Ask Anissa: Where can I find more Kids Crafts and Activities?

Question:  I am a stay at home mom of four children.  I am always looking for ways to entertain my children, but I would like to be able to make something that we can all play with after.  Being summer, I have used up almost all of my good ideas….I thought that I had enough to last the whole summer.  I have gone to several sites like DLTK and Family Fun, but was wondering if you had any other great ideas!  Stephanie H., Dallas, TX

Answer: I have been wondering the same thing, until I saw about about 2 minutes of a PBS show (while I was putting dinner in the crockpot), on our local PBS channel.  I have written many articles on kids crafts, and have done a great deal of research, but having seen the 2 or 3 minutes of the PBS show, I decided I needed to know more.  I found the show and their website Donna's Day.  I fell in love with how simple her ideas were and yet, how wonderful they were.  In the episode I saw, she made a lettuce leaf and meat balls.  Of course these were pretend, but, they sure looked real!  And, the great thing about this is that they could be used over and over again which helps to find new ways to use the same crafts or projects. Here is what the episode was about:

Wild and Wacky Fun
Segment 1 - Fake Food
Segment 3 - Cedar Plank Salmon
Segment 4 - Newspaper Sculpture

There are many more to choose from and I think they are a great way to add more creative time/pretend play for young children and still be able to use the project or craft for later play times or crafts.

Another resource that I think alot of us moms overlook is Highlights magazine.  I think its a great idea to have your subscription, but, they do have a great deal of information online.  I suggest taking a look there also, especially if your children are between the ages of 3 and 12 years old.