Family fun with a magical touch

Just about everyone — young, old, and everything in between — is fascinated by magic, especially the kind that involves transforming objects from one thing into another. This week, we take a look at a number of terrific family activities that do exactly that, whether it's changing a 10 of Clubs into a 10 of Heart, a bunch of powered ingredients into delicious cupcakes, or a locked safe into an unlocked one. cakes and cookies, draw shapes, or use the included molds to make guitars, hearts, rainbows, and more. Since each pouch has its own writing tip, switching colors is a breeze. The chocolate hardens fairly quickly at room temperature, even faster if you put it in the freezer. Clean up is easy. For ages 6 and up. About $25.

This well-designed, kidfriendly kit comes with real kitchen tools that make cooking fun — and a lot less messy. It includes two non-spill bowls, measuring cups, a whisk, a pastry bag with tip, spatula, 16 silicon cupcake liners, a one-touch egg cracker that eliminates the need to fish around in the yolk to remove pieces of shell, and most of the ingredients needed to make eight magical tuxedo cupcakes and eight sprinkle surprise cupcakes. Of course, you'll have to provide the eggs, butter, and milk (but you wouldn't want those items to come in the box anyway, right?). For ages 6 and up — but only with adult supervision, because you'll need to use a real oven to bake your treats. About $45 at retailers everywhere.