Unplugged Play No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun.

by Conner, Bobbi

• ISBN13: 9780761143901
• ISBN10: 0761143904
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-07-18
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company

Summary

Too much TV? Too many hours spent on video games? Tired of hearing "I'm bored"? The answer is here. The Unplugged Play Book celebrates the pleasures and virtues of old-fashioned play while addressing the growing concerns of parents who worry about the time their children spend in front of a screen. Written by Bobbi Conner, the creator and host of The Parent's Journal, the long-running, award-winning public radio show, The Unplugged Play Book is the family bible of hands-on fun, a parent-friendly encyclopedia of over 700 games and variations, with not a screen, plug, chip, disk, or battery in sight. Here are games to play alone and games to play with siblings and friends. Games to play indoors and games for outside. Toddler games, ten-year-olds' games, and games for the whole family. There are craft projects, puppet ideas, music activities, card games, guessing games, plus loads of ideas for keeping little kids busy nearby. There's stuff to do with cardboard boxes, with balloons, with muffin tins, with paper grocery sacks. There's how to draw a sidewalk masterpiece in chalk, design a castle, organize a treasure hunt, make silly hats from plastic tubs, build forts and ramps for toy cars and trucks. And dozens of special-occasion games, including birthday party ideas, themes, and activities. Woven throughout are not only the reasons to play unpluggedwhy it's essential for whole development, how it builds intelligence, encourages problem-solving and self-control, boosts creativity and inner strength of characterbut also invaluable help for parents, from lists of best toys (and gadgets turned into toys) to dealing with issues of sharing, shyness, party meltdowns, safety, and much more.

Author Biography

Bobbi Conner created the award-winning nationwide public radio series The Parents Journal and hosted the program for twenty-four years. She is a public radio journalist and writer. She’s the author of The Giant Book of Creativity for Kids (Parents’ Choice Recommended Seal) and Everyday Opportunities for Extraordinary Parenting. Conner’s public radio program, audio interviews, books, and articles have been featured in USA Today, Newsweek, the Washington Post, Parade, Parents, Parenting, CBS This Morning and PBSParents.org. She lives in South Carolina.
 

Table of Contents

Preface
Play Matters: Why-and How-I Wrote This Book	p. ix
Introduction: The Power of Play	p. xi
Dare to Unplug	p. xii
What's Wrong with Electronic Play?	p. xvi
How to Use This Book	p. xxii
Toddler Play (age 1 to 2)	p. 1
Solo Play	p. 4
Busy-Body Play	p. 4
Busy-Body Play on-the-Go	p. 17
Clapping and Counting Games	p. 21
Spontaneous Solo Play	p. 24
Role-Play and Pretend Play	p. 30
Play Ideas for Parent and Child	p. 36
Indoor Play	p. 36
Rhyming Games	p. 36
Songs and Lullabies	p. 38
Reading Aloud	p. 40
Action Games	p. 42
Arts and Crafts	p. 46
Outdoor Play	p. 53
Beach Day	p. 58
Let it Snow!	p. 59
Playing with Others	p. 61
Indoor Play	p. 62
Pretend Play	p. 63
Art Play for Two or More	p. 67
Musical Play	p. 70
Outdoor Play	p. 72
Birthday Party Play	p. 76
Create a Party Itinerary	p. 77
Mom & Me or Dad & Me Party Activities	p. 78
Play Stations	p. 83
Group Play Activities	p. 86
Preschool Play (age 3 to 5)	p. 91
Solo Play	p. 91
Busy-Body Play	p. 96
Self-Directed Play	p. 109
Arts and Crafts	p. 117
Spontaneous Art	p. 119
Creative Crafts	p. 126
Play Ideas for Parent and Child	p. 129
Reading Aloud	p. 129
Tell Me a Story!	p. 131
Indoor Play	p. 134
Board Games and Card Games	p. 138
In the Car	p. 139
Crafts	p. 142
Outdoor Play	p. 147
Playing with Others	p. 151
Pretend Play	p. 151
Musical Play	p. 171
Make Your Own Musical Instruments	p. 174
Sing It!	p. 176
Sing Your Own Family Songs	p. 180
Games and Activities Around the House	p. 182
Craft Activities	p. 187
Outdoor Play	p. 189
Beach Day	p. 199
Let It Snow!	p. 200
Birthday Party Play and Large Group Games	p. 203
Arrival Activities	p. 204
Birthday Party Arts and Crafts	p. 205
Cake-Time Activities	p. 210
Indoor Party (Group) Games	p. 212
Outdoor Party (Group) Games	p. 226
Ten Terrific Theme Parties	p. 237
Grade School Play (age 6 to 10)	p. 241
Solo Play	p. 244
Kitchen Table Play	p. 244
Indoor Play	p. 250
Arts and Crafts	p. 256
Outdoor Play	p. 265
Let's Play Ball!	p. 266
Play Ideas for Parent and Child	p. 273
Indoor Play	p. 273
Kitchen Table Play	p. 273
Reading Aloud	p. 276
Craft Activities	p. 284
Outdoor Play	p. 289
Playing with Others	p. 291
Indoor Play	p. 292
Theatrics and Music	p. 298
Guessing Games and Wordplay	p. 301
Outdoor Play	p. 304
Beach Day	p. 318
Let It Snow!	p. 320
Birthday Party and Large Group Games	p. 322
Indoor Party (Group) Games	p. 324
Outdoor Party Games	p. 331
Water Play Party Games	p. 349
Large Group Games	p. 352
Sunday Afternoon Play Club	p. 352
family Game Night	p. 359
What Goes on at family Game Night?	p. 359
Games that Require Moving About Indoors	p. 360
Games Played at the Kitchen Table	p. 360
Classic Board Games for Family Game Night	p. 361
Games for Outdoors	p. 361
Family Game Night Favorites	p. 362
The Well-Stocked Toy Cupboards	p. 365
The Toddler Toy Cupboard	p. 365
For Freestyle Play	p. 365
Household Items	p. 366
For Arts and Crafts	p. 366
For Music	p. 367
The Preschool Toy Cupboard	p. 368
For Freestyle Play	p. 368
For Building, Inventing, and Creating	p. 368
For Outdoor Play	p. 368
Household Items	p. 369
For Arts and Crafts	p. 370
For Music 371 Store-Bought Games	p. 371
The Grade School Toy Cupboard	p. 372
For Freestyle Play	p. 372
For Outdoor Play	p. 372
Household Items	p. 373
For Arts and Crafts	p. 374
For Music	p. 375
Board and Card Games	p. 375
Parent Planner	p. 377
Index	p. 379
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.