When the lovely and talented Jennifer Casa contacted me to see if I would like to do a review of her fabulous new book, she had me at “hello”! Also?? Would I like to host a giveaway for one lucky reader to win an autographed copy?? Umm.. yes, please!!
Crafting with Kids is part of the Teach Yourself VISUALLY(TM) series, and it’s chock full of amazingly inspiring projects — each with clear, easy to follow instructions and plenty of photos to help guide you through. You may know Jennifer through her well-loved blog, JCasa Handmade (Love!!).
Emily and I had a difficult time picking a project to do because they are SO MANY we want to try!! For the purposes of this review, we chose the Patchwork Lanterns and were able to use items we already had on-hand — added bonus! I especially loved how each project gave a time estimate (very handy), and listed exactly what materials were needed. Plus, each step of the process has a color photo, so you can easily see how it is done.
As soon as we had our materials ready, Emily was super-happy to get started!! We had lots of colorful fabric scraps to make our patchwork lanterns!
…and I think they help brighten up our craft studio, don’t you?? We have big plans to do many of the other creative projects in this book too!!
Now the fun part — One very lucky Frugal Family Fun Blog reader will win an autographed copy of Teach Yourself VISUALLY(TM) Crafting with Kids by Jennifer Casa!! To enter for your chance to win, just leave a comment on this post telling us why YOU like to craft with the kiddos! Giveaway ends Saturday, June 4th @ 6:30pm EST and winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. This prize can be shipped world-wide!!
Good luck!!!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:11 am
I like to craft with the kiddos because I can watch them doing things that I didn’t imagine before.
May 29th, 2011 on 12:19 am
I just loving seeing the smiles on my girl’s faces when the see me get out our craft box!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:22 am
I love crafting with Kids because I love watching the room become more and more colourful as they create.
May 29th, 2011 on 12:22 am
Looks like fun! We cyber school at home so we do loves of crafts
May 29th, 2011 on 12:23 am
I love to craft with my daughter because SHE loves it so much! It fun to see her get excited about creating and about what she has accomplished!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:25 am
I am artistically challenged! My kids love being creative so maybe this book will be just the thing to help me put a ‘crafty’ grin on their faces…
May 29th, 2011 on 12:28 am
I like to craft with kids because of the great conversations that happen while crafting!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:34 am
Oooohh I love crafting with my kids because, well crafting is awesome!
My son is ridiculously creative and always wants to make something and has a grand vision in his head. I like to have a common goal so I know where he’s headed. Sometimes it’s hard to see the end product when the 4 year old is driving!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:35 am
i love crafting with my daughter because its good quality time we do together, we love making things/gifts/masterpieces/etc and she amazes me with her artistic talents! [not at all biassed, by the way haha] thanks for the opportunity!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:51 am
I love to craft with the kids because it is a fun way to spend time together and we learn all kinds of skills by doing things with our hands.
May 29th, 2011 on 1:18 am
I like to craft with my kids because I want them to boost their creativity when the world likes to squash it.
May 29th, 2011 on 1:29 am
I love to craft with my little one because not only does it help him become and find who he is will be but helps him express himself and gives us wonderful memories together! Pick me I will definitely give this wonderful book it’s use and share with our friends during playdates!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:44 am
I’m an English teacher in Taiwan, responsible for sharing the English language and American culture with 40 little hooligans.
I love to craft with my Taiwanese kiddos because it’s against the rules. *shhh!* The majority of my kids are in school from about 8:30 am – 9pm. No lie. When they come to English school, my boss prefers them to stay in their seats for lectures and drills.
But we just close that door and I sneak in as many crafts and stories and songs and pretend play and movement as we can get away with. *My baby class still raves about your leaf pile idea that we tried out last October! Especially since piles of colored leaves to jump in are something they do not have in Taiwan.*
I think I’m slowly winning the boss over a bit… she seems to turn a blind eye to most of our shenanigans now.
The munchkins are learning English, so we’re both happy.
May 29th, 2011 on 1:55 am
I love doing crafts with my 3 littles (4 and twins, 2)because it gives us something fun to do all together AND they have a blast with the glue sticks and glitter! Always looking for fun new ideas so this book looks fab. Your blog is always a great resource for us, though! Thanks!
May 29th, 2011 on 2:16 am
I love to craft with the boys (twins of 3) because of their happy faces from the moment we start. The smiles go on for weeks every time we take a look at the result of a crafty-moment. I love it and they seem to love it too because they keep on asking for more and more
Valerie, thanks for your blog. It is really inspiring
May 29th, 2011 on 2:23 am
I love crafting with my kiddos because they crave it.
