Encourage Creativity with Kiwi Crate

A few weeks ago, I received a complimentary sample box of the Kiwi Crate. Unfortunately, due to some emergency issues I wasn’t able to check it out until this past week.

I couldn’t hold off any longer because lil man has been staring at this box the entire time and with great patience didn’t ask about opening it until this weekend. He was so excited opening and unwrapping the contents. Which by the way, is packaged quite nicely.

The instruction manuals are so cute. I especially like the indications on bottom of the front cover: a messy meter, grownup involvement meter and the things the Kiwi Crate will be providing, which were discovering, creating and moving fine motor skills for one of the activities in this particular crate.

This crate had two activities provided, making a kaleidoscope and making shadow puppets, so there were two instruction books PLUS they included a third book about shadow sizes and putting on a shadow puppet show. Each instruction book was well written, provided good illustrations and easy to follow.

Since lil man is only three and only just learning to read, I read for him, but he was quite to complete each step on his own. Here he is making his kaleidoscope.

Lil man has always loved kaleidoscopes as he received one from a birthday party earlier this year, but he was so excited and proud after making his own. Here’s a short video of the inside of the kaleidoscope.

After he played with the kaleidoscope he couldn’t wait to do the next activity, so onto the shadow puppets we went. He didn’t even need me to read the instructions for him. He opened the book, looked at the photos and started peeling the puppets off right away. He was able to put the wooden sticks and brads on, but he did need some help with “opening” the brads prongs to hold them in place.

And, of course, he thoroughly enjoyed putting on his shadow show for us the rest of the day. He couldn’t wait to show it to us again in the evening with all the lights out except for the flashlight that came with the kit.
Overall thoughts:

• While I do arts and crafts with the kiddos on my own, I love that the kiwi crate comes in the mail once a month with full instructions and supplies. The benefit of this is allowing kids to look through an instruction book and follow the steps on their own if they are able to. When I do arts and crafts with my kids, I show them how to do things, but don’t have time to create an instruction book for them to follow on their own. Giving them the opportunity to discover things on their own definitely encourages independence and self thought.
• Educational purpose.
• Fun for kids.
• Easy clean up.
• Easy for kids to follow.
• Instruction books illustrated well for kids to follow.
• Introduce arts and crafts.
• Encourage creativity.

The only “con” – where do I put his creations so he can use them over and over again? Or like the pieces of art and crafts that come home from school – so hard deciding which ones to keep as keepsakes. Lol.

Resource link:

• Check out the kiwi crate subscription on their website – http://kiwicrate.com. And from now until December 31, 2013, you can enter to win a free year subscription – just fill out the little popup box when you first open the site.
• There’s also a great DIY area on the website http://www.kiwicrate.com/diy/

Have fun! If you have the kiwi crate subscription, we’d love to hear which kit your child has loved the most so far. Share your story in the comments below.