Disclaimer: We were gifted a Gentle Family Playkit to review. All opinions are our own.
Since the summer I've enjoyed following along with @gentlefamilyliving on Instagram, and the mama behind the blog, Nicole, and I have bonded over the last few months as our toddlers go through similar phases at the same time. I've loved reading Nicole's posts because she has a Montessori background and she features simple play ideas that anyone can implement in their own home. The supplies are easy to come by (more often than not they're every day items from around the home) and the moments she creates for her kids encourage learning and development through play.
When Nicole introduced Gentle Family Playkits (@gentlefamilyplaykits) I was excited that she'd taken the leap to start her own business and that it integrated so well with her blog and monthly newsletter (Gentle Family Journal). Gentle Family Playkits are a fantastic grab-and-go solution for busy parents looking to provide their little ones an invitation to simulating and open-ended play. There are different kits available, ranging from playdough and letter or number stamps, to thematic kits with playdough and everyday items, natural elements and toys that kids can experiment with. The best part? Nicole makes the playdough with simple, natural ingredients and it is seriously the softest dough ever!
My toddler was given the Winter-themed Gentle Family Playkit to test out and his curiosity was piqued from the moment I let him open the box. The Playkit ($30) includes three containers of soft playdough in thematic silver, cream, and blue (much less jarring to the eyes than the colours of typical brand name playdoughs). It also features over 40 pieces to explore and play with, ranging from little arctic creatures, to stamps, a cookie cutter, buttons, trees, snowflakes, pipe cleaners and wooden sticks. The kits also incorporate more natural elements like pine cones and rocks which toddler was thrilled to discover.
After I took the playdough out of the reusable containers, toddler set to work making a volcano, a snow mountain for the polar bear, and a pipe cleaner bridge for the animals to walk under. He also really enjoyed using the stamps, snowflakes and buttons to make imprints in the dough. And, eventually he moved on to burying the rocks and gems in the dough and making a game of finding them again. The first time he played with the kit he stuck with it for about 45 mins-- enough time for me to enjoy my morning coffee and to tidy up the kitchen from the night before. A definite win in my books! Later in the day, when I brought my little guy back downstairs after his afternoon nap, he immediately requested to play with his "dough" again-- so I happily obliged and it bought me a half hour or so to prepare dinner while he played and experimented quietly at the coffee table.
If you've followed along for a while you'll know that I've always been big into creating sensory bins for my son because he finds them really fascinating and they hold his attention for long periods of time on and off throughout the day. One sometimes frustrating downfall of the sensory bin is that it's large and the messes can be big (think a dump truck of water that makes its way out of the bin, or a scoop of beans that doesn't quite make it into a funnel). I love that the Gentle Family Playkit provides a similar level of stimulation but is a way smaller mess to tidy up when he's done. And, because it's fairly small, toddler is capable of cleaning it up entirely on his own (with a little help to make sure the playdough lids are on nice and tight) so it helps him practice his tidy-up skills and he feels accomplished when he's done!
I know that many of my readers like to support local businesses and are looking to live more natural lifestyles. Based on our experience I would highly recommend Gentle Family Playkits if you're looking for a quality play experience for your child or a thoughtful gift for another child. The Playkits come in various themes, or can be customized with stamps that spell a child's name and range from $5-$30. Party favours are also offered as an option and I think this is a great alternative idea to conventional loot bag fillers.
If you'd like to find out more you can follow @gentlefamilyplaykits on Instagram. Purchases can be made directly from the Etsy shop or via DM on Instagram or Facebook. Delivery is free in Hamilton, or the kits can be picked up locally in Stoney Creek!
And don’t forget! My small business, @LittleFroggyConsignment has teamed up with @GentleFamilyPlaykits to do a fun giveaway for Hamilton parents! Visit either of our Instagrams for full details on how you can win your own play kit and a $20 shop credit!
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