Do you have a crafty kid but need ideas for things you can make together? Let Erica Domesek's new P.S. - We Made This! book give you the inspiration you need. This book is like one big Pinterest board, full of super fun crafts that grow smarter and happier kids.
Several years ago, I reviewed Domesek's P.S. - You're Invited! book and still have it on my bookshelf! So I was excited to check out this new book geared toward parents and their kids. While there is no specific age range for the book's 85+ crafts, the idea is for parents and kids to work together, so parents could easily tailor these craft ideas to their toddlers and preschoolers.
Each of the book's crafts contains a developmental takeaway, as categorized by Dr. Laurel Felt, PhD, a childhood play and learning expert. So on each page, you'll find symbols that tell you if the craft helps with cognitive skills, physical skills, or social-emotional skills. This allows parents to find craft ideas to help their kids reach specific goals, such as an appreciation for nature, literacy, health, and imaginative and creative play.
From brick oven pizzas using cardboard boxes and parrot pets using toilet paper rolls to squeegee artwork using shower squeegees and Picasso-inspired artwork using scrap paper, you're going to find a lot of cool projects and activities that encourage creativity and parent-child bonding!
You might not have all of the needed supplies for every project, so be sure to read through the ingredients list of your chosen project ahead of time. A lot of the projects require items that you could easily find in your recycling bin!
One thing I wish the book had done differently is to provide actual photographs of the finished projects. Instead, everything is an illustration. And that's fine, but it is nice to see how a real project turned out, rather than an artist's rendering.
Another thing that I didn't like about the book (aside from my kid getting upset when I didn't have a large enough cardboard box) is that most of the projects require adult assistance, especially all of the cardboard box projects. My 6-year-old doesn't have the dexterity to cut shapes out of cardboard. Heck, it's hard for me! And I don't like craft projects for kids where I have to do all of the work because if the crafts are for the kids, then shouldn't the kids be doing the work? So parents - get out the box cutters!
P.S. - We Made This! is published by Abrams and is on bookstore shelves now. I received a free review copy.
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