Filed under: — Holiday Picks, Holiday Reviews
Written by: Dom and Ash at 2:31 PM
We are always looking for ways for the boys to learn as they play. A lot of different learning toys and books have been made available in the past few years. Being history buffs and knowing the boys also enjoy history, we were excited to receive the Famous Figures of Ancient Times: Movable Paper Figures Book. Not only would the boys be able to play with the paper figures, they’d also be learning about twenty different figures throughout time.
The first thing we noticed after opening the Famous Figures of Ancient Times book was just how sturdy the paper figures are. While these are paper figures, they aren’t so paper thin your child will be able to rip them just by playing with them. He or she would actually have to intentionally try to rip these figures up. Your child/children can help cut the figures out and assemble them before playing with the figures. The figures are put together in a way that makes them movable, which is a lot more enjoyable then the standard, paper figure design.
An in depth biography of each figure throughout history is included, so children have the chance to learn about the significant contributions the figure they are playing with made to the society of their time. Each movable figure comes already colored, and there is also a guide you can use that will show you exactly how to assemble each figure.
The book is recommended for ages 6-12, but our boys are 14 and 5 and they enjoyed the history lesson, as well as playing with the figures together. The famous figures included in Famous Figures of Ancient Times are Alexander the Great, Aristotle, Hannibal and his elephant, Caesar Augustus, Constantine, Cyrus the Great, Sargon the Great, Hammurabi, Moses, Julius Caesar, Jesus, King David, a Greek hoplite, Ashurbanipal, Narmer, Khufu, Nebuchadnezzar II, Qin Shi Huangdi and Augustine.
Despite our family not being of the Christian religion, we have absolutely no problem with the inclusion of Moses, Jesus, and King David. The stories included about these figures are handled in a secular way. It looks as though the creators of this book are merely stating facts as they are written in books about these figures. I commend the developers of the book for making a book that can appease both Christians and non-Christians. With so many varied figures throughout history, our boys loved playing with all of them.
Famous Figures of Ancient Times: Movable Paper Figures has won a variety of toy awards this year including a 2009 Creative Child Award, a Best Classic Toys 2009 Award, and a National Bronze Medal from the 2009 Independent Publisher Book Awards. The book retails for $19.95 and can be purchased through the Figures in Motion website.
Holiday Recommendation Rating: 
Technorati Tags: Moveable Paper Figures, Book, Figures of Ancient Times, Julius Caesar, Hannibal, Alexander the Great, King David, Famous Figures, History, Books, Kids, LI Kids, Holiday Review
Written by Dom & Ash Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick and Ashtyn have been together since 2002. Together, they live in Michigan, work together as pro bloggers, and homeschool and raise their 13 year old son, The OG Kid. Their interests are diverse. Ashtyn loves to write, listen to music, shop and enjoy the finer things in life. Dominick enjoys playing wheelchair sports, watching sports, acting, singing and making movies.
[...] In our house, favorite figures included Hannibal (who comes with his elephant), Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, though these are just a few of the figures your child will be able to play with and learn about. The book retails for $19.95. You can find out more about the Famous Figures Book at http://www.figuresinmotion.com, and don’t forget to check out our full length review. [...]