150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids is my new go-to book for all kinds of sensory play ideas and awesome play recipes! It is definitely a must-own book for any parent and makes a great gift too! Keep on reading to learn why I absolutely adore this book and to see some sample activities the kids and I tried using some of the play recipes from it.
Disclosure: I was sent a complimentary copy of this book to review. All thoughts and opinions are definitely my own. See my full disclosure policy here. This post contains affiliate links.
When I heard Asia Citro from the popular website Fun at Home with Kids was coming out with a book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. The day finally arrived last week when her book, 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids, came in the mail- it was like Christmas!
A Must-Have Resource
I was already 100% sure before seeing the book that I would love it since Fun at Home with Kids is one of my favorite sites, but I didn’t realize what an absolutely awesome resource it would be. It’s not just full of activities you know you’ll want to do one day- it’s actually something you’ll find yourself referring to all of the time.
I’m not exaggerating when I say in just the last week this book has become my number one resource guide. (It’s already outranked all of my tried-and-true books that I’ve used for years!) I grab it when I want to find a quick and easy playdough recipe or when I need some inspiration for the kids that day.
I love having play recipes right at my fingertips that I know Asia has taken tons of time to perfect. I no longer have to Google “how to make slime” and then sift through recipes in the search results hoping one works. I now have more than one slime recipe that I know will be successful. The same goes for paints, doughs, foams, and all things that fizz!
Some Recipes We Tried
I’ve been using Asia’s new book just about everyday for small world inspiration and sensory play ideas for the kids. But for this post, I wanted to try some new sensory materials that I had never done before with Lucy and Theo and share the results with you.
Before we selected what we wanted to try, Lucy went through the book for two days straight. And that is not an exaggeration. We brought it to restaurants with us to look at as we were waiting for a table. It was brought along on car rides to the grocery, and it was her nightly reading book selection.
Melting Ice Cream Dough
The first sensory activity we tried was the melting ice cream dough. (Lucy and Theo actually helped me mix the ingredients before we froze it.) The kids went crazy for this! In the beginning they were all about feeling the dough and smelling it. “It’s so cold! It feels like REAL ice cream!”
Next they became obsessed with getting it to melt. They rubbed it in their hands and moved it into the sun. Once they had thoroughly enjoyed the experience of making the dough melt, they began to use it for pretend play. We had a super fun ice cream parlor going on right in our own backyard!
Foam Dough
Next we had to try foam dough. We were so intrigued by it and wondered what it would feel like. It was the easiest thing ever to make! We found ourselves continuously running our hands through it and squeezing it together. So much fun! I added a few little bowls and spoons to the container and let the kids go at it on their own.
They kept themselves busy filling bowls and making cakes and little towers for almost an hour. (I even had a chance to sit down and get a little knitting in- a rarity for me.)
How to Get Copies for Yourself and to Give as Gifts
I’m already planning on giving copies of 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids as gifts to the kids’ teachers this year, as well as lots of my friends with young children. It would make a great gift for grandparents or your child’s daycare provider!
The book is available world wide! You can buy copies of 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids at any of the stores below:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/10WVVky
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/8aWNUs
Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/P6ncCn
Barnes and Noble: http://goo.gl/MSywEZ
From your local US bookstore: http://goo.gl/
Book Depository: http://goo.gl/
Fishpond AU: http://goo.gl/hdjL2w
I also love the idea of using the book as part of a whole gift basket! Wouldn’t this DIY Sensory Gift Basket make a great birthday present or item for a classroom auction!
Enter to Win One of the Items Featured in the Book!
(Giveaway has Ended)
Fun at Home with Kids is giving away items featured in their new book! Winners get their choice off one of the following:
- Handmade Dinosaur World Felt Playmat
- Handmade Doorway Puppet Theater
- Set of 6 Empty and Prepped VOSS Discovery Bottles
- Set of Sensory Wall Hoops
Foam dough is top of my list for things I want to try from Asia’s fab book! Can’t wait till our copy arrives!!!
Wow, your cloud dough color came out so vibrant! And that gift basket is a fantastic idea!
That ice cream melt looks like so much fun! And I love the idea of the sensory basket as a gift. Hmmm, now you’ve got me thinking.
I L-O-V-E your blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!