Give your kids these books that will teach them all sorts of old tricks and get them off the couch. Boys can dive into Dangerous Book For Boys ($15) and girls can bury themselves in the Daring Book For Girls ($15).
The Dangerous Book For Boys by Conn and Hal Igguiden teaches young rascals how to tie knots, make paper airplanes, fish, craft bows and arrows out of front-yard tools, build a tree house, act out coin tricks, and assemble go-carts.
The Daring Book For Girls by Andrea Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz counsels girls on public speaking, softball rules, origami fortunetellers, and how to make a handlebar scooters. It also talks about tying a sari, Chinese jump rope, and building a campfire.
Kids won't believe how much fun can come from these two texts. And, the activities provide bonding time for parents and children.
I saw these at Target about two hours ago and thumbed through them for a few minutes. It took me back to all the fun I had as a kid - when kids actually went outside, ran around, and got into mischief rather than sitting in front of the TV like bumps on a log.