Timberdoodle Review: Plus-Plus Mini Maker Tube - Turkey

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It's also one that is not really a "money maker" and therefore not many people decorate for it. From the time my kiddos were born we have decorated for Thanksgiving every year. Of course when I saw Plus-Plus Mini Maker Tube-Turkey I couldn't wait to add it to our holiday decorations!

I was very interested to find out that this item was created in Denmark. The Plus-Plus kits are used in  many Danish schools because of easy of use as well as the open-ended creativity that they bring. . Due to the unique shape children can make a variety of projects and in different dimensions as well. There are two sizes available.  The Plus-Plus Big as well as the Plus-Plus Mini.  I also liked that they are BPA-free and phthalate-free

When our item arrived my first thought was how happy I was with the packaging. Everything is together including the step-by-step instructions all in a clear case with a great fitting lid. The kit was labeled as containing 70 pieces, but ours actually had extra. The instruction guide does mention that the color count may vary. This item is NOT recommended for children under the ages of 3 due to choking hazards. I feel the way the item is packed and the tight fitting lid that it would help to keep a 3 year old out of it if they happened to run across it. That being said I still would keep it put away if you have little children. 

  

The age recommended for the product is 5-12, so I was excited to see how my son did on his own. My son is 12, but has struggled with fine motor issues and motor planning his entire life.  He liked the step-by-step instructions, but still found it a little difficult to complete on his own. He did the first 7 steps alone and then asked me to check it to make sure it was accurate. While helping him I noticed that while the pieces are sturdy and fit together easily he had a hard time not "crushing" the turkey as he worked on it. He struggled with applying enough pressure to put the pieces together while not snapping the entire project apart. That was a little frustrating for him. All in all he did enjoy the project and was able to almost completely assemble the turkey on his own. 

Even with the few struggles that my son had I would highly recommend this product. It's well made, children can make so many different things and it's fairly inexpensive. This would make a great item to have for Thanksgiving when the children get a little loud and you need something to keep them occupied :)