We were shopping recently and saw a toy shop demonstrator making elastic band bracelets with a sort of loom. Florence was fascinated and eager to give it a try. The lady kindly sat down and showed Florence how to do it despite her not really being anywhere near the recommended age and I thought after a few minutes she would realise she was a little young and give up.

As it happens it turns out she is actually more than capable and can quite easily make the bracelets even though it looked very fiddly with this loom and the hook provided to create them with. Because she enjoyed it so much my Mum bought her a little kit and she carried on making when we got home.

There are some quite complicated patterns which are a bit hard for her but the basic pattern is fine and with a little help (I have to set the bands up on the loom for her) she was away.

Then I heard about Super Loops by Interplay. Again these are bracelets to make using elastic bands and again they are aimed at an older age range (8+) but this time no loom is required. You just start it off with the clasp having a band looped through it and then using your fingers you loop subsequent bands through it. I thought this would be perfect because it means I wouldn’t even have to set the loom up for her.

It costs £9.99 for enough to make five bracelets and Florence (at four) could do it once I had shown her how. She found it a bit tricky at first because she is used to something else but actually, because she didn’t really need me to help her at all I think she found the whole process much more satisfying. After a while, if making a longer one, they become a bit tight for some reason and at that point she has asked me to hold it for her while she loops them through but really and truly we’re very impressed with how independent she can be with it.

Florence sat at her desk and had a lovely time making them!

It comes with 5 colours, 5 clasps and an instruction booklet with good pictures for a step by step meaning Florence could follow it on her own. I like the set and it definitely promotes creativity. Florence has done and undone her bracelets (and rings as she prefers to make) and re-used the bands.

It’s a great little kit but I’d include a few more clasps to make it even better. I also think the packaging is ridiculous. A box the size of a chocolate box but contents which all fit into one tiny freezer bag… (We just put all the things in a little bag and binned the rest!

Florence with one of her Super Loop creations!

I was sent the Super Loops kit for the purpose of an honest review.

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