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Klutz Books
Klutz, Inc. was founded in 1977 by three Stanford graduates who
began by dispensing sidewalk juggling lessons and selling homemade bean bags.
This led to their first book, Juggling for the Complete Klutz. Their
creative books were some of the first to include items that allowed readers to
interact with the books. Fun for kids and adults! Great to give as birthday
presents (keep one on hand for last-minute gifts!) Before long car trips, I let
my children pick out a long-desired Klutz book that may only be used while on
the trip. Admittedly, some of these books work better than others for this
purpose (Nail Art and The Incredible Clay Book won't be making any car trips
with us!) Klutz books are a big hit in our home, and they definitely fit in with
the FUN philosophy of learning!
Don't find the Klutz book you want? (Not all of them are listed
here). We carry many more in stock than we have room to list, and we can special
order any that you want (it usually only adds an extra two days to your order,
and you will still get a discount).
 Cat's
Cradle: A Book of String Figures (Klutz) - Fabulously clear,
step-by-step, colorfully illustrated instructions are given for 5 popular string
games: Jacob's Ladder, Eiffel Tower, Cup & Saucer, Witch's Broom, and Cat's
Cradle. A brief history about string games is included. The hardcover, wirebound
book comes with a groovy, multi-colored string loop. Instead of twiddling your
thumbs, use all ten fingers to play these classic games!
Hardcover, wirebound. 37 pages.
#7536 $9.95
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 Draw Christmas Thumbprints: Festive Art
at Your Fingertips (Klutz)
- is a draw-right-in-it holiday treat for anyone ready to
become an instant artist. All the materials are included: two ink pads (red and
green, naturally), a black felt-tip pen and a 46-page book of design ideas. All
you need to bring is a thumb or two.
This little stocking stuffer overflows with simple-to-do Christmas art: Santa
Claus, elves, toys, lights, trees, decorations, gingerbread folks, presents,
snow people, wreaths, Rudolph and his reindeer buddies and more. Special holiday
projects include your own thumbprint wrapping paper, gift tags and greeting
cards. Altogether, it's everything you need to have thumb fun for the holidays.
Includes six "Merry Christmas" tags ready for decorating.
For ages 4 and up. 46 pages.
#0035 $7.95
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 Draw Thumb Animals:
Fine art at your fingertips (Klutz)
Turn your humdrum thumbprints into pictures of all kinds of animals with this
completely self-contained activity kit. Includes all the art supplies required:
a thumb-sized blue inkpad, a black felt-tip pen, and a 44-page book of
step-by-step instructions, with plenty of room reserved for practicing right on
the page.
Perfect size for toting around or as a stocking stuffer. 5.5"x3.5"x.5"
For ages 4 and up.
#9816 $6.95
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 Earthsearch: A Kids' Geography Museum
in a Book by John Cassidy (Klutz) is chock full of interesting,
extremely do-able geographic activities that present our planet from a variety
of perspectives. The book covers topics such as trash science, population,
rocks, maps & navigation, and more. A brief discussion of evolution is
included.
Bound into the book is a population clock, packets of rice representing what
many people around the world eat, real foreign coins, and other hands-on tools.
It makes a great gift book, even for those who don't like books as presents
(unimaginable in our family!) It also has a wealth of ideas for use with a youth
group; I used several of the activities with my daughter's Girl Scout troop, and
they were a hit. Of course, it may not make it out of the hands of your own
family until it's been thoroughly explored and used.
Targeted for ages 9-12, but teens and adults will enjoy it too.
Spiral-bound, recycled aluminum cover, 111 pages.
#7749 $21.95 $19.99
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 Explorabook There are more than 50 activities contained in this book,
plus the tools to do nearly all of them. Tons of
experiments are featured, and nearly all of them can be done right on the spot,
using the magnifying lens, magnet, agar and other bound-in apparatus. (The
magnet is handy to have around the house long after the book has been used).
This is a terrific science resource and is like
having a "kids' science museum in a book." Written
by John Cassidy & The Exploratorium.
For ages 8 and up. Coated cardstock, spiral-bound.
#7145 $21.95 $16.99
 The Fantastic Foam Book
(Klutz) - Foam
collage is an art form that's bold, colorful and, with The Fantastic Foam
Book, super easy for just about every age and ability. This full-color idea
book comes with more than a hundred foam shapes, some un-cut foam and limitless
artistic potential. All you need is a glue stick and your imagination;
everything else is included.Written by the Editors of Klutz. For ages 3 and
up.
National Parenting Publications Gold Award, Parents' Choice Approved Award
#1442 $14.95 $11.99
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Klutz Book of Jacks (Klutz) by John Cassidy -
A wire-o bound collection of neighborhood-approved,
playground-tested jacks games. Comes complete with a set of jacks, a ball and a
nifty fabric bag to store them in.
Cardstock, 32 pages. For ages 6 and up. (Not for children under 3 years of age
due to small parts).
