Unbored

“The first kids’ book to truly encourage a hands-on approach to creating a personally meaningful life.” — Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine, co-editor of BoingBoing

BY JOSHUA GLENN & ELIZABETH FOY LARSEN
FORTHCOMING FROM BLOOMSBURY IN OCTOBER 2012
SEE BELOW FOR PURCHASING INFO

ABOUT UNBORED

In Neal Stephenson’s sci-fi novel The Diamond Age, an 8-year-old girl gets her hands on a very rare book, the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, which challenges readers to try new experiences, exercise their imaginations, and think for themselves. As a result, the girl’s childhood is anything but tedious, and she grows up to be an amazing person. Unbored is a real-life version of that book!

With contributions from a diverse crowd of experts, Unbored provides information on everything from using the library to the history of videogames to the best grownup-free adventure fiction; most of its 350 pages, however, are dedicated to activities — the best of the old (crafts, bicycle repair, science experiments), and the new (geocaching, yarn bombing, LED “graffiti”) — for kids to do on their own and with their parents.

Here’s a manifesto of the book’s underlying ethos.

Invent, grow, and build. Kids today are increasingly tasked with mastering basic math and reading skills. But our society’s emphasis on testing has also meant that shop, music, and even science classes are falling by the wayside. Kids should learn how to make stuff — whether it’s a robot, a knitted hat, or a garden — in a hands-on, leisurely way that engages the imagination. It’s important for kids to develop skills and expertise around their passions, and stuff that you make yourself is always more charming and cool than stuff you buy.

Hack, modify, and fix. We live in a “throwaway” culture; but there are creative, cultural, and economic benefits to taking things apart, figuring out how those things work, and learning how to fix them if they’re broken — or creatively improving things, even if they’re not broken. What we learn from the hacker movement is that you don’t have to accept the way things are, you can modify them. That goes for your own behavior, too.

Get mobile, in town and in nature. In 1969, 41 percent of children walked or biked to school; today, fewer than 15 percent do; the same period has witnessed increases in pollution, traffic, and obesity. Kids who ride bikes, do parkour, hike and camp, and otherwise roam and explore, not only develop their agility, flexibility, and dexterity, but they also gain the ability to adapt to a situation if it doesn’t turn out the way they expected.

Plug into the world. Videogames are fun and often educational challenges. But you’re only a kid once. It’s so important to have low-tech fun–to build backyard forts, learn the names of trees and birds, and discover first-hand how food is produced. The greatest videogames were inspired by their creators’ childhood exploration of woods and cities — why? Because being an independent kid is already a fun and educational challenge.

Seize control of your time. Over 15 million American kids are left on their own in the afternoons; this can be an opportunity to become more resourceful and independent. Kids can cook meals and snacks, and in doing so explore their tastes. They can do research on topics about which they’re curious. They can investigate mysteries, practice magic tricks, dream and doodle and tinker. We need time offline, to imagine and create.

Unearth the history of the present. Everyday life casts a bewitching spell — it would have us believe that the way things are now is not only natural and inevitable, but permanent. Studying the history of your town, your family, your gadgets, your food, your culture, is a way to break out of the voodoo of the everyday. When we go through life in a passive, unthinking way, we risk forgetting that the impossible is actually possible.

Transform your world. Like parkourists, skateboarders, and unschoolers, kids can learn to see any given environment as temporary and modifiable. Everyday life is an obstacle course, a code to crack, a puzzle to solve. From their room to their backyard, to their school, neighborhood, and town, kids can leave their mark — become actively engaged. In doing so, they become activists who will change the world for the better.

Find a scene. Sharing your own ideas and know-how with others, and learning from them in return, is incredibly rewarding. Joining a community of folks who share your interests is the closest we’ll ever come to living in a utopian society, where differences are respected, free speech is celebrated, and decisions are made democratically. Kids should use social media as a way to support real-life community — not as a substitute.

Experiment, gamify, make mistakes. Anything, from cooking to programming to modifying your own behavior, can be approached as an experiment, or a game — and the best way to learn is to jump right in. Perfect is the enemy of good. Engineers, scientists, game designers, and others know that making mistakes early and often is the fastest way to learn. It’s all about prototyping, iterating… and enjoying the process.

Break free. Many kids go directly from school to afterschool activities like organized sports, extracurricular classes, and music or karate lessons. These opportunities are terrific in moderation, but the adults who amaze us with innovative ideas were the kids who obeyed the siren call of their own eccentric, unique passions and interests.

THE UNBORED TEAM

NOTE TO PARENTS & KIDS: Please email us about any cool projects you’ve done that you’d like us to mention on our website. Include photos!