I am an artist and crafter and to us it is true ‘playtime’!
May 29th, 2011 on 2:28 am
I’m 7 years older than my sister, and used to love to play school with her when we were kids. I’d teach her whatever I was learning at the time, but I had a much longer attention span than she. So whenever she got tired of playing school and I hadn’t, I deemed it “time for art class” and would do crafts with her. I really look forward to being able to do the same with her son – my nephew!
May 29th, 2011 on 3:20 am
I am an Art Therapist and I work at after school care, since I have not yet been blessed with children of my own I pour all of my crafting-mania onto the kids at the after school care. They love crafting and I do my best to write them tutorials, illustrated with pictures, so they can be more and more independent in some craft work. This book will be excellent – a perfect example of what I like for children to have as a guideline!
It helps kids to be amazed, use their creativity and also get a sense of creative thinking ‘if the glue does not make this stick: what will’? They always find a solution!
May 29th, 2011 on 3:28 am
I love seeing what they can come up with on their own. It doesn’t matter how old (almost 4) or young (2) they are. I just love to see them create! The smile before, during, and after is enough to keep the crafts coming.
May 29th, 2011 on 3:37 am
I love to craft with my daughters because I see how happy then they are.
May 29th, 2011 on 3:51 am
I love doing crafts with my 4 because it’s a satisfying way to play with them and meet them with all their ages and stages. I love what they create and the awe they have when I produce something that impresses them
May 29th, 2011 on 3:52 am
I really like crafting with my daughter. I love to share our time together developing our creativity. But the thing I like the most is that it helps to keep her mind open. She thinks we can do everything she imagines!
May 29th, 2011 on 3:54 am
I love crafting with my son because he gets so happy to see his creations all over the apartment (oh and he loves being able to send them to his grandparents!).
May 29th, 2011 on 4:34 am
I love crafting with kids because they are so creative and you never no how it’s going to turn out! It’s an adventure every time!
May 29th, 2011 on 5:00 am
I love crafting with my kids for three reasons: 1. I am getting better and better at craft every day
2. The kids feel such a sense of pride in their creations and 3. My girls just love it – it’s FUN!!
May 29th, 2011 on 6:14 am
ooooh…that would be a great summer book!
May 29th, 2011 on 6:49 am
I love watching my kids’ faces as they discover a new way of creating beauty!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:08 am
I love crafting with my daughter because it gives her time to learn through creativity. I am a teacher, so I value any crafts that lend themselves to learning through fun
May 29th, 2011 on 7:15 am
I love to craft with my girls, we’ve had some real heart to heart conversation while crafting. Now that they are getting a little older, it’s one way to spend some quality time with them.
May 29th, 2011 on 7:17 am
Apart from the fun they have and creativity they are able to express I adore watching their faces as they say “Look what I made!!” Sheer excitement at realizing how clever and creative they actually are!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:39 am
my children and i love to craft to use our imaginations. i also like how it develops creativity and fine motor skills in my kids. plus, it’s something we do together!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:41 am
My son gets the biggest smile on his face when we do crafts! Plus, he learns so much better with hands on activites than with books.
May 29th, 2011 on 7:46 am
Because they LOVE it & because I know we’re building memories. (helps that they’re learning too
May 29th, 2011 on 8:06 am
i love to see my very proper and a bit compulsive son try new things and see that mistakes can be beautiful. Trying new things is so good for him.
May 29th, 2011 on 8:13 am
I like to craft with my kids because it gives me an excuse to get crafty- and messy!
May 29th, 2011 on 8:24 am
I’m not into games but craft is one thing I’m always in the mood for.
May 29th, 2011 on 8:34 am
I love crafting with my boys (4 and 2 years old) because someday they will be teenagers and won’t want to do these things with their mama! I hope that it is something that they will remember and carry with them forever. Thank you So much for this opportunity to win something that we can build memories on!
May 29th, 2011 on 8:53 am
My daughter loves to do crafts. This would be pure excitement for her.
May 29th, 2011 on 9:11 am
I love crafting with kids so much it is the basis for my enrichment summer school class – One Day Wonders! Many of our kids have never done open ended craft projects where all that is required is inspiration, imagination and some begged, borrowed or found matierials. It is a joy to watch what happens when you let them loose with duct tape, egg cartons, cereal boxes and feathers and say make something to wear! We are always looking for new ideas and directions for creative play.
