A Little Doebahyou First Class Flight: Sponsored Post

This is a sponsored post. In exchange for my review, I was offered a free holiday subscription box. The opinions, however, are all my own.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like…mid-winter. You know, that dreadful time of year when the weather is gross, we’re getting back into the tedium of work life after glorious holiday breaks and the kids have somehow managed to lose interest in those toys that Santa just had to bring. You’ve been there.

Immersed in the monotony of the season and still having to deal with entertaining little ones can get tiring. Often, I’m so annoyed that the Christmas gifts have already worn out their welcome I get tempted to ship my children off somewhere in frustration. Let them tell some other family how bored they are with their Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Baby Alive Elmo Transformer (work with me here). Seriously, satisfying those mini monsters with something that will pique their interest and allow them a little creativity for the long haul can be rough.

Interestingly though, right around the time when I started wishing for the kids’ one-way tickets to Timbuktu to appear, I received another option (one that wouldn’t land me on DCFS’ Most Wanted list).

The Check-In

If there’s one thing every family with little ones wishes, it’s that they could travel more. But vacations can be expensive, and taking time away from school days would be counter-productive. Lucky me, I managed to get my hands on a product that combined my wanderlust with an age appropriate “toy” for my 6, 4 and 2 year olds.

The folks over at Little Doebahyou have created a subscription program that’s perfect for families looking to “get away” without the TSA pat down and learn a little something on their journey.

Little Doebahyou bills itself as “[a company] bridging the gap between children of Africa & The Diaspora one subscription box at a time. As the world becomes a more global community, working and connecting with people from different parts of the world is no longer an option — it’s a necessity. Our characters Grear & Guaye will take your child on a cultural exploration complete with fun facts, simple and authentic recipes, and cultural activities. Your child will not only learn about the different countries within Africa & The Diaspora, but will learn about the cultures of Africa & The Diaspora that influence the world.”

The Flight

My first impression of the service was the cutie patootie box that popped up in the mail on a random Tuesday. Bold yellow, red & green images with a vibrant kente cloth style band on the border were the first things we saw. It’s fashioned as a small suitcase and when we flipped up the tiny metal clasp, atop our table fell an assortment of activities and tools.

The version I received was Little Doebahyou’s holiday box. It included a passport, map, activity prompts, facts on South American countries influenced by African holiday festivities (it's my understanding that typically each boxes focuses on one country, ours varied because of the Christmas theme), colored pencils, a South African recipe for Santa Berries and a listing of ways several countries in the Diaspora celebrate Christmas, along with a host of other items.

My kids were ecstatic over the possibilities. We attempted the activities, coincidentally the Jankunu mask ended up being my 4 year old’s favorite while the mini wreaths were perfect for my (more advanced) 6 year old, so each skill level was represented. As we worked, we talked about the fact sheet that was sent and I spoke a little on how the traditions we were learning about (the box also included a postcard from the company characters sharing their current adventures) compared to ones we observed in our house.

We were able to spot our target countries on the map included and discuss how much the continent of Africa and its people influence countries around the world. The stickers, colored pencils and journal (for note keeping) also came in handy because it gave each of the kids a way to feel included as we dissected the box.

The Landing

Overall, a subscription to Little Doebahyou seems like something my family would enjoy. A monthly service that delivers activities and conversation starters right to the door, is perfect for someone trying to entertain 3 kids of varied ages.

As noted though, this holiday box didn’t exactly have one clear focus. I would’ve liked to see several activities that tied cohesively into one country and thus made it easier to teach more of a guided lesson to the kids. While there were many opportunities for me to look up information that the box left out, I’m afraid that a parent with less time (for hands-on direction) would find this collection hard to follow with small children. The fact sheet served as more of a teaser, in my opinion, than a comprehensive run down, so follow-up is definitely needed.

I did like that it was full of options, however, for multiple age and learning preferences. I give Little Doebahyou’s holiday subscription box a B-. 

I think there was room for improvement but, all in all, it provided an effective learning tool for the Wee B3. I also like that this is a small family owned company as whenever possible, I do my best to support entrepreneurial spirit.

If you’re interested in exposing your kids to a family friendly dose of what Africa has to offer, you should definitely look into Little Doebahyou. If you do, be sure to drop a line here and let me know your thoughts!

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This is a sponsored post. In exchange for my review, I was offered a free holiday subscription box. The opinions, however, are all my own.