler's Busy Book, too. These books are the source of my most admired activities -- people are so impressed when they see a picture of my daughter in our indoor rice crispie "sandbox". (not all the ideas are that bold!)
My daughter had immune problems as a toddler and we were housebound during the winter in a condo with no yard. I don't know what I would have done without these books!

I love them so much I buy them as gifts for people. My best gift for a mom who is expecting who already has a child is this book (or the Toddler one if more appropriate), along with a rubbermaid storage box with individual baggies filled with some of the projects ready-to-go. During crazy times or when the older child is bored, she just has to pull out one baggie, I have copied the directions sheet and it is already in the bag with the supplies. My finest gift!!! And not expensive, either.

I hate to be the one to leave a negative review...
but I found this book to be very flimsy. Do we really need yet another recipe for glue, play dough, and other things that can be purchased ready made very cheaply? Out of the 365 "games and activities" in this book, I'd have to say I found maybe 3 to 5 that I might try. Most of the others would pretty much come to any Mom's mind naturally, and a lot of them are just useless.

The busy book series, help for the out of ideas parent
Before I had a child I felt that I was a pretty creative person, but I soon realized that I had run out of ideas. It was difficult to figure out projects that my toddler, now preschooler could do and that we could do together. We only recently purchased this book and have done several of the projects. The projects are inexpensive and the things you will need are easy to find. My son and I have enjoyed what we have done so far and look forward to doing many more of the projects listed in the book. The projects are grouped in such categories as "Rainy Day Play", "Outdoor adventures", "Music, Dance and Drama", "Arts and Crafts"... so things to do are easy to find. We love it. ... Read more

Book Description

"This is a story about how I was saved by love at a time when most people considered me beyond rescue," begins Victor Rivas Rivers in this powerful chronicle of how he escaped the war zone of domestic violence -- too often regarded as a "private family matter" -- and went on to become a good man, a film star, and a prominent activist.

The Cuban-born author begins by recalling when he was kidnapped, along with three of his siblings, by his own father, who abandoned Victor's pregnant mother and took the children on a cross-country hell-ride that nearly ended in a fatal collision. This journey of survival portrays with riveting detail how, instead of becoming a madman like his father, Victor was saved by a band of mortal angels. Miraculously, seven families stepped forward, along with teachers and coaches, to empower him on his road from gang member to class president, through harrowing and hilarious football adventures at Florida State and with the Miami Dolphins, to overcoming the Hollywood odds and becoming a champion for all those impacted by domestic violence.

Though at times Victor's odyssey is heartbreaking and disturbing, A Private Family Matter is ultimately a triumphant testament to humanity, courage, and love. Profound and poignant, it is a compelling memoir with a cause. Victor Rivers's way of thanking all the angels and advocates who made a difference in his life is by trying to make a difference in all of ours. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Monster And His Handsome, Talented, Nurturing Son
A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER takes up the story of one of Hollywood's leading actors, whom you have seen in so many TV shows and movies, and strips off the surface to reveal that behind the handsome mask he wears, a nightmare of terror and horror will forever haunt Victor Rivas, as the demons that have haunted him since childhood keep whistling through his mind like witches on broomsticks.He never has had a day without reliving the traumas of his difficult youth, particularly standing in the shadow of an abusive Dad, whose beatings he endured on a regular basis.Sometimes the father seems so wound up he's unreal, but through the eyes of a child, evil often wears a human face, and all too often, as Mr. Rivas demonstrates, that evil is in the father.

I liked all the Cuban stuff, an area I know little about.The family left Cuba when Castro came to power, because his father's family occupied important positions in the cabinet of the corrupt dictator Bautista (still fondly remembered, it seems, by many anti-Communist Cuban Americans).When you read A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER perhaps you, like I, flashed back to the great novel by Reinaldo Arenas, BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, with its odd mixture of a longing for indigenous culture and a fleeing from its misogynist and anti-child aspects.The smells and sounds come out at you in waves of sensuous description.

Most of all, however, you feel the boy's pain.His father was truly a monster, and his mother was completely cowed by what amounts to the abuse he meted out to whoever got in the way of his anger and machismo.Beyond that, Victor reveals what it took to get him to become a productive adult.There had to be a lot of repair work done on this man.Next time you see him in the movies, think of how much his acting talent comes from the resources it took for him to find the light in a dark world of abuse.And now he helps others who have suffered some of the same syndromic abuse.Highly recommended.

Get This For Your Son
Victor Rivers displays such courage, both in escaping from the horrible violence his father inflicted on him, and in breaking the cycle with his own child.Every parent should buy this book for their sons; Victor's father is an extreme example, but any kind of emotional or physical abuse is WRONG, and our children need to be taught that being a real man means never, ever resorting to violence.

