We love subscription boxes! Nothing beats the excitement on your child's face when they see one on your doorstep with their name on it. Knowing that what’s in the box will help expand their learning in a fun way makes it that much sweeter.
How do you pick the right subscription box for your kids? We have some great tips for helping you pick the perfect box. Plus, a list of our favorite boxes that we’ve tried.
Tip #1
Why do you want a subscription box? Are you looking for something to supplement their education? Maybe a specific subject? Are you looking for something fun to keep them occupied? Knowing what you want from the subscription box will help you narrow your search. There are so many boxes out there to choose from!
Tip #2
What are your child’s interests? Do they like hands-on building? Reading? STEM? Learning about history?
Maybe you want to expose them more to a specific subject? This step is important to know so you can look at each box and decide if it will excite your child. Just because they don’t like social studies/history doesn’t mean you don’t get them a subscription box about it. It means you need to find a box that’s going to make history come alive for your child. Just take into account that if you get a subscription box about something they may not already love, you’ll have to help build their excitement by opening their eyes to a new way of looking at the subject.
Tip #3
How do I know what boxes are best? Ask your friends and family! I can almost guarantee there is someone you know who gets subscription boxes for their kids. It’s best to start asking around when you are researching what to order. If anything, ask on social media and you’re sure to get lots of responses. If you are homeschooling, Facebook groups are the best place to get opinions and feedback about every subscription box you can think of! Other homeschool families are a great resource!
Tip #4
Will you have time to help your child open and learn more about their box? Depending on your child's age, you may have to take the lead in opening that box with them and waking them through the experiment, study, reading, etc... If not, the boxes will pile up and just sit there untouched. When the box arrives, open it with your child and set a day/time that you’ll explore more together. If you don’t have time, be sure to pick a box they can work through on their own.
Tip #5
When in doubt, start with the lowest subscription you can. Pay a little extra to go month to month or try their 3-month subscription before jumping in and buying a year upfront. Then if you and your kids love it, then jump on the savings of the 6-12 month subscription. You’ll spend more upfront, but you won’t be wasting money on a box that may never get opened or used.
Need some suggestions on what to try? Here are subscription boxes we have used in the past:
- Kiwi Crate (geared for ages 5-8) with other crate options for ages 0-100 We loved this crate and used it to help supplement our science curriculum. It had everything we needed to complete monthly experiments in the box. Along with a cute comic book to engage the child and step-by-step directions (with pictures) to help guide your child along the way.
- Doodle Crate (geared for ages 9-16) If you have a child that loves arts and crafts, this is the box for them! Everything they will need to create the cutest DIY projects will be in the box. We used this to help supplement our art curriculum and had a blast!
- Owl Crate Jr. (geared for kids 8-12) and another option for ages 13+ Do you have a child that loves to read? Maybe they need a little nudge to explore other genres of books? Our reason for getting the Owl Crate Jr. was to help encourage my daughter to enjoy reading more. This crate not only comes with a new book every month, but it also includes fun activities and items that tie into the theme of their new book too! It makes you want to dive right into the book to see what it’s all about! These books are not the typical small chapter books you get at the library. They are bigger, hardbound books that will take a couple of weeks to read. A bonus is that every book comes with a personal note from the author to excite and encourage them to read, and they also sign the book too!
- Raddish Kids (geared for ages 4-14+) Want to get your kids in the kitchen cooking more? Maybe get them to try new foods? This is the box for you! Your child will get an apron to apply monthly recipe patches as they work their way through fun recipes in the kitchen. These boxes have been so well thought out. With step-by-step directions and pictures, guide your child through the month's cooking (or baking) recipes. Food is not included in the boxes, but they do include a shopping list that we make part of the cooking experience. We check off our items and head to the store, where my daughter takes the lead and buys what we need for the recipes we want to make. Note: Unless your child knows their way around the kitchen, a parent will need to help supervise and walk them through what to do. It’s great for building up basic kitchen skills from operating the stove, chopping, and measurements - sneaking in a mini math lesson while we cook.
- Mel Science (geared for ages 5-16) We started this subscription box over the summer one year, and it was so much fun! Chemistry comes alive right in front of your eyes. With 2 experiments a month, it’s a perfect supplement to science and has us excited for each monthly box.
- History Unboxed (geared for ages 5-16+) Bring history alive with hands-on projects from your choice of the time period - Ancient History, Middle Ages, or American History. Each box comes with a history guide and multiple theme-based projects (and sometimes snacks) to create a history experience rather than just reading it out of a book. I can not recommend this box enough! So good.
- Bitsbox (geared towards kids ages 6 - 12)- Got a kid interested in coding. Try out this subscription box. It’s all about teaching kids coding. Each box introduces a new computer science concept and hands-on app projects for your kids to design and create.
- Wonder Crate - For the kids ages, 5-11 who love The Who Was book series. This crate comes with one book a month, plus themed activities around the book subject. We absolutely loved getting a new book each month to learn about someone new. Highly recommend!
Here are other great subscription boxes to look at. Some of these are on our wish list to try:
- Letters from Afar - If you are on a tight budget but want to add a fun supplement for your kids to learn about world history, this is for you! For just $6 a month, your kids will receive a letter from a girl named Isabelle who travels the globe and tells them all about her adventures in a story format.
- Little Passports - With options for ages 3-12, your kids will discover a country monthly with fun hands-on learning activities.
- Brick Loot - Got a LEGO lover in your house? Brick Loot will fulfill their Master Builder fantasies. This box comes filled with bricks, LEGO sets and LEGO-compatible third-party items.
- Eat2Explore - (Geared to kids ages 5+) Explore foods from other countries or continents to make at home. Each box has recipe cards, spices/grain mixes, a shopping list, a brochure guide about the locations, and a passport to collect stickers in.
- Snack Crate - Start your first month for $7.99 where you can taste your way through Germany, Sweden, France, the Caribbean, and more. Popular snacks from each location are carefully hand-selected and shipped free worldwide. It’s a fun box your whole family will enjoy.
- MyEduCrate - (Geared to kids ages 6-11) Each month, get a theme-based crate designed by teachers packed full of hands-on learning, activities books, and more!
- Literati - This subscription box is a great way to encourage reading for kids ages 0-14! For just $10 a month, you’ll get 5 books shipped to your door. Keep and pay for the books you like, and send back the rest for free.
- Little Justice Leaders is a monthly family subscription box to help teach your kids about social injustice. For kids K-6. Empower your kids with knowledge and ways they can help make their world a better place.
- Sago Mini Box is just for kids ages 3-5! These monthly boxes are filled with fun hands-on play activities.
- Mama of Joy Sensory Play subscription box includes fun theme-based (and super cute!) sensory bin activities.
- Once Upon A Mat - A beautifully curated Calm Me Box, a yoga box for kids, Gratitude Box for kids (adults will love it too).
- Young + Wild and Friedman - Beautiful and fun sensory boxes for kids. Each month receive a box with playdough and small play items to bring imagination to life through play.
- Pipsticks - It's a fact that kids love stickers. With this subscription, your kid gets a new pack of stickers (fun and exciting designs) delivered to their door.
Have you tried a subscription box you love? Email me at natalies@macaronikid.com. Tell me why you love it, and I will add it here to our list to share with our readers.
