Dough Party
(Alex $17 Score:) Comes in a newly designed see-through canister with six bright colors, a roller, cutters, plus a mat to work on. If you prefer clay, consider their Clay & Play Party ($17 ). 4–7. (800) 666-2539.

Age: Preschool,Early School Years. Award Year: 2006.

Crayola Dough
(Crayola $1.99 Score:) A super-soft colorful dough that comes in four-or six-pack sets in vivid colors. Will air-harden. 2 & up SNAP ACTIVITY: Encourage school age kids to shape snakes and then use them for making letters or numbers that will harden. Paste finished dried letters onto wood for name plates. Or make small disks of dough and have kids trace their pictures or names in the douch with a toothpick. Make a hole at the top and when dry this can become a necklace.

Age: Toddlers,Preschool,Early School Years. Award Year: 2004.

Bendaroos
(All Star Products $20 Score:)

Kids can bend, draw and create all sorts of shapes and letters with these colorful waxed strings. The kit includes 5 hundred pieces in rainbow and neon colors. It also has 10 templates they can trace that tell them how many of each color is needed to make the pictured objects. While the step by step process encourages kids to match and work in a step by step sequence, these waxed strings can also be used in an open-ended way to make whatever the imagination desires. This art material can help develop fine motor skills of little fingers as well as eye/hand coordination kids need for writing, in a more entertaining way than repetitive pencil and paper tasks. Bendaroos hold their shape better than pipe cleaners and will actually stick to walls or windows. Marked for 3 & up, this is a toy that will be used in far more complex and interesting  ways by early school aged kids of 5-7.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2009. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.