Product Description
More than ever before, family time faces stiff competition from other activities that appeal to kids:  video games, text messaging, and checking in on friends through mySpace or Facebook.  Family Fun Night offers the antidote:  Tips and advice for establishing a weekly family time, as well as dozens of specific ideas for spending quality time together.  This comprehensive book suggests ways to interest teens (let each one invite a friend or allow them to play their music in the background on game night), to contend with a large age range (form teams or play games of chance rather than skill), and to manage competitiveness among siblings (play cooperative games or ones where players change teams throughout).  From clever twists on timeless classics to brand new games your family will love, this book offers something for every family, during every month of the year.  Interested in family-friendly card games?  Suggestions for outdoor family games?  Or ideas for last-minute game nights or for game nights that cost less than $10?  It’s all covered in this comprehensive, reader-friendly guide, along with ideas for snacks and meals that complement each family night theme.  Whether family members use the book to brainstorm ideas for their own unique night or follow each game night to the last detail, they will find that family playtime creates wonderful memories that will last forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great for any age family!
This is a really wonderful book that helps with ideas for family FUN nights! Even when teens can be reluctant to join in, these fun activities help get them involved!There are games, science experiments, storytelling, baking,and even towel volleyball! The author has tips and examples of how the activities have worked before. I LOVE this book and have only just begun using it. I want to try everything in this book! Great job Cynthia!

Family Book
I went on a business trip just a little while ago and I found this book in the airport store and I bought it for my family and me! My family and me now have 372 fun friday nights aka Family Fun Night. This book has many great ideas. Many other families must get this book if they ever feel like their friday nights are not as exciting as they hope they could be. ... Read more

Product Description
The perfect resource for busy families in search of creative and exciting ways to turn free time into fun family time, Disney's FamilyFun Crafts nurtures a child's creativity through painting, drawing, paper crafts, kitchen crafts, nature crafts, homemade toys, and much more. Color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Disney's Family Fun Crafts
There are so many ideas in this book that I will be able to use in my daycare.

Excellent book in every sense of the word!
I bought this book for my daughter, who has two young kids, and she has found so many different things to do with her kids that she is amazed. This book has very good material to work with, easy instructions and plenty of ideas.

One of the best craft books for kids today!
I used this book as one of my main sources of ideas for arts and crafts projects while working at a summer camp, and it was a hit! The book contains a great range of projects for all age groups and interests. I especially liked the ideas for make-it-yourself paints, along with different freestyle drawing and painting ideas. There are also some wonderful ideas for holidays, gifts, and home decor, making this the perfect addition to a classroom, home, scout troop, or 4-H group. Another plus is that almost every project in the book comes with a bright, vivid photograph, allowing you to gain a better sense of what you're trying to make.

A Good Overall Caft Book
Family Fun really does have one of the best databases of innovative and fun crafts for kids around. As an arts director at a girl scout camp, I read a lot of these books and this is one of the better ones.All the crafts in this book feature color photographs, and almost all leave lots of room for young crafters to use their own creativity (rather than blindly following instructions.)Most supplies used are things that can be cheaply procured/ that you probably have already-- lots use recycled objects(milk jugs, egg cartons) and a lot use paper, yarn and other inexpensive supplies. There are crafts for varied age and skill levels, and a lot can be adapted to differing age and skill levels.

The only downside to this book is that virtually every craft is also available on the familyfun website, but there is something to be said for having all 500 projects at the tips of your fingertips-- my niece and nephew are often inspired simply by leafing through the pages.Also, the directions in here are frequently more extensive than the ones listed online, and are better organized.

family fun crafts
i LOVE this book. there are tons of crafts to do with children of ALL ages. If you can't find something in this book to do, theres a problem. Simple easy crafts from a-z. This is a book I will NOT get rid of for years to come!!! ... Read more

Product Description
The winter holidays are a magical time, especially for families with youngsters. FamilyFun Homemade Holidays provides an inexhaustible guide to planning one of the most important holiday seasons of the year. This sixth book in our best-selling series features games, activities, decorations, tested recipes, and complete Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa party plans, plus winter holiday ideas from FamilyFun readers, timesaving tips, and step-by-step photographs. This volume is further proof that there is no greater authority on new and fun ways to pass the time than the experts at FamilyFun. Deanna Cook is a senior editor at FamilyFun magazine and the author of FamilyFun Boredom Busters, FamilyFun Crafts, FamilyFun Cookbook, and FamilyFun Cookies for Christmas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Holiday Craft Book
I liked the Halloween version so much I bought this, although not as good as the Halloween version, this has some good ideas in it...

