May 20, 2026

The Magical World of Shrinky Dinks

Wearing cotton gloves adds a barrier when you must reposition a piece quickly. Teach children to stand back until the plastic cools to room temperature. Good airflow also speeds cooling, reducing the time you need to handle warm pieces.

  • Get our tips and see the results for testing different colored pencils on shrink film plastic.
  • I happened to have a thin business card magnet that I didn’t need.
  • The joy of transforming a simple drawing into a tangible, shrunken masterpiece captivates both young and old, making Shrinky Dinks a timeless craft.
  • I could see all those packages turning into dozens of “free” faux Shrinky Dinks for Mitch’s crafting needs.

We tested DIY Shrinky Dinks using plastic fruit packages

For more ideas on making your own homemade shrinky dink art art supplies and saving money, check this out. If your kids are into sports, check out these fun 24 Free Sports Shrinky Dink Patterns. Or make these fun 4th of July shrinky dinks!

Or for more outdoor themed patterns check out these 24 Free Printable Spring Shrinky Dink Patterns. Check out these free printable Garden shrinky dinks templates. Would you like to make some gorgeous garden shrinky dinks? You can also make necklaces or other jewelry for a gift.

Materials

Almost all plastics have a small percent of additives included to improve properties for different applications. With regard to why some polystyrene pieces become clear when heated and others turn white is related to both the heating profile and the additive content of the piece. If that does not work then place them between Teflon® coated sheets with the Teflon® sides contacting the sample and a hot iron on a non-coated surface, but even that would not be very successful. Next they were cooled rapidly while still box shaped in order to prevent distortion from the take out container form. I asked Dad to explain the science behind plastic shrinkage to me. I am thinking of making jewelry with her artwork, suncatchers, making Christmas ornaments, and… the possiblities are endless.

Where to buy shrinky dinks

I could see all those packages turning into dozens of “free” faux Shrinky Dinks for Mitch’s crafting needs. Recently I saw one of those silly Facebook videos showing how “easy” it is to make your own “shrink charms” with recycled plastic from food packaging. Kids adore watching their designs change shape and size, and adults love how easy and tidy the whole project is. Shrinky Dink crafts have stuck around for decades because they hit that perfect mix of creativity, surprise, and accomplishment. The shrinking process itself is scientific and perfect for introducing early learning topics. Punch any holes before the shapes go into the oven.

We used to cook our Easy-Bake Oven meals with foil and a light bulb, and created our own slime with cornstarch and food coloring. Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. If you really want reliable, consistent results, you’re best off using commercial Shrinky Dinks. This is a fun discovery of various results from similar products. But they shrunk way more than the others and the end result was much smaller than I wanted.

Please don’t use water soluble markers or wax crayons to color the shrinky dinks … Download some free patterns, gather your supplies, and let the winter crafting fun begin! While shrinky dinks are fun, they’re also valuable for learning.

Just make sure to press firmly when coloring to ensure that the design shows up clearly after shrinking. – Yes, colored pencils can be used to create designs on the Shrinky Dinks. Can I use colored pencils instead of permanent markers to draw on the Shrinky Dinks? The design should be durable enough to withstand normal wear and tear without any additional sealing.

Cheap water-based markers sit on the surface and evaporate in the oven, leaving pastel results. Because the plastic is weather resistant, you can glue finished shapes onto wreaths for outdoor display. After baking, each token shrinks to a sturdy size that fits in a pocket or pencil case. Handmade photo jewelry makes heartfelt gifts for weddings, anniversaries, and graduations.

Purchase options and add-ons

Later, large toy companies including Milton Bradley created kits and other products for commercial sale. I’m going to share how to make them from recycled plastic as well as my favorite kits and papers to use. I remember making Shrinky Dink charms in middle school for keychains and jewelry making, and it’s a craft that I still enjoy today as an adult. Depending on the complexity of your design, you can accomplish a one-of-a-kind cake topper in about 10 minutes, start to finish. If a cooled image isn’t flat it can be returned to the oven and reheated until it lies flat. Place in oven for approximately 1 – 3 minutes.