Parenting & Family
Subscription Boxes for Kids: Comparing 5 Educational Programs
What’s on your checklist when it comes to subscription boxes for kids? Are you prioritizing education, fun or maybe a mix of both? We’re taking a look at five subscription boxes and services for kids and breaking them down so you can find the best subscription boxes for kids. Check it out.
KiwiCo. vs. Little Passports vs. Highlights vs. ABCMouse.com vs. HOMER – What’s the Best Option for Your Kids?
Product or Service Offerings
 | Monthly boxes for kids in STEAM – science, tech, engineering, art and math. Crates offer opportunities to explore, play and learn in science, art, geography, culture, craft, science, engineering and design. Each crate comes with the project, kid-friendly instructions, a Tinker Zine (magazine with additional science experiments and activities) and online video tutorials with tips and tricks. You do not get to choose the project. Great option for science subscription boxes for kids. |
 | A more rounded approach to education with subscriptions that teach STEM, animal life, world themes, geography and science. Younger kids will enjoy these fun activity boxes for kids, with projects and materials that will spark interest in different subjects, while older kids can learn with more hands-on activities like journals, experiments and more. Every subscription comes with different educational toys, activities and souvenirs in a reusable backpack, bag or suitcase. |
 | One subscription offering, tailored to three different grade levels – preschool, kindergarten and first grade. The 15 Minutes to School Success box supports different goals based on grade level and aligns with school standards. Preschool focuses on letters, counting, writing, vocabulary and thinking skills. Kindergarten focuses on early math skills, letters, phonics, thinking skills, vocabulary, literacy, writing and reading comprehension. First grade focuses on reading comprehension, math, writing, reasoning, science, vocabulary and thinking skills. Each monthly box for kids comes with practice books, a bonus book and a Quick Start Guide to support parents. Also offers book subscription boxes for kids. |
 | A full online curriculum for children ages two to eight, focusing on reading, math, science, art and colors. Learn on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer with a step-by-step learning path that includes ten levels, over 850 lessons and more than 10,000 individual learning activities. Kids learn via animations, games, books, songs, puzzles, art, printables and more. Motivation to continue learning and advancing from level to level from ABCmouse.com’s Tickets and Rewards System. Easily track performance with Progress Tracker. |
 | Personalized reading and story plans for your child based off their unique interests. Program includes 15 minutes of guided lessons on the alphabet, phonics and sight words daily. Children will start tracing letters and building fine-motor skills, as well as building their working memory and story-telling skills. Membership includes activities, interactive learning games and more. |
Age Suitability
| Crates designed for everyone from 0-24 months to 14-104 years old. Toddlers and infants have more limited options, but older kids (ages 5 and up) can choose from a variety of topics. Options for ages 0-24 months, 2-4 years, 5-8, 6-11, 9-16+, 9-16+ and 14-104. |
| Subscriptions designed for as young as 3-5 years old to 9 and up. Seems to reach the maximum age around early teens. Options for ages 3-5, 4-8, 6-10, 9-12 and 9+. |
| Most suitable for preschool, kindergarten and first grade-aged children. |
| Program intended for children ages two through eight, from preschool to second grade. |
| Program intended for children ages two through eight, from preschool to second grade. |
Cost & Shipment Frequency
| With the exception of the Eureka and Maker Crates, which start at $29.95 monthly, all the crates are $19.95 monthly. If you commit for three, six or 12 months, your price per month drops more with more months. Choose one crate to start based on age and topic, but you can switch lines anytime. First crate ships in two days. Pause or cancel anytime. Free shipping on all subscriptions. |
| Subscription boxes for kids start at $18.95 to $25.95 monthly. If you commit for six months, you’ll save some money, but the biggest savings come from 12-month commitments. First subscription ships in one to three weeks. Cancel anytime. Free shipping on all subscriptions. |
| Monthly boxes for kids is $24.98, although you can likely find a promo to save 50% on your first box. |
| $9.95 monthly or save up to 49% off with an annual subscription at $59.95 for the year. There is also a payment option which is four monthly payments at $19.75 now and each of the next three months, resulting in 33% savings. Get your first month free when you share your email address. Easy cancellation. |
| $9.99 monthly after a 30-day free trial. Choose the annual plan and save 62% at $45.00 annually. |
Final Thoughts
These are some of the best subscription boxes for kids out there, but truly the best one for your child is the one that tailors best to their learning preferences and needs. KiwiCo is a great option if you’re looking to focus more on STEAM, whereas Little Passports would give you options to touch on culture and the world surroundings along with some of the core subjects. Highlights is a great starter pack for parents with young children who want to master core education. ABCmouse.com and HOMER are solely online and digital, with the former offering a more comprehensive curriculum and the latter focusing on reading.
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