Monday, September 16, 2013

Bumper Wipe Clean Activities by Juliet David



My testing panel consisted of three subjects: 6 year old girl [the audience I had intended for this book], 8 year old girl and 10 year old boy.  I brought out the book one afternoon for my 6 year old. I was curious what she would think of it.  She was the right age for being able to read the directions herself but I wondered if she might think the activities were too easy.

I was very surprised at how long she played with it.  The marker was perfect for small hands and it had a nice fine tip so that you didn't get way too much ink on the page. She kept a tissue handy and just wiped the pages clean after she had completed them. As she was working her 8 and 10 year old siblings had gathered around and were watching over her shoulder and both eagerly waiting for a turn.

My eight year old skipped around doing some of the same pages as her sister but also wanting to do some new ones.  When she passed it off to her older brother, he started to get really creative. He pretty much ignored the activity itself (dot to dot or matching) and just found Bible characters throughout the book that he could "embellish" with the included marker.  So several people had big hair or a new satchel hanging around their neck.  Robes decorated and props drawn in.  And all of it, good clean fun!

My six year old has taken the book along to church (nice quiet activity!), in the car as we travel to various activities and most recently along to the park where she met a friend. Because the book is reusable, she could let her friend play with it as much as she wanted without using it up--with a quick swipe of a tissue, it's all brand new again.  I love that the nature of the book encourages sharing.

Inside the book cover, the pages are spiral bound so that they lay completely flat. Makes it very easy for youngsters to work on.  And the book is sturdy enough to do in your lap so it can go everywhere with your child.  An elastic band holds the pen in place so you'll easily be able to keep it with the book, ready to use at any moment.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun my kids had with this book.  There are a good variety of activities that even younger children than mine will enjoy. Parents may need to read the directions to younger kids, but that's a win-win: spending time with your child and helping them gain fine motor as well as reasoning skills. Not to mention reinforcing Bible stories as they work.

You can purchase this book directly from Kregel Publications or from one of the following retailers:
Start your Christmas shopping early and grab some copies of this book for the youngsters in your life! This would also make a great gift for birthday or an older sibling gift when a new baby arrives.


Disclaimer: I received Bumper Wipe Clean Activities from Kregel Publications for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

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