Review: Little Doers craft kit

Sadly, Little Doers craft kits are no longer trading.

Little Doers is a four-weekly craft subscription kit. Each kit contains four individually packaged activity envelopes containing all the materials needed to complete at least one craft, as well as factsheets and puzzle sheets. Harry was sent the June craft kit to review, which was themed around the Jubilee. Harry is 3 1/2, so I chose the pre-school/early years box.

The box contained four invidividual envelopes, which I liked as it was clear what belonged together. We also received four disposable aprons (regular subscribers will receive one sturdier apron which can be reused), a paint brush and glue spreader (sent with the first box, but subscribers can request extras with their next box at any time) and some pots for mixing.

Contents of the box

The intention is that there is an envelope for each week, and because it is all self-contained you can take them with you to do elsewhere, for example at a friend or grandparent's house.

Contents of the Week 1 envelope, which contained two crafts

Obviously the main focus is crafting, but I liked that as well as very detailed instructions the envelopes also contained some interesting fact sheets and puzzles to expand the activity, and are also something to do while the paint or glue is drying.

The activities that we received were:

Week 1 - Crown and Queen mask activities
Week 2 - Queen spoon puppet
Week 3 - Queen's Guard wall decoration
Week 4 - Union Jack bunting.

Having fun painting a Queen's Guard hat

We had a lot of fun with the crafts in this kit. Although they were all on the same theme they were varied enough to hold Harry's interest, and there was a wide range of materials, textures and colours. The process was satisfying, and the finished products were fun and sturdy.

Very proud of his spoon puppet Queen

The glue supplied was in little plastic packets which I did find a bit difficult to work with. I was pleased to find that several of the crafts used paint - at first I wasn't sure how well this would work but the small packets of powder paint mixed up really well and provided just the right amount needed, with extra left over from some of the activities. The powder paint also dried really quickly which was brilliant and meant that there were no hold ups.

Making Jubilee bunting

The crafts took plenty of time to complete which was good. Thought had obviously gone into making sure that the crafts could be completed in stages, for example meaning that you had something else to do while parts were drying, which is problem that I often find while crafting.

Harry obviously needed my help to complete the crafts, but I felt that they were pitched perfectly towards his ability and understanding. The information on the fact sheets went a little over his head, but it was interesting for me and I'll be holding on to them for when he's older.

There is a website with a member's area which contains the original files so that you can print out extra copies of the activities, including the activities which have been in earlier boxes. You can also have an online only subscription. Prices range from £15 for a single box to £80 for 6 boxes, and you can see the full range of subscription options here. See the Little Doers website for more information (service no longer available).

Disclaimer - we were sent the Little Doers kit to review.

Completed Jubilee bunting