Review Detail

Hours of step-by-step projects--endless sculpting and light-up possibilities.
This electrical sculpture kit contains four colors of conducting clay (purple, green, orange, and black), a pack of white insulating clay, 20 LED lights in five colors (red, white, yellow, blue, and green), and 53 paper punch-out pieces for embellishment. The 52-page booklet includes detailed instructions on 13 different projects—including UFOs, robots, and dragons.

The concept is ingenious, combining art with the very basics of electrical engineering. My 8-year-old son spent roughly 4 hours one afternoon attempting her own versions of nearly every inspiration example. After some help with the first project, he was able to take it from there pretty well on his own.

It is especially pertinent that you read pages 6-7 before starting. The instructions cover LED care, clean up, and battery pack handling. Kids will likely appreciate that the instructions not only tell you what to do and not do, but also give an explanation of WHY. (Be mindful that the insulating clay is integral to the project working, and it can be a bit touchy. If any of the conducting clay makes it past the insulating layer, the sculpture won’t light up.)

Note: The clay does NOT conduct electricity after dries out, so bear this in mind and either disassemble or place completed sculptures in an air-tight container or bag to prevent it becoming inert.