Doodle Crate, by KiwiCo, is a subscription box targeted to older children aged 9-16 that delivers a monthly art project. They describe themselves as "a studio for hands-on creativity delivered every month."
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Doodle Crate
The Subscription Box: Doodle Crate
The Cost: $19.95 per month with discounts available for longer subscription commitments.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 50% off your first box. No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Instructions and supplies for children aged 9-16 to create one new art project each month.
Ships to: U.S. for free, Canada for $6.95
Doodle Crate February 2018 Review
This month's project is making mini journals! The skill foci are paper making and bookbinding. My nine-year-old son usually does these projects. This is the booklet that came in our box this month.
Here's a peek inside the booklet at the instructions. They were clear and well illustrated, so they were easy for my son to follow. The booklet also always contains good tips and suggestions for practicing.
These are all the supplies that were included for this month's project. Everything we needed was included except scissors, water, and a pan.
My son's first step was to take one of the packets of shredded paper and put it in this jar. He also had to cut up some tissue paper into tiny pieces and add those to the jar. He chose teal and green. He also made some tiny yellow triangles out of "graffiti paper" and added those to the jar as well.
He then filled the jar with warm water and shook it for three minutes.
Then he put a screen in the rack and put the rack in a pan of water. The water barely covered the bottom of the rack. Then he spread out his paper pulp evenly across the screen.
He then put a second screen on top of the pulp and drained/squeezed the water out. He also used a sponge to draw water from the top. Paper is pretty water absorbent, so it was not easy!
He put the screens between thick layers of paper towels and used the jar to roll over it and squeeze even more water out.
Then he gently peeled the screens away from the paper and left it on a paper towel overnight to dry.
Doodle Crate supplied these adhesive inside cover pages, so once the paper was dry he centered the cover page on his paper and ran the ruler over it to make it adhere well.
He then folded and creased the cover and trimmed the rough edges.
Then he centered the pages and clipped them in place so he could sew the binding.
He then sewed the binding and tied it off.
This is my son's completed mini journal! It turned out so cool! I love it! He also loves it, but he was a little disappointed in the color. The colors he started with were vibrant teal, green, and yellow, but all the colors seem to have just blended together with all the white. I knew the tissue would blend and fade, but I was surprised at how much the yellow triangles were mottled. Otherwise, we were both really happy with the outcome!
The Verdict: Doodle Crate is SO awesome! My son and I completely love this subscription. This month's project was a little more difficult than some, but my son still really enjoyed it. He is so crafty! I think his journal turned out really cool. I still can't believe what Doodle Crate can provide for $20. When you consider the materials, the curation, the project selection, and instructions, that's really a bargain!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive the March box!
Coupon – Save 40% off your first month subscription (plus FREE shipping), no coupon required, just use this link!
Check out all of our Doodle Crate reviews and the Kids Subscription Box Directory!
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What do you think of Doodle Crate?
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