Maker Dad and Project Kid: Two books about crafting with kids

It's been raining up a storm here in #HRVA these past few weeks -- my garden looks awesome but my kid is a little bored (and honestly, so am I). We've been turning a lot to craft books lately, and these two new releases are among our new favorites. I'm a big fan of sites like Pinterest, but they can get a little repetitive, with the same things appearing in my feed over and over -- it's nice to have a bunch of original, super-creative projects in one place when you're looking for a way to fill the rainy hours.

Disclaimer: I received review copies of these books from the publishers. My opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links that may result in a small commission for the blog. 

Maker Dad by Mark Frauenfelder: My first thought on seeing this book's subtitle was to roll my eyes a little -- does a book really need to be marketed to one gender over another? Then I opened it up, and immediately forgave the marketing team. Maker Dad is crammed full of projects that not only look amazingly fun but teach things like computer programming and how to use basic hand tools, skills that girls (and boys, too!) can put to use long after they've put the book back on the shelf. There's a strong emphasis on science and technology projects (how to put a video camera on a kite, create your own podcast, or build a robot that can draw beautiful abstract designs) with a few simpler ones (soap molding and extreme-bubble-blowing) thrown in. For the most part, the projects are aimed toward the older kid/tween set but this is one I'm definitely keeping in mind for when A. hits elementary school.




Project Kid by Amanda Kingloff: Project Kid, written by the former Lifestyle Director of Parents magazine, is definitely on the artsier end of the arts-and-crafts spectrum, no automated robots here (but there is a tutorial for a cute robot coin bank). While a few of the projects were a little twee, even for me (does anybody really need an embroidered flyswatter?), most were adorably innovative, and I did appreciate the emphasis on recycling and reusing instead going out and buying a ton of stuff just for the purpose of crafting (see PK's K-cup mobile, which is so cute it makes me wish I had a Keurig so Anne and I could whip one up). Bonus: Kingloff's tutorials for things like fringing and fabric dyeing are really helpful for those of us new to the kids-crafts rodeo, as are her checklists of things to have in your craft box so that you can stop, drop, and DIY at a moment's notice.

Do you do a lot of DIY at your house? Where do you get your crafting inspiration? Do either of these books sound like something your kids would like?

Happy Tuesday!