Hey makers,
ALEX Toys craft kits, sorted by what your kid actually wants to make
We have spent decades in the toy industry packing arts and crafts into boxes that children can open and finish without a shopping trip. Now we keep the live range on one table: sewing, jewelry, bath and science sets, each with its age, its contents and the price it carries right now.
Most loved right now: Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kids Science Experiment Kit · ★ 4.6 from 9,210 ratings
What ALEX Toys makes
The range is built for children whose hands are still learning. A box arrives with the fiddly part already done — holes punched, thread cut, beads counted — so the fun starts with making rather than measuring. That is the whole trick of a good ALEX Toys craft kit: it protects a child's creativity from the boring half of the job and leaves imagination as the only thing a family has to bring.
- Arts and crafts kits with every piece counted into the box
- Sewing and needlepoint for small hands, with blunt needles and printed guides
- Bath toys and tub crayons that wash off tile
- Science sets with goggles, beakers and a card deck of experiments
Eight shelves at the craft table
Children rarely ask for a brand. They ask to make a bracelet, or to put something in the bath, or to do the one with the little tweezers. The shelves below are sorted that way.
Art and Craft Kits
Paint, mosaic, paper and clay projects that start with an empty table and end with something on the fridge.
20 sets
Sewing and Needlework
First stitches, needlepoint hoops and sew-your-own softies — blunt needles, pre-punched holes, printed guides.
7 sets
Jewelry and DIY Wear
Bracelets, charms, looms and duct tape fashion: small parts, big piles, and a lot of trading at recess.
18 sets
Spa and Salon
Washable hair chalk, nail pens, skin-safe tattoo markers and bath fizz you mix yourself.
17 sets
Bath and Tub Play
Crayons that draw on tile, foam letters that stick when wet, and fishing games that only work in six inches of water.
12 sets
Toddler and Preschool
Chunky handles, wipe-clean boards and giant floor puzzles sized for hands that still grab with a whole fist.
17 sets
Science and Learning Kits
Test tubes, goggles, felt money and counting games — the learning end of the table, boxed with everything measured out.
5 sets
Games and Pretend
Tea sets, garages, hockey rinks and building rods for the play that happens after the making is done.
4 sets
The most-rated box on the table
Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kids Science Experiment Kit
- 20 piece kit allows your young scientist to explore and learn the basics of science from chemical reactions to the use of science tools
- Represents STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) principles – open ended toys to construct, engineer, explorer and experiment
- Chemicals Included: Red cabbage powder, citric acid, baking soda, 3 color tablets, crosslinked polyacrylate copolymer, vegetable oil, corn starch
- Supplies Included: 2 cotton swabs, 3 test tubes with stand, 3 plastic cups, pipette, 2 sticks, 2 measuring scoops and activity guide
What is the kit for?
Start from the moment, not the brand. Each card opens the shelf that fits it.
The ALEX Toys sets families bought most
Ranked by how many ratings each listing has gathered, not by what we would like to sell. Imagination is the only thing these boxes expect you to bring.
Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kids Science Experiment Kit
4.6$15.89
See what is inside
Hair Chalk Salon Kit, Washable Temporary Hair Color Activity Set
4.2$19.99
See what is inside
My First Sewing Kit
4.5$21.90
See what is inside
Sketch It Nail Pens Salon
4.4$26.95
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Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kids Science Kit
4.5$9.99
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Rock Pets Fox
4.2$13.78
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Spa Sketch and Sparkle Tattoo Pens
4.4$11.90
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DIY Wear I Heart Charm Bracelets
4.4$9.98
See what is insideThe twelve most-rated kits, side by side
Age, rating and the price each box carries right now, on one grid.
| # | Kit | Shelf | Age | Rating | Ratings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kids Science Experiment Kit | Science and Learning Kits | — | ★ 4.6 | 9,210 | $15.89 |
| 2 | Hair Chalk Salon Kit, Washable Temporary Hair Color Activity Set | Spa and Salon | Ages 8 and up | ★ 4.2 | 5,690 | $19.99 |
| 3 | My First Sewing Kit | Sewing and Needlework | Ages 7 and up | ★ 4.5 | 4,478 | $21.90 |
| 4 | Sketch It Nail Pens Salon | Spa and Salon | — | ★ 4.4 | 3,969 | $26.95 |
| 5 | Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kids Science Kit | Science and Learning Kits | — | ★ 4.5 | 3,883 | $9.99 |
| 6 | Rock Pets Fox | Art and Craft Kits | Ages 8 and up | ★ 4.2 | 3,150 | $13.78 |
| 7 | Spa Sketch and Sparkle Tattoo Pens | Spa and Salon | — | ★ 4.4 | 2,675 | $11.90 |
| 8 | DIY Wear I Heart Charm Bracelets | Jewelry and DIY Wear | — | ★ 4.4 | 2,470 | $9.98 |
| 9 | Beep Beep Stickers in the Tub - Bath Stickers for Toddlers | Bath and Tub Play | — | ★ 4.7 | 2,419 | $19.99 |
| 10 | Simply Needlepoint Butterfly | Sewing and Needlework | — | ★ 4.3 | 2,262 | $21.99 |
| 11 | Rub a Dub Draw in the Tub Crayons | Bath and Tub Play | — | ★ 3.9 | 2,243 | $8.99 |
| 12 | My Giant Busy Box | Art and Craft Kits | — | ★ 4.5 | 2,238 | $30.00 |
The best-rated kit at every budget
Four price bands, and the box families rate highest inside each one.