Simply the Best!!!!!
I have purchased almost every book from Familyfun and they are the best books I have ever purchased,period!I don`t have any kids of my own as of yet,but when that time comes,I will have a surefire arsenal of help to reach for when in need.I can defenitely recommend all books from Familyfun,every family should have them in their stack of books at home!!

A must for starting Holiday traditions!
This is such a nice book - colorful pictures compliment each craft.There is something here for everyone to make their Holidays truly special.Highly recommend! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book For Planning Family Home Evenings
This book has alot of useful items to help with Family Home Evenings.In our house we plan an activity and we let the kids choose one for each week.Lots of good choices to choose from.

Great Family Time!
I have tried many "family fun" books and have found that this book is the best!Especially if you have small children.My three and four year old could do these activities and do not get frustrated like other ones we have tried!They are simple, laughable, fun ideas in this book and my whole family looks forward to FAMILY FUN NIGHT each week.It has brought our family together in such a close way and I know that the memories we create each time we have one will be the cherished memories that my kids will carry with them forever! ... Read more

Product Description
Mike and Amy Nappa have written a family devotional for each week of the year, taking a close look at the ordinary things of life to demonstrate and experience spiritual truths. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

We are really enjoying this.
I bought 3 or 4 devotional books to try and adapt to use with my small Awana group.This one is the best of all of them.So far I've used about 10 activities out of this book and none from any of the other books.I have to adapt them somewhat for a group setting but the kids and I are really enjoying it.

... Read more

Product Description
It's instant fun. Activities to do in minutes. Super-quick games to roll out at a moment's notice. Filling a need that every parent of young children has, 324 Anytime, Anywhere Activities! for Kids is a perfect antidote to those "booooring" car rides, endless waits in the doctor's office, restaurant fidgetiness, and assorted child-unfriendly chores. And you don't need to bring along any special props.

Several years ago, Cynthia Copeland shared the wisdom of her three children in Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me, which has 356,000 copies in print. Now she's written a parents' survival guide for those times when kids seem more at wit's end than wise. In the car? Try Red Car, Blue Car, Old Car, New Car; How Far, How Fast?; Raindrop Race; or I Heard It!, where the first one to hear the secret word on the radio wins. While waiting for the pediatrician, try Sock' Em, Cents of Hearing, or Body Double--draw the outline of your child lying on the examination table paper, then let him or her fill it in. Stuck at the bus stop? Gather the kids to play Simon Does, Knot Happening, or Blind Man Walking. There are mind benders, story-telling games (including It Was a Dark and Stormy Night)--in all, hundreds of ways guaranteed to engage their imagination and lift their spirits. Not to mention yours. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Fun On The Run
Great book.My kids want me to pick something out of it to do all the time.Great, simple ideas.So glad I purchased it!

Love it - doesn't require anything
Most activity books require random stuff like egg cartons, etc. This is truly activities you can do anywhere with no props. Sorted into sections like "grocery store activities" or "waiting room activities". Love it!!

Fun on the Run is a must-have!
This book is full of great ideas.They don't require any elaborate materials.The book is also small enough to fit in your purse or bag for FUN ON THE RUN!!

Kept in the car and put to good use daily!
This book is a lifesaver sometimes. It's enabled me to avoid cranky kid meltdowns in public places several times over. I keep it in the glove box of the car so we have it on hand for waiting in line, dr. office visits, waiting at restaraunts, airplane trips, etc. Anytime kids are antsy and complaining about waiting somewhere- pull out this little gem and get them busy with a distraction. Every frazzled parent needs one of these!

Should be delivered by a stork to every parent 3 years after birth!!!
Coming in at a small size of 4-inches wide, 6-inches tall and about an inch thick... this book is worth quantum times more than its size. It should be delivered by your family's stork on your kids' third birthdays! It's a must have for every diaper bag! It's even as critical in your minivan as gasoline!

The opening line is a quote from Cesare Pavese, "We do not remember days... we remember moments." And, this book is meant to create a lifetime of childhood memories in those everyday life events where we all have a few moments to spare (many of which you don't realize you have!): waiting for food in restaurant, waiting in line at grocery store, waiting in a waiting room, long drives, short drives, even when mom and dad are just plain ol' busy, etc.

