The Gift of Time Together: One More Reason to Love Kiwi Crate

December 2, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Sample provided for this post. However, we are monthly subscribers to Kiwi Crate on our own, and we adore it! Referral links may be included at no cost to you.

Earlier this week my girls and I spent an hour putting together a gingerbread house. This particular house wasn’t sticky, messy or tempting to eat. And this particular house came with all the supplies we needed to create it, while still leaving plenty of room for creative license.

We got a gingerbread house kit from Kiwi Crate and we absolutely LOVED it. We had such a blast coming up with different ideas (with a little help from the included inspiration cards) and cutting and gluing and just being merry together. It will be one of my favorite holiday memories this year, for sure.

Kiwi Crate is such a reliable company. I am consistently pleased with the products I receive from them each month as a subscriber. I’m so impressed, in fact, that I’ve also done some of my holiday shopping with Kiwi Crate, as you can purchase individual crates or special craft kits like this gingerbread house. They even offer some awesome book titles!

If you haven’t yet tried Kiwi Crate (or their sister brands designed for younger or older children) I want to strongly encourage you to go for it. It’s our favorite subscription service and it’s worth every single penny we spend on it each month. We get good quality time together, fun crafts (that don’t stress this non-crafty mama out) and we learn fun new things, too!

M is For Monster Subscription Box for Pre-Readers

June 10, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Sample box provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone. Affiliate links may be included.

Today I want to show you a subscription box service that is absolutely perfect for you pre-reader. By pre-reader, I mean kids who are starting to work on identifying letters and/or letter sounds, but who aren’t yet writing or putting letters together to read words.

This makes the M is for Monster subscription box not quite the right fit for my oldest, who just finished kindergarten, but spot on perfect for my youngest, who just turned 3.

The box comes with a list of activities included (as well as supplementary resources if you want to dig a little deeper. I really love that extra thrown in there!). And the activities are grouped together by the suggested week. Each week is like it’s own little present to unwrap. This might be one of my very favorite things about the box…you get to experience the joy of seeing something new every single week instead of all at once! That’s just perfect for a preschooler!

I have kept our goodies under wraps so that Layah can have the full box experience each week, but here’s a peek from M is For Monster at the entire contents of the May box, which should give you an idea of the types of things you might find in any monthly box.

We started with week 2 (I know…OUT OF ORDER!) because I really wanted to read that book and because it included scratch ‘n sniff stickers, which is something I loved as a kid but that I’ve completely forgotten about and have never purchased for my girls. They were loved very much! 🙂 I also noticed that they happened to be from Peaceable Kingdom, which is a brand I recognize as having very high quality products.

We also had a lot of fun with the strawberry beach ball, though we quickly realized that it should be played with OUTSIDE. 😉

M is For Monster boxes deliver very high quality, and very thoughtfully curated activities for pre-readers.

The downside? M is For Monster is on the pricey end for kids’ subscription boxes. A single box is $42.95. You can save a bit by doing a month-to-month subscription for $38.95 (which you can cancel at any time). And I did notice a coupon on their website for getting 50% off your first box (I think you have to sign up for their newsletter).

This is the type of subscription that you would probably only want for 6 months, or so, and that may be why they don’t offer a set number of months for an additional discount.

Bottom line: I think it is very much worth a try, especially with that 50% off coupon!

I’d love to hear if you’ve tried this box, or if you have tried any other subscription boxes that you particularly love!

Craft Subscription Box I Love the Most: Kiwi Crate

July 3, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

Best Craft Subscription Box

I have reviewed quite a few craft subscription boxes over the last year. Every box I have posted, I have loved, and the ones I haven’t loved, I didn’t even highlight here (yes, there have been craft subscription boxes that I thought were just ok…”ok” is not worth sharing, in my opinion). But of all the boxes I have tried out, the one I was sent from Kiwi Crate has been my very favorite.

We made a pom pom creature with our latest box. It came with VERY detailed instructions. This has been the biggest issue for me with some of the subscription boxes I have seen: they assume you have a basic level of craftiness and don’t need to be told every little step. This is simply not true for me, and that’s why I order craft subscription boxes: I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS STUFF ON MY OWN!!!! I rely on the instructions to hold my hand and guide me through the process. Kiwi Crate knocked this element out of the park!

Kiwi Crate also had the most creative craft projects I have yet to see. Not only did we make a little creature (which was adorable) but we also got to make a play area for our little creature. This extra activity helped bring the little pom pom to life even more.

As I said before, if you have seen a craft subscription box on my site, I have loved it. You cannot go wrong with any one I have featured. But if I was forced to pick just one to recommend, based on my experience, it would have to be Kiwi Crate. We’ll be ordering another box, for sure. Right now Kiwi Crate is offering a Summer Discovery Series that focuses on nature and getting outdoors. July’s box has all sorts of water based activities. It looks SO fun!!! Subscriptions start as low as $16.95/month. If you’ve been on the fence about trying out a craft subscription box, let me offer a little nudge. This is the one to get! 🙂

What craft subscription boxes have you tried at this point? Any hits or misses for you? Have you tried Kiwi Crate? Don’t miss that 10% off coupon they are offering (use code fireworks).

