Customer Reviews

1001 Activities for Children

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I was very disappointed by this book. I was looking for something that would provide creative ideas for projects/activities for either my 2 year old or my 9 year old. For example, # 217 When you drive past a cornfield, go slowly to admire their beauty and think about the hard work that went into growing the cornstalks." My 9 year old could care less and my 2 year old would be interested for about 2 minutes. At what age would that be interesting to a child????

As a preschool teacher, I am always looking for fun and creative ideas and activities for my classroom. Although there are a few interesting ideas in this book, overall it is a big disappointment. Parents won't find many activities that will keep your child busy or interested for long and many of the ideas are not developmentally appropriate.

The title is extremely misleading. Very few of the 1001 items in this book are actual activities, and most of the suggestions are impractical for one reason or another.

Very many of the entries are things a child doesn't really need a book to suggest ("Is there a dandelion in your garden? Put it in a glass of water and place it by the windowsill.")

Some of the entries are simply random questions (Have you ever seen a beaver dam?)

Some of them are pretty much totally impractical, like asking your mailman if you can help deliver the mail, or asking a 'friendly butcher' if you can come into the back of the butcher shop to see the meat being cut. Not much chance of either these days.

Others are situationally specific, like asking your parents to take you to see a famous old fort (nice if there's one in the neighborhood) pull out the weeds in the vegetable garden (if you have one, know what a weed looks like, and it's the right season) or helping your parents polish the silverware (How many people HAVE actual silverware these days?) or going to your older brother or sisters swim meet (if you have one and if they happen to be in the swim team and their school has swim meets.)

Other things you wouldn't necessarily want your child to have a try at, at least without supervision. (Can you leap over someone who is in a crouching position? Do you know how to use the fire extinguisher?)

Other things are simply sugary reminders to wash your hands, wipe your feet, and pick up after yourself.

The general tone of the book is pure Christopher Robin and Little Lord Fauntleroy, and many of the suggested activities seem anachronistic and completely out of touch with reality and modern times.

There are a some activities in the book which are useful and workable, but the title would be more accurate if it were 101 Activities rather than 1001.

This is a fabulous book for parents or teachers who can slow their lives down and help their children look at and think about the simple things in life - things in nature, things in the world around us. Most people are so busy looking at the fast images on TV, they don't know how to slow down and help their children to wonder, to ask questions, to look behind the scenes, and to watch closely. This book is a treasure.