Now before I talk about this really neat product that they sent us, I just need to say that when I receive a Timberdoodle catalog, I feel like a kid looking for Christmas toys. In fact, I received a homeschool catalog with the review product and read it cover to cover getting excited about our curriculum choices for the new year (what can I say? I’m a nerd).

That being said, I knew I had to jump at a chance to review one of the products they sell when the offer came up.

And boy did we get some good stuff! Here’s the list of what we received:
One 4 oz. tub of Bubber
One Mirett
One Spoon-Knife
One set of Castle Molds

Now, let me tell you about this new product called “Bubber.” When the box arrived they all started making up little jingles about Bubber. Unfortunately, when it arrived we were extremely busy and it had to sit on the kitchen counter for a few days. I think Zoe read the package two to three times and they all enjoyed guessing at what exactly Bubber is.

And now, I’ll tell you what Bubber is, having experienced this fun squishy stuff first hand. Bubber is a moldable, bendable, tactile learner’s dream! Created in Sweden it resembles other moldable products…but only in the fun name and modability (is that a word?). It’s very light and a 4 ounce tub, although it sounds like very little, contains a lot of bubber. And, unlike some of the pliable kids’ products out there, does not leave your hands ooey gooey and sandy. All the Bubber stayed on the table or in the containers I put it in. It’s soft enough that even Josiah enjoyed it. Typically, with other products like this (can you tell I’m trying not to mention any names) he’ll lose interest or try to eat it because he can’t bend and shape it. Not so with Bubber, he enjoyed squishing and shaping and using the tools we received.

Joy from Timberdoodle warned me that the tools they were sending along were not put out by the same company as Bubber, but when they used the Bubber at conventions and other areas, children flocked to the tools. The mirett is a sculpting tool. I was a bit hesitant to hand it off to my three and four year old as it looked as if someone could poke their eye out. However, they wielded it just fine and used it for its intended purpose…to shape and cut the Bubber, which it did quite easily. The spoon-knife and castle molds were also a big hit. Especially the molds. Now I will put in this disclaimer that I received: Please note that the staircase and the brick wall mold, though included, are not designed to work with Bubber as Bubber is not heavy enough to release from the mold.

I will agree that using the molds with the Bubber did not make a sturdy stick straight product, however, my kids were able to nudge the Bubber out with no problem and Zoe even created a castle!

Even Liam,t he impatient one was able to get the Bubber out of the castle staircase mold.

The other tools included with the castle molds were fun and it was neat to see how creative the kids got with them! There was no need to force the Bubber with the tools…they were able to cut/slice/and push through the products with no problems.

The only problem I noted, and wish I had gotten a picture of, was the Bubber explosion on my kitchen floor. Now, you will note in the pictures that there are pie plates and bowls the kids were supposed to use to keep the Bubber in. However, that just didn’t happen too well. After clean up and a quick sweep with the vacuum (Bubber doesn’t stick to the floor or multiply into little pieces which makes clean up with the vac a cinch) I declared that Bubber would be a good outdoor toy from now on.

To learn more about Bubber, head over to Timberdoodle. Bubber sells for $10.50 for 4 ounces (plenty for my four little ones hands). And now for the tool prices: Mirett ($2.25); Spoon/Knife $.95; Castle Molds $4.95.