Boredom can wreck a summer—both yours and your child’s. Even if you’ve lined up camps and classes, there are still those deadly dull moments. Current books and activity kits can act as a cure for the Summertime Blues.
Traveling and worried about backseat boredom? Klutz Press has proved again and again that they are the masters of activity books. If you’re traveling—be sure to take The Only Activity Book (Klutz, ages 5-9). Relieve hours of auto tedium with hidden picture searches, connecting dots, solving visual and word puzzles, coloring and creating models for airplanes and cootie catchers. The spiral binding from which hangs a case of colored pencils helps make this kit mess-proof.
Klutz can also ward off home-monotomy. For active family members try The Solar Car Book or Pat Murphy’s Rubber Band Powered Flying Machines (both from Klutz, ages 8 and up). Both books give step-by-step illustrated instructions for assemblage as well as plenty of background science, and ideas for activities and experimentation. And for creative fashionistas, there’s Fashion Origami (Klutz, ages 10 and up) which comes with 80 sheets of stylin’ origami papers, glittery sequins, and design directions for creating everything from party dress to shoes.
Summer—the season of relaxed time—has time for taking on something new, like deepening your mother-daughter relationship. There’s plenty of room to record and lots of prompts to aid reflection in Sofie and Meredith Jacobs’ Just Between Us: A non-stress, no-rules journal for girls and their moms (Chronicle, ages 8 and up). Sophie started this great idea at eight when she was seeking an easier ways to communicate difficult subjects with her mother, Meredith. Meredith responded with delight and the two have had such a fabulous five year journey of learning more about each other that hey designed a journal. They offer ideas for getting started, guidelines, lots of prompts to inspire storytelling and a plethora of blank pages ready to receive all you’re ready to write. This may begin as a communication tool and end as a tribute that captures the specialness of your relationship.
Authors Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter extend the thrill of writing to young authors in Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook (Roaring Brook, ages 8 to adult). Clear, concise, conversational writing guides aspiring writers with a step-by-step process leading from finding character ideas to developing voice. You might want to join your child in this project, for the upbeat, inspiring views on specific skills will benefit any aspiring author regardless of age, or experience. Discover methods to hone skills like dialogue, description, or just surviving writer’s block.
Looking for rainy day entertainment? Cook up some fun with The Children’s Baking Book: More than 50 delicious step-by-step recipes (DK Press, ages 4 and up with parent). The book is set up for ease and deliciousness, with hundreds of photographs, well-described stages for preparation, and even chef tips for everything from aps to desserts.