Doodle Crate Subscription Box Review & Coupon

July Doodle Crate was Ink Wash painting!  An absolutely gorgeous craft. Doodle Crate is one of the latest additions to the KiwiCo family. Geared toward kids 9+, it inspires young makers to learn new skills and gain creative confidence through craft and art projects. Use coupon code MS30 to save 30% on your first box of  Doodle Crate (or Kiwi Crate and Kiwi family subscriptions Tinker Crate and Koala Crate). This box is also excellent for anyone wanting a craft subscription (even adults). It’s not just another craft project every month – it’s a whole new technique. In my experience, this is the best “arts and crafts” box for older kids, tweens, teens, and adults.

The box includes step-by-step instructions and everything you need to complete the project.

The information card details the techniques you’ll learn, the included supplies, and other typical household supplies you will need. The card described Sumi-E (Suibokuga) ink painting!

The instructions are clear and easy to follow and broken down step by step.

Extension ideas are included with the instructions – but fewer this month as there were two involved projects.

The first step was practicing. Our little guy wanted to try too! This is special paper that you can paint on with water and then it disappears. It’s very neat!

I practiced some on cardboard 🙂

Daddy made a horse.

So did she! There was a whole pad of paper to practice on, and 3 sheets of rice paper, so there was a lot of opportunity to get it right.

Then it was on to the real thing. if you see the inkwells in the palette – each one has a different concentration of ink to water to create different shades of gray on your rice paper.

My 6 year old did every one of these herself (except for my panda on the cardboard). It’s amazing that they can teach a kid this sort of technique with just a few directions.

After she made her project, it was on to the chop stamp!

Seal carving is a traditional art in China, and while hers was very simple with just an A, she showed off that she understood the reverse imprint by doing one with two initials too.

And then we mounted the ink wash painting to create the final product! My only criticism of this project was the directions they gave to apply the glue dots – which was directly on the rice paper. Glue dot application can be quite tricky, and it tore the delicate rice paper. Fortunately it rolled up on the wooden mounting sticks and is hidden. I think this is a lovely project and I really like that it’s more than just technique – the kids always get to create a finished product.

Visit Doodle Crate to subscribe or find out more, or see all our Doodle Crate reviews!  Use coupon HELLO50 to take $10 off your first box.  Check out more craft and DIY subscriptions, subscriptions for kids and monthly subscriptions for teens and tweens in the directory.

Here’s a peek at some of the stuff we may see from future crates! (screenprinting, make your own camera)