Arts and Crafts

Best for 2011

Crayola Glow Book: The best arts and crafts for kids this year is the Glow Book from Crayola. Kids can create moving and glowing art with this unique arts and crafts set. The possibilities are endless: cartoons, signs, original art, and simple drawings all become animated art when kids let their imaginations go. The set includes markers that wipe clean with just a little water and rag and comes with everything needed to get started: drawing surfaces, tracing guides and of course, the glow markers. Let your child’s inner artist emerge with the glow book!Why We Like It: What isn’t there to love about an item that encourages children to develop art that they see in their mind? Over and over again? With wipe able surfaces, parents won’t worry about running out of paper, the items that are needed are always available and ready for art to be created.

Easel

Melissa and Doug Easel: Set up your emerging artist with all of the tools they need to create their very own masterpieces. This large easel is perfect for both small and large projects alike. One side features a classic chalkboard while the reverse side is a dry erase board. The easel kit also features a bright and colorful paint tray with cup holders, a locking paper roll so kids can easily paint or color their masterpieces on paper, a paper cutter and a tray to hold chalk and an eraser. Kids will love all of the options they have when they pull out the easy to store foldable easel. Why We Like It: This easel is super easy to fold and unfold for easy storage in a closet or even under a bed. The wood is sturdy and durable and the features are numerous. Kids can play school on their chalkboard or write themselves notes on the dry erases board. They can create original art masterpieces on the paper roll and then do it all over again. This easel is one of the best there is because it is loaded with options and features that take it from just a wooden stand to something much more.

Most Unique

Illustory Make Your Own Story Kit: If you are looking for a truly unique and special gift for a specially gifted child in your life, look no further. Story telling takes new heights with the Make Your Own Story Kit. Kids write a story, draw pictures to go along with the story, write an Author biography, and then ship it off to be printed. Children love the joy of seeing their books come to life and you’ll love the creativity that comes from them wanting to do it again and again. Why We Like It: There are a number of reasons that we consider this one of the top arts and crafts for kids. The cost is nominal for the kit, and everything is included, right down to the prepaid envelope to send the pages back to be put in to a book. We also love that your child’s self-esteem will skyrocket when they see their work put in to print. Kids will love showing off their book to their family, friends and even teachers.

Stamps

Melissa and Doug Stamps: Stamps are fun for all ages and Melissa and Doug have a stamp set for everybody! Each stamp kit includes colored pencils, so between the stamps and the pencils, children can create their own special scenes. Some of the stamp kits available include animals, dinosaurs, and vehicles. All of the stamps are made with high quality rubber and the ink stamp pads are made to last, ensuring crystal clear pictures each and every stamp. Stamp kits are perfect rainy days or for the ?calm down? activity that kids need before bedtime. Why We Like It: We love anything that has to do with creativity and stamp kits are no exception. Children can use the animal kit and create their own farm scene complete with horses and pigs and chickens, oh my. Or they can take the vehicle stamp kit and create a super highway filled with cars, trucks and emergency vehicles. Between their drawings and the stamps, the possibilities of what can be created are endless.

Drawing

Etch A Sketch: A classic toy is sometimes the best toy! The Etch A Sketch is as popular today as it was twenty years ago and with good reason. This mechanical drawing board uses a child’s fine motor skills and imagination to draw on a screen without a pencil. A shake shake shake erases the board so that they can start all over again. With two knobs, kids control the ?pencil tip’ that is inside the screen and draw across the board. Kids will spend hours creating their own drawing without ever lifting a pencil! Why We Like It: We love everything timeless and the Etch A Sketch is no exception. Perfect for all ages, the Etch A Sketch teaches eye hand coordination as well as fine motor skills. The best part is that it can be used anywhere because of its size, making it a great travel toy in the car!

Design

Bizu Bead Style Studio: Girls can create their own fun and trendy accessories with the Bizu kit. The kit includes everything they need to make bracelets, necklaces, backpack clings or whatever else they can dream up. With four fun Bizu characters, their stylish accessories become their pets as well. The studio tower keeps everything organized and makes dispensing of the beads simple and mess less; no worries of beads spilling all over the floor! Over 15,000 combinations can be made, ensuring that there is plenty of hours of enjoyment for your girl. Why We Like It: The Bizu Bead Style Studio is a super fun and super creative crafts toy that girls will have a blast with. They will enjoy making their own jewelry and accessories for themselves and their friends. With easy to follow instructions, you can be ensured that your child will find new and exciting accessories to make each time they sit to create.

