Creativity for Kids Stuck on Fashion Tote Bags
(Creativity for Kids $15 Score:)

There is no right or wrong way to add the decorations to this big 15 inch by 9 inch bag. It comes with 200 peel and stick hearts, flowers and dots in multiple colors. The kit also includes a hang tag for the designer's name and s small change purse that goes inside. Speaking of the inside, there is a flat insert that goes in the base and helps the bag to stand up on a flat bottom. We think kids as young as 5 will enjoy this kit. It would also be a great kit to use with kids with special needs who will not need to cut or use glue to add the decorations. Use this to reinforce color names, sizes, and shape names. 5 & up.

SNAP: Success is built into this kit that allows kids to decorate the bag with no right or wrong moves. Yet, when they are done, they have a usable end product they can carry with pride. 

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

Creativity for Kids Princess Music Box
(Creativity for Kids $25 Score:)

A sturdy pink chipboard music box (with a little ballerina who pops up when you open it) is ready for decorating. The box is deep enough to hold plenty; it is 5.5 inches high and 4 inches wide. The kit includes paper flowers, a sticker sheet full of scroll-like leaves and flowers, self adhesive rhinestones, glitter glue, adhesive squares and an idea book for decorating. The wind-up key for the music is built into the box, so this is a kit that can be completed with a showy end product that kids of a certain age really want. It is not entirely open-ended, but there is room for doing it their own way! Marked 5 & up, but probably done more successfully by sevens and up.

SNAP: There is no right or wrong way of decorating this music box. Yet the finished product is going to look pretty good, so success is built into making something that the child can then use for keeping treasures.

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

Creativity for Kids Rhinestone Rings
(Creativity for Kids $18.99 Score:)

Our tester liked everything about this kit with 12 adjustable rings and tons of flowers and butterflies that easily stick to them. The precut forms are attached with layers of foam squares and topped with a glue on the "gemstone" that is like icing on the cake. With a dozen rings, this makes a good kit for a play date. This kit calls for fine motor skills to handle the tiny foam adhesive squares. Of course, there are enough rings for every finger on both hands with two left over for toes! Marked 7 & up, but 7's will likely need help with the first few.

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

Creativity for Kids Color Changing Light
(Creativity for Kids $23 Score:) For decorating her own room, this little lamp has to be assembled, after the shade is decorated. Our tester loved having a working lamp after she went though all the steps of making it. It comes with tracing paper and patterns that can be used for decorating the plastic lamp shade. After drawing the design, kids color the images in with translucent paints and glue on gemstones and hang sequins and rings that will dangle. Now they are ready to assemble the lamp. It comes with a string of color changing lights with its own battery pack. You do need to supply 2 AA batteries. Marked 7 and up, we suggest that most 7-9 will need help with the assembly and probably in the first steps of tracing and decorating.

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

Charley Harper's Sticky Critters
(Pomegranate Kids $19.99 Score:)

A collection of more than 170, durable, reusable, vinyl stickers of various sizes and colors come with a booklet that shows how to make a variety of animal critters. The geometric stickers are in solid and patterned pieces. The box has a two sided playing board for arranging the stickers. Copying the models in the booklet calls for visual discrimination and dexterity. Once kids have experience with this they will probably try their own designs. A good choice for quiet time. 5 & up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

Sticky Hearts
(Pomegranate $19.99 Score:)

A collection of more than 100 reusable, vinyl stickers of various sizes and colors. They come with a booklet showing how to make a variety of animals. Most of the stickers are heart shapes. The box has a play area for arranging the stickers. Copying the models in the booklet calls for visual discrimination and dexterity. Once kids have experience with this they will most probably want to try their own designs. A good choice for travel and other quiet times. 5 & up.

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

Sketch-Foam Print Making Kit
(Eye Can Art $28 Score:)

Everything needed for making real prints is packed into this canister that includes clear instructions, foam plates to sketch on, two tubes of printing ink, a brayer, printing paper and a pencil for drawing on the foam. This is an excellent way to learn a new art form that kids can continue to use. When the foam plates are used up, cut the sides away from foam packing trays that veggies come wrapped in and you are ready to print some more. This is an art form that students in my first and second grade classes enjoyed years ago. Now it is done up in a kit with all the materials gathered and ready for action. 5 & up.

 

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012.

I Spy Sticker Book and Picture Riddles
(Jean Mazollo/ Walter Wick, Scholastic $10.99 Score:)

Technically this is a paper-covered book, but inside you will find a totally playful way to sharpen listening and vocabulary skills. Based on the well known books, this activity book comes with more than 500 reusable stickers. Kids use them to answer the riddles and match the images shown. Or they use the pages to create their own collections of animals or sports and games or foods. These pages have at least one riddle to read, but kids can make up their own as well. There are stickers with words as well as tons with pictures, colorful photos just like the ones in the I Spy books. Take this along on your next long trip or pull it out on a rainy day.

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

Seedling Color the Earth Ball
(Kid O $30 Score:)

A globe/ball for all ages. How kids use it will depend on their age. Some will like boucing it and simply playing with it. Others will love the fun of labeling the countires or color coding them. Inflate this jumbo 16-inch ball that comes with a set of permanent fabric markers. A word of warning, this has a strong odor when it comes out of the box that disappears in time. It's the size of a big beachball, though not intended for the water. It does bounce well. This ball is marked 3 & up, but will be of more interest to school aged kids.

Activity idea: Kids can add a dot or star to the globe as various countries win medals during the Olympics.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2012.

Alex Scanimagic
(Alex $23.99 Score:)

You may have seen the book called Gallop with its moving images. This wonderful toy allows children to create their own moving images. The case and markers come with premade art that young kids color. Then they close the case and turn the dials to see their colorful creation come to life. The kit comes loaded with a roller in place and a spare roller with more images that can replace the original. We usually steer clear of coloring toys that are not open-ended. But this goes beyond simple coloring. It's a little magic, science and illusion. Younger kids will need help with setting it up and adding the second roller. 

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