With a little SSSHHHHHHH (Flair Aqua Beads Art Deluxe Set)

Member Name: Rhiana

Product:	Flair Aqua Beads Art Deluxe Set
Date:	28/03/09 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sturdy design, creative, would occupy an older child for long periods, reasonably priced

Disadvantages: Stylus is difficult to use, requires a high leval of concentration and dexterity.

The Product:-

Flair Original Aqua beads deluxe set is a creative toy using tiny coloured beads, made with PVA besed glue, and water.

In the box you get: 8 packets of multi coloured beads, bead tray, 8 template sheets , a base tray for the templates, 3 dimpled layout trays, water sprayer and a bead stylus pen.

It's described as being suitable for age 4+

What does it do?

Aqua beads are used, along with the templates or your own imagination to make small designs. You place your selected template in the base tray (examples of templates are a straberry, flowers, a love heart, star etc) and then cover with the relevent dimpled layout tray. Using the bead stylus you pick up the beads and deposit them into the layout tray, following the template. Once finished your design you spray with water and leave to dry (about an hour). You can then remove your design from the layout tray, and the beads are stuck together. Quite what you do with your finished product is upto you. We just put them in the box, although they could be used to embellish cards and other handmade crafts.

What do I think?

This isn't a toy I chose, it was bought as a gift for my 4 year old daughter. It requires quite a lot of patience and dexterity, one wrong move and the beads are everywhere. The sylus is difficult to use and its a struggle to pick up a bead with it and then deposit in the correct place, I prefer to use my fingers for quickness, however my daughter insists on doing it properly. Its very intricate, and while my daughter can do this, she often ends up bored and frustrated.
Its aged at 4+, and I would deffinatly advise against giving this toy to a child any younger due to the very small size of the beads and the level of concentration required. Infact I'd be inclined to say that perhaps an even older age guide would be more suitable. I can see children aged 6+ enjoying this and finding it rewarding Under that age it requires a lot of adult participation, my daughter usually wanders off leaving me to finish up.

I also struggle to find any real use for these little creations, other than for the pleasure of creating them. There is a template to make a photograph frame, but I quickly dismissed this as being far too complicated for my child right now.

I think that once sprayed and stuck, the beads can not be broken back down and re-used. Theres nothing in the instructions saying that you can, but there are tips on what to do should your creation bend, break or doesn't stick properly.

As I didn't buy this myself I'm unsure how much it cost or where it was purchased. However a quick google showed it was available from Amazon for £14.97. That seems a fair price, as I'm sure lots of older children would get plenty of enjoyment from it.

Summary: A nice little craft toy that is sure to entertain but not for the very young or easily distracted.