You may have seen commercials for Techno Source USA's Printies (ages 6 and up)—a combination software-and-materials package that lets you design a stuffed animal, print the design onto a special fabric sheet, and then add stuffing to create a 3-D toy. I took the Printies Jungle Design Studio ($30) for a whirl with my precocious 6-year-old daughter, Shaina.

If you're in a rush, here's a very brief upshot: Printies works as advertised, but you should be aware that these stuffed animals are meant to be used as decorations, not toys. Because they're printed via inkjet, the colors can run when exposed to moisture, and the ink may stain clothing, furniture, and little fingers if mishandled.

To use the design software, you log on to the Printies Web site and enter your activation code. You set up a username and password for your child, then wait for a confirmation e-mail, then follow a link to download the Adobe Air platform (an environment in which you run Web applications without a browser), and then finally load the design software. This will take a few minutes, which will seem even longer if your child expects to be playing with the toy immediately upon opening the box.

I needed to log on twice before the design studio loaded properly, then I let Shaina take over. She chose the animal shape (a hippo), then a background color, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and accessories--including sunglasses and bowties--for the front and back of the plush toy.

The interface is a little unintuitive for younger kids; adjusting colors, adding text, and moving various design elements proved somewhat difficult for Shaina. It wasn't simple for me, either. The Web application is very rich and it offers a vast array of options, but it's not as responsive as local software. Some mouse-over audio instructions would be nice. 

Once you're ready to print, a wizard instructs you to print a test sheet to make sure everything works correctly. Clear, step-by-step instructions and animations guide you through the process. Navigating the wizard could be enhanced by adding next and back buttons, but it's still simple enough.

When your test sheet looks good, you're prompted to run the fabric sheet through the printer. We used a Lexmark X4650, and everything worked smoothly: You test and print the front, wait for the ink to dry, then test and print the back, then wait for it to dry again, then remove the cardboard backing and add stuffing. The kit includes more than enough stuffing--just make sure you keep an eye on the kids, because it can get messy.

The "stuffing hole" is then sealed with plastic clip-on shoes, which also serve as a stand for the toy. Kids can decorate the shoes with stickers, also provided. 

Shaina liked the design studio, despite some frustrating moments, and named her hippo "Hearty." She lost interest in stuffing the toy after a few minutes, though, so grownups should be prepared to finish the job themselves. Techno Source recommends Printies for children age 6 and up, but it's possible that older kids will have an easier time navigating the software.

If your child has a flair for design and decoration, Printies is a winner. If you're looking for create-your-own toys your kids can actually play with, you may want to choose a less techy option.

Post by Michael Steinhart