Amazing, powerful, inspiring story
This is one of the most powerful books I've ever read.At first you react with shock, then disbelief, tears, and finally joy as you ride with Victor on his incredible journey.The story is unbelievably compelling - I couldn't put the book down, though some events were so difficult to read about, I wanted to.Victor's father is more than a match for any terrible fathers in past books -- THE GREAT SANTINI, for instance.But what's really amazing, and really moving, is how Victor triumphed over the odds, with the help of his "angels," to become not only a good kid but the school's valedictorian and eventually a good father.

It's also great that there this is a lot of information at the end of the book in how to get help if you need it or how to become involved in the movement if you feel so inspired - and after reading this incredibly powerful book, you will.

With Grace And Courage
I have the utmost respect and love for Mr. Rivers and his family. It was traumatic to read this book, but I would not give back a moment shared. Sadly, many of us know the debilitating effects of both physical and verbal abuse. We spend a lifetime, with varying degrees of success, juxtaposing the violence of our youth, and the shaming of our souls by those who should unconditionally protect and love us, against the reclaiming of our lost innocence, determination and optimism. Our hearts and souls deserve so much more. To have endured such extreme abuse, and to have fought with so much heart to overcome the systemic indifference of the police, school administators and others who never asked why Victor was so reactive, to have endured long enough to let the angels over ride the evil and negligence, is a testament to Victor's courage, heart and spirit.
This book is amazing not only for it's vulnerability and pain, but also for it's willingness to reveal the depths of darkness so that others in need might have heroes and hope.
I don't think I ever cried so hard while reading a book, but I could not turn away. I was riveted to the page. Thank you to Victor, Mim and Eli for all of your courage and love. READ THIS BOOK! And while you are at it, read Mim Eichler Rivas' BEAUTIFUL JIM KEY. What a family. So much kindness, patience, talent and generosity of spirit. ... Read more

Book Description

Overcoat Day. Welcome Summer Party. Monthly Pizza Blast. Bus Stop Party.These are just some of the enjoyable and inventive new traditions you 'll find in The Book of New Family Traditions.Life isn't like it used to be, and we need to invent new traditions for today's families. Meg Cox guides you through the simple steps that help families fully cherish all of those special moments and milestones, help heal the wounds of trauma and loss, and strengthen that indomitable spirit of identity within a family. With The Book of New Family Traditions, your family can create the kind of celebrations that lead to everlasting happy memories.When author Meg Cox became a mother in 1994, she started a personal quest to find inspiring, contemporary family rituals. She sought rituals that were simple but profound, practical and yet lots of fun. Using her skills as a journalist, she spent more than three years interviewing diverse families all over the country and compiling a collection of inventive new traditions. In this book you'll find fresh ways of commemorating established holidays like Thanksgiving and July 4, Passover and Easter, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. You will also find original observances for birthdays, bedtime and dinnertime, not to mention a whole compendium of unexpected traditions: sports rituals, pet rituals, homework rituals, vacation rituals and family meetings, among others.The Book of New Family Traditions provides a wealth of fun, easy and creative new celebrations for your family for every occasion. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Highly Recommended!
This book is filled with so many wonderful ideas it's actually uplifting to read. And as you do, you get the feeling that no matter how busy your life is, there's a family ritual that's just right for you. If you want to discover simple, practical things you can do to enhance the texture of your relationships with your children, this is the book to buy. Meg Cox's creativity, vision, and committment to families ring through on every page.

Breezy and fun yet deep and meaningful.
Meg Cox's latest book is a winner! Culling from interviews with families nationwide and from her own astute observations, Cox shows us how rituals can strengthen our family bonds, can help to ground us (especially helpful in such uncertain times as these have been) and can provide us with meaningful memories. Just as rituals add pizazz to daily life, Cox's book brings a fresh and vigorous perspective to the body of literature on the subject of tradition. Brimming with stories and tips, wit and wisdom as well as colorful illustrations, this book is tantamount to the Whole Earth Catalog of rituals. A creative way to teach good values.

a joyfull and insightful reading experience!
This book of new family traditions is so reader-friendly and so comfortable to pick up and browse that I can hardly get my copy out of the hands of my co-workers...The presentation and style are perfect for the topic and the information presented is easy to digest and creative enough to encourage our own ideas on the topic. This book is ideal for new parents but even us older parents of teenagers. This should be on the bookshelf of every one who cares about family or has one and wants to celebrate that special and loving relationship!

