Monday, May 16, 2011

Book Review: Dover Little Activity Books

I have discovered a new tool for my arsenal to keep the kids occupied while waiting somewhere. Actually, I discovered them last fall but haven't had a chance before to share my secret weapon: Dover Little Activity books.

These are little books, just as the name says. They are just 5.6" by 4". That's what I love about them. They fit perfectly in a pocket and a handful can fit in the diaper bag. A few little books and a couple of pencils and I'm ready to entertain anywhere. We don't have any smartphones or handheld games here on the Range, but these little books go far to engage the kids while we're waiting at a restaurant or a the doctor's office.

I also used them extensively when we were traveling to and from my parents' house. I put together shoe boxes for each of the kids with crayons, pencils, and an eraser. I'd give them a new activity book now and then as we drove. These books fit perfectly into the shoe boxes so they could keep everything together.

They have a wide variety of activities, themes, and skill levels available, all for $1.50 each. If you're looking to buy a large bunch, be sure to get on Dover's email list because there are often specials like $20 off a $40 purchase. You can buy a lot of little activity books for $40! (Not that I did; I incorporated them into an order along with some homeschooling books.) There are also weekly emails from Dover with samples from a varying selection of their books. Here are some of the ones we tried, but there are books for just about any theme:
At first I was concerned they wouldn't last very long, but they have quite a few pages. I always collect them as soon as our food arrives or the kids are otherwise occupied. I also usually have two or three books for each child in the rotation so they don't tire quickly of them. Most of the ones I bought for our trip home still have pages ready for fun.

I bought all of these books myself and have received nothing in exchange for this review.