LilSugar

Our "Roadway to My Heart" Downloadable Valentine Is Perfect For School!

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:32:24 PST

Who needs hearts, kisses, and all that pink? If your home is filled with lil ones who'd rather play with cars, trucks, and things that go than add some glitter to a valentine he'll hand out at school, we've got just the card for you! We were challenged by the editors at Martha Stewart's Living in the Family Room blog to create a boy-friendly valentine that would get tots excited about more than the candy associated with Feb. 14.

The result: "Roadway to My Heart," an interactive card that combines a downloadable valentine and Matchbox cars.

Keep reading for the free download and step-by-step instructions for creating the card at home.

Get Your Craft On! 5 Valentine's Day Crafts For Tots

Nicole Abbott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:06:18 PST

Arts and crafts with toddlers can be a bit messy - but lots of fun - and Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to create some heart-shaped projects with your lil one. So break out the construction paper, glitter, paint, and glue and get creative with these five Valentine's Day crafts for tots.

Todd Oldham to Bring Kid Made Modern to Target With New Line of Art Supplies

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:04:55 PST

Art supplies and crafts collection, designed by a real-life designer, at Target prices? Sign me up! When Todd Oldham first published Kid Made Modern ($16) almost three years ago, he created a minirevolution in the world of arts and crafts. Inspired by the most influential midcentury artists - including Alexander Calder, Charles and Ray Eames, and Marimekko - he sought to teach lil ones about their creativity through 52 projects kids could do at home, everything from creating flowers out of wire (Calder) to making polka-dotted book covers using bubble wrap (Marimekko). The projects all used a combination of household items and store-bought crafting products.

This Spring the designer is expanding his drive to inspire creativity in kids through a new partnership with Target. On May 20, Target stores nationwide will introduce more than 50 Kid Made Modern art supplies and kits, all designed and tested by Oldham himself. I got a sneak peek at the line last week and can already tell you that it will be on your must-buy list! The beautifully made products - including crayons in various shapes and sizes (the pyramid one was my favorite!), board book-making kits, gorgeous wooden blocks primed for painting, and learn-to-sew kits that feature Charley Harper's gorgeous images - are all artfully packaged in recyclable boxes (many of which double as display cases) and will all be priced under $20 (talk about great birthday presents!).

Stay tuned for more details in May (including my interview with Todd as he walked me through his favorite products). Until then, take a peek at a few of the highlights from the line!

Celebrate Chinese New Year With Kid-Friendly Crafts

Natasha Dantzig — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:06:26 PST

Happy Year of the Dragon! Today, the Year of the Rabbit comes to a close, as the Year of the Dragon roars in. According to Chinese culture, the dragon - representing power and strength - is the most powerful animal in the Chinese zodiac. Lunar New Year is a holiday full of symbolism, stories, and fun ways to teach tots about another cultural celebration. Click through for festive craft ideas that will get tots in a dragon state of mind.

Bright Lights: 8 DIY Menorah Crafts For the Entire Family

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:01:29 PST

Get crafty this Hanukkah season! With the holiday falling over most schools' Winter vacations, it's the perfect time to pull out some glitter and glue to create a masterpiece. Store-bought menorahs are beautiful, but lil ones will love creating their own to add to the evening's festivities. Check out these fun and easy menorahs your tot can create at home in time for next week's holiday!

Ready, Set, Craft: 5 Easy Holiday Crafts For Kids of All Ages

Rebecca M Gruber — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:16:53 PST

Bring out the scissors, stock up on glue, and this year make a plan to craft your own holiday goodies with your kids. If the idea of setting up an arts and crafts project with your kids has you feeling like a deer in headlights, don't fret. I recently spent the afternoon with Martha Stewart's Darcy Miller and her Living in the Family Room bloggers to see just how easy it can be to craft with your kids. Surrounded by moms and kids in New York's Pins & Needles, I watched as tots as young as 3-years-old joined their siblings to create mini totes, gift tags, ornaments, and more. Check out the five easy crafts the lil ones created and get ready for some indoor fun with your own mini crafters!

Source: Photo by Mike Krautter. Courtesy of Martha Stewart’s Living in the Family Room Blog

A Thanksgiving Craftacular For Creative Kids

LilSugar — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:44:12 PST

It's turkey time, and not just the edible kind! Sandwiched in between the crafting bonanzas of Halloween in October and Christmas and Hanukkah in December, Thanksgiving crafts don't always get the respect they deserve, but it's a holiday rife with crafting possibilities.

Check out the following holiday crafts that are so cute, they just might earn a place at the adults' table.

Let's Go Fishing: A Fun and Educational Activity For Preschoolers

LilSugar — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:33:55 PDT

It's learning time! Mama knows that teaching her tot the ABCs, shapes, and colors is an important job, but, most of the time, it isn't easy. Getting your kiddo to pay attention can sometimes be challenging, so why not make it fun, too? The Learning Boat is a great way to get your tots motivated and teach them all about the alphabet, basic shapes, and colors. Even making the Learning Boat, is a fun and educational project!

Keep reading to find out how to build your own Learning Boat.

Encourage Budding Van Goghs and Monets With Master Kitz

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:15:50 PDT

How many times has your lil one presented you with an art project, only for you to turn to her and say, "It's beautiful . . . what is it?" We don't mean to question kids' artistic skills, but we would like to be able to identify what it is they are presenting to us.

While parents can't expect their tots to present them with museum-quality work, we can now encourage them to create their own masterpieces based on the works of Van Gogh, Klimt, or Monet with Master Kitz. Michelle Talbot, a mom of two boys and a former advertising exec, has combined real artists' tools and preschool art tricks to create a collection of kits that inspire kids to create their own interpretation of some of the art world's greatest masterpieces.

Available for four artists, each kit contains different tools to educate children about a variety of art techniques and help kids experience them. So for lil artists who are taken with Van Gogh's Starry Night ($30), the kit includes a landscape stencil, non-toxic paints and pastels, and a specially designed roller that helps replicate the artists' famous active stroke. When kids combine the tools, the result is a layered painting that looks strikingly like the famous version. Next stop, the Metropolitan Museum of Art!

Cute as a Button: 10 Cool Crafts You Can Make With Buttons

LilSugar — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:30:46 PDT

Button up! It may not be coat season quite yet, but if mama's got a drawer full of buttons, or if she's simply looking for an easy DIY project, those extra fasteners may be perfect for her next arts and crafts project! Check out these 10 cute-as-a-button crafts. We've got something for everyone!