Make Fun Crafts with and for Your Kid with Project Kid

I’m a sucker for craft idea books. I don’t always make projects directly out of them, but I think they’re a lot of fun to look at, and to have on hand for those days when the girl wants to do something crafty but doesn’t have any ideas of her own.

Project Kid: 100 Ingenious Crafts for Family Fun by Amanda Kingloff was inspired by upcycling, reusing and re-envisioning basic household items into something new.

The projects are divided into general categories:

animal kingdom
hold everything
home sweet home
playtime
ready to wear
the great outdoors
abstract expressions

Each project includes a detailed supply list and lots of step-by-step instructions. While the title of the book makes it seem like kids would be creating these projects themselves (at least to me), many of them will at least require supervision, if not just the adult doing it themselves.

That said, there are definitely projects here that I would love to make for or with my kid. To name a few: butterflies made out of joiner biscuits (in a shadowbox for extra cuteness), a pom-pom covered pull toy made from cardboard and old toy cars, tiny suitcases made out of mint tins, envelopes made out of book jackets, a super cute Melissa and Doug tray upgrade made with paint chips, woven paper cups used to decorate twinkle lights, a photo family tree made out of branches, a homemade memory game made with a kid’s drawings, a super cute hot air balloon made from a yogurt cup and a paper lantern, a pirate ship made out of newspaper, necklaces made from old T-shirts and a bird feeder made from a nut can.

These aren’t all completely original — what book is? — but there are some good ideas and basic techniques here that should get you and your crafty kiddos thinking about fun projects you can make together.

Learn more about the book (there’s a new one, too) and get more cute projects on the Project Kid website.

Explaining Dia de Los Muertos to kids can be difficult because most of us don’t generally talk about death or what happens when we die a lot with our kids. But Dia de los Muertos is actually a happy, not scary occasion that allows us to remember loved ones, share stories and come together as a community.

While it is mostly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage, the day has become more well known thanks to movies and other media representations. And there are some great children’s books to help explain and allow you to celebrate the holiday if you want.

Dia de Muertos by Jaque Jours, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (48 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by words & pictures, suggested retail price $14.99) tells the story of a family getting their ofrenda (altar for the dead) ready and how they remember people who have died through decorations, food and sharing stories.

It covers the classic decorations and rituals of Dia de los Muertos including using cempasúchil (in English we call them marigolds) and papel picado (cut paper banners), pan de muerto and la catrina, the elaborately dressed, skull faced women that are a common site at Dia de los Muertos gatherings.

The back of the book explores how the day is celebrated throughout Mexico as well as the meanings of different symbols. There’s a recipe for pan de muerto, a tutorial for making papel picado and tips for doing makeup to look like like la catrina/el catrin.

Want to try more traditional foods? The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook is a companion to The Dia de Los Muertos Story, both of which are by Andrea Jáuregui de la Torre and illustrated by Laura González (52 pages, hardcover paper over boards, published 2026 by becker & meyer kids!, suggested retail price $19.99).

The book opens with some discussion of the meaning of Dia de los Muertos and why food is an important part of the day. The recipes included are easy enough for kids to make with minimal help, and all based on food memories from her childhood.

There are recipes for hibiscus iced tea, Mexican corn and salsa, tortillas, molletes (open faced sandwiches with beans and cheese), jicama fries and sugar skulls to name a few.

Other activities in the book include papel picado, coffee filter marigolds, making your own playlist and making an ofrenda.

Together these books give young readers insight into this holiday that might be new or confusing to them, while also giving you a chance to get in the kitchen together and make your own Dia de los Muertos memories.

Have you read?

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