sean_mack's Full Review: Rose Art Industries Crystal Art Zoo Playset
After putting my daughter to bed a few moments ago, having spend most of the afternoon and evening with her doing a great many things together (the Crystal Zoo project being just one), I’ve come to a conclusion about what matters more than anything to a child: spending time together. The rest can be improvised, and that is where the fun resides.
In fact, if Rose Art’s Crystal Zoo were to have been completed as the picture on the box suggested, then I’m not sure my daughter and I followed the directions properly – or even at all. A certain amount of precision and care was probably needed to get the molded plastic arch and the six zoo animals just right … worthy of the five display spots/shelves fashioned into the arch, as opposed to separate, detachable pieces. There would be none of that at my house tonight – no excess of concentration, and no interruption of our goal to simply have a good time.
So here is the quick rundown of what did happen:
1.) The box, partially opened from a previous attempt to work on this craft, was torn completely open this time around. We had been meaning to get to it, and today was the day. 2.) My daughter poured all of the contents out (as she does with most of her toys that have more than one or two pieces) onto the floor. 3.) We briefly looked at what we had, and then studied the box momentarily. We found and read the simple directions, but largely ignored them because we operated on instinct, and the enjoyment of each other’s company. 4.) We made sure we had had “5 mini-brush colored markers,” 6 stick-on gems,” and “6 crystal pets,” and got on with it. 5.) We took turns coloring all of the pieces, especially enjoying the job we did on the display arch, as it had many edges and raised features for the marker tip (shaped very much like a paint brush) to brush over. There was the word “zoo,” as well as the leaves of palm trees on both sides of the molded structure – and, at the bottom part of the structure’s base, a brick configuration. This zoo was official … at least before it met us.
I liked this particular craft very much, as I must admit to not being as big a fan of these craft projects as my daughter. She absolutely loves them. The reason why this one was better than the last few we’ve done, which included a “Metallic Bead Pet,” a “Color Me Belt Set,” and a “String Along Design Set” was the mini-brush markers, and the lack of complexity needed to see things through. The markers (which came in brown, orange, pink, yellow, and black) were “mess-free,” and oddly relaxing in hand and use. And while they were not perfect -- needing to be run over the pieces a few times to get the proper coverage -- I didn’t seem to care. I had heard some people say that coloring with crayons is relaxing, but this was the first time I had felt something similar. Maybe I’m a “marker man,” and didn’t know it, or maybe I was just having fun with my daughter. Either is possible, and okay with me.
Anyway, our giraffe ended up yellow – but also pink without the usual spots this animal usually sports. Our happy-faced gorilla was unapologetically orange, and our elephant was pink with black ears. Our zebra was as black and white (white being clear in this case) as it was supposed to be I guess, but it had a pink head -- as if it were wearing a mask or hood. The tiger kept its head clear (or unpainted crystal-colored), and was black and yellow, too … sort of like the giraffe should have been. Last was our tropical bird – parrot? He was yellow and pink, and was the closest to a completely “traditional” or intended color … except for the bricks on the arch, which had to be red (or pink in this case, which was the closest we could get).
My daughter and I just had fun doing things the way we wanted, and neither of us dwelled on details – which isn’t my habit at all.
What I also appreciated about the product was that the plastic pieces were solid. When we were close to finishing, we put everything on a table where both my daughter and I dropped the little animals more than a couple of times. I was pretty sure we had broken one from the sound it had made, but the piece was fine.
Overall, this very basic craft project was enjoyable to work on. If I had taken things in the suggested direction, coloring everything as it looked on the box, and actually using the stick-on gems, I -- personally -- might have gotten a greater sense of satisfaction from its completion. But, I sort of like the way it worked out, too. I enjoyed spending time with my daughter, and can say that the Crystal Zoo was worth the money we spend on it. So, whether you go “by the book” or freestyle, it will be worth it for you, too. The suggested age range for the product is six to ten years old, so if your child is anywhere in this range, and you want to catch up on some family time, I recommend it. Maybe a paint would have made the product ideal, instead of markers, but I do like things "mess-free" and paint would have brought mess into the equation.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 10.00 Type of Toy: Arts and Crafts
Age Range of Child: 6 to 8 Years
Tons of fun for you budding artist! Includes a crystal monkey, giraffe, tiger, zebra, elephant, and bird. Also includes a pet shop environment. Contai...More at Amazon Marketplace
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