Something for every family
I love this book! I found it at the library, and now I have to buy my own copy. It's got a variety of ideas for everyone- for example, for Winter Holidays- traditions for a Solstice Celebration, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa. And ideas for all ages from toddler/preschool age to graduation. And, most importantly, it explains why rituals are important in building a strong family- what the elements of a successful family tradtion are, and how you can create your own. ... Read more

Book Description

52 playful and easy to understand activites to hhelp parents teach children moral lessons that they won't forget

A child says, "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kids is a book about seeing and doing--a book that gives parents the ability to teach the powerful principles of honesty, trust, generosity, love, and other values. Children will discover the objectives themselves as they actively participate in fun games and activities.

The games can be done in any order, with very little planning and with very few supplies--just common objects most people have around the house like toothpicks, string, pennies, or an apple. Some can be done while riding in the car, and others can be expanded to fill a whole evening with family fun. The activities in 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kids will not only create cozy and enjoyable moments of family togetherness, they will have a lasting impact on your growing child. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Extremely valuable!
Jamie Miller provides detailed instructions on how to teach the lessons in the book. Not only is it quick and easy to follow but the lessons I teach my kids, will stick with them for a long time and hopefully pass on to their kids. I am thankful for a book like this to help me raise my child in a positive and fun way.

Great Idea
We use the games in this book as the basis for discussions about character at the supper table with our 11 and 15 year olds. Jamie C. Miller had a great idea with this book. I think our kids will take away valuable lessons on values for their whole lives, and maybe do the same for their own kids someday.
Also recommended: Norman Thomas Remick's book of character called "West Point: Character Leadership Education..", which is an education in and of itself, and which my husband and I constantly refer to.

Geared towards kids under 10
I purchased this book after reading the glowing reviews from other parents. The concepts are great, the games and activities - truly ten minutes or less - are creative and effectively teach the lessons they set out to teach. However, I disagreed with previous reviewers who found this book helpful for opening up lines of communication with their pre-teen and teenage children. These are sound lessons, but I don't see how any parent could get their older children to participate without a lot of eye-rolling and protests of "I am SO too old for this." More interesting for older kids are "201 Questions to Ask Your Parents" by Pepper Schwartz or "201 Great Questions for Kids and Parents" by Jerry Jones. Both books allow older kids to ask parents about their feelings and life experiences in a way that makes them recognize parents as regular people, just like them, who grew up just like they did, learning and making mistakes along the way - not infallible, inaccessible, or larger-than-life as we sometimes seem.

Wonderful Fun
I start our weekly family meetings with a lesson from this book. All three of my boys (ages 8, 13, & 17), have gotten lots of fun and value from the books lessons. Mom & Dad Too!

A must for school counselors
I am an elementary school counselor and found several activities in this book to use in my classes. The students cheer when I walk in the room. They expect to learn through the fun activities I used from this book. If you like to have creative lessons you'll love this book! ... Read more

Book Description

I Love You Rituals offers more than seventy delightful rhymes and games that send the message of unconditional love and enhance children's social, emotional, and school success. Winner of a 1999 Parent's Guide Children's Media Award, these positive nursery rhymes, interactive finger plays, soothing games, and physically active can be played with children from infancy through age eight. In only minutes a day, these powerful rituals:

• Prime a child's brain for learning
• Help children cope with change
• Enhance attention, cooperation, and self-esteem
• Help busy families stay close
• Affirm the parent-child bond that insulates children from violence, peer pressure, and drugs, and much more.

Easy to learn and especially effective in stressful situations, I Love You Rituals gives parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers inspiring tools to help children thrive.

Reviews (4)

Too Specific
I was disappointed in this book. It is geared more toward adoptive and foster care families rather than others who are looking for some fun ideas to share with their family. I only got one or two workable ideas out of this book. For people looking for simple fun things to do everyday and on special days, I would definitely suggest instead "The Book of New Family Traditions" by Meg Cox. That book has a lot wonderful ideas about celebrating milestones and theme nights and funny things to do and serious things too.

Finally, positive Nursery Rhymes
I finally found a book with positive nursey rhymes! The author has brilliantly rewritten the familiar old rhymes (which are often negative and scary) in a reframed more positive manner (i.e. three blind mice become three caring mice etc).

The re-written rhymes make this world seem like a more loving and caring place for a child. Children grow up so fast...soon enough they'll be in the "real world". Why not let the little ones enjoy a safe loving place, where everything is good, a little longer? Highly recommend to give children a sense of security and trust. Also, the game ideas are fantastic. You can't go wrong with this book.

I Love Your Rituals
A really great concept. Teaching children through play while building confidence & trust. Lots of fun games to play with your child.

Wonderful book for all kids and moms!
I just purchased this book after having been recommended it by a leading expert on kids with attachment/severe trauma problems. It is wonderful, easy to read and makes much sense from a clinician's and parent's perspective.

