ART NEWS
The Best Sensory Art Kits for Encouraging Creativity and Exploration
Art kits that are sensory in nature—going beyond the visual with elements of touch or smell—can provide a fun and stimulating experience for children. Whether used for solitary explorations or group activities, they help to inspire, stoke curiosity, and build motor skills. And in addition to having a new artistic experience, young children will end up with their own creations to display and show off. Our picks below will help you find a fun kit to introduce your child to something wondrous.
1. Creativity for Kids Create with Clay Mythical Creatures
Available in three themes, this kit encourages kids to experiment with modeling clay. It comes with three plastic skeletons of dinosaurs, turtles, or mythical creatures, which serve as base models for the final sculptures. Kids can build on them as they wish, filling in legs, tails, wings, and other features. The nontoxic clay is easy to work with and can be reused for multiple constructions. This kit also comes with feathers, googly eyes, and tools so young ones can learn to carve and shape clay with more than just their hands.
Buy:
Creativity for Kids Create with Clay Mythical…
$12.89
2. Bukm Flower Craft Kit for Kids
This colorful kit includes everything a child needs to make a delightful vase complete with faux flowers. You get 2 wooden vases, dozens of fabric and lace flowers, fake leaves, an array of buttons and stick-on “gemstones,” and lots of super-smooth, moldable clay. Kids can dream up infinite designs to cover and transform the vase, then spend time creating stalks of flowers using the included wire. Adults will also appreciate this kit, which is virtually mess-free.
Buy:
Bukm Flower Craft Kit for Kids
$19.99
3. Faber-Castell Rainbow Fluffy Paint
With a texture similar to that of whipped cream, this paint can be used to create quirky sculptures. When dry it will hold its shape, but it has enough of an open time for kids to scratch patterns, build layers, and add textures to the highly tactile material. The paint is easy to work with and comes in five mixable colors, and cleanup is easy with just soap and water.
Buy:
Faber-Castell Rainbow Fluffy Paint
$17.44
4. Uwantme Water Beads Pack
Using gel beads, kids can create colorful water balloons, stress relief balls, massage balls, and other squishy, water-filled toys. All they have to do is soak the beads in water and wait for them to grow, over time, to as much as 10 times their original size. This kit includes a whopping 30,000 small beads and 150 larger ones, as well as 15 regular balloons. The results can be used for creative play or as accessories in unique craft projects.
Buy:
Uwantme Water Beads Pack
$12.99
5. Original Stationery Unicorn Slime Kit
Make all kinds of dazzling, slimy creations with this engaging kit, which includes a generous amount of kid-friendly supplies. It comes with a clear instruction manual and everything you need to make a variety of slimes using inks, beads, sparkles, scents (from bubblegum to strawberry), and more. All materials are well made and hold up to rough handling.
Buy:
Original Stationery Unicorn Slime Kit
$28.90
