Best Arts & Crafts Toys

Arts & Craft toys can keep kids happy for hours and generally have the added benefit of at least some educational value as well. The best toys in this class promote creative, open-ended play, where the kids themselves decide what they want to do or make.

This isn’t the most glamorous sector of the toy market, with flashy electronic toys and gadgets usually hogging the headlines, but when it comes to value for money, a well-chosen arts & crafts toy is hard to beat.

In alphabetical order, our pick of the bunch is as follows…

3 in 1 Picture Magic
Crayola
Anyone who played with the classic Spirograph will recognise this toy from Crayola. ‘Magic’ stencils are used to create mystery pictures, or children can simply enjoy creating pretty patterns.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2010/01/3-in-1-picture-magic.html

Bendaroos
Spin Master
A brilliantly simple concept, Bendaroos are nothing more than lengths of string coated in sticky wax. The stickiness lets you bend and shape them into eye-catching patterns and modes that can stick to almost any surface to display.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2009/08/bendaroos.html

Comic and Story Maker kits
Flair
Flair offers a range of Comic Maker and Story Maker kits, including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Toy Story 3 and The Beano themes, which encourage children to create their own comic strips. An extremely generous supply of stickers is included, along with pages complete with scenery and picture boxes (you can photocopy these to make the sets last longer) and felt tips for colouring in.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2010/05/flair-toy-story-story-maker.html

Fuzzy Felt
John Adams & Toy Brokers
Fuzzy Felt is 60 years old, but still going strong in the form of these Craft Tubs from John Adams & Toy Brokers. Each of the three tubs offers a different theme: Things That Go, Animals and Pink & Sparkly. Each tub includes 400 pieces of Fuzzy Felt and a roll-up board.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2010/04/fuzzy-felt-craft-tubs.html

Harumika
Bandai
Anyone with ambitions of becoming a fashion designer will love this toy from Bandai. Any piece of fabric can be converted into a cutting-edge design using the clever Harumika dress form and stylus tool.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2009/11/harumika.html

Kidzsack
Asobi
This unusual product lets youngsters decorate their own canvas backpack using the colouring pens provided. The use of washable ink means they can start all over again when they’re ready for a new colour scheme.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2010/01/kidzsack.html

Paperoni
Spin Master
Another effective arts & crafts offering from Spin Master, Paperoni uses tightly rolled pieces of paper and comes with templates to get kids started. The Paperoni Studioalso includes a blank sticky sheet for when they want to explore their own ideas.
The full Story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2009/08/paperoni-is-on-a-roll.html

PlayMais
CornPack
Inspired by packing material, PlayMais is made from cornstarch, which sticks together firmly with a little water, allowing kids to make just about any shape they want. The addition of bright food colours adds to the appeal.
Read our full review here…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2009/11/review-cornpack-playmais.html

Puzzibits
Manhattan Toy
These flexible plastic pieces can fit together to make birds, animals, buildings or anything else that pops into a child’s mind. Creations can be in two or three dimensions and there’s a huge range of sets available in various sizes.
The full story…

http://www.toytalk.co.uk/2009/06/bits-and-pieces-from-manhattan-toy.html