We were sent these Spirograph sets for the purposes of this post. All images and opinions are our own.
When I was a kid we would occasionally visit a distant relative who had an old second hand Spirograph set. Half of the bits were missing and you had to go hunting for a spare biro to use it; but it provided us with hours of rainy day fun. I’d forgotten all about it until we received a couple of Spirograph sets to play with. Happily they were delivered right at the start of two weeks of Covid isolation; good planning Mr Postman!
I remember Spirograph as being a bit tricky to get the hang of, but once you’ve got it, it was immensely satisfying. If you’ve never used one before, you pick two differently sized plastic rings from the set; stick the larger one down with the putty (or blu tack if you’ve lost your putty); put a pen though one of the holes in the smaller ring and run it around the inside or outside of the ring using the gears (notches on the edge of the ring). It creates gorgeous geometric patterns and once you’ve got the hang of it, it is ace!
The Original Spirograph Deluxe Set
This set includes over 45 pieces with precision parts, pens and a durable storage case. The reusable Spiro-Putty holds the fixed position Spirograph pieces securely in place on the paper. Making sure that the ring piece is locked in position will improve the accuracy of the finalised design.
It’s suitable for ages 8+ and contains all you need to get started on your Spirograph journey. It costs around £28 and is available from Argos and a range of other retailers.
We both sat at the table, read the instructions and started Spirographing. There is a knack to it, and sticking your rings down firmly first really helps, but once you’re up and running, it’s great fun. The set does come with some paper, but it’s wise to have extra pieces of blank paper to play about on first. It was really cool to be using the set again, and very cool to be introducing my son to it all too.
This is a great set for creative kids (and adults) and it comes in a great kit which you can transport out and about, should you wish to visit a relative and need some entertainment.
The Original Spirograph Scratch & Shimmer Set
Out of the two sets, this was my favourite. It’s smaller and there are fewer pieces; but it contains that black paper which you scratch the top layer off and it is all shiny underneath. This makes for very dramatic geometric patterns.
The new Scratch and Shimmer Spirograph Set contains both rainbow and sparkly waxed scratch sheets; as well as new glitter precision wheels to etch out the most colourful Spirograph creations to date. Simply set the wheels up, insert the drawing tool and let the creativity flow.
Although the set does come with plenty of this special paper, you can buy more online and on Amazon if need be.
It’s suitable for ages 8+ and contains all you need to get started on your Spirograph journey. It costs around £20 and is available from Argos and a range of other retailers. The set also includes a special collectible 50th anniversary golden die-cast wheel can be found inside.
It’s brilliant to see Spirograph back and as popular as ever. Over our isolation period, we played with these sets often and they made for a lovely, mindful, calming activity for both me and my boy. They’d make great gifts for arty kids (or adults) this Christmas, and let’s face it, it’s good to have some indoor activities lined up to keep us all occupied during wet weekends and lockdown.