AUTHORS/EDITORS

Joshua Glenn is co-founder of the websites HiLobrow, Significant Objects, and Semionaut; and coauthor and coeditor of several books. In 2011, he produced Ker-Punch!, a brainteaser iPhone app. He has worked as a newspaper, magazine, and website editor; and he was a columnist for The Boston Globe. During the 1990s he published the zine/journal Hermenaut. He lives in Boston with his wife and sons. Email | Twitter

Elizabeth Foy Larsen is a writer and editor whose stories on children and families have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, Parents, and elsewhere, including anthologies. She has worked as a newspaper, magazine, and website editor. In the 1990s, she was a member of the team that launched Sassy, a magazine for teen girls. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, daughter, and two sons. Email | Twitter

DESIGNER

Tony Leone is principal of Leone Design, a graphic design studio and consultancy in Boston. His work has been honored by the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the Brand Design Association, and has been featured in Communication Arts, Print, Graphis, and elsewhere. In the 1990s, he was design director of the zine/journal Hermenaut. He lives in Boston with his wife, son, and daughter. Email

ILLUSTRATORS

Heather Kasunick teaches visual arts in a public high school. She has exhibited at the Fitchburg Museum of Art, the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, and The MPG Contemporary Gallery (Boston), among other venues. She lives in Northampton, Mass., with her husband and their dog.

Chris Piascik is a freelance designer and illustrator from Connecticut who recently held his sixth solo exhibition. For the past four years, he has been posting daily drawings to his website; in 2012, he self-published a book of the first thousand drawings.

Mister Reusch has made illustrations for Burton Snowboards, Harmonix Rock Band, StrideRite, and poster art and tattoo designs. He teaches illustration at Massachusetts College of Art & Design in Boston. He lives in Haverhill, Mass., with his girlfriend and their dogs and hamster.

CONTRIBUTORS

Joe Alterio | Colin Beavan | Ginia Bellafante | Deb Chachra | Helen Cordes | Chris Dahlen | Matthew De Abaitua | Mark Frauenfelder | Max Glenn | Sam Glenn | Chelsey Johnson | Flourish Klink | Geoff Manaugh | Sophie Meyer | Norah Mortensen | Tom Nealon | John Edgar Park | Bre Pettis | Jeff Potter | Jean Railla | Douglas Rushkoff | Henrik Schleisman | Peter Schleisman | Walter Schleisman | Zoe Cordes Selbin | Anindita Basu Sempere | Chris Spurgeon | Courtney Stanton | Kio Stark | Jay Walljasper | Jessamyn West

REVIEWS

Here is a complete-ish list of all the magazine, newspaper, and website reviews of UNBORED, so far. We’re very grateful!

ALSO: ABOUT UNBORED | PARENT REVIEWS | AMAZON USER REVIEWS

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“Fighting the war against techno-passivity is in part what inspired [UNBORED]. With how-to ideas like making LED graffiti and get-out-and-explore manifestoes by the illustrator Joe Alterio and others, it reads like an old-fashioned child’s activity book for a modern Gen-X parented family.” New York Times

New York Magazine’s Approval Matrix — click for larger version

“Exactly the book parents need during a weeklong school break that feels like a month.”
New York magazine’s APPROVAL MATRIX

“This year’s hottest activity book for kids may well be UNBORED. The 350-page book highlights science experiments, crafts and upcycling, board game hacking, and geocaching.”
Publisher’s Weekly DIY CRAFTS BOOKS 2012 round-up

“It’s a book! It’s a guide! It’s a way of life!”
Los Angeles Magazine

“The summer’s must-have activity book.”
The Daily Telegraph (UK)

“I recently discovered a lifestyle book that encourages nieces and nephews to use not only their tech skills but their natural curiosity to be creative, try new things, figure out how things and systems work, and just maybe change the world in the process. Yes, this book can actually have a really meaningful, positive influence on the children you love most. Sincerely — one of my FAVE books of 2012!”
— Melanie Notkin (SAVVY AUNTIE)

“Its over 350 beautifully designed and illustrated pages encourage kids to use their natural curiosity and skills to be creative and to try to change the world. Activities include science experiments, crafts, upcycling, board game hacking, code-cracking, geocaching, by famous contributors from places like Etsy, MAKE magazine, BOINGBOING and more.”
WIRED’s GeekDad Holiday Gift Guide

“For the younger geeks out there comes a great guide to learning and having fun in life. From classic science experiments to geocaching to skateboard repair, UNBORED provides a wealth of knowledge about a wide variety of subjects. There’s even an entire section on fart games. The book is beautifully illustrated and really does teach some great stuff, inspiring kids to learn more without taking itself too seriously. While aimed at kids, I’m sure there’s an adult geek or two out there who might get caught sneaking a peek every now and then.”
— from the blog BROADSHEET 360

“Probably the best do-it-yourself and activity book for children I’ve seen. The variety of projects is astounding, and it’s modern and appealing to kids and adults. Many contemporary kids’ activity books are rehashes of the old “Handy Book For Boys and Girls” that aren’t much fun and, in my opinion, not very accurate…. UNBORED has real projects that were actually tested out.”
— from the blog BOINGBOING

“A parent-and-kids guide to doing things that are smart and quirky.”
— from The Los Angeles Times Book Review blog, JACKET COPY.

