Okay so it’s like that old joke about grandparents who look at your kids’ video games and say VIDEO GAMES? Back in my day we played with twigs and rocks and we LIKED IT. But the truth is, is there really anything so bad about playing with twigs and rocks?

That’s exactly what Kimberly Monaghan was thinking when she wrote Organic Crafts, a book with 75 activities that get your kid out of the house to forage for art supplies. Masks can be made from grass, puppets from pebbles, even a gourd birdhouse. Plus I like the info on stuff older kids can get into, like recycling, John Audobon’s story, and plants you can use to make paints.

It’s enough fun to keep the kids entertained all summer long. And you won’t have spent one penny on batteries. –Liz

[thanks, rebecca] 

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