#2217 $9.95 $8.99
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 Klutz Knitting Kit (Klutz) by Anne
Akers Johnson - Just a couple of months before Christmas my 13-year-old
daughter, Lane, decided that she wanted to learn to knit so she could create
personalized gifts for her friends without spending a fortune. I had the Klutz
Knitting kit in my pile of items to review, so I pulled it out and handed it to
her with instructions "to try it out and come to me with questions." Well, by
Christmas she had not only taught herself to knit, but she'd made 7 hats, 5
scarves, one purse and 20 scrunchies (for a Christmas craft sale). I anticipated
answering her various questions, but she had not a single one for me in those
early days.
She's had such great success that she graduated to knitting amazing sweaters
and jackets from Vogue knitting magazines just a few months after learning to
knit. Lane has such a passion for her newfound love that yarn is her preferred
gift and any spending money she has goes toward yarn. She hangs around my adult
knitting friends and attends a monthly knitting club with one of them. She has
even designed some of her own pieces.
Update: Lane won "Best in Show" for knitting at the local county fair and won
first place in all eleven of her entries!
Will anyone using the Klutz Knitting kit have the same success? I don't know (my
daughter is already a better knitter than I am), but the Klutz Knitting kit
provides all the tools needed for a beginner to learn the craft of knitting. As
with all of their books, Klutz uses colorful and clear illustrations,
photographs and easy-to-understand instructions to help a beginning knitter go
from the very basics of how to hold the needles and yarn to completing a
project. The kit comes with over 200 yards of acrylic yarn, knitting
needles, a crochet hook, a yarn needle, and 2 buttons and instructions for six
projects: hat, pocket purse, scarf, sunglass case, purse, and cell phone sock.
Note: This book uses the "English" style of knitting (also known as the
"American" or "Throw Method"), which is the most popular method in the U.S. and
also thought to be the easiest method for a beginning knitter.
The publisher states that the kit is for ages 10+, perhaps because of the
needles; but a younger child should be able to use the kit with adult
help/supervision. Of course, the kit can also help adults who have never knitted
before or who need a little more help.
The book portion is made of 96 colorful pages, and the rest of the material
comes in an attached box. Comes with a free storage pouch.
#3842 $24.95 $18.75
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 LEGO Crazy Action Contraptions (Klutz) - Packaged in an attached pouch are 60
LEGO pieces, most from the Technic collection (gears, levers, etc.). Easy
instructions are given for making ten LEGO contraptions that will roll, spin,
flop over or launch things. Five of the plans in the book can be made with just
the pieces in the pouch. Another five need standard LEGO bricks and baseplate;
the kind you step on everyday! Our LEGO-loving kids really like this book.
#1574 $19.95 $16.99
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 Magnetic A to Z: An Activity Book with Real Steel Pages (Klutz) -
A fun cross between a book and a refrigerator door. Three of this book's pages
are heavy-gauge steel, silk-screened with helpful art on both sides. The other
15 pages are cardstock and filled with the familiar Klutz wit and imagination.
The magnets themselves go from A to Z – literally: 26 custom-made, brightly
colored, finger-friendly letters. Early readers are led through lettering and
simple word-building, as well as a little recess time making letter pictures.
(Turns out you can make a fine caterpillar out of a capital B and D. Who knew?)
For ages 4 and up.
#3590 $12.95
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 Peg Solitaire: 23 All-On-Your-Own Games (Klutz) -
Not just one game, this is
actually a family of games. Most are centuries old, and all are played on a
board punched with holes and filled with removable pegs. Two plastic boards are
bound into the 62-page book, plus a zippered vinyl pouch containing all the
playing pieces. Twenty-three different varieties of peg solitaire are described.
Some inside pages have a bit of discoloration. Otherwise the book is in great
shape.
#0332 $17.95 $16.99
Out of print, one copy available.
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 Potholders and Other Loopy Projects
(Klutz) - Remember making potholders as a kid? I do! Every year I would attend a
summer rec program, and making potholders there was one of my favorite crafts.
Well, Klutz has come along with their own potholder kit that is even more fun!
It comes with a sturdy plastic loom, and lots of colorful, cotton-blend loops.
Not only will you be able to craft classic potholders (using different weaving
patterns), but there are also instructions to weave a purse, a picture frame,
game boards, bean bags, and a cute chicken. As usual with Klutz, the
step-by-directions are clear, with lots of photos and illustrations.
For ages 6 and up.
Need more loops? Go to
More Loops for Potholders.
#963X $16.95
$15.99
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 Shrink Art Jewelry by Karen Phillips (Klutz) - Draw a design on
shrink plastic, cut it out, pop it in the oven and watch it shrink to about a
third of its original size. With 30 pages of traceable designs and instructions
for creating rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, Shrink Art Jewelry
makes shrink plastic cool for teens, tweens, and anybody else ready to design
their own unique jewelry. The book also comes with beads, cord, bracelet links,
jewelry findings, shrink plastic, and a Klutz-custom ring roller. And additional
special techniques make it easy to go beyond flat plastic for
“did-you-really-make-that?!” results.
