Michaels Creates Summer Fun for Kids

    IRVING, TX, May 26, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- According to a new Associated Press-GfK Roper poll, fewer Americans will take a vacation this summer due to the economy, but with a little creativity, summer fun can still be in the budget, according to Michaels, North America's largest arts & crafts specialty retailer.

"Creativity can take children anywhere they want to go - the jungle, under the sea, or even into outer space," said Michaels' Chief Marketing Officer Stuart Aitken. "We have hundreds of project and activity ideas online and fun products in the stores to help parents and kids have a great summer."

Michaels will kick off the summer season with a free Crayola Outdoor 3D Sidewalk Chalk Interactive Demo on Saturday, May 30th from 10am - 1pm at all U.S. and Canadian Michaels stores. The chalk makes any design or picture look as though it is popping up off the pavement when viewed through the provided 3D glasses.

All summer long, Michaels will provide inspiration and instructions for hundreds of indoor and outdoor activities through The KnackSM, Michaels' unique program designed specifically for children to discover their creativity. The Knack offers a variety of project ideas from painting, apparel craft and card-marking to model-building puzzles, games, and much more.

Child development experts at the acclaimed Cook Children's Healthcare System in Fort Worth, Texas say that summer arts and crafts activities are more than just fun; they help children maintain skills they've learned in school and help them develop new skills.

Michaels' Top 10 suggested summer project ideas include summer fashion shorts, sand art magnets, a camp cabin birdhouse, stamped T-shirts, Crayola butterflies, beaded cowboy hats, personalized flip-flops or clogs, foam sunglasses, foam sun visors and downloadable print coloring pages that can be transformed into scrapbook pages or greeting cards.

Parents, vacation bible school teachers, camp counselors and daycare providers can find those and many more entertaining projects to keep kids active and busy throughout the summer at The Knack. For more information and a schedule of Free Family Events, go to www.michaels.com/theknack.

About Michaels
Michaels Stores, Inc. is North America's largest specialty retailer of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall decor, and seasonal merchandise for the hobbyist and do-it-yourself home decorator. The company currently owns and operates over 1000 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada and over 150 Aaron Brothers stores.

Media Contact:

Alexandra Elliott
[email protected]
817-329-3257

Kristen Kauffman
[email protected]
817-329-3257

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