I'm constantly on the lookout for products that will bolster my kids' imaginations. Recently I was introduced to Antsy Pants Build & Play ™ kits and I immediately knew the kids would love them. I've partnered with Antsy Pants to share some of their NEW products with you!
We like going to the Minnesota Children's Museum so our kids can experience the awesome exhibits that get their imaginations going. I love the stations they have set up, and our kids always spend at least an hour in the market area. They love picking out fruits and veggies, 'paying' for them, and sorting them into their respective bins. Since it's not feasible for us to go to the Children's Museum often (it's over an hour away and not cheap for a family of four), I've been trying to replicate something similar at our house.
When I first saw Antsy Pants Build & Play Kits at our local Target, I thought they would be the perfect structures to make our own market. Little did I know they'd be rolling out Build & Play Mini Market Kits, complete with a checkout stand, market cart, and felt food! As soon as I heard about this new line, I knew I needed to get my hands on it.
Antsy Pants Build & Play Mini Market Kits
Antsy Pants graciously sent me some of their new products to try out, and needless to say, my kids haven't stopped playing with them since we put them together!
One of the coolest things about Antsy Pants products is that kids have a hand in assembling their Build & Play Kits. With Snap and Click™ Connectors and durable poles, the kits are simple for kids to assemble with some adult help. Plus, all of the pieces are color-coded which makes the whole process very easy, even for younger children.
Antsy Pants Market Cart
My kids are obsessed with shopping carts. Every time we go somewhere with child-sized carts, they each have to have one. As you can imagine, this makes shopping a very interesting experience! As soon as my daughter saw that we were assembling the Market Cart from Antsy Pants, she was thrilled that she'd have her own cart to push around at home.
With a little help, she assembled the Market Cart in about ten minutes. The color-coded connectors and poles made the assembly process go smoothly, as she was able to look at the pictures and figure out what she needed for each step. It was a little tough for her to get some of the poles into the connectors, but she was happy to pick out the pieces and have me put some of the more difficult parts together.
The Market Cart is so adorable and just the right size for little hands! The basket can hold quite a bit (of course our daughter had to put ALL of the food in it after I took this photo).
Antsy Pants Build & Play Market Shelf
Once we played with the Market Cart for a bit, she wanted to see the rest so we quickly got the Market Shelf built. The shelf was simple to assemble also, and I just love the colors on all of these products. They're so bright!
Antsy Pants Build & Play Market Checkout Stand
Lastly we set up the Market Checkout Stand! I love the peekaboo window in front where kids can make their own sign. We decided to write "Check out here please", and our four year old proudly wrote all of the letters herself! We can update the sign as often as we'd like which is a fun feature.
Antsy Pants Felt Food
Then it was time to put all of the amazing felt food into the Antsy Pants Market Shelf. You guys, I can't even begin to say how cool this felt food is. The details are incredible, from the variety of foods down to the distinct stitching on each piece.
Seriously, look at that fish! So many tiny features that make it look so realistic. Another one of my kids' favorite food items are the eggs. You can crack them open and inside is a felt egg white and yolk! How amazing is that!?
We fill both levels of the Market Shelf with all of our felt food, and it looks just like the market at the Children's Museum! Antsy Pants has so many food items available, including fish, hot dogs in buns, eggs, and this great bin of vegetables that you can see on the right.
I'm so excited that I have kids so I have the opportunity to play with these felt foods! I would have absolutely loved something like this when I was a child.
The sandwich is a family favorite with its many layers, and the tri-color bowtie pasta is just adorable.
Antsy Pants has quite the varity of fruits, also, and they come in cute little reusable containers. Of course, my kids think we should just put everything right on our shelves. We've got pears, apples, and strawberries galore! They have a variety of other foods available also, and even carry Color Your Own Play Food Boxes!
Soon, our daughter was open and ready for business at her Mini Market! She likes to trade off being the customer and being behind the checkout, so we took turns. We've been on enough shopping trips for her to know how to ring things up and give a price total. Now that she's getting a little older we'll start working more with money so this will be a great way to incorporate that.
This whole set up really brightens up our three season porch. Our kids can be found playing with their Antsy Pants Mini Market throughout the day. I love that it encourages open ended play and conversations, and it's so fun to watch them engage with each other while they are playing and learning.
I think the Mini Market would be a great gift for the upcoming holidays. As a parent, I see our kids receive LOTS of toys. This is the kind of gift that keeps on giving, as it encourages kids to really use their imagination and engage with others. Plus, for every product purchased, Antsy Pants makes a donation to KaBOOM!, which is a non-profit organization that works to ensure every child gets the balance and active play they need to thrive.
NEW from Antsy Pants
Along with the new Mini Market Kits, Antsy Pants just released Build & Play Vehicle Kits, too! They've got a School Bus, Train, 4x4, Fire Truck, Pickup Truck, and Construction Vehicle. All of them look so cool, and I know kids will have a blast with them.
Antsy Pants Build & Play Kits are available exclusively at Target. The Mini Market and Vehicle Kits just rolled out this month! Be sure to follow Antsy Pants on their social channels to get updates:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Our friends at Antsy Pants are generously giving one of our readers their very own Build & Play Kit!
Open to the US only, ages 18 and up. Ends 10/11/17 at 11:59 PM EST.
Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below. Good Luck!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Antsy Pants. As always, all opinions are my own. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, or Twitter. Antsy Pants Play is responsible for prize fulfillment. Giveaway is open to residents of the continental US who are 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited.