Here's some examples that I'm gonna randomly open the book and include:

Once the waiter takes your drink order, choose one family member as a guesser. The rest pass a penny from person to person underneath the table until the drinks arive. Once they do, everyone puts their closed hands on the table. The guesser then must guess who holds the penny. It's not rocket science. It's quick. It's fun. And, it beats watching the kids try to color on the back of the menu with the lousy yellow restaurant crayon that breaks into 50 small pieces!

Waiting forever for the doctor to arrive? Have your child draw their body double on the crinkly white paper that covers the examination table. Color in eyes, nose, clothing, where it hurts, etc. This makes the time go faster and distracts the discomfort your little one might be having that brought them to the doctor in the first place.

Got a drive the kid's aren't looking forward to? Have one come up with a secret category in their head (billboards, blue pickup trucks, cars with something on their roof). Each time you pass it on your drive, your child counts out loud the number of times they see their category item. Everyone else must guess the category. The correct guesser goes next.

The book's even loaded with cool little tips. Got kids who can't sit still? Keep them in the car as you drive through the drive-through. Once you get your food, unload them. Go inside and eat immediately from the sack vs. the tray!

Buy the book to get the other 321 great ideas. It's cheaper than one hour's worth of babysitting! And, your kids will remember these moments with you forever!!! ... Read more

Product Description
365 Activities for Fitness, Food, and Fun for the Whole Family features activities that will hoist young spuds off the couch and get them participating in games, exercises, and healthy recipes they will love. Best of all, the activities are designed to be fun for the whole family, strengthening family bonds as well as improving everyone's health. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

365 Activities for Fitness, Food and Fun for the Whole Family
This book was purchased to be placed in a Silent Auction basket for a school fundraiser. The book inspired the theme. All donations for the basket were related to healthy living. Items such as jump ropes, flying discs, bike gear, etc. were included with the book to supplement the book. I did not read the book myself, but I did look through a few activities and I think families would thoroughly enjoy having this book handy when trying to think of creative activities to do together.

365 Activities for Fitness, Food, Fun for the Whole Family
I bought this book as a gift for my son and daughter-in-law, who have a very active 15 month old.A quick look through the book showed a balance of activities for kids of all ages and lots of tasty recipes.I think they will enjoy this book.

a must read for parents !
This book is full of great ideas . Not only are there many examples of easy activities without expensive equipment, but there are also suggestions for food recipes that will delight your children.
I highly recommend this book.

Great Fun!
This is an excellent book for fun, learning and just great family times.Some of the ideas are more complex then others so the activities you choose depend on your time and how much you want to get involved at that time.

For every activity it lists all you need and complete directions which are really detailed for that activity.
The resources are wonderful!It list magazines, books, websites, organizations which are related to each topic and just branches out the fun and learning.

This was a nice book to keep around for further reference.Great to have on hand!

Lots of different activities to keep your children in shape
While some ideas seem too much work and/or time involved, it's a great book.What I liked about this book is that it gives you lots of fun facts throughout the book.For each activity, it lists materials you need and the directions on how to do that activity.At the end of the book, it lists magazines, organizations, and websites relating to Family Fun. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (119)

A Keeper
Unlike Alison Bechdel's childhood home, my house lacks a library, so I usually pass books along to new homes, but I want this one with me forever.It's brilliant, affecting, stunning.Wowwee kazowee!Buy it, read it, keep it forever!

The details
Alison Bechdel, like her father Bruce before her, pays incredible attention to getting all the details right. Just as he carefully reworked their family house (that served also as a funeral home), so she has gone over the house and its history with her family compulsively, lovingly, laboriously, in an attempt to uncover the truth of her childhood and adolescence. The details are what put the "fun" as it were, into FUN HOME: though Bechdel and her brothers believe their childhood with their explosive father and distant mother were traumatic and use the name to describe their homestead in jest, it's clear also that she has an enormous amount of respect and even affection for her past, and the book attempts to re-produce it while always aware of the gaps, fragments, and inconsistencies of such re-creation.

