When my sister was around 6 years old, I was looking for a present that was quite arts and craftsy but not a one time use like some of the bracelet or painting sets. Then on a sale in the Early Learning Centre, I managed to pick up this set for around £4 when its recommended price was £6 as it looked much more interesting than the others and something an older child would enjoy more.

It did come in a pretty decent box when we got it, but as the times have gone on, it became very flimsy and tore a bit at the sides. This led to some of the pieces falling out occasionally behind my sister's wardrobe which meant a lot of time was spent trying to find these tiny tacks. If you do have any small tubs that are unused, I'd recommend using these instead of the box to get rid of the chance of this happening.


The set includes:

-1 cork board which was very well made as it doesnt snap if you break it, and the pieces stick well into it, I've never had a problem with them falling off and the pictures made being ruined.

-1 hammer, very sturdy and a nice size for smaller hands. It's quite lightweight and won't hurt anyone if bashed on any fingers, but does manage to put in the pieces very well.

-80 tacks, these are quite small and pointy which is why I'd say the set is for 4+ to avoid any dangerous accidents

-80 wooden shapes, they each have holes in the middle for the nail to be put into the cork board, they are quite tiny also, however sturdy and never had any problems with them breaking. They are also quite colourful and come in the colours of blue, red and yellow.

The pieces are all really sturdy and they're definitely worth the money, as there has been a lot of use out of them and they haven't got damaged yet. The durability of them is really good and I was impressed for a kit that is quite cheap with loads of bits included.

The recommended age for this set is for 4 plus, and I agree because of all the small pieces involved and it does require a bit of paitence to be able to make the shapes and hammer them in. You can make pretty much whatever design you want as there is a large variety of shapes, some recommended are boats, houses and cars however we've made things such as people, monsters and flowers.

I think that this is a good toy for kids, as it does make them use their imagination to make things and can be used for making them understand shapes more. I would definitely recommend it as we've had it for ages and have had no problems so far.