When I was a younger, more naive parent, I actually believed those three little words if they were printed on the front of a toy's packaging. It didn't take long before I was able to translate "Hours of Fun" into it's true meaning:
Seven to ten minutes of kid fun, and forty-two minutes of clean up for Mom.
In toy manufacturing land, more pieces=longer playtime. In the real world, more pieces=more things to clean up/lose/step on with bare feet. I am thoroughly repelled from those creations these days, so much so that the only things with multiple parts in our house are my daughter's beading gear, my son's slot car track, and the Queasy Bake Oven (and that's just about ready for a garage sale).
But you can't blame parents for falling for the Hours of Fun line. When we're facing a nine-hour car trip, or a cross-country flight, we're all desperate to fill that time with fun. Or at least a little industrious P & Q. Here, then are Juvie's recommendations for activities that might actually provide more than ten minutes of occupied attention...
Now you'll be ready for the road, a rainy day, or just a quiet afternoon at home!
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