May 29th, 2011 on 9:21 am
I love to craft and so does my daughter, there’s something very satisfying about finished craft projects!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:25 am
I love it because it teaches me to let go of my type-A tendencies and just have FUN with them — make a mess!
musesofmegret (at) gmail (dot) com
May 29th, 2011 on 9:28 am
Selfishly, one of the reasons that I like doing crafts with my kids is because I love doing them too. I enjoy being creative and if I didn’t have kids I don’t think I would get to create as much. I also like the time I spend with my kids while crafting.
Thanks for the change,
Tricia
May 29th, 2011 on 9:29 am
Crafting together is time well spent. When my children are crafting I know they are strengthening valuable skills and having a good time. Crafting with children broadens my own creativity-those kids are inspiring in their exploration and out of the box thinking.
May 29th, 2011 on 9:33 am
I like to craft with the kids because its simply put its fun
May 29th, 2011 on 9:39 am
I like crafting with my kids (especially Little M) because my planned activity always turns into a kid guided adventure!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:43 am
Would love to win, my daughter and I go crafts almost daily. We love making it a learning experiment counting, colors, adding, etc. It becomes so much more than just crafts
May 29th, 2011 on 9:46 am
wow, i need this! i see the value and fun in crafting with my kids but I am so limited in this department, due to my own lack of know-how! it is constantly a source of guilt and squeamishness for me – really wanting to open my kids up to a whole new world of exploration and creativity and fun, but only really knowing my way with a crayon and coloring books! this would really help! thanks for the chance to win!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:52 am
I like to craft with my kids to see their creativity shine and to keep the boredoms and naughtiness away!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:56 am
I love to craft with kids because it is fun to be creative together and make something.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:06 am
I love crafting with my daughter. She’s 3 and has a wonderful imagination. Even a simple bird nesting ball becomes a fairy house to her. Through crafts, she develops fine motor skills, expands her imagination and shows me a new way to look at things.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:16 am
I love to craft with my girl as I get to know her so much more. Listening to her running monologue while she is busy creating tells me so much more about what is going on in her mind than any other activity does.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:20 am
I love to craft with my kiddos because a) I love to craft and b) I love to spend time with my kiddos.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:24 am
I love to craft with my kiddies because I like to see how proud they are of the things they create.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:26 am
I love crafting with my daughters because it opens up another opportunity for the big girls to help the little girls!
May 29th, 2011 on 10:44 am
Love crafting with the granddaughter, brings back many memories of crafting with her mom at the same age.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:47 am
I love crafting with my kids (one boy, one girl) because we all like creative activities. And, it’s fun to see how our projects have our own personal touch, even when we all do the same thing!
May 29th, 2011 on 11:05 am
I like to spend time with my little one because they won’t be small long and I feel like I need to bond now so later when she’s a teenager we can still be close or as close as you can possibly be with one that old
May 29th, 2011 on 11:13 am
I love the quality time! Those crafts look like so much fun!
May 29th, 2011 on 11:16 am
I just love the look on my daughter’s face when she first gets her hands into some paint!
May 29th, 2011 on 11:29 am
oh i love it . i love crafting with children as it give them self pride , exspression , creativity and they learn al kinds of new skills . thanks fun looks like a great book
May 29th, 2011 on 11:29 am
I like crafting with the kids because it allows us all to use our imagination. Plus, the kids are always proud of their creations and enjoy sharing them with others.
May 29th, 2011 on 11:36 am
I like crafting with my kiddos because it’s fun!
May 29th, 2011 on 11:44 am
Thank you for this nice review and the chance to win a craft book! I love to craft with children because I become a child all over again and am as excited as they are about how we create wonderful things from ordinary items.
May 29th, 2011 on 11:48 am
I like to craft with my daughter because I find she teaches ME to think outside the box.
May 29th, 2011 on 12:04 pm
I like to do crafts with kids because you never know what they will create with a few simple items and their imaginations! They are always proud of the result, no matter what it looks like!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:22 pm
I love to craft with my kids because their creativity makes them shine in ways just hanging out doesn’t allow! It’s fun to see what they come up with, and how they build on whatever idea I started with- they usually go in directions I never thought of. This book looks like a lot of fun!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:25 pm
I love doing crafty activities with my kiddo’s. Its a lovely bonding experience for us and they learn so much without even realising it
May 29th, 2011 on 12:25 pm
Hopefully someday I will have little grandbabies that I can craft with. This book looks wonderful!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:25 pm
I love crafting with Sammy because it doesn’t have to turn out perfect. I let go of my perfectionism and just have fun!!
May 29th, 2011 on 12:32 pm
I love spending time with my kids in something that holds our attention and so we are spending uninterruped time together.
