About Models to Paint
These models are the simplest way into the range: you press a few parts out of a thin plywood board, slot them together without glue and then paint the figure. The manufacturer rates them as suitable from about age 4 — earlier than anything else here.
Outlines are pre-drawn on the wood. They give a direction without dictating anything.
Paints not included
The kits contain the wooden parts, not the paint. That is deliberate: acrylics, gouache, watercolours, felt-tip pens — they all work, and most families already have something in the cupboard. What you use only changes how the result looks.
Untreated plywood takes paint well. If you have nothing at home, a simple set of watercolours and a medium brush will get you a long way.
How it works
First press out, then slot together, then paint. The parts sit loosely enough for a child to get them out of the board alone; when slotting them together, an adult hand helps if something sticks. Building takes half an hour to an hour — painting usually takes longer, and that is the real point.
If several kids are at the table: the small models cost little enough for each one to have their own.
Frequently asked questions
What age are they for?
The manufacturer says from about age 4. That is the youngest recommendation in the whole range. It remains a guideline: pressing out and painting work early on, and at first someone helps with slotting the parts together.
Are paints and brushes included?
No, only the wooden parts. You can paint with acrylics, gouache, watercolours or felt-tip pens — use whatever you have.
Do you have to paint them at all?
No. Unpainted, a model looks like light wood with fine engraved lines, and many people leave it that way. Painting is a second afternoon, not a must.
How long does a model like this take?
Building is quick — half an hour to an hour, depending on the model. The exact figure is on every product page. Painting comes on top and lasts as long as the child enjoys it.
Does anything move on these models?
No. These figures stand still; they have no mechanism. If you are looking for something that moves afterwards, you will find it in the other themes.