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Welcome to the website for the Craftplay Factory Shop! Home for your art and craft needs, all at our special factory shop prices.
The Craftplay Factory Shop is the retail outlet for the UK’s leading educational arts and crafts manufacturer who have been trading for over 20 years. Our products are found in schools, mail order catalogues and in high street shops.
At Craftplay you will find a huge selection of art and craft materials for the budding artist or creative youngster including stencils, modelling utensils and materials, paint accessories, craft projects, themed craft activities and a large selection of collage materials. Craftplay also carries the very popular branded children’s gardening range, Young Gardener. Our products are both fun and educational.
- News.
We hope that 2010 will be a good year for everyone.
Children's art & craft is still very popular and we have some new products coming soon.
Craftplay is still your number one site to buy children's craft supplies at great Factory Shop prices direct from the manufacturer.
We wish all our customers and everyone who has visited our Craftplay site a very Happy Christmas and all best wishes for the New Year.
We are closed from 23.12.2009 to 4.1.2010 when we re-open to bring you the best value children's art and craft.
If you are ever in Melton Mowbray do pop in and see us at our Factory Shop on Thorpe Road, LE13 1 SL. We always have lots of extra in-shop bargains and we would love to see you. It is a good idea to ring first to check opening times - which are usually Monday to Friday, 9.15 - 5.00.
Good wishes to you all.
Christmas countdown is well underway.
The Christmas Embossing plates (AP/340/XEP) make a fun activity and keep the kids
occupied. Just place the plastic 'plate' under a piece and paper and rub over the paper
with a wax crayon or colouring pencil. The image is lifted onto the paper - like a brass rubbing. The embossing plates are double sided so there are lots of designs to choose from.
If you are having a party or children have friends over to play a great way to keep them occupied is our Christmas Mask Making Stencils (AP/646/CMM) These clever stencils are used as templates on plain card and come in several designs so there is a choice of characters. Paint and decorate the masks then have fun acting out stories or display the masks as Christmas decorations.
Get the kids to help with present wrapping. Children can decorate plain paper using
our Christmas Sponge painting sets, Christmas Sponge Stampers, Xmas Mini Sponges and ready mix paint, or the Xmas Palm Printers (AP/665/PPC)and our paint/ink pads. Matching gift tags can be made from card and images stamped on to match the paper. Small children enjoy adding a personal touch to Christmas card envelopes by attaching our Jumbo Christmas Stickers (AP/003/XCS) to help seal the backs. Children's Christmas craft has never been easier or more effective.
If you are looking for those hard to find musical bells to add to stockings, cards, Christmas decorations etc. we have a very good value pack (AP/106/MB)
Christmas is approaching fast. Now is the time to stock up on all those essentials crafty kids require. We have masses of children's crafts.
There are several types of Christmas lanterns, patterned paper chains and wooden decorations to paint and decorate for starters.
Children can have fun with the Christmas Trees craft sticks (AP/780/WCSCT) by making sure that they all look different when decorated with paint, glitter, stars, tiny pompoms etc.
The Xmas Art Pegs (AP/800/CAP) are great for hanging up Christmas Cards onto a line and they feature different Christmas characters.
13.10.2009
Our Wood Craft sticks are great to decorate and make great 'take home' items.
The Bug assortment AP 812 WB and Flowers AP 779 WCSF look great in plant pots and Faces AP 810 WF are great fun to decorate. The children can add features with fibre tip pens then decorate the faces with coiled wool for hair, sequins, ribbon etc. The Face sticks can be used for theatre play or even given to the person they represent.
7.10.2009
Our Decorate Lacing cards AP 772 DLC offer two activities - traditional lacing to encourage manual dexterity in younger children and a big plus factor. The children can colour and decorate the cards using their imagination. These works of art can then be displayed. They come in packs of 6 assorted designs.
If you run after school clubs or activity centres check out our class size packs. These offer even better value for money and ensure you always have enough components for art and craft activities.
22.9.2009
Halloween is a festival that gets more popular each year. Children love to make things and we have several products that 'do the trick'.
