ABC and 123: A Learning Collaborative: And Then Review and Giveaway

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

And Then Review and Giveaway

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Meet And Then...

Darcy, at And Then, makes kid craft kits for "Quality Time Made Simpler." Each kit is made with love and kid-tested. As you will see, all of the parent work (research, shopping, prep, and organization) is taken care of. So, pull up your special little one, your scissors, and your Kid Craft Kit for some crafty bonding time! While I was specifically reviewing her fabulous kid kits, Darcy also sells beautiful prints of her original acrylic paintings. Lovely!

Do you have a family reunion to prepare for this summer? Are you coordinating a summer day care or day camp? Are you overseeing a summer school? Darcy would happily work with you to put together a group of kits so you could supply the kids’ activities for the group. When back to school time returns she will also work with teachers to put together class kits. One less thing for you to plan – can I get a “Woo Hoo!”

Personally, I am looking forward to referring back to AndThen next time my children are invited to a birthday party. This would be a unique & useable gift. Darcy offers the option of personalizing kid kits with the receipients’ names, perfect for a party gift!

10 Fabulous Features of And Then's Kid Kits:
1. I am a huge sucker for adorable packaging! Presentation matters, and this presentation was amazing! Even the mailing box was decorated with kid friendly font address labels and thematic stickers! Everything we needed was tucked into the reusable storage container our craft arrived in.

2. Darcy is very conscientious about age appropriateness. She knows the materials in her kits and thinks carefully about the age levels she recommends them for. In fact, she specifically provided a content warning label on the our kid kit for crafting carefully with children under 3.

3. Each individual material included in the kit was labeled with adorable thematic stickers. So cute! The only supplies we need to roundup were scissors and a crayon.

4. The step by step instructions provided in the kit make assembly easy.
5. Even the glue spreaders were labeled.

6. "Before we get started we need to find some newspaper so we don’t get paint on the table." "Um mom, no we don’t there is wax paper in the paint bag."

7. The kit came with body parts for the kids to cut. Again, considering age appropriateness, the body parts for our 3 year old were already cut out and included in the package.

8. Check out the fantastic selection of prints and colors on the papers provided. Shiny, happy fish for sure! One of my favorite features was the built in lesson. Each of the fish parts were labeled with the scientific name.

9. The instructions included a list of suggestions for reusing the left over materials. We tried one of the suggestions and glued left over fish parts to the glue spreaders to make stick puppets. The kids use the puppets with their finished aquarium as a mini theatre.

10. This kit encouraged the kids to come up with names for their fish, so they did! I love the "Bold Fish." Not sure if that was supposed to be bowl fish or gold fish, but I think her combo was appropriate.

10 Fun Follow Up Activities
1. Visit an aquarium or pond in your area to watch the fish
2. Put together your own fish tank at home to watch and care for them
3. Research the names of the different levels of the ocean
4. Talk about habitats
5. Teach about species and such one fish fit into
6. Make a list of words that rhyme with fish
7. Write or tell a creative story about the fish in the Kid Kit aquaruim
8. Count the objects in the aquaruim: fish, bubbles, shells, sea weed. Graph the results
9. Read The Rainbow Fish
10. Experiment with a dish of water and several objects to find what floats or sinks

Want to learn more about this creative entrepreneur?
Check out Darcy's blog
Follow her on twitter
Shop And Then

From now until next Monday, And Then is offering our readers 10% off (not including shipping) your order! Use the code " ABC123Learning" in the message to seller part of checkout and Darcy will send you a revised invoice.

Win it!
And Then is giving one of ABC & 123's reader's a Kid's Craft Kit of their choice!
The giveaway will be open now until midnight Monday June 15, 2009 EST

Entry Requirement: Check out And Then's etsy shop. Browse the fun selection of kid kits, then come back and leave us a comment as to which kit you'd choose if you won.

Extra Entries:
Leave a separate comment for each additional entry to be valid.
~Follow our blog, remind us if you already do!
~Post our Summer Prize Picnic Button, let us know so we can come check it out
~Follow And Then on twitter
~Leave a comment on Darcy's personal blog. Leave a comment here regarding which post you commented on.
~Follow us on Twitter.
~Tweet about this giveaway & leave us the link to your tweet.
~Make a purchase from And Then during the giveaway period

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: We received our products, free of charge in return for writing a review and hosting this giveaway. However, our opinions are genuine and no effort was made to influence them by the company.

