Crafts and Hobbies

Pet rocks are back! Or, maybe they never went away. They've got a really, really long lifespan, after all. These throwbacks (careful where you aim them, though!) to the 1970s can be a lot of fun to collect or just use for interesting paperweights.

As every baby who's ever beaten a spoon against her high chair knows, there's nothing more fun than the rhythm of a pounding drum sound. Fast or slow, loud or soft, people around the world use the drum to build community spirit.

Holly and ivy, pine and balsam, there are so many sweet smells of Christmas. You and your family can make your own beautiful wreaths to decorate your home or give to friends and neighbors.

It's a long time 'til summer. Nights are cold and seem to last forever. T.V. can get boring. Video games, likewise. Fortunately, there's a cure for the winter blahs. Gather your family together for an hour or two of face-to-face gaming with a twist: you can make the games yourselves to match your family's interests.

Magical spring weather is a perfect reason to spend the day in the company of the little people. Find a friend, and fill baskets with things to enjoy a special morning outdoors among the spring flowers.

Before starting out, you can make flower wreaths and prepare a picnic fit for the wee folk. Fairy Bread is easy to make and is a favorite in the Australia, the land down under. Just spread slices of bread with soft butter (a fairy favorite), shake on colored baking sprinkles, and cut into triangles. Pack your favorite juice, and you have a simple, sweet treat to take along on your travels.

If it's a cold or rainy day, you can create your own fairies to keep you company safe inside.

Clickety-clack, down the track, faster, faster goes the train. Puff, puff, toot, toot, off we go. Grab a train book and settle in for story time where excitement waits around every bend.

They have sweet faces and tough guy moves. Kangaroo mothers carry their babies (called joeys) around in their pouches, making them a kind of animal called a marsupial. And, that's only the start of their strangeness. Read on to learn more about these amazing creatures from Australia's outback.

Need a game that's good for springtime? Marbles can be played outside or inside, so it doesn't matter if a quick, spring shower comes through your neighborhood. You just need a flat, smooth surface, like the kitchen floor or the blacktop at a playground. You can buy marbles at just about any place that sells toys. Grab a bag and get going for fun times practicing a classic game of skill.