Kayla Doan says
I like the Donut Shop! 🙂
Nancy Thompson says
I like the ship.
Jennifer says
Oh my goodness there is so much to love!! I love the fact the kids can build themselves the possibilities are endless! I also love the foods they are so life like it amazes me!!
Stephanie Phelps says
I really like the FAIRY TALE CASTLE FABRIC COVER - MEDIUM
Dandi D says
My favorite is the Playhouse Build and Play Kit.
Lauren K says
Love the Pirate Ship cover for the large play kits!
Tabitha says
I like the build and play kit large. Also the obstacle course would be fun.
Linda Davidson says
They are all so cute but love the lemonade stand.
Nicole says
I love the obstacle course
Kayla says
I love the Farmer's Market! My son loves to go to our local market and would love to pretend at home too!
Debbie K Clauer says
I like the pirate ship.
Sherry Compton says
I like the obstacle course for my grandkids.
Cathy Coibion says
I love the Fairy Tale Castle!
Jan Lee says
I like the PLAY HOUSE FABRIC COVER - MEDIUM 🙂
Marty says
The obstacle course would be the bomb. Every kid in the neighborhood would be in the yard.
Rebecca says
Love the marketplace!
Kerri Celmer says
I love all of the little shops; the donut shop, the lemonade stand and the farmer's market!
Mandy hammons says
My favorite product is the lemonade stand
Angela Windham says
I really like the obstacle course. I’m all for her kids running and moving and having fun
Darlene Owen says
I like the BUILD & PLAY KIT - LARGE
Jeanna Massman says
I like that this product is easy to assemble and disassemble.
Rachal Bright says
I like the obstacle course!
Amanda Z says
They have a lot of cool stuff for sure! I love the ice cream truck of pirate ship. the only negativve I'd say is that you don't get at least one cover with the kit. Looks like you have to pick a cover on top of that? A little confusing and pricey but the kids would be entertained! Worth it!
Leela says
I also like the Obstacle Course.
Christina Skinner says
I like the obstacle course
Kymn Ligi says
The Playhouse Cover is my favorite! The fact it can be easily taken down vs a giant plastic houses is amazing! The whole concept of this and the covers it too cute! Think I found out what I'm doing for Christmas!
Eva Mack says
Build and Play large Kit...
Sue E says
I liked the Larger Build Pirate Ship with the cover. This is totally awesome for imaginative pretend play!
Jennifer Nixon says
They all look really neat. That obstacle course seems like it would be a blast!
Julie Lundstrom says
I like the Obstacle Course. How much fun this would be for the kids.
Karis says
I love the pirate ship! And as a mom, of course I love that there's a storage bin just for the kits!
Heather Hollands says
My favorite is the lemonade stand. I loved having a lemonade stand when I was a kid.
Domenica says
The lemonade stand is the cutest!
Linda Madden says
I like the 4in1 play liner & the play balls.
Becky Kinard says
I love the pirate ship fabric cover. This would be so much fun!
Christine Weary says
I like the lemonade stand
Marsha C says
These things are adorable! I love the pirate ship!
Jenn k says
I love the obstacle course!
Elisa Leyva-Guerrero says
Such an amazing idea! Keep playing and inventing at a lower cost than buying new "stores", tents, etc. I lived the large building set and the donut store cover.
denise low says
I think that the circus tent is really cute.
Rija says
Love the medium and large play kits and circus tent cover is what we need !
Jennifer Keating says
I honestly can't pick a favorite!! My daughter loves Donuts, so I thought that would be adorable, but then I saw the Princess Castle and she would adore that!! I'd honestly love to snag a bunch of them for her!
Diane Richards says
Loving that amazing Pirate Ship! All the kits look really fun!
Jenny says
My son would love the large build and play set with the pirate ship cover.
Kathy Ross says
I like the Build & Play Kit - Large with the Pirate Ship Fabric Cover - Large.
Crissy says
Wow! Great products! I really like the lemonade stand- so sweet!
Erika Erickson says
Love the grocery set but also like mountain pattern on tent set on their site.
Katie Bellamy says
I Love the Lemonade stand!
Debbie E says
Everything looks fun! But, I especially love the Obstacle Course.
Victoria Scott says
I love the Play House and Circus Tent!
Shannon Baas says
I like the donut shop.
LeAnn Harbert says
My granddaughters would like the pirate ship kit.
Amanda Y says
I like the play house fabric cover! So cute!
Vickie says
My granddaughter would love this. The farmers market is my favorite!
Laura Fletcher says
The large kit with the pirate ship cover is so awesome! My kids would love it - but I think they'd love this market set even more. My son has a thing with eggs - and I'm sure he'd get a kick out of this!
Anne Higgins says
Love the pirate ship - but would be happy to have most of the products!
Jake B says
I like the ship, I've seen it on Youtube before 🙂
Eileen Boyce says
/i like the farmer's market.
Kayla Klontz says
I really like the obstacle course!
Lauren U says
I also like the OBSTACLE COURSE. My kids would love it1
amber lee kolb says
Oh the large pirate ship cover is adorable!! The kids would love it.
Kathy Pease says
I like the Ice Cream Truck Fabric Cover - Large
Melissa Cunningham says
the build and play kit with the donut shop cover is so neat and would make play time more fun!
Michelle Elizondo says
The obstacle course.
Laura M says
I really like the circus Tent.
Meme says
My kids would love the obstacle course.