All this talk about fostering imagination in your kids has got me thinking about arts & crafts projects. My youngest son is 8 years old and still loves to do crafts (see him proudly holding up a dragon puppet he made in school?) At almost 13, my oldest son is less enthusiastic about making crafts but more inclined to do a science project or two.
Over the years we have dabbled in many types of crafts, from junk sculptures (made out of whatever recycled materials you have on hand) to felted sweater coasters to homemade yarn pom-poms. We keep a bin of supplies in the basement for whenever boredom strikes.
Craft Kits to the Rescue!
When the creative inspiration (or stash of supplies) is not all there, it's nice to simply pull out a box with a craft idea ready to go. In the past few years, a number of new craft kits have come onto the scene and many of them have projects geared toward boys. I don't typically emphasize gender differences but there are plenty of crafts that my boys are not interested in and having grown up in a household full of girls, I know the opposite can be true as well.
Here are a few craft kits that our boys have enjoyed:
Surprise Ride - This newer craft subscription program specializes in theme based, open-ended kits that exercise both sides of the brain. We received a kit with a bird theme that included the build-your-own birdhouse that you see above, a book about birds, a pair of binoculars, modeling clay, feathers and more. At $29.99 per month, these kit are a bit pricier than other kits I've seen but they are very comprehensive and make for more than one day of entertainment. Sign up for one month at a time or give a gift of a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription. Mindful Momma readers get 20% off their order using code: Mindful20 at checkout.
Smithsonian Kits - We found this Digging Up Dinosaurs kit at Costco as part of a set/3 kits. It came with the digging tools and even the safety glasses! These kits are perfect for birthday parties and by the way, we've given them to girls as well as boys! About $14.95 each if purchased individually but a lot cheaper at Costco.
Green Science Kits - Another birthday gift favorite, Green Science kits give kids hands-on experience building robots out of trash, creating a generator to power a light bulb, doing mini weather station experiments and many other science related projects. Prices range from $9.99 to $19.99 per kit.
Green Kid Crafts - A monthly craft subscription service with the environment in mind, Green Kid Crafts sets are theme based and come with all the eco-friendly, non-toxic materials you need. The pirate kit (shown above) was fun to make and provided fodder for tons of open-ended play. $19.99 per month or $230 for a year's subscription.
Artterro Art Kits - Created by parents who wanted to share their love of art with their kids, Artterro kits are beautifully designed and come with high quality, non-toxic materials that will inspire kids to create! We had fun making bubble wands out of wire and glass beads. About $19.95 each.
What are your favorite types of crafts to do with boys?
(Disclosure: I received free Surprise Ride and Artterro kits in exchange for my honest opinion. There are a few affiliate links in this post. Any purchase you make helps keep this blog in business. Thank you!)
My guys would love every one of these! Last time we went digging for dinos we had to move the kit outside-the digging went all over the place! The green science kits look awesome.
Posted by: Lori Popkewitz Alper | February 26, 2013 at 10:30 AM
Great post -- and I have a feeling plenty of girls would like these too.
Posted by: Anne | February 26, 2013 at 09:41 PM
I didn't know about these stuff before. These craft kits would be great for toddlers. I think 4M Dynamo Torch and 4M Trash Robot Kit are good for boys. Artterro Art Kit is good for girls.
Posted by: Marie | February 27, 2013 at 06:35 AM
LOL - the digging for dinos kit was a big messy - but that's life with boys for ya!!
Posted by: Micaela | February 27, 2013 at 03:32 PM
Yes, I agree Anne - I think many girls would like them too! Like I said in the post, I hate to make assumptions about gender differences but I do know that a lot of boys like these types of crafts and activities!
Posted by: Micaela | February 27, 2013 at 03:39 PM