Short Stuffs: A Fun Craft Froot Loop Got When He Was Born & We Were Just Able To Use

Froot Loop got this awesome craft not too long ago. It’s called Short Stuffs by Chicken Socks/Klutz. 

 
I remember doing projects by the Klutz brand when I was a teenager, so I’m glad they’re still around. 

 
Anyway, these Short Stuffs are “Create your own no-sew stuffed animals” for little kids to play with. The kit contains 2 bodies with velcro “mouths”, 13 felt pieces with velcro to attach to the bodies, and 7 little pillows to stuff into the bodies. 

 
The premise could not be easier. Stuff the little pillows into the bodies and then decorate with the felt pieces. There are ears, wings, arms, tails, and more.

 
The book contains directions as well as ideas for animals and monsters to create. There is also a fun section at the back that shows how to make other animals out of winter gloves, naming your creations, and a hot potato game. 

 
First, I had Froot Loop look at the book and I explained what we were going to do. Then I took the bags out of the container and had him practice his scissor skills and cut open the plastic packages. (I tried to get a picture of this but I needed both hands to help him cut open the plastic without cutting the felt pieces) We laid everything out and once again I explained the objectives of the activities. He couldn’t wait to start! 

 
I had him stuff 3 pillows into the first body. He needed a little bit of help because the velcro was pretty sticky! 
 
Then he stuffed the remaining pillows into the other body. 

 
We looked through the book to decide what animals he wanted to make. He decided on the puppy first. I told him to look at the picture in the book and grab the three pieces that matched the pieces in the book. He laid them on the picture in the book and then we put them on the animal body together. 

 
Then, he wanted to make a monkey, but we had already used that body and he didn’t want to take his puppy apart! So, I asked him what we should do and he said we can make the monkey on the other animal. I again had him match up the pieces to the pieces in the book and then we put them on the animal body together. 
 
We took the pieces off the bodies and made a kitty cat next. I asked him what pieces a kitty cat needs and he said a tail, so we got that added first. He had a little trouble visualizing the ears. 
 
Next, I wanted to show him how to use his imagination a little bit. I put wings and “bunny” ears on the other animal. Froot Loop asked what I made and I said I put bunny ears and wings on it. He said we made a flying bunny! I said that’s one possibility. 
 
Then he ran off to play with them. When he was finished, I told him that when he wanted to play with them again, he can just take them out of the box and put new pieces on them to make new animals. 

 
My one complaint is that the stuffed bodies don’t fit into the plastic in the front. Froot Loop did NOT want to take the stuffing out (and I don’t blame him), but the lid won’t close this way. I would just put the pieces in another container, but I’d like to keep it with the book since it has ideas in it. 

 
Other than that, I think this set is about perfect for a preschooler. The suggested age is 4 and up, but I think “mature” 3 year olds could handle it. Since there’s small parts, I definitely wouldn’t recommend this for babies under 3 or anyone who still puts pieces in their mouths. 
 
We had a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing the creations we come up with! 

What's the strangest looking animal you've ever seen?