May 29th, 2011 on 12:49 pm
As a 2nd grade teacher (and former homeschooling mom), I love craft projects – it is such a wonderful time for creativity and fun. I have used many FFFB ideas…
May 29th, 2011 on 1:18 pm
I have so much fun crafting with my kiddos. It’s something we can all do together regardless of age, ability, ect – everyone just takes it at their own pace and the results are always amazing!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:21 pm
I love crafting with the kids because they love it but also because I secretly experiment along with them realizing maybe I am a bit creative myself!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:23 pm
i love crafting with kids firstly because they love it so much, but it also challenges me not to try to control their design and let them create on their own instead of what my idea entails!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:25 pm
We homeschool and are always looking for fun ideas (reason I love your blog!) This would be great for some fun summer projects!!!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:26 pm
I love crafting with my kiddos because I love spending time with them, I love seeing how they interpret things visually, and I love seeing their artistic side blossom.
Thanks for the chance!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:40 pm
I like to craft with the kids because it is a special time together. It allows for a lesson learned…and taught. Crafting lets kids explore materials they may not explore on their own, and most of all, it gives them a chance to be creative!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:40 pm
I love to craft with my boys because it’s so fun to see how each of them create the same craft. We are always looking for new crafts to do! Thanks for the chance to win!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:42 pm
I love love love to see the amazing things that children, my daughter in particular, come up with. They seem to be able to be so outside the box and I love that! And when they make something, have a completed project, they are soo proud of themselves! Such a self-esteem booster!
May 29th, 2011 on 1:49 pm
I love crafting with my son (2.5yrs) because he always gets the biggest smile on his face. It has been amazing to see his progress in understanding directions and his imagination blossoming.
May 29th, 2011 on 1:55 pm
fun! I love to craft with the kiddos to spend time together getting messy, working with our hands, and teaching various art skills.
May 29th, 2011 on 1:58 pm
I craft with my kids because I love seeing what they come up with. At 5, my oldest is already such a great artist. At times, I’m blown away. Both my children are constant inspiration to me and my own artistic pursuits.
May 29th, 2011 on 2:00 pm
My kids love to craft! It is really fun when my just-two year old wakes up in the morning and says “craft time mommy!”. I have had to learn to let them do things their way, so we have all learned a lot!
May 29th, 2011 on 2:10 pm
I love to craft with my kids because it is fun and they make such neat things!
May 29th, 2011 on 2:13 pm
i love doing crafts with them to see how creative they get & how excited they are. Plus it entertains them for hours!
May 29th, 2011 on 2:13 pm
I like to craft with my kids because I realize that kids both have fun and learn better through creating tangible products. crafting also encourages them for producing rather than consuming, which is a kind of addiction in this age.
May 29th, 2011 on 2:19 pm
I am very creative. before kids, I always had some big project going on. Now, I use the craft time (usually daily) to get that creative spark out of me. If I’m not working on *something* I get really agitated!
I’d love to win this book and have an entirely new set of crafts to draw from. Some of the ones we do now are getting stale. And looking online only brings on the thousands of tutorials out there – it’s an overload!
ohmiss14 at yahoo dot com
May 29th, 2011 on 2:24 pm
I love crafting with the kids and I craft with the developmentally disabled adults I work with. Both groups take so much pride in the things they make.
Kims2312@verizon.net
May 29th, 2011 on 2:46 pm
The amazing and inspiring aspect of crafting with kids for me is their freedom of spirit and creativity. You can give a whole group of kids the same supplies, and left to their own devices, they will all turn out wonderfully different. They always think of things I would never have thought of, and are unafraid to try to ideas and ways of doing things. I love seeing their joy at creating, watch their thinking and experimenting, and observe their development as artists and people. What could be better than being a part of helping children explore their world and themselves?
May 29th, 2011 on 3:17 pm
Seeing their faces as they create something new, and usually, at my house at least, get really REALLY dirty while doing it!
May 29th, 2011 on 4:08 pm
I love seeing what kids can come up with while crafting. They always have new ideas that I could never think of myself.
May 29th, 2011 on 4:23 pm
They get so excited to be doing something new and usually a little messy! And they love showing Daddy when he comes home from work! I love seeing the pride on their faces!
May 29th, 2011 on 4:25 pm
As a nanny, I am always looking for crafty things to do with my charges.
May 29th, 2011 on 4:50 pm
I like to craft with my kids to see what they can do.
May 29th, 2011 on 4:51 pm
I’m a homeschooling mom of 3 and always looking for inspiring and fun activities to round out our learning! Thanks for a great blog!
May 29th, 2011 on 5:30 pm
I like to craft with daughter because it takes me out of my work life of PowerPoint presentation and Excel spreadsheets and moves me to a very different place. Thanks for a great giveaway!