“The quintessential guide for today’s tech-savvy and socially engaged kids. The book never loses sight of the many ways kids can and should make time for some honest-to-goodness fun.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Of the legions of activity books promising to drag your children away from the screen and to engage them in creative, life-enhancing activities UNBORED is the very best I have come across.”
— Daisy Bridgewater, in The Daily Telegraph (UK)

“Glenn and Larsen have called on a merry band of contributors, including Glenn’s two sons, in putting together a kids’ activities book packed with easy-to-follow instructions, whimsical illustrations, and interviews with leading thinkers on subjects such as feminism and bullying. The aim is to empower kids to be kind to the earth and each other and to understand that you don’t need to spend money to have fun.”
The Boston Globe

Review from WOMAN’S WEEKLY (UK)

“A great gift for kids and parents, and has even earned a seal of approval from an ADHD expert — my parents could have used this when I was growing up!”
— from the USA TODAY blog POP CANDY

“A zillion high and low-tech project ideas and suggestions for amusing yourself.”
— from the teacher-maker resources blog CONSTRUCTING MODERN KNOWLEDGE

“Parents will appreciate how the information can round out their children’s worldview and give their imaginations a chance to function in the real world, beyond a screen. This book will encourage kids to use their technical skills as well as their natural curiosity to be creative, try new things, figure out how things and systems work, and just maybe change the world in the process.”
Parents & Kids Magazine

“It’s more than an activity guide; it’s a kids’ guide to a sustainable, exciting, imaginative, and above all else independent lifestyle.”
— from the DESIGN OBSERVER blog

“A comprehensive program of boredom-killing activities for kids and their parents… This veritable bible of self-reliance would have had Emerson dancing for joy at the assembled ingredients for a productive and well-examined life: You get what you want by understanding who you are, redefining what you want and learning to ‘create instead of consume.'”
BookPage

“If you can’t find an exciting activity to do in this book, there might be something wrong with you. It’s packed with fun projects such as science experiments and tips for making your own movies.”
Sports Illustrated Kids

“A 350-page treasure chest of games, computer fun, creative projects, nature hunts, lists, quizzes, science experiments, and much, much more. One family and childcare book we can’t praise enough.”
— Barnes & Noble editorial review.

“A collection of inspiring activities involving creativity, intelligence and problem-solving, which will fascinate older children and save them from boredom, and you from resorting to TV or computer games.”
The Lady (UK)

“From yarn-bombing to stop-action moviemaking, from science experiments to skateboard repair, the ingenious projects contained herein will ensure that rainy weekends and school cancellations can be met with equanimity.”
— from the Barnes & Noble Review blog THE LONG LIST

“The coauthors of this book believe that young people are capable of much more than grownups usually think possible. And they are right! It’s a guide to life — if you want an exciting and unbored life!”
— 12-year-old reviewer, in New Moon Magazine

“AWESOME BOOK ALERT! One of my students brought UNBORED in as recommended summer reading and I couldn’t get enough of it. There is something in here for every kid… So happy to have stumbled upon it.”
— from the VERYMERI blog

“Some of these projects are messy and a few are thrilling and just a little nutty.”
MinnPost

“An uncommonly brainy kids’ activity book that encourages youngsters to invent, grow and melt stuff.”
Hemispheres, the in-flight magazine of United Airlines

“A lively new manual brimming with suggestions of ways that parents can be vitally connected with their children as they are making those sometimes complicated transitions into becoming more independent and self-reliant.”
Middletown Journal

“With the activities in UNBORED, the process is as important as the result.”
— Minnesota Public Radio News

“This book has a much more modern feel to it compared to similar titles, incorporating sections on blogging, geocaching, and using smartphone apps to make changes; while still bringing together classics like hand games, conkers, back-of-the-classroom games, decoupage, and making your own board game.”
— from the YA lit blog EX LIBRIS

“The book is loaded with projects, games, experiments and just plain fun that will get kids and adults off the couch. There’s a pleasingly subversive undercurrent to the book that rejects convenience and consumer product abundance and the boredom it can breed. The great sense of curiosity and exploration within the pages of UNBORED is the antidote.”
MAKE Magazine

“Philanthropic, creative, smart, interesting — this is a book all kids should own. And use.”
— from the Australian children’s bookseller Boomerang Books

“This mixture of step-by-step how-tos, inspirational articles, comics, and excerpts from literature puts a priority on having fun and learning new skills, all while becoming more independent.”
School Library Journal

“Glenn and Larsen have a solution — actually hundreds of solutions — to the problem of having nothing to do… Kids and parents alike will get a kick out of these projects.”
— from the blog THE WRITER’S JOURNEY

“After reading this unique field guide, I predict you will… 1. share weird facts about condiments with random people; 2. encourage everyone to play coin hockey; 3. shoot and edit a stop-action movie.”
— from the librarian blog MR. SCHU READS

“This fantastic and creative response to any bored young person (or adult) proves that there’s no excuse for boredom — there’s so much to do. As this thick and endlessly creative book details, there are activities and explorations for anyone in need of something new to try or even something to fill five minutes.”
— Brookline Booksmith Holiday Gift Guide

“An amazing collection of weird and wonderful things for children to do from clapping games and circus games to bicycle maintenance and knot tying.”
— Countryside (U.K.)

