Fun Activities For Kids
Author: Fiona Hayes
Publisher: QEB Publishing (June 18, 2019)
Genre: Nonfiction / STEAM
Series: Crafty Makes
- Hardcover: 160 pages
Description
Keep crafty children of all ages entertained and inspired for hours with Fiona Hayes’ 100 Things to Recycle and Make.
Everyday materials are transformed into all kinds of stunning and practical projects, from toy animals and vehicles to dressing-up props, decorations, games, and even fun storage solutions. Bringing together the best projects from the popular Crafty Makes series, each section is dedicated to a different base object: cardboard boxes; paper plates; cardboard tubes; materials from nature; and egg cartons. With twenty projects per section to choose from, and 100 projects overall, this book will appeal to a wide range of ages and interests.
Simple cardboard tubes become a set of pirate skittles, a friendly octopus, and an entire castle. Plain cardboard boxes are turned into a pirate ship, a money box, and a robot; twigs, leaves and other outdoors materials become picture frames, masks, and a dinosaur. Paper plates make a great bug or flower hat, a dotty frog, and a cute panda, while egg cartons are turned into a fire engine, a pencil holder, and a Christmas tree.
Children will be entertained for hours with this invaluable collection of crafty makes, and even the whole family can be involved in recycling everyday objects and turning them into exciting projects. Create entire animal kingdoms and alien worlds, or simply a new favourite toy or mascot.
With such a huge range of exciting projects to make from the simplest of objects, 100 Things to Recycle and Make is the ultimate craft inspiration for creative children.
(from publisher)
Thank you QEB Publishing, Fiona Hayes, and NetGalley for an ARC.
My Thoughts:
The book begins with a list of Basic Equipment. This includes such things as white glue, ruler, felt-tip pens, etc. Most of these simple supplies families would have on hand.
The next lists are of the crafts that require
- Cardboard Boxes,
- Paper Plates,
- Cardboard Tubes,
- Nature Craft (such as coral reef and fish, birds, dinosaur, etc.),
- and Egg Cartons.
So many craft books look wonderful until you realize how expensive the supplies are. I was impressed that this book gives the necessary supplies up-front for all of the crafts. Then as each craft is introduced a list is provided of all the necessary items for that particular craft. This Supply List is followed by numbered, detailed instructions complete with colored pictures. Occasionally there is a yellow box containing a Handy Hint at the end of the craft instructions.
What Concerned Me:
Absolutely nothing.
What I Liked Most:
The STEAM, not STEM activities (STEM represents science, technology, engineering and maths. “STEAM” represents STEM plus the arts – humanities, language arts, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design, and new media.) will be great for classrooms, building parent and child relationships, and for allowing older kids to construct by themselves.
I like the fact that, while not all crafts will appeal to the reader, with 100 to choose from there will still be lots and lots to choose from.
Amazon offers a glimpse of the crafts. Click for a sample view.
Fiona Hayes has illustrated, designed and written children’s books for nearly 20 years, and has worked with children and adults on a wide range of craft projects. She has always loved making things, from baking to all sorts of crafts. From her point of view, things you make are always better than anything you can buy, and best of all, creating wonderful stuff makes you and everyone else smile!
