Best Craft Toys for Kids Aged 6+ in 2026 (Tested by Mums & Kids)
If you’ve ever tried to keep children entertained on a rainy day or a slow Sunday, you’ll know that not all craft kits are created equal, and colouring books don’t always cut it with this age group.
Some look brilliant on the box but are finished in five minutes, and so complicated or fiddly that they lose your child’s interest quickly. Others turn the kitchen table into a glitter explosion that you’re still cleaning up three days later when all you wanted was an easy way to keep them entertained. We go through them and tell you the best craft toys from crafts that need problem-solving skills to crafts that deliver a great final product to keep for little hands, 6 years plus, for younger kids through to older kids, best art supplies and activities.
Recently, we’ve had a stream of craft kits arrive at our house for testing for MMB Magazine, and my children have happily taken on the role of official kid testers and toy reviewers. Everything in this guide has been tested at home with real kids, which means the verdict is based on what actually kept them engaged and how easy it was for me to set up and clean up!
From slime labs to paint sets and squishy-making kits, these are the craftastic kits, craft toys for kids aged 6+ that genuinely held their attention and sparked creativity and a great way to learn some new skills on a fun project. I love doing crafts with the kids, but I love it even more when it’s a simple setup they can handle on their own for an hour.
If you’re looking for something to keep children busy during weekends, school holidays or quiet afternoons at home, these are some of the best craft kits we’ve discovered so far in 2026, and they make great gifts for little artists.
Quick Picks: Best Craft Toys for Kids 6+
Below are some of our favourite craft toys that children aged six and above tend to love.
Table of Contents
Our Favourite Craft Toys for Kids 6+ in 2026
Below are the craft toys that have stood out the most during our testing so far this year.
Doctor Squish: Squishy Maker £29.99
Age range: 3+ Best for: Kids who love a squishy these are amazing and can go big!
Set up: Watch the video, and you will be off in no time, really easily.
Clean up: Not much clean up, but I can imagine if you’re not watching or over the sink when tying the squishies off, you could be a long time cleaning up!!
Refill Packs: Yes
Link: Doctor Squish: Squishy Maker
The video instructions are definitely the easiest way to see how it works, and once you get the hang of it the kids really enjoy the process of creating their own squishies.
The kids thought they were brilliant. Watching them fill the moulds, create the designs and then seal them into their own squishy toys was really satisfying. And I have to say, the finished ones actually look really good and feel surprisingly durable — not one has exploded yet! 😅
One thing to note is that adult help is definitely needed when taking them off the machine to seal the clip. That part needs a bit of care.
✨ Kids can make their own squishy toys
✨ A really fun creative activity
✨ Best with a bit of adult help during the sealing stage
✨ The finished squishies actually look fab and hold up really well
We’d also seen a few people online say it can be messy, but we simply did that step in the sink when removing it from the machine and didn’t have a single spill.
👉 Read the full review: Coming soon
Squish Squish DIY Squishy Factory £12.99
Age range: 6+ Best for: Kids who enjoy hands-on crafts and want to create and decorate their own squishy toys from scratch.
Set up: Quick and easy; can be a little fiddly getting the slime into the mould, but slow and steady, poke with the lollypop stick, and you’re sorted.
Clean up: The slime can be a little sticky, but it wipes away easily with a spray and a cloth in the washing machine.Time Entertainned: Eliza was easily engaged for over an hour.
Link: Squish Squish DIY Squishy Factory | Very
This craft kit was an immediate hit in our house, and I must admit I was a little apprehensive about the mess it might create!
Children get to create their own project from scratch with these slime art activities, following simple instructions while still having plenty of freedom to personalise their designs.
One thing I liked about this kit was that, after making the squishy, they also decorated the bags and put their squishy inside to keep it safe or give it as a gift.
It’s the kind of craft set that works well on a quiet afternoon or during the school holidays when you want something that keeps kids busy for a while.
👉 Read our full review here:
Puffy Pouches Themed Set – Ice Creamery £19.99
Age range: 5+
Best for: 8 plus I think
Set up: Simple, needs 4 AA batteries for the laminator (Just remember for first use to hold down the bar for the light to come on, took me a little to figure that out!)
Clean up: Easy
Refill Pack: Yes lots to choose from
Time Entertainned: One hour
Link: Puffy Pouches
The idea is simple but really engaging – kids fill the pouches with decorations, seal them using the little laminator and create their own squishy ice-cream themed accessories they can keep or share with friends.