72 comments:

  1. This is some very neat stuff. If I win I would choose the Garden Caterpillar kid kit, SO cute!

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  2. Entry #3. I have the summer prize picnic button.

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  3. I think I would choose the Lion and Lamb note holders!

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  4. I even have the picnic prize button.

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  5. i would choose the garden caterpillar kid kit

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  6. i follow you on twitter
    chawksgirl4ever

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  7. Entry #1
    how absolutely adorable is the Garden Party Paper Lantern kit?!?! Maddie would love to do this craft!

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  8. Entry #2 I follow your blog!

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  9. The Caterpiller kit looks like fun to do with both boys.

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  10. Entry #3
    I am now following AndThenCrafts on Twitter!

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  11. http://twitter.com/playactivities/statuses/2088928607

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  12. Entry #4
    I added your button!

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  13. Entry #5
    I am following Katie's Nesting Spot and A Listmaker's Life on Twitter

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  14. I would get the Easter Egg Banner Kit.

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  15. I left her a few comments... on make a fabric-covered bulletin board and 4th of july window stars kid kit

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  16. I like the handprint sun kid kit-very cute!!

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  17. The 4th of July Window Stars Kid Kit looks like a lot of fun!

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  18. Oh I love the Garden Paper Lantern kit.

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  19. I posted on Darcy's blog about 4th of July sun catchers.

    Come check out my 100th post celebration and giveaway!

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  20. I would choose the Aquarium Kid Kit!

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  21. I have the Prize Picnic Button!

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  22. Cute! I like the 4th of July Window Stars Kid Kit.

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  23. I have the Summer Prize Picnic Button on my blog.

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  24. I like the Butterfly Stained Glass Window Kit.

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  25. Her blog is so fun! I just commented on the 4th of July Window Stars Kid Kit post.

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  26. I love the butterfly stained glass or the caterpillar.

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  27. Great craft kits. Aquarium was my absolute favorite - what a creative idea that was also well executed.

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  28. I would choose the Handprint Sun Kid Kit because my daughter loves to trace her hands.

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  29. I follow your totally awesome blog!

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  30. I posted th Summer Prize picnic button. (Left side on the bottom.)

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  31. I wrote a comment on Darcy's 4th of July craft kit post. I said I would like the handprint craft before, but I think I like this one even better.

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  32. I love the Garden Caterpillar and the Leaf Suncatcher Kit looks like a lot of fun also!

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  33. I follow your blog, and love it!

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  34. I would pick the rocket ship or the caterpillar, can't decide! to do with one of the kids I babysit!

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  35. My daughter loves the butterfly kit! They look beautiful!
    Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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  36. I commented on Darcy's blog!! Love her ideas!

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  37. i would choose either the fish aquarium or the leaf suncatchers.

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  38. I so want that caterpillar. If I don't win we may have to just gather the materials ourselves.

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  39. I love the Fish aquarium kit, it looks sooo cute

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  40. I am also a follower of your blog :)

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  41. What lovely paper covered file cabinet she did, I commented on Darcy's blog :)

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  42. Our you sure we can only pick one? This may sound silly, but I would pick the mini mummy kid kit--my youngest is totally into mummies, skeletons, and ghosts. I think he would love this. Thanks.

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  43. My favorite is the lion & lamb note holder kit. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  44. I love the Easter banner kit.

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  45. I have the picnic button posted on my picnic posts.

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  46. I'd love to make the Stained Glass Butterfly Kid Kit with my granddaughter.

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  47. I'm following AndThenCrafts on Twitter (slmiresse)

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  48. I'm following both of you on Twitter (slmiresse)

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  49. I like the "Garden Caterpillar Kit".

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    pamelashockley(AT)netscape(DOT)net

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  50. Oh, I love the little caterpillar!

    I just made up a huge stack of Craft Kits for my kiddos, because we've got baby #3 on the way, but nothing as fancy as the ones she has on her site!

    This would be a blessing!

    Valerie

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  51. I really enjoyed looking at all of the kits. The item I fell most in love with doesn't seem to be a kit at all, it is the Roxy Bird and the Butterfly - Original Mixed Media on 16x20 Canvas.

    The butterfly and the caterpillar crafts were pretty darn cute too!

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  52. I have your Prize Picnic button on my blog. I hope I win, this is pretty neat!

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  53. I like the Garden Caterpillar Kid Kit

    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23964623

    tater_16_2001@yahoo.com

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  54. I made a comment about her Recycling Crayons.

    http://ourpocketfullofposies.blogspot.com/

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