diff --git a/docs/source/changelog.rst b/docs/source/changelog.rst
index db1bd7fd2..382c59934 100644
--- a/docs/source/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/source/changelog.rst
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ to allow users to enable this behavior early.
 - minor doc updates - :commit:`e5511d9`
 - add tests for callback identity preservation with keys - :commit:`72e03ec`
 - add 'key' to VDOM spec - :commit:`c3236fe`
-- Rename validate_serialized_vdom to validate_vdom - :commit:`d04faf9`
+- Rename validate_serialized_vdom to validate_vdom_json - :commit:`d04faf9`
 - EventHandler should not serialize itself - :commit:`f7a59f2`
 - fix docs typos - :commit:`42b2e20`
 - fixes: #331 - add roadmap to docs - :commit:`4226c12`
diff --git a/src/idom/__init__.py b/src/idom/__init__.py
index 826cc64bf..9a0d30add 100644
--- a/src/idom/__init__.py
+++ b/src/idom/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from .core.component import Component, component
 from .core.events import EventHandler, event
 from .core.layout import Layout
-from .core.vdom import VdomDict, vdom
+from .core.vdom import vdom
 from .server.prefab import run
 from .utils import Ref, html_to_vdom
 from .widgets import hotswap, multiview
@@ -28,6 +28,5 @@
     "Ref",
     "run",
     "vdom",
-    "VdomDict",
     "web",
 ]
diff --git a/src/idom/core/component.py b/src/idom/core/component.py
index 2789f7eb2..d16fee105 100644
--- a/src/idom/core/component.py
+++ b/src/idom/core/component.py
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@
 from functools import wraps
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
-from .proto import ComponentType
-from .vdom import VdomDict
+from .proto import ComponentType, VdomDict
 
 
 def component(
diff --git a/src/idom/core/dispatcher.py b/src/idom/core/dispatcher.py
index 2fb9fa724..e8b03d211 100644
--- a/src/idom/core/dispatcher.py
+++ b/src/idom/core/dispatcher.py
@@ -26,11 +26,10 @@
 from anyio import create_task_group
 from jsonpatch import apply_patch, make_patch
 
-from idom.core.vdom import VdomJson
 from idom.utils import Ref
 
 from .layout import LayoutEvent, LayoutUpdate
-from .proto import LayoutType
+from .proto import LayoutType, VdomJson
 
 
 logger = getLogger(__name__)
diff --git a/src/idom/core/layout.py b/src/idom/core/layout.py
index 106af67c7..2db20fdf3 100644
--- a/src/idom/core/layout.py
+++ b/src/idom/core/layout.py
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@
 from idom.utils import Ref
 
 from .hooks import LifeCycleHook
-from .proto import ComponentType, EventHandlerDict
-from .vdom import VdomJson, validate_vdom
+from .proto import ComponentType, EventHandlerDict, VdomJson
+from .vdom import validate_vdom_json
 
 
 logger = getLogger(__name__)
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ async def render(self) -> LayoutUpdate:
             # Ensure that the model is valid VDOM on each render
             root_id = self._root_life_cycle_state_id
             root_model = self._model_states_by_life_cycle_state_id[root_id]
-            validate_vdom(root_model.model.current)
+            validate_vdom_json(root_model.model.current)
             return result
 
     def _create_layout_update(self, old_state: _ModelState) -> LayoutUpdate:
diff --git a/src/idom/core/proto.py b/src/idom/core/proto.py
index 2c8f43407..d82964795 100644
--- a/src/idom/core/proto.py
+++ b/src/idom/core/proto.py
@@ -7,22 +7,20 @@
 
 from types import TracebackType
 from typing import (
-    TYPE_CHECKING,
     Any,
     Callable,
     Dict,
+    Iterable,
     List,
     Mapping,
     Optional,
+    Sequence,
     Type,
     TypeVar,
+    Union,
 )
 
-from typing_extensions import Protocol, runtime_checkable
-
-
-if TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no cover
-    from .vdom import VdomDict
+from typing_extensions import Protocol, TypedDict, runtime_checkable
 
 
 ComponentConstructor = Callable[..., "ComponentType"]
@@ -64,6 +62,77 @@ def __exit__(
         """Clean up the view after its final render"""
 