Every shelf at a glance
| Shelf | Sets | Prices | Best rated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art and Craft Kits | 20 | $4.99 – $51.20 | Paper Bag Puppets, 5 Fun & Easy Projects ★ 4.7 |
| Sewing and Needlework | 7 | $10.99 – $65.42 | My First Sewing Kit ★ 4.5 |
| Jewelry and DIY Wear | 18 | $5.47 – $42.99 | Shrinky Dinks Jewelry Kit ★ 4.6 |
| Spa and Salon | 17 | $8.99 – $33.40 | Ultimate Hair Accessories Salon ★ 4.5 |
| Bath and Tub Play | 12 | $7.99 – $26.99 | Beep Beep Stickers in the Tub - Bath Stickers for Toddlers ★ 4.7 |
| Toddler and Preschool | 17 | $8.57 – $29.99 | My First Scribble ★ 4.7 |
| Science and Learning Kits | 5 | $9.99 – $29.95 | Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kids Science Experiment Kit ★ 4.6 |
| Games and Pretend | 4 | $19.99 – $54.95 | Chasing Butterflies Ceramic Kids Tea Set, 13 Piece ★ 4.6 |
What families wrote about these kits
Best product ever for little ones. Necklace bracelets and key chain. My grand daughters 3 and 6 love to make and then show off what they made. Items included r sturdy, necklaces actually have a clasp which the 3 year old can even do by herself, instructions are easy to follow. Anything that brings a smile to their face from something they can accomplish with or without a little help is a win win for me.
I got this for my son’s kindergarten class and they loved it! His teacher reported they were really excited. They enjoyed using it for shopping games and to figure out prices and value for wants and needs in a more structured lesson. I thought that more realistic colors would be helpful, but being able to use both color and numbers made this more useful for the 5 and 6 year old kindergarten class.
This toy does what I need it to do: a.) keep my pediatric clients on task during speech therapy sessions, b..) be versatile enough that they enjoy making it in different ways each time they come to play. It is colorful and the foam pieces are easier to keep in place compared to plastic pegs clanking against a plastic board. They're soft yet easy enough to sanitize as well. This was a good buy.
I bought it more than one year ago and plan to give it as bonus for their work. I finally have chance to give it to my 7 years old. It turned out both my 7 years old and 5 years like it. It keeps them focused for more than half an hour. Both of them are not good at art, so I am not worried that this will destroy their creativity. I am very happy with this art set. It is a nice surprise.
My two year old loves these, they float in the bath and easily stick to the bathtub walls. I’ll stick them to his back to get a laugh. There are a lot of road pieces I don’t think are necessary and don’t fit together as well as I’d like, but he has a lot of fun with the vehicles (a lot of those too). The mesh bag they come with is also great for allowing them to dry out between baths.
Santa just brought this for my six year old, mature, divaesque, total girl daughter who loves creative toys. We just did the hand bag and she absolutely loved it. It is definitely a mommy-daughter toy, but what a great way to spend quality time. Its made quite well, not cheap and flimsy at all. My only complaint is no light. I would highly recommend this for any little girly girl!
Questions parents ask about ALEX Toys
What happened to ALEX Toys?
We have changed hands more than once over the decades, and parts of our original range are no longer reprinted. That is why some sets on our table are easy to find and others surface and vanish within a week.
What are some good kids' arts and crafts kits to start with?
Start with a boxed activity that has one finished object on the lid. A single sewing kit or one mosaic set beats a tub of loose supplies, because the child can see what success looks like before the glue comes out.
What is the best craft kit for kids who have never made anything?
Pick a set rated for a year below your child's age. The instructions will be shorter, the parts larger, and the first attempt will finish in one sitting instead of three.
Do activity kits include everything you need?
Most of these boxes do, apart from water, scissors and a covered table. Each card on this site lists what is inside, so you can check before the birthday rather than after.
Choosing an ALEX Toys activity kit
An ALEX craft kit proves itself by being finishable. Before you buy, look for three things: a clear age mark, a contents list with counts rather than adjectives, and a project children can hold up at the end. Little hands get tired, and a box that needs an adult for every step turns into an adult's project with an audience.
Age marks here are about small parts and patience in roughly equal measure. A toddler can manage a tub crayon and a peel-and-stick mosaic; a seven-year-old can thread a needle and follow six printed steps; a ten-year-old wants something wearable at the end. Buy a year down rather than a year up and the first attempt will be fun instead of frustrating.
We have been in the toy industry long enough that half of what you remember from a classroom cupboard carries our name. Some of those boxes are now end-of-run, so we keep every set that is still out there on one table: when a box with a child's whole afternoon of imagination in it goes, it does not come back.