The newest book by sisters Ellen and Julia Lupton, D.I.Y. Kids,  is so much more than your average rainy day children's activity book. By nurturing a child's inner designer you can encourage budding artist to think outside the box.

No really. The book actually challenges kids to consider what to do with those old cereal boxes you have marked for the trash. Why not create a photo or memory box? Turn everyday office supplies into monsters or produce their own zine.
D.I.Y. Kids breaks down the complex ideas behind design and branding into easy, simple activities for kids to understand. The recognizable symbols used to describe the complexity, time frame, cost and mess factor are clearly labeled with each project, to allow children to start creating small or big, with or without parental help.

Each chapter offers insight into a different design field that kids can start exploring. Career profiles details how graphic, toy, home and fashion designers have turned their art into a full fledged jobs, allowing young minds to see just how important design can be in the world and to individuals.

This book also offers a glimpse into the digital age of the arts and crafts projects for the techno savvy kids out there. With simple clicks, you can create desktop wall paper, logos or mouse pads. Turn your computers scanner into a camera and start playing with textures and shapes from things you'd find in your kitchen cupboards or junk drawers. Loose change and dried pasta never looked so cool.

The sister act team starts an important dialogue for children: what it means to be D.I.Y. Instead of heading to the nearest toy store for the latest "it" toy of the moment, why not take their drawings and sketches and turn them into stickers, plush toys or wearable art. Create your own gifts for friends and family!

By using simple language and great images (most of the images used are from kids themselves), the Lupton sisters have created a great reference book for families and children alike to use over and over again.

Further Resources:

Etsy's very own Jen Bennett Gubicza, aka sweetestpea, is featured in the book (though her name is mispelled as Gubizca) 

Buy the book 

D.I.Y. Kids blog

Design Your Life blog