The laminating stage did start to lose her attention a little after a while, as it was quite fiddly for some pieces, but she’s only coming up to six. I think for slightly older kids this wouldn’t be an issue at all, as they’ll enjoy finishing them off themselves. She still loved the process of making them and seeing the finished pouches.
✨ Kids can make up to 10 ice-cream themed pouches
✨ Great for creative play
✨ Ideal for craft-loving kids (around 5/6+)
✨ They end up with little accessories they’ve actually made themselves
Eliza absolutely loved choosing the decorations and making the designs. The creative part really kept her engaged and she was excited to add them to her bags.
👉 Read the full review: Coming soon
So SlimeMini Garden £12.99
Age range: 6+
Best for: Kids who enjoy hands-on crafts and want to make decorative slime gardens to display.
Set up: Quick and easy, an apron and a wipe-clean tablecloth are the best way to make it easier
Clean up: I really thought this one would create a mess with the coloured dye powder, but it easily wiped up and washed away.
Time Entertainned: Eliza was easily engaged for over an hour.
Link: So Slime Mini Garden | Very
This kit focuses on creative decorating and imaginative play. It includes a perfume scent and a display unit, both appealing features.
Children can experiment with colours and textures as they create their own designs, making every finished project slightly different.
It’s a great option for children who enjoy arts and crafts and like the freedom to create something unique. The kit suits all skill levels and leaves you with some great little pieces.
👉 Full review coming soon
Creamy Deco Collectible Custom Babies £6.99 (Smyths)
Age range: 6+
Best for: Creative kids who love collecting, decorating and personalising their own creations.
Set up: Very simple. Everything needed is included in the pack, so children can get started decorating straight away.
Clean up: Minimal mess. The decorating cream and gems stay where they’re supposed to, making this a fairly stress-free craft activity.
Time Entertained: Eliza spent around 30–45 minutes decorating her baby and choosing where all the sparkly details should go. Older children who enjoy crafts and collecting will likely spend even longer perfecting their designs.
Why we liked it: It combines the excitement of a surprise collectible with a hands-on craft activity, and the finished baby can be clipped onto a bag afterwards rather than ending up forgotten in a toy box.
Link: Creamy Deco Collectible Custom Babies | Smyths Toys
If you’ve got a child who loves crafts, collecting little surprises and anything sparkly, these Creamy Deco Collectible Custom Babies are a lovely screen-free activity.
Each set comes with everything needed to decorate your own baby figure, including colourful deco cream, sparkly decorations and a surprise collectible character. There’s no complicated set-up involved, which is always a win when you’ve got excited children wanting to get started straight away.
What I particularly like about these is that they’re not just another blind bag. Children get the fun of discovering which character they’ve received, but then they can make it completely their own by decorating it however they like. No two end up looking the same.
As well as being fun, they’re great for developing fine motor skills as children carefully pipe the cream and place the decorations. It’s the sort of activity that encourages concentration without them even realising they’re learning.
Once finished, the babies can be attached to bags using the included keychain, which means they don’t just get made and forgotten about. The children can proudly show off their creations afterwards too.
With 12 different babies to collect, including a rare Glitzy Baby, there’s plenty of excitement for children who enjoy collecting and trading with friends. A lovely little craft activity for rainy afternoons, party bags, pocket money treats or as a small gift for creative kids.
Art Lab Watercolour Case £14.99
Age range: 6+ Best for: Kids who enjoy painting and want a variety of watercolour tools and projects in one portable kit.
Set up: Quick and easy; can be a little fiddly getting the slime into the mould, but slow and steady, poke with the lollypop stick, and you’re sorted.
Clean up: The slime can be a little sticky, but it wipes away easily with a spray and a cloth in the washing machine.
Time Entertained: Eliza was easily engaged for 30 mins, but I think a child 7+ or older may take longer and get more involved in the painting process with all the techniques the kit can show them.
Link: Art Lab Watercolour Case | Very
This is a great little kit easy to set up and pack away, it has a variety of paint brushes options from paint brush to water pen and felt tip and pencil and a variety of projects to paint. The sponge is a great way for the kids to blend the colours, paint on it, and stamp or pull it along the paper. The paper is of great quality, and the design choices for the kids to colour are stunning.
👉 Read the full review: Coming soon
Style 4 Ever DIY Keychain Factory Set £19.99
Age range: 6+ Best for:
Set up:
Clean up: Time Entertained: Eliza was easily engaged for 30 mins, but I think a child 7+ or older may take longer and get more involved.
Link: Style 4 Ever DIY Keychain | Smyths
It’s definitely one of those sets that appeals straight away if your child loves beads, charms, friendship bracelets and anything personalised.
