Review: Mud and Bloom Box

This year I’ve been determined to spend more time out in our garden with the kids. We haven’t done much with it, but we have tried to make it bee and bird friendly, and this year I’ve grown some herbs, salad and veg. It’s been nice getting Finn involved too, so I’m always looking for things that we can do together. When I saw Mud and Bloom boxes, I thought it would be a great way to try out some new activities and maybe learn something along the way!

The Mud and Bloom box fits through your letterbox, so you’ll never miss a delivery

Mud and Bloom subscription boxes are aimed at 3-8 year olds and are delivered every month. Each box contains four seasonal activities based around nature and gardening. Our box, which was the July edition, had two things to grow: forget-me-nots and kohlrabi, and two things to make: a sundial and nature sun prints. There was also nature news for the month, a wild flower spotter sheet and a quiz.

We had a go at growing forget-me-nots and kohl rabi

I love the fact that the box had everything you need, I hate it when we start something and realise we need lots of stuff! Plus the instructions were really clear and easy to follow. We planted the forget-me-nots straight into one of the garden borders,and the kohlrabi we started off inside.

The box contains the seeds and organic, peat free compost pellets so you can get started straight away

Unfortunately, we went away at a crucial time so the kohlrabi didn’t make it. It was still worthwhile though as Finn loved planting the seeds and looking after them for a while. Plus, we’re trying to encourage him to be a bit more adventurous with his food, so it was a great opportunity to talk about a new vegetable.

As soon as we opened the box, Finn was desperate to make the sundial. He loves anything to do with numbers (somewhat fueled by watching obscene amounts of Numberblocks!) and we’ve started teaching him to tell the time, so it was a great activity for us.

Finn loved making the sundial

We found our stones in the garden, and then Finn drew on the numbers with the oil pastels provided. I’m not the most creative person and often struggle to think of new things to do, so this was perfect. It was a really simple idea, but worked well and was our favourite activity from the box. I will definitely do it again, maybe with different materials.

We were chuffed with our sundial and it brought together lots of things that we have been teaching Finn at home

The only activity that went a bit wrong was our nature sun prints. This was partly due to the weather not playing ball and making it a little harder. But like a lot of activities, the fun was in following the instructions and working together. We still enjoyed it, and we have another sheet so can give it another go once we get a sunny day.

Not quite how it was meant to look, but at least you can tell it was a leaf!

Our Verdict

Both me and Finn enjoyed the activities, and I think we both learnt something too. Since Ollie has come along, Finn doesn’t get the same amount of attention or one to one time that he used to, and as he rarely complains, he does sometimes get sidelined. It was therefore really nice to spend some quality time together and have something that is ‘our thing’. It is rare to find something to do that is educational and genuinely fun for both parent and child, but I think that Mud and Bloom certainly fit this criteria. It’s even better that it encourages us to spend more time outdoors and helps to foster an interest in nature.

The boxes make a great present and I can certainly see myself getting a 3 month gift subscription in the future for my nieces and nephews. I am also considering getting a subscription for Finn as he really loved it. At £11.95 for a month to month subscription it’s good value, and by paying in advance you can save some money. I like the fact that you can skip a box if you want to, as the only issue I can see is us running out of time to do all the activities.

Have you ever subscribed to a box like Mud and Bloom? Does this look like something you would enjoy?

Disclaimer: We were given a box for free in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own (and Finn’s)