The 33 Best Subscription Boxes for Kids

Cost: From $17 per month

What you get: Creative materials for two or three activities, a parent’s guide to support learning and a magazine filled with stories and games.

Why we love it: Get your tot spotting planes and squirming through the bushes in search of bugs with this monthly box from KiwiCo. Each one is organized around a science-y theme like reptiles or rainbows, ideal for your scientist-in-training. (BTW, order by December 20 to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve, and if this is your first time subscribing, don't forget to use coupon code 'WINTER' at checkout to score 60 percent off your first month.)

Recommended age range: Ages 2 to 4

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Cost: Prices vary, but the average cost is $14 per item.

What you get: Eight items of clothing based on your child’s preferences, from sizes 2T to 16.

Why we love it: Get picky kids excited to get dressed each day by signing up for this personalized shopping box—with zero membership or styling fees—that sends three coordinated outfits (seven pieces) tailored to your kid’s age and gender. Let your mini pick their faves and return the rest for free (or save up to 30 percent if they love everything in the box). Receive a box every four, six or 12 weeks.

Recommended age range: Ages 2 to 16

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Cost: From $18 per box

What you get: Three or four books each month based on your child’s age and interests, plus a surprise gift (like crayons or a notebook).

Why we love it: This monthly box is personalized with books and gifts that match your child’s age. So a 12-year-old might get paint sets and YA novels, while a 2-year-old might get stuffed animals and a few board books.

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 13

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Cost: From $38 per month

What you get: The number of items varies depending on the month’s theme, but each teacher-curated box includes a gripping read and hands-on activities, plus a monthly challenge (like sharing an image of your maze design) for the chance to win a prize.

Why we love it: An award-winning pick, this box is themed around seasonal learning topics. Last April’s package, for instance, was all about Earth Day and included experiments, a DIY terrarium and a book about bugs.

Recommended age range: Ages 6 to 11

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Cost: From $66 per box

What you get: Each box comes with four or five toys, books and activities that are tailored toward developmental milestones that pique your kid’s curiosity and imagination.

Why we love it: The organizers behind this box work with child development experts to find the most stimulating and age-appropriate items (think building blocks, shape sorters and walk-along wooden toys).

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 3

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Cost: From $17 a month

What you get: Materials (like yarn and washi tape) for fun DIYs, step-by-step instructions and online video tutorials.

Why we love it: Calling all moms of artists: This monthly arts and crafts box has everything you need to complete a creative project from start to finish. Previous boxes have included tools to create colorful wax candles and black ink wash painting.

Recommended age range: Ages 9 to 16

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Cost: From $20 per month

What you get: Kid-tested and kid-approved recipes plus related activities and projects. (The taco kit, for example, comes with experiments that can be done with an avocado plus an activity sheet for designing your taco truck.)

Why we love it: One of the best ways to get your picky eater more interested in different types of food? Get them involved in the cooking process (and a couple of fun foodie-related games won’t hurt, either).

Recommended age range: Ages 5+

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Cost: From $17 per month

What you get: Either four board books or two hardcover books.

Why we love it: Look, we absolutely support local and independent booksellers. But kids (especially teething tots) get through books fast. Combine your monthly visit to your neighborhood shop with this convenient subscription—simply set your kids’ ages and book preferences, and a new box filled with reading material will be delivered each month with an estimated saving of 40 percent on the books’ list price.

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 12

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Cost: From $16 per month

What you get: Boxes vary depending on the age group but will usually contain a map, an activity and stickers, plus a variety of travel-themed items (think luggage tags or collectible coins).

Why we love it: Take your mini around the world with this travel subscription box filled with activities and games that vary each month to focus on a theme. Previous boxes have been centered around world music, oceans and countries. Kids will especially love toting their new treasures around in their very own suitcase or backpack.

Recommended age range: Ages 3 to 9+

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Cost: Varies depending on the item but includes a $20 styling fee that goes toward any purchases.

What you get: Eight to 12 clothing items in sizes 2 to 18 handpicked by a stylist based on an online profile with your kid’s preferences.

Why we love it: You’re probably already familiar with Stitch Fix’s adult subscription box, and this kid version is pretty similar. Each month, hand-selected items are delivered to your door and you have three days to decide what to keep (and pay for) and what to send back. Dragging a grumpy kid around clothing stores is finally a thing of the past.

Recommended age range: Ages 2 to 18

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Cost: From $8 per month

What you get: Depending on the plan, receive seven, ten or 15 all-natural snacks.

Why we love it: Can’t get ’em to eat right on the regular? Try a subscription box of ever-changing healthy snacks (like Gimme seaweed crisps and Once Again almond butter) to make the whole thing more fun. For each box sent, Love with Food donates at least one meal to American families in need.

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Cost: $19 per month

What you get: A story and activity book, a science or art activity, and collectible items like stickers or buttons.

Why we love it: Empower young women with this badass box that features an inspirational woman each month (like Frida Kahlo or Bessie Coleman) for girls ages 5 to 10 to read about, then complete a few activities that relate to their lasting impact. Yup, that’s the kind of empowerment that leads to a long-lasting lesson.

