The Coffee Table Toys Playbook: Make Play the Easy Default at Home

This playbook is for parents of toddlers through teens who are tired of buying toys that get ignored. It is also for parents who hand over a screen at 5pm because they can't think of another way to get through the after-school, make-dinner stretch. You've probably noticed that your kids don't lack toys. The toys are in a playroom or bedroom, and nobody walks in there on their own. Inside are seven plays. Each tells you when to use it, gives step-by-step instructions, and shows an example from a real home. You'll learn how to set up a tray of open-ended toys in the room where your family already spends time. You'll learn how to turn the after-school transition into a calm, screen-free window. You'll learn how to stop daily cleanup battles with a reset plan, so a block tower can stay up and your house doesn't turn into a disaster. You'll also learn how to make play appealing to tweens and teens, who still want it if starting is easy. The idea running through every play is simple. Kids who default to play don't have parents who do more. Their parents do a few small things differently. They bring toys to the kitchen counter, the coffee table, and the laundry room. They protect what kids are building. They clean up with their kids, not at them. Lizzie Assa is a play and parenting educator with a master's degree in education. She shares play ideas for ages toddler to teen. She is known for coffee table toys and play invitations. The playbook turns what she has tested and taught into a system you can use this week, before you spend another dollar on toys.