Mud & Bloom is a fab new monthly subscription box for nature lovers. Each month the box contains two seasonal activities; a gardening activity and a nature craft. There are also quizzes, spotting cards, information sheets and so on. The boxes include everything you need to complete the activities, except occasionally for everyday items that would generally be around the home anyway, such as finding some kind of pot for planting – a yogurt pot or other such item would suffice. It is aimed at approximately 3- 8 year olds and costs £7.95 per month with free UK shipping.
About The Creator
This lovely idea came from a mum of 2 young children, Anja, and was inspired by her love of nature. The activities have been created by qualified teachers and are influenced by various educational approaches.
About The Box
The box I reviewed (February) contained the following activities; grow your own cherry tomatoes, grow your own basil and paint your own pebbles. (This doesn’t get old even if you have done it before!) The only things we needed to get ourselves were the actual rocks and pots for planting, plus a plastic bag.
It also contains a nature spotters activity for things you might see in February, which is a nice little activity to do whilst outdoors on a nature walk. (And might encourage you and your littlies to venture out in the cold even if you don’t usually!)
A Sample Activity
We have only done the grow your own basil activity so far. (Squiggle is still unwell and hasn’t felt up to it but was keen for me not to do it without her!) It was a simple activity that children of any age can enjoy doing.
The instructions are detailed but still written in a straightforward way. They are well explained and easy to read/ follow. They are high quality and very well produced in my opinion!
I liked the fact that it came with soil pellets that are part of the fun – and save messing around bringing soil in from the garden!
You just put them in warm water for 10- 15 minutes and they expand. I used that time to grab the stuff we needed (pots and a plastic bag) while Squiggle watched them grow.
Squiggle did find it tricky to get the seeds in the hole – you would think we have never planted seeds before! However it would be very simple if she had been carefully pinching a few seeds from her hand or the packet with thumb and forefinger, rather than just pouring them – I would think this goes without saying generally though of course, she just wasn’t quite with it bless her!
Our Verdict
We really like these boxes! The packaging has been carefully thought out to avoid waste wherever possible. The activities are good for a range of ages and are still fun if you have done them before. The instructions are clear and everything about the contents feels high quality. I personally feel they are reasonable value for money given the price includes postage and the subscription is flexible; it can be stopped or paused anytime. They get a thumbs up from us!
Discount Code
For 50% off your first box please use the code LIVINGLIFEOURWAY
Giveaway!
One lucky reader can win a 3 month subscription to Mud & Bloom. Enter via rafflecopter below. UK only. Ends 25th March 2018. T&Cs apply. Good luck!
*Disclosure: I received a 3 month subscription in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love gardening, as well as sitting and relaxing amongst our trees and plants and flowers. I love to grow fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs, and it is made even better when the Grandchildren come over and help too. I keep saying that we should make a little veg plot for them to call their own and take responsibility for. We also like to go for picnics in the local woodland, especially in the Summer, and our little dog, Alfie, loves to come along with us.
I enjoy gardening, although I prefer the creative side such as planning and planting rather than the maintenance!
Nature walks and pond dipping
Woodland walks with the kids making a journey stick
we love going on nature trails x
Going for nice walks round Willen Lake
I like to go on walks with the family and our dog.
Bird watching and trying to photograph them x
Long walks with the kids and geocaching
growing herbs
I love walking along the beach or river watching the wildfire and birds
Gardening
We like taking the dog for a long walk in the local woods, but also watching the birds out of the windows at home. When the “Beast From The East” struck we had 7 Fieldfares in our garden, haven’t seen them in the garden before and now it’s turned warmer they have disappeared again.
Going for a nice long walk
I love to walk through my local forest
bird watching!
growing seeds in the greenhouse
I love taking the kids on a nature trail and animal hunt, we print of sheets with animals we are likely to see and go on a hunt to see if we can find them
I love going for runs on trails in the autumn.
We love doing nature trails – followed by a picnic of course!
I love collecting pinecones to make bird feeders.
We are lucky to have a huge garden so we get the joys of bird watching and love making nature homes xx
WE love walking in the woods
I love walking in the countryside
Just pottering in my garden
I love going on autumnal walks
I love beach-combing although I don’t live near the sea so I don’t get chance very often
Looking for foxes and squirrels in the woods whilst dog walking!!
we love bird watching
Love to walk in my local woods – especially at bluebell time
The nature trail in our park thats not far from home
I like going on river walks with my dogs
Going on dog walks and leaf collecting!
Growing my own vegetables and walks in the forest.
I love going for walks in the country
Wild swimming and nature photgraphy, all with the dog of course.
We like to walk along the riverside with the dogs.
Love taking the dog out and finding new places to go for walks with him, where he is free to run wild…..the kids just run wild with him which is a big plus!
We love to go rock hopping, the children enjoy collecting the beautiful stones. We paint them or make mosaic pictures when we return home, although we have done outdoor artwork on the footpaths.
Nature trails and collecting things with my little grandson
We love walking through the lakes and talking about the flowers xx
we love going on nature trails x
We love nature treasure hunts, my young grandchildren collect whatever they class as treasure and we make pictures out of it
We are members of the National Trust and love going on there trails. Last time my son planted a bean with them brought it home and is enjoying watching it grow
I love birdwatching with my husband and son. We take out binoculars and go on walks on the cliffs and woods.
Love when is the chestnuts season and picking them up to roast them
love teaching my 3 grandchildren about the garden and all the wildlife and birds, they have a little section in my garden where they plants seeds and watch them grow. we go for a walk in the woods too every sunday, they love collecting bugs and leaves to look at.
Collecting snails
I love spending time in my garden growing flowers & vegetables mainly from seeds. My Granddaughter helps me when she visits on Sunday.
We love collecting leaves in the woods
We love finding rocks, painting them and leaving them for others to find
I used to love taking my dogs for long walks in the woods but unfortunately,due to health reasons,I have to employ a dog walker now. I like to potter about in my garden tho.
Walking in the woods.
Walking my dog in the woods
Having a nice stroll through my local park.
Watching the birds with my sen class using our feeders. We are seeing lots of different varities during this very cold weather.
I love going kayaking
We have always loved going round National Trust gardens. If I ever make a major bonus / win the lottery – I will buy my family lifetime passes!
Walking in the countryside
I like doing photography of nature- mainly the wildlife
taking long walks x
love walking in the woods x
Going for a walk with my two year old granddaughter spotting things and answering her questions, looking up what we don’t know. I see things through fresh eyes.
We like collecting leaves and conkers in the Autumn
Going a grufallo hunt
Going for a walk
Watching the many birds that visit my garden.
Pond dipping, just not this time of year!
Walking my dog in the local park.
Start them young,,,,knowledge grows