I was happy to see that December’s Ivy Kids box had a wintery theme. I’m a sucker for all things seasonal. Yes, even kid’s craft/activity boxes. Of course I would have loved a holiday theme, but winter is cool too.
If you’re not aware, Ivy Kids is a monthly activity box for children aged 3 through 8. It was founded by a certified early childhood educator, turned stay-at-home mom who had begun creating her own activities in order to entertain and educate her kiddos.
Every Ivy Kids kit contains more than 10 activities, along with a book which all of the activities are based upon. The games, projects, and crafts are all designed to “develop fine and gross motor muscles, build math and literacy skills, encourage reading comprehension, and promote scientific thinking”. All of the materials you’ll need are included right in your kit, as well as instructions and age modifications for each project.
Okay, let’s see what’s inside!
The “info sheet” is always pasted to the inside lid of the box. It lists all of the projects included, as well as helpful photos showing the materials for each one.
“The Mitten” by Jan Brett – All of the activities this month are based on this cute board book. It tells the tale of a little boy who asked his grandmother to knit him white mittens. One of them gets lost against the white snow and various animals take the opportunity to crawl inside of it to keep warm. I was half-expecting the larger animals to eat the smaller ones, but thankfully the book has a much happier ending. 😉
Are Mittens Really Warm? – A little experiment to see if mittens really do keep your hands warm. Your kiddo first checks the temperature of the room using the included thermometer. Next, he/she predicts whether the temperature will go up, down, or stay the same if the thermometer is placed inside the mitten. An observation sheet is included to track the findings.
Mitten Race – A simple board game with the goal of getting your animal to the white mitten first. A variety of colorful animal pawns are included as well as a die.
Story Retelling – Using the board book, your kiddo can reenact the story with the materials provided. A paper mitten can be made with the two mitten cutouts (with pre-punched holes) and lacing string. Children can also color paper animals with the crayons and use double-sided tape to adhere them to wooden sticks to make puppets. Two projects in one!
Mitten Maze – Four laminated sheets are included, with mazes on each side (for a total of 8). A dry erase marker is used to draw a line from each different animal to the almighty white mitten!
Thermometer Experiments – A kid-friendly informational booklet about the weather is included for this project. After reading it, have your child predict the temperature outside and inside of the refrigerator. Observation sheets allow your kiddo to record their predictions, as well as the results.
Animals in my Mitten – A fun game to help little ones with their math skills. Spinning the spinner tells them how many animals to put in or take out of the mitten. Landing on the mitten icon tells them to empty the mitten and count how many are collected inside.
Mitten Rhyme Pairs – A simple game to learn and practice rhyming words. Just lay out all of the mitten cards face up on a table and have your kiddo match each word/object with its matching rhyming word. When a pair is found, clip them together with one of the plastic clothespins.
Weather Chart – Each month includes a personalized item featuring your child’s name. This time it was a reusable weather chart for them to keep track of the daily weather either by simply looking outside, or using the thermometer as well.
Make Your Own Snow Globe – Your kiddo can make their very own snow globe with the materials included. A little slip of paper can be decorated and placed inside the globe (protected by plastic, of course) and foam stickers can adorn the black base. Then fill it with water, shake the glitter, and enjoy. Neat!
Mitten Story – Printed sheets with fill-in-the-blank portions allow your child to write their own mitten-related story. They can also color the mittens with the included crayons.
Winter Collage – Use the snow-themed foam stickers and outdoor scene to create your own little winter wonderland.
Another great box from Ivy Kids! The theme was perfect for December and I think my girls will really enjoy the book. Animals are always a hit with toddlers. I love how simple, yet fun the activities are and how they can be tailored differently based on the age/skill level of your child. Plus, it’s nice that so many of them are designed to be used over and over again.
If you’re interested in signing up for Ivy Kids, you can save 20% on your first box just by using the promo code “IVY20” at checkout. Plus, new subscribers will also receive a free gift and a monthly personalized item for their child! Oh, and all past boxes are available for 10% off through December 31st.
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Disclosure: I received this box for review purposes. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate and/or referral links.
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