40 Greatest Kid Concoctions

40 Greatest Kid Concoctions features an excellent array of activities designed for children of all ages (including this twentysomething reviewer and her husband). Backed by a bright and colorful set, John and Danita Thomas—Parents Choice award-winning parents of four, and co-authors of the Kid Concoctions book series—walk viewers through 40 mostly-awesome projects (all prefaced with a text list of ingredients/materials and instructions; also included in an accompanying booklet). The projects involve recycling (such as using coffee grounds in a recipe to make a “Treasure Stone” to hide party goodies in), snacks (super easy “Shake & Make” ice cream and slushies), music (the “Tropical Rain Stick”), paleontology (“Fantasy Fossils”), party favors (“Fruity Lip Gloss”—or “balm” for boys—made with powdered drink mix), variations on classics (such as “Funny Putty” that still picks up newsprint), and just flat-out weird stuff (including “Dryer Lint Clay” and preservative-free “Dog & Cat Treats”). An ideal answer to rainy day tedium (and most definitely preferable to the “go clean out your closet” option), this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)