Stib Colouring Pencils Review
Reviewed by Louise Totton
One of the most important things that we do for our children is to instil a sense of self into them; we equip them not only with knowledge and skills, but with the sense of self belief and confidence that will carry them through their lives. It is not enough to fill their heads with facts, we have to give them the confidence to know that whatever they do is valued and they are special and unique. We tell our kids this all the time, but it doesn’t do them any harm to have it reinforced from other sources, and that is exactly what the fabulous folks at Stib have done with their Inspirational Colouring Pencils.
Stib (Smart Thinking in a Box) colouring pencils are available in jumbo and mini sizes, both of which come in an environmentally friendly, cardboard storage tube. We were sent a tube of each to try out with the kids and they very handily arrived during an incredibly wet week in June!
I have to say that the colouring pencils are clearly a premium product, and this is obvious from the moment you have the tube in your hands. In both sizes, the pencils are made from top quality materials and are an ergonomic, triangular shape making them perfect for little hands who are just learning their proper pencil grip. Each of the pencils are embossed with an inspirational and positive phrase, perfect for the little personalities who are holding them.
The standard sized colouring pencils – Jumbo (RRP: £9.95) are supplied in a set of twelve, and the tube includes a bright orange double-sized pencil sharpener, a Stibler sticker sheet that can be used for decorating the reusable tube, and the twelve colouring pencils which are embossed with the following phrases: Peace Keeper, Earth Lover, Joy Finder, Big Thinker, Self Believer, World Changer, Story Teller, Problem Solver, Good Listener, Freestyler, Great Leader & Team Player. Each of the coloured pencils is matched with an animal character – one of the Stiblers – and you can even download stories featuring these characters from the Stib website.
The smaller sized colouring pencils – Mini (RRP: £7.95) are supplied in a set of ten, packed just as beautifully in a smaller storage tube, and this pack includes a set of Stibler colouring sheets as well as the orange double-sized pencil sharpener. The ten pencils are embossed with: Peace Keeper, Earth Lover, Joy Finder, Big Thinker, Self Believer, World Changer, Story Teller, Problem Solver, Good Listener & Freestyler. The pencils are the same excellent quality as the standard sized pack and are the same ergonomic shape. The only difference is the length of the pencils is around half the size, making them ideal for little hands as well as a very handy standby for keeping in handbags or for when you’re on to go.
The pencils really are super quality and they colour in very evenly, without any lead breakages. I really love the positive messages on the pencils, as do both of my girls, and they have led to several conversations about what the messages mean and why the qualities might be positive character traits. My eldest’s new favourite colour is yellow, as she wants to be a Joy Finder, whilst the youngest is particularly drawn to being a pink Big Thinker.
Colouring in is always a fantastic rainy day standby, and I think Stib have made it even better by embossing these wonderful and positive messages on the side of the pencils. They are not the cheapest colouring pencils, but when you consider the fact that they come in such lovely and reusable packaging, along with the ergonomic shape, and the other included goodies, I actually think they are very good value for money. The kids are loving using their ‘special pencils’, and they always go for these ones when they get the colouring things out, which I think is lovely to see.
Rating: 5/5
For more information or to buy online visit www.stibpencils.com.
