Rating: Summary: Cruise Director Review: A great aid for a first-time mom who needed to know just what toddlers find interesting and fun.
Rating: Summary: What a great book! Review: As a stay at home mom, I am always in search of activities for my toddler. Not only does this book have some great ideas, they were fairly inexpensive as well. Some activities she can do by herself, once I've shown her an example, while others I get to participate in. This book has certainly given me a lot of inspiration to be the best mother I can be!
Rating: Summary: Three thumbs up! Review: As the mother of 2-year old triplets, I was thrilled to find this book. It's full of terrific ideas that kids enjoy and parents can do quickly. Like letting a toddler play with colored ice cubes in a ziplock bag to learn about "cold" and "melting" and color mixing. Pretty clever. (Plain ice in a baggie is also entertaining to toddlers on a hot day.) This book is a must have on a rainy day, and a great alternative to television any day.
Rating: Summary: Too Much Prep Review: I bought this book because I was running out of things to do with my toddler. I thought I could get a couple of quick ideas with this book, which I did. My complaint is the list of things she says you always need on hand. I almost passed out when I saw the list of items, it looked like she was stocking a classroom for a busy pre-school. I, like many people, do not have an extra closet to store all of the items she suggests to have.
Rating: Summary: review of busy book Review: I disagree with the reviews written so far. I bought this book expecting to find activities to occupy my very active 23 month old. Maybe my child is already too old for some of the activities, but she was bored with many of them (and some took a good amount of time to put together). Some hits were recipes for homemade clay and play with jello. The book also needs organization by age.
Rating: Summary: OK but you have to be "crafty" and have a big house Review: I got this book when my daughter was 1 yr in anticipation of toddlerhood. When I read it I was really excited about all of the good ideas in it, but many didn't work out, or required better craft skills/ supplies/ more setup time than I have. For example Kuffner suggests making nesting cups out of old tin cans--I have yet to find a tin can without a SHARP inside edge. She recommends making shakers out of old containers filled with beans or stones...my daughter got all the glued-on lids off,except the screw on ones, leadng to a big choking hazard. (you're supposed to use a glue gun,which I don't have) So you have to have your own good judgment on safety, and supervise closely. Also, lots of the ideas take up space, so if you live in a 2 bedroom apartment as I do they're tough. And, many kept my daughter's attention for about 30 seconds, after taking 10 times that to set up.That being said, I'm still using it-alot of ideas work better now that my daughter is three. But I'm not buying Kuffner's preschooler book, I'm going to shop around and see if I can find something that better meets my needs.
Rating: Summary: Bargain book purchase Review: I had this title saved in my shopping cart for weeks. I had read all the reviews for this book and all were encourging except maybe one or two. Thankfully I hadn't made my purchase because I caught a glimpse of "The Toddler Busy Book" under a stack of books at my local bargain store.I was going to purchase this book on amazon but I'm glad I didn't. I paid $1.98 and got my money's worth. Some of the activities are thoughtful and creative. But most are symplistic and unimaginative. -I wouldn't need some one to suggest giving my toddler a full kleenex box so they could pluck out every tissue for ammusement.
Rating: Summary: Good Ideas!! Review: I have gotten alot of use out of this book! Suggests great learning oportunities, such as math, reading readiness, and more... in cheap inexpensive ways! They are simple, engaging, creative, and quick.
Rating: Summary: more than a book of activity ideas Review: I have twins. They're one-and-a-half, and some days... well, some days they're difficult, let's say that. I bought this book because I know that they are far less likely to get into mischief and/or crabby fits when I have something for them to do (or, more commonly, something planned that we can do together). Having read the entire thing cover-to-cover and made a (very long) list of the activities that I think will work for my kids RIGHT NOW, here's what I want you to know about this book:
It includes something for everyone -- every ability level (child and adult), every area of intelligence (child and adult), and ages far beyond three (some adaptation may be needed with older children).
The author wisely recommends that adults who use the book take the time to do some advance preparation, for the greatest success and enjoyment. She also includes some ideas that take almost no time to set up and cost next to nothing.
There's a strong emphasis on letting a toddler be his or her own person -- on NOT doing the work for him/her, even when it's messy; on finding ways to let him/her "help" you with chores; on accepting and CELEBRATING the exuberant, loud, all-over-the-place energy that comes with toddlerhood.
I'm finding that it's a good resource for directing my shopping for "play stuff." I'm now officially on the lookout for cookie tins from yard sales, plastic scrubbies, and clear contact paper, as opposed to buying stuff that my kids may have no use for in the next two years.
In short, I'm finding this book to be helpful in structuring my life with toddlers, not just an idea book. I don't know that I'll use EVERY suggestion, but there are MANY that will be used over and over again. It's money well spent.
Rating: Summary: Fun and Games for your child, simple to read, easy to do Review: I love this book as much as my 2 year old. My 7 year old enjoys the activities too. We tend to do the arts and crafts projects because they are easy and fun. Some of the games are so simple, that you can grab your household items to give your kids something new to do very quickly. The clothespin drop was a hit in my house, as was the pull box. My favorite activity (so far) has been making kool-aid playdoh. Oh yes, and the kids liked it too. As well, the paste recipe my grandmother used to make is in this book. The kids had great fun pasting pictures from catalogues onto paper with this goopy stuff(and I joined in too). This book is an endless array of ideas for your kids.
|