The Bechdels are a family obsessed with their own creativities, and they seem to see the consumption of books as active and as creative as the writing of them: part of Alison Bechdel's work in this text is to read the world around her carefully (and reading was where she and her book-loving father found their greatest moments of closeness). The reproduction of details in this encyclopedic narrative are remarkable, as is Bechdel's willingness to read them unflinchingly, even when they show her family and her past self at their most frail and self-interested. Already, in just a few years, this work has emerged as a kind of classic of the genre, and it fully deserves its high reputation.

can't put it down
Picked this up by chance and found one of the best books I have ever read. The writer really is thoughtful which gives the book depth.
The book is a facinating story of an incredibly talented family living in a small town where the family lived for generations. An amazing American story.
I would love to see this on high school reading lists too because it is a coming of age book.
Don't shunt this aside on the LGBT section, it is a univerasally appealing story.

A fantastic memoir with wonderful imagery
I'm fairly new to the "serious" graphic novel scene, having only read a few fiction titles before. Alison Bechdel effectively conveys her feelings and memories of a difficult childhood growing with powerful imagery, carefully chosen words and many literary allusions. A very quick, enjoyable read.

Not so fun
Well, all I can say is that I didn`t like it. The story is so boring I couldn`t even finish it. And I didn`t like her drawing style either. ... Read more

Product Description
Family-tested, tried-and-true ideas make FamilyFun Tricks and Treats an invaluable resource for busy families in search of a perfectly creepy Halloween. FamilyFun Tricks and Treats provides families with an inexhaustible guide to planning one of the biggest holidays of the year: Halloween. The book features wickedly easy costume designs, creepy recipes for trick-or-treaters, pumpkin carving, scarecrows, and other spooky crafts, and complete Halloween party plans. Plus: Halloween ideas from FamilyFun readers, time-saving tips, and step-by-step photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Halloween fun for the family
There are a number of Halloween books out on the market for decorating, baking and costume making, but this is one of the few that actually hassomething new in it!

The crafts are clever, but actually look doable wtih things you might already have on hand. The costumes ideas are fun and innovative, the food ideas are also really cute, but not overly-complicated.While some classic ideas never die, this book puts a nice twist on things like "body parts" games.

Of course, the ideas come from the monthly magazine that Disney produces, Family Fun, and if you get the magazine, you'll have already seen alot of these things in print or on their website. Still, the book is nicely layed-out, easy to flip through and a good resource of party and costume ideas for both kids and their grown-ups.

Very Pleased
This book is an awesome resource for make-at-home costumes and decorations. The ideas are so cute, easy to follow, and where else can you find a recipe for slime?

SADLY DISAPPOINTED
If you own the Disney Family Fun Crafts book and the Family Fun Parties book, you have seen most of the ideas in this book.I was really excited to get this book but there werent many new ideas. :(

Great Ideas
This was great! My daughter & I love Halloween and when we saw this we bought it right away. There are so many wonderful ideas. A must have! Therewere a lot of spooky things to do with foods and great little ideas forthose little helpers to decorate your home with lots of memories! You haveto get this one! ... Read more

Product Description
This fun, read-aloud guide to Yellowstone National Park is full of fascinating information about the park's history, simple, easy-to-understand explanations of its unusual natural features, and a guide to park activities that will interest the entire family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not pleased with book
I purchased this book because we are planning a family trip to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole this summer and I was extremely disappointed. There is no map inside, (to show you where these places are), there are descriptions of hikes and cool things to see, but there is no ranking on how difficult it is or for what age group, there are no tips for activities for children at all.In fact, I think this was a guide book NOT written for families and the publisher just put that title on the book to sell more copies!Buy something else if you really have a family and are taking them to Yellowstone.

She knows Yellowstone
We've been to Yellowstone several times with our kids, and I wish we had this guide with us!

Robin Tawney knows Yellowstone well, and provides interesting, fun and useful information about the park.I'm sure we would have had a better time and not been as lost as we were if we had her guide in our back pack. ... Read more

