When the leaf piles have been thoroughly stomped, and they’ve tromped inside for the long winter, what’s a mom to do? Set them up at the dining room table with a few craft projects. Who knows – they might come up with some good Christmas and Hanukkah gifts. At the very least, their mess is contained in one space!
Piggy Story Chalk N Doodle ($16.95): If they’re going to follow you from room to room, they might as well do it with project in hand. Charming prints of pigs, pirates or puppies make a backdrop to a teeny chalkboard that they can carry everywhere – with separate slots for pieces of chalk. If you’d rather leave the dust outdoors, slip crayons in the holders, and a piece of paper over the board. Four slots around the chalkboard keep a picture in place so they can practice staying INSIDE the lines this time.
Crayola Crayon Towns: Won’t you take us to . . . crayon town? Wild Planet and Crayola will with their new toy sets that incorporate their favorite waxy drawing sticks as part of the action. A head and a foot are just two pieces of plastic until you add a brown crayon in between to make a lion at this Zoo
($19.99), and what’s a green chunk of leaves without a green crayon to connect it to the roots at My House
($9.99). Of course all these critters and accoutrements need somewhere to go, and every Crayon Town set comes with a backdrop that sets the scene. Naturally, it’s a black and white background. Who’s ready to color?
Everything you need for a project, plus all the instructions – without having to go running around the craft supply store? Thanks be to Klutz for packaging it all in book form. This fall brings The Cootie Catcher Book ($14.95) for a night full of slumber party fun. Will she score the winning goal for the U.S. women’s soccer team? End up living in a mansion? Find out when they fold back the flaps on their freshly-made fortune tellers. If she’s in for a long weekend of suffering through a bug, keep her entertained with the Fancy Friendship Bracelets book ($19.95). Filled with cord, beads and baubles, she’ll go back to school with the best bracelet on the block.
Cardboard boxes always seem to strike their fancy more than the toy inside, so this one should keep them occupied for hours. The Color Me House ($39.95) is a giant box in the shape of a house – and it’s a completely blank slate. Let them color on the walls without having to pull out the sponge. Set it up inside the house, hand them some crayons and let them explore. Your house will thank you for it.
<img src="http://www.momfinds.com/files/2010/02/Miss-Brittanys.jpg" border="0" alt="Miss Brittany's Organic Preschool Fun Dough" name="image" width="200" height="300"
You buy organic fruit, so why not go organic with their other favorite treat? Yes, we know, they’re not supposed to EAT the dough (or doh) they play with, but have you met a child yet who didn’t at least give it a little taste? Miss Brittany’s Organic Preschool Fun Dough is not meant to be eaten either, but if they do, it’s a bit less disgusting with filtered water, organic flour, Mediterranean sea salt, organic canola oil, kosher cream of tartar, organic vitamin c, and nontoxic liquid watercolor. Otherwise, it works like the regular stuff, and it comes in tasty colors in recyclable containers. They’re a bit pricey – $14.95 for two 7 oz. packs – but that’s the price you pay for “fun” dough.
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