Arts and Crafts with Doodle Tots
Let’s talk arts and crafts – A loves it, I hate it. Okay, actually I have a love-hate relationship with arts and crafts. I know how important it is for child development, especially for children between the ages of 3 and 8, and I have weekly arts and crafts classes with my Grade 2 class. I hate it, because I suck at it. As a perfectionist, I just hate when a plan doesn’t come together, and also when I’m left with the mess to clean afterwards. I have to say, I cringed a little when Doodle Tots Boxes asked me if A would like to review one of their boxes, BUT I was pleasantly surprised, read to find out why.
More about Doodle Tots Boxes
Doodle tots is an art and craft learning tool, which focusses on fine motor skill development and allows for hands-on interaction with you and your tot. Doodle Tots offer a range of educational and exciting activities that enriches your tots learning experience, whilst creating fun for your tot. No pre-work is required, since their boxes include all the materials you’ll need, as well as easy to follow instructions in order to complete the activities.
6 reasons why Arts and Crafts are important and Doodle Tots Boxes are amazing:
1. It helps develop your child’s motor skills
Kids need to use their fingers to manipulate art materials which helps develop their fine motor skills as they use those small muscles in their hands, and their bilateral coordination skills improve as they learn to use both their hands at the same time. Fine motor skills help children to eat, tie their shoe laces, write, and so much more.
2. It helps develop Literacy
When kids make arts and crafts they get to talk about their work which develops their communication skills, they learn new vocabulary, and they develop their listening skills as they need to listen to and follow instructions.
3. It helps develop different math concepts
Math skills are used frequently while doing an arts and crafts activity. Kids get to learn about different shapes and colors, they need to count and sort, measure out materials and they need to apply thinking and problem solving.
4. It helps develop creativity
Society often teaches kids about these little boxes and how they need to fit into each one of them, but art gives them the space to be free and develop their own creativity. Kids get to express themselves, and believe it or not art can even help them cope with their feelings! Art allows kids to try out new ideas, new ways of thinking and problem-solving.
5. Self-esteem
Arts and crafts activities gives kids a sense of achievement and allows them to take pride in their work, which then builds confidence. In arts and crafts its okay to make mistakes. Not only this, but arts and crafts also develop kids’s self regulation skills and patience.
6. Quality, bonding time
Kids love to spend quality time with mom/dad. Arts and crafts create that opportunity for you to spend quality bonding time with your kids, whilst creating life-long memories to cherish.
What I loved about Doodle Tots:
1.The packaging
I loved how everything came in a little suitcase box. A loved the box and how he could carry it around like a school suitcase. The packaging itself is fun and exciting and A just couldn’t wait to open it and see what’s hiding inside. Its also small and compact so I could take it along anywhere.
2. No prep needed
I loved how I did not have to prep ANYTHING! I got the box, opened it and we could immediately start playing! Everything was planned out for me, I didn’t have to think of ideas or spend hours on Pinterest to find ways in which I could use the materials. This box was perfect for a working, single mom who has limited time.
3.The box includes everything you’ll need
All the materials that you’ll need to complete the activities are included in the box, even the printables, which was awesome since I don’t always have access to a printer.
4. Easy to follow instructions
Each box comes with a page with easy to follow instructions and they really are simple and straightforward.
5. Educational aspects covered
I loved how the box focusses on so many different developmental aspects in one or two simple activities. A received box 2 and he had to sort, recognize colors, and so much more in one simple activity.
6. Age-appropriate
I loved how the box was age-appropriate. There’s nothing worse than getting activities to do with your toddler and mom needs to do 90% of the work. Its frustrating for the both of us since A is at that stage where he wants to do everything himself. This box was perfect and A didn’t need any help from me to complete the activities. The most help he needed was for me to remove the glue lid and to tell him where the colors should go on the rainbow.
7. Affordable
The boxes are really well-priced and will also make for an awesome birthday gift or holiday activity.
What A loved about Doodle Tots Boxes:
- He loved the packaging, as mentioned above, and couldn’t wait to dive right in. The box will definitely be recycled as a toy suitcase.
- A loved the colors and different textures. The box and materials are colorful and bright and just so much fun! We discussed the different colors, big and small and the different textures of the buttons, the feathers and the sponges.
- He also loved that the activities were simple and he could do it by himself (which is a major win). He really didn’t need any help from me, which was amazing, since there were no meltdowns because “I can do it myself!”.
- The sparkles
A just wanted to add more sparkles to make his picture “pretty”
The only thing that I can critique is that it only includes one activity. I hope that one day they’ll have an option for a box that includes more activities.
I don’t think there’s much more to say, except for that it definitely gets a thumbs up from us.
To order your box just:
- Just log into https://doodletotboxes.co.za
- Choose your box
- Add to basket
- Pay – easy peasy
~ Love A and Mommy ~