“Whether home or away, inside or out, online or off, UNBORED is jam-packed with ideas to keep the whole family busy, make a difference, and have maximum fun. The authors sought input from kid experts everywhere to create a compendium of crafts, games, science experiments, trivia, mystery, and wonder. Instead of hearing ‘I’m bored’ you’ll hear the excited shout, ‘Let’s do that one next!'”
— Creative Kidstuff

UNBORED is the key for parents who want to get their kids away from flickering screens while still maintaining the posture of coolness… Written toward the young audience with a minimum of condescension and a maximum of ‘here’s a cool secret you don’t know,’ it should inspire a generation of creative geniuses, or at least briefly keep a few youngsters off the couch.”
— Zack Smith, Indy Week

“Dread dealing with kids cooped up on cold days? Look no further than UNBORED: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun, which has been on the indie-bookstore bestseller list and nabbed one of the world’s greatest honors as far as we’re concerned, a thumbs-up on New York magazine’s Approval Matrix. Authors Elizabeth Foy Larsen (of Minneapolis) and Joshua Glenn have compiled a truly appealing collection of fun activities — from science experiments and farting games to quizzes and comics — that kids will actually get into.”
— Minneapolis Star Tribune, “The Five Spot: Our fives faves of the moment”

“If I had to spend all summer with a group of kids and only one book, I know what I’d pick: Joshua Glenn and Elizabeth Foy Larsen’s Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun. This book is a marvel. It is full of activities, experiments, ideas to explore and plans to change the world. Want to know how to make a cigar box guitar, play a clapping game, recycle batteries, or conduct an interview? Want to know the secret history of young adult novels, the best-ever musical movies, or how to ‘train your grownup to curse without cursing?’ Those are only a few of the 46 activities in Chapter 1. And there are three more chapters!”
— from the blog CREATIVITEACH: Creativity for 21st Century Classrooms

PARENT REVIEWS

Here is a complete-ish list of all the reviews of UNBORED by parents, so far. We’re very grateful!

ALSO: ABOUT UNBORED | REVIEWS OF UNBORED | AMAZON USER REVIEWS

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“Fantastic Ideas to Get Kids Outside Making and Doing This Summer” — Jessica Lahey, “Parent-Teacher Conference” blogger for the New York Times‘s Motherlode blog.

“The DIY/Maker/Hacker movement is exploding in a big way right now… UNBORED is a great new addition to the movement. The hardbound tome is an activity book for children aged 8 and up, with over 350 beautifully designed and illustrated pages that encourage kids to use their natural curiosity and skills to be creative and to try to change the world. However, it’s the ‘extras’ in each section that help to make UNBORED stand out from the crowd of maker-type books. There are Q&As with people with relevant knowledge — from the inventor of Twister and Nerf to polar explorer Ann Bancroft — to offer the reader a different perspective on the world. Excerpts from classic literature such as Dracula and Around the World in 80 Days, to inspire them. Fun lists covering subjects such as ‘Best Ever Graphic Novels’ and ‘Best Ever Car Free Movies’, and recurring ‘Train Your Grownup To…’ and trivia sections. Quizzes, comics, how-tos, recipes and subjects including writing, music, electronics, travel, crafts, and gardening mean there really is something for everyone here. And refreshingly, there’s no ‘Boys’ section and ‘Girls’ section here, everything is for everybody. The tone throughout is light-hearted and jovial, never patronizing… They never say ‘you must do it this way,’ but rather encourage experimentation and participation. UNBORED is a wonderful collection of activities, inspiration and knowledge, beautifully presented, and well worthy of a space in any GeekKid’s library. They might even let you have a look at it now and then.”
Wired‘s GEEKDAD blog (Nathan Barry)

TOP THREE Best Parenting Books of 2012: “This book makes a great case for saving yourself some serious money and not buying your kid a Wii…. [UNBORED is [filled with activities that you’ll really want to do with your kids. For my little kids, I liked making the no-sew stuffed animal and becoming a yarn bomber. But this book is great for tweens, too. It even has a section on how to “Train Your Grownup to Let You Go Solo.” Favorite chapter: “Train Your Grownup to Curse without Cursing”
— from the Parents Magazine blog MOM MUST READ

“A collection of inspiring activities, projects, and articles on freeing up your creativity… UNBORED offers a zillion ways to keep busy, stay engaged, and connect with the outside world. Start a band, make a zine, teach ‘your grown-up’ how to geocache, trick your friends into saving the planet, tell your politicians what you think, build a backyard fort, make a pet robot controller… The book is fun, instructional, edgy, and has insightful lessons on how to engage with life rather than allowing life to pass by like a boring television commercial. And as a parent, it’s nice to be reminded not to fall into the trap of smothering helicopter parenting, passive parenting (screens!), over-scheduled parenting, and all the other pitfalls of modern life that turn our kids into lethargic, helpless, unthinking slugs. Unbored belongs in every kid’s — and parent’s — library.”
— Carla Sinclair, founding editor-in-chief of CRAFT, and editor-in-chief of WINK

“I want my daughter to read this book with a flashlight after bedtime and plot to take over the world with her friends.”
— Children’s book author Jenny Offill

“I can already tell that it’s going to lead my son into some awesome adventures.”
Reading Comics author Douglas Wolk

“In the same vein as The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Great Big Glorious Book for Girls. Except without all of the vomit-inducing gender stereotyping.”
— from the momblog COFFEE WITH JULIE

“That’s what I love re: UNBORED — it’s for ALL, not ‘daring girls’ or ‘dangerous boys’…”
— tweet from Peggy Orenstein, author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter

“It’s huge, illustrated, a little campy, a little retro. The kids made a vibrating tongue-depressor harmonica/kazoo from it. They play a game from it called ‘the game’ … They love that it’s not gender-specific. Please note Birdy’s classic sign of approval: the million post-it notes.”
— Catherine Neman, of the momblog BEN AND BIRDY