I recommend it to all with young children, it is full of nurturing and fun activities with full explanations and rationale. Certainly a must buy for any adoptive/foster parent to increase trust, attachment, and bonding.

Kandice J. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Excellent source of spiritual and practical guidance.
I read this book 8 years ago. I have read over 50 parenting books since then and this book is still my favorite. This book gives you the sense of stepping back and trusting your instincts and really enjoying your child. Ms. Baldwin gives wonderful resource lists for simple toys, games, beautiful music and additional books. This book gives a wealth of information on practical ideas for creating a harmonious, beautiful life for your child. All parents should read this book.

Refined my perspective on what is best for my children
This book is one of the few books on parenting and early childhood education that is based on the child's true needs. This book truly allowed my inner parenting philosophy to blossom. Other readers should note that this isn't another book on what to do with your child to "make them smarter" or "advance their development", and such conceptual paradigms are actually inappropriate for promoting our children's internal developmental timetables and learning processes. It is also important to note that the foundation of this book is based on Rudolph Steiner's approach to parenting and early childhood education, known as the Waldorf method. My twins are soon approaching toddlerhood and we are researching different educational styles before they reach their preschool years. Even though I am not sure if my husband and I will choose a Waldorf education for our children, I believe the arguments in this book made sense in terms of creative and explorative play being the critical foundations of learning for small children, and that drilling them with academic lessons too soon may be harmful to their ability to truly learn once they reach their school age years in terms of developing critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as giving small children the impression that learning is a chore rather than something that is fun and exciting. As a new parent I was so tempted to fall into the media-based hype of how to make my babies "smarter" or "advance their development" and buy various advertised products that make those claims. I now undestand how miseducated I was on early childhood development and my children's true needs during their first year in spite of the many books and magazine articles I've read. I think that so many parents feel the pressure to feed into that hype because we are made to feel that our competence as parents is based on how much our children fit into our socially conditioned definition of success which involves placing a high value on attributes that will allow one to have power and financial wealth, thus the temptation to mold our children into whiz kids and star athletes when some kids just aren't meant to be whiz kids and star athletes. This book gave me a reference point as a new parent on the kind of learning foundation and home environment I want to provide for my children, and assured me of the benefits of seeing my children as whole people -mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Nothing new to me
I haven't read a ton of books on child development. I have a nine month old. I check Dr. Sears' Baby Book every once in a while. Surprisingly, I felt like this book had very little to teach me. Most of it I had heard before or seemed like it was just common sense. The references at the end of each chapter seemed slightly out of date and far from comprehensive. I only read the beginning as my child is not yet a toddler. Maybe it gets better. But for babies it felt like a waste of money.

My Children are the Proof
Just a quick note to say that I raised both of my children on the principles that this book puts forth--and they work! I have two amazing daughters--age 21 and age 17 and I couldn't be happier with the way they have turned out. The teen years were relatively sane--they are both top students, happy, outgoing, interesting, intelligent, passionate, hard-working and wonderful human beings. Their souls shine through--and everyone who meets them loves them. My eldest is a student in one of the top art schools in the US and doing well, despite the fact that most of the students are considerably older than her and that she works full-time (she loves working and earning money!). She is an avid gardener, cook and loves her pets and her tank-fulls of colorful fish. She has lots of friends and even manages a rock band! Although my role is now pretty much complete, I see her self-educating constantly. My youngest spread her wings and flew early--a top student in one of the best boarding schools in the world. In addition to getting an excellent academic, arts and sports education, she is dog-sledding, white-water canoeing, tall-ship sailing and traveling the world (next stop Barbados and then over Christmas building a science lab for the Masai tribe in Kenya). Both girls live life to the fullest and to their own full potential and I couldn't be happier!! Looking for the keys? Read this book. My best, Nancy in Pasadena. http://kino-team.com

The Book That Changed My Life
This is the book that not only profoundly changed my parenting style, but led to a career change and major lifestyle change for my family. This was the book that introduced me to Waldorf education and led me to pursue Waldorf teacher training. As a result of this introduction, my husband and I were led to re-evaluate our values and our lifestyle, and we ultimately made the transition from a fast-paced life in the show-business world of Los Angeles, to a quiet life living on a small farm in rural Maine. As a Waldorf early childhood teacher, I have recommended this book to countless families as an introduction to Waldorf education. I always give it as a gift to friends and family with new babies. It is the book I wish I'd had before the birth of my first child. I don't expect most families would experience such a dramatic lifestyle change as a result of this book as ours did, but it may help you relax into your role as a parent, realize that less is indeed more, and make your journey as a parent more meaningful and satisfying. ... Read more