Doodle Crate by KiwiCo Reviews

Subscribing to Doodle Crate

Let’s say it’s a rainy Sunday. You’ve got the whole day ahead of you but you’re stuck inside. You could just hand over an iPad to your kid and call it a day.

But who wants to do that? Instead, Doodle Crate offers fun and crafty projects tailored to kids who love to create. Every month, you’ll get a box fully packed with everything you’ll need to complete engaging activities. From making a fabulous felt succulent garden to designing handmade soap, your child will spend plenty of time diving into each crate’s contents.

Doodle Crate by KiwiCo is the ideal offering for budding young artists, builders, and makers who love to get lost in the wonder of creation. It’s not just about following instructions–each child will complete projects in their own way that leads to a unique result.

These crates are art-focused but they’re also perfect for kids who live to build and tinker. This is part of KiwiCo’s commitment to STEAM-based learning. The bottom line is that the end product will be something they can proudly display–and they’ll have a blast getting there!

 

How a Doodle Crate Subscription Works

Started by an engineer and mother of three, KiwiCo has quickly become known for providing convenient and engaging activities that kids adore. KiwiCo has shipped more than 30 million crates to children around the world. They’re known for delivering high-quality products with detailed step-by-step instructions. Crates ship two days after you order and then arrive on your doorstep every month promising countless hours of entertainment and learning.

When you order, you’ll enter your child’s name and birthdate. The package will be addressed to them to give them a sense of ownership with every project. Plus, what kid doesn’t love ripping into a package addressed to them?

If your child’s interests change–which happens frequently as they discover more of the world–you can always switch to another KiwiCo crate. Let’s say they become more interested in science and engineering. Then you can simply switch to a Tinker Crate subscription. Or, if Doodle Crate proves too challenging, you can switch to a box geared toward younger children. KiwiCo has plenty of options available for kids of all ages.

Doodle Crate’s Pricing Model

Like all KiwiCo subscriptions, Doodle Crate offers affordable prices without sacrificing quality. Subscriptions come at a lower monthly cost in return for a longer commitment. For an auto renew subscription for one month, the cost is $23.95; for three months it’s $21.95 per month; for six months, it’s $19.95 per month: and for one year, it’s $18.50 per month. Shipping varies in the U.S.

Do you think Doodle Crate is an ideal fit for your child? Then click this link to save 30%!

Benefits & Drawbacks of Doodle Crate

KiwiCo boxes are considered some of the best around for kids of all ages. And our readers agree with this sentiment, as they selected KiwiCo as one of the Best Subscription Boxes for Kids in 2022!

Parents love Doodle Crate for inspiring their children to become makers and builders. Here is some of what they appreciate about this subscription:

• Inspiring creativity: While you might think that these projects are just about following steps, the reality is that they deliver so much more. Doodle Crate sparks children’s imaginations, pushes them to let their creativity run wild, and challenges them to think outside of the box. Your child will make choices every step of the way in making something that’s truly their own. Pre-teens and teens will appreciate how these projects respect their ability to make their own decisions.
• Supporting independence: One of the goals Doodle Crate is to help kids become active, independent learners. With each crate they will be responsible for materials like glue and paint that you wouldn’t trust a young child with. When kids take ownership of these projects, they build a sense of responsibility and become more independent.
• Sense of accomplishment: Your child will feel good having completed a complex, hands-on activity on their own that they can then put on display as a decoration or use, such as desk organizers or a faux leather portfolio. Every activity is unique to your child–if you had two kids doing the same box, the results would be different.
• Made by experts: Each crate from KiwiCo is specially designed by childhood development experts to ensure that it’s age-appropriate and accomplishes specific learning targets. Then these activities are tested by kids to gauge if they’re fun and rewarding.
• Plenty of value: Doodle Crate comes at a relatively low price and every box includes not just wonderful activities and easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions, but guides for more DIY ideas, video materials, and extras.

Some parents have noted that Doodle Crate’s contents can be time-consuming. For example, you might have to allow something to dry overnight, then come back to it in the morning. If your child is on the younger side and not terribly patient, you might start them on a different KiwiCo box that’s more suited for their age.

On the other hand, some parents appreciate having more bang for their buck with these time-consuming activities. It allows the kids to jump in and experience the flow of creating something on their own, whether it’s a wooden clock or painted canvas pouches.

Is Doodle Crate Worth It?

Does your child love drawing, doing crafts, or building Lego sets? Then they’re the type of kid who will thrive with Doodle Crate. With reasonably priced subscriptions and a wide variety of exciting projects to complete, it’s absolutely worth it.

If your child lacks patience for doing activities that take time or isn’t interested in making things, then Doodle Crate may not be for them. In that case, you should explore all the other options KiwiCo has available.

Insider Advice for Getting the Most out of Doodle Crate

If you like Doodle Crate but you’re not quite ready to subscribe, you can always order an individual crate from KiwiCo. This lets you pick the one your child will be most interested in and try it out.

Another tip is to allow your child the freedom to complete the activities on their own as much as possible. Only jump in if your child requests you to do so. Kids in this age range are becoming more independent–it’s a little sad to say it, but they’re not your little baby anymore! Give them respect and distance as they complete these projects. The smile on their face when they have a finished product that they did all by themselves will make it worth it!

Also, if you ever have any issues with your crates, you can always reach out to KiwiCo’s customer service team by phone, online chat, or email. They’re known for providing quick responses any time customers have a problem.

What Does Each Doodle Crate Contain?

Every box comes with materials and art supplies for projects along with an introduction to relevant art and design techniques. You’ll also get an inspiration booklet with illustrated instructions as well as design history and inspiration. If your child can’t get enough of Doodle Crate, there are additional creative DIY activities plus video tutorials with oodles of tips and tricks.

Let’s take a look inside a few of the boxes you’ll get with Doodle Crate.

• Felt succulent garden: Your child will fashion their own colorful planter full of succulents using clay modeling and felt. This comes with numerous intricate pieces and your child can choose how they want the plants to appear. There’s also a video explaining how the process works.
• Wooden clock: At the end of this activity, your child will have made a functioning wood clock in their own inimitable style. Pretty neat, huh? The design is straight forward but gives the kids tons of options in terms of the color scheme and how the pieces are arranged. This one comes with paint, so you may want to prepare for a bit of a mess. Once you hang the clock up, it will give them a nudge to pay attention when you say that dinner will be ready in five minutes.
• Light-up shadow box: This is for the child who’s interested in building something they can be proud of. This is a challenging project involving cutouts, attaching wires, using templates, and more. The final product is a design of your own creation with a working, battery operated light that will look super cool in a dark room!
• Faux leather portfolio: With this activity, your child will make a beautiful object they can use every day. The faux leather portfolio is perfect for transporting notebooks, pens, and the like. Your child will learn the basics of stitching and embellishing through this craft.

As you can see, Doodle Crate emphasizes your child embracing their own sense of style. Each project has plenty of options that allow for self-expression. At the same time, your child will develop a wide range of cognitive and physical skills.

FAQs

If you’re ready to subscribe to Doodle Crate, check out what they have to offer–and get a discount on your first month!