May 29th, 2011 on 5:32 pm
Because Rowan’s daddy is an artist and I love getting dirty craft’s have always been our thing and we are always on the lookout for something fun and different to do. Plus, I have 5 nephews (one more on the way) and a neice so the pay it foward aspect it HUGE! HUGS
May 29th, 2011 on 5:50 pm
I’m a homeschooling mother of five and we’re extremely low income, so something like this would be both great fun and a plus for our art portion of schooling. I’m enjoying the blog too! (I made the doughnut shop for a birthday gift!
May 29th, 2011 on 5:53 pm
I love to craft with my child b/c he learns and so do I (to be patient that is!). And it gives us something fun to do and he proudly shows off his products!
May 29th, 2011 on 6:08 pm
I do a lot of crafting with my son (20 months) and my niece (6), and also in my job as a preschool teacher (I have a class of 4′s and a class of 2′s). I like crafting because it is a fun way to support development in so many areas – fine motor, pre-math, language, social and creativity.
May 29th, 2011 on 6:21 pm
crafting opens up their little minds to create, problem solve and experiment! It my favorite part of my job as a preschool teacher!
May 29th, 2011 on 6:25 pm
Cool Book! I love to create with my kids because they always inspire me. And besides they house if full of wonderfully colorful original are work…theirs of course!
May 29th, 2011 on 6:39 pm
I love to craft with kids because it encourages creativity and it’s fun for everyone!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:18 pm
my goddaughter is 6 years old and she’s a craft maven already! well, at least from what i hear… we only get to see her once a year when her family comes from scotland to stay with us for a week. i’d love to have this on hand when she comes this summer so we could do a project together, then send the book home with her to do more projects with her mom! love you audrey!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:27 pm
I have to admit, I have a hard time crafting with my kiddo! I’m not good at interpreting the instructions. This book looks like it would be a great help!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:36 pm
I love to craft with my kiddo because it means I can craft too.
I like to do fun things that gets him involved because he isn’t as into them as much as me. This book looks like loads of fun!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:43 pm
I love watching the development of their thoughts during a crafting project! First it starts out simple, but then they come up with their own creative ideas pulling from the world around them!
May 29th, 2011 on 7:59 pm
With 3 very busy little boys and my own often hectic lifestyle; crafting slows us down and allows meaningful time together. By nature, the arts give us space in our busy days, and this space is important for all of us- adults and kiddies! I love the peace that crafting enables in my otherwise crazy home, and I know my little boys love that peace and togetherness too!
May 29th, 2011 on 8:23 pm
Miss D is not quite old enough for craft activities yet, but I just can’t wait until she is. At the moment she loves colours, textures and shapes so I know that her imagination is going to run wild when we can sit down and create things together. We are going to have so much fun! Looks like this book will give us plenty of ideas of where to start!
May 29th, 2011 on 8:37 pm
Some of my fondest memories as a child are doing crafts! I want to be able to create wonderful memories of crafting for my two little girls now. This book looks awesome!
P.S. Love your site!
May 29th, 2011 on 8:37 pm
I love crafting with my daughter because it encourages her to be creative, and it’s a fun activity to do together!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:10 pm
We homeschool and I don’t want our kids missing out on anything. I love when they learn new abilities and are proud of their work. We make sure to craft every Monday!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:21 pm
I love to craft with my kids because it is a great way to develop their creativity and their fine motor skills and it provides learning opportunities for everything from learning colors and shapes to learning patterning and color mixing, all while having a lot of fun. I would love to win a copy of this book to enhance our crafting experiences.
May 29th, 2011 on 9:49 pm
I love to crafy with my girls because it is one of their favorite “treats” to do with mommy. They love seeing what they can make and try to fit as much on a page as they can. We always have fun!
May 29th, 2011 on 9:53 pm
I love crafting with my kids because they get so excited about creating new masterpieces. Spending time with them and watching their ideas come to life is such a gift. They can’t wait til Daddy gets home to share what they’ve made.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:10 pm
Just love the time that my son and I spend together while crafting. We giggle and make so much mess and still enjoy whatever the outcome of the project turns out to be.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:11 pm
My kids have so much fun!!!! Its hard not to enjoy it.
May 29th, 2011 on 10:26 pm
I love crafting with my girls b/c it is so much fun for all 3 of us. No arguments, lots of creativity, they love arts and craft time. What a fabulous book!
May 29th, 2011 on 10:32 pm
I would love to do these projects with my kids…I am running out of ideas and step by step instructions is just my style! Thanks:)
May 29th, 2011 on 10:39 pm
I like to craft with my kids because they are really creative and thinking outside the box is a great skill to have later in life. Crafting is a fun way to stretch and exercise those skills. Besides I get some really beautiful things for our home! BONUS!
