Since Erin started nursery back in January she very quickly found a love for anything creative and the messier, the better. I, on the other hand, have a bit of a thing about how much mess there is. It’s not that particularly mind the mess and cleaning it all up afterwards, it’s more when things like paints or play-doh get mixed together and ruined. Because of this, I think I tend to put off doing too many crafty activities with Erin which really, is a shame because I know she enjoys it so much.
So, when we were sent a selection of products from Little Brian I was determined to make the most of a Saturday at home and have some fun with Erin. Our bundle consisted of Paint Sticks, Mini Paint Sticks and Chalk Sticks. When I told Erin that we were going to do a bit of a different kind of painting she was very excited and couldn’t wait to get started.
Little Brian Paint Sticks are unlike conventional paints as they come in stick form and you don’t need any water or brushes whatsoever to use them. The sticks wind up much like a glue stick so you can use as much as little as you need. That being said, you can add water directly to the stick, or after you’ve used it on the paper to create completely different effects.
Each stick has a lid which ensures that they stay clean and protected after each use. The lids were a bit hard for Erin to take on and off herself, which she found a bit frustrating, but she is only nearly 3 so for older children this would be no problem at all.
If you, and your little one, are just getting started with creative play and you’re unsure about what to use then the Mini Paint Sticks would be a great idea. These are quite a lot smaller in size compared with the regular paint sticks so they’re really goof for tiny hands. The colours are vibrant and bold and Erin took an instant like to these. My own tiny issue was that it was hard to tell which colour was which, compared with the larger sticks. I think it would be easier for children if maybe the bottoms of the sticks were coloured.
We spent a good hour or so playing with both the Mini Paint Sticks and the full size version. Usually when we do something like this, even just colouring, Erin ends up covered in mess. This time, she only ended up with a tiny bit on her hands which came off really easily with a baby wipe. I was really impressed to see that the paint sticks dry in just 30 seconds which meant that even though Erin was leaning all over her paper, the colour didn’t transfer to her clothes.
We were also sent a pack of chalk sticks and I wasn’t really sure of what to do with these to being with. We don’t own a chalk board at the moment (until Erin gets an easel for Christmas). The chalk sticks are really very different from the Paint Sticks though as they look more like a crayon.
Just because these are chalk sticks, doesn’t mean they have to be used on a chalk board. These chalk sticks work on a whole range of surfaces including paper. The colours are quite different from the paint sticks but I like that they have a bit more of a pastel tone to them.
Not only did Erin have loads of fun with our Little Brian products but actually, I did too. Having the stress of having to clean up take away meant that I was able to relax and just have fun with Erin. I feel much more prepared now to tackle some other crafty activities and I know that Erin will enjoy doing more like this at home. Little Brian’s products aren’t expensive either so they would be great as stocking fillers, Christmas presents or even for children to buy with their pocket money!
You can find Little Brian Paint Sticks in selected Tesco stores and you can find out more on the Little Brian Paint Sticks website: www.littlebrian.com
PIN IT FOR LATER
Disclaimer: We were sent these items for the purpose of this post. All opinions are our own.