Sahil Gupta

Your child’s “letter to himself” is a low-stress way for him to begin thinking about future goals and also spend some time reflecting on his life. This activity also provides an opportunity to talk about the future without all the urgency of SATs and college applications. Keep the letter he composed to his future self, […]

Let’s face it. You’d do just about anything to avoid having to sit and ponder your path to college. But by the second half of high school, the questions will start pouring in: “What do you want to study?” “Where do you want to go?” “Small college or big university?” And sooner or later, you’ll

Today, nearly everyone has a digital camera, and it’s easy to take a perfect photograph every time. But like many electronics, cameras may seem mystical and complicated to your child, and they can be expensive too. This project teaches how simple a camera can be, and how light forms an image on the film. It’s

When we think of masks, we usually think of Halloween, but they have so many other uses-as props in dramatic productions, as decorative objects, or simply as entertainment for a long school break. This papier-mâché mask is the perfect project for your budding middle school artist. As he brings form to his masterpiece, he’ll immerse

Put your child’s fashion design skills to the test with a project perfect for celebrating Earth Day, or simply transforming an old wardrobe. This activity will give her the opportunity to recycle an oldT-shirt by transforming it into a cute skirt using simple sewing techniques. This is a great way for your little one to

People have worn masks since the beginning of time. Masks have been worn for protection, concealment, performance, or even just plain amusement. Storytellers and actors wear masks to portray characters and make their stories more interesting. Every culture has some form of mask art. Some of the most beautiful masks in the world have come

Will you use paper or plastic? How about neither. Both bags produce environmental waste and take months (or in case of plastic, hundreds of years) to break down in landfills. Instead, choose cotton. Pick a shirt that too old or ratty to wear anymore, but you just can’t seem to part with it, and then

Are you looking to get away from all the chemicals in store the bought toothpaste? Luckily, there’s no need to head out to the health food store-it’s easy to make environmentally friendly, chemical-free toothpaste at home using one of the most common, inexpensive pantry staples in the Indian baking soda. Try this experiment with your

Your high school grad is sure to appreciate the message of this graduation gift as he takes his fist tentative steps into adulthood. “A man’s errors are the portals of discovery,” as James Joyce so aptly put it. While the decoupage book cover is a compilation of cross-outs and inkblots, the inside is perfection bound,

Scrapbooking supplies can be expensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to splurge for your child to make a senior year scrapbook. Simply save up cereal boxes to turn into the bases of scrapbook pages, and he’ll be well on her way to collecting senior year memories. Not only will he feel good about preserving

Who hasn’t spent some part of some class at some point during his life making a paper aeroplane when he should be doing something else? You probably did and your child probably has as well. Why not turn this common time killer into a lesson on the physics of aerodynamics and flight? This is a

Building a tabletop press is a fantastic way to work together with your teen on a challenging, hands-on project. With a little bit of planning and a day of fairly simple constructions, you and your teen will build a long-lasting tabletop press, create your own print designs with linoleum blocks, and letterpress a series of

As a parent, looking back on your own high school years, it’s hard to imagine the intellectual development and emotional ups and downs you went through all those years ago. And even for a teen who is still in the throes of high school, or preparing for college, these tumultuous and formative years may quickly

Do you enjoy being outdoors? Are you interested in art? John James Audubon was a scientist and self-taught artist who did just that by studying the natural world and creating exquisitely detailed paintings of birds and Nature. You can follow in his footsteps with this art project that will help you create a naturalist painting.