Overview
Play is a basic human instinct—right up there with shelter, food, and water. Here are games for every developmental stage, along with stories from families who know how to plan family nights, get a game going, and lure reluctant players.
Family activity: personalize a table runner for family night and get started with a "survival kit” (playing cards, dice, and multi-use game pieces).
Editorials
Children's Literature
AGERANGE: Ages 3 to 12.Before TV, computer games, scheduled play dates, and sporting events, families did spend more time together. In an attempt to spark family togetherness, Magsamen has prepared a kit to keep everyone entertained. The book provides a history of game playing and the dates when certain games were introduced--checkers (1100AD) and dominoes (1120 AD). Games are also a proven method for stimulating brain activity and in turn contribute to good health. Various games are appropriate for various ages, and she follows her comments with introductions to a variety of game examples. There are testimonials from family members about the fun of playing, and also some advise for those who lose. The closing sections offer some interesting games that can be played with foods--cookies, cereal, and spaghetti. In addition, Magsamen has provided a list of fiction and nonfiction books for those who want to learn more about games. The package comes with a game cloth, checkers, dice, and cards. This is a nice package to take on a family vacation and may be an alternative to all those DVDs and video games. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot