I like to keep my kids focused on giving back during the holiday season. My kids make gifts for one another and their teachers, we send cards, and collect food for homeless shelters. When Little Loving Hands contacted me about writing about their crafting for a cause subscription kits for kids, I was thrilled. My kids and I have reviewed many different subscription kit services over the years, and this is a new favorite!
Little Loving Hands: Crafting for a Cause for Kids
Like most subscription kits, Little Loving Hands sends kids a craft each month. The difference is, that this craft is for a charitable organization. The child makes the craft and then sends it off in the postage-paid envelope to the intended charity. We got to make a Search-and-Seek activity bag for the little patients at The Children’s Inn at NIH. The kit included a nice information card about the charity and the kids who would receive this craft.
My kids know all about sick kids, because their mom was one once. They were immediately invested in the project, and got right to work. Luckily it was a big enough project that they could each play a part in it! Nine-year-old Emma did the stitching. See that plastic needle? It would never go through felt, but this felt had tiny slits cut along the edges for the needle to slide through, making this part of the project safe for even very young children (with a little adult help getting the needle in the right holes in the right order).
Eight-year-old Johnny cut out squares for the activity card. Seven-year-old Lily put glue on each square, and three-year-old Anna placed it on the card.
Johnny had dyed the beans a few days before (while the girls were off doing some girls-centric activity). All four kids filled the activity bag with beans and the hidden objects. Lily added the velcro gold star.
Anna tested the finished product and declared her approval:
The four kids got to sign their name on a tag on the back of their creation:
And then we walked to to our nearest mailbox. I was really pleased that the completed project weighed in at under 13 ounces, saving us a trip to the post office!
I was very impressed with the way this craft kit was created and executed, and the materials were good quality. This is a wonderful way to craft with your child while teaching them to give back. Little Loving Hands is structured crafting at its best. Kids gain new skills while giving back!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
This is greatness! Such a good way for kids to get involved.
What a cool idea! Off to check out their site.
We generally have not had much luck with subscription kids. My kids usually don’t end up doing them but I think they would love this one because it helps kids! What a great idea!
I love the giving back aspect of this one!
I’m familiar with only a couple craft kits, but this is a wonderful idea! I love the fact the kids aren’t doing it just for themselves. Thanks for highlighting it and Merry Christmas!
I’ve heard about them. I think it’s a great idea, but I really don’t want to subscribe to more stuff coming every month. I kind of feel that it creates too much stress to create what’s in the kit instead of using your own imagination… I feel exactly that way about STEM kits as well.
I can understand that point of view about regular kits (although my own kids have no trouble changing the projects to suit their own interests), but where this is made as part of a larger charity project and you ship off the end result I think it is in its own category.
What a gorgeous idea! That looks great.