Hide Inside! Thinking Putty
I’m back with another Timberdoodle review today — this one for Hide Inside! Thinking Putty. A couple of my grandkids spent some time with us this week and were happy to help Abby try out this new activity kit.
That worked out perfectly, since each kit contains everything you need to make three tins of thinking putty, including clear putty, assorted themed confetti to mix in, and colored pencils.
The boys began by designing the labels for their tins. Goof up? No worries. The kit contains extra blank labels in case you need to revamp your design.
Rather than wait for her nephews to finish using the colors she wanted for her label, Abby launched directly in to mixing her putty. Part of the putty was stuck to the lid, which made the pop-off lids of these medium-sized tins a little to get off initially.
So the first thing Abby did was collect the little bits and pieces of putty out of ever crevice of the tin and lid and roll it into a ball. Then she picked a bag of confetti and dumped it on top of the putty. But in retrospect, that was a mistake.
Even though that is the method pictured on the back of the box, much of the confetti spilled when she tried to get the putty out of the tin to mix the two together.
The boys found a better way. They placed their putty on the lid long enough to empty a bag of confetti in their tin, then dabbed the putty on top of the pile to pick up a few pieces at a time and mix them in thoroughly before picking up any more.
That method worked great. No spilled confetti!
Of course, spills or no spills, the thinking putty all turned out the same in the end, except for the theme of the mixed-in confetti.
To add interest to the project, the kids each exchanged six different pieces of their own confetti for six pieces from another bag and mixed those non-matching pieces into their own putty with the rest of their themed confetti.
After a thorough mixing, they challenged one another to see who could find the odd pieces in their own confetti the fastest. Sort of like reading Where’s Waldo? Or playing I Spy.
One note of caution: Although we did this project outside, it really wasn’t very messy to make. But do warn your kids to be careful with it and always store it in the tin when they’re finished playing with it. I had one child stick a glob of thinking putty in the pocket of his jeans many years ago, and there was no getting it completely out ever again. I imagine the same would be true for carpet, hair, upholstery, or any other kind of textiles.
Also, keep the putty away from young children. The tiny fruits, veggies, and candy confetti might look tempting enough to eat, but would doubtlessly prove to be a choking hazard.
Still, Hide Inside! Thinking Putty makes a great gift for responsible kids. Do you have any of those at your house who’d enjoy a fun new project? If so, the kit is available from Timberdoodle for individual purchase or as part of both their Third Grade and their Fourth Grade Curriculum Kit. Hope you enjoy creating and playing with it as much as we did!
While you’re on the Timberdoodle website, I’d encourage you to look around. We love everything we’ve ever ordered from this small family-owned company!
Be sure to sign up for their Doodle Dollar program to save on future purchases. And to read more of my Timberdoodle Reviews, follow this link.
PLEASE NOTE: As a member of the Timberdoodle blog team, I routinely receive free or deeply discounted products in exchange for writing honest reviews. Opinions expressed in these posts are 100% my own. I’ve been a happy and enthusiastic Timberdoodle customer for decades — long before I ever started blogging for their company.
