Dink Shrinking Popular With Children
While shopping the other day, Crazy Lady came across Shrinky Dinks and just had to take a picture of this interesting named toy. After reading up about Shrinky Dinks though, I realized I must be living a sheltered life, because Shrinky Dinks have been around for quite some time!
Brainstorming Activity Ideas
Faced with a pack of bored Cub Scouts in 1973, a woman named Betty Morris was brainstorming activity ideas, and happened upon a craft book which mentioned that certain plastic container lids shrank when placed in an oven. The Scouts loved the concept, so they cut all shapes and sizes, and Shrinky Dinks were born! It allowed the boys to shove their Dinks into a heated oven for several minutes, where they would shrink to one-third of their original size, and nine times less than the original thickness.
Introducing The Incredible Shrinky Dinks Maker
Shrinky Dinks lasted well into the early 1990’s, with licensed kits ranging from Pac Man and Masters of the Universe to Mr. T. After being absent from the market for years, Klutz press published the Shrinky Dinks Book and the Shrinky Dinks Refill Pack, but both still required the use of an oven to make the magic happen. Then in 2001, Spin Master Toys gave parents a break with their Incredible Shrinky Dinks Maker, removing the oven from the equation. Using a light bulb as the heat element, the current Incredible Shrinky Dinks Maker is safer for children (over 8) to use than either an oven or toaster oven.
Kids Now Just Pop In Their Dinks And Shrink Them
Now, the kids just pop their Dinks into the Maker on one side, then the oven does its magic before cooling enough to safely touch. This popular innovation allows children to shrink their Dinks without supervising parents having to work an oven for the child.
Where To Buy Shrinky Dinks
The Incredible Shrinky Dinks Maker can be found at Michaels, WalMart, Etsy and more. Prices range from $21.99 to $29.99 USD price range. It can also be bought from Amazon.com.
About Shrink Dinks
Shrinky Dinks are a type of craft kit that allows users, typically children, to create and design plastic sheets that shrink and harden when heated. These sheets come in various shapes and sizes and are made of thin, flexible, thermoplastic sheets or a similar material.
The process involves drawing, tracing, or coloring on the plastic sheets with colored pencils, markers, or acrylic paints. Once the designs are complete, the sheets are cut out according to the desired shape and then placed in an oven or heat source. As the plastic heats up, it begins to shrink and thicken, reducing in size to about a third of its original dimensions, while becoming thicker and more rigid.
Shrinky Dinks were introduced as a toy or crafting activity, allowing kids to express their creativity by making keychains, jewelry, ornaments, and various decorative items. Once the plastic is heated and shrinks, it becomes a durable, colorful, and often decorative piece that can be used for various purposes or displayed as art.
This craft kit gained popularity due to its ease of use and the fun process of watching designs shrink and harden, creating miniature and vibrant artworks from the original larger designs.
