One of the latest gift ideas for kids is a subscription box. It is a way to give them something to spark creativity, help them learn and not give them more toys they’ll never use. One option you may want to consider is Howtoons. I had the chance to review two of their boxes with my kids and share my findings below.
Kids love to get creative. Most of them love to build and make something from nothing at all. But, let’s be honest. Most craft projects are on display for a little while and then end up in the trash can. Maybe that is why I was so intrigued by Howtoons. It appeared to be different than many of the projects and boxes I’d seen and I was anxious to try it out.
REVIEW OF HOWTOONS
WHAT IS HOWTOONS?
Howtoons is a STEM-based product. They offer single and monthly kits to spark creativity and fun through learning. The boxes are geared towards kids ages 7 – 12.
Hotwoons empowers children to make their own toys and invent their own fun! Their kits give kids lifelong skills in science, crafts, creativity, using tools, and engineering.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Each kit costs $24.99. You can purchase a single kit or subscribe to receive a kit each month. For the purposes of our review, we received two kits (one for each of our children). These kits were provided to us at no cost so we could do an honest review and share that information with you, our readers.
WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE BOX?
Each kit includes a book as well as all of the supplies you need to create the toy or instrument — right down to the glue (I loved that so much!!).
CAN KIDS BUILD THE KITS ON THEIR OWN?
The instructions are easy enough for kids to follow, even without adult supervision. My son, who is 11, grabbed his box and assembled it by himself. However, we did help him with stringing his Ukele (to make sure they were tight enough).
My nine-year-old daughter asked me to help her, as it was a bit confusing for her at first. But, I was able to show her what to do and had her follow the pictures and she ended up doing almost the entire thing all by herself.
All of the parts are easy to pop out and properly numbered, making it simple for kids to put assemble. They just need to match the number on the part to the number in the book and follow the picture.
The only portion I had to help her with was the rubber band that attached to the axle. It required tying special knots, which she did not know how to do. And, honestly, I had to wrap it four times, not just the two that the instructions said were needed. Otherwise, the car would not work properly (you roll is back and the rubberband tightens, thrusting it forward when you let go.
THE VERDICT
These kits were a lot of fun and my kids enjoyed them. They both ended up with something they can use and play with. My son still strums on his ukelele and he has had it in his room for months. For him, it was a good investment.
I think if my daughter was more into cars, she may have liked hers a bit more. However, she is still fascinated that she was able to build something that moves on its own (pull back car).
I would love to try more kits with my kids. I like how it teaches them to follow directions in a way that makes sense. It is also not a project that I have to hover and help them do. As my kids get older, they need to learn to do more for themselves and this is a simple way to do that. But, of course, Mom and Dad are right there in case they do need help (just like in real life).
So, in a word YES! I would absolutely recommend a Hotwoon Kit to anyone interested in purchasing either single or monthly subscription kits for their kids. It is worth the money!