Product Description
From the creators of the highly successful "FamilyFun" series comes a collection of 75 mouthwatering recipes for cookies that are as much fun to make and give as they are delicious to eat! Color photos.Amazon.com Review
This bright, colorful cookie book is as much fun to look at asit is to bake from. Glossy photos of Sweet Sugar Plums, Candy CaneTwists, and many other sugary delights will make your taste budstingle. These recipes are ideal for kids and parents to maketogether--and many call for icing on top. This messy but creative taskis bound to be the best part of the whole cookie process (aside fromeating them, of course!). Since Christmas is the main focus of thebook, there are several seasonal novelties to create. A cookie adventcalendar is sure to make December extra exciting, and a holidaygarland will be gobbled up in no time. Every recipe could quitehappily be given as a holiday present, so the authors offer terrificadvice for wrapping and mailing these fragile gifts. Finally, don'tforget to leave some cookies out for Santa--but not too many!--Naomi Gesinger ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Yummy Yumm Yummy for the Tummy Tumm Tummy!
Oh we've been using these recipies for years now!The Elves can't get enough of them.And Santa, well, I think you know how HE feels about cookies!Why not bake some of the special treats in this book with your little ones, and leave a warm plate out for Santa Claus - with a cold glass of milk - on Christmas Eve! I happen to know for a fact he loves every cookie in this whole entire book! Who knows, maybe he'll leave you a little something extra if you make the ones with the vanilla frosting and sprinkles he likes so much!

A Book with Cookie Recipes and Great Ideas for Kids!!!
I bought this book November 1998 when my youngest daughter at the time was in the 4th grade and had a school project to do. So I took her to the book store looking through children's books for ideas and a project she could do. With all the books of ideas we found this is the book we chose and it caught my eye because it was up front of the store with all the Christmas displays and because the book had the words "Family & Kids" on it.As soon as we saw the "Holiday Garland" on page 22, that was what she wanted to do.

I bought the book, we made the "Best-ever Sugar Cookies on page 7 (which was very easy) to make the "Holiday Garland". We made the words "Noel", "Merry Christmas" and "Feliz Navidad" by following the directions and used their suggested ideas. My daughter presented her project to the class, she received a good grade on it and the children enjoyed eating the cookies.

In the past we also did the "Tasty Gift Ideas" on page 50, which everyone thought was cute and made the "Peanut Butter Sealed with a Kiss" cookies, which was good and fun to do. Just recently my niece borrowed my book for her christmas cookies that she's been making for years every Christmas. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially with kids, the cookie recipes are good, the creative gift giving ideas are good, along with the creative ideas to entertain kids with cookies are fun and not only Christmas.

Not too impressed
I found that the cookies in this book that are actually fun and creative, are by far outnumbered by the usual, standard recipes that can be found in any cookie book.
I expected more inspiration from this book!

A good cookie book
I've made several of the cookies in this book for Christmas gifts in the last two years and I've had wonderful comments on the cookies.Good ideas for gifts, etc.

great chocolate cookies
I made 4 recipes from the book, they all turned out perfectly.The chocolate crinkles were unbelievable.The sugar cookies with icing were also very good as well, and very easy to roll out. ... Read more

Product Description
A practical-minded manual for busy, working parents offers advice on simplifying family life and negotiating time-consuming issues, covering such topics as establishing a bedtime routine, stopping tantrums, and when to say yes. 100,000 first printing. Tour." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

It will help your family.
I like the ideas in this book.Everything seems pretty easy to implement.It is a little dated as it talks about walkmans etc.but it is all relative. If you want a book that attempts to simplify your life from cell phones, text or e-mail, this topic is not specifically addressed.

Best Organizational Book I've found for people with kids!
Organizing our lives are difficult enough, but adding kids to the equation makes it almost impossible! This book offers practical solutions and advice on how to get organized so you've got more time to do what's really important - spend with your kids!The chapters are short and the language is easy to read which is great for those of us who are sleep deprived or just short on time.I highly recommend this book!

A must have household guide for anyone with kids
This is a wonderful book. It has very short, 3-4 page "chapters" on differt topics. The book is broken into sensible sections on topics that anyone with kids struggles with (the workload, discipline strategies, etc.). It is very simple to read and you can skip to the section that applies or appeals to you that day. Plus, it's a really cute little book.

Terribly Disappointing
I guess this book falls into the category of "never take parenting advice from someone who never had children".I bought this book because I LOVED "Simplify your life" by this author.I found it very helpful. This book, however, was mostly confounding and fairly depressing. While St. James *did* seek out advice from her friends who had children, these friends apparently take a very 'hands off' approach to their kids.

The book opens with a scenario in which a mother has forgotten to pick up her child and the child is stranded somewhere late in the evening while she tries to figure out a way to get someone else to go pick him up now that she's home and needs to make dinner. This did not bode well for the rest of the book [for those of us who don't routinely completely forget about our children and leave them alone in public places late at night....]

