In getting ready for our goin’ South roadtrip, we’re looking for things we can do on the road that are light, easy and don’t ruin the earth. Today I discovered Make These Toys. A very clever, easily toted paperback giving details on how to make 101 toys from, mostly, common household objects.
In step-by-step, well explained directions, the author shows how to transform things like the cardboard tubes inside paper products into kaleidoscopes and nesting dolls; tyvek envelopes into pinwheels and magnetic fishing games, and wire hangers into magic wands and whirligigs. None of the crafts require specialized skills (like sewing) and the most complicated tools you’ll ever need are pliers or an embroidery hoop.
The projects are not simple, most require some precise cutting, gluing or folding and this is definitely a do-together task. But the instructions are excellent with call-out boxes alerting you in advance to everything you’ll need and plenty of illustrations guiding you along the way.
We usually do the advance prep for these kinds of projects in the hotel room the night before, or at dinner and then leave the decorating or minor assembly to the kids during the long drive.
It seems like a fun way to save money, make something together and not be the cause of more plastic packaging cluttering the ocean.
DISCLOSURE: This review is entirely objective, like everything KidCity does. When I discovered this book, I called the publicist and invited her to send us a copy of the book to review. I did not receive any financial or other compensation for this or any other articles on the site.
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