We bought this for our 7 year old daughter for her birthday hoping to interest her in a new hobby that would encourage her creativity (and keep her hands busy). The manufacturer suggests this product for 8-12 year olds and I would generally agree (based on dexterity and attention span). However, some younger children, especially those that have the attention span and can repeat a pattern with their hands fairly reliably, will be able to master this activity. Our 5 1/2 year old daughter has given it a try but needs help every once in a while when she gets off the pattern.
We've noticed that the girls don't have as much problem with the circular looms. However, they've had difficulty getting the bracelets from the square looms to come out uniformly. It seems to be a matter of learning how to keep uniform tension on the floss and weave consistently. Not difficult; it just takes a little attention and practice.
The "suitcase" contains four foam looms (2 square and 2 round); 22 skiens of floss; 2 small containers of beads (clear, and multicolored); a beading needle; and instructions.
* Each loom has two patterns (one on each side) for a total of 8 patterns. The finished pattern design is printed around the center hole of the loom, and the notches are painted with the suggested colors used to create the pattern. It's easy to substitute out colors to create your own color schemes. After several months, we've noticed the paint start to rub off the notches on the foam looms (bound to happen over time). Repainting with nail polish may help though we haven't tried that yet.
* The skiens of floss can get used up pretty quickly (only 22). We've found that the local sewing/craft store sells a pack of 50 skiens for around $10.
* We haven't used the beading needle, so I can't comment there. The beads, however, are the right size for the floss and the kids fingers (bigger than seed beeds, smaller than pony beads). My girls haven't shown much interest in incorporating the beads into their projects. They seem to get caught up in the rhythm of the weaving and forget to use them. I would caution that the container lids don't secure down - they slip right off. I would suggest finding another container with a snug lid or taping the lids down to prevent spilled beads.
* The instructions are fairly easy to follow. As has been mentioned by others, the YouTube videos are helpful, especially for those that learn best by watching others. A ruler for measuring out floss has been printed on the fold-out instructions, so all you really need is a pair of scissors for cutting the floss and a pen/pencil (for creating the first loop).
* We still keep the materials, looms, and supplies in the "suitcase" which has proven to be durable.
As our girls have used the product, we've found that they favor the round looms and bracelets over the square. I think this is largely because (1) the weaving rhythm is more continous on the circular looms, (2) it's easier to keep constant tension on the circular looms, (3) the consistent tension yields a more uniform and finished looking product, (4) the round bracelets are usually faster to complete (our experience has been 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the round bracelets compared to 3 for the flat bracelets), and (5) the girls favor the heart and flower designs produced by the circular looms.
Our girls have had a fun time creating bracelets for friends (boys and girls) and themselves. They seem to enjoy planning out the colors and trying to invent new patterns. I would agree with the reviewers who would have liked to see additional patterns. We've also used the floss to create our own knotted/braided/woven bracelets using patterns we've found elsewhere on the web.
Overall, a fun product that was worth the $17.50 we paid for it!Get more detail about Alex Toys Friends 4 Ever Bracelet Making Kit.
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