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One-stop shop The store aims to inculcate art and craft hobbies among both children and adults

There was a time when children pursued hobbies like clay modelling, greeting-card making and candle craft in their summer holidays. With changing times, Latin American dance forms, tai-chi, yoga and adventure sports took centre stage. Now a craft and hobby store wants to bring those good old hobbies back into the limelight.

From readymade chapattis to readymade samosas, the supermarket at the corner of the street stocks everything to suit the fast pace of our lives. And here comes a store serving hobbies on a platter. Hobby Ideas is a one-stop shop to pursue your art and craft hobbies. Bead craft, soap craft, decoupage…take your pick from a plethora of hobbies. Whatever you would need to make that final product is available here. Get going, with the project sheets giving you step-by-step directions to help you do it yourself.

After opening in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pidilite Industries has brought its fourth hobby and craft store to Bangalore. “A hobby is something that can be taken up at any age. The whole idea is to inculcate the idea of hobby and craft among both children and adults,” says Madhu Joshi, team head, corporate communications, Pidilite.

Children can take up punch craft, moulding craft, scrap-booking and other activities. One particularly interesting activity is aero-modelling. “Boys’ craft offers activities like scientific kits, robotic kits, mechanical toys and educational kits. In aero-modelling, there are different models of aircrafts used in World War II. The kit contains parts of the aircraft that you can assemble to make your own aircraft,” says Joshi. The girls can overlook the gender discrimination and try their hands at “boys” craft as well. The aero-modelling kits are priced at Rs. 2,500.

And as children learn various crafts, their moms can get started or rekindle their interests in a particular craft they loved years ago. “We want to target all age groups. For women especially, we intend having lecture demonstrations. We will get art teachers and artists to conduct workshops. These workshops will be on through out the year,” says Joshi. The charges for workshops vary. It can cost anywhere between Rs. 300 and Rs. 600.

If you are looking at innovative ways to celebrate your child’s birthday, then you can even have a hobby teacher from the store conduct a hobby workshop for your child and the guests.

The store has been kick-started with two batches of children doing clay-modelling. Next on the cards for children is paper craft and art progression. Kara4kids is conducting kinder classes at the store. The store has come up with the concept of ‘Hobbyist of the Month’. The enthusiasts need to submit their creation to the store between the 2nd and 30th of every month. The winner will have his or her picture with the art piece displayed in the store. It might help amateurs get in touch with their inner artist; and for children, it might just be the beginning.

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