There are so many options when it comes to teaching our kids. Learning at home is where the greatest amount of time is spent. But sometimes it can seem like a burden, because we aren’t sure just what to do. Or how to do it. Or even have the energy to spend time planning and gathering materials and making it happen.

That’s why subscription boxes can be such a game changer. When you choose the right one, it can save you time and energy, plus help you teach your kids a little better.

Why Subscription Boxes For Kids

In general, a subscription box is sent monthly to your house and includes something for your kids to do. The point is to have something regular for kids to look forward to. It’s something for them to do, and often to learn and practice something they’re interested in too.

I was not an easy or early convert to this concept. But then I changed the way I thought about it, and now we get several different subscriptions for my kids–it’s one of my favorite things.

Finding the right one

The key to finding good educational subscription boxes for your kids is knowing what they’re into, and finding one that meets your criteria. It should be both fun for your child and keep them engaged and learning like you want.

There are sooooooo many options for most interests you can think of, for any age range–from babies to teenagers. Here are some of the categories your kids may like and what I recommend for each one.

For cooking I recommend Raddish Kids. It go into a whole lot of detail about it in this post, and even more in this one. I like it because it’s easy enough for kids to follow, especially because it uses pictures for its recipe cards. There is a monthly theme that’s often to do with cuisine from a different country, but sometimes follows the time of year–this month was all about lunchtime. And it comes with a high-quality utensil or cooking device to use with one of the recipes.

For reading and books we LOVE our Literati box. I did a lot of searching before deciding on this one, and am so glad that I did. All of the details about it can be found in this post, but basically you get 5 books each month that you can choose to keep or send back. The pricing is the same or cheaper than Amazon, so you know you’re getting a great price too. They’re all based around a theme like friendship or space or adventure. They come with a beautiful art print and little extra goodie (like a book mark, friendship bracelet, cootie catcher game, etc.) to keep. I like this one because the base price is a whole lot lower than other options, and I get a variety to choose from.

For all-around variety and value nothing beats KiwiCo and their line of crates. All the details about them are here in this post. They have different options for babies all the way up to teenagers, focusing on STEAM–science, technology, engineering, art and math. And you can switch between crates at any time. My son has tried the Tinker Crate and Eureka crate (for engineering) and my daughter will be getting the Kiwi crate.

For science we’ve used the Young Scientist’s Club based on the Magic School Bus and my kids love it. Everything you need to complete experiments is in the kit (except water) and there are 6-7 experiments to complete each month.

Kids have many more interests than these, so check our some more options at Crate Joy.

Making it cost effective

I was not on board the subscription train for a long time because I thought they were just expensive and not worth it. I thought I could find the materials and put things together myself for a whole lot less. Which may be true in some cases, but a subscription saves you so. much. time. And energy. And mental space. Because they’re put together by people who do this full time. Especially the ones I listed above.

But, to make it have the most value, you need to look at what you get and what you want them to get out of it carefully. The reason I chose Raddish Kids was because after looking at the other options (and there are many) I liked that it checked off my criteria. The emphasis on building skills and not just making things; the way it was presented; and what was included both in the box and online– dietary substitutions, and additional recipes.

Same thing for Literati–the base price is only $9.95, so it’s not such a large monthly investment. I also get several books for the same price as many other boxes that only include 1 book plus extra goodies we don’t need. My goal is building our library, not adding to our clutter.

Another way to make it cost effective is buying the full year subscription all at once. It’s almost always cheaper on a per box basis that way.

We then give them as birthday and Christmas presents. They’re gifts that keep on giving throughout the year instead of ending up in the corner after a few weeks.

Or, view the price as class or camp you may sign your child up for. You’re spending the same amount of money, but just for a different thing.

How to use your subscription box

The beauty of having something fun and engaging for your kids to look forward to is that you’re in charge of how and when they can do their box.

Want to reserve them for rainy days? Cool.

Want to let them open it up and start on their project as soon as it lands on the front porch? That’s cool too.

If you’re homeschooling or remote learning this fall, add it to their curriculum. It will give them a little something extra fun to do and learn.

The point is, there’s no wrong way to use your educational subscription boxes with your kids. The important thing is them learning and have fun–and you having the time, mental space and energy to use for things other than keeping your kids entertained all. the. time.

The post Educational Subscription Boxes for Kids appeared first on Vibrant Mom Society.

You may have heard me mention this before, but instead of typical toys, I like buying educational activities for my kids to help them learn and grow–while having fun!

But, finding the time to curate all of those activities and gather materials (some of which come in very big packages that will sit forEVER in our craft drawers) and putting it all together is pretty time consuming.

I’ve also mentioned before that I’m not super into subscriptions because they can be pricey with 3 kids on a monthly basis. I am, however, a fan of getting them for Christmas or birthdays because it’s a present that keeps on giving and isn’t forgotten in a corner the next week.

That’s where the Kiwi Crate and their educational activities for kids comes in.

What is Kiwi Crate?

It is a collection of 8 different monthly “Crates” or boxes, sent to your home filled with educational activities for kids related to STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Each month’s crate is different, and segmented by age group and/or interest.

I love this concept, because STEAM skills are so important for kids to learn today. They are the skills they need to succeed in the world of today–and tomorrow. Plus, it’s really cool to know how the world works!

Kiwi Crate’s dedication to educational activities for kids is evident in every line that they create.

For example, my son LOVES technology, building things, robotics and engineering so last year we got him the Tinker Crate because it is hands-on STEM projects for kids 9-16.

