Monsters, Inc Meets The Spin Master
Written: May 02 '02
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Pros: Nice assortment of characters, key chain accessories and easy instructions.
Cons: Only 12 images to color and shrink. Cheap colored pencils.
The Bottom Line: Make some monsters of your own with Spin Masters Monsters, Inc Shrinky Dinks!
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| Freak369's Full Review: Spin Master Toys Monsters Shrinky Dinks Activity K... |
Being a total sucker for all things on clearance, it’s no shock that I shamelessly purchased these for my Shrinky Dink addiction. There’s something about taking a piece of plastic, coloring it in and then exposing it to a high temperature that seems to really amuse me. I was a little puzzled when I came across this for $2.75 at Toys R Us a few days ago since they just hit the shelves. After asking an associate [they hate to be called clerks there] I was told that the store had received a double shipment and rather than distribute them to other stores they had an in store special on them. Hey, they could slice up week old ham and slap a clearance sticker on it and chances are I’d buy it.
Scary Monsters
Unlike the bulk packs of Shrinky Dinks, this set comes preprinted and precut. One less hassle for the mom, right? Wrong. Having them precut makes them a little harder to handle as well as hard to keep track of. If I hadn’t checked the entire packet I would have ended up tossing out two of the characters. There are 12 image or character sheets inside the pack and these do vary from package to package. Some of the characters you can look forward to seeing are Mike, Boo, Randall, Sullivan [Sully], Celia, Yeti and Roz – to name a few. In one set I did get a few doubles, but for the most part each design was different. The Shrinky Dink card is slightly sanded so that the color will adhere to it but feel free to hit it with some sand paper if you are going to paint the image.
The images are detailed but not so much so that coloring them is a pain. The same goes for once the image is reduced – there is still enough detail in the picture to clearly make out the characters and expressions.
Included with the set are three key chains that can be used to make – what else – key chains. If you get creative you can add names to the sides of the pieces for a cool looking identification tag or as a small gift tag for a present. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can use a hole punch to create an opening that will be big enough for the chain once it is shrunk. You need something that is about the size of a dime to start with – so that when it is reduced there will be enough space for the chain to fit though as well as for it to move around. If it’s too tight a fit, the corner will eventually break from the tension.
The display stands were the biggest waste of space. On the off chance that you managed to get your finished product completely flat you would still have to battle with gravity. You see, the stands are too small to handle the weight of the reduced piece – so more often than not it will tip over. If you do mange to get them to stand upright, the slightest bump will send them tumbling. If you’ve ever stepped on a Lego in the middle of the night, try having one of these bad boys embedded in your heel at 3 a.m.
The six colored pencils that are included with this set are rather generic. I highly suggest that you try Crayola colored pencils or markers for the best results and most vibrant colors. You can use the edges of the character sheets to test out different applications before you take the big step of creating your monster masterpiece.
Once you have colored or painted the image, you might want to cut around the edges so that there is a softer shape. The edges can be pretty sharp once they are reduced so if you taper off the edges a little, you should almost eliminate any accidents. Once you start cutting, be extremely careful, the sheets can develop rips rather easily.
The Spin Master Connection
I was wondering why exactly a company that had dealt with electronic toys was suddenly getting into the Shrinky Dink market. The same associate that answered my question about the low price of the set also pointed out that the Spin Master just released a special little shrink machine designed for use with these precut little monsters [no pun]. For $24.95 you too can own this revolutionary item – but it’s not necessary to have if you own an oven, embossing gun or toaster oven. Mystery solved.
Chances are I will pop for one of these little wizards since I am such a gadget freak. I already know its fate once the fascination has run its course. It will end up tucked neatly away behind the SnackMaster, inflatable bed and Rocket Mixer in the hall closet only to be seen when I am hunting down some odd piece of kitchenware. Even so, such a frivolous purchase is not necessary to create this – or any – Shrinky Dink. Included with the set are alternative instructions for reducing the images. As with any Shrinky Dink project, parental supervision is highly suggested since you will be dealing with an oven [or toaster oven] and extremely hot plastic.
Things To Know
If you have kids that are fanatics about Monster, Inc this would be a great project for them. You can look forward to about 15 minutes of coloring and cutting per image and another three to four for baking / reducing in the oven. Depending on how many kids you have doing this, it could be a nice afternoon project, but certainly not something that will entertain them for more than a few hours. If you are having a Monster, Inc themed party, this would be a great little activity. Have the art stuff ready, let the kids knock themselves out and them present them with their own unique little token from the party when its time to leave.
If you are going to go outside the realm of the enclosed colored pencils please make sure that the items you are using are non-toxic. Even though the paint, markers or pencils will be firmly affixed to the Shrinky Dink paper, there is always a chance that it could flake off. Better to be safe than sorry, especially when younger children are concerned.
If you think that this set will be a hit with your kids, you can buy blank sheets at any craft store and make your own designs. If you have a laser printer, you can load the sheets and print out any design you wish, or personalize them. You can also take the Monsters, Inc images that come in this set and copy them onto paper and repeat the process onto the blank Shrinky Dink paper. If you can’t find the blank sheets, there is a refill pack available at Amazon.com for $8.95 for a package of 8 sheets.
The Bottom Line
This is a pretty product specific item with no real ability to be flexible. Unless you, or your kids, are real fans of the film – chances are this will be an entertaining as watching paint dry. If the character cards were blank – allowing you to trace a design - then there might be a little more fun involved. This would be a great gift for kids 6 and older but the manufacturer suggests that it would be better suited for those 8 and older. In any event, parental supervision is a must!
As always, thanks for the read …
^V^ Freak ^V^
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $2.75
Type of Toy: Arts and Crafts
Age Range of Child: 9 Years or Older
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