Welcome to the magical world of Shrinky Dinks®! For over 50 years, we have been bringing creativity and imagination to children of all ages across the globe. Our passion is to inspire kids to explore their artistic talents through easy, fun crafts that the whole family can enjoy.
Our History
It all started in 1973 when Coleco introduced Shrinky Dinks® as a new arts and crafts activity. The concept was simple yet revolutionary – draw your designs on pre-printed shrinkable plastic sheets, cut them out, bake them in the oven, and watch in awe as they shrink to a fraction of their original size while retaining all the original colors and details.
Our founder, Betty Morris, was a mother looking for creative ways to keep her kids engaged during summer vacations. She discovered that the polystyrene plastic used in cake decorating shrank when heated. That sparked the idea for Shrinky Dinks® as an arts and crafts kit for children. Betty established her own company called K&B Innovations to bring this imaginative new craft to the mass market.
The original Shrinky Dinks® kits included markers for decorating the plastic sheets and easy instructions for kids to cut out their designs, bake them in the oven, and transform them into miniature works of art. The plastic sheets shrunk to nearly one third the original size, making the finished projects small, thick and durable charms perfect for keychains, jewelry, ornaments and more.
Shrinky Dinks® became an instant hit, providing hours of creative fun for kids during school breaks. Over the years, we continued expanding our arts and crafts offerings beyond just shrinkable plastic. However, those iconic plastic sheets remain at the heart of our brand today.
Generations of children have grown up enjoying Shrinky Dinks® kits. Even adults get nostalgic when they find their kids playing with the same crafty shrinkable sheets they adored as children. This timeless activity continues sparking creativity in children and bringing families together through arts and crafts.
Our Mission
Our mission at Shrinky Dinks® is to inspire, educate and empower children to explore their creativity. We believe every child has an inner artist waiting to be discovered. Our products are designed to make it easy and enjoyable for kids to create miniature masterpieces, develop artistic skills and most importantly – have fun!
Everything we make adheres to three core principles:
- Inspiring creativity: Our arts and crafts kits spark children’s imaginations to dream up fun projects reflecting their unique personalities.
- Developing skills: As kids draw, color and assemble their shrink art designs, they build confidence and fine motor skills that pave the way for future hobbies.
- Bonding through crafts: Our mess-free projects bring families together to guide the kids while allowing them to express their individuality. The finished shrink art pieces become cherished keepsakes.
While our shrinkable sheets remain our signature offering, we continue expanding into new arts and crafts that align with our mission. All our products provide an outlet for kids to get creative, learn new skills and bond with loved ones through the joy of DIY projects.
Our Values
We take pride in being a brand that families trust. Our company values reflect our commitment to inspiring children’s creativity in ways that parents can feel good about:
- Child development: Every product we make enhances a child’s creativity, sparks imagination and builds confidence through fun projects.
- Quality and safety: Our arts and crafts kits feature child-safe materials and age-appropriate tools suitable for unsupervised play.
- Education: Our step-by-step instructions teach children new artistic techniques while allowing them to exercise their own creativity.
- Family bonds: We create opportunities for quality bonding time as families craft together.
- Nostalgia: Our iconic shrinkable sheets remind parents of their own childhood and allow them to pass on that experience.
- Creativity: We believe every child has an artist within. Our products provide an outlet to explore and express creativity.
- Fun: Above all, we want to see kids have fun crafting, learning and spending time with their loved ones. Their smiles are our greatest reward.
These values guide every decision we make – from product development to customer service. Families put their trust in us to enrich their children’s artistic journey in a thoughtful and responsible way. We take that responsibility seriously.
Our People
Our team is comprised of talented artists, educators, designers and engineers who all share a passion – bringing out the inner artist in every child.
Many of our employees grew up enjoying Shrinky Dinks® kits as children. They feel honored to be part of reinventing the iconic brand that holds such nostalgia.
Our diverse team combines youthful energy with wisdom developed over decades working on children’s education and entertainment products. Blending these unique perspectives leads to innovative product ideas that appeal to modern kids while retaining the nostalgic charm that parents trust.
While our talented team spans many disciplines, we are all united by our shared mission of inspiring creativity in children. We come to work every day motivated to put more art supplies and creative activities into kids’ hands.
Our Commitment to Customers
Since our founding days, Shrinky Dinks® has maintained a strong commitment to delighting customers with quality products and excellent service.
We stand behind every item we sell with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied, just contact us and we will make it right.
We also welcome your feedback. Hearing directly from parents and kids helps us continue improving our arts and crafts offerings. We are grateful when customers take a moment to share their reviews, suggestions and stories.
Our friendly customer service team is available six days a week to assist with any questions, concerns or ideas you may have. We aim to provide prompt, caring service to every customer.
Over the years, we have expanded our retail distribution to make our products accessible to more families. Today, Shrinky Dinks® kits are sold in major retailers nationwide as well as specialty toy and craft shops. Our online store also ships directly worldwide.
No matter where you purchase our products, we pledge to deliver the same commitment to quality, safety and customer satisfaction. We want every child’s experience with Shrinky Dinks® to spark their creativity and bring family joy for years to come.
Our Community
Beyond our customers, we strive to enrich the communities we operate in. We are proud to partner with schools, libraries, children’s hospitals and other organizations serving kids and families.
Our Inspiring Young Artists initiative donates arts and crafts kits to schools and community centers in low-income areas. We believe all children deserve resources to unlock their creativity, regardless of economic status.
We also sponsor free craft events at local schools, libraries and summer camps. Seeing children light up while creating their shrink art pieces brings us immense joy. Their smiles confirm our purpose.
Our staff regularly volunteers time mentoring youth. We welcome student groups to tour our office and learn about pursuing careers in product development.
Fostering artistic skills in the next generation is a cause near and dear to us. We take every opportunity to support organizations that provide arts exposure and education for all children.
Looking to the Future
As we celebrate over 50 years since those first Shrinky Dinks® kits hit store shelves, our mission remains unchanged – inspire creativity in children. But our methods continue evolving.
We are dedicated to developing innovative new arts and crafts products that spark children’s imaginations. Our toy designers comb through hundreds of ideas annually searching for the next big thing in DIY kids projects.
We also plan on expanding our educational resources for parents and teachers seeking fun ways to nurture creativity in children. Expect to see more how-to guides, project ideas and classroom kits offered through our website and blogs.
Most importantly, we pledge to uphold our commitment to quality, safety, education and customer service – the pillars of our brand. While our products constantly improve, our values are timeless.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds. The brightest ideas come from children’s unbridled creativity. Our job is opening minds, providing tools, and stepping back as their imaginations soar. There is no limit to what today’s kids will dream up, design and build next.
The child coloring their first Shrinky Dinks® masterpiece could be tomorrow’s great artist, engineer or entrepreneur. We are honored to be a small part of every child’s creative journey. What will they make shrink next? We can’t wait to find out!
