Disclosure: If you make a purchase through the links posted below, I may receive a small compensation. Read the full disclosure.
Edited to Add: SparkPlay is no longer in business.
When the folks over at SparkPlay contacted me and asked if I wanted to review a pack, I jumped at the chance. Being winter and all, we are always looking for new and fun indoor activities.
In case you aren’t familiar with them, SparkPlay “is an out of the box experience designed for children aged 3 to 7 and comes with supplies for one parent and child to play”. If you have more than one child, you can add their “Sibling Solution” to get more materials.
I hadn’t heard much about SparkPlay so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was happy to open the box and see that it was packed with a ton of goodies I knew L would go crazy for! Each month has a different theme and we received the “Mad Scientist” theme, which I knew L was going to love.
Unlike lots of the other subscription boxes, SparkPlay’s “information cards” are online. I’ll admit I was totally confused by this at first and didn’t know what to do. I finally figured out that I needed to go online in the ParentHub and get what I needed. This was a total error on my part as this information was included in the box and in an e-mail. And that is why you need to read the instructions my friends.
The following projects were included:
~Awesome Apron: The idea was to decorate the apron, which L wasn’t overly into. In fact, I was surprised he even put it on. However, once he learned there were spots for his mad scientist test tubes in there, he was all over it and could not get that thing on fast enough.
~Glasses Project: All good mad scientists need glasses right? These glasses are made out of nothing more than pipe cleaners. Seriously. I was shocked that they were as easy to make as the directions said they’d be. L couldn’t stop laughing at himself in the mirror in them.
~Gloppity Goop Powder: When mixed with water, Gloppity Goop powder becomes a very strange concoction. No matter what you do to it, it always bounces right back to shape. L and I were fascinated. I believe that it’s just corn starch (I think), but I’ve never seen it behave this way. Very cool indeed.
~Potion Powder: OMG, I saved the best for last. The pack also came with potion powder, aka, Kool-Aid. I thought L’s head was going to pop off he was so excited to see Kool-Aid. We must have spent a good hour mixing the powders, adding water, and well, drinking Kool-Aid. I’d say that the day we did this was one of the best days L has had all winter. Every time we are at the store, he’s all can we get some more of that potion….. Ha! And don’t worry, we saved our test tubes!
Ohh, and the pack also came with a mad scientist wig that I talked L into trying on, but he told me NOT to send the picture of him in it to anyone. He said he looked ridiculous. I thought he looked like Cher. Luckily WB doesn’t care who sees him looking silly, so he agreed to model it.
I should also mention that the SparkPlay pack comes with a drawstring bag, so when you are done playing for the day, you can put everything in the bag, store it away and pull it out next time you want to play. I love this idea! I need to think of a way to label it so that I don’t have to open it to see what pack is in there you know?
I gotta tell you, we loved SparkPlay! L and I had a great time playing with everything and it really did encourage us to play together instead of him doing one thing and me doing another.
SparkPlay is $29.99/month, which is right in line with a lot of the other kid monthly subscription boxes and totally worth it in my opinion. I’m not saying you’ll never hear “I’m bored” again, but helpfully you’ll hear it less.
What do you think of SparkPlay? If you are interested in learning more or subscribing, click here. And, it just happens to be your lucky day, because the nice people over at SparkPlay want to send one of you guys a box! Woot woot! Just enter below and maybe you’ll be the winner!
I’m sure both of my kiddos would love to get this box!
I would love to win this for my Niece. This would be a great surprise for my sister and niece.
Thank you.
I’d love to win this for my 5 year old son!
This box looks like a lot of fun. I would love to see if my child likes it.
Would love to do this with my niece!
I think you said once that L doesn’t like to smile nice for pictures, the smile he has on with those glasses in genuine and huge!
Love that their philosophy is more about play than anything else. There’s so much structured education toys these days that kids need to dream! 🙂
http://www.sarahandderek.blogspot.com/
Would love this for my daughter! So great! Love your website!
I’d love to win this for Mackenzie and I to play together.
My son N (2 1/2) would love this!
My nephew would LOVE this! It looks like a blast =)
I’m sure my youngest would get a kick out of this!
I totally want to try this one!
I’d love to win this for Sophie (3 1/2)!!
I love all the box reviews you do. I really want to subscribe to one. I just don’t know which one!
Interesting stuff but very simple and things that I easily have around the house!
Oh, I would love to get my 2 year old to stop watching TV and just do some fun activities.
What a fun idea! Sometimes it just takes a little boost to do fun activities at home. Love it.
I would love to win this for my boys! They love doing activities at home. Especially fun, messy ones 🙂
You are the give away queen!! 🙂
My four year old would love this!!
For my little boy!
Looks like such a fun box! My daughter would love it! 🙂
I would like this for my daughter
I would love to win this for my almost 3 year old monkey!!
I’d like to win this for my son Markus. I think he would be all over the test tube kool aid. Lol
Would love to win for my two boys!
The kids would love this.
my twins!
Olivia would have fun with this!! Looks fun!!
That looks like so much funnnnnn!
My 2.5 year old would love this!
So want to win this one for our two little ones and who am I kidding I want to even mix up the potions
I would love to win this for my two little ones who doesn’t love playing with potions super fun
I think my godchild, Jack, would love this!
Would love to win this for my daughter! 🙂
I think my nephew who’s 3 would love this!
Would love to win this for my daughter
I would love to win this for my 4 & 5 year old!
hope it picks me! ^..^
This box looks like tons of fun!
Sounds like so much fun! I would love to try that. I like the whole scientist idea also…I used to mix things as a kid:)
My son would love this box. He loves anything crafty!
What fun!! My boys would have a blast!
I would like to win this for my son.
My almost 4yr old daughter would love this!
I wanna win this for Gavin. Boy friendly subscription boxes are non-existent. You is a little bit older than suggested but I think he would still have fun with it. or Ellen could take it on one her babysitting nights. she loves to bring projects for the neighbor kids when she babysits!
How cool! What an awesome giveaway!!!
My little boys (ages 6 and 3–but especially the 6 year old) would love this! how fun! I really need to check this one out! I hope I win!
This would be great for Preston!!
I think my 6 & 3-year olds would love it! Looks like lots of fun 🙂
My mom and sister work at a daycare and are always looking for cool things for the kids to do! this would be an awesome thing to share with them!
I would love to win this for my son (he is only 2, but pretty advanced for his age and we usually play with things developmentally 3 and up) We don’t get out of the house much so this would help break up the boredom for both of us (even the dogs could get in on the act)
I would love to win this for my daughter, and well okay me too, looks like tons of fun!!!
I think the easiest way to label this would be a tag with the subject tied to the strap. That way you can re-label easily if you end up using the bag for something else later on. I make easy, durable tags with card stock and clear shelf liner/contact paper. Cut out the tag shape with a punch, or just as a square, write on it and lay it on a section of the contact paper. Cut the contact paper twice as large with about a half inch overlap all around, fold it over and Voila!; instant laminated paper. You can also do this with clear packing tape, but that isn’t quite as durable.