The Five Minute Parent Book Review
Book Provides Art, Movement, and Science Activity Ideas for Parents
Dec 16, 2007
Don't let the title fool you. Deborah Shelton's The Five Minute Parent: Fun and Fast Activities for You and Your Little Ones [Bayou Publishing, 2002] promotes the idea of parents spending more time with kids rather than less. She realizes that parents are often overscheduled, however, so she provides 155 pages of ideas for fun activities that take only minutes.
Educational Help
The fabulously simple but engaging activities have "Fun & Fast" facts, tips, quotes and even riddles that parents can use to keep their children learning and engaged. For instance, a Seashell Memory painting craft includes a riddle:
Q: Why do seagulls only fly over the sea?
A: Because if they flew over the bay, they'd be bagels!
Even the facts and trivia are entertaining. For instance, in a postcard writing lesson, Shelton tells readers that "uncopyrightable" is "the only 15-letter word in the English language that can be spelled without repeating a letter."
Science Experiments
In a chapter titled "Weird & Wacky Science Experiments," Shelton provides simple, fast and fascinating activities that teach children physical science lessons. Some ideas are tried and true, like the "Egg in a Bottle" lesson; still others are as novel as they are easy. With "Moo Juice Science," for instance, parents and caretakers can teach even young children about surface tension with ingredients as readily available as milk, a pie tin, dishwashing liquid and food coloring.
Writing Lessons
In "Writing and Wishing You Were Here," parents will find writing and story telling lessons that are so much fun that kids will hardly realize that they are learning. Most of the activities are geared for an audience, too, so there is built-in sharing.
Games and Movement
Several chapters are dedicated to games, sports, music and movement. Parents will appreciate the simplicity and low cost of kinesthetic activities that keep their kids moving. Balloon tennis with paper plate rackets, dancing with cardboard tube streamers, shadow tag and indoor "ice skating" are just a few of the easily organized movement activities that would appeal to children.
Quiet Time
Still other activities encourage imaginative quiet fun. Remember Pet Rocks? Why not allow your child to make his own? A child who enjoys drama will enjoy playing with a turtle puppet made with paper plates and a sock. Wooden spoon dolls can be made with fabric scraps and common craft items found in the home.
Holiday Fun and Recipes
Resourceful invitations, original decorations, yummy snacks and easy-to-make holiday gifts further encourage kids to further use their creativity throughout the year and, better yet, to spend quality time with the important adults in their lives.
Living up to the words on its cover, this is a book that shows that "(g)reat things can happen in five minutes." Simple instructions, fun facts and Frankie Gordon's whimsical illustrations make this a title a worthy $12.95 purchase for parents, caregivers, teachers, Scout leaders and party planners alike.
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