How to Babysit Your Grown-Up

April 15, 2023
Reagan and Wildish, with co-author Brown-Wood, continue their How To... series, this time with a longer tome focusing on activities kids and grown-ups can do together. Seven chapters focus on fun..."in the fresh air," "with paper," "with science," "you can eat," "with crafts," "with imagin-yay-tion," and "with family." Each has five to eight entertaining though not especially original activities that include easily procured supplies; simply worded, often tongue-in-cheek directions ("How To Go Stargazing": "1. Wait for nighttime--this won't work if it isn't dark"); occasional other ideas to try; and Wildish's digital cartoon illustrations playing up all the intergenerational fun. While some ideas definitely involve kids and grown-ups working and spending time together (a park picnic), others are adult-adjacent (making a kite) or don't involve adults at all (making a mosaic). Notably, a few activities will reach across distances: sending letters or playing games over a video call. The book jumps around the seasons wildly, with a snowman-building activity following camping, and includes both indoor and outdoor fun. The focus is definitely on families, as several steps prompt children to say or write "I love you." And not only does Wildish not picture any cellphones, but in the directions for making a family memory, children collect all electronic devices until the end of the day. Characters are racially diverse. While the activities aren't particularly unique, the humor and focus on family fun are. (activity checklist) (Activity book. 5-10)

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