Each month features everything you need to complete a specific project, plus extra projects you can also complete, and loads of online resources too.

What types of crates are there?

Panda Crate for ages 0-24 months: This one is for the littlest learners. Each crate is designed to help babies learn by doing. Playing, exploring, and interacting with their care givers. This crate also grows with your child, with materials and activities specifically selected for your child’s age when you register. There’s a “magazine” for parents about the current developmental stage, activity cards to help facilitate play, and something for the child to use/play with.

Child development experts, educators and doctors, vet everything that goes into each crate so you can feel confident with everything you get!

I mean, how cute are these?!:

Koala Crate for ages 2-4: This one is for the preschoolers. The explorers, the adventurers, those discovering the world for the first time. Having a self-contained box is helpful at this age because like I said before, getting all the materials you need, and creating fun can be time consuming.

There’s a “magazine” that explains everything, with additional activities beyond the main one, and offers insights into your child’s development too. Each month’s theme is different, but is sure to be something hands on and fun!

Kiwi Crate for ages 5-8: This is the original. Designed to help kids learn and explore in a hands-on way. Each month is based on a theme and includes all the materials you need for a specific project. Past crates include the science of color and a treasure hunt. They include science activities, arts and crafts, and imaginative play.

Like the other crates, it also includes a magazine with information about the theme and more activities to do too.

Atlas Crate for ages 6-11: This one is new, and teaches kids to enjoy and explore other cultures! I am sooooo excited about this, because teaching my kids about other countries is really important to me.

Each crate is designed to give kids immersive, hands-on experiences that connect them with unfamiliar lands and people. Building a sense of global citizenship is a great by product.

When you register for the Atlas Crate, your journey begins with The World Crate, and you meet two “friends” Milo and Anya who help you learn about the world–even building a miniature globe of your own!

Doodle Crate for ages 9-16+ is for the artists and creators. These crates introduce fun crafting materials and interesting techniques. Kids learn to see how materials can transform and that they can use them in creative ways.

Each box contains everything you need to complete a project, plus extra ideas to continue your creativity with the materials.

Tinker Crate for ages 9-16+ is for kids who like to get creative in a scientific way. Kiwi believes, “STEM is a key to creative problem solving, a foundation for critical thinkers, and a pipeline to innovation.”

That’s what the Tinker Crate is all about. Each box contains a project that is simple enough to build, but requires creative thinking so they’re fun for different kinds of learners.

This is what we’ve found from the Tinker Crate. The projects are fun and unique. They caused my son to get better at following directions, building, and finding creative ways to do more.

Maker Crate for ages 14+ is for artists and designers. These projects are more like the older version of the Doodle Crate. Similarly, these boxes are designed for experimentation with materials and techniques in creating a craft project that is fun–and useful too.

Eureka Crate for ages 14+ is for kids that want to move beyond the Tinker Crate and engineer amazing projects. It’s all about hands-on lessons in creative applications of science and engineering principles so kids can solve a real-world problem. 

In addition, these projects are more involved and more difficult than the Tinker Crate ones, so make sure your child is closer to the age recommendation unless they have a lot of experience.

What are the Kiwi Crates Like?

My son LOVES getting his box every month. He loves opening it up and getting started building right away.

Each box contains everything needed for the project, plus the magazine with all the directions for creating the project. There are additional educational activities for the kids to play with too.

Their emails ah-maz-ing too. Each one has several links to so many other resources, extra projects, occasional virtual camps and more.

The projects are really interesting and the materials are high quality. Tinker crates and above have, projects that are useful, well made and can last a long time. With the other projects you’re likely to keep them for a few days and then recycle them.

My son is in the middle of creating a working lantern that he plans on using when we go camping.

How much does a Kiwi Crate cost?

Each crate is available for subscription lengths of monthly, 3 months, 6 months or 12 months. The longer you subscribe, the cheaper each box is. You can also pause or cancel any time, but, it will auto renew unless you cancel, so keep that in mind.

The price per crate varies by which line you choose. Most of the boxes start at $19.95 for one month and are between $15-25 for a 12 month subscription. The Panda is the least expensive and the Maker and Eureka are more because they’re the most involved and have higher quality materials.

The Cons

For younger children the projects require a lot of adult supervision and can include small pieces. However,the crates designed for older kids require less adult supervision. When you have multiple children, the cost can be a prohibitive factor, but having grandparents or other family contribute as a gift is a great idea.

Final thoughts on the Kiwi Crate

If you value creativity, hands-on activities over electronics, and fun as a form of entertainment and learning, you’ll love it. If your kids like something to look forward to, and have fun creating and playing with new projects, they’ll love it.

When it comes to educational activities for kids, Kiwi Crate definitely knows what they’re doing. Industry experts develop each box, and kid testers make sure they work, and that they’re high quality too.

While writing this Kiwi Crate review, I asked my son what his favorite thing about them is and he said, “It’s really fun to make things. I like how it gives me idea on how to expand on the basic project.”

I love that my son is learning valuable skills that he’s interested in too, and beginning to explore additional projects on his own.

Having lines designed for all ages and STEAM interests–both science and art is what sets Kiwi apart from other options. Plus, its easy to change lines if you need to. You can change your box if it isn’t quite right for your child at any time.

Get 30% off with code LEARN30 to get started creating today.

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The post Kiwi Crate Review: STEAM Activities for Kids appeared first on Vibrant Mom Society.