Mud & Bloom Review - Handy For Home-Ed?
Disclosure:
Mud & Bloom gifted me this product so that I could review it. I only recommend products and services that I trust and believe in. All opinions are my own and given honestly. The included links in this review do not pay me any commission. Do read my full disclosure on advertising.
Product Summary:
Mud & Bloom are monthly children's gardening and nature craft subscription boxes - aimed at connecting kids with nature. They are aimed at 3 to 8-year-olds and are delivered through your letter box at the beginning of each month. Each box includes everything you need for at least five seasonal gardening and nature craft activities.
Their seeds are certified organic and biodynamic wherever possible. They also provide organic peat-free compost pellets in each box so you can start planting immediately. The activities have been created with influences from Forest School, Steiner, and Montessori education.
1, 3, and 6-month subscriptions start from £16.50 monthly (free UK postage is included). A sibling option with enough resources for two children from £19.50 a month is available. They also have some nature-inspired party bags in their shop, which look lovely (way nicer than all the plastic tat you so often get in party bags!).
Receive 10% off your first box using the code FIRSTBOX10 at checkout.
Sasha’s thoughts:
Our March box contained many goodies to spark curiosity and ignite young imaginations. From seeds ready to sow to eco-friendly crafting materials, each item is carefully selected to inspire a love for gardening and nature exploration. The hands-on activities are designed to deepen your child’s connection with nature and celebrate the beauty of the world around us, learning valuable lessons about plants, wildlife, and sustainability. One of the things I liked most about it is its commitment to hands-on learning. Every activity included in the box is designed to be interactive and engaging, encouraging children to roll up their sleeves and dive into the wonders of our natural world. With easy-to-follow instructions and engaging crafts, children are encouraged to get their hands dirty, plant seeds, watch them grow, and marvel at the wonders of nature unfolding before their eyes.
Designed for children aged 3 to 8, these boxes are like little treasure chests filled with everything needed for various seasonal gardening and nature craft activities. My son, age 12, was too old for them to hold his interest for long, so the recommended age range seems just right. Children with a keen interest in gardening and nature and craft activities will love it, and it would complement a nature study (like the beautiful ‘Exploring Nature with Children’ curriculum) very nicely. Each box includes nature news, spotting activities, and crafts that teach children about animals, plants, insects, birds, and the changing seasons. It's like having a mini outdoor classroom delivered right to your letterbox. The contents are thoughtfully curated and accompanied by clear, easy-to-follow instructions, making them accessible and enjoyable for children and parents alike.
I really like this box's eco credentials; even the little plastic bag containing the powdered clay was biodegradable. As a parent, I appreciate this emphasis on sustainability. The materials provided in the box (and the box itself) are eco-friendly, helping to instil in our children a sense of stewardship for our environment from an early age.
O. trying out the activities:
O. collected and pressed spring flowers and leaves. This wasn't easy as we had been having constant rain and wind here on Dartmoor - it was not feeling like Spring! After pressing the flowers in our heavy Marvel encyclopedia for a week, he glued them onto the colourful cards included in the box.
He then made the wildflower seed bombs. This proved tricky for him as he is very sensory and struggled with having the soil on his hands, but he persevered. The seed balls are slowly drying out on our windowsill, ready to throw into the garden, or maybe into a pot instead so we can watch them grow.
This was his favourite craft in the box, pinwheel wind spinners. O. painted the supplied templates using the paint palette included in the box, which, when dry, we laminated to ensure that they lasted longer and didn't get soggy (it has been raining a LOT here). This activity definitely needed adult assistance; getting the pins through the sticks was challenging even for me! As it has been so windy lately, testing them out was easy!
Sasha’s summary:
Everything is well thought out and ties in with the seasons beautifully. I feel that the price of £16.50 is a little high for a monthly subscription, and the included crafts and seeds could be put together for less. That aside, many of us home educators are pressed for spare time. Mud & Bloom have put together a lovely nature-inspired box to save you from coming up with the ideas and resources yourself - and things through the letterbox always feel like a present, don’t they?!
In a world dominated by screens and digital distractions, the Mud & Bloom monthly nature box is a breath of fresh air; with its engaging activities, creative projects, and focus on hands-on learning, it's the ideal companion for families looking to foster a deeper connection with nature. If you're a home-educating parent and nature enthusiast and looking for activities that seamlessly blend fun and education for your little ones, Mud & Bloom hits the mark perfectly.
Handy for home ed?
Absolutely, especially for enriching your children's connection with nature or when paired with a nature-focused curriculum. However, the price might be a barrier for some, and it's best suited for younger children, which can narrow its appeal slightly.
⭐️ Our ‘handy for home-ed’ rating of Mud & Bloom is 3/5 ⭐️