The set is essentially a mini keychain-making studio where children can create their own colourful bag charms and keyrings using paracord, beads, stickers and aqua charms. The whole thing is very bright, very “tween aesthetic”, and feels aimed at children who enjoy crafty, hands-on activities.
One thing I actually liked about this set is that it includes several different activities rather than just one repetitive task. Eliza loved the fact that she can braid cords, fill charms, decorate accessories and mix different beads together, which helps keep her interested for longer than some smaller craft kits that can feel the samey.
Casdon Build-A-Bear Stuffing Station Set £35.00
Age range: 3+
Best for: Kids who love teddies, role play and getting hands-on with their toys rather than simply opening a finished one.
Set up: Quick and straightforward. Younger children will need some adult help with stuffing and closing the bear, but that’s part of the fun.
Clean up: Virtually mess-free, making it a great rainy-day activity or birthday gift.
Time Entertained: Eliza spent around 30–45 minutes creating and stuffing her bear, then carried on playing with it afterwards. The role-play element gives it much longer-lasting play value than many craft kits.
Why we liked it: It gives children a little taste of the Build-A-Bear experience at home. There’s something really special about creating a teddy yourself and then taking care of it afterwards. We also love that you can buy refill packs and additional accessories, which means the fun doesn’t stop after the first bear and makes it a gift that can grow over time.
Link: Build A Bear Stuffing Station
Eliza was so excited to try this one. The idea of making her own Build-A-Bear at home was a big hit from the moment we opened the box, and she couldn’t wait to get started stuffing and creating her bear. It felt a bit different from a traditional teddy as she was involved in the whole process rather than simply opening a finished toy.
She did struggle a little with the stuffing mixer at first, as it became stuck when we tried to put too much stuffing in at once. Once we realised less is more and fed the stuffing through in smaller amounts, it worked much better and we were quickly back on track.
The outfits and sunglasses really made the pack as well. She had a good hour of fun, plus even her older brother got involved.
After that, she loved watching her bear come to life and was incredibly proud of the finished result.
What We Look for in a Good Craft Toy
After testing quite a few craft kits with children, a few things tend to separate the good ones from the ones that get abandoned halfway through.
Clear instructions
If children can understand the steps without constant adult help, they’re far more likely to enjoy the process.
Enough materials included
Some kits look great but don’t include enough supplies to complete the project properly.
Creative freedom
The best craft toys allow children to experiment rather than just copy a finished example.
Refill Packs
To be able to buy refill packs is a big win for us, keeping the cost down but the fun going with out having to purchase the whole kit again.
Something they’re proud of at the end
When kids can show off their finished creation, they’re much more excited about the activity.
Tips for Craft Activities with Kids
From experience, a few simple tricks can make craft time much more enjoyable.
Use a wipeable table cover.
Even the tidiest craft kit can get messy once children get involved.
Set up a “craft box”
Keeping scissors, glue and colouring pens together makes it easier to start activities quickly.
Let kids take the lead.
Sometimes the most creative ideas come from letting children experiment rather than sticking rigidly to instructions.
Why Craft Toys Are Brilliant for Kids Aged 6+
Once children reach around six years old, their creativity really starts to take off. They’re more patient, more independent and much more capable of following instructions in a kit.
Craft toys are great for:
Building creativity
Children can experiment with different colours, textures, and ideas while creating something they feel proud of as little artists.
Improving focus
Craft activities often require small steps and patience, which help develop concentration, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills.
Encouraging independent play
Some of the best craft kits let kids work independently for 30–60 minutes, which parents everywhere will appreciate and help give a break from screen time.
Boosting confidence
Finishing a creative project gives children of all ages a real sense of achievement.
We’re Always Testing New Craft Toys
At MMB Magazine, we regularly review toys, games and activities that families genuinely use at home.
If you’re a toy brand or PR agency with a craft kit suitable for children aged 6+, we’d love to hear from you. Our toy reviews are tested by real families and shared with our growing UK parent audience. They are always looking for new ideas to keep their children entertained.
📩 PR enquiries: abbie@mmbmagazine.co.uk
Final Thoughts
Craft toys can be a brilliant way to encourage creativity, independence and imaginative play.
The right kit can keep children happily occupied while giving them the chance to create something they’re genuinely proud of.
We’ll keep updating this guide throughout 2026 as we discover more brilliant craft toys for kids aged six and above.
Why not read 10 Top Educational Toys For Toddlers And PreSchoolers or Pretend Play Toys Gift Guide For Toddlers To 5 Year Olds