Studiostone Alabaster Arctic Seal Review: A Hands-On Homeschool Art Project

As part of the Timberdoodle Blog Team, I have received complimentary access to this product. I have not been compensated for my time reviewing the product and producing this review. I have not been influenced in any way and my opinions on this product are my own.

Finding an art project my kids actually want to finish is always a win. The Studiostone Alabaster Arctic Seal kit from Timberdoodle gave my boys a chance to turn a piece of stone into a seal sculpture…and they really enjoyed it!

I also love an activity that can stand on its own, connect to something else we’re learning, or encourage learning about something new. This art kit could be used for an art lesson for the afternoon, the finishing project for an animal study, or a hands-on addition to a geography lesson about the Arctic. You don’t need to turn it into a huge unit study unless your kids want to keep exploring (always a plus!)

Want to know more on our thoughts on this hands-on art kit? Need some specific ideas for including it in your homeschool days? Let’s chat!

What is the Studiostone Alabaster Arctic Seal Kit?

This is a stone carving project. Kids shape a piece of alabaster into a seal, then smooth and polish their sculpture. It’s a different experience than drawing or painting in that they can feel the stone change as they work and hold their finished creation in their hands.

This makes for a pretty neat introduction to sculpture, too! Rather than starting with a blank page, the kids work with the shape of the stone and gradually bring out more detail with the included carving tool. It’s the kind of project where slowing down (something that seems pretty rare these days) is part of the experience.

When you get your own Arctic Seal kit, be sure to take a look through the kit’s instructions together with the kids and set up a workspace that’s easy to clean. I’d also plan on giving the project its own time instead of squeezing it between other lessons. If your kids want to come back to it later, that’s fine! A hands-on project doesn’t have to be finished in one sitting to be a success.

Our Experience with the Arctic Seal Kit

This kit comes with everything needed to create one (super adorable) Arctic Seal sculpture. While it is advertised as being for elementary-aged children (ages 8+ and grades 3+), I really had no doubt in my mind that my older boys (ages 12 & 15, grades 7 & 9) would find it worth their while.

Both of my boys love hands-on learning – they thrive when given building challenges with various materials, enjoy taking electronics apart to see how things work, and actually look forward to art projects. They also love animals so, including this art kit in our homeschool days was a no-brainer.

Since I only had one kit, I had assumed only one of my kids would be able to complete the project. Boy was I wrong!

At first, my 12-year-old claimed the project for himself. After looking through the instructions, we got him set up at our backyard picnic table with the sculpture kit, a bowl full of water, and a disposable mask since I was worried the stone carving could result in stone inhalation.

Spoiler alert – this project was not dusty at all and the mask was not needed!

My younger son started the project and, once my oldest saw how easy the alabaster was to manipulate with the carving file, he quickly asked for a turn of his own. Every few minutes, they made sure to dunk the stone in water (to clean it off) and cleaned the chisel in water so the “teeth” were exposed and could better shape the stone. In about an hour and a half, after switching places multiple times, my boys had both turned the stone into a sweet Arctic Seal.

You guys! That’s an hour and a half of screen-free, attention-keeping fun which, in this day and age is a rare (and welcome) occurrence.

The directions for this project were pretty easy to follow since they’re provided through illustrations, making this project especially accessible by pre or early readers! Through 13 steps and three main carving file “techniques,” the provided piece of alabaster goes from a rudimentary Arctic Seal shape to a smooth, lifelike (as lifelike as a Seal made of stone can get anyways), adorable Arctic Seal with a bit of personality!

I must mention – this Studiostone Alabaster Arctic Seal Kit does come with materials to seal the finished project in wax in steps 11 – 13. My kids, however, have decided they do not want to seal the seal (say that ten times fast!) in wax just yet. Why not? I have no idea, but I’m letting them take ownership of their project and, if they don’t want to seal it…so be it.

All in all, my kids really enjoyed this project and, honestly, that’s the best part of his homeschool art kit review. I can see the educational possibilities and angles in an activity all day long…that’s the teacher in me…but it’s even better when my kids actually want to do it!

How to Include the Kit in Other Homeschool Lessons

You could totally just have the kids enjoy carving the seal and call that your art lesson…like we did. But, if your kids are curious and you’d like to take this art kit up a notch, here are a few easy ways to keep the learning going.

Explore Arctic Geography

Find the Arctic Ocean on a map, then look at northern places such as Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Talk about the difference between land and sea ice and why a marine animal would need both water and a place to rest. Your kids could choose one location to mark on a map and learn a little more about it before starting the sculpture.

Start an Animal Study

“Arctic Seal” makes a fun starting point for a more specific question: What kind of seals live in the Arctic? Have your child choose a species to investigate. What does it eat? How does it move through water? How does it manage in a cold environment? Younger kids could draw their findings, while older kids could put together a short animal profile…or a slideshow. My kids love making slideshows…I’m so serious.

Compare Animals and Habitats

If you’ve studied other wildlife, compare your seal with an animal that lives somewhere warmer. What does each animal need from its habitat? You could also talk about the difference between the Arctic and Antarctica – two places kids sometimes mix up!

Connect Art and Science

Take a close look at the finished sculpture. What parts of the seal’s body were easiest to show in stone. Which details were harder. Then, look at photographs of a real seal and notice the features that help it swim. It’s a simple way to practice observation without having to print out another worksheet.

Try a Little Writing

Ask your kids to write a museum label for their sculpture! They might include its title, what it’s made from, the seal species they researched, and one fact visitors should know. No need to turn it into a full report – a few sentences will do just fine.

If the project sparks an interest in more animal learning, my Bald Eagle Activity Packet offers another way to combine wildlife research with creative activities. For more hands-on ideas that can branch into science and geography, take a look at my 25 Screen-Free Ways to Explore resource!

Is It Worth Adding to Your Homeschool Days?

If your child enjoys hands-on activities, the Studiostone Alabaster Arctic Seal Kit from Timberdoodle offers a meaningful, memorable, and fun change from the usual art supplies. My boys had fun with it and I like that the finished seal can remind them both of the work they put into it and the things they learned along the way.

Use it as a standalone art project, pair it with an Arctic animal study, or let your child’s questions decide where the lesson goes next. That’s one of my favorite things about homeschooling – sometimes a little stone seal is all it takes to get everyone interested in learning something new!

Until next time, stay safe, & enjoy quality time with your family,