Halloween Cutters AP 721 HC can be used with air-dry modelling materials. The child can paint them and display as ornaments, hang from tree branches etc.
With our Halloween Sponge Painting Set AP 721 SPH small children can make festive collages, wrapping paper for bran tubs, banners etc. Or images can be made on card and adults can cut around the shape for gift tags and mobiles.
Glue on some Stars AP 111 ST for a sparkly finish.
11.9.2009
As the older kids are now back at school the pre-schoolers can have their own fun and learning times. We manufacture lots of products that help develop writing and creativity through art and craft activities. Many are used in pre-school clubs, nurseries and playgroups. Small children love to feel different textures and experiment with patterns. Check out our Zany Rulers AP 342 ZR and Patten Rubbing and Embossing Plates AP 341 PEP and AP 765 PEAS. These plastic items are easy to wash and keep clean. The set of 6 Texture Stampers AP 434 TS are great fun.
All you need is a little amount of ready mix paint in our Sponge Dip bowls AP 140 SDB and some sheets of paper. As long as the paint is not too thick the work of art produced could even be dried and used as special wrapping paper.
Adding our Dip Bowl Sponge Stamper Bases AP 428 DB ensures that only the right amount of paint is used and avoids wastage.
Tip. These Sponge Dip Bowls are also great as sorting bowls and can help with colour recognition. We also sell packs of 10 bowls AP 350 SDB.
2.9.2009
Our Sponge Painting Skill Sponges are great fun.
Kids love dipping the large shapes into ready mix paint and then designing their own mix and match pictures.
'Picture Building' AP/147/SPPB and People AP/148/SPP. A new design 'Making Faces' will be available soon.
Rather than use expensive paper why not use up old rolls of plain backed wallpaper. In good weather lengths can be rolled out on to the path and children can make their own outdoor frieze.
As well as producing art and craft products we supply a lot of items that are used in schools.
We have a pack of 50 Musical Bells (AP 106 MB) at a very low price. These can be made into musical instruments or sewn onto costumes
26.8.2009
There must be a lot of Birthday Parties around the world. Our Make Your Own Crowns AP 771 MYOC is still one of our best sellers. They are inexpensive and so easy for children to colour and decorate. Kids love to make and wear their own things.
If you have kids over for a craft session you can display their paintings and works of art on one of our Display Lines. These come in several very attractive designs.
In good weather the lines can hang outside and paintings can dry on them.
Don't forget to check out our Messy Play section. The protective coats and activity mats keep everyone and everything clean. Our new nylon coats are very lightweight so suitable for all climates and kids love wearing the 'lab coat' style.
The pockets are useful for keeping art and craft bits and the coats wipe clean.
The Nylon Protective Coats are available in two sizes and are blue with an attractive 'splat' design. AP 841 NSC age 3+ and AP 842 NSC age 5+
18.8.2009
Going on a journey with children?
Often keeping them occupied is difficult. There are only so many guessing games to play and sometimes you just want to admire the scenery.
Our Animal and Transport Stickers are great for keeping the kids amused.
Moisten a Sponge Dip Bowl insert and place in the Dip Bowl. This will moisten and stick loads of shapes (and is healthier than licking the sticker).
The children can:
Make a collage on card using the stickers and crayons.
Take a stick of glue and some glitter dispensers in the luggage and then the child can finish the collage, adding other materials they find, when you reach the destination.
Add a sticker to card or paper as part of a game. Every time they spot a certain object they win a sticker.
They come in packs of 100. The Animal AP 004 AS, and Transport AP 006 TS shapes are good for journeys.
Colour in Masks AP369 CM can also provide hours of imaginative fun.
The pack has 12 different designs.
27.7.2009
With our Summer weather in the UK being unreliable and children playing indoors more here are a few ideas to keep them happy and occupied.
Modelling - Lots of hobby/craft outlets sell soft dough and we have a host of accessories to use with it. Plastic rolling pins, cutters, pattern tools etc. Our Modelling Accessory Pack contains 2 sets of dough extruders so is suitable for two or more children. Pop the clay in the tube, press the plunger and press out different shaped lengths of clay. The 'spaghetti' shape is great for adding 'hair' to a dough figure. Check out the Modelling section of our site.
