Back to School Stationery with Maped Helix Review
Back to School Stationery Products
Reviewed by Jenny Seymour
With the children going back to school I was asked to review some Mack to School items from Maped Helix, these were; Oxford Student Set; Glue Stick; Colouring Pencils set and Maped Sensoft 3d scissors.
The packaging is attractive and compact, which makes it a great gift. The packaging is broadly recyclable in card and plastic with no PVC and the products are sourced from responsible sources. I particularly like the tin for the coloured pencils though which comes in a pencil tin that is hardwearing and can be used to store the pencils in keeping them nicer for longer.
Who hasn’t been excited when they go back to school at the end of a long summer holiday because you get to use the new stationery that you’ve bought ready for the new school year! And who has never used Helix products?! They are classic quality stationery items and have been part of every pupil’s pencil case over the years I am sure!
These samples arrived a bit too late for us to be “back to school” gifts because I think our school went back a bit early this year. However, instead, they have proved to be fabulous “end of a good first week” presents! My little boys have just started KS2 and their final year in KS1 and were a bit nervous about going back…What would life be like in the “junior” playground, with bigger toilet blocks and stricter teachers? Well, they have both absolutely loved their first week back – which is always a huge relief for any parent and, as a result, I was really proud to be able to give them these little gifts to celebrate a great start to the new school year.
Helix Oxford Student Set
This went to my eldest, George who is almost 8. He loves it because it includes his very own biro. Whilst George has been writing diaries or little stories for a while, it is the first year in school that he gets to earn his “pen privilege” and so is excited to be able to practise with his very own biro at home. The biro is very easy to hold and writes very smoothly.
The pencils that come with the set were already beautifully sharp and so the sharpener that comes with the set was used to sharpen all our old pencils (which were much in need!). A couple of times an end of a pencil got stuck in the top, as we sharpened it a bit too much – we needed to use the new scissors to carefully extract it before sharpening again!
Glue Stick
What is good about this twist-up glue stick is that it is washable, acid-free and non-toxic. Whilst it is not safe for 0-3 year olds, it is a safe addition to any school child’s pencil case and worked well. The stick has lots of glue inside and will last for a very long time, with the click-on top being good to ensure that it doesn’t dry out.
Helix Oxford 12 Piece Coloured Pencils
Well this is a lovely set of pencils to add shade and texture to any picture and this was given to my second son Ben. Previously, he has rushed his colouring in and it is hoped that he will begin to enjoy colouring in with this lovely set of pencils and so far, it is working. This tin is a lovely addition to any pupil’s stationery set. The easy-to-open tin is lightweight and wouldn’t take up much room in a drawer. There is a place for each pencil and ensures that the pencils stay nice for longer.
Maped Sensoft 3D Scissors
These scissors are great!
Not for use by children under 5 years and are quite sharp, but the easy to hold grip is great to enable safe use of scissors.
As the Sensoft brand suggests, these scissors provide great comfort when using the scissors. The grip is rubber and shaped to fit two smaller fingers – they are very comfortable to hold and completely bendable! The stainless steel blades are sharp and slick and cut through plastic as well as paper, but the round edge still makes them suitable for use by children. A great pair of children’s scissors. We have a right-handed pair in black and orange, which really appealed to my little boy, but I will also be buying a left-handed pair for my second son, as I think they will help to stop his struggles when cutting.
Overall; Helix and Maped stationery products are great quality additions to any young school pupil’s pencil case and can make great gifts. I would definitely recommend these products for quality, style and ease of use.
Rating: 5/5 
Available to buy from all good stationery stockists. For more information visit www.mapedhelix.co.uk.
