Creativity, Imagination and kiwi crates

Do you remember when you were a kid and a box was delivered to your house? There was always that chance…that small chance…that there was something exciting inside. And then you glanced at the label and saw that it was addressed to you! Frankly, I’m still a kid at heart because every time I get a box delivered to my doorstep I’m giddy with the possibilities of what it might hold.

Now imagine being a kid and getting a box every month filled with games and activities based around a certain theme. Dinosaurs, gardens, pirates, fairies, music, robots, bugs and on and on and on. The anticipation of knowing that box will be arriving any day and wondering what adventure awaits you this time.

That’s exactly how my kids felt when they found out they would be receiving their very first kiwi crate in the mail.

Created and founded by a mom of two, the philosophy behind kiwi crates is simple…celebrating children’s creativity and curiosity.

And that is exactly what happened when I sat down with my own kids and opened our ‘Nature Explorer‘ themed kiwi crate.

I wish there was some way to capture the energy and excitement that was in the air as we unpacked the box. You know how people talk about inventing “smell-a-vision”? Well I wish I could create “feel-a-vision” so you could full appreciate how eager my kiddos were!

And, while kiwi crates are geared towards younger children (7 and under) my 10 year old son was just as excited as his almost-6-year-old sister!

The first thing they wanted to make was the starlight lantern and let me tell you, these instructions were AWESOME! So many kids crafts turn out to be too difficult for them and I end up having to do the bulk of the work while they watch discouraged and disheartened. Have you experienced that too? The kiwi crates are completely geared towards kids being able to be engaged and active throughout each craft or project.

My 10 year old read the instructions and really the kids did the entire thing on their own with very little involvement on my part.

I have to tell you, the thing that I was most impressed by about this kiwi crate was just how many different activities were packed into one little box. In fact, even the box itself had a game on it! There were so many little surprises that I actually set a few aside to do another day.

They were so proud of their starlight lantern and since night-time was too far away, they insisted we all pile into the bathroom together with the door closed to see the stars glowing!

The next thing we tackled was the ‘collection box‘ which was super easy to assemble and came with all sorts of extra stickers and crayons so that they could personalize their box.

Armed with their chosen card they set out on a nature scavenger hunt searching for items which matched the colors in each section. They had SO much fun going around the yard trying to find the items and worked together to complete the “assignment”!

Following along after the kids I noticed something interesting happening. It was like we were seeing our yard for the very first time. Every nuance and color was exciting and worthy of being celebrated. And as they worked together to complete their “mission” I could hear them talking about how they could come up with their own versions of this.

As a mom, one of my greatest joys is seeing my kids laughing and playing together. And when it involves imagination and creativity? Well, that is a HUGE bonus!

And, as moms, we have a special radar. We can tell when something has been created with love, attention to detail. thoughtfulness and a desire to celebrate all the best parts of childhood.

As soon as the lid was lifted on that kiwi crate, my radar went off!

I knew this was something special…different…created for those memory-making moments. And lots of other people have recognized just how special kiwi crates really are too. It has been the recipient of the Parent’s Choice Gold Award, Winner of Dr. Toy’s top 100 Best Children’s Products as well as Oppenheim’s Gold Seal Toy award. It’s been featured in magazines like Redbook, Parenting, Family Fun, InStyle, Parents and Country Living.

Kiwi crates can be welcomed into your home too through a variety of neat options!

You can sign up to receive a different kiwi crate each month, buy an individual kiwi crate and choose your own specific theme, purchase small party favor sized kiwi crates and really just customize it to your needs.

The afternoon we spent together with our first kiwi crate is one I will treasure always.

As my oldest is now 10, I feel those moments are becoming even more important. I remember the day…the moment…when I lost my imagination. I was playing with Barbie dolls and just couldn’t come up with another story-line for them. It was so bittersweet.

The memory of that moment gives me even more motivation to do all I can to foster the imaginations of my own children and keep those imaginations alive and well as long as possible!

I hope you will take some time and visit the Kiwi Crate website to find out more about this amazing product and how you can have your little ones eagerly anticipate receiving that mystery box in the mail…that one that holds the key to a new adventure!

*I was provided product to review for this post but the opinions here are 100% my own.*