Disclaimer: I have received a complimentary Kids Night In Box in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy.
Isn’t it funny how these Hallmark holidays are hyped up for weeks in advance, last one day, and then are quickly swept away to prepare for the next one? It seems like as soon as the Christmas lights were turned off, the red and pink hearts began popping up everywhere before New Year’s Day had a chance to ring in. I vote to change that! Let’s share love throughout the year. Let’s show our affection for our families and friends 365 days a year so that everyone can feel special year-round!
The most recent Kids Night In Box (KNI) was all about L-O-V-E and the twins and I had a lot of fun partaking in the activities included inside. The monthly newsletter included a healthy recipe, pre- and post-reading questions for engaging with the included book, Love by Eric Carle, instructions for a DIY bird feeder, jump rope games, and a DIY heart ornament.
Jake is very into sports these days and absolutely loved doing the jump rope activity. We talked about keeping our hearts and bodies healthy through exercise and also about how our hearts are symbolic of the core of our emotions and love. The three games suggested in the newsletter incorporated math skills and awesome gross motor skills, which were perfect for my pre-k kids. They are currently working on emerging math at school in preparation for kindergarten and both have shown a great interest in the subject!
In a recent car ride home from school, I asked my twins what their favorite subjects were at school. Both said art! The KNI box included magic black hearts as well as a wood drawing tool to make DIY ornaments. When you use the pencil-shaped wood tool to scratch the magic black hearts, rainbow colors appear. Jake and Lilah had so much fun unveiling the colors underneath the surface and making their own DIY ornaments!
I was so pleased to find not one, but two DIY projects in this month’s box (because you know DIY is my jam)! Jake helped mix the gelatin, water, and birdseed to prepare for our heart-shaped bird feeder. He loves to cook and help with the preparation, so he jumps at any opportunity to man the bowl and spoon! We poured the mixture into the provided mold and put it in the fridge overnight to harden. The weather is finally warming up and the twins picked the tree in our backyard to hang the bird feeder on so that they can see the beautiful birds from our back windows.
Last weekend we implemented a new chore chart in our house and discussed all of the ways we can all help around the house with different responsibilities. Ironically, the KNI box suggested ways to continue having a kind heart, which included helping around the house, and we were pleasantly surprised to see this in the newsletter when we sat down to partake in our activity box a few days later!
I love that this month’s box discusses kindness and using kind words with the people around you. As the parent of a child who has exceptional needs, I constantly stress the importance of being kind to others. I firmly believe that kindness can prevent or curtail bullying, something that is commonly experienced when your needs differ from others. This month’s box was packed with activities that cover both fine and gross motor skills (I’m a wannabe occupational therapist, from having spent years at therapy with Lilah, so these kinds of things excite me!), but most importantly discuss crucial lessons in social and emotional skills, like kindness and love. Kids Night In Boxes are a great way to collaborate with your children and spend quality time working together on activities that are fun for them and allow you to take a break from everyday commotion. It’s a loving way to make your hearts feel full.
Tamar Blazer is an attorney-turned-twin mom, with a passion for her family, friends, writing, good food, home decor and laughing. When she’s not lamenting on her lack of sleep, you can find her doing one of the too many projects she likes to take on, usually with a twin on either side.