“Do your children bore easily? Are they Minecrafting themselves into oblivion? Has the conclusion of iCarly left them with big Spencer-sized holes in their lives? … UNBORED will teach kids how to make their own fun: “create instead of consume.” … And while you may give your child this book to exert a certain sort of wholesome control over their leisure time, know that there is an entire section devoted to farting games.”
— Christina Kelly, at Entertainment Weekly‘s blog THE FAMILY ROOM

“Kids will love this book because it’s so different from anything else out there. It might look similar to the Daring/Dangerous books for girls and boys, but where those books seem to reflect on older pastimes, UNBORED is planted in the now with an eye to the future. I also think kids will appreciate the tone. It’s never condescending. On the contrary, it encourages kids not to fear mistakes and that ignorance is no excuse for not trying something. It’s the exact opposite of the ‘Danger! Don’t try this at home!’ mindset.”
— from the parenting blog THE RISKY KIDS

“This book opened my eyes to a parallel universe filled with people doing all kinds of tantalizing, crazy, and fun stuff I’d never considered…. Between its Sriracha-red covers are 350+ gorgeous pages, plastered with ideas for playing, building, fixing, creating, and exploring—outdoors and in. Circus tricks, using Foursquare to explore your neighborhood, farting games, the history of mayonnaise, and how to train a grown up to curse without cursing are among the things the kids I know will be investigating immediately. It’s also a fun book to read and just ogle. There are interviews, lists of the best graphic novels and best musical movies, “gross facts about bedrooms,” and even a profile of Dr. Bronner. Books in this genre usually break my heart, with their promising covers and meh insides. (Vinegar/baking soda/food dye. Pipe-cleaners/googly eyes/a tissue box. Enough.) I love that this book incorporates the technologies we’re so immersed in, giving us license to play with screens in ways we hadn’t considered, instead of scolding kids (and parents) to unplug and build things with toilet paper tubes. In one of UNOBRED’s more harrowing projects (“High and Low-Tech Pet Search”), we learn to employ a winning combination of signs, walking around/yelling, strategic phone calls, spreadsheets, and Google Maps to locate little Piney. And UNBORED includes traditional childhood favorites as well, like knotting ropes for assorted purposes, and short-sheeting a bed for the sole purpose of irritating someone. UNBORED is a perfect addition to any creative/kind of creative/wants to be creative family’s life. I’m grateful that I don’t have to navigate another season of cabin fever without it as my guide. As Mark Frauenfelder says in the introduction, ‘This book is a powerful antidote to those forces that constantly try to shape us into passive consumers of pre-made reality.’ Right. What he said. Plus it’s insanely fun.”
— from the parenting blog KIDOINFO

UNBORED is the kind of book I adored when I was a kid. Except nothing like it existed then. … Kids are going to LOVE it, and parents are going to love its power to pull kids away from the screens that seem to dominate their waking hours. … It’s virtually impossible to give you a true picture of the sheer scale of tasks, adventures and activities that are covered in this book, but UNBORED can teach you how to knit, build a tipi or igloo, film a stop-action movie, plan a road trip, and even how to catch a bus by yourself and cook your own lunch. It’s like the book version of what it would otherwise take you years to learn in the Scouts or Brownies. … It’s also written in a fabulously quirky but cool, conversational style, making it easy for kids of varying reading abilities to get to grips with, and fun enough to hold the attention of even the most non-bookish kids, and the artwork and illustrations are first-rate. … I really love the way this book encourages parents to get involved in the activities it contains whilst at the same time inspiring kids to be independent. At one point my son was training me in how to be a ninja, thanks to this book, and that was definitely one of the highlights of our summer holiday.”
— from the UK parenting blog PLAYPENNIES

“Viv spent the afternoon/evening of April 2nd until midday on the 3rd wanting to return to school. Her desire came through a flood of emotion and tears – we listened – we were ready to adjust to accommodate her – it was the first time this had happened since we decided to stay home… That night in bed I leaned over to the night stand and grabbed randomly from the sea of books – a beautiful red and iridescent UNBORED. This was totally unintentional for I knew not what it contained. I just started to read – we were all tired and a bit sad. As the words spilled out, I could not believe how perfect the book was for the moment. A sort of manifesto for unschooling. I was a little self-conscious of pressing this on Viv, so I stopped and asked if we should read something else. No, she definitely wanted me to continue. We read from page 10 to page 31. [The next day, Viv] told me she had changed her mind… UNBORED offered us yet another reminder about how important it is to have a strong foundation in the way you live your life. This book speaks to how I want to live my life. I can only hope that my girls will feel the same: ‘explore the world, test your limits, dare to be different, have fun, get unbored’ and ‘use the world or the world will use you’ – among other things.”
— from the “free-learning” blog ESTUARY LIFE

“One of the drawbacks of being a home educator is that you are forever seeking new ways to shoehorn a bit of education in, while being fun. So I’ve got lots of books titled ‘101 activities to do without television’, or ‘things to do when you’ve nothing to do’. They’re usually fairly predictable, and tbh, a bit pointless. UNBORED is different. Very different. Instead of opening it and going ‘yeah, yeah’, I opened it and went ‘Ooh!’ … It’s subversive, entertaining, thought provoking and generally a bit brilliant. I’d like to recommend a copy for every family in the country.”
— from the UK homeschooling blog MAKING IT UP

