The Kids Winter Handbook by Jane Drake (Author), Ann Love (Author)

Winter is a special time. As the snow begins to fall, it sets the stage for a whole array of wintry activities, like searching for special effects in the winter night sky. Or sewing up a pair of cozy fleece mitts. Or enjoying an outdoor picnic on a blanket of snow. This book in the Family Fun series is packed with over 120 pages of unique ideas for celebrating winter. In fact, there are so many wonderful ways to enjoy this frosty season -- winter just isn't long enough! Kids can * learn to identify animal tracks * tell silly fireside stories * make marshmallow s'mores * build sparkling sun catchers * set up their own goofy winter Olympics.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-The authors of The Kids Campfire Book (Kids Can, 1998) are back with more activities. With its one-color (green) illustrations, Winter Handbook has a vintage look reminiscent of an old-fashioned craft book. Most of the projects are inexpensive to make, and supplies are easy to obtain, making these interesting alternatives to holiday boredom or too much TV. Many of the activities, especially those that are science related, are also suitable for the classroom. Although the instructions aren't always consistent on when adult assistance is needed, generally the projects can be handled by children with little, if any, supervision. A few crafts involve drilling holes, and one recipe calls for boiling maple syrup, but most use only readily available materials and kids' ingenuity. While several of these ideas can be found in other titles, some of them-crokinole (a game), ice candles, record baffles (to fool squirrels that steal from your birdfeeders), and instructions for making your own snowshoes-are unique.
Laurie Edwards, Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

The Kids Winter Cottage Book is virtually indispensable. It is full of great ideas for lots of fun both inside and out. And you don’t have to be at a cottage to get the most out of this book.

Most of the projects are inexpensive to make, and supplies are easy to obtain, making these interesting alternatives to holiday boredom or too much TV. Many of the activities, especially those that are science related, are also suitable for the classroom.