BUILD YOUR OWN KITS Build Your Own Puppy AGE 4+ Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by New_Mama
With Christmas now fast approaching, like most parents I am on the hunt for stocking fillers for my own children, as well as gifts for others. Crafts and other activities that will help keep a child entertained are always high up on my list but finding something a little bit different isn’t always easy. I hadn’t come across Build Your Own Makes before, an eco friendly brand of plastic free cardboard craft/activity kits where children can make their own characters from a huge range of designs.
I was sent the Build Your Own Puppy cardboard kit. I really like how, like all the different kits, the piece number, length of time guide and skill level is clearly stated on the front of the box so you can choose the most appropriate for the child that you are buying for. With 28 pieces and aimed at those 4 years plus (but designed to do with your child) this level 1 kit is supposed to take 20 minutes to build. I would say if you have a child as independent as mine then a little longer, (and some patience!) is required if they want to do the majority themselves.
The box opens really easily (without ripping!) and unfolds to give details on the brand and other items in the range as well as containing all the pieces and instructions. I liked how even the box has been designed with the addition of a drawing of a puppy that your child can colour in, giving a simple but extra activity included. Impressively, everything from the packaging box, instruction sheet and actual puppy pieces, can all be recycled when finished with so a big plus here on the environmental side.
The kit itself has everything you need, including a ‘removal tool’ piece which really helped little hands remove the pieces. It is simply then a case of slotting the pieces together and the instructions are very clear, with each step shown with images. It is easier if you can remove one piece at a time to and build as you go, rather than removing them all at the start, as the images show where each piece is in the packaging. For me what made the kit was the inclusion of the accessories for your puppy (treats, brush and toys) as well as a little box, which opens and closes, to put them in. The puppy’s head also moves up and down creating a much more lifelike character. This means once your child has made their puppy they can play and care for it for hours to come. We haven’t had it long enough to know how long it will really last before the cardboard gets damaged but it does seem pretty sturdy.
I had a look on the brands website and was impressed by the range they have available. There are plenty of different animals to choose from, including mystical creatures. They also then have themed ranges such as Halloween, Christmas and even for Royal events like the coronation. There are also several short videos on how to do other paper based crafts such as bunting which is a great resource to have. A great Christmas gift or stocking filler as unlike many cheaper children’s gifts no plastic is in sight and the little details have really been thought of.
Free standard delivery is offered via the brands website which is great as so often you have to spend a lot more for this or the products cost becomes much higher when postage is included.
Rating: 4/5
RRP: £9.99
Available to purchase via the brands website on https://buildyourownkits.com/product/puppy/