Book with attachments, 66 pages. For ages 12 and up.
#4375 $24.95 $19.99
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 The Shrinky Dinks Book: The Ultimate Book of Plastic Shrink Art (Klutz)
Draw or trace a design on special plastic, color it, cut it out, bake it
briefly on a cookie sheet in your oven and, voila!, your creation shrinks to
44% of its original size. Cool! You get six sheets of Shrinky Dink in this
book, along with a collection of ready-to-trace artwork.I loved shrink
art when I was younger, and it's just as popular among today's youth. The
Shrinky Dinks book and Window Art (see below), are consistent favorites in
our house (it appeals to young children, teens, and adults) and is
frequently used as an activity when friends come over. Because of this, we
have gone through several refill packs.
Hardcover, 38
pages. Wirebound so that the book lays flat for ease of use.
Ages 6-adult.
#4077 $12.95 $10.35
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 The Shrinky Dinks Refill Pack (Klutz)A must-have for the shrinky-dink artist!
This pack
includes eight 8" x 10" sheets of shrinking plastic, along with full
instructions for use, packaged in a folder for easy storage.
Ages 6-adult.
#5855 $8.95
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 The
Klutz Book of Knots Five feet of nylon cord, color-coded to the
illustrations, is tied through the holes on each heavy-stock page, allowing the
reader to practice all 24 knots alongside their instructions. You never know
when a good knot will come in handy!
Wirebound, 21 pages.
#2104 $10.95
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 String Games from Around the World
A cool collection of seven string games is introduced to the reader by
real-live kids from different cultures. Games: Mosquito (Paraguay), Palm
Tree (Thursday Island, Australia), Worm (Ghana), Carrying Wood (Navajo),
Flying Bird (Papua, New Guinea), Siberian Hut (St Lawrence Island, Alaska),
Candle Thief (Ireland). A brief history of each string game is given as it
relates to the culture depicted. Wonderful full-color photographs and
step-by-step instructional art are provided along with a multi-colored
string loop. You provide the ten fingers.
Hardcover, and wirebound so that
the book lays flat, 80 pages.
#0403 $12.95
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 Window
Art (Klutz) - This book and paint set was an
instant hit among my children and every one of their friends! They have regular
“socials” at our house, and the creation of window art is a favorite activity at
these gatherings.
Window Art comes with six bottles of peel-off paint: five 22 ml/.74 oz bottles
of color (purple, blue, green, yellow, and red) and one 40 ml/1.36 oz bottle of
black paint for outlines. The book contains more than a 100 ready-to-trace
designs. The craft is simple: place the included plastic sheet over the desired
design, trace the outline with black paint, and fill it in with color. Let it
dry and then stick it on any glass surface, such as a mirror or window. Since a
whole group of kids like to participate at once in our house, we use clear,
plastic report covers to allow more than one person to work at the same time and
to extend the amount of available space for their art.
The only drawback is that there isn't enough paint in the set to satisfy the
demand for someone who likes to create lots of art or for a group of users.
Fortunately, a deluxe refill kit it available and is
highly recommended.
Spiral-bound hardcover book and paint
#6436 $19.95 $14.95
Window Art Book Only - No paints or plastic sheet.
Book Only #6436X $5.00
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 Window
Art new version (Klutz) - This
new version of the Window Art kit has all new designs and the paint set
now includes two bottles of glitter paint.
The updated Window Art kit comes with six bottles of peel-off paint that
are different than the original kit: five 22 ml/.74 oz bottles
of color (white, blue, orange, glitter green, and glitter yellow) and one 40 ml/1.36 oz bottle of
black paint for outlines. The book contains more than a 100 new, ready-to-trace
designs. The craft is simple: place the included plastic sheet over the desired
design, trace the outline with black paint, and fill it in with color. Let it
dry and then stick it on any glass surface, such as a mirror or window.
The only drawback is that there isn't enough paint in the set to satisfy the
demand for someone who likes to create lots of art or for a group of users.
Fortunately, a deluxe refill kit it available and is
highly recommended.
Spiral-bound hardcover book and paint. Ages 6+.
#1671 $21.95 $16.45
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 Window
Art Deluxe Refill Kit (now includes two bottles of paint with glitter!)
- Non-toxic, easy-to-use, these paints go with the Window Arts books, or they can
be used to make your own freestyle designs. Window Art paints are a bondable
plastic material, and it is recommended that finished window art be stuck to glass
and mirrors only since it could permanently bond to plastic and wood surfaces.
The kit contains ten 22 ml/.74 oz bottles of color (red, turquoise, sparkle
yellow, glitter green, violet, emerald green, royal blue, orange, clear, and
white) and two 40 ml/1.36 oz bottles of black outline.
#4498 $19.95
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More Loops for Potholders (