This past week we hosted my in-laws and it was really nice to have a moment of peace with them before the storm of the holidays.
We decided to do a certain number of things…show them the Monroe house, eat at a local sandwich place, have them help Jer with the kids so I could help a friend tile a backsplash, and we saved our Kiwi Crate for them to do with the big boys.
I’ve talked about Kiwi Crate before…I like keeping with some of the same companies for sponsored posts because the vetting process is so tedious and because well…gosh, if you don’t love their products and services already…well, I know you will. And this is definitely one of those times…it is just a great service for us moms who want their kids to create and imagine and learn. Each box…or ‘crate’…is filled with fun activities that have a theme and activities and craft. Last time we talked about this product, it was my mom and me doing this super-box with the kids…and it was a barnyard theme. This time around we told Gramps and Grammy that it was their turn.
Will was the one who got to open the box and decide which activity he wanted to do first.
I think it’s pretty obvious which one he would pick….the catapult. Because castle building is not in the same category as the launching items into the air.
I think I and Will are going to treasure these photos one day. I only have a few photos with my grandpa and my Pappap when I was so young. One day they are going to see what a lovely thing these photos, this time, these memories will be.
Like this one…oh the hands get me every time.
Grammy had the tough job….Weston. They did the job of castle-decorating…it reminded me of my job 🙂
After Will finished chunking pom-poms at Gramps’ head….he finished Weston’s castle and the new targets (aka the princess).
I asked Will what he thought of the box later and he said that he wished he could make it everyday. I wish that too baby…I wish that too.
We ended up telling Gramps and Grammy that this year for Christmas we wanted them to not buy toys…but we would prefer experiences. I think Kiwi Crate is a perfect example of that. My kids already have SO much. Literally, we have a pack-n-play in the basement filled to the brim with toys they haven’t played with in over a year. The toys just break in two seconds and there are no memories behind any of them. I know it’s not always a grandparents dream to have zero toys under the tree for their grand babies but this kinda option would be perfect. It gives grandparents something to DO with the kids…something to create together and play with together and in the end…that is what we all want – togetherness.
We also received this time a Koala Crate. It’s right up my alley – totally themed and much more geared toward the little ones ages 3-4. So the Kiwi Crate usually has two to three projects that require making and Will can do all the activities inside (ages 4-8)….whereas the Koala Crate is like preschool play and learn. For example…the sample box we got was ‘color’ themed and it teaches all about colors and has crayons and paint and a watercolor banner. The Kiwi Crates were a little harder for my almost-two-year old but the Koala Crate is perfect. We even decided that it would be a perfect treat for him when Will goes to school because it would be definite one-on-one attention.
So that’s what we have been up to lately. How about you? Anyone else on team no-toys for Christmas? Are you figuring out how to get those babes to spend more time with the grandparents? Are you already getting Kiwi Crate or Koala Crate?
p.s. You can give the gift of Kiwi Crate this holiday season! Save 30% on your first month subscription with code [BP30] Click here to get started.
What a fun and creative gift idea! I’m always looking for new toys for my nephews and this is perfect. Thanks for the fun post!
Nickie
My sister-in-law has three boys (6, 4, and 1 year old), and just like you guys, doesn’t really need us to buy toys, books, or clothes for Christmas. I was thinking about purchasing admission to a local zoo for all of them…and maybe giving each of the boys $5 or so to buy something in the zoo gift shop.
Katie and other moms, is this a thumbs up idea?
we are doing the no (ok, probably less) items thing this year too. We are strongly encouraging grandparents and such to give our kids experiences – tickets to a show, membership at a museum, etc. we have a Disney cruise planned for March – they can give them an excursion. Santa will be doing the same. We just have SO MUCH STUFF. We need to cut WAY back – and not add to it! Hoping it works for both of us!
I love that idea!
xo – kb
Koala crate looks perfect for my monkeys! Have to look into that for Christmas.
We’re encouraging no toy Christmas too. We are giving our kids experience gifts all season. Like Polar Express train ride, Frozen on Ice tickets, build a bear workshop, etc. I know everyone won’t listen to the no toy request so I’ve asked them to get add on toys instead. Like more train cars for our enormous set or more cars, Legos, etc. I’d rather add to the sets we already have and live rather than adding all sorts of new sets that don’t go together and just take up more and more space. Books are always welcome in our house.
Complaining about my healthy kids having too many toys filling up our warm house, amazing problem to have. Blessed.
We are also on the no toy Christmas team, but I know that they will still get a few of them. Santa will be giving my girls a Little Free Library to put outside of our house. I am pretty pumped about making it.
I once took a horribly lit, blurry picture of my daughter playing checkers with her Great-Grandpa. He died unexpectedly a few days later and we definately cherish the memories and that picture. So glad you were able to experience and capture these moments 🙂
I love it! I typically give books as presents for kids, because it’s a mix of fun, educational, and something that I love. But this is so great!
