365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do with Your Child: Plus 50 All-New Bonus Activities

I tripped across this book at my local library and I am here looking for my own copy, as we are limited on how long we keep it. I brutally removed the kids from their TV addiction, and the transition has been difficult on the older ones especially. This book has been my salvation. The prereader like to pick out things by picture, my beginner read has no problem understanding the direction and my toddler and teen get involved too. We have used this to fill the huge void of television and to stave of the "mom I am bored..." routine. This is a small book it fits in my purse and we take it with us everywhere. Breaking the index down by activity type means I can have a Doctor's waiting room idea or a park idea up in running in 2 minutes. The materials list is in the margin for easy access and all the material are everyday every house items, half of which are in my purse any way... This book is a keeper!

This book was recommended in the book Living the Simple Life. I'm so glad I took the time to get it. It's a wonderful resource for busy families looking to spend some quality time together. So turn that TV off and buy this book. Encourages you and your child's imagination and they learn through playing with simple things around the house and the bonus is that by not watching that TV, you've spent memorable time with each other...what could be better?

For each activity, the authors explain how to do the activity, materials required and materials that are optional to use365 activities to choose from which are grouped into 16 categoriesSafety reminders are included to ensure safe play environments and to monitor potentially tricky materialsThe authors explains the importance of quality tiem and quailty playFew of the many activites includes:Alphabet HandsAtlas AdventureCrayon RubbingsEasy House of CardsFamily CalenderGotcha!House DetectiveI've Got a ListPhone WordsSand Painting

I have read literally hundreds of books on how to be a better parent (much less a good one), and have NEVER read one that puts all the tools in my hand better than this one. Buy this book!There are more than a handful of obvious choices, of course - #126, playing dress up; #229, paper, scissors, rock - but there are lasting treasures here, too - drawing an outline of your child's body on a large sheet of paper for later preservation; growing celery and carrots; drawing a silhouette of your child's head. There isn't enough room here for me to show it all.The true joy of the book isn't in the ideas - after all, anyone could throw 365 ideas together on a couple of sheets of paper and hey presto! You've got a book...! What the Bennetts do is present the material with a warm humor (expertly offered with grin-cracking illustrations the kids will appreciate, too). This is a book for all ages - I bought mine in 1991, when my oldest was 4, and we still get great ideas from it.Turn off the TV, pluck the youngsters from in front of it (I'm telling you, they'll still watch it even when it's turned off!) and bust open this book. Stand by for smiles!

Afraid your kids might turn into couch potatoes? Tempt the 2 years+ crowd away from the Saturday morning cartoons and commercials with the clever ideas in this easy-to-use guide. It's a great bargain. But there's a hidden cost. You'll have to invest some of that most precious of all commodities -- your time.