It’s a German tradition in many families that when a child starts kindergarten, they get a “wundertüte.” I don’t have many memories that I can say I vividly remember from being a toddler, but I distinctly remember waking up to find a wundertüte (meaning “wonder bag”) next to my bed, left there by my Munich-born parents. So as to not have him feeling left out, my parents left a smaller version by my younger brother’s bed.
For those unfamiliar, a wundertüte is an oversized (usually giant – mine was practically as long as my toddler-age body) cone-shaped paper bag filled with small gifts. Three decades later, I have no clue what was in mine though I’m sure my mother carefully curated it. I do, however, distinctly remember the feeling of excitement, so much so that it numbed any anxiety I may have had about starting school – after two years in a local nursery, I was about to walk into the Lycee Francais de New York without speaking a word of French!
As parents we often yearn to recreate our own happy childhood moments for our kids, but the world is a very different place than it was in the 90s, so there are very few opportunities to actually carbon copy those happy moments. But having a wundertüte moment – or some variation – is a notable exception.
And that’s where Kindi Kids come in. They’re brightly colored and bubbly in design and created especially with the kindergarten journey in mind. There’s even a complimentary YouTube channel focused entirely on the trials and tribulations of starting school.
Needless to say, I’ll be including a few in each of my kids’ wundertüte.
We don’t need to tell you that dolls are timeless toys. Almost all children go through a “doll stage,” which is not only wonderful for fostering imaginative and independent play, but it gives toddlers a chance to take care and nurture, which ultimately teaches them about forming bonds and friendships in the “real world.” Further, toddlers look up to us as parents – they want to do what we do. Dolls are a way to allow children to be the caretaker for once. Kindi Kids dolls are great examples for bringing this all to life.
The Kindi Kids Dress Up Magic range, for example, includes dolls that come with a Shopkin sponge so girls can” magically” reveal their face paint. Simply use ice-cold water to see the Kindi Kids painted design. They also wear adorable clothes and have matching hair clips and shoes, which are changeable. Moreover, their big glittery eyes (we all know how kids love glitter!) come to life with fun movement as children pick them up and play. These dolls will delight toddlers as young as three.
The Kindi Kids Dress Up Secret Saddle Unicorn also has some great features that are worth singling out, whether or not you opt to gift one as is or include it as one of many in a wundertüte. For example, kids can turn the unicorn’s horn to open up a “secret” saddle that houses hair accessories. Like the other Kindi Kids Dolls, this one is designed for toddlers, but it can actually delight younger children as well. The “secret” saddle, for example, is a wonderful way to teach babies about object permanence, a concept that refers to children learning that just because they don’t see something or someone, doesn’t mean that it no longer exists.
Other notable features for Rainbow Star the Dress Up Magic Unicorn are a rainbow mane and tail that children can care for with an included brush. There’s also a hair clip and bow for children to style the unicorn. Plus, like with the Kindi Kids Dress Up Magic range, it comes with a Shopkin sponge so girls can reveal the unicorn’s face paint. Lastly, it’s the perfect size for your Kindi Kids toddler Dolls to ride on…so may I humbly suggest getting both and snagging a wundertüte to toss them into?
Now that you know what makes these characters, special let’s get one of the more important things out of the way… they’re affordable! And you can find them at all major retailers and some independent stores including Big W, Target, Kmart, Myer, Mr Toys, Toyworld and more.
