Art and Crafts

Art and Crafts

Craft activities divide by how much adult involvement they need, which is the practical thing to sort by. Kits with a defined outcome, such as a friendship bracelet, charm bracelet, mermaid jewellery or dream catcher, come with everything needed and a finished thing to keep at the end, so they suit a child who wants a result and a parent who does not want to source materials. Open-ended materials work the opposite way: play dough has no instructions and no endpoint, which is exactly why it holds attention across a wide age range and gets used again rather than once. Pack size matters more than it appears with dough, since party packs of 10, 12 and 15 pots exist for classes and birthday parties where every child needs their own, and scented versions add another sense to the activity. Scratch art sits between the two, revealing colour under a black coating as the child works, so the outcome is guided but the design is theirs. Sensory sand moulds without water and works on a table indoors. Glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark stars are novelty rather than craft, though the stars are a decorating activity for a bedroom ceiling. Check age guidance on kits with small beads and findings before buying for younger children.

HTI supplies almost the whole range. Creative Play kits cover friendship bracelet, charm bracelet, mermaid jewellery and dream catcher designs. Fun Dough covers a 10 pack stack, a 15 pot party pack and a scented 12 pack party pack. Also stocked are Magical Scratch Art, a sensory sand set and Fun glow stick bracelets in a 10 pack. University Games adds glowing twinkle stick-on stars. For sensory and tactile play see Sensory Toys, and for the full range Toys and Games.