Friday, November 12, 2010

Crafts for Kids


I'm a sucker for kid's craft books. Seriously, it is like a disease with me. This picture is one of my shelves with craft books on it. I have others scattered around in various places. Today I was doing the boy's schedule for school next week. Normally, I can whip up the schedule in 15 minutes or so. After doing it so many years, it's not hard to get it done. The crafts, however, are what take up my time. I do themed weeks, especially this time of year with all of the holidays, and finding new crafts is the real time killer.

I find myself looking online and that makes me totally frustrated. A lot of times the directions don't make sense, or the projects are too hard or easy for the boys, or there are no pictures. What's up with that? Craft projects NEED pictures to go with them. Some of my books have drawings instead of pictures of the actual project. I hate that. I like photographs. It's a pain in the butt to have to go to the computer during our art time, find the link, and print out the directions. It wouldn't be bad if just the craft project printed, but that never happens. You get 3 pages of ads and blank papers with only a few words on it. It's a waste of paper and a waste of time. This is why I love real books that I can set in front of us while we're working.

I've often thought about making my own craft books using themes like we do for school. Then after awhile, I start thinking about the gazillion crafts featured online and I start telling myself there probably is no market for another kid's craft book. That just depresses me. But then later, I'll do the schedule and start that time consuming search online for new ideas and the frustration comes right back. If I like craft books then other people have to like them, right? I don't know. I don't know if there is a market still, and if so, how hard it is to get something like that published. However, I do have some ideas that I don't see in my books and online. Maybe someday ...

7 comments:

  1. I love craft books too. One of my favorites is "Look What I Did With a Leaf!" I usually pull it out each fall, but the leaves this year were too crumbly and dry because of the drought. Maybe next year!

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  2. Holy craft books! You always do lots of fun stuff with your boys, Rena!!

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  3. I totally agree about having pictures for crafts. I'm really bad at following directions, though. LOL!

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  4. Oh I love those kinds of books! When I was little I used to have almost all the Klutz books. Now when I'm in a toy or craft store, I'm always drawn to them. I haven't rebought any, but I'm sure I'll push them on one of my kids someday! :)

    The internet does take up a big part of that market, but there are still kids and parents that have trouble searching for what they need online. I think there is still a market for a craft book. But it would probably have to be very very very unique.

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  5. That's why I'm so thankful for someone giving us Family Fun magazine--every craft has a photo for us visual learners.

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  6. I love crafting, too. I've often thought of making a craft book. . .with pictures! I also hate to see craft instructions without pictures.

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  7. I agree and have found it imperative when making crafts for kids to make sure the books/instructions I am using come with pictures, otherwise it is a lot harder to gauge what the end product should look like.

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