As a child growing up in the late 1970s/early 1980s, I have fond memories of spending rainy afternoons making Shrinky Dinks in the oven with my mom or babysitter. Once I colored them, these little plastic pieces would amazingly shrink up in the oven. Today’s Shrinky Dinks robots are pre-cut, making the process even easier. Colored pencils are included, and you can mix and match heads, bodies, and feet. An adult needs to put them in the oven, and when they’re finished “baking,” your child has his own mini-robots that he helped create. A ring on the top helps to attach the mini-robot to a backpack so it won’t be easily lost. Recommended for ages 5 and up (with adult supervision), Shrinky Dinks Robots sell for $4.99 for a set of 9 pieces (makes 3 robots) at ThinkGeek.com. A great rainy-day activity.

Sometimes you just want a simple and inexpensive gift for your children or you’ve got a child to buy for but a dollar cap to stay under. The Decorate Your Own Art Piggy Bank with Markers gift set is the ideal fun and inexpensive present to give out this holiday season. I think children will enjoy decorating the piggy bank over and over, expressing his/her creativity. Only $4.99 at buybuybaby.com, it’s for ages 8 and up and it comes with everything you need, including 6 markers. If that’s not your thing, there’s a similar decorate your own picture frame for sale on the site as well.

I really like this unique Customized Eye Chart by etsy seller My Sweet Prints. It’s a different take on artwork for the nursery, and also a great way to encourage a young child to learn to read. The Customized Eye Chart can be personalized to say whatever you’d like it to say. Each print measures 11″ x 14″ and ships direct from the seller in Australia (so if you’re thinking of ordering one for a holiday gift, you might want to act fast). You can purchase one of these innovative pieces of art at Etsy.com: My Sweet Prints for $16 each.

Taut Canvas makes a unique Core Values series of artwork combining modern art with words or values to teach children. The one in the photo above is “Responsibility.” Other styles in the series include Compassion, Honesty, Sharing, Patience, and Respect. This is a great idea, not only for beautiful artwork for the nursery or child’s bedroom, but as a way to help instill these important values in children. Each print comes in either an 18″ x 18″ or 40″ x 40″ size, and is treated with an eco-friendly liquid laminate, guaranteeing the print life to 80 years and enhancing its color. Prices are $129 for the smaller size and $274 for the larger size print at TautCanvas.com.

Lillunia Art creates watercolor art for children that depicts animals in the wild. Founded in 2008 by eve Gianni Corio and Laura L.M. Hill, the goal is to teach children to love and respect animals and the environment, through natural art that is not childish nor cutesy. I particularly like this piece, Dylan’s Dolphins. It would be a great complement to a nursery or child’s room with a marine theme. The small-sized print measures 7″ x 14″ with an optional 11″ x 18″ frame. The larger print is 10″ x 20″ with an optional 14″ x 24″ frame. Prices start at $185. You can view this beautiful work of art and many more at Lillunia.com.

I’ve mentioned before how I think early exposure to the alphabet influenced my son’s ability to read at an early age. This modern style ABC Poster by starfish:wish is a great way to make your nursery contemporary and educational at the same time. The poster measures 18″ x 24″ and is eco-friendly, using eco-safe printing. Plus, the poster can be customized to include your child’s name in the alphabet “tree” if you wish. Selling for $38 at starfishwish.com, the poster is available in orange or green to coordinate with any room.

We all love the drawings and unique pieces of artwork our kids bring home from camps, daycare, preschool, and elementary school, but many parents struggle with what to do with all of it. You can only hang so much of your child’s artwork on the refrigerator for so long. Artimus Art is one solution. It’s an online storage area. When you order one of their high-resolution books full of your child’s art, you automatically get a free webfolio of that artwork where you can save, organize, and print your child’s artwork whenever you want. This is nother great idea that, of course, was invented by a mom. Packages are available based on the number of images you want and the size of the book, starting at $120. Visit ArtimusArt.com for more information. It’s also a great gift idea for other members of your family who don’t always get to see your child’s beautiful artwork!

