Christopher Mannino
Making It Up
Writer, parenting coach, entrepreneur, and former theatre teacher and stay-at-home dad
Philadelphia, PA
BOOK COVER
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: January 6, 2026
Genre: Parenting
Publisher: Familius
Page Count: 224
Format, ISBN, Price:
Paperback, 979-8893960068, $18.99
Ebook, 979-8893960891, $17.09
Audiobook
Watch Christopher’s TEDx talk on Using the Anchor Technique to Combat Fear & Worry
ABOUT THE BOOK
Play-centered parenting is what every young child wants and needs, yet it’s hard to manage in today’s busy, hectic world—and it may not come naturally to every adult. How can parents with responsibilities, stress, and distractions drop everything to be silly with their kids? It’s easier than it sounds, and far more powerful than you can imagine.
Drawing on his experiences as a theatre teacher, improvisation coach, and stay-at-home dad, writer Christopher Mannino encourages imaginative play to strengthen adult-child relationships in Making It Up: A Revolutionary Way to Bond with Kids Through Play. He takes proven techniques from improv and method acting and—for the first time—applies them to parenting to foster engaged connection, stimulate and facilitate creative fun, and keep emotions regulated.
Christopher demonstrates how to transform the way adults interact with kids, having more fun and building stronger bonds in the process.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
An expert in helping parents and kids connect, former theatre teacher Christopher Mannino has been featured in Parenting Today, Business Insider, Newsweek, and PBS. His nonfiction book Making It Up offers actionable tools for building better connections through play, but his writing journey began when he was stranded on the Cornish coast, near the legendary birthplace of King Arthur—an experience that inspired his debut fantasy series, The Scythe Wielder’s Secret. Christopher studied mythology, theatre, and literature in the U.S. and at Oxford. He now travels the world with his wife and two inspiring children, writing fiction and nonfiction for children and adults alike.
TIMELY TIE-INS
January
- International Creativity Month
- Publication date – 6
- Appreciate a Dragon Day – 16
- Hunt for Happiness Week – 18-24
- Hugging Day – 21
February
- Relationship Wellness Month
- National Parent Leadership Month
- Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week 1-7
- Children’s Mental Health Week 9-15
- National Tell a Fairy Tale Day – 26
PRAISE
“Refreshing, exuberant, and levelheaded…. Making It Up is a delightful, accessible parenting guide with recommendations for incorporating creativity, respect, and wonder into playtime.”
—Foreword Reviews
“Makes a convincing case that engaging in imaginative play with kids is an essential way for parents to combat stress and bond as a family. Mannino argues that the foundational “yes, and” mindset of improv can provide a jumping-off point for caretakers and their children to shake off self-consciousness and get creative…. Mannino’s optimistic, inquisitive approach and concrete suggestions will help parents rediscover the thrill of imagination.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Christopher is on to something powerful. Some of my daughter’s favorite childhood moments happened during unstructured playtime with her parents. Creating massive forts in the living room and pretending to stand up to bullies were highlights for my daughter.”
—Tal Eyre, author of Dad Mode: 25 Ways to Connect with Your Children
“Joyful, uninterrupted play with your child allows for connection and belonging.”
—Donna Tetreault, parenting journalist and author of The CASTLE Method
“When adults attend theatre, watch movies, and stream video series, they ‘willingly suspend their disbelief’ or ‘agree to pretend’ so that they can explore different worlds and live vicariously through characters played by actors. Making It Up provides ways for adults to give children that same lived-through experience of being somebody brave, bold, and adventurous in spectacular settings. Improvise with the children in your life and prepare to be awestruck by their creative characters and expanded language.”
—Dr. Rosalind Flynn, head of theatre education at Catholic University
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
- What makes imaginative play such a powerful tool?
- How can only 10 minutes a day of ‘Making It Up’ make a difference–in as little as 2 weeks?
- The animated kids’ show Bluey was one inspiration for writing this book; how so?
- What core tenet of improv is useful in stimulating a play-centered mindset?
- In addition to saying “yes, and” you note it’s also good to say “no, but.” Please elaborate.
- Why is it important to listen to and validate a child’s ideas?
- How do you define engaged connection and focused attention?
- Are grandparents sometimes better at this than parents? How can parents learn from this?
- How did your background as a theatre educator impact your experience as a stay-at-home dad? How did both of those roles inform this book?
- The ‘Making It Up’ method will also be available as an online course with a set of tools designed to transform playtime. Who do you see needing that resource and why?
- Tell us more about your traveling lifestyle and how that enriches your kids and your parenting style.
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Genre: Memoir / Christian Inspirational
Publisher: She Writes Press
Page Count: 304
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1647429003
Price: $15.99