Art Works for Kids, Grades 1-6

Unleash the imagination in your child and begin nurturing a budding artist's creativity! Organized around a variety of media---painting, weaving, clay, printing, recyclables, nature---this innovative art course offers 68 inexpensive, high-quality projects requiring minimal preparation and cleanup. Beautiful full-color photos show actual children's artwork, and step-by-step illustrated instructions ensure successful experiences every time. Grades 1 to 6. 160 pages, softcover from Evan-Moor.

Buy at Christianbook.com
Buy at Amazon.com
Buy at BarnesandNoble.com

The Usborne Art Ideas Pack

It's like a self-contained art school---all your students need to enroll is a little paper and plenty of imagination! They'll want to don their smocks as they learn about mixing colors, patterns, and painting techniques. Provides step-by-step instruction on projects including serene watercolors, vivid crayon creations, and I-made-it-myself cards. Includes brush, water colors, oil pastels, wax crayons, and 32-page spiralbound book. Ages 9 to 12.

Buy at Amazon.com
Buy at BarnesandNoble.com

Museum of Art Masterpieces

Here's the perfect primer for museum field trips---an art history survey, a miniature gallery, and a hands-on lesson in portrait restoration all in one box! Providing a behind-the-scenes look at great art works, this activity kit includes a timeline featuring artist biographies and portraits; a booklet guiding you through a mini-gallery tour; reusable stickers to mount your own exhibit; and materials to restore a miniature painting. Ages 8 and up.

Buy at Christianbook.com
Buy at Amazon.com
Buy at BarnesandNoble.com

Kids' Art Works!: Creating with Color, Design, Texture & More

Encouraging children to use their imagination, this inventive book shows them the joys of sculpting, weaving, drawing, and painting! Young artists explore the uses of color, texture, and pattern through more than 60 fun-filled activities. They'll create a beautiful butterfly, build a hot-air balloon, design a bean-and-seed pendant, and much more! Three levels of difficulty. Ages 6 to 12. 138 pages, softcover from Williamson.

Buy at Christianbook.com
Buy at Amazon.com
Buy at BarnesandNoble.com

The American Girls Handy Book Centennial Edition

If Tom Sawyer had been a girl, Aunt Polly would certainly have seen to it that she had a copy of this book--and with a heartfelt blessing. It's a magical cornucopia of projects, divices, toys, gifts, dolls, recipes, decorations, perfumes, wax and clay modelling, oil and water-color painting and games, all with clear and practical directions for how to make and play them. Vintage Americana by the Beard sisters, two of the founders of Girl Scouting in the United States. A delightful gift from great-great-grandmother's house.

Buy at Christianbook.com
Buy at Amazon.com
Buy at BarnesandNoble.com

Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered

If your last attempt at painting is still on your parents' refrigerator door, then this book's for you! Designed for folks who want to rediscover their creative side, this set includes a spiral-bound book with 48 pages of watercolor paper, a set of six artist-quality paints, and, of course a paintbrush. The colors are so fun to use and Hurd's artwork and instruction so goofily inspirational that soon your creations will be hanging on your own kitchen appliances! 72 pages, from Klutz Press.

Buy at Christianbook.com
Buy at Amazon.com

Do You Doodle?

With all the pressure for kids to achieve at whatever they try, here is the perfect antidote-a book that simply invites them to enter and play. Nikalas Catlow has made a start on each of the generous-sized pages-a few beginning strokes of pictures and prompts like a boy looking into a bowl and asking what's in there. Doodlers go off from there on a liberating flight of mindless fancy. There are over 200 pages to complete and create. A book that will be as irresistible to overtaxed adults as it is to kids eager to enjoy its spirit of adventure, imagination, and creativity.

Buy at Christianbook.com
Buy at Amazon.com
Buy at BarnesandNoble.com