BoyCraft: Loads of Things to Make For and With Boys (and Girls)

If the boys in your household (or classroom) think that craft books are un-cool, overflowing with pink frilly cupcakes, fairy wings and tiaras, then this is the perfect antidote – a book filled with brilliantly inspiring projects for boys (and tomboys).  Making use of stuff that would otherwise be heading for the recycling bin, here are projects to create medals for bravery, water bombs, bug hotels, jumper monsters, costumes for action figures and papier mache landscapes.  There are creepy craft projects that will go down a bomb at Halloween – bats, rats and dead man’s fingers, vampire cloaks and zombie disguises.  A number of projects are designed for parents to make with their kids, such as stilts or bird boxes, where some adult help is needed with sawing and drilling.  As well as the woodwork and modelmaking, there are sewing and knitting projects, ranging from mini beanbags for juggling to giant ones for lolling on, as well as hats, kitbags and gadget cases.  These sections include helpful guides to basic stitches and techniques, and photocopiable templates are given for many of the projects.  The authors, founders of the inspirational craft kit company Buttonbag, have a clutch of boys between them so they know from first-hand experience just what appeals.  And it shows.