Another one of my post-holiday gift card purchases (don’t you just love Amazon.com eCertificates?), Preschooler Play & Learn: 150 Games and Learning Activities for Children Ages Three to Six is chock full of cool, simple yet fun ideas for some fun times with your kiddos.

Penny Warner’s activity book is conveniently organized according to age, starting with a section for 3 to 3 ½-year-olds. The rest of its sections are similarly divided by six-month age groups. The Table of Contents also portrays every single activity, not something that’s often done in a lot of books.

During the author’s very brief introduction, the different types of learning in the book are discussed. From language skills to physical skills, cognitive growth to psychological growth and more, she discusses what your child will learn between the ages of three and six in each section and how you can help her along with her learning by feeding her curiosity and helping her safely explore her environment.

Warner, who has a Master’s Degree in Special Education as well as twenty years of experience as a child development professor, reminds us that kids learn through play and that as parents, we can help facilitate that learning by following our children’s lead. (I’d like to add that we can learn through play throughout our lives—learning never need be boring! Warner refers to early childhood as “the Play Years,” and I’d argue that such a time never really stops—it only changes and grows with each person.)

Every activity is so easy to follow. Warner provides very helpful lists of items we’ll need for each activity as well as variations we can do to change it up a little, step-by-step instructions that are simple to carry out, and even a list of skills kids are learning as they complete their activities. Most of the activities require your participation, which is a lot of fun; but if your child indicates that he or she would like to do the activity on his or her own and you think it’s safe to do so, by all means go for it.

The one thing that Warner  includes that gets redundant after a while are safety tips on every page. Not every activity really calls for a safety tip, and some are just so straightforward and granted you feel a little silly reading them. (For example, in the simple “Animal Walk” activity, it’s noted under “Caution” that the area should be clear of obstacles. If you don’t know that by now, then you may want to read a book about child safety instead!

Otherwise this breezy how-to guide, with its clear organization and simple line illustrations, is an excellent addition to any learning library. Preschool and kindergarten teachers, parents, and other caregivers could definitely all use it for some great ideas for daily play.