OUTDOOR ART FOR KIDS

Kinser begins with effigies--of sticks, sheets, cartons, mops and the like--but there is no explanation of what an effigy is and no suggestion that a particular person be represented. Other activities include sand casting, weaving baskets or Eyes of God, mud and snow sculpting, and even making musical instruments--a tree branch and nylon cord harp, a ""thumb piano"" of steel bristles, etc. The projects (by no means confined to natural materials) represent an unwieldy range of difficulty, and Kinser devotes too little effort to making the directions and sketches exact or inviting and too many words to being cute. (There's even a corny little fairy tale for each craft, which is followed up in the instructions for little ""trolls,"" etc.)