Category: Crafting

Kinetic sand is fun! It feels cool or wet, but isn’t. It doesn’t dry out and can be sculpted, shaped and played with without making a big mess. How does it work? The sand is coated with silicone oil, the same ingredient that made Silly Putty a hit for previous generations of kids.

We tested kinetic sand with actual kids to see which products were the most fun and easiest to clean up after. Here are the winners.

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What are the best brush pens? To find out, we asked our parent readers for their favorites. Then we tried out a dozen brush pens ourselves. Which was best for calligraphy? For watercolor painting? Here are the ones we judged best.

FYI: We’ve been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. We don’t take money or freebies from the brands we review. Our work is 100% reader-supported!

Looking for a fun rainy (or snowy) day activity with your kids? Making your own snow globes is a great idea! Kids can also make them and give them as gifts for the holidays. Grandparents love handmade gifts! And great news: most of these are easy to make even for very young children.

FYI: We’ve been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. To keep things independent, we don’t take money or freebies from brands we review! Our work is 100% reader-supported!

What’s the best hot glue gun? We tried out several brands, using hot glue for items like wood, glass and metal. And then we tried low temperature glue for fabric, jewelry and floral crafts. What was easiest to use? Fastest to heat up? Offered dual temperature option? Here are the ones we’d recommend.

FYI: We’ve been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. To keep things independent, we don’t take money or freebies from brands we review! Our work is 100% reader-supported!

What are the best leather tools for beginners? As a gift? What about designs with rivets? We surveyed the leather crafter enthusiasts among our parent readers for their insights. Then we took these picks and did another five hours of research, comparing quality and features. Here are the top leather tools.

FYI: We’ve been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. We don’t take money or freebies from the brands we review. Our work is 100% reader-supported!

What’s the best watercolor paper? We asked the experts—students and artists who do watercolor painting—for their favorites. We learned there are different grades of paper, as well as how the paper is bound (blocks, pads, sheets). Here are the watercolor papers we’d recommend.

FYI: We’ve been reviewing and rating products for the kids and families since 1994. To keep things independent, we don’t take money or freebies from brands we review! Our work is 100% reader-supported!

What are the best letter stencils? We tried out several stencil packs, from large to small letters, kid-friendly options and more. Here are the ones we’d recommend.

FYI: We’ve been reviewing and rating products for families and kids since 1994. To keep things independent, we don’t take money or freebies from brands we review! Our work is 100% reader-supported!