Much of the advice in this book falls into the category of "simplify your life with children by paying someone else to deal with the little brats".There is much about how parents should put their children in day care all day [and don't EVER let your child think they have the ability to cause you to delay your departure because of their pathetic tears, etc, etc, etc] and then get a sitter to care for the children in the evenings so mom can have "Me" time and parents can have "Us" time. Apparently, if you schedule 2 hours of "quality time" on Sunday afternoon with your kids, that's really all they need.

There was also a big push to teach the kids "self sufficiency" - as in, your 5 year old really can get his own breakfast so hedoesn't "bother" you.I'm all for self sufficient kids and encouraging my children to be strong and independant, but too much of this book was geared towards forcing your kids to basically survive without any parental assistance or interaction - yeah... I guess that would be simplier than actually caring for your kids yourself. At least until they turn 13 and get put in jail for shooting up the school or something.

There were a few good ideas in this book, but not nearly enough to warrant wading through all the bad parenting advice and depressing disregard for children's well being."Shelter for the Spirit" by Victoria Moran includes some great chapters on re-prioritizing and simplifying that are very child-friendly and would lead to strong parent-child relationships. In my opinion, parents would do better to read what Moran has to say and skip this particular book by St. James.

Skim
It is probably most effective to read the first twenty pages or so and skim the rest. Not up to par with "Simplify Your Life", but the early parts still have some very good advice. The rest is also good, but can easily be condensed by skimming and reading paragraphs of interest. ... Read more

Product Description
Express your creativity, make memories, and inspire family fun and laughter with the easy-to-do projects in 501 Fun-to-Make Family Crafts, published by Better Homes and Gardens (R). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Beautiful color photos, short on practicality.
I am still trying to figure out where the 501 crafts are in this book, considering there are only 224 pages. The photos and projects that are included arecolorful and beautiful, but not practical. I'd have to make a few trips to the store to purchase the materials needed for these projects. Better to subscribe to a magazine like "Pack-o-fun" or buy a different book if you are looking for projects you will actually take time to create.

501 Fun to Make Family Crafts
We are enjoying tthis craft book.Lots of fun ideas to do with the kids!!

Wow!So many different projects in all seasons!
In this book, they grouped the projects with nice symbols and by season to make it easier for you.There are Nature Projects, Back-to-School Projects, Bird Projects, Sport Projects, Pumpkin Decorations, and a whole lot more!The Cool Paper Book Covers in the Fall Season are a good project for kids (as well as a lot of other projects for kids).My favorite project in the book are the heart embellished Valentine Day cards.I haven't made any of those projects yet, but I am sure I will have so much fun making them! :-)

Great book of crafts for the holiday and fun with Kids
The wife enjoys all kinds of crafts. When she saw this book she knew it would be a keeper. She enjoys working up things to make with the kids. It provides a lot of things we can make with the kids. A fun family time.

some many ideas so little time
This is a great addition to any kids craft library.

The ideas a grouped by seasons.We haven't done any of these craft yet. We are having a hard time chosing one to start with!Lots of fun for years to come! ... Read more

Product Description
A year's worth of unplugged activities to keep kids entertained and keep the family connected.

Recent studies show that too much time spent in front of the television can lead to attention deficit disorder in children. But most parents don't need science to tell them that there are better ways to entertain kids than to prop them in front of "electronic babysitters." Full of amazingly simple, easy-to-implement suggestions, The Ultimate Book of Unplugged Family Activities provides a year's worth of inspiring alternatives.

Here are ideas for entertaining kids while you cook or for turning sick days into indoor crafts days; ideas for distracting kids while waiting in a long line or for engaging them in games during a long car trip. With The Ultimate Book of Unplugged Family Activities, parents can turn spare time into share time, as well as too-much-time-on their hands into time well spent. Comprehensive and constantly creative, it is a book every household should have within reach. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It is worth the price
As is typical with long lists of just about anything, many of the 365 suggested activities are not overly creative or new.However, I did find several that are interesting and doable.Even a few great ideas makes the book worth the price!

Full of great ideas to chase boredom away!
With Summer coming and the kids being out of school, cries of "There is nothing to do!" will soon be heard across the land. "365 Unplugged Family Fun Activities" by Steve and Ruth Bennett comes to the rescue! This book promises a year's worth of ideas for TV-free, video-free, and computer game-free entertainment and it delivers. With this book as a guide, your kids can go on adventure treks through your house, play edible tic-tac-toe, practice cup-stacking, create a newspaper about things going on at home or in your neighborhood, paint coffee filters, or create a video cooking show, and so much more. Many of the ideas are educational and all are fun. I'm sure to use many of the ideas with my children this summer. ... Read more

Product Description
Want to put a new spin on dreidel games? Or a new twist on making challah? Well then roll up your sleeves, put on your dancin’ shoes, and get out your thinking caps, because The Jewish Family Fun Book will help you find something fun in everything that’s Jewish and something Jewish in everything that’s fun.

