Tag Archives: Books

06
28
2012

Sewing Books For Kids

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I purchased several of the following sewing books for kids when I was creating a sewing kit for my daughter at Christmas.  I looked through the projects in the books to figure the initial supplies to put into the sewing kit.    Other books I have added since.   I love all these books.  They have wonderful and fun ideas!

The Cute Book and The Cuter Book have CUTE  :-)   little stuffed animal creatures for kids to sew.  These were the first projects that both my kids and their cousins were drawn to.   I think because the animals are small and the books have step-by-step instructions, kids are not intimidated by them at all.  They jump right in and start sewing these cute little animals…

 

 

 

 

Sewing for Children: 35 Step-by-step Projects to Help Kids Aged 3 and Up Learn to Sew is my favorite of these two books – but I love them both!  They are filled with real projects that will fascinate your kids.

See and Sew: A Sewing Book for Children covers the very basics of sewing –  with a Norman Rockwell feel.  There is a very nostalgic look and feel to this book.   It includes many basic stitches, sewing on buttons, shanking buttons, making pom poms, etc.

HAPPY SEWING!!!

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Filed Under: Books, Crafts, Kids, Sewing

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05
25
2012

“How Things Work” books my Tween boy loves!

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Several books have greatly contributed to the wealth of  “How Things Work” knowledge my almost 12 year old son has accumulated over the last few  years.   It is amazing what he learns from these books!

Cool Stuff Exploded is my son’s favorite!   It also comes with  a CD that has some amazing animations.  The book shows the insides of all kinds of modern technology by showing them taken apart – hence “exploded” -  and explaining what each part does.  It’s a pretty cool book I must admit!

Cool Stuff and How It Works is my son’s second favorite “How Things Work” book.  It also has glossy images and explanations on so many of our modern gadgets and technologies.

The New Way Things Work is a favorite of mine!   My son likes it too, but the other 2 books tend to cater to his love of the latest technologies & gadgets.  I love David Macaulay’s books!  They always get wonderful reviews on both content and illustrations.   The New Way Things Work is wonderfully illustrated and is less about the latest modern gadgets & technologies and more about the machines and devices that form the basis of our modern technology.   It covers simple machines and how they are used in larger scale items.  For example, it explains (and illustrates)  how levers work and are used in bicycle brakes and hydraulic platforms, or how the wheel and axle works and is used in hydroelectric turbines.  It covers floating, flying, pressure power, exploiting heat, nuclear power, light, images, photography, printing, sound & music, telecommunications, electricity, magnetism, sensors & detectors, and the digital domain (computer, storage, logic processors, software, modems & robotics).

In my opinion, all three of these are wonderful books oozing with “kid-cool” knowledge for their thirsty brains to absorb like a sponge…

Enjoy!!

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05
23
2012

Great Books on Building & Engineering for Kids

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Want to get your child’s building and engineering juices flowing? Try these wonderful books.  I, personally, own each one of these books and use them with my own kids.

Steven Caney’s Ultimate Building Book is one of the best ever building books for kids.  It uses very accessible building materials such as q-tips, newspaper, pasta, cardboard, straws, sugar cubes, string, plastic wrap, gum drops, sponges, paper bags,  and the list goes on and on.  It even contains PVC playhouses and art stands.  If I had to recommend just one building book for kids, it would be this one because of the huge variety of projects and the accessibility of materials.

Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction: Build Implements of Spitball Warfare is a great book, for all kids – but especially a Tween Boy! They will learn engineering & physics without even knowing it!  It uses readily available items such as paper clips, plastic spoons, clothes pins, etc.  My son loves this book!  He is always building little contraptions out of household things.

Howtoons: The Possibilities Are Endless! has fun building & engineering projects presented in a comic book format for kids. My kids built the marshmallow gun from PVC pipe and camoflauged their guns with Sharpie Markers.   Their marshmallow guns not only work well with mini marshmallows, but also work great with Nerf gun suction darts.   Imagine the fun!


Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design, Build & Test (Kaleidoscope Kids) is a great way for kids to learn the engineering & physics behind bridges by trying out different bridge designs and learning the design’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as why.

 

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