Fundanoodle {Education Readiness from Carolina Pad} Review

ABOUT:

Carolina Pad has come out with a new education readiness brand called Fundanoodle.  The products are designed to develop and improve the skills needed for handwriting and other everyday activities.

Some of their modules are:

• Helping fine and gross motor coordination
• Enhancing eye-hand coordination
• Encouraging touch and visual exploration
• Promoting problem-solving, discovery, and self-esteem

The Fundanoodle products range from writing tablets to multi-activity kits, all designed to make learning a fun and interactive experience.  They also encourage kids to focus on and complete different tasks.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have a 3 and just about 5 year old and they are very active little guys.  They are not the type to sit down and do worksheets but rather they need to have really engaging activities.  They are visual and hands-on learners.

When I first heard about Fundanoodle products I knew we’d love them.  First off I love Carolina Pad products for myself so I knew their Fundanoodle brand would be both high quality and reasonably priced.

I got the chance to review three Fundanoodle products with my little guys and they were super excited to try them out!

I Can Pound It

Let little hands hammer their way to improved motor skills! Kids exercise their creativity and have fun as they improve balance, hand stability, paper stabilization, and eye-hand coordination. The handy carrying case makes this kit perfect for use at home or on-the-go. Retail $29.99

My 5 year old was having issues with his hand muscles not being strong enough and coordination in general.  His teacher said he needs to practice using scissors but I think he gets the same hand muscle practice from the I Can Pound It, plus he has more fun with it!  I thought I would have to show him how to get started but he figured it out right away how to attach the paper to the foam block and start pounding the pegs into the holes.  Then he even knew how to flip the hammer around to pull out the pegs!  Then for extra practice I was having him cut out the shapes once he was down since the holes made it easier to cut around.  Whether your child needs some help with their motor skills or not, I still think this is a fun set for any child to work on!

Upper Case Muscle Mover Cards

A fun and easy activity you and your child can do together! Kids will love these colorful cards that promote gross motor development and alphabet recognition. Each card has an upper case letter on one side and adorable animal and action on the other.  You and your child can have fun as you “Run like a fox” or “Roll like an armadillo.”  They learn to recognize the alphabet, improve flexibility, and strengthen muscles. Trace the letter on the back of the card for reinforcement and handwriting practice. A sturdy ring means you’ll never lose a single card.  Retail $13.99

These cards are great because they are two sided- one side has an animal, the other a letter to trace.  It comes with a kid-size dry erase marker with an attached eraser and the cards fit nicely on the included O-ring.  I have been working with my 5 year old on his letters and it is perfect for him to trace both with his finger and with the included dry erase marker.  He loves tracing the letters and is getting pretty good at it!  We actually have an app on our iPad for letter tracing but I think this is great because it is more realistic than swiping your finger on the iPad screen.  It is also a nice break from technology!  We have been playing with the cards too, acting out the animals!

I Can Bead, Lace, Rip and Trace

This all-in-one kit is full of creative and challenging activities that help kids develop the critical fine motor skills needed for writing and other everyday activities. Kids build self-esteem and express their artistic side while they improve visual motor control, build muscle strength, improve concentration, and enhance eye-hand coordination. The handy carrying case makes this kit perfect for use at home or on-the-go.  Retail $29.99

This set really is an all-in-one.  It is a set to cover four main activities:  Beading, Lacing, Ripping and Tracing.  Inside the box is an activity guide with great examples of what to do with all the included products.  There is beads, pipe cleaners, yarn, shoelaces, cardboard shapes, tissue paper squares, and cards depicting patterns to follow.  My boys have been playing with this set for a week now and are just coming up with more and more things to do.  They build with the blocks, match the different colors together, trace and color the shapes, practice naming the different shapes/objects and so much more.  While the items in this set seem so simple, Fundanoodle perfectly put them all together in a great kit to store all the items inside with a nice carrying handle.

I highly recommend Fundanoodle for any parent of a preschooler.  The activities are creative, stimulating and high quality.  I would have never thought of the products put together but they all work so well together.

BUY IT: Check out Fundanoodle.com for products and you can buy them direct at Carolinapadstore.com.

WIN IT:  (1) US winner will receive an assortment of Carolina Pad Fundanoodle products!

(Winner cannot have won ANY type  of Carolina Pad prize, contest, etc in the past 90 days. Including Facebook and Twitter.)

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Mom and More Disclosure: I received these products in exchange for my honest opinion. Please see my Disclosure Policy.