A few years ago, my mom found the perfect gift for my kids at a craft fair in eastern Washington: playdough kits from Jack-n-Jill’s Kits 4 Kids, a family-run company based out of Ellensburg.
Over the last several years of watching my 7-year-old twins play with these, I’ve become a huge fan. Each kit has everything a child needs to be creative, and comes with playdough and little materials (depending on the theme) like rocks, animal figures, toothpicks, shells, gems, and more. Simply give the kit to a child and watch the endless creative play unfold.
My twins make scenes with their Unicorn and Construction playdough kits by using the materials provided, as well as other playdough and small figures and materials we have around the house. While they play with the kits less now than when they were younger, just last week they got them out and created an elaborate scene all over the kitchen table. I love watching what they come up with and how they use the materials, and I imagine there are still a few years left of my kids occasionally playing with the materials from the kits (we’ve had them so long they’re all mixed together)!
The Dino Kits are a fan favorite. (Image courtesy Jack n’ Jill’s Kits 4 Kids)
The kits are the brainchild of Melissa Gillaspy, the founder and owner of the company. She’s also a teacher, and runs a preschool (called Jack & Jill’s House) in Ellensburg. She never thought she’d have a reach outside of the classroom, but COVID had other plans for her. During the beginning of the pandemic, her preschool families were asking for help, and Gillaspy was searching for ways to keep the preschool going. So she started making themed curriculum kits for her families to use at home.
The kits took off, and families outside of her preschool started asking for the kits. In the summer of 2020, she made 25 camping-themed kits. They sold out in the first 24 hours, and the sales have been going ever since. She now sells playdough kits, sensory bin kits, and learning kits.
“It was a need, and I was able to meet it,” said Gillaspy. “I have loved making [the kits] for families.”
(Image courtesy Jack n’ Jill’s Kits 4 Kids)
Gillaspy says there are many benefits of sensory play, like developing fine-motor skills, strengthening hand muscles, promoting language development, and promoting cooperative play (I’ve definitely seen this last one as my kids play together). She also calls out that sensory play doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. It’s just a way to promote imagination and open-ended play.
Current playdough kits include themes such as Playful Penguins, Under the Deep Blue Sea, Bug Detective, Camping Fun, Down on the Farm, Construction, Dinosaur Adventure, Mermaids, Space Explorer, and more. Each kit comes in a plastic container with dividers, playdough, and materials (like mini-ice cream cones, mermaid tales, flags, balls, traffic cones, and all sorts of miniatures). The playdough is wrapped in plastic wrap, and needs to either be re-wrapped after each use, or put into a sealed container after you start playing with the kit.
“I want kiddos and their families to have access to hands-on and engaging learning activities and experience all the benefits of sensory play!” said Gillaspy. “Our kits are convenient, affordable, and packed with the sweet gift of a play-filled learning experience.”