Collage - This is a great way to keep kids occupied. All that is needed is some background card or paper, glue and imagination.
Most homes have old buttons, magazines to cut images from, interesting scraps of fabric etc.
We sell pre-cut card collage shapes - Animal, Faces, and Paper Hands and Faces shapes. Add our feathers, animal print paper, and shredded papers for maximum effect.
These and more can be found under the Collage section. For craft clubs and organisations we have large packs of buttons, shells etc.
Sponge Painting - Small children love painting and this is an easy way to make an image.
Pour a little ready mix paint in to one of our Sponge Dip Bowls (see Paint Accessories), dab a sponge shape into the paint and transfer the image onto some card or paper.
Finger Painting Stencils - encourage small children to understand the elements of writing by painting in the shapes with their fingers. See these and our other washable stencils.
Protect craft activity areas and tables with our Messy Play Splashmats. They come in 3 different colourways and are a generous size at 150cm x 150cm. And when the sun is shining they are great to use outside for picnics. Our staff have spotted them on the grass at lots of places of interest including Farm Parks and Castles.
17.7.2009
Thank you to all our customers.
Orders are increasing as more and more people find our site and enjoy the benefits of Factory Shopping on line. Last week our top sellers were Dinosaur Stencils, Cotton Bags to Decorate, People Sticks and Make Your Own Crowns.
Ideas - With so many summer birthdays coming up - why not have a themed craft party? We have products based around themes like Jungle, Sea Life, Animals and Bugs. Fancy dress parties i.e. Monster and Pirate are always great fun and kids love helping with the preparations. We have face paints on special offer this month.
Making Masks and Making Hats stencils offer fun activities for home, summer schools and groups.
8.7.2009
Our products have passed the required safety tests and many are used in kits we manufacture for leading brands. So you can buy with complete confidence that children are getting quality products, at a great price, that are really fun to use.
Have you tried our colourful Paint Pads? These are made using 'finger painting safe' colours and are great for end of term palm printing projects.
At home based parties children could make prints of their clean hands. Allow the paint to dry, cut around the image and use them as place mats or in games.
We have designed paint accessories to use with the paint pads. Our picture rollers come in 6 different themes including Jungle, Town and Sea Life and any of our hard textured stampers (not sponge) are ideal with the pads.
30.6.2009
With the summer holidays looming up now is a good time to get in stocks for parties and projects.
Check out our Craft Project section - it is full of things children can make and decorate. Crowns for parties, hand puppets for shows, flocked masks, in three different packs, for imaginative play. And - something we could all do with in this hot weather - paper fans!!!
Have you tried our Amazing Maize it sticks together without glue, offering a great non mess activity.
All that is required is some water and the child's imagination. Make anything from a slithery snake to a castle with battlements.
Check out the Building Noodles section where you will discover we stock Amazing Maize noodles, Activity cards, Picture Packs (ideal for young children to stick Amazing Maize shapes on) and even noodle tools to help make funky shapes.
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Now that the chance of frost has passed this is the time to get planting out in the garden.
Our Young gardener range of tools and accessories makes it easy for kids to join in and have fun gardening. We have both long handled and hand tools, watering cans and buckets and a range of grow kits - all in attractive colours and offering good quality at a good price.
Why not order some Sunflower kits and see whose sunflower grows the tallest?
We even have window boxes for those without suitable gardens.
Hand made cards and tags can be decorated using flowers prepared in our special flower press.
Check out the Young Gardener section for the full range of gardening tools and accessories and garden related craft products.
Do you like a bargain? In these 'credit crunch' times buying a copy of The Official Factory Shop Guide will help you find all sorts of items at discounted prices. We currently have this book on special offer for even greater savings. Check out the clearance and special offer section.
Thank you for all those who attended the Trade Shows this year. It was good to catch up with all of our customers and meet new ones.
Lets make this a successful 2009!
