Family Crafting Month ~ Made to Play! Project + Giveaway
It’s time for more Family Crafting Month fun! Don’t miss our previous posts (many with giveaways) including: Snowman Week Projects from Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects, Winter Story Stones from Show Me a Story, Coloring Pages from the Pattern and Design Coloring Book, Snowflake Week Projects from Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects and Felted Falling Stars from Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids.
Artist and author Joel Henriques is here today with an excerpt from Made to Play!: Handmade Toys and Crafts for Growing Imaginations. Made to Play! includes 35 modern, fun ideas (utilizing techniques like sewing, easy woodworking, paper craft and more). Projects include everything from Portable Zoo Animals and a Bottle-Cap Tambourine to a Modern Doll House with Furniture and a Shadow Puppet Theater.
Joel’s book, like his wonderful Made by Joel blog, is full of unique and accessible ideas inspired by the way children really love to play. The projects support a variety of imaginative adventures. By the way, Joel’s blog was just named one of Babble’s Top 50 Dad Blogs of 2012!
From the publisher:
- The toys presented here are made out of wonderfully tactile materials- repurposed fabrics, wood, and paper- and invite opportunities for creative and imaginative play. Every project is easy to complete, made with accessible materials, and requires little time to make. The projects are simple enough that endless variation can come from the making of each, leaving enough room for you to make the item to suit your own personal interests.
We love this book; if you have young children or if you work (and play!) with kids, Made to Play! is definitely a worthwhile addition to your library. It provides an inspiring repertoire of everyday fun.
Today you can download instructions for the Modular Headbands from Made to Play! You’ll want to grab some felt and get right to work.
You can also comment on today’s post for a chance to win one of two copies of Made to Play!: Handmade Toys and Crafts for Growing Imaginations (US + Canada addresses only this time, please). Tell us how you play! Joel will be back next week with another free project from the book.
50 Responses to “Family Crafting Month ~ Made to Play! Project + Giveaway”
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Lately our play craft time has been devoted to gifts. Today was made some treasure rocks for my nephews!
I love to sit down and build blocks with my preschoolers.
I love this idea! Our play time varies from board games, kicking or throwing a ball outside, finger puppets, to tea parties and painting. I have some great ideas on pinterest that we do from time to time, but I definitely need to get this book! Thanks for sharing!
SO much fun! Thanks & Merry Christmas!
That little boy looks so happy! Sweet!
One of our favorite ways to play is building wooden block towers.
Thanks for this giveaway! We mostly create in the kitchen, cooking and baking (we currently have a 2 year old, soon crafts will be easier with the other kids when he’s no longer in destructo mode).
This would be a great way to make some gifts for the kiddies.
Awesome!!! Would love a copy of this book!!! Thank you!!!
Great idea ! I love this book, we checked it form the library and made a few ideas. We love to play with things from outside, sticks, pinecones, pieces of branches… and fabric !
This looks like a wonderful book. My kids and I could get a lot done if we got our hands on it.
This book sounds too cute, I know my girls would love the projects in here!
That books sounds similar to one I had as a child many moons ago. I would love to win one!
I’m always looking for more craft projects for my granddaughter. This book would be great! Crafting is our “play”… she’d rather do that than anything else!
Cool, I love Joel’s blog and would love to have his book too!
love it!!! I want this book soooo badly! would be a great library book for the family room with our 2 kiddos
Ooh. That sounds awesome!
Ooh I love Made by Joel! I’ve gotten tons of great ideas from his blog!
kids are made to play, as well as mommas, this book looks fantastic!! thanks bunches.
How fun! My four year old is always dressing up.
I try to do crafts with my toddler…with mixed results. Hopefully when he gets older he’ll be a more willing participant!
I think I will have our family make crowns/headbands for New Years!
These are cute. My grandnieces would play in those headbands.
I love drawing with my niece, and am going home for Christmas… and they saved the Gingerbread house construction for my visit!
Looks like fun!
This looks like such a fun book!
My daughter is just getting into imaginative play. It’s so fun to watch! She loves making little people do things that her family does.
That looks like fun. I think I’ll have to try it while my kids are off for Christmas vacation.
I love the idea of crafts that the child can then play with.
Ooh, I’ve been wanting this book. Those headbands look like fun!
We try to play outdoors, collecting leaves and puddle splashing and then do lots of crafty projects inside from making button art to peg dolls, my daughter loves anything creative!
Looks like fun! Thanks for including Canada
I’d love to win this book!
I like to play with numbers (as a math teacher) fabric and thread (for quilting) and graph paper (both at once!)
Sarah
I love to be with family and friends and see what emerges!
Just had my first baby and this book would help me make play time even more fun!
I like to let my kids (girls 4,8)figure out what they want to do. If I give them something too specific to do they aren’t engaged for very long. But if I simply turn off all electronics and let them be, their play is much more imaginative! They like to build things in the bedroom and wrap themselves up in my scarves.
Very cute! My son is always looking for ways to reuse things and making crafts.
We love to play by making forts!
Crafting is how we play
We play with paper and cardboard scraps a lot!
Our play frequently starts from books. My boys love a good story.
I usually play with my nephews when they visit / I do. Play time these days is focused on imaginative play with clay and play silks.
Would love this book. I am always looking for ways to interact and play with my grandkids. I have two granddaughters and two grandsons.
I have a feeling this book would come in handy around here. Thanks so much for these projects and for the giveaway!
What a great book!! Some fun stuff for little people here!
I love Joel’s web site and all his wonderful projects. I would love this book. Thanks for the project and giveaway!
what a cute book !
We love to play tickle monster!
Love the simple projects.