Summer Fun Crafts with Kiwi Crate | July: Wonders of Water Crate Review

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I was excited to have the opportunity to try the new summer craft boxes from Kiwi Crate. I did a review of their subscription service a while back (check out my space exploration review). I love everything about crafting with my daughter and I love the idea of these boxes. We tried their July Wonders of Water box.

Nora wanted to try the water color sea creatures first. We both had fun coloring on the absorbent paper. Next came the water spray bottle (very nice quality). She loved watching the colors change as the water absorbed. They sent some extra papers with (which I love about these boxes) and I let her blot up the color on the table. I set up a cookie sheet with paper towels to let them dry (she watered our tomato plants with the spray bottle while we waited! After drying (fairly quickly in the warm sun) we added eyes and she colored accents on them. NOTE: Be sure you set up a tablecloth for this one.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: The “washable markers” weren’t washable at all! They stained her hands (and mine) blue.

They sent enough materials to do several animals and two boats so they’d be fun with friends or siblings.  (Add materials to a crate for only $7.95 a month.). We had plenty to keep us busy all morning. Our crate had a water exploration theme with water color animals, clay, and a boat project.

Kiwi Crate lists the crafts as appropriate for ages 3-7 and I’d agree with that. My daughter is 4 and she was able to do most everything on her own after I prepped the materials.

Introducing Kiwi Crate’s summer crates with scientific and discovery themes. Kids will learn aboutflight by building kites, buoyancy by constructing a sailboat, the night sky by constructing a night sky lantern, and nature through an engaging scavenger hunt. Kiwi Crate’s summer crate activities are sure to keep kids 3-7 engaged and learning for hours while inspiring curiosity and discovery – and fun!

One of the extra projects involved science exploration. They asked her to see what happens to the clay when it’s floating in the water as a block versus the shape of a boat. I assume it was supposed to sink as a block … well it didn’t. It was a very lightweight clay. She continued to play with this wet clay in the water and it made a disaster of a mess. Now her blue hands were green with clay covering them that didn’t want to come off. Soap didn’t work to remove it. The only thing I could think of was how baby oil removes temporary tattoos and that seemed to work. They also sent a penny experiment but we didn’t get to this one.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: I’m not so picky about a mess but this was hard to clean and not worth the experiment in my opinion.

Last we tried the sailboat craft. I set it up in a pan with paper towel so I could easily carry them inside to dry. She had fun decorating but being only 4 she had a hard time waiting to let them dry (at least a full day) before she could continue with the craft. In that time she got into the box and promptly broke the rest of the boat parts (very fragile) before we could put the sails together. I salvaged enough to do one. When I went to get the sails to put it together the paint had soaked through the very absorbent/thin fabric and stuck to the paper towels. I couldn’t get the paper off without ripping the sails and needless to say my upset daughter never made the boat.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: They either need a suggestion for drying the sails, something different to decorate, or different fabric for the sales. My daughter put so much paint on them I’m not sure they would have been sea worthy anyway. ha!

Kiwi Crate’s summer offerings include:

• ·         June: Nature Explorers – Kids hone their observational skills in nature by day and night. Projects include Nature Collection Box, Night Sky Latern and Explore More: Discover Nature
• ·         July: Wonders of Water – Introduces kids to the scientific properties of water. Projects include Floating Sailboat, Watercolor Animals and Explore More: Water Experiments
• ·         August: Fun With Flight –This crate gives kids everything they need to explore the magic of flight.Projects include: Kit Making Kit, Rad Rockets and Explore More: Make Your Own Flyers

 

Kiwi Crate is quickly becoming the hottest must-have item for kids among celebrity moms and top toy experts. Featured recently on the TODAY Show with toy expert Stephanie Oppenheim, as well as in the current issue of US Weekly, Kiwi Crate is a must have item for parents with children aged 3-7. Kiwi was also featured this month with Tory Johnson on Good Morning America. Each crate is designed by parents, reviewed by a panel of experts and tested by kids and includes all the supplies needed to complete at least two projects.

BUY IT:

Check out the “Summer Discovery Pack” from Kiwi Crate. June is currently sold out but you get the July and August kits which are still available. Kiwi Crate is normally $19.95 a month plus shipping but you can save by purchasing your subscription for up to a year at a time. Add materials to a crate for only $7.95 a month.

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Disclosure: A sample crate was received for the purpose of this review. Thoughts remain 100% my own.