String Games: Spiral

By Richard Darsie

Book Overview

Strings to play with, multicultural activities that use them, and a complete package wrapping it all up: this all-in-one kid's kit will provide hours of enrichment and entertainment. Inside the sturdy hardcover volume, with its concealed spiral binding, is a bound-in, resealable box containing three bright strings in different sizes and colors. Choose one, then turn the pages, and begin the fun Pick a favorite trick or game, and follow the simple instructions and photo illustrations. Children can improve their hand-eye coordination as they enjoy creating patterns from basic to flashy to 3D; the huge variety goes from beginner right up to very tricky and elaborate. Invite a friend for two-handed games that double the fun. Many of the games come from different ethnic and national groups, so along with the basics of play, there are fun lessons that enhance cultural awareness and fascinating tales of the tribal origin of figures like "Walking Sticks of Old Woman" and "Pillars of the Sun." Whether captivating friends or entertaining the family, developing skills will build confidence, inspire imagination, and initiate youngsters into the long and proud tradition of string games. "Also available in a jacketed hardcover without the strings "

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 140270089X
• ISBN13: 9781402700897
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Union Square Kids
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.0" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 8 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 3 and higher

Customer Reviews

Fun

This book does seem slightly advanced for the 8 year old I purchased it for, but she's a good reader and I'm sure she can get some help with it if she needs it. I flipped thru some pages before wrapping it and tried my hand at Jacob's ladder, I'm a little rusty at string games, but I loved that it had colorful pic's and step by step instructions. This book is LOADED with different games and things to make.

This is a wonderful book

This is a wonderful book. My son got it when he was 7 and got hooked on making string figures, which is a very educational pastime. This book shows how to make figures in a pretty wide range of complexity, and the 3 colored strings it comes with are perfect: the color of each string varies along the string, which sometimes helps in figuring out the patterns. (My son has used the strings so much that they've come apart a couple of times, but the ends can easily be glued together again.) If this book inspires a passion for string figures, one can move on to classic collections of figures by anthropologists like Caroline Furness Jayne and famous mathematicians like Rouse-Ball (both published by Dover). Very educational, and all you need is... a string!

Good book

My daughter (Age 9) received this book for Christmas and has already learned several things to do with the string. I recommend it. It brings back memories of all the things I couldn't remember to do.

String Games

A great book and activity for kids who need something other than TV and movies. The history of string games makes youngsters understand a bit what it was like to play creatively before society decided to overstimulate them.

Enjoy yourself!

Most of this book is for advanced but you can find alsobeginning figures (Scissors, Jacob's ladder, Walking Sticks)Then you will find figures a little less easy (Chest ornament, Fishing net and lightning).Next you will try figures a little more difficult(Hina's skipping rope, Teniako's bridge, Ten Men and Crayfish).I'm very found of series. In the book there are three : Mr Umake, Crabs and Mt. Fuji.With a good friend, you will make the figures for two(a Mountain, Looking Glass and Sting Ray).Tricks are things i love because they amaze my children.My youger child (6) did the "Buttonhole trick" to his friend.Trick are easy and you feel like a magician!The other tricks are Caroline Island catch, Cutting off the fingers 1 and Cutting off the fingers 2.But i think people prefer, first, tri-dimensional string figures(Two mountains and a stream, King'trone and Howler monkey'mouth).When you see a "Butterfly" like a real, it's really magic.An excellent book with photos to each step.You have also the sources of the figures, if you want learn moreabout string figures.In the book you will find three good strings (not same longer).An excellent idea.