What could be a better stocking filler this Christmas than an activity book or two. They are great for keeping the kids occupied on visits to relatives or restaurants, or to enjoy at any time. My kids love activity books, they are the best boredom busters and can be taken anywhere.
Today I’m bringing you two books from the fabulous Alain Gree, Transport and Animals.
Transport Activity Book
This entertaining transport-themed activity book will be very popular with any child that loves things that go! Activities include spot the difference, colouring in and other engaging puzzles to keep children busy for hours on end.
Publisher: Button Books ISBN: 9781787080225 Number of pages: 64 Dimensions: 295 x 220 mm
Animal Activity Book
This fabulous animal-themed activity book will keep young children entertained for hours. The pages are packed with all sorts of beastly business, including dot to dots, spot the difference, colouring in and mazes.
Publisher: Button Books ISBN: 9781787080188 Weight: 64 g Dimensions: 295 x 220 mm
My Verdict
I love that these books are so packed with fun activities. Each page is full of colourful illustrations which invite the child to join in. The books have 64 pages so there is plenty to do. In the middle of each book are four pages of stickers which the child can use in the books to complete to puzzles and pictures.
A puzzle page from Animal Activity Book
At £7.99 each book you will get hours of entertainment for your child, and while they are having fun they will be learning too. The books will engage the child with the lovely illustrations and fun puzzles while teaching them skills such as problem solving, counting, observational and motor.
The books require some reading and writing skills so would be suitable for children who have those. There are also pictures to colour and the stickers which can be enjoyed by all children.
A page from the Transport Activity Book
Disclosure: I was sent these books in return for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links
Author: Colin Stuart Hardcover: 48 pages Publisher: Button Books (7 Oct. 2018) Language: English ISBN-13: 978-1787080164 Product Dimensions: 24.8 x 1.1 x 24.8 cm
The Blurb
Sit back, buckle up and get ready to enjoy a cosmic tour of our amazing solar system! Inside this illustrated guide you’ll discover the incredible things that make up the solar system and how it came into existence. While you marvel at the beauty of the planets and our Sun and Moon, you can learn astonishing facts about them. You’ll also find out exactly what dwarf planets are, and the differences between asteroids, comets, meteors, meteoroids and meteorites. Plus you can delve into the fascinating history of space and travel and glimpse what the future may hold. With all this and much more, you’re sure to come away from your journey with an even greater sense of awe at the wonders above us.
Our Verdict
The Little Man, aged 8 years, is currently obsessed with outer space. He loves reading anything to do with the solar system so this book was greatly received.
The hardback book is very resilient with thick paper pages. The illustrations are colourful and details and the text provided in short paragraphs which are easy to digest but full of interesting information.You can learn about the Space race with a detailed timeline of the discovery of rockets, to the first space walk and up to current technology launching a sports car into space. There are also details about how rockets are built and how they work once launched.The main purpose of the book though, is to teach everything a child needs to know about the solar system, each of the planets is described along with dwarf planets. You can also find out what Asteroids, comets and meteorites are. The Little Man really enjoyed reading through this book and I’m sure he will pick it up again and again.
Disclosure: This book was sent to me for the purpose of this review, all my thoughts and opinions are honest and entirely my own.
Author: Mia Underwood Paperback: 64 pages Publisher: Button Books (7 Nov. 2018) Language: English ISBN-13: 978-1787080263 Product Dimensions: 15 x 2.2 x 21 cm
The Secret Woodland Activity Book
The Blurb
Discover the magical, playful (and sometimes shy) woodfolk who inhabit a secret woodland hidden on a remote island in Scandinavia. If you can see them, then you are one of the lucky few and can help them with their important work by completing the activities inside this book.
Things to do include: colouring in, spot the difference, paper crafts, join the dots, word searches, number games and scenes to create with stickers.
The Author
Mia Underwood is a designer and illustrator based in Brighton, UK. She loves a creative challenge and working with traditional and digital illustration as well as creating 3D characters. Being half Danish she particularly enjoys creating scenes with characters that conjure up the mystery and romance of dreamlike imaginary woodlands within Scandinavia.
My Verdict
Oh to be a little girl again, this book is 64 pages of delightful imagery that invites you to take part on every page. There is so much to do in this book; join the dots, colouring in and drawing, crafty makes like a wishing star and mobile, puzzles, tasks, story writing, recipes and so much more. All in a mystical woodland theme. It comes with over 150 stickers and it even shows you how to draw a Unicorn!
Out of the pre-historic mists emerges two mighty terrors that will stupefy and astound! It’s the award wining Little Button Diaries bloggers and crafting mums Laura Minter and Tia Williams who return this season with an amazing children’s craft book for all dino-mad kids out there – The Dinosaur Craft Book!
These pages have all the items your little budding palaeontologists and dinosaur hunters could dream of – whether they want to study dinosaurs or BE dinosaurs this book has it all. Containing 15 different dinosaur themes projects to make, the Dinosaur Craft Book will get your little ones crafting and creating in no time. Aimed and boys and girls aged 3+ years all of the projects can be made either from readily available items or from easy-to-source materials. Parents can have little to no crafting experience to help. As well as dinosaur costumes to wear and essential accessories,t here is also an epic Volcano Cake, perfect for any Party-saurus! Projects include: Dinosaur Paws, Pterodactyl Wings, and adorable snugglesaurus Cushion, a Spino Dino Cape, a Fundy Triceratops Pen Pot and a matching Magnetic dinosaur themed Pen Case.
