Parents will appreciate this cornucopia of activities for kids, especially those who repeatedly cry boredom. Projects include creating a code, making a map, making a kitchen volcano [we did that one out in the yard!], making paper-cup speakers, and creating giant bubbles to blow. Some ideas are practical exercises: how to use chopsticks, how to identify animal footprints, or how to make an arm sling.

The 400-and-some color illustrations accompany the text (design and illustration by Dan Bramall and Katie Knutton) are colorful and cute. The spiral-bound format is very kid-friendly.

The recommended age range is 8 and up, but most of the activities are quite simplistic and seem geared to even younger kids. That’s not a bad thing however; the younger set are often not yet addicted to computer games, and are more in need of creative ways to pass the time.

The experienced team behind this book includes the author, who has written more than seventy books for kids, and the publisher, known for its diverse selection of instructional books and kits. ( )

Count to ten in five different languages; write a spooky story; get map smart, make my own journal, measure rainfall - that's a selection