Well Played: The Ultimate Guide to Awakening Your Family’s Playful Spirit

Sinclair, a columnist for Chicago Parent magazine, wants to see creativity, passion, and playfulness restored to family life. Taking inspiration from her own childhood, she assembles a collection of activities and projects designed to renew a sense of adventure for both children and parents. In the first chapter alone are a dozen suggestions to let go of the “house beautiful” concept of an immaculate, perfectly maintained showcase in exchange for a home playground filled with opportunities for directed and spontaneous play. These include a decorative bowl full of Lego, K’nex, and other building toys on the coffee table, a readily accessible “creativity cupboard” full of craft supplies, and a refresher course in backyard games such as kick the can. Four subsequent chapters offer a multitude of entertaining ways to play with family members and improve parent-child communication, as well as to involve adult friends in play. Some verge on the positively goofy, but all promise to engender a light heart and much laughter. Appealing whimsical illustrations by Anne Keenan Higgins and a format threaded with checklists, sidebars, and fill-in-the-blank mini-journaling opportunities make reading a pleasure. Readers will be delighted with the author’s enthusiasm and openness, and they’ll take to heart her message that even though childhood goes by all too fast, playfulness can be lifelong. Agent: Frances Black, Literary Counsel. (June)