New kids journals, toys and kits are in store, just in time for home learning and fun!

We love finding beautiful and interesting new products to share with you all, and we’ve recently added more children’s activities and gift ideas to our in-store range. Rather than adding to the plastic already so prevalent in children’s toys, we’ve worked hard to find products made with plastic free or recyclable materials, locally made items, and toys with a creative and educational focus. This is especially important as a lot of families started homeschooling during Covid, and have continued to manage their children’s schooling after lockdowns ceased. Finding interesting ways to extend on or teach core subjects can be difficult, but with a few good activities every week you can all stay engaged and interested!

 

Something everyone at Washpool quickly became obsessed with is the Eugy cardboard model animal kits. Eugy is a NZ based business that decided to create a kid-friendly model kit that wasn’t made from plastic, and would help educate children on the environment and endangered animals. The kit is completely plastic free, and printed on recyclable materials with earth friendly inks.

Eugy kits are highly collectible, fun to make, and can be incorporated into educational programs very easily. The numbered parts and instructions are a fantastic way for young learners to absorb mathematical concepts, and researching environmental impacts of the materials used can involve literacy and communication skills as well as exploring biology and environmental sciences. With so many different animals available, Eugy has created a very open ended toy that can be enjoyed as a fun activity, or used as an extension of your home or school based curriculum.

 

 

For older children, our candle making kit is a brilliant school holidays activity that can be developed into an exploration of physics and mathematics as well. Candles are not something you often consider when planning a STEM program, but this kit can be used to explore and explain the solid-liquid-gas transformation, practical mathematics, and following formulas.  Research the use of essential oils in candle making, discuss the risks when using essential or fragrance oils, the environmental impact of paraffin wax, and the history of the candle! One simple activity can be extended upon to encourage learning in multiple areas.

 

We’ve also added some wonderful mental health and wellness products to our range, with the Teens and Children’s Grow Journal.

These amazing resources came to life when two parents put their heads together to create a journal aimed at teaching children to manage their mental health, cope with anxiety and social media, and generally learn to be happier and more resilient! Flicking through these, it is easy to see how much fun your children will have as they learn to journal, express themselves, and develop emotional coping mechanisms that will benefit them in managing the changing world we live in. 

We have so many more child-friendly products heading to our store, and we are looking forward to sharing them with you all. Keep an eye on our social media and website as we update it over the coming weeks, school holidays are fast approaching and we want to have you all ready to enjoy this special time with your children!