Real art kits for real kids
Kids

Real art kits for real kids

I get the appeal of the no-mess paints and markers out there that let your kids create and be creative without completely ruining your kitchen table. But there is something about the experience of allowing them to delve into the real stuff, and Clementine Art Kits do just that. Created by Boulder-based real-life art studio owners Diana Mercer and Susanna Carillo, these kits feature everything your child will need to engage in a near studio-like art making process. Whether you've got a mini Michelangelo or a budding Basquiat, their sculpture and painting kits (just to name a couple) will help bring their inspiration to life. Even the kits themselves are beautifully presented. No surprise since, um, they are artists after all. -Kristen

More in KidsView all picks →

shannon hale princess in black book and author

Q&A with children’s book author Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is the bestselling author behind The Princess in Black series. It's a favorite early chapter book series for kids ages 5–8 and boys love it as much as girls do. Her newest book, Princess in Black and the Trick or Treating Trouble, comes out just in time for Halloween. We talked with her about it as part of our Q&A author series and asked about a few of her favorite things too.

Explore Build-a-Bear

Some Not-So-Spooky Fun this Halloween

How can Build-A-Bear be used for Halloween costumes? Let kids create a spooky Build-A-Bear sidekick to incorporate into their costume, which can help the costume be enjoyed beyond Halloween.

Q&A with children's author Sophie Blackall

Q&A with children's author Sophie Blackall

Cool Mom Picks readers, we are so excited to launch a new series for you. We are obsessed book lovers over here at the CMP headquarters, and we have a particular soft spot for children's books (even though we're moving our kids into coll…