If you’re buying for a child who loves cats and usually has a pen in their hand, a colour-in kit is worth a look. There’s something satisfying about giving them a present they can get involved with, especially when the finished result is theirs to wear or put on the wall. You get to choose the gift; they get to decide whether the cat should be pink.
Oh Erik’s Cat Craft Kits include colour-in fabric wall art, pyjamas and long-sleeved T-shirts. They give you a starting point for an afternoon at home without having to invent a project or gather lots of separate supplies. The wall art and Catitude T-shirt kits each come with six fabric pens, so you can check the instructions, clear a space and get going.
The wall art is a handy choice for a birthday present when you don’t know the child’s clothing size. If they’re keen on choosing their own outfits, though, a top they can colour themselves might be more their thing. Just check the size with a parent before ordering. Children have an inconvenient habit of growing between visits.
Getting Started Without Making a Big Production of It
You don’t need to turn the kitchen into an art studio. A clear table with a protective covering will do, with enough room to spread the fabric out and reach the pens without leaning across somebody else’s work. Read the instructions first, including any steps needed before colouring and before the finished item can be used or washed.
If you’re saving the kit for a wet weekend or a visit from the grandchildren, open it beforehand and see what you’ll need to have ready. It’s much easier to find a table covering before an excited child has uncapped all the pens.
Leave a bit of breathing room in the afternoon, too. Some children will want to colour for ages; others will do a little and come back after a snack. There’s no prize for finishing in one sitting, and nobody needs an adult hovering nearby asking whether that bit is done yet.The actual cat may hover, of course. A newly occupied table is fascinating when you have spent the morning ignoring it.
Let Them Have a Go
It’s tempting to help with the colours, particularly if you can already picture how lovely the finished piece could look. Try waiting until you’re asked. Your idea of a tasteful cat and a child’s idea of a brilliant cat may be quite different, and they’re the one who will be wearing or displaying it.
They might want to copy their own pet, right down to a favourite patch of fur. They might prefer something completely made up. Either works. If they’re unsure where to begin, choosing one small part is less daunting than planning the whole design.
You can sit with them without taking over. Ask about what they’re doing, have a chat, or get some paper and draw alongside them. It’s a nice opportunity to spend time together when neither of you needs to be especially entertaining. Sometimes the conversation wanders; sometimes everyone is busy choosing a pen.
With siblings or friends, give each child enough space for their own project. If they’re sharing colours, agree on taking turns before two artists develop a simultaneous and urgent need for the same pen. International negotiations have probably begun over less.
When they’ve had enough, cap the pens and put everything somewhere suitable. Follow the kit’s instructions for drying, finishing and care, then let them decide how to show off what they’ve made. A photograph to send to the person who gave them the kit is a lovely thank-you, particularly if the artist wants to explain a few of their choices.
You’ll find the different projects in the Oh Erik Cat Craft Kits collection. Pick something they’ll enjoy using afterwards and make a little room at the table. If the cat has already claimed that space, you may have to start by negotiating the seating.