 
+VdomAttributes = Mapping[str, Any]
+"""Describes the attributes of a :class:`VdomDict`"""
+
+VdomChild = Union[ComponentType, "VdomDict", str]
+"""A single child element of a :class:`VdomDict`"""
+
+VdomChildren = Sequence[VdomChild]
+"""Describes a series of :class:`VdomChild` elements"""
+
+VdomAttributesAndChildren = Union[
+    Mapping[str, Any],  # this describes both VdomDict and VdomAttributes
+    Iterable[VdomChild],
+]
+"""Useful for the ``*attributes_and_children`` parameter in :func:`idom.core.vdom.vdom`"""
+
+
+class _VdomDictOptional(TypedDict, total=False):
+    key: str
+    children: Sequence[
+        # recursive types are not allowed yet:
+        # https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/731
+        Union[ComponentType, Dict[str, Any], str]
+    ]
+    attributes: VdomAttributes
+    eventHandlers: EventHandlerDict  # noqa
+    importSource: ImportSourceDict  # noqa
+
+
+class _VdomDictRequired(TypedDict, total=True):
+    tagName: str  # noqa
+
+
+class VdomDict(_VdomDictRequired, _VdomDictOptional):
+    """A :ref:`VDOM` dictionary"""
+
+
+class ImportSourceDict(TypedDict):
+    source: str
+    fallback: Any
+    sourceType: str  # noqa
+    unmountBeforeUpdate: bool  # noqa
+
+
+class _OptionalVdomJson(TypedDict, total=False):
+    key: str
+    error: str
+    children: List[Any]
+    attributes: Dict[str, Any]
+    eventHandlers: Dict[str, _JsonEventTarget]  # noqa
+    importSource: _JsonImportSource  # noqa
+
+
+class _RequiredVdomJson(TypedDict, total=True):
+    tagName: str  # noqa
+
+
+class VdomJson(_RequiredVdomJson, _OptionalVdomJson):
+    """A JSON serializable form of :class:`VdomDict` matching the :data:`VDOM_JSON_SCHEMA`"""
+
+
+class _JsonEventTarget(TypedDict):
+    target: str
+    preventDefault: bool  # noqa
+    stopPropagation: bool  # noqa
+
+
+class _JsonImportSource(TypedDict):
+    source: str
+    fallback: Any
+
+
 EventHandlerMapping = Mapping[str, "EventHandlerType"]
 """A generic mapping between event names to their handlers"""
 
diff --git a/src/idom/core/vdom.py b/src/idom/core/vdom.py
index 710a70842..898b5e32f 100644
--- a/src/idom/core/vdom.py
+++ b/src/idom/core/vdom.py
@@ -7,21 +7,9 @@
 
 import inspect
 import logging
-from typing import (
-    Any,
-    Dict,
-    Iterable,
-    List,
-    Mapping,
-    Optional,
-    Sequence,
-    Tuple,
-    Union,
-    cast,
-)
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Mapping, Optional, Sequence, Tuple, cast
 
 from fastjsonschema import compile as compile_json_schema
-from mypy_extensions import TypedDict
 from typing_extensions import Protocol
 
 from idom.config import IDOM_DEBUG_MODE
@@ -30,7 +18,15 @@
     merge_event_handlers,
     to_event_handler_function,
 )
-from idom.core.proto import EventHandlerDict, EventHandlerMapping, EventHandlerType
+from idom.core.proto import (
+    EventHandlerDict,
+    EventHandlerMapping,
+    EventHandlerType,
+    ImportSourceDict,
+    VdomAttributesAndChildren,
+    VdomDict,
+    VdomJson,
+)
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger()
@@ -106,23 +102,41 @@
 _COMPILED_VDOM_VALIDATOR = compile_json_schema(VDOM_JSON_SCHEMA)
 
 
-def validate_vdom(value: Any) -> VdomJson:
+def validate_vdom_json(value: Any) -> VdomJson:
     """Validate serialized VDOM - see :attr:`VDOM_JSON_SCHEMA` for more info"""
     _COMPILED_VDOM_VALIDATOR(value)
     return cast(VdomJson, value)
 
