I recently had the opportunity to receive and review the Smile Buddy from Me4Kidz.

Me4Kidz is a family owned and operated business that focuses on “designing functional and modern first-aid kits that prompt and inspire parents and caregivers world-wide to be prepared when it comes to every day childhood injuries.” Me4Kidz is determined to give back to the community and the Earth by manufacturing and assembling their products in the United States as well as using recycled, lead-free plastics. They also give back by donating money to various educational and children’s organizations.

Even more awesome, their products are assembled by individuals with disabilities. This is a population of people very near and dear to my heart as I have a bachelor’s degree in special education and am now working on my graduate degree in the field as well. I love to support any organization that works towards improving the lives of those with special needs!

Me4kidz has a number of unique, helpful first-aid products. There are first-aid kits, diaper bag kits, tooth brushing kits, and more. I received a Smile Buddy for the purposes of this review and just happened to have the PERFECT test subject. This here is Gavin, he is 6 1/2 and he loves to rush through his teeth brushing. I typically have to send him back to the sink a second time to redo what I know he’s missed.

Inside my kit was a child sized toothbrush, travel sized toothpaste, a 2 minute timer, dental flossers, and stickers. It was all contained in a hard plastic case that is perfect for on-the-go brushing.

 At first glance, the kit seemed like a great idea but Gavin and I both found issues with it. The toothbrush was too small for his mouth (he’s just 6) and he requested a new toothbrush after a couple of days. The toothpaste was regular flavor and my children are use to children’s flavored toothpastes. Mint is sometimes a strong flavoring. This one was Crest Regular which is milder and eventually Gavin got use to the flavor but he prefers children’s Crest. I would suggest that Med4kidz put kids’ flavored pastes into these kits from here on out.

The stickers were cute but Gavin didn’t understand why they all had band-aids on them since this was a tooth brushing kit. (I didn’t even think about that but he noticed and since he knew we were reviewing the item, he suggested that the animals actually be brushing their teeth on the stickers.)

The flossers were perfect and and having them in a kit with the toothbrush and tooth paste actually encouraged him to floss every night which is something we are not great about doing in my house.

The timer was exactly what we needed to keep him on task long enough to successfully brush his teeth. It was sitting out on the counter and even my oldest, Ean tried it out. He stated to me “Mom, when I used the timer, I realized something. I’m not brushing long enough normally.”

HA! Proof of what I’d been telling him all along! (Lucky for them, despite their shorter brushing times, their dentist appointments had great reports last week!)

Our Recommendation:

The kit is a great idea, in theory. However, I think it needs some work. I could make this at home with things I have on hand and a Ziploc bag. BUT I really do like the way it all fits together into a hard case which would be great for traveling to grandma’s and ensuring that they continue to brush long enough. The stickers weren’t much incentive for my six year old, but  he did receive a sticker chart from a visiting dentist at his school that worked well (I’d be happy to create one for Med4Kidz, just saying. It’s part of what I do regularly as a intervention specialist!) The toothbrush was too small and the kids preferred our toothpaste, but if those three things were changed, it would be more than worth the $5.95 price point.

All that said, I would love to see the Medibag. It looks like it has a lot of potential! And the MediBuddy would be great for walks and trips to the park when you don’t want to carry the full size bag or pull it from your car trunk.

Disclaimer: I received one Smile Buddy for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any way. All words and opinions expressed are completely my own.

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