The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections Paperback – April 1, 2008

This is a great book, necessary for every family's home library. When I was considering buying it, I had some hesitations because I would say my family is already pretty creative. We almost always have at least one individual in our family creating, crafting or pretending, and we almost never have our television on (only for movie nights -- we don't have cable or even "bunny ears"). But I went ahead and bought it because of the great reviews, and I have to say, I wish I'd done it sooner. I love the ideas for craft projects Soule has included and how easy it is to understand her directions.For myself, I think my biggest inspiration came from the chapter on organization. One of my children was sick the week I read this book, and I was stuck at home. I wanted to try all the projects Soule had written about, but couldn't go out to buy some of the missing supplies. So I organized according to many of Soule's suggestions and the result was great!I think every family needs to read this because, as other reviewers state, it's more than just a craft book -- it's a whole philosophy. We desperately need to "turn off and tune in" to each other more, and this book really promotes that idea.Personally, I was also encouraged as I read the first part of the book where Soule discusses how she felt like she wasn't very creative or artistic growing up, but she had this driving need to create that she felt when pregnant with her first child. I had felt all of that, but didn't think I could. Now I only wish that her book had come out sooner. Just this year I have resolved to learn things like sewing and knitting, hoping to be able to make most -- if not all -- my gifts. "The Creative Family" makes me feel like that just might be attainable.

As I read this book (in two days, and now I'm starting over again), I just kept thinking, "Wow." Wow because this is simple family living, which I hope to have. Wow because of the peace which seems an underlying theme throughout the ideas and examples. Wow because the photographs, which the author took herself, are stunning. Wow because the projects and ideas, far from anything I'd read or heard before, are doable and exciting. And wow because the author sounds like a best-friend/mentor, gently coaxing and leading to new ideas.The only thing I thought it was missing was the Daddy side of things - what's his role in all this creating?Otherwise, exactly (and more than) what I was looking for, and I was surprised by how much of the book I plan to apply immediately! My inspiration wire is hanging as I type :-)

"The Creative Family" is really, very simply, a sweet, gentle, and dear book on family traditions and togetherness.Most of the ideas in this book were not new to me. In fact, much of it could be written about my actual family life. If you are familiar with the Waldorf tradition, and books such as "You are your child's first teacher", "The Children's Year" and "All Year Round", "Heaven on Earth", or some of the other little "Waldorfy" craft books out there, then many of the ideas in "The Creative Family" will not be new to you, either.But I don't think that "being new" is the most important thing about this book. I think that it is really fantastic that Amanda Soule has taken many of these tried-and-true (perhaps less well-known/mainstream) ideas about parenting, family life, and creativity, and blended them together into one simple, easy to read, compact and easy to reach for, updated resource.The photography is really beautiful, and the projects are all simple enough to be done by a pre-schooler (some with more help than others).This is more than a project book, however (in fact, I would not even describe it as being a project book). It is more about a way of life -- taking a step back, learning that a "no" really can be a "yes," and so on. Her thoughts about toys were excellent -- again, exactly what our family has already practiced since our first child was quite small -- but, in observing so many of my friends with young children, ideas that would help many an overwhelmed family learn to say "no" to too much stuff.I was most inspired by her tips on art supplies -- a good comprehensive list of supplies, along with tips on their storage. It's one thing that I don't think we had a good system for before, and I will definitely be incorporating some of her ideas into our life.This book is a gem. It's small and simple. It suggests simple steps that any family can take to make their lives more family-centered and joyful.

I love this book SO much - it's so simple, yet holds a lot of inspiration and joy. As others have said, it goes beyond just crafting, and explores a way of BEing with your kids, appreciating what (and who) you have around you. I am deeply connected with my boys, but I never did a lot of crafty stuff with them; I never believed I was 'talented' enough to do that. I got inspired after reading Amanda's book, and the boys and I are choosing things to do together. They are 9 and 15, and have really enjoyed it, so it's definitely NOT just for younger kids. Her ideas and examples have also provided jumping-off places for them to create stuff on their own, that they might not have tried otherwise.I highly recommend this book for all families.