Thursday, January 21, 2010

Three Klutz Kits (Review)


Juggling for the Complete Klutz and John Cassidy and B.C. Rinbeaux
Stars: ***

This is actually the 30th Anniversary edition of Juggling for the Complete Klutz. It comes with three Juggling beanbag squares and a small book of information.

You'll find some good information in this book, not only on how to do the moves but also some information on how your brain gets confused when you are learning juggling.

After you learn the basics, you'll find information on juggling with more than one person, juggling with other objects, circle juggling and a few other fun ideas.

Since this is the 30th Anniversary the back two pages of the book is a little scrapbook with cover art from the first 5 editions of the book, some old photographs and letters and news clippings although you don't get to read them all.

There is at least one typo, "Road that last line again," but overall it's a cute and helpful book.

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Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual by Editors of Klutz
Stars: ****

Summary: 45 savory samples of kid-do-able kitchen crafts and cuisine, including Giant Soap Bubbles, Not So-Sloppy Joes, Frozen Bananoids and lots more.

This cute book/kit is listed as for ages 5 and up but with proper parental help/supervision (which is needed for a 5 year old too) you could do at least some of these with a 3 or 4 year old. The book is made of thick, wipe-able pages and comes with a set of plastic measuring spoons.

The book has 5 sections: Breakfasts, Lunches/Snacks, Dinners/Salads, Desserts and Not to Eat. The Not to Eat section includes play dough, face paint, finger paints, giant soap bubbles and Fido's fabulous people crackers.

After some kitchen rules, you'll find Metric Conversion Tables. The recipes are in Imperial but with the aid of the charts, those who use Metric can easily follow the recipes. Each recipe has illustrations of ingredients, methods and some just for fun illustrations too. Each recipe lists prep time, bake time and total servings. The illustrations are a nice touch. This is a good book that the kids will enjoy looking at too instead of just listening to the instructions from their parent/guardian.

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The Encyclopedia of Immaturity Volume 2 by the Editors of Klutz
Stars: ****

Are you a kid in no hurry to grow up? Or an adult who wishes he/she was still a kid? Then this is the book for you? This book has ALL kinds of crazy activities (or shenanigans as it says on the cover.) Here is just a short list of possible fun:

  • Air Guitar
  • Dog Couture
  • Frozen Underapnts
  • How to Bark Like a Dog
  • How to Fake a Cold
  • How to  Make a Lasso
  • How to Make Bird Poop
  • How to Play the Spoons
  • Make a Juice Box Straw Rocket
  • Slappy Games
  • History of Flip-Flop Mail
  • World's Funniest Joke
  • and MUCH MUCH MUCH more!
Some of the activities don't need anything special, some come with what you need in the book and others you have to find things around your house. There are quick and easy activities and longer ones that need practice before you show others. 

I'm not sure about a few of them though, ones I wouldn't want my child trying to do but they really are pretty much harmless. However each parent is different with what they are okay with so I suggest checking this book out in a store if you are unsure so you can see exactly what they'd be getting first.

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Related Links: Klutz Website