Jewelry Kit

Alex Toys Friends 4 Ever Bracelet Kit: Girls love making their own jewelry and sharing them with their friends. Friendship bracelets have been around for years and now it is easier than ever for kids to make their very own unique styles. The kit includes four color coded looms where strings criss, cross and zig their way to one of a kind bracelets. With the included twenty two colors of floss, the possibilities are endless. Easy to follow instructions will have your little jeweler quickly creating their own friendship bracelets with the included beads or staying classic and using only the floss. Why We Like It: One of the best things about this kit is that it comes in a handy see through suitcase with handles ensuring that all of the items stay secure in one place. Girls love being creative and creating little gifts for their BFF’s and this kit does all that. The perfect slumber party activity or rainy day fun, this kit is necessary have for all little girls.

Stickers

Melissa and Doug Sticker Collections: Who doesn’t adore stickers, especially when the stickers are of such a wide variety? Melissa and Doug’s sticker collection comes in so many colors, themes and styles that getting bored just isn’t an option. Perfect for adding personal touches to letters or for spicing up drawings, stickers are a kid’s favorite reward and this collection rewards them over and over again. Blue for boys and pink for girls, it’s easy to find the sticker collection that is right for your child. Why We Like It: There are so many different options that you can use stickers for. Children can adorn themselves with them, plaster them on to paper or parents can use them on reward charts. With hundreds of different stickers and themes, we know that there will be plenty to go around.

Molding Dough

Play-Doh: Create a kitchen set with plate, bowl and cup or create a small farm with all different colored animals; create buildings, food or something from out of this world, all with Play-Doh; kid’s number one choice when it comes to fun arts and crafts for kids. Play-doh is a timeless traditional toy that kids and parents alike love. Mix colors to create funky designs, roll into long strands, press imprints in to or just roll up and squish around. Whatever they choose to do with it, children will have a blast molding their own sculptures. Why We Like It: Play-doh is a non-toxic toy, which is important because every little kid, at one point or another, has to taste it. We love Play-doh for its simplicity and versatility. If it can be molded, it can be created with Play-doh.

Sewing

Alex Toys My First Sewing Kit: Everything that your budding seamstress needs is in this handy little kit. Children love creating things for themselves or as gifts and this kit ensures that they can do just that. Comes with pre cut patterns, thread, floss, embroidery thread, filling, pom poms, and everything else a seamstress needs to create a one of a kind item. Create stuffed animals, bags or even book covers. Perfect for a work alone or a small get together party, this first sewing kit is recommended for ages six and up. Why We Like It: Encouraging craft time is essential to the creative growth of a child and with Alex Toy’s First Sewing Kit, craft time becomes fun time. Children develop a sense of accomplishment when they create items all by themselves and this sewing kit includes everything that is needed to create a stuffed animal or special bag that they can take pride in.

Plush

Doodle Bear: The Doodle Bear is a perfect toy for youngsters! Cute, cuddly and creative, the doodle bear can be drawn on, stamped on, traced on and then washed so they can do it all over again. The Doodle Bear comes with a set of washable markers and a tracing pattern; washable stamps, other markers and more tracing patterns can all be added to create an entire kit that your child will love. Pink, purple or blue, the Doodle Bear you choose will quickly become your child’s best friend! Why We Like It: The Doodle Bear is easy to love because she is so cute and cuddly, but also because she encourages creative thought in children. When the bear is covered with doodles, she is easy to clean. Just toss her in the washing machine and she comes out erased and ready to be doodled on again.

Paper Design

Paperoni: Kids can create 3D art work with the Paperoni! Rolled up pieces of colorful paper are cut to create unique and eye catching designs. Kids simply place the paper rolls in to the designated area, choose a side, and cut. There is even a handy storage area to keep the cut rolls so they don’t get lost! Comes with self adhesive templates so art can easily be created without frustrating kids. Provides hours of enjoyment and plenty of fun and laughter! Why We Like It: While parents may worry about sharp paper cutters in this toy, the designers made sure it was safe for all ages. The cutting blade is safely tucked away inside the device, ensuring that children’s fingers are secure. The easy to follow instructions help a child create their work and the 3D aspect makes this toy different and fun.