We're big fans of 3D wonder paint. It's great fun to make the designs and then decorate your windows with them. Our biggest problem is that we never wait long enough to let it dry so we always have one that is smushed a bit. This kit comes with six glitter paints (some are intended as liners), suggested traceable patterns, 2 plastic project sheets (where you place the glitter paint), self-adhesive rhinestones and instructions. You can either attach your snowflakes to the window or make 3D ornaments that can be hung up with the included satin ribbon. We had less success with the new Activity Kit -- that is intended for making 3D flowers. Ours just didn't work out very well.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2013.

A really satisifying kit for adding some light and sparkle to any room. Comes with three battery powered (batteries included) round clear plastic globe bulbs that have faceted surfaces. The set comes with plastic leaves, shimmering fabrics, beads, self-adhesive rhinestones, thread, double-sided sticky foam, a bead threader and an instruction book with ideas.  Comes with green satin cords to hang the lights up with. Very pretty and our testers liked that the bulbs have three different settings for varying d

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2013.

Crafts, science, holiday traditions all come together in this Kiwi Crate. There's a wooden dreidel with discs that kids decorate with drips of paint. Watch the patterns that form as the dreidel twirls. Later put the Hebrew letters on a disk and play a traditional game using raisins, candies or pennies. The crate also comes with very special makings for a menorah. There are plastic holders for the nine battery operated lights that look like small white votive candles. Add tissue paper squares with mod podge and brush to decorate the holders. A safe enough Menorah for the youngest celebrants. What a nice kit for getting ready to celebrate the Festival of Lights. You can join this for a monthly treat or buy kits one month at a time. 6 & up.

http://www.kiwicrate.com/join

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

We love this series from Faber-Castell that allow kids to try their hand at different aspect of pencil and brush arts. This kit includes instruction for how to work with watercolor pencils.  Comes with ten colored pencils, sharpener, sketchbook, eraser, tracing paper and twenty page instruction book. A great choice for traveling during the holidays for older kids.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

We have mixed emotions over this set of 24 foot long pieces of two sided print paper. The pieces had links at the end so no glue is needed, though we think it takes more dexterity to fasten them than most young kids will have. We suspect you will end up giving them glue to make them stick. That said, they are highly decorative and thicker than most chains we made as kids.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

With plastic mask bases, full face and smaller eye shape, kids can create 4-5 different masks with special plaster wrap. The kit comes with a variety of items for decorating the masks with feathers, tissue paper, paint ribbons, glitter and glue. This is apt to be a bit of a messy craft, so protect the surface with the plastic sheet, gloves and other items that come with the kit. You may want to add some newspaper as well. There will be a waiting time for the plaster strips to dry before the decorating can begin. Adult supervision is strongly recommended. That said, working with the plaster makes for an interesting craft experience. 7 & up.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

This painting project comes with water soluble paint that is washable and spreads with ease. That makes this a good project for young painters. Choose a ceramic dinosaur or one of several vehicles. Out Tester liked the stegosaurus with all those fins on its back. Perfect for collecting pennies or bigger change for a rainy day. Unlike old-fashioned ceramic banks, this one can be opened and is reusable. Kit comes with paintbrush, six non-toxic paints and a white ceramic bank ready to decorate. 5 & up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Finding craft projects for boys can be challenging. This kit comes with five foam planes that fly well both indoors and out. Before they start flying however, kids can decorate them with the metallic foil stickers and color-in stickers that can be customized with the 8 fine tipped mini-markers included. Each little plane is almost 7 x 7 inches big. Kids are likely to need help getting the stickers off the sheets, especially if they have no fingernails to get them started. That said, this is a fun kit for a play date or encouraging boys to use fine motor skills. 5 & up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.