need help: best craft/art kit/supplies for 5/6 y.o girl???

[cchavez]

I am starting my Cmas shopping.....TIA.

[sarahsthreads]

DD1 (newly 6) loves colored pencils (vs. crayons), especially the erasable ones - she's recently gotten into doing very detailed drawings and likes the fine lines she gets from colored pencils. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, the only thing she could come up with was a new, whole set of erasable colored pencils and some white (not lined, not construction) paper. Along the same lines, she asked to order a book called Hello Kitty Doodles from Scholastic last month, and it's full of line drawings of Hello Kitty in various partial scenes that she can add to and then color in. Definitely would make a good gift for a girl who likes to doodle and draw!

For craft "kits", most of the 5-6 year old girls I know adore perler beads and shrinky dinks, including DD1.

She just got a paint-your-own mini tea set kit which is labeled ages 8+ for her birthday that she's pretty excited about, and aside from the fact that it's ceramic I can't see why it wouldn't be appropriate for a careful slightly younger child. (DD1 is pretty careful with things. DD2 on the other hand...I doubt even when she's 8 she'll be careful enough for a mini ceramic tea set!)

HTH!
Sarah :)

[pakin]

DD (5.5 yo) likes sticky mosaic stuff like this: http://www.amazon.com/Orb-Factory-Sticky-Mosaics-Enchanted/dp/B0017OKZV2/ref=dp_cp_ob_t_image_3 We bought a simple set from Target.

She also likes Funfusion/Perler Beads like this: http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Parade-Value-Gift-Box/dp/B000I649J4/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1288119504&sr=1-7 You can find them at crafts stores.

Pakin

DS 4/2001
DD 6/2005

[kristac]

M&D have some new sets out- really liked the idea of the stained glass frame set and the textured stencils- the fashion fun stencil looks great for girls:

http://www.melissaanddoug.com/decorate-your-own-craft-kits?n=0

Not a kit- but I highly recommend Ed Emberley drawing books.