Educational Insights - Character Design Studio | Featuring Art by Brady Smith

Educational Insights Character Design Studio

What happens when you combine a robot’s head with a monster’s body and a superhero’s legs? Kids get to find out with the Character Design Studio, an all-in-one drawing set that turns wild ideas into colourful characters. It features artwork by Brady Smith, the author and illustrator of popular kids’ books and graphic novels. Children mix and match double-sided rubbing plates in the design tray, rub their creation onto paper with a crayon, then colour it in and put it on display. With more than 500 possible combinations, every character is a little different.

Mix, Match and Create 500+ Characters

There are 12 double-sided plates, and kids can combine them in the design tray in hundreds of ways. Experimenting with different combinations encourages creative thinking, decision-making and plenty of giggles as the characters get sillier.

Easy Crayon Rubbing for Instant Results

Kids slot the plates into the design tray, lay a drawing page over the top, and rub with the black crayon in its crayon holder to reveal the design. The holder makes rubbing comfortable and even for small hands, so younger children get a crisp outline every time. Then they reach for the coloured pencils and bring their character to life.

Mess-Free Creative Play

There’s no glue, tape, scissors or glitter, so this kit is easy to set up at the kitchen table and just as easy to pack away. It’s a good choice for quiet time, travel or a rainy afternoon, with no clean-up afterwards.

From Rubbing to Original Drawing

When kids are ready for more, they can use the designs as stencils to sketch their own characters freehand, adding details, accessories and backstories. It’s a natural step from guided play to independent drawing that builds confidence along the way.

Learning Through Creative Play

Crayon rubbing and colouring develop fine motor control and pencil grip, while designing characters supports visual-spatial thinking and self-expression. Inventing names, personalities and stories for each character brings in early storytelling and language skills too.

What’s Included

• 12 double-sided rubbing plates
• Design tray
• 30 drawing pages
• Black crayon
• Crayon holder
• Guide
• 4 coloured pencils

Suitable from 5 Years +

What age is the Character Design Studio suitable for?
It’s recommended for children aged 5 and up. The crayon holder and rubbing plates make it easy for younger kids to get great results, while older children can use the designs as stencils for their own drawings.

How many characters can kids make?
The 12 double-sided plates can be mixed and matched to create more than 500 different characters.

How does crayon rubbing work?
Kids place the rubbing plates in the design tray, lay a drawing page on top and rub over it with the crayon. The raised design shows up on the paper, ready to colour in.

Is the Character Design Studio messy?
No. It doesn’t use glue, tape, scissors or glitter, so it’s a clean, easy activity for home, school or travel.

Who is Brady Smith?
Brady Smith is an author and illustrator of popular kids’ illustrated books and graphic novels. His artwork features on the character designs in this kit.

What skills does this kit help develop?
It supports fine motor skills, creativity, visual-spatial thinking and early storytelling as kids design, colour and invent stories for their characters.

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