May 29th, 2011 on 11:05 pm
I love to craft with my son to see him proud as he creates and generous when he offers his creations to the ones he loves!
May 29th, 2011 on 11:15 pm
After a good craft, I love seeing the wide-eyed look of pride of their accomplishments on my kids’ faces.
Plus, it keeps them busy
May 29th, 2011 on 11:17 pm
I like to craft with my kids because it gets their creative juices flowing and let’s them do what kids do best, think outside of the box. And we always have fun.
May 29th, 2011 on 11:33 pm
I love sharing the experience of crafting with my kids, just like my mom shared with her kids, long ago. I enjoy seeing how clever and inspired their work is, and helping them to overcome small frustrations in a safe and forgiving home-fun environment.
May 29th, 2011 on 11:34 pm
I love crafting with kids because I love to see the creative ideas they come up with, and I love the chats we have while crafting too!
May 30th, 2011 on 12:26 am
I love crafting with my son because he does things so differently from me and it’s a great way to spend time together.
May 30th, 2011 on 12:36 am
I love watching the creativity and joy of accomplishment my son experiences during crafttime. It’s also a great exercise for my own imagination which often seems repressed.
It’s so fun to see him so proud of what he can do.
May 30th, 2011 on 1:26 am
AWESOME – love the lanterns! Thanks for the chance!
May 30th, 2011 on 1:26 am
I have three boys ages 3-7 and last year was the first year I started to really do crafts with them (besides the usual coloring, ect). I was inspired by your blog and even yesterday we did a whole garden of watercolor coffee filter flowers. I love to craft with them because it is so wonderful to see how thrilled they are with their work, their own ideas that flow from the activity and the quality chit chat time we have while we work together. Thank you for the opportunity!
May 30th, 2011 on 1:46 am
I love crafting with my kids because I never did this growing up. It’s just so fun to create things with almost endless possibilities. I feel like a child again. Shipping worldwide!? Woohoo!
May 30th, 2011 on 2:13 am
There is absolutely NO better way to fill my children’s joy cups than to sit down with them for some crafting – this book will be a wonderful asset in our home, thanks for the opportunity to participate!
May 30th, 2011 on 2:24 am
This looks like an amazing book that would help so much in our place. Thanks for the opportunity!
May 30th, 2011 on 3:40 am
My kids are very creative and it’s always fun to see what they can make. They would love this.
May 30th, 2011 on 5:05 am
I craft with my son because it’s fun and teaching him practical skills too. I love the memories we make.
May 30th, 2011 on 6:08 am
Children love doing hands-on crafts related to the themes they are learning. It makes me happy to see them being proud of their handy work. Learning becomes more meaningful!
May 30th, 2011 on 7:16 am
Crafts are a great way of letting my kids be kids. They get messy, show their creativity, and get to have some control over their own project outcome. It is a great way that I bond with them and helps to create memories that will last a lifetime. This book would give us lots of new ways to “craft” this summer!
May 30th, 2011 on 7:55 am
I love crafting with my little girl because it is a great way to spend time together and I love to see her pride at making something herself.
May 30th, 2011 on 8:46 am
This book looks awesome! My kids and I love to craft and are looking for some new ideas for the summer.
May 30th, 2011 on 9:37 am
I love crafting with my kids because we have fun and learn things at the same time, my son struggles with fine motors skills and concentration and crafts have been a wonderful way to help him while not making him feel like he is working.
May 30th, 2011 on 9:49 am
i love doing craft projects with my baby girls because it give us some time together.
May 30th, 2011 on 10:57 am
I love seeing the proud gleam in their eyes when they show what they have made. Such a simple way to boost confidence in a safe, fun environment.
May 30th, 2011 on 10:59 am
This looks like an awesome book! thanks for the review..and i would love to be apart of the giveaway!
May 30th, 2011 on 11:39 am
I love to watch them create but could really use the book for ideas since I’m “craft-challenged”!
May 30th, 2011 on 2:05 pm
I love crafting with my daughter because it is so much fun watching her exercise her creativity and bringing in her own imagination and ideas into the project.
May 30th, 2011 on 2:35 pm
I like to craft with the kiddos because the crafts and especially the kiddos teach me how important it is to stay young at heart!
May 30th, 2011 on 2:42 pm
I love crafting with my daughter because she is so proud of her creations.
May 30th, 2011 on 2:53 pm
I love crafting with kids because it not only helps them learn and be creative, but it is FUN!
May 30th, 2011 on 3:49 pm
I like to see how much fun the kids are having creating new things.
