KIWICO DOODLE CRATE REVIEW - SCRATCH ART LANTERN

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If you've read my past posts, you know how much we love our KiwiCo Tinker Crates. But, we only get them once a month, so we decided to try the art version of Tinker Crate by grabbing a year subscription to the KiwiCo Doodle Crate. (read more)

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KIWICO DOODLE CRATE REVIEW - SCRATCH ART LANTERN UNBOXING

As with all of my posts about the Crates we get from KiwiCo, I like to start with unboxing so you can see everything that comes with the project. I'll also cover the things you will need that do not come in the box, typically things like scissors, scotch tape, etc. 

Here is the stuff that came in the Scratch Art Lantern Box:

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KIWICO DOODLE CRATE REVIEW - SCRATCH ART LANTERN BUILD VIDEO

If you'd like to see the Scratch Art Lantern get built, here's the video. It did take my kids a solid hour to make it happen, but I speed up the video so you don't have to sit through all of that. 

We'll talk more about the actual process in the next section.

I know the cover pictures for both videos are the same, but this one is the build, I solemnly swear.

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MAKING YOUR SCRATCH ART LANTERN - WATCHING PAINT DRY

I have a 12 year old and an 8 year old, and this project was straight forward for both of them. The instructions were easy to follow, my 8 year old could have done it alone, no problem.

The hardest part was probably the wait time between painting the clear triangular sheets (that you would later scratch off to make your design) the first time, and then waiting again to paint the second time. Make sure your child applies only a thin layer the first time, that will make the wait less. 

My kids applied a thick layer of paint at the start, it took forever to dry, and by the time we came back to scratch, they did not have the patience to do the second layer. 

I'd suggest planning on at least an hour of dry time for each thin layer, so you might plan the first layer, eat lunch or something, watch a movie, do the second layer, etc. Maybe even do the first layer the night before. 

​Really the worst part of this whole project was the dry time. My kids wanted to sit down, get it done, and play with the lantern. That dry time changed everything for them. 

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OPENING, CLOSING, AND CHANGING COLORS

One thing I really liked about this project was how easy it is to get into the lantern. After all, you have to turn the light on and off, and that light is located inside the lantern pyramid, so if it were a pain to get to, this would not get used. 

Same goes for changing the color of the light. KiwiCo gives you a few sheets of colored cellophane that you just crumple up and stick inside the lantern to make it whatever color you like. Being able to easily open and close the pyramid makes all the difference. 

There are a few notches on the tip of each triangle that form the pyramid. A simple rubber o ring goes over the tip of the pyramid to hold things closed. Turning on or off the light, or changing out the cellophane is only a matter of seconds.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Some of the KiwiCo Crates are good for kids all over the age range listed, some are good for older kids, and some are good for younger kids. The Scratch Art Lantern is, in my opinion, one of those builds that would be very good for younger kids. Yes, you might have to help them with some detail work (like taping down the clear triangles, but they'll probably really enjoy making their own artwork, painting the triangles, and having a lantern in their room that they made themselves. 

Unlike the Hydraulic Claw, which I thought was better suited for older children, the Scratch Art Lantern seemed just a tad bit boring for my 12 year old, but was a big hit with my 8 year old. 

If you haven't read my other KiwiCo Crate reviews, I'll just take a second to remind you that you'll save the most money by grabbing a year long subscription, and that (aside from saving money) a benefit of that subscription is that you can change boxes anytime.  This is super handy if you have a child right on the age range cusp of two different Crates. 

Be sure to check the top of the KiwiCo site because there is normally a discount code up there you can apply as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Ty

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