We like to encourage the gift of books… then you get the experience over and over again with as many people as you want to share the story with. And books are something that can be passed on – I have most of the books from when I was a kid and have given them to my kids… some are a a little weird but they still enjoy them.
What’s going on with the Monroe house? Any updates?
Yes, do it! They have so many toys, experiences are wonderful gifts!
Yes my two kids are getting a kitchen playset that they will share. All other gifts from family, we just say get them books which they love. All their toys fit in one small trunk chest. Will have to check this out.
The Koala Crate is the PERFECT gift for my nephew’s 3rd birthday!! Thank you for posting! I tried to order, but the code you listed doesn’t work. I’ve emailed the company, but I’m wondering if anyone else has run into the same problem.
What? No pic of the tile work? You’re such a tease. (I have a feeling you’ve been called that before 😉 )
We are attempting to cut back on toys this year too. But I think we say that every year and then always get carried away…
We are doing the same thing and decided this will be our new tradition. “Stuff” breaks, is outgrown, lost, fought over. So for Christmas there will a family experience instead and presents under the tree will be related to the experience. This year on Christmas morning the kids will unwrap presents like winter coats and hats and mittens. The big present will be leaving Christmas night on a winter getaway in the mountains. Hubby and I will have already secretly packed for them. They toys come and go but the memory lasts forever. So excited to see their faces!
I don’t know how I feel about telling grandparents not to buy toys for Christmas. I can see how parents could feel overwhelmed with the amount of STUFF… but at the same time… it’s part of the JOY of grand-parenting. There’s nothing like seeing the JOY in a child’s eyes when they OPEN a gift, and that JOY transfers to everyone present. I feel tempted to say, if a parent wants their child to have experiences, then they should be the one to give them… or give them to the grandparent to do with the grandchildren. Grandparents have worked hard to get to this stage of life… give ’em a break! 🙂
We do themed Christmas presents. The theme idea sort of came about accidentally. Lots of boys equaled lots of electronic presents one year, the following Christmas I put a ban on electronics and asked grands to get outdoor presents instead. They ended up with skateboards, roller blades and a trampoline from family members while Santa brought bikes. It was one of the most exciting Christmases we’ve had. Since then, we’ve stuck to the themes to include book/learning, membership and camping.. All build on family togetherness and it’s so much more exciting when the first present is opened to hint or give away that year’s theme. We now save toys/electronics for birthdays.
I love these boxes. I am waiting till my nephew is just a bit older before I can get him a subscription.
We have been enjoying Kiwi crate for a year now. I was thrilled to see that they are also doing boxes for 8+ now. They have single boxes available to send as gifts and mini boxes too. My favorite thing is that it’s all in the box. No scrambling for materials.
cute!!!
xo – kb
We did feel that too…so instead of them giving a pricey remote control car, we asked that the toy gift be small and the real present be something that is more active or experiential. For instance, my boys will play with a $5 monster truck just as much as a $50 monster truck…so I would rather them have the cheaper one and then get a ticket to the zoo or a pitching machine or soccer goal. And we told them that if they wanted to give them something similar to something we already own (that happens a lot)…that we can give let the existing toy to live at Gramps and Grammy’s house and the boys can keep the new thing. We definitely aren’t anti-toy….just anti-toy-hoarding. Gotta break the cycle 🙂
xo – kb
Not a whole lot!
xo – kb
What a fun idea!
xo – kb
Aww…what a gift that blurry photo is. It is so funny how perpective changes!
xo – kb
Yes…I love books and we are encouraging Legos for the boys too…I love the ‘collections’ because they make so much sense!
xo – kb
For the last birthday, we told people no gifts at all, but if they would like, they could donate towards a playset for the backyard that we got for our boy (he’s 2 right now). I’d rather one big thing than more on that ever growing pile…Plus we’re expecting our second next year, so we thought it would be well used in our lifetime!
That was going to be my question! Did power get hooked up yet so you can take some inside shots for us?
It still doesn’t have power 🙁 We don’t want to attract squatters, so we boarded it up for now and until the outside (roof and foundation) clear inspection!
xo – kb
Katie, as soon as Koala crate came out, I switched from Kiwi crate, and I love it! It’s more age appropriate for my 3-almost-4 year old, and we’re still playing with the contents weeks later. I’m sure we’ll switch back once he’s a bit older. I heard of Kiwi crate on your blog, and I’m so glad we’ve done it (and now made the switch). My son loves the “project” box we get in the mail every month.
totally on board with no toys – we are asking for board games and puzzles and legos…oh and craft stuff! More engaging items really that we have to do together, and all can be second hand for all I care 🙂
And I did the same switched from Kiwi to Koala as soon as it came out! It was a birthday present from the grandparents for our 3 yr old and we LOVE it!
My aunt gives all her great-nieces and nephews a membership to the local zoo each year for Christmas (she also works there!) and we have all loved getting this gift for our kids each year! We can go anytime we like for free and it also gets us into other zoos and aquariums at a discounted price. I think it’s a great gift idea! 🙂