Title: The Missing Alphabet: A Parent’s Guide to Developing Creative Thinking in Kids
Authors: Susan Marcus, Susie Monday, Cynthia Herbert, PhD
ISBN: 978-1-60832-378-4, E-Book: 978-1-60832-379-1
Suggested Retail: $17.95 US
Released October 2012
Paperback, 192 pages, 6.5″x9.25″
Greenleaf Book Group Press
As a child of Generation X, I am amazed at how things have changed from when I was in school to how it is now with my oldest starting kindergarten this year. Today, digital media is tightly weaved in with learning in the classroom.
The authors of this title state some concern with all of the digital media available today and children loosing their creative thinking. As parents, the first teachers of our children, we need to guide our children into creatively solving problems and innovation.
This book shares the “Sensory Alphabet”. This alphabet contains the basic building blocks to our sensory link with the world. The Sensory Alphabet is like the ABC’s for reading and writing. It includes: line, color, texture, sound, movement, sound, rhythm, space, light, and shape.
The Missing Alphabet is easy to read overall, maybe a little dry at the beginning. The middle section goes over activities and learning concepts to discover and develop your child’s Sensory Alphabet, like listening to different types of music, drawing your own cartoons, visiting the zoo, to name a few.
I did not associate how these activities actually spurred creative thinking. I thought we were just having fun and learning new things, not actually working on the building blocks of creativity. There are also many other suggested activities I have yet to explore with my children.
Every child is unique and I do agree that it is important to support and understand our children’s specific and individual strengths. Our children need time “hands on” and away from media to remain inventive, confident, and to yet thrive in the future.
About the Authors:
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to produce the review. No other compensation was received. The thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.
