The Really Big Book of Amazing Things to Make & Do

The Really Big Book of Amazing Things to Make & Do
By Lucy Painter
Southwater, 2008. 256 pages. Nonfiction.

This book might be just what is needed for cold winter days when the kids (and adults) are stuck indoors complaining of "nothing to do." Inside, there are over 100 projects and ideas, each carefully explained with step by step instructions accompanied by colorful photographs. Not only are there chapters on more traditional crafts such as mask making, modeling with clay, and decorating T-shirts, but there are also sections on more unusual projects like body and face painting, making balloon sculptures, juggling, and magic tricks, to name a few. One of my favorites showed how to paint your hand to look like an octopus, using your fingers as the tentacles. There are many ideas that would make any birthday party a hit, and the Fabulous Hairstyles section could keep a group of girls happy for quite a while. The projects in this book are definitely geared towards 8 to 12 year olds (younger children would need a lot of adult help), and they will certainly keep a child (or an adult) busy for several hours on an otherwise boring afternoon.

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