Please let me start by saying that I have not actually USED this product yet. I purchased it as a gift for a friend's daughter who turned five, and before I gave it to her, I opened it up and photographed the things inside, so you can look at those pictures and the notes I wrote on them for even more information. However, I was so pleased with the quality and overall FUN-ness (to coin a word) of this product, that I am now back to purchase one for my own daughter who will be turning five soon. However, although I haven't yet used it, I can supply the following information: 1. The Box: The box it comes in is a little cardboard suitcase, brightly colored and patterned, with bright red stitching sewing it together. It has a typical suitcase-type handle made of metal and plastic that folds down flush against the box for easy storage, and those nifty metal clasps that one finds on tackle boxes or boxes for art supplies. It is easy for little people to open and close. The box is sturdy enough to keep using for the sewing kit, as long as you don't sit on it or anything. 2. The Supplies: Upon opening the box, you see a very FULL kit. It does not look like a thing or two overpackaged in a huge box; the box is stuffed. It contains the following: -a paperback booklet explaining the projects along with sewing basics; -a package of stuffing (which is probably not enough to do more than one or two of the projects, but will get your little one started, at least until you can get to Michaels or have Amazon ship you the stuffing of your choice); -a packet of felt of various colors, cut into various shapes, such as animals, as well as rectangles; -A packet of a few scraps of quilting cotton in bright colors and patterns; a sewing kit containing: -a cheap plastic thimble (worthless, but it's unlikely that a five-year-old would use a thimble anyway, especially with felt); -a paper measuring tape; -a pair of inexpensive sissors (I don't truly know how well these will cut fabric, though for snipping threads they seem like they would be fine); -a "toy" tomato pincushion (I say "toy" because, although it will hold pins without a doubt, it is not stuffed very full, it is made of a lightweight cotton batiste or similar fabric, and it does not come with the usual emory strawberry for sharpening your needles, but after all, this is a FIRST SEWING KIT - not a "Last-You-a-Lifetime Sew-a-Rama Sewing System"); -a wheel of large-head multicolor pins; -a few sewing needles; -many standard skeins of DMC embroidery floss in bright colors; -a packet of ribbons and trims, etc - again, not very many but enough to get a kid started with a project or two until mama has time to go through her scrap bag and find more things. All of these items fit very nicely into the box, as I said - it neither looks chintzy and over-packaged, nor is it stuffed so full you cannot close it once opened. The kit is priced VERY nicely for what you get. My daughter was so excited about giving it to her friend, and kept saying how much she wanted one of her own, and the friend also seemed very excited to receive it. All that said, here are my few criticisms: 1.) Pink, red, orange, etc color theme is very specifically aimed at girls. Well, I think little boys might enoy making stuffed animals and doo-dads, too. Alex could either make a similar kit geared to little boys, or make an effort to make the box, materials, and trims more gender neutral. 2.) A few things in the kit are a little cheap - I'm thinking of the thimble and the paper tape measure. It might be better to leave these things out, as even without them, the kit is quite complete. The cheap quality of these few little items alost detracts from the high quality of the rest of the product. 3.) The kit says "age 7 and up"; Although a 7-year-old might enjoy it, I think it is quite age appropriate for a five-year-old, as long as assistance will be provided. In fact, I might say that a 7-year-old should have something a little more advanced than this. But then, it all depends on the child - mine is very good with crafts and things of this sort, and has done some sewing before. You have to decide for yourself. I wouldn't give this to a ten-year-old, though. All in all, this product is great and I highly recommend it. Please look at my customer images for closeups of the included items and the box, and for more notes about the product. Enjoy!