Klutz Activity Kits | Book Review

Gi Hallmark | The Children’s Book Review | April 29, 2014

Klutz, an imprint of Scholastic, is a brand of book based activity kits cleverly designed to inspire infectious creativity and inspiration in kids. The concept is genius—enticing full service kits that include supplies and instructions on how to learn a new skill, create art, or jump start an activity. These kits have wide appeal, parents will appreciate them for the time and attention kids give to utilizing them and children will devour the novelty and possibilities of learning or making something to showcase to family and friends.

Each kit contains an easy to follow and colorful instruction manual designed to guide even the most novice user through the steps to master the activity. These instructions are geared toward the targeted age range and are easily digestible by kids and adults. In addition to the manual, most of the necessary supplies to make or create the craft are included (you may need to use your own scissors); and as in the case of learning to juggle or jump rope, tools necessary to learn a new skill are included as well. An all-inclusive kit is an important variable in allowing children to discover and experiment with genres like felting and quilling, which requires tools that are not typically present in home art cabinets.

Klutz’s book based activity kits are exceptional for providing inspiration and convenience and for allowing children to explore and uncover new interests and talents. They also serve as a wonderful catalyst for parents and children to spend quality time together while learning or creating something new. These kits are a welcome alternative to screen time and are great to have on hand as gifts, for rainy days and for playdates or parties. We’re pleased to share a few of our favorite Klutz activity kits we think young artisans will enjoy.

Klutz: Felted Friends

By: Kaitlyn Nichols

TCBR Take: Felting is an age-old process of shaping and sculpting wool. There are many practical uses of felting, but making cute animals is perhaps the most enticing for young children. This kit includes easy to follow instructions to make palm sized woolly animals that are simply irresistible. Once kids get the hang of felting, which only takes one or two tries, they will be addicted to creating more cute creatures and decorations that are perfect to play with, display or gift. Though hands will be protected by the needle tool handle, consider investing in finger protectors to prevent pricked fingers.

Publisher’s Synopsis: Experience the magic of needle felting. With each poke, the tool’s three special needles tangle the strands of wool, making it dense and compact–you’ll be amazed as you watch the loose wool transform into the cutest wool animals you’ve ever seen. Our detailed directions will take you step-by-step through five different needle felting projects, and our exclusive needle felting tool is designed specifically for newbies. With these techniques, sculpting wool is simple. The 52 page book contains beautifully-illustrated instructions for making five palm-sized pets: a cat, squirrel, bunny, fox, and mouse (or, convert the mouse to a hedgehog). It comes complete with the felting tool, a felting foam work surface, and 6 colors of 100% natural wool roving. That’s enough for a whole petting zoo of felted animals. Comes with: 52 page book, felting tool, foam block, 100% natural wool in six colors (black, purple, blue, pink, orange, white)

Ages 10 and Up | Klutz | ISBN 978-0-54-564796-0

Klutz: Twirled Paper

By: Jacqueline Lee 

TCBR Take: Quilling is the beautiful art of curling, shaping, and gluing paper to create decorative designs. As children quill individual pieces of paper and then bring them together to create a design, they will be mesmerized by the intricacy and beauty of their creations. This is a great activity for developing motor skills and serves as a wonderful creative outlet that is useful for making cards, wall art, and more.

Publisher’s Synopsis: With a strip of brightly-colored paper, our only-from-Klutz twirling wand, and a dot or two of glue, kids can create quirky, curly art. Based on the classic paper craft of quilling, Twirled Paper provides supplies, techniques, and inspiration for making dozens of paper projects, from paper animals, aliens, and bugs to flowers and letters. All it takes to make amazing paper art is this activity book, a few twirls, and a little imagination Comes with: 56 page book, 110 colored paper strips, twirling wand, googly eyes in 3 sizes, glue, toothpicks, pin board

Ages 10 and Up | Klutz | ISBN 978-0-54-545991-4

Klutz: Make Your Own Washi Tape Stickers

By: Anne Akers Johnson 

TCBR Take: Washi tape originates in Japan and it is a beautifully delicate, decorative tape that is equally appreciable alone or as an adornment. In this kit, kids can easily create their own washi tape stickers by using the decorative tape and transforming them into various designs. Though younger children may need adult assistance to create their first sticker, the process is easily duplicated and they will be independently creating whimsical designs thereafter. 

Publisher’s Synopsis: Kids love washi tape (beautifully decorative paper tape that originated in Japan), but up until now they didn’t know quite what to do with it. Washi Tape Stickers is the only book that makes it easy to turn strips of pretty little tape into even prettier little stickers. The book is filled with pages and pages of traceable art and comes with six beautifully bright colors of washi tape, a stack of special peel-off backing paper, and a fine-line felt-tip pen. Simply trace a piece of art on the backing paper and cover it with washi tape. Then cut it out, peel it off, and you’ve got a perfectly shaped, perfectly adorable sticker. Of course, washi tape stickers look great on school binders, secret notes, and birthday cards. But because they stick and peel off so cleanly, they also make adorable decorations for lockers, windows, mirrors -practically anything Go ahead, washi your world. Comes with: 42 page book, 6 rolls of washi tape, 25 sheets of tracing paper, black felt-tip marker

Ages 8 and Up | Klutz | ISBN 978-0-54-564776-2

Klutz Tissue Paper Crafts

By: April Chorba 

TCBR Take: This tissue paper craft is a wonderful medium for kids wanting to create shapes and designs with paper, but who are not quite ready for the complexities of origami. This is a fantastic independent project with the potential to create beautiful handmade gifts for friends, family members, and teachers. There are plenty of sheets of tissue paper included, in a great assortment of colors, which will tickle imaginations into creating little masterpieces.

Publisher’s Synopsis: We’ve updated this traditional craft with a simple instruction system specifically created for kids that yields amazing results. Fold here, cut there, fluff it out all over and — voilà — it’s a decoration that brings a fresh and modern pop of color to any space. Puffy pom-poms, funky tassels, tiny trees, wreaths, garlands…the range of projects is wonderfully varied. Of course, we include the granddaddy of all tissue paper crafts, flowers — from daisies to daffodils to truly amazing peonies. Most exciting of all is a brand new addition to the tissue paper scene — fluffy little birds that may just be the cutest craft we’ve ever hatched. The book is packed with step-by-step instructions for all projects, along with a rainbow of beautiful tissue paper and other essential supplies. There’s even a custom cardstock birdcage with a perch for displaying your handmade bird in style. Finally, tissue paper gets to spread its wings! Comes with: 64 page book, 100 sheets of tissue paper in 10 colors, plastic eyes, glue, floral wire, string, a stencil, a punch-out birdcage.

Ages 8 and Up | Klutz | ISBN 978-0-54-564777-9

This list of “Klutz Activity Kits ” was curated by Gi Hallmark. Follow along with our articles and reviews tagged with Activity Books, Arts and Crafts, Gift Books, and Klutz to discover more great books just like these ones.