As a child, I loved toys that allowed me to create; and I think my parents loved toys that made the creation process take all afternoon. The AquaBeads Beginners Studio Playset is a great set if you’re looking for a toy that fits that bill. This set allows imagination, creativity, and it isn’t something that is over in 15 minutes.
Unboxing the AquaBeads playset was easy enough. I pulled all the pieces out and was ready for setup within minutes with absolutely no hassle. The setup itself took a little longer, though. Included in the beginners set is a box, organizer tray, and creator lid, as well as several baggies of beads and several design templates.
The Playtime Experience
I was ready to play once I had all the baggies opened and the beads organized in the tray. The set comes with a water sprayer and a bead pen. The bead pen worked okay, but it made the creation process a little slow so I opted to use my fingers instead. The lid of the storage box is the area you use for creating. You can put a template underneath and follow a suggested design, or you can freestyle and create something uniquely your own. The lid is great because it is made with small, round pockets where all the beads sit securely. That way, your creation stays in place during the creative process and the water sealing is much easier. Once you are finished creating you will need a paper towel on the side and tap water in your sprayer. I didn’t find that the sprayer “sprayed” very well (it kind of dripped on everything), but it did get the job done. To complete your project, the design needs to be sprayed with water and then the excess water must be drained after 5 seconds or so. Repeat this process 5 times and let everything cure for 1 hour before removing your creation from the design tray.
Things I Liked
I love that this is easy to store in between playtimes. Everything fits securely together and there is no risk for the beads to fly everywhere.
Things I Didn't Like
The water sprayer was low quality and didn’t work very well. Also, it would have been nice to have a second design tray area since everything must cure for an hour and cannot be moved during this process.
Appropriate Ages
The box for the AquaBeads Beginners Studio Playset says it is recommended for players 4 and older. I think this is appropriate because children will need enough hand-eye coordination to place the beads without knocking them everywhere, and they must be old enough to know not to eat the beads.
Final Note
I had a lot of fun with the AquaBeads Beginners Studio Playset. I think the process and the number of included beads are great for guaranteeing hours of playtime fun. I won’t hesitate to purchase this as a gift or for a craft session with my kiddos. I mean you can’t go wrong with creative toys, right?