Arts and Crafts for Kids

Arts and crafts  are an excellent gift for children. Both boys and girls can gain valuable lessons about working individually, developing creative ideas, and letting their imagination take shape. Whether on a rainy day or on a late summer afternoon, there is always time for the arts!  When shopping for arts and crafts supplies for kids, be sure to get items that are age appropriate. In other words, the younger the child, the less complicated the art project should be.

New in Arts and Crafts

Paint the Wild Box Kit  For boys and girls, these kits come in a variety of styles, from hearts to stars, animals and more. The fun is in painting and decorating them so that kids can either put them proudly on display or use them to stash away their secret treasures.	Chalktracker  Chalktracker makes sidewalk chalk  just a little more exciting. Simply use any jumbo sidewalk chalk (the Chalktracker comes with some to start) to draw your favorite pictures on the sidewalk, driveway, or patio and this unique little tractor traces the line exactly as they are drawn. Since this toy uses normal chalk it's easy to clean up with a little spray from the hose.	Fashion Angels Fashion Design Sketch Book  & Make-Up Artist Sketchbook  These two products are sold separately, but together they make a killer gift duo for a "tween" girl who is into fashion and makeup.	Aquadoodle Go 'N Doodle  This classically-inspired toy is one that kids and their caretakers can enjoy together -- that is, if they ever give you a chance to play with it. Think of a Magna Doodle,  but with a water filled pen. Draw on one side with the miniature pen  and when you're done, flip it over to get a clean slate. Great for that trip to Grandma's house for the holidays (or for the return trip home). This gift is nicely priced to boot.	Play Foam  It's squishy, moldable, colorful, and fun. Just like Play-Doh,  you can mold this soft, beaded foam into any shape imaginable. What's even better is that it won't dry out and that you can use it over and over again. Each pack contains six bright colors and that only costs $10. It's a small price to pay for a new and exciting addition to add to a kid's arts and crafts box.

Breyer - My Dream Horse Customizing Kit  Any child who enjoys horses will enjoy creating the look for their very own Breyer horse. All the necessary supplies are included in the box so all a child needs is his or her imagination.	2 Bobble Head Dogs  Instead of horses, perhaps dogs are more a child's style. This kit comes with two bobble head dogs (perfect when there could be sharing issues), acrylic paints, and both a sponge brush and fine point brush.	Crown Plaque by Melissa & Doug  Paint it, add glitter, rhinestones, sequins, the works, to create a fashionable, hanging crown. The kit comes in a convenient tray with dividers to keep everything in place while the child works away at his or her royal creation.	Getting Started Drawing & Sketching Set  This is the perfect starter kit for a child who wants to learn to draw. It comes with acid-free paper, charcoal and graphite pencils, sharpener, blending torchon, and instructions on technique.	Shrinky Dinks Books  Shrinky Dinks  originally premiered in 1973 but they are back again! The idea is simple: draw or trace a picture onto the plastic Shrinky Dink sheet, color, decorate, and bake it! Then it shrinks to a hard plastic piece of artwork that's half its original size. Use it to make charms, pins, and more!

The Funky Bead Chest  This pretty, three-drawer chest looks great out on a kid's dresser and it can be used to store beads, beading supplis, projects in the works, or jewelry. Besides being a beautiful girl's keepsake box, it comes equipped with everything she'll need to start beading! It's also an Award Winning Toy.	Crunch Art  The kit consists of a frame filled with special foam, fabrics, and a crunch tool. By using the tool (and no water, glue, or other messy supplies) kids crunch the fabric into the foam to create pictures. Upon completion, hang the masterpiece for all to admire! It's fun, easy, and versatile.	Spyro Gyro  Drawing just got a little more fun with this wiggly, jiggly, motorized pen with five interchangeable inks. Press hard to get tiny designs of squares, triangles, or circlesa. Lessen the pressure and the designs will be bigger. Just make sure to have plenty of paper available.	Learn-a-Craft Diva  Divas in training will get a kick out of this embroidery kit as will parents. For only $3, girls get to stitch up a pretty, white sailcloth and proudly display it when finished. The best part is that they learn a little about embroidery and the 3" ring is easy to manipulate for small hands. The pattern is also mapped out to make it easier.	Chicken Sock Magic Painting  Yet another smash hit from Klutz, this spiral-bound book comes with a paint palette built into the cover, a foam brush, and pages of white space that when painted on reveals a picture. Simple, easy, and fun. For ages four and older.

Related Buying Guides

Kid's Crafts Kits	Building a Crafts Box	Painting Supplies	Drawing Supplies	Gifts for Artistic People

External Links

Below you will find links to several Web sites that have great ideas for crafts at home that use household goods, art supplies, printable patterns or coloring pages, and much much more.

• Kid's Domain -- Excellent site! It's easy to find what you are looking for and it has just about anything you can imagine, including crafts to make as gifts for family members, holiday crafts, and crafts that use common household supplies. The site also has several other useful sections related to children.
• Enchanted Learning -- Geared more towards a child's eye, search together to find a fun craft project. There are hundreds of ideas organized by holiday, season, category, material, and more.
• Kinderart -- They claim to have the largest collection of free art lessons on the Web. The site is easy to look at, rich in ideas, and well organized. Children who are home schooled, or for those who have active parents who want to help them out, this site would be an excellent resource to bookmark.
• Crayola -- The coloring classic, Crayola, takes to the Web offering printable coloring projects and online activities for kids.
• Amazing Moms -- Some good ideas recommended by mothers.