“With subjects ranging from Farting Games to ways that kids can work to end world hunger, this book has it all. This one will be wrapped for ‘book night’ for my 11-year-old (the fifth night of Hanukkah in my house) and will be the response anytime I hear those dreaded words, ‘Mom, I’m bored.'”
— from the momblog MACARONI KID

Montana Parent magazine’s pick for Best Book of 2012! “Useful and inspiring to the younger set with help from parents as well as imaginative tinkerers of any age… UNBORED is not a parenting book, but — as a parent — I’d rather have this in my arsenal than a book that advises you to find ways to connect, making you doubt whether the choices you’ve made have been sufficient to create kids who have a true love of learning and exploration. Instead, UNBORED offers up 352 brightly illustrated pages of things that you and your kids will want to do.”
Montana Parent

“A modern-day collection of imaginative ideas and tested projects that goes far beyond the Dangerous and Daring series in scope and creativity, it makes me want to go back to the playground to clap out “Miss Mary Mack” with friends or yarn bomb my neighborhood. Geared to kids age 8 to 13, parents will appreciate its appeal to both genders — there are tons of projects, articles, and advice to entice both boys and girls. The authors kept it lively by parsing out the pages to a range of 30 talented inventors, crafters, and thinkers, including environmental activist Colin Beaven; Make magazine editor-in-chief Mark Frauenfelder; children’s book author Kate DiCamillo; and comic illustrator Joe Alterio. Flip to any page and you might find the following: a how-to on building a geyser with a 2-liter bottle of coke and 6 mentos candies; simple steps for decoupaging a skateboard; a page with rules and illustrations for proper and playful roughhousing at home; parlor games to break out on family night; classic pranks like short-sheeting a bed (complete with a diagram); great nostalgic book suggestions like A Wrinkle in Time and Bridge to Terabithia; and articles that speak straight to kids on important topics like ADHD and bullying.”
— from the momblog MOMFILTER (“Gifts We Love”)

“From apps to hip hop songs, from geocaching to farting games, there is something here for everyone.”
— from the momblog MUMMY ATE ME

“This BIG book of activities is just perfect for kids ages 8 to 14, and I definitely think it would make a fantastic gift this holiday season. This hardcover book has over 350 color pages, and it’s chock full of ideas to conquer boredom. And these ideas aren’t just busy work — they are meant to encourage kids to use their creativity and even teach them a thing or two.”
— from the momblog BOOKING MAMA

“The activity book is vibrantly designed, lavishly illustrated, and most importantly, crammed with activities that are not only fun and doable, but also designed to get kids engaged with the wider world!”
— from the parenting blog KID CRAVE

“The underlying advice? Don’t sit around and accept what’s handed to you, whether it’s an idea or a prefab toy. Create your own meaning and your own entertainment.”
— from the St. Paul Pioneer Press momblog MINNMOMS

“A trove of imaginative ideas and projects designed to delight, inspire, and (most important) occupy kiddos age 8 to 13. In addition to information ranging from how to use the library to the history of videogames, a cadre of 30 diverse makers and thinkers, including writers, environmental activists, illustrators, and crafters, contributed creative boredom-busting activities.”
— from the (Dallas, Texas) momblog D MOMS

“Top 10 reasons I love UNBORED: 1.) It’s about making (and remaking) stuff. Enjoying The Process. 2.) It sends the right message: Let’s value discovery, creativity, sharing, and initiative. Let’s show our kids how to be omnicompetent. 3.) These are not reprinted and unmanageable undertakings. UNBORED features cool, challenging, handy projects, each tried out by the editors themselves. 4.) It’s a “field guide to life” about doing things together. Reconnecting. Sharing Experiences. 5.) It’s a gender-neutral book with the graphics to prove it: boys knitting, girls doing carpentry. Anyone can develop expertise around their passions. 6.) It’s platform independent. UNBORED is all about what’s possible online, offline, indoors and outdoors. 7.) It’s about finding your scene and niche. Kids need to discover their passions and find groups with whom they share like-minded interests, both on and offline. This process of discovery fosters confidence, tolerance, and independence. Glenn and Larsen advocate for kids using social media, “as a way to support real-life community — not as a substitute.” 8.) It’s well organized into four categories: You, Home, Society, and Adventure, and features contributions from a wide array of experts providing craft steps, trivia, best-of lists, and Q&As, all while teaching you how to break free from your ultra-organized life to allow some true innovation to break through. 9.) It targets the right age group. Age 8-14 is a time of growing independence for kids, but also an opportunity for youth to foster deep connections and meaningful engagement with their parents, and why not bond both on and offline? 10.) It’s a great buy for anyone: kids, parents and parents-to-be, teachers, librarians, and any other adults looking for Fun Stuff To Do.”
— Vanessa Ziff Lasdon, at the blog W.O.R.D. INK

“This book could just be all someone needs for a whole childhood of cool stuff to think about, experiment with, build and create for a happy unschooled kid. I would definitely choose UNBORED if I only had one book to keep in my library as I was raising an awesome, can-do-anything son or daughter.”
Home Education Magazine

