Buyer's
Guide: Fantastic
Arts & Crafts Kits for Kids
Related
Links
Our Buyer's Guides help make buying
choices easy for consumers. We test hundreds of children's
products and strive to keep up to date on the latest releases. Of
course, every family is unique. We can't please everyone. However,
we are able to select some special products that are at the top of
our "edutainment" list--those that have that extra edge
in the categories of design, entertainment, education, and play
value.
Besides the
letter grades we give most products, reviews on this site often
come with a rating bar chart--a visual breakdown of how the
product rates in a number of categories. See how we rate
products here.
As we test new
children's products, we will update these buyer's guides to
reflect current availability and up-to-date recommendations. These
guides are intended to help parents make sense of the overwhelming
choices available to them.
Arts &
Crafts Kits for Kids
When times call for
quiet and rewarding indoors activities, we have some
great suggestions. These kits will help kids get started creating.
We've selected kits that are easy enough to do, but that have very
satisfying--and often impressive--results. These kits are
excellent for rainy days, and they also make fun gifts.
Ages 5-9
The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls
The concept of dressing up, and
playing with, paper dolls has been around for a long time, but the
delivery is fresh and new. The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls
truly is fabulous. Young children will thoroughly enjoy this
easy-to-do activity. Replacing old-fashioned paper tabs are
adhesive dots that are re-stickable. As well, perforations replace
the need for scissors. The result is a favorite pastime, made accessible to younger children. The book features
fantasy backdrops for play time, as well as a cute and handy storage that
is built right into the book—it looks like a wardrobe! Very
satisfying. See our review.
Recommended
for: Preschoolers through
Kindergarteners.
Why do we
recommend this kit? It's easy to do, yet satisfying. The
results are fun and whimsical, and children learn a little about
gardening and taking care of plants.
The
pastel beauties on the cover of the box can actually be
accomplished with this wonderful little kit. Children create
pretty room decorations with the included supplies: tuile
butterflies with bendable wire frames, glitter paint (in
easy-to-squeeze tubes), and tiny little rhinestones (also in
pretty pastel colors).
This craft is
really simple and the decorated butterflies are pretty much
guaranteed to look adorable. There are three butterfly blanks
included in the box, and each can be suspended for a floating
effect in the room or simply hung on a wall. This would make a
great birthday party craft too.
Recommended
for: Preschoolers and up. This is one of the rare kits that
will appeal to kids as young as 3 or 4, and even to teenagers.
Why do we
recommend this kit? Plentiful supplies, easy to do, and simply
beautiful results. This craft isn't going to end up in the trash
can any time soon.
Crafts
made with polymer clay have become very popular. There are
many artisans making a living making beads, for example, with
this easy-to-use clay. Turning kids on to the craft makes a
lot of sense. With the polymer clay medium, kids can truly
express their creativity and produce little permanent works
of art that often serve a purpose. It's a very tangible and
satisfying craft. The
Incredible Clay Book offers kids both the materials (it includes
8 ounces of quality polymer clay in a range of basic colors) and the
instructions to create some delightful crafts. The instructions are
clear, and the abundant examples are inspirational. If children are
reluctant at all, or stumped, this colorful book will fill them with
the motivation and inspiration to get started. The book is bursting
with fresh ideas to make critters, flowers, jewelry, and lots of
gorgeous beads. Fantastic!
Recommended
for: Children who love crafts that yield practical and useful
results. The craft requires some patience, and adult supervision
for baking.
Why do we
recommend this kit? This
kit has all the supplies kids need to get started--and to keep
them busy. Clear instructions and illustrations are included, plus
very creative project ideas.
Surviving
long car rides with minimal complaint is not an easy task, but
Kids Travel: A Backseat Survival Guide can certainly help save the
day. Car games, quizzes, activities, and song lyrics fill the
sturdy, colorful pages of this fantastic spiral-bound book. An
attached pouch includes supplies to enjoy the book's games
(including markers, game pieces, and more) and a clip board holds
pages of printouts that kids can use to play games such as Country
Bingo and Lost on Earth. This kit is exciting, including
directions for classic and all-new car games, quizzes that kids
can give to their parents, and more.
Recommended
for: Children ages 8-14.
Why do we
recommend this kit? This
kit has all the supplies kids need to play the car games, and
features clear instructions and colorful instructions. Excellent!
The concept of dressing up, and
playing with, paper dolls has been around for a long time, but the
delivery is fresh and new. The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls
truly is fabulous. Young children will thoroughly enjoy this
easy-to-do activity. 
Replacing old-fashioned paper tabs are
adhesive dots that are re-stickable. As well, perforations replace
the need for scissors. The result is a favorite pastime, made accessible to younger children. The book features
fantasy backdrops for play time, as well as a cute and handy storage that
is built right into the book
