The Connected Family Handbook

How can simple activities help us connect more fully with our children and live more happily together? What types of games will encourage children to be kind to others? How can crafting and outdoor play build respect for the natural world? The Connected Family Handbook offers empowering advice and practical activities to answer these questions and many more.

Experienced parenting coach and popular author Lou Harvey-Zahra and successful parenting blogger Danielle Harbison have created a unique and inspiring book for caretakers of toddlers to ten-year-olds. Each of the ten chapters tackles an important theme for families—home, kindness, mealtimes, move, warmth, teamwork, adventure, nature, wonder, and celebration—and suggests ways to nurture these qualities in children.

Each chapter is illustrated with beautiful photographs and includes easy crafts and fun recipes to create with children, stories and verses to share, as well as tips on creative discipline, positive play and establishing family rhythms and routines.

Engage with NATURE by crafting toys from sticks, nurture WONDER by sharing a story about toadstools and fairy folk, encourage KINDNESS by creating a toy medical kit and make MEALTIMES fun with frozen-fruit pizza. 

Lou and Danielle’s ideas and advice come from a background of holistic child development, and celebrate values including eco-friendly living, connected family life, healthy and fun food choices and the importance of imaginative play.

Illustrated in color.