KinderCone, A First Grade Tradition

Growing up, my parents were not big on traditions or holidays. For the most part, special events were the same as every other day, just with more food and perhaps a new outfit. I never felt particularly denied but I'd like for my kids to have more magical memories of their youth. Now that I'm a parent, I find myself fumbling to find good ways to demarcate the big events of childhood.

Starting first grade is a big milestone for children everywhere but in Austria and Germany, it is celebrated with a traditional gift: the Schultüte, a large paper cone filled with school supplies and treats to make the transition to big kid a little bit easier. KinderCone was created to bring this tradition to the US:



I gave Roo her KinderCone after her last day of Kindergarten, for purposes of this review. She was thrilled! Her favorite thing inside was the Me, Myself and First Grade book/journal which she immediately started to fill out. I was smitten with the little plush knapsack-toting kitty, Karli, who is the KinderCone mascot. Roo even shared the pencils inside with Jasper. The both love the KinderCone itself, as you can see:



I think the KinderCone is a nice tradition to start with your children. You can also add your own small gifts and candies to personalize it more. There are also empty KinderCones if your child is not entering first grade but you'd still like to give them a gift that celebrates school and learning. Just add some school supplies, books, and treats and hang it from their doorknob (there is an integrated hanging loop) for a surprise they will surely remember. Roo has her KinderCone hanging from her bunkbed still. I also love the MiniCones for party favors- they come in packs of four, filled with pencils and tattoos. So much cooler than the cheapo plastic goody bags and accompanying detritus that seem to accumulate in every nook and cranny of our house. I am especially enamored of the Craft MiniCone Party Pack, which features five mini KinderCones made of blank white paper that your kids can decorate themselves. A craft activity and party favor in one- genius!

Do you have any family traditions to share?




Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of KinderCone and received KinderCone samples to facilitate my review. Mom Central is also providing me with a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate. This does not affect my opinion of the product!