May 30th, 2011 on 4:55 pm
I enjoy crafting with my two little ones as it allows me to pass on skills I already know and learn new ones and I love the ideas that they come up with themselves, they always find a way to make something a bit more special or quirky
May 30th, 2011 on 5:32 pm
I love their enthusiasm, and how they can inspire more craft ideas!
May 30th, 2011 on 6:27 pm
I love to do with crafts with my children for many reasons. I have three children ages 1, 2 and 5. I do have an idea of what we are going to make, and they do also. I love to see how they each start out making a project, and then in turn make a new project on their own. Sometimes they work together as a team and other times they work by themselves. I take great pride in hanging their artwork on the walls, as well as handing them out to our local nursing home. The children are happy as well to hand their work to someone else other than mommy. It is a very rewarding experience to watch them create, and then in turn provide some of their artwork to our community
May 30th, 2011 on 6:42 pm
I love crafting with the kids because it makes them so happy and it gives me a little window into their minds as they create the most amazing things!
May 30th, 2011 on 6:42 pm
I love to craft with the kiddos because it is fun to see the joy in their faces as they use their imaginations with each different craft. Then, to see how proud they are of what they made is so precious to see!
May 30th, 2011 on 6:51 pm
It’s pretty simple for me: Love kids + Love Making things + Love sharing = Love crafting with kids! I’m just THRILLED that I found a job (youth services librarian in a small public library) where I can do these things all the time! My coworkers love to tease me about it when I’m running around showing off my latest mock-up of a project, or dashing to reserve a time in our community room! It’s so much fun having a project and then seeing what the kids do with their own creative energies!
May 30th, 2011 on 8:26 pm
I love crafting with the kids because we have so much fun and they’re so proud of their creations. Crafting with the kids also reminds me that it’s all about the process, not necessarily the outcome!
May 30th, 2011 on 9:25 pm
Awesome giveaway
May 30th, 2011 on 10:14 pm
I like crafting with kids because its fun to watch their imaginations come alive as they create.
May 30th, 2011 on 11:21 pm
My son is happiest when he’s doing some thing with his hands, and he loves getting messy. We live overseas and he loves sending his artwork to his grandparents. I am happy when he’s happy.
May 30th, 2011 on 11:52 pm
I craft with my kids because they like it and I secretly really enjoy it too!
May 31st, 2011 on 7:20 am
I’m living in Turkey. Here too there is this kind of activities can be done with children of books and your block cheerfully doing what we’ve learned with my son. This gift would be super…
May 31st, 2011 on 8:26 am
I love the seeing th finished project that their little minds come up with~
May 31st, 2011 on 9:10 am
I love crafting with my daughter because I love seeing the satisfaction she has making things with her own hands. I am thrilled that she is happy to occupy her time creatively without video games / cartoons etc.
May 31st, 2011 on 9:33 am
i love to craft with my kids because all 3 of them are so crafty and creative and i love seeing them make new things. they absolutely love to craft, even my 2 year old. i would love to have a new crafting book to try some new ideas.
May 31st, 2011 on 9:54 am
Because it’s fun and keeps them busy for a while.
May 31st, 2011 on 9:55 am
I love to craft with my girl because it’s a skill she can take with her for the rest of her life. I think a lot of folk art and crafting has been lost for my generation. I want to be able to pass on what I know- and what I’m still learning. Plus this way she’ll never deny her own creativity.
May 31st, 2011 on 10:33 am
I love to craft with my boys, it’s a great way to teach numbers, letters, colors while having fun. Plus, it is a great way for me to learn to color OUTside the lines, wince.
May 31st, 2011 on 10:41 am
I love crafts with my kids because it forces me to spend focused time with them creating something with our minds and hands. I could definitely use some new ideas!
May 31st, 2011 on 10:44 am
Crafting is something I can continue to do with my kids as they get older, plus will be a great way to spend time together this summer when it’s too hot, muggy, and buggy to play outside.
May 31st, 2011 on 11:01 am
I love crafting with my kids to spend time together and expand their minds and creativity.
May 31st, 2011 on 11:08 am
I love crafting with my daughter because she has such an imagination and crafts make it come out in full force!
May 31st, 2011 on 11:16 am
I love crafting with my daughter because it allows her to use her imagination.
May 31st, 2011 on 11:39 am
I love to craft with my daughter because I love to watch her face light up when she makes you a “gift”, even when she then takes it and crumples it into a little ball (to wrap it of course), then gives it to you saying”happy day”
May 31st, 2011 on 11:41 am
I like to craft with my girls because it instills an appreciation of handmade goodness in them.
