https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/scout-moc-kits

I love fully immersing the kids in historical activities. Recently while studying Native Americans, we had the opportunity to review the Scout Moc Kit from Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. What a fun way to bring history life!

For our review, we received the adult sized Scout Mock Kit. The Scout Moc Kit contains all the materials that you need to complete a pair of leather moccasin slippers. The only extra supplies that you will need is a pair of scissors to cut the strings. Unlike what the pairs that the Native Americans may have had, the Scout Moc Kit also includes foam insoles to make your moccasin slippers very comfortable to wear. As received, this kit will be more suitable for inside wear. But you can purchase an extra rubber/crepe sole from Tandy Leather to make them more outdoors friendly.

After taking account of our supplies, Lydia and I got started on our project. She had a friend over, and we had a kit for her to work on also. Things seemed to be going very smoothly, and then we ran into a snag. The instructions for assembling the shoes are very clear. They are laid out step-by-step and with illustrations. But we seemed to run short on materials, or so I thought.

The customer service from Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. is wonderful. Within 24 hours of sending them photos and the story of where we got stuck through email, I had answers. They explained how I could fix the issue I was having with the assembly. It was a strength issue on my part.

In order to assemble the moccasins properly, you need to be able to pull the strings very tight. I used an unsharpened pencil to help me do this, so you do not need to have a special tool. The remainder of the assembly went very easy. I would give a minimum of at least 45 minutes for the assembly of each shoe. That will give you time to rethread and pull the strings tightly and properly. The Scout Moc Kit could easily be assembled in one afternoon. If you are doing this project with younger kids, give yourself some extra time. They will definitely need help.

The Scout Moc Kit that we reviewed was size 6 to 7. They fit a narrow foot very well. Lydia was easily able to make them fit better by wearing thicker socks. The recommendation is to order your true shoe size if you are a woman, but men should order the next size up. Lydia has been wearing them for a few weeks now and the leather is holding up very well. I did not weatherproof the slippers since she is not wearing them outside. I have not noticed any type of stretching with the leather. The leather appears to have become softer as she has worn them. The strings are holding up very well, and Lydia thinks that her leather moccasins are very cool.

As we were working on the Scout Moc Kit, I began thinking of all the options for educational purposes. You could easily use this kit along with your Native American studies for a hands-on history project, even a geography lesson could be combined in with this activity kit. You could also use this craft for a fun and memorable sleepover activity. The cost is very reasonable at roughly $24.99. When you figure the cost of a pair of ordinary house slippers, this price is incredible for an all leather slipper.

Be sure to check out the Scout Moc Kit from Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. They also offer many other reasonably priced leather goods that could be fun and educational products, as well as gifts for yourself and others.

- Product review by Renita Kuehner, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March, 2018