Worried about having a bored 
boy in the house this summer? Problem solved with this giveaway, a colorful, cool-project-packed book called BoyCraft: Loads of Things to Make For and With Boys (and Girls) . From Egyptian mummy models to bug hotels to spooky crafts such as "dead man's fingers," the projects outlined in BoyCraftare aimed squarely at the set of kids who aren't into glitter but who like to make stuff.
Enter to win one of two copies, and read a Q&A with authors Sara Duchars and Sarah Marks below for a sneak peek into some of BoyCraft's most fun and surprising crafts.
How to enter to win BoyCraft
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This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 3 p.m., Pacific Time. ParentMap’s ultra-benevolent Giveaway Queen will contact the lucky winner soon after the giveaway ends.
Q&A with BoyCraft authors Sara Duchars and Sarah Marks
Why is the book called BoyCraft, and not GirlCraft or Kidcraft? Why the focus on boys?
As designers, we make craft kits that appeal to all children and we never market them along specific gender lines.
However, in eight years of designing and selling Buttonbag craft kits we have learned that boys — and often the parents of boys — need extra encouragement. Boys love making things and our experience has shown us that while younger children are encouraged to enjoy craft, the older they get, the more cautious both they and parents become. As parents this has been our experience, too! My once crafty 9-year-old now thinks crafting is a bit girly, and we wanted to really address this with a book full of projects to inspire boys to keep making things.
What’s an especially good craft to interest boys (or girls) who are decidedly NOT interested in crafting?
Our Creepy Crafts section is a great way to bring boys in: bats, rats, spiders, eyeballs in jars .... The thought of scaring someone is particularly motivating! And all kids love Halloween. The paper-mache heads were a huge success in our house last year, especially when we attached them to the boys shoulders to make them into “evil twins.”
Can you describe a couple of fun/easy crafts to do?
The fake beard project couldn’t be easier — Oliver and Alfie loved wearing their beards out in town and turning heads as they walked down the street. They also really enjoyed using the sewing machine for the first time — we told them it was like learning how to control a car. The juggling balls make a great starter project for machine sewing.
What’s a good, easy craft for a Father's Day gift?
What about making a jumper monster out of one of your parent’s old sweaters - make sure it really is old!
Why is crafting good for kids, besides the obvious benefit of keeping them busy?
Crafting uses lots of fine motor skills like sewing and cutting, but on a deeper level it also teaches problem-solving: How do I attatch A to B? How do I make my idea work, how do make it look like I want to? And saying “Look what I made” is hugely empowering for children.
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