Abstract: A method and apparatus for teaching skills to a child includes a toy barn kit which has a plurality of structural elements including walls, gables, and roof panels which can be assembled into a completed toy barn. The structural elements have color coded connectors and mating connectors which assist the child in the assembly process. In performing the assembly, the child learns skills of (1) principles of construction, (2) spatial relationships, (3) sequential thinking, and (4) color recognition and matching.

Abstract: A sculpting coil segment, a system, and a kit including sculpting coil segments and couplers is described in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention. Sculpting coil segments may comprise a distensible, flexible hollow metal body shaped into a coil, a first coil segment end and a second coil segment end wherein the first coil segment end is connectable to the second coil segment end. In a system or kit, a plurality of couplers may adjoin adjacent sculpting segments to form an interconnection among the sculpting segments. In another exemplary embodiment, coiled sculpting segments may be powder-coated with desired colors and connected to form curvilinear sculptures.