help with putting together a craft box for kids

[lastrolo]

could anyone give me advice on what to put in a craft box for use by children aged from about 3 to 15, it is for use during a family night for a twinning meal we are hosting for our french guests.

there are lots of ready made kits about... if you didn't want to purchase one of these, maybe see what you like that is in them. I recently bought my daughter a sewing kit for her birthday and put in it needles and thread, a tape measure, scissors, fabric paint, and I'm sure a few other bits and bobs.

If you want to minimise cost, delve into your kitchen cupboards for tin foil, greaseproof paper, cardboard boxes (eg gravy cubes, cereal). cut up old clothes for a variety of fabrics & textures, buttons & wool.
save packing from parcels - bubble wrap, packing wotsits or chips etc. cut up old catalogues, magazines.

Provide scissors, pva glue & spreaders, pencils(coloured & 2b)/crayons, oil pastels/felt tips & a variety of paper.

Discount shops can be useful source for cheap wrapping paper, tissue paper, wallpaper roll, paper plates etc

You can get packs of feathers, googly eyes & funky foam etc from art shops or take a look at these for inspiration:

www.craftpacks.co.uk
www.bakerross.co.uk
www.smitcraft.co.uk

Recommend plenty of newspaper or plastic tablecloth.

hope the kids have fun!

A friend of mine makes these and manages to make a profit for £2 apack so must befairly easy- she uses lots of wool , lolly sticks, makes little card blanks herself, puts in savers crayons, cheapo pritt style sticks (about a £1 for six in the range)- BTW did everyone know the Range are going online with their crafts in july- a couple stickers, maybe a wordsearch if older kids. She adds feathers and paint too (the idea being you can paint with the feather) but maybe not at a public event LOL!