Fun in the Sun #6: Green Town Toys Citadel Castle Review & Giveaway

It was at Kaelyn's 1st birthday party when I realized just how entertaining a cardboard box could really be. Although she received several toys as gifts, it was the large boxes they came in that provided hours of fun long after her party was done. Kaden is the exact same way! I often say that they both could have a room full of toys and get bored in no time, but with one cardboard box they are entertained for days (if not weeks on end). In fact, as I type this Kaelyn is using one of our large boxes as boat! It's neat to see their creativity and love for simple things like this, which is why I was excited to learn that there's actually a company that offers great eco-friendly corrugated products for children!

A market leader in innovative and eco-friendly corrugated products, Green Town Toys has made it their mission to design and manufacture children's products made right here in the USA, that inspire imagination, creativity and fun! Known for their fantastic customer service, competitive pricing and prompt delivery...Green Town Toys is definitely a company I would turn to for great children's products!

As I browsed their website for the first time, I was impressed with their selection of play-on and play-in products! With everything from playhouses like the Citadel and Moon Roof Funhouse to a table/chairs set...they have it all! I couldn't have been happier to learn we were going to have the opportunity to review on of their great products and was thrilled when The Citadel arrived!
Features/Benefits:

• Inspires hours of creative play
• Two colors available
• Can be colored on and decorated
• Easy assembly
• Fully collapsible for easy mobility
• Affordable alternative to pastic or wood
• Durable
• 100% recyclable
• Spacious at 54.5” x 54.5” in size
  

When The Citadel arrived, I was looking forward to checking it out! Upon pulling out of the box I found all of the pieces needed, as well as the assembly instructions. The wrong instructions were accidentally included, however it was no problem at all...as Green Town Toys offers instructions to each of their products right on their website!

I will admit that when I first saw how many pieces there were to be assembled, I was a little concerned with how easy it would be and how long it would take. Thankfully though, the instructions were very user-friendly. There were steps to follow, as well as helpful pictures which showed us exactly what we needed to do. I had it put together in about 20-25 minutes and found it to be very easy (it probably would have gone even faster had both kids not been running around).

Once I saw it put together, I was pleasantly surprised to see how sturdy it really is! It's not something a child can climb on, but is definitely durable and something I can see holding up for a very long time. I was also pleased with the size. It's large enough that 3 or 4 children could easily fit inside and play.

The 100% recycled cardboard also provides a great surface for children to draw, color and paint on! Kaelyn enjoys being creative and she was thrilled to learn that she could decorate her castle any way she wanted to. She quickly found her smock and paint brushes, smiling from ear to ear!

She spent a long time painting the white and really making it colorful. She said she wanted it to look like 'rainbow colors', and by the time she got done...I really think she did just that! I thought it looked great and seeing how proud and excited she was of the work she did was wonderful!

What I think is so neat, is that she could come back to this daily adding new 'art' on top of the paint and no the white spots she didn't get yet. She has even pulled out her markers and stickers and began to decorate the inside as well. I love it!

Aside from decorating it, which was definitely a huge highlight...both kids have really enjoyed playing in it. They've been using it as a castle where they're the prince and princess, as well as a book reading corner, a place to keep toys, etc! Really, the use for this fun playhouse is limitless.


With it being so easy to fold down and move around, I could see us even having fun with The Citadel in pretty much any room of the house. Growing up I remember always making tents and forts, and I think this would be a lot of fun. For those rainy days this summer, I know this will be one of the first things the kids run to when we're stuck indoors. It's going to provide hours and hours of play because it allows for open-ended creativity.

We have been very impressed with The Citadel from Green Town Toys! The quality is fantastic, and best of all...it encourages Kaelyn to use her imagination and be creative. The sky is the limit as to how it can be used which means each day is a new adventure. She continually adds to her artwork and is always finding new uses for it.

Buy It: You can purchase The Citadel for $44.79 from Green Town Toys.

Win It: One lucky reader is going to win a Citadel playhouse from Green Town Toys of their own!

Mandatory Entry - Visit Green Town Toys and let me know another product you'd love to have.

Extra Entries: (Only valid after the mandatory entry has been completed. Leave 1 comment for each extra entry)

1. 1 extra entry- Enter the Green Town Toys Giveaway at Thanks, Mail Carrier

2. 1 extra entry - Like Green Town Toys on Facebook

3. 1 extra entry - Follow Green Town Toys on Twitter

4. 3 extra entries- Grab our Fun in the Sun Button and leave a comment with the URL where it can be found.

5. 3 extra entries- Blog about this giveaway (linking to this post and Green Town Toys) and leave THREE comments with the URL to that post.

6. 1 extra entry- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can tweet once a day for one extra entry every day)! You can copy and paste:

Fun in the Sun 6: #WIN The Citadel eco-friendly castle from Green Town Toys! http://bit.ly/m0SzI6 Ends 6/24

7. 3 extra entries- Post my blog button or blog URL to your blog and leave a comment with the URL to your blog. (If it already is, leave me a comment letting me know)

8. 2 extra entries- subscribe to A Mom's Balancing Act via e-mail (found along the side column) and leave TWO comments letting me know.

9. 2 extra entries- 'Like' A Mom's Balancing Act on Facebook

10. 2 extra entries- Follow my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect

11. Enter any of my other Fun in the Sun giveaways running now. Leave me a comment on which one(s)....ONE entry for EACH giveaway you enter!!

Leave one comment for each entry you complete. Be sure to leave your email address with your comments or make sure it's visible in your profile so that I have a way to contact you if you win!

This giveaway will end June 24th and is open to the Contiguous US Only!

**The products for this review and giveaway were provided for free by Green Town Toys. All opinions found here are my own and were not influenced in any way. The opinions of others may differ from my own.**