This celebration of Jewish family life is the perfect guide for families wanting to put a new Jewish spin on holidays, holy days, and even the everyday. Featuring activities, games, and history, The Jewish Family Fun Book is sure to inspire parents, children, and extended family to connect with Judaism in fun, creative ways.

With over eighty-five easy-to-do activities to re-invigorate age-old Jewish customs and make them fun for the whole family, this book is more than just kids’ stuff. It’s about taking the Jewish family experience to a new educational and entertaining level.

The Jewish Family Fun Book details activities for fun at home and away from home, including recipes, meaningful everyday and holiday crafts, travel guides, enriching entertainment…and much, much more!

Clearly illustrated and full of easy-to-follow instructions, this hands-on guide shows us how to take an active approach to exploring Jewish tradition and have fun along the way.

Each of The Jewish Family Fun Book’s three sections offer dozens of ideas and easy-to-understand instructions:

"Holiday Fun" aims to enrich the appropriate seriousness of Jewish holidays with a healthy dose of fun. How about having a Passover seder in a tent, like Israelites in the desert? Or celebrating the harvest holiday of Shavuot by taking your kids strawberry picking?

"Fun at Home" features Jewish activities ranging from relaxing (with a guide to Jewish books, music, movies, and websites) to exhausting (instructions for games and other outdoor fun); from creative (ideas for arts and crafts projects and recipes) to unforgettable (mitzvah and volunteer opportunities).

"Fun on the Road" is an easy-to-use travel guide, with suggestions for adding a memorable Jewish component to already built-for-fun family vacations. There’s information on Jewish museums, historical sites, camps, festivals, and kosher restaurants across the U.S. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Jewish fun
As a Jewish teacher I was recommended this book. It has a lot of great ideas as a teacher or a parent can use at home for their children.I enjoy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This resource brings together games new and old from around the world, creating a wonderful collection for parents to explore with their families. The activities can be used any time parents, teachers, camp counselors, and other adults want to encourage laughing and learning and engage children in a positive and fun-filled way. There are games to play at the beach, while camping, in the car, on the plane, and elsewhere. Sample games include Word Tennis, Treasure Hunt, and Storytelling Starters, and photographs and illustrations enhance the play experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Well thought out, well written, fun games and variations
This has a number of clever and fun games, with useful information right in the Table of Contents that allow you to quickly find a game for your group.

Most of the entries are easy to understand, well written and complete, with warnings and suggestions to ensure safe game-play.

Only a few of the entries (e.g., Frisbee golf) seemed half-done and rushed, with incomplete information to play the games (as if they were crammed in at the last minute).

By and large, though, this is a very useful guide to quickly locating a suitable game and modifying it for the age range playing.

Turn off the TV
If you want your children to spend less time watching TV and playing video games, this is the perfect book for you!It was designed for car/plane rides, parties, and family outings.However, as an educator, I see the opportunity to give your children the diversion they crave while developing their imaginations.The activities include both mind exercises and physical challenges, so keep your kids from turning into couch potatoes by using this book to have some family fun.

An excellent layout
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (10/07)

"101 Family Vacation Games" is a compilation of activities that can help entertain both children and adults.The games are divided into six main categories - travel, vacation, beach, outdoor, home, and birthday party games.The book title is somewhat misleading because the games, with the exception of some of the beach games, can be easily adapted to be played anywhere.There is also a special section at the end with games parents can use to interact with babies and young children.

The layout of the book is excellent.Listed at the beginning of each game is the number of participants required, the level of difficulty, and whether any props will be needed (i.e. music or a deck of cards).Most of the games are fairly simple and can be completed quickly.Also provided are ways to modify the games so that younger children can also be included.Several of the games are old favorites, such as Charades, I Spy, and Rock, Paper, Scissors, but there are many with which I had not been previously familiar.