 
-_AttributesAndChildrenArg = Union[Mapping[str, Any], str, Iterable[Any], Any]
-_EventHandlersArg = Optional[EventHandlerMapping]
-_ImportSourceArg = Optional["ImportSourceDict"]
+def is_vdom(value: Any) -> bool:
+    """Return whether a value is a :class:`VdomDict`
+
+    This employs a very simple heuristic - something is VDOM if:
+
+    1. It is a ``dict`` instance
+    2. It contains the key ``"tagName"``
+    3. The value of the key ``"tagName"`` is a string
+
+    .. note::
+
+        Performing an ``isinstance(value, VdomDict)`` check is too restrictive since the
+        user would be forced to import ``VdomDict`` every time they needed to declare a
+        VDOM element. Giving the user more flexibility, at the cost of this check's
+        accuracy, is worth it.
+    """
+    return (
+        isinstance(value, dict)
+        and "tagName" in value
+        and isinstance(value["tagName"], str)
+    )
 
 
 def vdom(
     tag: str,
-    *attributes_and_children: _AttributesAndChildrenArg,
+    *attributes_and_children: VdomAttributesAndChildren,
     key: str = "",
-    event_handlers: _EventHandlersArg = None,
-    import_source: _ImportSourceArg = None,
+    event_handlers: Optional[EventHandlerMapping] = None,
+    import_source: Optional[ImportSourceDict] = None,
 ) -> VdomDict:
     """A helper function for creating VDOM dictionaries.
 
@@ -169,17 +183,20 @@ def vdom(
     return model
 
 
-class VdomDictConstructor(Protocol):
+class _VdomDictConstructor(Protocol):
     def __call__(
         self,
-        *args: _AttributesAndChildrenArg,
-        event_handlers: _EventHandlersArg = None,
-        import_source: _ImportSourceArg = None,
+        *attributes_and_children: VdomAttributesAndChildren,
+        key: str = ...,
+        event_handlers: Optional[EventHandlerMapping] = ...,
+        import_source: Optional[ImportSourceDict] = ...,
     ) -> VdomDict:
         ...
 
 
-def make_vdom_constructor(tag: str, allow_children: bool = True) -> VdomDictConstructor:
+def make_vdom_constructor(
+    tag: str, allow_children: bool = True
+) -> _VdomDictConstructor:
     """Return a constructor for VDOM dictionaries with the given tag name.
 
     The resulting callable will have the same interface as :func:`vdom` but without its
@@ -187,10 +204,10 @@ def make_vdom_constructor(tag: str, allow_children: bool = True) -> VdomDictCons
     """
 
     def constructor(
-        *attributes_and_children: _AttributesAndChildrenArg,
+        *attributes_and_children: VdomAttributesAndChildren,
         key: str = "",
-        event_handlers: _EventHandlersArg = None,
-        import_source: _ImportSourceArg = None,
+        event_handlers: Optional[EventHandlerMapping] = None,
+        import_source: Optional[ImportSourceDict] = None,
     ) -> VdomDict:
         model = vdom(
             tag,
@@ -319,54 +336,3 @@ def _is_single_child(value: Any) -> bool:
                     logger.error(f"Key not specified for dynamic child {child}")
 
         return False
-
-
-class _VdomDictOptional(TypedDict, total=False):
-    key: str
-    children: Sequence[Any]
-    attributes: Dict[str, Any]
-    eventHandlers: EventHandlerDict  # noqa
-    importSource: ImportSourceDict  # noqa
-
-
-class _VdomDictRequired(TypedDict, total=True):
-    tagName: str  # noqa
-
-
-class VdomDict(_VdomDictRequired, _VdomDictOptional):
-    """A :ref:`VDOM` dictionary"""
-
-
-class ImportSourceDict(TypedDict):
-    source: str
-    fallback: Any
-    sourceType: str  # noqa
-    unmountBeforeUpdate: bool  # noqa
-
-
-class _OptionalVdomJson(TypedDict, total=False):
-    key: str
-    error: str
-    children: List[Any]
-    attributes: Dict[str, Any]
-    eventHandlers: Dict[str, _JsonEventTarget]  # noqa
-    importSource: _JsonImportSource  # noqa
-
-
-class _RequiredVdomJson(TypedDict, total=True):
-    tagName: str  # noqa
-
-
-class VdomJson(_RequiredVdomJson, _OptionalVdomJson):
-    """A JSON serializable form of :class:`VdomDict` matching the :data:`VDOM_JSON_SCHEMA`"""
-
-
-class _JsonEventTarget(TypedDict):
-    target: str
-    preventDefault: bool  # noqa
-    stopPropagation: bool  # noqa
-
-
-class _JsonImportSource(TypedDict):
-    source: str
-    fallback: Any
diff --git a/src/idom/web/module.py b/src/idom/web/module.py
index 7d25152b5..1d4f6b857 100644
--- a/src/idom/web/module.py
+++ b/src/idom/web/module.py
@@ -12,8 +12,16 @@
 from typing import Any, List, NewType, Optional, Set, Tuple, Union, overload
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
+from typing_extensions import Protocol
+
 from idom.config import IDOM_DEBUG_MODE, IDOM_WED_MODULES_DIR
-from idom.core.vdom import ImportSourceDict, VdomDictConstructor, make_vdom_constructor
+from idom.core.proto import (
+    EventHandlerMapping,
+    ImportSourceDict,
+    VdomAttributesAndChildren,
+    VdomDict,
+)
+from idom.core.vdom import make_vdom_constructor
 
 from .utils import (
     module_name_suffix,
@@ -203,6 +211,16 @@ def module_from_file(
     )
 