I received a complimentary box for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Parenting Tip for the Non-Crafty: Get a Wummelbox Craft Subscription!

May 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

We’ve talked before about how NOT crafty I am. It just isn’t in my genes, people. But I have a 3 1/2 year old who loves to work on projects and try new things and just spend quality time with mommy and daddy.

Thank goodness for companies like Wummelbox.

wummelbox craft subscription service

See all this? This is everything I need to create some games, do some crafts and engage in some really creative and fun learning with my preschooler. It came with crystal-clear instructions straight to my front door. No anxiety-filled trips to Michael’s for this gal!

Wummelbox offers European-style arts & crafts ideas, with each box containing 3-4 projects that fit within a theme. I received a box all about time travel.

I really appreciate that the materials that came in this box are all made to the highest European and U.S. standards for toys, and eco-friendly materials are given top priority, being used whenever possible. I have no worries about Darah playing with everything in the box, or with Layah getting her little hands on stuff, either!

Darah opted to play the hunter & gatherer game first, which required her to paint a Wooly Mammoth and to cut out some animal tracks!

Darah worked on her motor skills as she cut the fabric (of note: the scissors that were included int he package just weren’t “cut out for” the fabric, sorry to say. Had to go with a more grown up pair and more careful adult supervision). The game also had some great language and movement development opportunities built into it.

I also appreciate the intentionality behind each activity, as I learned that they are each designed by early childhood educators, parents and designers. Later this month we’ll also tackle the other cool activities in this box, including building a time machine and creating a cave painting. The subscription service is available for $34.95/month, but the deal is REALLY good if you go for a year subscription, in which case you only pay $19.95/month! I would order this again now that I have seen it first hand, and would definitely recommend it!

Plenty of use can be had out of the crafts, as they are all designed to be used again and again. So they aren’t just one-time craft projects! You can order a Wummelbox here, and also keep up with the latest news on the Wummelbox Facebook page.

If you aren’t crafty, what have been your “work-arounds” with your young kids? Any tips to share???

I received a complimentary box for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Top 10 Ten Minute Craft Projects!

August 10, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Please enjoy this guest post brought to you by our friends at Katie’s Cards. I am LOVING the simple ideas below for getting your craft on with your kids!

A 10 minute craft project can take many forms, from making your own mini seed magnet, through to creating fun bracelets, paper dolls and bath bombs. All of these projects, however, share a speed of creation, and are generally suitable for all ages. Whether that means finding something to do on a rainy day, or just exploring your crafty side, these projects should give you something to keep yourself busy. Materials can also be cheaply sourced, and the finished projects can be given as presents, or kept as decorations.

1 – Growing Seeds Magnet

Easy to make with children in under 10 minutes, this project involves taking an empty pill bottle – ideally one that is see through – and placing cotton bills inside. A magnetic strip can be attached to the side with craft glue, and plant seeds placed inside out of the cotton balls. When attached to a fridge, and regularly watered, the bottle will eventually produce a distinctive plant. Ideal for cress seeds.

2 – Bracelet

A simple bracelet variation, this project involves taking an 18 inch strand of twine, and attaching looped items to it. These can be rings or anything circular, which are braided through strands and tied off with lark’s head knots.

3 – Candle Vases

Take a glass vase, a candle holder and tea lights, as well as a pattern wrap. The latter can be wrapped around the vase, and secured with double sided tape. The candles are then placed into the holder, and lit to create unusual colours and shapes.

4 – Hand Made Cards

Handmade cards can be quickly made through the use of backing cardboard, several sheets of paper, and decorative items like ribbon and glitter. Pre selected templates can also be downloaded and printed online to create the front of the card. Of course, another alternative from handmade cards, especially with the hectic times of Christmas approaching, is to send someone a Christmas ecard.

5 – Paper Dolls

Another good project for children, this paper dolls idea couldn’t be simpler. Buy a set of paper doll templates, decorate, and then cut out and attach to magnetic sheets to be hung or attached to a surface in the house.

6 – Bath Bombs

A potentially messy project, this involves mixing together essential oils with baking soda and citric acid to make a dry ball. When put into water, this organic product will fizz up.

7 – Bubble Mixture

A simple but popular project, simply take cups, dish soap, water and sugar. Mix the ingredients together and add them to the sealed cup. Children can then draw and blow bubbles from the resulting mixture.

8 – Noise Maker

A noise maker is a good idea for younger children, and can be made by using an empty, dry bottle filled with glitter, glue and beads. Fix the top of the bottle securely and shake for noise.

9 – Photo Ornaments

A good Christmas idea, a photo ornament involves removing the top of an ornament bulb, and filling it with glitter and a photograph. When tied off with a bow and reattached to a tree, this bulb can make for a more distinctive Christmas tree.

10 – Pincushion Ring

This project involves using fabric, felt and denim, as well as the top from a drinks bottle. Make holes in the bottle, and attach it to the felt and denim using string and fabric glue. Run through a loop to create a ring.
About the Author

Serena is an arts and crafts fanatic, blogging and writing about her experiences of all things crafty. In addition to this, she designs personalised cards and ecards online for special occasions.