“This is the awesome family book we didn’t know we were waiting for!”
— tweet from Homa Sabet Tavangar, author of Growing Up Global

“The hours pass quickly as you flip the pages of this beautiful book. It’s a guide to curiosities, activities, and arcane knowledge that’s great for kids, but also irresistible for their grown-ups. My eight-year-old and I are starting with car games (OK, and fart games) and I’m sure we’ll move quickly through art, architecture, literature, and cryptozoology. Every page is a new discovery!”
— Joanna Weiss, author of the mommy-wars novel Milkshake

“Never had we needed a book like this more than after Hurricane Sandy took out our power. This 352-page book is jam-packed with trivia, games, quizzes, experiments, lists, excerpts from literature, projects — these are just a sampling of the coolness in UNBORED.”
— from the parenting blog BARISTA KIDS

“This 352-page book is filled — no, jam-packed! — with so many awesome ideas of things to do, make, think about, puzzle over, experiment with, play, and wonder about that I dare anyone to start reading it and not find something to interest them. That includes adults, too… This is the kind of book I wished I had as a kid, but better late than never.”
— from the Appalachian Mountain Club blog KIDS OUTDOORS

“This is the ultimate craft and curiosity book… From recycling old things to learning how to curse without cursing, this is the coolest activity book for all ages I’ve seen in a long time… The illustrations are vivid, funny and, best of all, super clear.”
— from the Parents.com blog MOM MUST READ

“From the science-based (making geyser rockets with Diet Coke and Mentos) and media-based (how to shoot and edit a stop–action movie) to the practical (tips to properly maintain your bicycle) and just plain fun (making LED graffiti), UNBORED is sure to keep the whole family occupied for hours.”
— from the NY MetroParents’ blog STUFF WE LIKE

“A veritable treasure trove of cool stuff. Activities are interspersed with information, trivia, quizzes and lists, all presented in edgy prose and illustrated with modern graphics, photographs and lavish fonts. The activities are fun, manageable and are designed to get kids engaged with the wider world.”
— from the Australian “hip kids and parents” blog BABYOLOGY

UNBORED is a rather brilliant book that will keep your kids busy, potentially forever and ever and ever. OK, maybe not that long, but it’s got loads of engaging stuff in its 350 pages. It’s aimed at kids aged 8 years and up, but JD (6) is a mature kid, so there’s plenty to suit him and plenty for him and his sister to come back to as they grow up.”
— from the British momblog A MUMMY TOO

AMAZON USER REVIEWS

Here is a complete-ish list of all the Amazon user reviews of UNBORED, so far. We’re very grateful!

ALSO: ABOUT UNBORED | REVIEWS OF UNBORED | PARENT REVIEWS OF UNBORED

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Editor’s Picks: Kids & Teens Holiday Gift Books
#1 Best Seller: Family Activity Books
#1 Best Seller: Crafts & Hobbies Books
#1 Best Seller: Parenting Books
#9 Best Seller: Sports & Outdoors Books

* “UNBORED is the ZOOM! Catalog for the 21st Century, and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time.”

* “This is the book you wished you’d had as a kid — an excitable compendium of activities with a range to suit every kid’s taste, from intro parkour to DIY audio production to old-school knot mastery to ‘citizen science.’ My 7-year-old son said he ‘got an inspiration’ from this book. I didn’t even know he knew the word inspiration!”

* “Will be dog-eared as winter sets in and I’m struggling for activities with our kids.”

* “It’s smart and quirky and fun.”

* “My husband has been scouring it for activities and my kids have been bookmarking it future fun.”

* “I’m planning to buy this for both of my children’s teachers — they will love it in their classroom libraries. It will also now be our ‘go to’ gift for any child aged 8 to 13!”

* “My 8-yr-old LOVES this! I keep catching him after bedtime with a flashlight reading and giggling & plotting. This is the perfect thing to distract the videogame-obsessed kiddo.”

* “This is definitely the perfect field guide for making your own fun, but it’s so much more than that. It includes parenting tips, home remedies, and other contemporary child-rearing advice. It contains amazing reviews of books and movies from a variety of genres. AND it’s for older kids.”

* “UNBORED is a must-have for families. It is engaging and inspiring. It treats kids with great respect and presents them with a world of opportunities involving music, art, and science.”

* “This is a highly entertaining and inspiring collection of activities and ideas, Unlike many advice books this one doesn’t make you feel inadequate or overwhelmed. This book is all about fun, adventure… and encouraging the basic joy of living. Paging through the book makes you feel like a kid again… and that’s the perfect frame of mind to be in when you’re looking to inspire your own kids. In an age when we often over-program our kids, this book helps us remember the value of imagination and the luxury of unplanned time. Keep this book close at hand. You and your kids will love it.”

* “I remember making Valentine boxes, and the designing, planning, gathering materials, making and correcting mistakes, and having a finished product that reflected ME was a good way to learn to problem solve and make decisions in a child-centered activity. UNBORED provides this type of learning, which the schools, with their emphasis on direct instruction, drill, and high stakes test preparation, have forgotten how to teach. Increasingly, when we look at whether our children are well-prepared from college, we realize that they don’t have these skills, which in education, are called ‘self-regulation (planning, problem-solving, goal setting, etc.).’ I believe UNBORED helps move kids to be more self-regulated and to have fun while developing this much needed skill. It also promotes autonomy — which we want kids to have in this highly complex world — the ability and confidence to handle themselves on their own.”