 
+class _VdomDictConstructor(Protocol):
+    def __call__(
+        self,
+        *attributes_and_children: VdomAttributesAndChildren,
+        key: str = ...,
+        event_handlers: Optional[EventHandlerMapping] = ...,
+    ) -> VdomDict:
+        ...
+
+
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class WebModule:
     source: str
@@ -219,7 +237,7 @@ def export(
     export_names: str,
     fallback: Optional[Any],
     allow_children: bool,
-) -> VdomDictConstructor:
+) -> _VdomDictConstructor:
     ...
 
 
@@ -229,7 +247,7 @@ def export(
     export_names: Union[List[str], Tuple[str]],
     fallback: Optional[Any],
     allow_children: bool,
-) -> List[VdomDictConstructor]:
+) -> List[_VdomDictConstructor]:
     ...
 
 
@@ -238,7 +256,7 @@ def export(
     export_names: Union[str, List[str], Tuple[str]],
     fallback: Optional[Any] = None,
     allow_children: bool = True,
-) -> Union[VdomDictConstructor, List[VdomDictConstructor]]:
+) -> Union[_VdomDictConstructor, List[_VdomDictConstructor]]:
     """Return one or more VDOM constructors from a :class:`WebModule`
 
     Parameters:
@@ -276,7 +294,7 @@ def _make_export(
     name: str,
     fallback: Optional[Any],
     allow_children: bool,
-) -> VdomDictConstructor:
+) -> _VdomDictConstructor:
     return partial(
         make_vdom_constructor(
             name,
diff --git a/src/idom/widgets.py b/src/idom/widgets.py
index c18c22eb3..f21943a82 100644
--- a/src/idom/widgets.py
+++ b/src/idom/widgets.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@
 from . import html
 from .core import hooks
 from .core.component import component
-from .core.proto import ComponentConstructor
-from .core.vdom import VdomDict
+from .core.proto import ComponentConstructor, VdomDict
 from .utils import Ref
 
 
@@ -60,7 +59,8 @@ def on_change(event: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
             return
         callback(value if cast is None else cast(value))
 
-    return html.input({**attrs, "type": type, "value": value, "onChange": on_change})
+    attributes = {**attrs, "type": type, "value": value, "onChange": on_change}
+    return html.input(attributes)
 
 
 MountFunc = Callable[[ComponentConstructor], None]
diff --git a/tests/test_core/test_vdom.py b/tests/test_core/test_vdom.py
index c73fea1da..5a54dc6ef 100644
--- a/tests/test_core/test_vdom.py
+++ b/tests/test_core/test_vdom.py
@@ -4,13 +4,28 @@
 import idom
 from idom.config import IDOM_DEBUG_MODE
 from idom.core.events import EventHandler
-from idom.core.vdom import make_vdom_constructor, validate_vdom
+from idom.core.proto import VdomDict
+from idom.core.vdom import is_vdom, make_vdom_constructor, validate_vdom_json
 
 
 FAKE_EVENT_HANDLER = EventHandler(lambda data: None)
 FAKE_EVENT_HANDLER_DICT = {"onEvent": FAKE_EVENT_HANDLER}
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "result, value",
+    [
+        (False, {}),
+        (False, {"tagName": None}),
+        (False, VdomDict()),
+        (True, {"tagName": ""}),
+        (True, VdomDict(tagName="")),
+    ],
+)
+def test_is_vdom(result, value):
+    assert is_vdom(value) == result
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "actual, expected",
     [
@@ -195,7 +210,7 @@ def test_make_vdom_constructor():
     ],
 )
 def test_valid_vdom(value):
-    validate_vdom(value)
+    validate_vdom_json(value)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -294,7 +309,7 @@ def test_valid_vdom(value):
 )
 def test_invalid_vdom(value, error_message_pattern):
     with pytest.raises(JsonSchemaException, match=error_message_pattern):
-        validate_vdom(value)
+        validate_vdom_json(value)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not IDOM_DEBUG_MODE.current, reason="Only logs in debug mode")