Editorial Review
Re-create Mother Nature's beautiful designs on the wings of butterflies with this kit from Balitono. It includes 4-inch wooden butterflies that can be used as refrigerator magnets, hanging sculptures, window decorations, and toy treasures. The kit offers three butterflies, nontoxic acrylic paints in five colors, shiny varnish, and a paintbrush. Each figure also comes with a press-on magnet, hanging accessories, a suction cup (for window use), and a small gift tag. An easy-to-follow instruction sheet includes compelling facts about the nature of butterflies. Colorful illustrations on the box show a wide variety of butterflies young artists might like to paint. A coded diagram inside identifies each species by name. Children may want to give these items as gifts, use them to decorate their rooms, or simply use them in creative play.
--Joan DeClaire
Amazon.com Teacher Review
Balitono's Butterflies kit--winner of an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal award--is nothing short of terrific. It's as user-friendly for a 5-year-old as it is for a grandparent: the sturdy 4-inch wooden butterflies are large enough to be easily manipulated, the acrylic paint dries fast (and the colors stay brilliant), and slight variations in each of the hand-carved critters mean that no two are alike. Its best feature is that it can be as open-ended or specifically targeted as you want it to be. The generous size of the creatures' wings lends itself equally well to a young child's first attempts at managing a paintbrush or a science-minded lepidopterist reproducing the complicated patterns of a purple emperor. Depicted in glorious color on the box are 18 different species; kids will have fun identifying each using the key in the instructions. Almost everything you need is here: paints and brush, findings and suction cups for hanging, and magnets for refrigerator or locker display--even glossy varnish and gift tags. All you'll need to have on hand is some water for rinsing the brush, a bit of newspaper to cover your work surface, and an eager artist. We only wish there were more than three butterflies included in the set, so the magic would last a little longer.
--A former home school educator, Julie Robinson currently manages a hands-on lab employing three gifted and professional toy testers ranging in age from 5 to 12.
