The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances: For Young Children

Rating:
Summary: If you deal with young children you need this book
Review: One of the most valuable resources you can have if you are a teacher, daycare worker, or just like to have a lot of fun with young children, "The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances for Young Children is a delightful read. Within the text Jackie Silberg and Pam Schiller have compiled a wonderful collection of over 600 ways to have fun with young children.

Divided into various sections, the first one consists of activities. In it you will find lots of useful ideas for every day objects from empty soda bottles, to boxes and rubber bands. From pattern matching to tactile activities, imagination activities, tops, folding a paper hat, and a great number of other activities, it's all here and you are sure to find something that suits your needs.

Following this is a section on games. Again, they don't require any special or hard to find props but simple, fun games that young children would enjoy. Cat and Mouse, Drop the Clothespin, Flashlight Tag (one of my favorites as a child), Freeze Tag, Grass Tug of War, Spider Walk, and Walk a Crooked Line are just a few from the large collection.

The next section contains Action Stories. Each story has a set of actions that goes along with it. From the currently very popular Going on a Bear Hunt and Hey, My Name is Joe, to lesser known ones like A Spring Walk young children are sure to enjoy them all.

Other sections include Stories for Flannel Boards and Magnetic Boards, Listening Stories, Prop Stories, Puppet Stories, Rebus Stories, Arts and Crafts Recipes, Food Recipes, and Dances. The book is easily worth the price just for the craft recipes section that includes such favorites as Salt Paste, Gak, Fingerpaints, Playdough, Scratch and Sniff Paint, and Soap Crayons. And what child hasn't squealed with delight while dancing something like the Bunny Hop, Chicken Dance, Go In and Out the Windows, the Hokey Pokey, the Macarena, The Mulberry Bush, or Skip to My Lou.

The book finishes off with a very large appendix (slightly over half the book). The appendix contains patterns to copy and use for the activities, flannel board stories, props, puppet stories, rebus stories and all the other things mentioned in the book. Finally there are two indexes. One is an alphabetical listing and one is a listing by theme so you can lookup appropriate activities for a particular focus. "The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances for Young Children" is very highly recommended and the ultimate reference for anyone dealing with young children on a regular basis.

Rating:
Summary: If you deal with young children you need this book
Review: One of the most valuable resources you can have if you are a teacher, daycare worker, or just like to have a lot of fun with young children, "The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances for Young Children is a delightful read. Within the text Jackie Silberg and Pam Schiller have compiled a wonderful collection of over 600 ways to have fun with young children.

Divided into various sections, the first one consists of activities. In it you will find lots of useful ideas for every day objects from empty soda bottles, to boxes and rubber bands. From pattern matching to tactile activities, imagination activities, tops, folding a paper hat, and a great number of other activities, it's all here and you are sure to find something that suits your needs.

Following this is a section on games. Again, they don't require any special or hard to find props but simple, fun games that young children would enjoy. Cat and Mouse, Drop the Clothespin, Flashlight Tag (one of my favorites as a child), Freeze Tag, Grass Tug of War, Spider Walk, and Walk a Crooked Line are just a few from the large collection.

The next section contains Action Stories. Each story has a set of actions that goes along with it. From the currently very popular Going on a Bear Hunt and Hey, My Name is Joe, to lesser known ones like A Spring Walk young children are sure to enjoy them all.

Other sections include Stories for Flannel Boards and Magnetic Boards, Listening Stories, Prop Stories, Puppet Stories, Rebus Stories, Arts and Crafts Recipes, Food Recipes, and Dances. The book is easily worth the price just for the craft recipes section that includes such favorites as Salt Paste, Gak, Fingerpaints, Playdough, Scratch and Sniff Paint, and Soap Crayons. And what child hasn't squealed with delight while dancing something like the Bunny Hop, Chicken Dance, Go In and Out the Windows, the Hokey Pokey, the Macarena, The Mulberry Bush, or Skip to My Lou.

The book finishes off with a very large appendix (slightly over half the book). The appendix contains patterns to copy and use for the activities, flannel board stories, props, puppet stories, rebus stories and all the other things mentioned in the book. Finally there are two indexes. One is an alphabetical listing and one is a listing by theme so you can lookup appropriate activities for a particular focus. "The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances for Young Children" is very highly recommended and the ultimate reference for anyone dealing with young children on a regular basis.

Rating:
Summary: For GROUPS of children
Review: The only reason I gave it less than five stars is because I thought it would have some activites for a single child. Almost everything in it is for a group of children. At least the dances, games etc. Some of them *can* be modified for one child though.

Other than that this book is a treasure trove of stuff. It is so jam packed with stuff to do I couldn't imagine any daycare or preschool running out of things to do. Also it list everything in the back of the book in themes. There is a small thematic chart in the front but does not include everything like the back of the book. Also half of the book is full of things to photocopy or trace for feltboard/magnet board stories.

I bought the book to use in homeschooling my toddler and while I won't get as much use out of it as a preschool this massive tomb will still keep us very busy.

Rating:
Summary: Belongs on your reference shelf!
Review: Weighing in a nearly four pounds, this is one book that truly lives up to its name. I cannot ever recall seeing a resource book that had more ideas between the covers. There are action stories, fables, folktales, rhymes, puppet stories, listening stories, games, craft projects, recipes, dances, activities, and more. There are old favorites, new favorites, and everything in between.
The book is quite easy to navigate, thanks to the handy thematic chart as well as two unbelievably comprehensive indices. There is a general index as well as a theme index. Need an activity for shapes? Just look under the topic and you will find nearly fifty from which to choose. Want to explore outer space with your students by way of a folktale? Photocopy the story patterns found in the appendix, trace them onto interfacing, color, and put them on flannel board. Now you're all set for "The Sun and the Moon," a short pourquoi. Can't remember the words to "This Old Man?" They're in here. Need a recipe for soap crayons? Snow dough? Wheat paste? They're in here too. As I sat with my colleagues viewing the book, I challenged them to think of a every early childhood game they knew of. No one thought of a game that was not included in the book!

Put this book on your shelf and you will never be stumped for ideas again. Additionally, I highly recommend this title for beginning teachers. They will find it a valuable resource to which they will turn again and again. (Indeed, I found it so complete and well-done that I bought a copy for a former intern who is now preparing to teach first grade.)