Artist Rosemary Babikan creates personalized Baby Mandalas. Mandala is a word from an old classical Indian language that means “circle”. This circular art always draws the viewer’s eye to the center, reflecting order, beauty, and calm, and away from the area outside of the circle (representing frustration and disorder). Babikan has some mandalas already designed on her site, like this Treasure Chest design, or you can choose to have one personalized for your baby, incorporating the baby’s name and your choice of font. One of these would make a great gift for new parents. You can view these beautiful Baby Mandalas at BabyMandala.com, where they range in price from an average of $19.99 for an 8″ x 8″ size to $59.99 for a 24″ x 24″ size.

Etsy artist sweetcarolinadesign offers a unique piece of custom-made artwork based on a child’s sonogram. She offers 8″ x 10″ prints of the sonogram on professional photo paper, accompanied by a color, font, and wording you choose. For just $22, this is a wonderful way to preserve this most precious first photo of your child. It’s a great gift idea for a friend or family member as well, as long as you can “borrow” their ultrasound photo long enough to scan and email it to sweetcarolinadesign.

After spotting the Witch and Black Cat primitive folk art print (5×7) at etsy.com seller tascha’s shop, I thought to myself, what a great idea!! Change out art to match the season; the kids will love trying to find out which prints mom has put up. Everyone can enjoy having an art discussion whenever a new one comes in the mail. She has all kinds available, from Halloween prints such as this one to winter scenes to scenes appropriate for spring and Easter. Only $15 and absolutely breathtaking, not to mention original, I’ve got my eye on a print for my own house.

Artist Mia Thompson, who has been selling her customized nursery/child’s room artwork on etsy.com, has opened her own shop. Naptime Creations sells original canvas paintings designed for use in a child’s nursery, bedroom, or playroom. All paintings are one-of-a-kind, and personalization is available. Embellishments may also be added if you like. To custom-order a painting, contact mia4art@yahoo.com.

This illustration print by etsy artist Tamara Garvey is cute enough to hang in baby’s nursery or a child’s room. “The Chicken Says Cluck” is a whimsical way to decorate your little one’s room, and educational at the same time. The ink and Photoshop illustration is archivally printed onto matte, acid-free card stock, and shipped in a waterproof cellophane sleeve, sandwiched between pieces of thick non-bending cardboard. A perfect gift for new parents, this 8.5″ x 11″ print can be bought for $9 at etsy.com: seller: tamaragarvey.

When I was a child, I loved weaving potholders. Best of all, my sweet Aunt Mary was so generous as to buy them from me. I think my mother still has some of these creations as well. With so many busy, electronic toys around these days, it is nice to see that these looms are still out there. Made in the USA, the set includes instructions for making potholders, or combining them to make placemats, doll sleeping bags, and purses. You can purchase the set for $24.95 at blueberryforest.com. It seems like it would be a nice change of pace for many kids.

Whims n Doodles designs and hand-paints canvas wall art for children of all ages. I particularly like their Little Explorer Series (shown above). What child wouldn’t want to see his or her name featured in a work of art hanging on the wall of their room? Each piece is hand-painted, so that no two are the same. Non-toxic paints are used as well. You can purchase this example for $125 at WhimsNDoodles.com and, while you’re there, check out their other beautiful hand-painted offerings.

With school shopping in full swing at my house, I have pencils and crayons on my mind. Though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend sending these to school (especially if your child is as forgetful as my own), these natural crayons from Inntrax are a wonderful treat. We got some of these for all of the kids last Christmas and they were a big hit. Not only are they fun to use (and great conversation starters), but they are eco-friendly–made from twigs that would otherwise be burned. This set includes eight handmade crayons in different colors. You can purchase it for $21 at thelittleseed.com. I think it would make a wonderful “you survived the first day of school/preschool” gift.