Monthly Subscription Boxes
They year before we started homeschooling we discovered KiwiCo, one of the most popular subscription boxes for kids. Some of the YouTubers our son was watching were advertising it and were offering a discount for new subscribers, so we gave it a go. Initially we thought, "we could just get some materials from Bunnings and build something ourselves for that money." But in reality, we never did. And it's the same with craft projects. We have an idea but not all the materials at home so we go to Kmart or Spotlight to buy what we need - which usually takes forever and doesn't end up being cheaper than buying a kit. This is why we've become big fans of subscription boxes to supplement our home-made projects and ideas. And how nice is it for a young child to receive mail, addressed to their name? It's always exciting when a new box arrives and that excitement hasn't worn off in two years. Below are three subscription boxes that we've tested personally and I also listed a few boxes that look interesting but that we haven't tried ourselves (yet).
This was the second subscription box we ordered and our son loves it. If your child is into engineering, this is the best box to buy. Our son's a big fan of Mark Rober, an engineer who's doing fun experiments on his youtube channel. About two years ago he launched "Crunch Labs" and his own subscription build box. In addition to the new monthly build-it-yourself toy, subscribers can watch a fun and educational 15-30 minute video from Mark Rober with every box.
A yearly subscription is currently 390 USD including shipping to Australia, so around 587 AUD per year or 49 AUD per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $587
Recommended Age: 8 - 12+
Category: Science / STEM
The 'Tinker Crate' was the first subscription box that we ordered and we also tried the 'Kiwi Crate'. The great thing about KiwiCo is that they have so many different crates available and when you subscribe you can switch to a different subscription line whenever you want. You also have the option to add a book to each crate, to explore the crate's theme in more depth.
They're having a sale on at the moment which makes a yearly subscription 462 AUD including shipping, excluding the book, or 39 AUD per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $462
Recommended Age: 9 - 16
Category: Science / STEM
Little Passports has many different crates for children aged 3 to 10. One of them is the 'World Adventures' crate, a subscription box that explores a different country every month. Kids can experience new cultures and traditions, do craft projects and play games. It comes with a passport and stickers for each country, a map and a little suitcase.
I think it's such a cute box and perfect if you like to be surprised. A yearly subscription is currently $240, including shipping or $20 per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $240
Recommended Age: 6 - 10
Category: Geography
Another great looking geography crate is the Atlas Crate by KiwiCo, designed to help your child develop an appreciation for other world cultures. Through immersive, hands-on STEAM activities kids can connect creatively and intellectually with communities and customs beyond their own experience.
I'm very torn between this box and the Little Passports Box but I love that the little passports box comes with an actual (fake) passport and a suitcase.
This box is $337 per year including shipping or $28 per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $337
Recommended Age: 6 - 11
Category: Geography
I only found one History Subscription Box that also ships to Australia and is still affordable. It's a UK based company called Mysteries in Time.
Enchanting monthly deliveries bring world history, geography, literacy and cultures to life through captivating stories & interactive activities! What I like about this one, you can also buy individual boxes about different eras - Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, World War 2, Wild West or Aztec Empire.
You pay around 341 AUD per year including shipping or $28 per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $341
Recommended Age: 6 - 11
Category: History
Become explorers & enter the exciting universe of quirky robots that will teach you about electronics with unique DIY STEM kits.
Circuit Mess was recommended to us, and specifically the 'Wacky Robots' subscription boxes. Their other subscription lines are the STEM box, Space-O and Cyberpunk.
You pay around 479 AUD per year including shipping or $40 per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $479
Recommended Age: 9+
Category: Science / STEM
This box was recommended by someone in my local homeschool community and other parents were keen to try it. It's a UK based company that offers exciting hands-on STEM kits. They don't just offer STEM projects but you can also buy Physics and Chemistry subscriptions.
In addition to the boxes you can also access a video guide online, similar to Crunch Labs. A yearly subscription is 478 USD per year, around 719 AUD including shipping or $60 per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $719
Recommended Age: 5 - 10+
Category: Science / STEM
A lot of arts and crafts boxes are for younger kids - toddler and pre-school age. But I found one that looks really good, the KiwiCo Doodle Crate.
Doodle Crate is an invitation for young makers to express themselves creatively. Dig into fun crafting tools and interesting techniques, and see how materials can transform. With projects to foster creativity to build inner confidence and a strong sense of self, kids also learn to tackle other challenges with tenacity and persistence.
The Doodle Crate is $470 per year including shipping, or $39 per month.
Yearly Subscription in AUD: $470
Recommended Age: 14 - 16
Category: Art