The author stresses the importance of making sure everyone understands and agrees to the rules before the game begins.He also states the importance of parents taking part in the games so they can share similar experiences with the child and create memories as a family.Playing provides many benefits including: exercise, learning ways to relate to others socially, releasing stress, and acting as a diversion to forget about one's problems for a short time.Some games help to develop reflexes and concentration skills.Others involve exploring the world around us.The next time you see children playing don't be surprised if they are actually learning something.

I recommend "101 Family Vacation Games" for all parents and children.It will not only help to develop a closer relationship between the two but also allow them to learn more about the other's thoughts and dreams.Playing together develops lifetime memories that become more precious as the years pass.It is important to set aside a few minutes each day to play, whether it is to remove oneself from life's daily stresses or simply to spend time with those you love.

Fun Games, Ugly Format
When I first got this book my first thought was ,"Oh great, Another book on parenting that has bad illustrations and is full of syrupy platitudes which I've read before." Lines in the book like, "People who use this book can personally discover the wonderful effects of play." did not help. I started to look through the book and remained unimpressed when I read a few of the games. The whole feel of the book did just not click with me.There was ONE thing about it that I liked about the book on my first time through. The icons that gave you at-a-glance information about each of the games. Having just done a search for games for a Cub Scout den the week before I could appreciate not reading halfway through the game before I figured out it was not an appropriate game for my purposes. After reading most of the prose in the book that wasn't game rules I figured there was really only one way to review a book about games. Time to play some games.I called the kids into the living room and told them I needed their help. We chose games mostly at random easily eliminating the ones that required props we didn't have, a beach, or some other element that would prevent us from playing that game. The next two hours flew by and I had to promise we would play some more games the next day in order to get them to go to bed. I quickly learned that it is not possible to know how fun a game will be just by reading the description. Some of the ones that sounded cool, like Toe Fencing didn't work out, but a simple game like Word Tennis was a great hit. I will be putting this book permanently in the car so we can avoid the Are-we-there-yets on the next family vacation. I still think the book could be presented better, but there is no denying that the games are fun.

A Handy Reference for Low-Tech Family Fun
Jump-start family fun time with these 101 ideas for games and pastimes. You shouldn't wait for your next vacation to spend some time with these simple, low-tech games.

Right out of the bubble mailer my boys were playing Word Tennis and laughing out loud. On first inspection, I spotted some tried-and-true favorites, like Rock Paper Scissors, which are probably already in most families' repertoire. But for the most part, the games were new to us. I appreciate the useful table of contents matrix, which matches each activity with the number of people needed.

You might think of "vacation games" as "games to play in the car." But that is just the first section of this book. There are categories for: Travel Games, Games at the Destination, Beach Games, Sand Figures, Outdoor Games, Games to Play at Home, Birthday Party Games, and finally Games for Babies and Young Children.

If you are like me, and your brain stalls when required to come up with something to entertain your children, you'll want to have this book handy. I know I will. ... Read more

Product Description
In this over-scheduled life, it's not easy for families to spend quality time together. Parents with children of all ages will love the valuable information in Simply Fun for Families. It shows parents how to make time for family activities, plan fun things to do, and enjoy them to their fullest. This easy-to-use guide includes creative ideas for everything from play time and fun nights at home to celebrating holidays and taking vacations. Loaded with practical tips, checklists, and loads of exciting ideas, this indispensable book is sure to turn family time into everyone's favorite pastime. ... Read more

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Product Description
A collection of Bible games and puzzles for the entire family. The previous edition sold over 70,000, but now with added material and a new cover it will sell even better. Get families into the Bible together and have fun doing it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Interesting for adults too
If you like children, this book has many TV-free wholesome activities for the young ones.

The dedication is already inspiring: "I'd like to dedicate this book to Mom and Dad, who taught the Bible and lived it out in ways that have brought me much joy." What a blessing this is! ... Read more

Product Description
Here's the inside information on all the family-friendly fun to be had in the Yellowhammer State. Fun with the Family in Alabama leads the way to amusement parks, hiking trails, children's museums, festivals, parks, and much more.

Written by a parent, for parents, this opinionated, personal, and easy-to-use guide has the best things to see and do to keep the kids busy and happy for an hour, a day, or a weekend - a guaranteed antidote to vacation boredom.

This guide includes up-to-the-minute information on Alabama's family attractions, detailed maps, quick reference icons, age-appropriate guidelines, kid-friendly restaurants and places to stay. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 224 pages, maps, icons) ... Read more