My 7 1/2 year old daughter has been playing with model magic since she was 3. I think I have bought between 25-30lbs of it over the years. It is usually cheapest to buy from the craft store in 2lb buckets with a 50% off coupon, however, when I purchased this classpack it was on sale and ended up cheaper. The multi-color classpack is the way to go if you can get a deal on it. It doesn't dry out as fast as the 2lb bucket because you are only opening small amounts at the time. Also, it is perfect for parties or playdates, since it is already divided up into small quantities. It is also great for travel or bringing to a restaurant to keep kids entertained - just throw a few packs in your bag. My daughter will play with this for hours. We actually threw out all of our play-doh and only buy model magic because it does not make a mess, doesn't crumble, and dries nicer. Model magic works well with most play-doh playsets, with one exception - it does not work with any type of extruding tool. It gets stuck every time we have tried to extrude it. I attached a few pictures of our recent creations. You can easily stick gems, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, sequins, and feathers into your model magic creations. Also, with this primary color pack, you can make any color you want. Here are some tips: If you can't get something to stick to model magic, like googly eyes, wait until it dries then glue it on. If you are making a large animal or figure, like a snowman, use foil for the main structure. Then cover the foil with the model magic. You will save model magic and it will dry faster. To dry model magic, place on a paper plate. Every day or so, turn the model magic creation over, so each side gets a chance to dry. It dries very lightweight. If you plan to make handprints or footprints, you will need to press the hand or foot into the clay very firmly to get a well defined print. We have used it for prints, but it does require patience. Finally, once dry, never place directly on any surface to display without something under it. Sometimes, humidity will make it stick to the surface leaving a hard to remove residue behind. We usually put a piece of paper under the dried object when displaying.