* “Wow, what a find. I scooped this up because of the cool graphic design, and then I was blown away. So many of my friend have kids! So no watching cartoons, or videogames, when they come around — [instead] we can make a cartoon, or read about the history of videogames.”

* “Wonderful book. My 9 year old son loves it. Will definitely keep him unbored! Lots of original and creative ideas.”

* “I just received this book a week ago, but can already tell that it is in a league of its own. There is so much info and it is obviously directed at both kids and adults. Years of fun for every age and parenting style. I especially love how [they] sneak in exciting excerpts of some of my favorite novels by HG Wells and others. A much better way to get a kid to pick up Dracula than a list or recommendation. Indoor, outdoor active or sedentary this book, no encyclopedia, has you and your kids covered.”

* “Depending on the age of your kids this can be an independent activity book or a shared guided activity book.”

* “My twin niece and nephew immediately took to this book and were reading items to each other. Good for both boys and girls.”

* “I recommend this to people who do not want to use TV as their main entertainment.”

* “The piece that sealed the deal for me was one on roughhousing rules. Of course kids want to roughhouse, so show them how to play it safe! This book reflects the balance my family strives for between adventure and security.”

* “Occasionally my son will give me the ‘I’m bored!’ thing (code for can I play video games now?). So the last time he resorted to this I handed him this book. Within a few minutes there was clearly much discovery going on and questions like ‘Do we have a (fill in the blank), I want to make/do/try this (again fill in the blank).’ So plenty of imagination-sparking ideas and helped him manage to fill the better part of a day with many plans for more. I hope they come out with a second version soon!”

* “I think that the author[s] must have known my son… because every single page is filled with perfect fun for this 10 year old boy! I appreciate that this book is not written for drones, but rather intelligently mixed with a some playful antidotes and commentary that forces some thought and a whole lot of laughs. This is perfect fun for a child (and parent) who appreciates fun, quirky, and slightly mischievous adventures.”

* “What great ideas, without costing a lot of $$$! I recommend this to people who do not want to use TV as their main entertainment.”

* “Filled with project ideas, and a vein of personal responsibility (no really, you WANT to clean your room!) Best of all, it inspired my kid to make projects that are NOT in the book, something that typical craft books generally have failed at in our experience.”

* “Couldn’t be happier with this book! I’m thrilled to give my grandchildren a choice of entertainment other than video games, malls, and movies! This book is categorized and organized to make it a simple book for the children to follow, read, and explore on their own – or with Mimi’s help!”

* “I picked up this book from my library and found that we just couldn’t live without it so I bought a copy of it.”

AMAZON USER REVIEW KERFUFFLE

In the only negative user review we’ve received, a grandmother who bought the book first complained that UNBORED uses some challenging vocabulary (e.g., cryptic, curmudgeonly, fabrication), then warned: “Party pooper I must be, this book may be fun for some to read but contains too many activities that would end up in disaster if emulated.” This curmudgeonly review evoked the following thoughtful responses…

* “The book is utterly, intensely, irrefutably child-friendly. And by ‘friendly’ I mean doing kids the service of showing them fun end-runs around a) techno-enabled childhoods of passivity and enervation and b) mollycoddled pre-adolescences in which nary a knee gets scraped.”

* “As a grandmother with 6 grandchildren ranging from 1-13 years of age, and as a former teacher, now professor of education, I find UNBORED a refreshing change to the usual litany of ‘educational’ activities generated to be ‘adult-approved.’ Instead, the activities leverage creativity, imagination, links to a world becoming increasingly technologically- and media-oriented, and commonplace materials and equipment. The activities are also wholistic — requiring planning from beginning to end. Additionally, children and youth can engage on their own, with friends, and with family members — including watchful parents and grandparents. … So, hip grandmothers (and grandfathers) with smartphones, who aren’t afraid to get dirty, make mistakes, use a little technology and engage with media, this is the book for you!”

* “As an elementary school teacher … UNBORED is a fantastic resource for after-school programs, teachers, summer camps, parents of bored children, and for children themselves.”

* “My tween son and I are finding great projects and inspirations for his Unschooling/Homeschooling activities with UNBORED! I appreciate that it encourages and challenges him to step … outside of his comfort zone.”

* “What’s wrong with challenging kids with new vocabulary? Both of my sons have longed to ‘Explode Things’ before this book was even published! … I like for them to explore this world without holding my hand all the time. I think UNBORED is great for encouraging and inspiring kids’ curiosity.”

* “This book is refreshing, fun, and exactly what is needed in a society that is cookie-cutter and oriented to selling children ‘stuff’ rather than creating experiences for their healthy development… This is an innovative read that deserve accolades!”

* “I’m a woman about your age. As a child I often read the dictionary and encyclopedia, frequently at the top of the tallest tree in the yard. I ran around outside most days, resulting in many skinned knees ignored unless extremely bloody…. All under the watchful eye of my grandmother, who probably worried, but was smart and kind enough to let me be me.”