In the same style as Cool Parent 101, Scholastic’s 101 Things Every Child Should Do Growing Up by Alecia T. Devantier is a simple, easy-to-read, fun guide to all of the things kids should complete during their childhoods. Unlike Cool Parent, much of it is pretty basic.

Also different from Cool Parent, 101 Things is very repetitive. Rather than introducing each thing to do with a simple activity description, every single item begins with “Every kid should…” which gets boring and cluttery quick.

Some have said that this book would have been better called 101 Things Kids Might Like to Do While Growing Up. While not as punchy, I’d have to agree. That said, there are plenty of activities in the book that most kids, as well as their moms and dads, will enjoy doing.

From camping in the backyard to turning off the TV for the weekend, making a gift for parents or grandparents to riding in a plane, the activities listed are definitely enjoyable. However, many are simply so basic and such a given that it’s almost not worth printing. For example, believing in things that can’t be seen, playing in the tub until wrinkles form, and eating homemade ice cream on a hot evening are things that are just part of many of our own lives as it is. There’s nothing really groundbreaking or that creative here like the ideas in Cool Parent.

All of this said, it’s a great way to start your child’s Living To Do List and introduce him or her to creating goals, as well as to check and see what you may have missed out on as a child yourself! For example, maybe you’ve never taken a hike by moonlight, or you missed out on music lessons as a child. You can use the time now to remedy these situations—after all, you’re really never too old to be a kid.

Another good way to use the book is to go through it with your child, asking which items he or she would like to do. When you come to an item he or she has done already, you can ask how he or she might modify this activity into something new to do. For example, if he or she has already camped in the backyard, maybe a camping trip to a local park—or even a national one—could be the next step. Or, perhaps instead of a tent and sleeping bag, you may wish to rent an RV or a cabin. This will help your child learn about different ways to see a situation, critical thinking skills, and how things are connected, among other lessons.