The Playful Parent offers a new solution for parents and carers looking for a calmer, happier and smarter way to parent the under-fives.

This activity-led parenting guide shows how to get young children involved and learning, thinking and growing, helping and cooperating without any need for 'the naughty step' or punishment at all, but by making play the beating heart of family life.

Julia Deering offers support and advice to busy parents, combining down-to-earth practicality with hundreds of simple activities, tips, tricks and fixes, guidance, prompts and brilliant ideas that show parents how to tap into their child's playful instincts. You can use The Playful Parent to:

• Make your little one's good behaviour become their normal behaviour
• Remove those parent/child battle-of-will situations
• Help steer clear of the flashpoint furies and melt-down moments of the 'terrible twos'
• Run fuss-free errands with your toddlers in tow
• Tackle tricky transitions such as bedtimes and car journeys with ease
• Develop your child's independence and unleash their natural creativity
• Bond with a child in the first language they know: play

Whether you've forgotten how to play or you're still a child at heart, The Playful Parent equips you with all the know-how you need to make play work for you and your family; transforming parenting during the early years into a more enjoyable, rewarding and memorable experience.

Includes:

• A guide to the principles of play and how to use the 7 Ways to Play concept
• Advice on how to organise your home - and your life - for maximum play with minimum stress
• Over a hundred uncomplicated and irresistible activities for your 18 month - 5 year olds
• A Family Favourites chart so you can record favourite activities and start building daily and weekly planners