May 31st, 2011 on 11:59 am
Crafting with my littles forces me to slow down–love that!
May 31st, 2011 on 12:27 pm
It’s so great to give them a creative outlet! My kids are really into writing books, drawing pictures and folding origami figures.
May 31st, 2011 on 12:54 pm
I love seeing the happiness on their faces when they get to craft with mom!
May 31st, 2011 on 1:15 pm
I love crafting with my kiddos because I can see how proud they are to have made something with their own hands, the same look I probably get on my face when I finish a knitting or sewing project.
May 31st, 2011 on 2:06 pm
I love crafting with my kids because of the big smiles I get when they realize they’ve created something!
May 31st, 2011 on 2:15 pm
I love to craft with my kids because the end result is usually not what you were expecting, it’s better! Their lack of inhibitions is really inspiring.
May 31st, 2011 on 2:44 pm
OH WOW!! What a great book! I am a kindergarten teacher from Israel and I love crafting with the kids. I always need more great ideas for crafts.
I also have 2 young ones of my own that just love to get there hands working
Tamar
May 31st, 2011 on 2:54 pm
What a wonderful thing crafting with kids is- not only is it sharing teaching time with the most lovable beings, it is showing frugality at its best. Everyone loves color and creativity, but we can’t all go out and buy it- and why should we? Making it is so much more rewarding.
May 31st, 2011 on 3:22 pm
Great giveaway! Crafting with the kiddos allows me to do messy things and to see their imaginations at work!
May 31st, 2011 on 3:29 pm
Oooh – fun! I love Jennifer’s blog. I love crafting and sharing it with my kids is extra bonus!
May 31st, 2011 on 3:55 pm
Looks like a fabulous book! I love creating with my kids because I inevitably hear, “I love you Mommy!” while we’re working. It melts my heart!
Thanks!
Becca
May 31st, 2011 on 4:17 pm
i’m so excited to find this blog! i like working together on a project – especially in the summer when we have time. i love making with them and watching them work and think through their work. i love that it slows us down! thanks for this chance!
May 31st, 2011 on 4:33 pm
I love crafting with my daughter because I love seeing her figure out how she can make what she wants to make. When she wakes me up in the morning saying she wants to make a dog sculpture out of paper and glue…well, it might take both of us an hour or two to decide the best way to do it, but that is at least half the fun!
May 31st, 2011 on 4:52 pm
Crafting is just about the best un-schooling there is! Learning disguised as creating, what’s not to love?!
May 31st, 2011 on 5:03 pm
I love crafting with my kids because THEY love it!
May 31st, 2011 on 7:17 pm
I love project-time with my daughter (and will with my son, too). Yes, I love how much fun she has, but I also love watching her work out how she wants to make things, the tools she chooses, how a project I planned comes out her way. She is deliberate in her choices, even if all the paints run together into mud. Somehow, that is the design she had in mind. It is interesting, enlightening, and satisfying to watch her work. (And have so much fun while she’s doing it
May 31st, 2011 on 7:25 pm
We LOVE crafting at our house. Would love to have this book.
May 31st, 2011 on 9:37 pm
I like crafting with my kids because I get to see their creativity in action!
May 31st, 2011 on 9:43 pm
I like crafting with my kids because of the joy on their faces while we do it…and it’s the best way to keep them away from the TV!
May 31st, 2011 on 10:32 pm
I love crafting with my kids because I love to see their imaginations at work!
May 31st, 2011 on 11:17 pm
I like crafting with my kids because it reminds me that I should outsource some aspects of parenting (those involving patience, glue and glitter) and stick to those that I am good at (those not involving patience, glue and glitter)We craft together a few times a year though. Good for my soul I am sure.
May 31st, 2011 on 11:30 pm
I love crafting with my kids when I plan a project linked to Bible stories we’ve just read. It helps them remember what they’ve learned far more effectively than if we just read.
May 31st, 2011 on 11:49 pm
Hi! I just discovered your blog today! I really like it! I don’t have any kids of my own, but I do take care of a three year and we do different crafts. I love seeing how each one turns out!
May 31st, 2011 on 11:51 pm
I like to craft w/the grandkids. We’re making special memories.
June 1st, 2011 on 3:10 am
I discovered my love for crafting as a child – I still do! – and I think it would be a very special gift to pass on the same love to my daughter, 3.
June 1st, 2011 on 7:31 am
i would love to make all those great ideas with my kiddos!!
June 1st, 2011 on 7:55 am
I enjoy crafting with my kiddos, but I definitely need some help in that area! This book would be a HUGE help for our family! Love all of the pics and detailed instructions!