So get ready to hunt down some terrible lizards with The Dinosaur Craft Book because there’s a Giganotosaurus amount of fun to be had with this book.
As usual with these books the features we love such as big bright colourful photos and easy step-by-step instructions were on every page. However, with this book there are a bigger number of activities where the children can get involved.
My Little Man is super keen to make a Papier-mâché mini jurassic land. This looks super fun and doesn’t need loads of materials that you probably don’t have lying around. The only thing you might need to buy is some green felt.
For younger children the footprint stamps look super easy and fun and great for the little ones to get involved.
I was taken back to the 70s with the nail and string art. This one is a little more complicated but I’d loved to make a board for my older girls to have a go at ‘stringing’ a picture.
As always, the book ends with some great party ideas including decorations, games and food and fabulous Volcano Cake. Brilliant if you are planning a Dinosaur themed party.
Disclosure: I was sent this book to review which I have done honestly.
Even Children need to learn ways to calm and centre themselves. With its hands-on exercises, Teach Your Child Meditation gives kids ages 5-12 important tools to relieve anxiety, cultivate mindfulness, and gain confidence. More than 70 illustrated exercises, which all have fun names like ‘Funny Bunny Breath’ and Elephant Shower’, are organised to highlight their special benefits: Choose from such categories as ‘Hocus Pocus, I Can Focus,’ ‘The Chill Zone,’ Stress Busters’ or a sections with group exercises that teachers and parents alike can use.
Whether the goal is for a child to sleep better, concentrate before a big test of game, or enjoy some much-needed relaxation, this guide helps anyone who loves an plays with children to introduce them to the many benefits of meditation.
About the Author
Lisa Roberts is a registered yoga teacher and a registered children’s yoga teacher, and holds a certificate in children’s yoga therapy. She has worked in the paediatric wellness field since 2006 and currently runs the inpatient yoga program at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Lisa offers professional training teaching kids Adaptive and Accessible yoga for paediatric professionals, parents and yoga teachers. In addition to Teach Your Child meditation, she has developed a line of teaching tools for paediatric yoga teachers, parents, and kids.
Why We Love This Book
I started teaching my older kids meditation when they were young to help them sleep and release their stresses. It was natural for me to continue this with my younger kids years later.
I truly believe that all children should learn at least a few mediation techniques as it is a really useful tool to have at all times in life.
What I loved about this book is it’s simplicity. Each Section gives you the focus of the meditations and why they should be done. For example, breathing, focus, chilling, energy equalising, connecting and stress busting meditations. Then the exercises are set out in a real simple format spread over only two pages. It makes it so easy to just get stuck in.
Balloon Breath
Balloon Breath
What is Balloon Breath?
Balloon Breath is a breathing technique that slows down the breath while encouraging full and deep inhales and exhales to cam the mind and body.
How Does it Help?
Balloon Breath is great to use as a quick exercise to centre and calm oneself during activities or to refocus before or during class. Linking physical movement to the breath encourages mind-body concentration and self -regulation. The physical movement of raising the arms up overhead in this exercise allows more space in the torso to accommodate fuller and deeper breaths
Simple Steps for Kids
Begin sitting comfortably, either on a chair or on the floor with the hands resting on the thighs. Relax the shoulders, arms and face.
Or, begin standing, feet hip-width distance apart, arms resting by the torso, shoulders and face relaxed.
Begin to breathe in and out through the nose
Inhale, sweeping your arms up overhead. imagine you are filling up a giant balloon.
Exhale, slowly lowering your arms to resting your lap or by your side.
Repeat for several rounds.
Get creative: Imagine the colour of your balloon as you inflate it.Does thinking of a certain colour make you feel more relaxed? Visualise releasing your balloon into the sky as you exhale. Where does your balloon go?
Meditation and mindfulness is very popular these days and if you are thinking that it’s something that your child would never do then this book will teach you otherwise. In just five minutes you can make your child more relaxed or less stressed with these simple exercises that any child would find easy to acheive.
The book contains 70 of these fun and so simple ways to help teach your child the basics of meditation. They will learn how to control their breathing in stressful situations and how to relax when worked up, plus much more.
Teach Your Child Meditation is dedicated to those who dare to teach beyond the mind and awaken the soul.
Disclosure: I was very kindly sent a copy of this book to review, which I have done honestly. This post may also contain affiliate links.
A little Note About Positive Reviews on Raisie Bay
A little Note About Positive Reviews on Raisie Bay
Some people only write reviews when things go wrong with products, which is good because it lets people know that there could be potential problems. I’ve also seen negative feedback with say things like, I had to return this item because the colour did not suit me…is this useful?
I write reviews on most items I buy because I like to give genuine feedback. If I have a genuine problem with a product I will write my review in the appropriate place.
I write reviews on my blog too, but they are mostly positive. Why? Because I only write reviews for the things I’ve loved. If I don’t love them I let the person who sent me them know with details why and then let them decided if they would rather me write a negative review or not write one at all. It’s always the latter.
This is my blog, my place and I’ll let you know about the things I love. If you want to find out what other people have hated about the product then you will need to look elsewhere.
My reviews may all be positive, but they are still genuine.
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