Do you ever get tired of toys piling up, but find yourself frustrated because you want to give your kids meaningful gifts? I have felt this way for over a year, so when I find something that I think would make a great present, I get really excited! Today, I'm excited about the Mail Order Mystery company!
The concept behind Mail Order Mysteries is genius: your kids are brought right into the heart of a mystery that they get to help solve! My daughter thought it was even better than some of her electronic "toys!"
We tried the pirate mystery, so about once a week (for six weeks) the kids received mail addressed to them about this pirate problem! The first letter informed them that one of their ancestors was a great pirate and hot evidence about his treasure was surfacing! It included a code that they couldn't crack until the next mailing arrived with information about a popular decryption method!
Each week brought new clues and challenges. I won't spoil all the surprises for you, but I will tell you my kids' three favorite parts:
1- Getting FUN mail addressed to them on six different occasions. Seriously, it was like an early Christmas present that just kept coming!
2- The request to call a number and leave an important message. We might have called more than three times so each of my kiddos could say all they wanted to!
3- The final installment. The sixth mailing included a very satisfying conclusion to the mystery and a treasure box with trinkets that impressed both my kids AND all their friends! Everyone wanted to know where it came from, and I was happy to share.
Mail Order Mysteries is a small business based in Canada, and I am absolutely delighted to tell y'all about them because I think they are incredible! They have put together an exciting, kid-friendly product that encourages creative thinking, problem solving, reading, and imaginative play. I cannot even tell you how many pirate games my kids have played since we started the mystery! And the treasure box and treasures are now stored with my kids most special little things.
Here is part of our collection of mailings at the end of the experience:
I am going to add a note about ideal ages before I wrap up. My 9-year old fit the intended audience perfectly. She could read everything, write, solve the riddles, and follow the directions independently (though she does read above grade level). My preschoolers (3-6 years old) LOVED it! These ages could not do all the activities independently that required reading, but they had a wonderful time listening to my daughter read it and doing the activities with her. And they were probably the most excited about checking the mail every. single. day. I won't lie...on some days, they might have checked more than once. ;)
Finally, you should know that pirates are not the only theme they have! You can get the same pirate treasure hunt we did, the Enchanted Slumber, or wait for one of the newest ones (a spy theme is currently in the works)! You can also follow Mail Order Mysteries on Facebook to stay current with any new announcements.
I know I often get frustrated with gift options at this time of year. I keep finding myself wanting to give my kids more cool experiences and fewer toys, and I think that Mail Order Mysteries has created a wonderful way to do that...without even leaving home! Pop over to their website, and see what you think!
Disclosure: I was provided the pirate Mail Order Mystery to facilitate this review. All opinions are mine, and I only recommend products I would love to use myself!
Do your kids love pirates? Then be sure to check out our fizzing pirate treasure, {FREE} pirate patterns, and an easy pirate sword!
Happy Educating,
Carla
I may share at any of these parties!
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