The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast Activities for You and Your Little Ones (Paperback)

by Deborah Shelton (Author) "Have the right supplies (and know where they are)!..." (more)
Key Phrases: chenille stem, resource center, Fast Fact, Fast Trivia, Fast Quote (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"The Five Minute Parent is a book every parent of young children should have in their home." -- Heidi Hoff, Publisher of Preschool Planet

"The Five Minute Parent will awaken your child's sense of creativity and invigorate his/her imagination. We highly recommend it." -- Ocean State Family Magazine, Sept./Oct. 2002

Product Description
Those who want a quick answer when confronted with I'm bored! -- or want some new ideas when spending quality time with their children -- can now choose from more than 115 fast, fabulous, fun activities in eleven categories. Colorful sidebars feature jokes, trivia, riddles and facts that are sure to arouse any child's curiosity. For anyone wanting to build strong bonds with their child...and have fun doing it!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Bayou Publishing; 1 edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886298130
• ISBN-13: 978-1886298132
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #964,962 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal for rainy day activities, December 8, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast Activities For You And Your Little Ones by Deborah Shelton is a compilation of 115 quick, easy, and very enjoyable parent-child projects designed specifically for families running short on time. Simple black and white drawings by Frankie Gordon illustrate such activities as making colorful "button flowers" out of construction paper, buttons and pipe cleaner, hanging a pine cone bird feeder for feathered friends, handprint art, and a great deal more. A fun and lighthearted resource, The Five Minute Parent is ideal for rainy day activities, single parent visitations, family night plans, kid's parties, and any time there's a few extra minutes in the day for family bonding with the kids.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Need to Wait for the Weekend, July 28, 2003

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

When Deborah Shelton found herself saying: "maybe this weekend" and "maybe later" she knew it was time to think up some creative ideas. She thought up more than 115 fun activities. She is a craft enthusiast, active member of the Associateion for Play Therapy and a homeschooling mom.

You and your child can choose from any of the following categories:

Adventures in Art
Weird & Wacky Science Experiments
Writing and Wishing You Were Here
Games and Sports, of Sorts
Family Fun Time
Easy Crafts for All Ages
Music, Movement and Mayhem
Puppets, Critters and Creepy-Crawlies
Celebrations Using Your Imagination
Cooking and Munching In the Kitchen
Outside Fun Guide

Some of the ideas are as simple as "No-Bake Banana Crunch Cookies" or as educational as "Floating Needle" in which you teach your child about "surface tension."

In Five Minutes you can:

Make Jell-O
Water the plants
Write a letter puzzle
Draw Fingerprint Critters
Giggle as you make up tongue twisters.

Camp Indoors
Make a Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Turn breakfast into an art appreciation experience

Deborah shows you how to get everything organized. Making a space somewhere in your kitchen (away from the stove, etc) is a great idea. Many people have a breakfast nook or a place kids can play/draw/sit and this is a way mom can cook and supervise 5-minute activities. You can make up a list of things to buy or just look around the house for things you already have and organize them all in one place.

This book also includes jokes, trivia, riddles, quotes and fun facts to encourage your children to be more curious about the world. Great for rainy days, birthday parties, holidays or just because.

Will be appreciated by: grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, homeschool moms and day care teachers.

Fun, Creative Ideas!

~The Rebecca Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Reminder to Stop and Smell the Flowers with your Kids, November 12, 2002

By	D. Williams "Host of By the Book Radio" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

More than an activity book, The Five Minute Parent is a reminder for parents everywhere to stop and smell the flowers with their children. If you are like the rest of us busy parents, and find yourself telling your little one "not now, later", then this book is for you!

From organizing craft supplies to making time for kitchen experiments, this book is filled with quick and easy ways to spend quality time NOW with your children. And as the author reminds us, there is no reason to wait for the weekend when you can do it today!

Teachers, parents, grandparents, and other caregivers will really enjoy the easy format and quick activities contained in the pages of this book. Seize the moment!