"Preschoolers, art teachers, adventurous parents, and most anyone who likes to play in mud, peanut butter, playdough, papier-mache, and similar mediums will be ecstatic over Kohl's book. There are more than 100 recipes for dough, plaster, clay and other modeling mixtures that can be used for just plain fun or serious art."--ALA Booklist. Recipient of the 1990 Benjamin Franklin Award and the ALA Booklist Starred Review.

This book is far better organized than some activity books by other authors. Every activity has a symbol in the corner of the page indicating the age range for each project. Additional symbols for cooking, no cooking, air dry, bake dry, edible, caution, and "adult supervision always necessary" are used when applicable. These symbols make it very easy to flip through the book to find a good project for your child(ren). It is especially useful when trying to find projects for children of mixed ages. The layout of the directions is excellent with one project per page, materials clearly listed, mixture process easily explained, and then many optional variations and ideas to further change or expand on the basic project.
Lots of dough's, modeling compounds, homemade beads, plaster and papier mache projects. A section with edible items such as dog biscuits, pie crust, gingerbread and pretzels. At 150 pages you can imagine there is a lot here to keep you busy for a long time. Many of the projects can be made with ingredients most people have on hand at home. Some projects are fast and easy and others are more complex.

Every recipe you ever needed is here including those made with your cornstarch and baking soda. I like the book because it does not tell the child what to make; it simply offers the recipes and lets kids make what they want. Some of the illustrations give good ideas for what is possible to make, but it is low key and kids are encouraged to be creative in their own way. This book has the best playdough I've ever made -- an entire chapter of different playdoughs, but my favorite is on page 29. All you need is flour, salt, and water. My copy says this book received a "Best of the Best" rating from the American Library Association.

I would highly recommend this for every parent, teachers of young children, and even babysitters. This would make a great birthday gift as an alternative to toys, for 2 year-olds and up. I have found this very helpful on days when my children seem bored with our usual daily routine and on rainy days. As a homeschooling mother I have a lot of projects to do with my children, many of which I know are usually done in preschool or kindergarten.

Mudworks has it all. All of the recipes are easy to follow and most ingredients are right in the home. Doing home education with my 8 and 10 year old, this book allows them to cover art in a truly unique way and practice with measurements at the same time. The recipes for doughs really open their creative nature. Many textures and medians are used to offer a variety from basic clay for young children to sand and marble types for older kids. Most are one bowl recipes, making clean-up very easy. Even paper mache is covered in a varity of ways. Those creative juices kick in as soon as the book comes off the shelf. Mine (children)have gone from "pastry chef" to "pizza maker" to sculpture for the 22nd century. Let the imagining begin!!!

31 playdough recipes alone in chapter one ... some bake, some air dry, some handmix, some cook on the stove. Where to begin? Anything squishy and clay-like is found in these pages, from plaster of Paris, to papier-mache, to mud, to flour and salt clay, and more. This book is a basic for any home with kids, and that includes grandparents! ( )

"Provides a unique opportunity for children, parents, and grandparents . . . create art together without language barriers. . . . I highly recommend it." -- Edward James Olmos, actor, Stand and Deliver

From award-winning author Mary Ann Kohl comes this Spanish/English bilingual edition of one of her favorite and best-selling titles. Over 100 delightfully squishy kid-tested projects capture the imagination of children, parents, teachers, and child-care professionals with English and Spanish translations on every page. From traditional playdough and papier maché to the kids' favorite entry of edible peanut butter playdough, this edition contains the same projects treasured for more than ten years in the original Mudworks, but in an easy-to-use format perfect for Spanish speakers and for those looking for a classic children's art project resource to use in their bilingual or Spanish-speaking classroom, home or daycare.

De la autora premiada Mary Ann Col llega una edición bilingüe de su mejor libro bien conocido. Contiene más de 100 proyectos divertidos para niños que captura la imaginación de niños, padres, maestros y los que cuidan niños. Los niños harán proyectos de arcilla, masa, y cartón piedra usando las manos. Esta edición incluye los mismos proyectos estimados de la edición original en formato sencillo y claro. Es perfecto para alguien que busca un proyecto de arte divertido para entretener los niños.

The old classic Mudworks is now available in a bilingual edition... Spanish project on the left page, same English project on the right page. Like a butterfly, mirror image. I imagine this art book of clays and doughs breaking through the barriers of language. Afterall, art is a language we ALL speak. I imagine a Spanish speaking gramma and her little English speaking grandchild making playdough together in the kitchen, each reading their own language recipes. I see kids in bilingual classrooms using the translations to check themselves on their command of whatever language is their second language, I dream of Spanish immersion classes using this book to enhance their learning, I hope for mommies and daddies who are speaking English as a second language using this book to help them get through making clays, doughs, and modeling recipes with their kids. And for ME, I just like seeing if I can use the Spanish recipe and make stuff! (with the English back up)
Easy, 160 pages, no expertise necessary. ( )

Mudworks is Recommended by Book List, Starred Review.

Review
"Provides a unique opportunity for children, parents, and grandparents . . . create art together without language barriers. . . . I highly recommend it." -- Edward James Olmos, actor, Stand and Deliver

Product Description
From award-winning author Mary Ann Kohl comes this Spanish/English bilingual edition of one of her favorite and best-selling titles. Over 100 delightfully squishy kid-tested projects capture the imagination of children, parents, teachers, and child-care professionals with English and Spanish translations on every page. From traditional playdough and papier maché to the kids' favorite entry of edible peanut butter playdough, this edition contains the same projects treasured for more than ten years in the original Mudworks, but in an easy-to-use format perfect for Spanish speakers and for those looking for a classic children's art project resource to use in their bilingual or Spanish-speaking classroom, home or daycare.

De la autora premiada Mary Ann Col llega una edición bilingüe de su mejor libro bien conocido. Contiene más de 100 proyectos divertidos para niños que captura la imaginación de niños, padres, maestros y los que cuidan niños. Los niños harán proyectos de arcilla, masa, y cartón piedra usando las manos. Esta edición incluye los mismos proyectos estimados de la edición original en formato sencillo y claro. Es perfecto para alguien que busca un proyecto de arte divertido para entretener los niños. ( )