Recommended age range: Ages 5 to 10

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Cost: $40 bimonthly

What you get: Every other month, a car-themed box arrives with five different activities and wearables, plus a special magazine.

Why we love it: Car and truck enthusiasts will love this motor club for kids that always includes something to construct or design and is great for, um, revving up those STEM skills (sorry). And don’t forget to download your R&T (road and track) Crew driver’s license online.

Recommended age range: Ages 6 to 10

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Cost: $25 per month

What you get: Four to eight Lego items per month with a retail value of at least $45.

Why we love it: Turn your kid into a master builder with this fun-filled box packed with bricks, accessories, mini figures and Lego-compatible products. Adorable fact? This subscription box was started by a mega fan when he was just 9 years old.

Recommended age range: Ages 6 to 99

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Cost: From $17 per month

What you get: Each box comes with coding projects for kids to choose from, ranging from easy to more advanced.

Why we love it: Designed for 6- to 12-year-olds, this computer science box lets them build a new app every month that runs on any computer, tablet or phone with a web browser. (But don’t worry, grown-ups don’t need to know anything about coding to help out.)

Recommended age range: Ages 6 to 12

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Cost: From $20 per month

What you get: Choose from one, five or ten experiments per month.

Why we love it: Let Ellen DeGeneres’s go-to scientist Steve Spangler start your 5- to 12-year-old kid’s future STEM-based career with exciting new experiments each month. Ever wondered why a doorknob might shock you? Or how to make slime? Put on your goggles and get ready to find out.

Recommended age range: Ages 5 to 12

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Cost: From $38 per month

What you get: Five to seven surprise sensory toys and items per month.

Why we love it: Boxes are curated by a pediatric occupational therapist for kids with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, neurological impairments and emotional disturbances. Previous toys have included putty, light-up toys, drawing utensils, aromatherapy dough and fidget spinners. It’s the easiest way to engage your child in fun sensory play while promoting their development.

Recommended age range: Ages 5 to 9

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Cost: $16 per month

What you get: Two pairs of socks plus a mystery prize.

Why we love it: It’s one of life’s greatest mysteries: Where do all the socks go? Instead of hunting behind the dryer every Sunday, enlist Sock Panda to send kids ages 3 to 8 (there’s also a box for tweens) two new pairs a month. For every pair you receive, the company donates one to a kid in need.

Recommended age range: Ages 3 to 11

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Cost: From $36 per month

What you get: A selection of toys, books and activities every two to three months, made from sustainably sourced wood or 100 percent organic cotton.

Why we love it: This is another great selection of toys created by child development experts that are specifically designed for your child’s particular learning stage. Designed for newborns up to 36 months, previous toys have included a magic tissue box for a 5-month-old or a felt ball set and treasure basket for a 9-month-old.

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 3

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Cost: From $25 per month

What you get: Two or three children’s books featuring characters of color, plus fun activities to go with the stories.

Why we love it: It can be hard to find diversity in children’s books, but this fantastic box makes sure that kids can see themselves represented in literature. Each box is curated by age and includes learning tools and family fun to accompany each story.

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 12

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Cost: From $40 per week for four meals

What you get: A box of four, eight or 12 meals a week.

Why we love it: You can show your kids the menu so they can select their favorites for the upcoming week, and choose from breakfast, lunch and dinner options like turkey sausage and eggs or pesto chicken sandwich. All meals can be easily filtered by dietary restriction.

Recommended age range: Ages 3+

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Cost: $15 per box

What you get: Four to six educator-designed STEAM projects centered around a theme (like volcanoes or amphibians), hands-on activities and a 12-page magazine.

Why we love it: The company behind this collection of science and nature activities practices what they preach—each box is carbon neutral and one tree is planted for each one ordered.

Recommended age range: 2 to 10+

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Cost: From $30 per month

What you get: A hands-on STEM-based project with bonus gifts depending on the box you sign up for.

Why we love it: Box themes range from electronics and coding to engineering and physics, and you can easily filter by age and which STEM area your child is most interested in. Our fave is the robotics box (for kids 7 to 11) which includes materials to build your own robotic bumble bee.

Recommended age range: 7+

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Cost: $90 for three months

What you get: The starter kit includes a light tablet, nine markers, six drawing rolls, a box of chalk pastels, a kneadable eraser and two elastic bands. Following boxes feature more art supplies such as watercolors and paint brushes.

Why we love it: Your kid loves painting but has the tendency to go all Van Gogh on her own piece of art. Keep those creative tantrums to a minimum with these strategically-placed dots and online instruction to help your budding artist develop her skill set at her own pace and produce a frame-worthy masterpiece at the end.

Recommended age range: Ages 4 to 10

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Cost: From $24 per month

What you get: Each kit features a new culinary theme, three recipes on that theme (think: Nordic cinnamon buns, Swedish meatballs and Scandinavian smorgasbord), three culinary skill cards (i.e., “how to use tongs”), a creative kitchen project (like how to build a solar oven) and various collectibles (like measuring cups).

Why we love it: No chicken fingers here—these recipes are intended for the whole family to enjoy and the talking points included in each box make for a lively dinner time discussion (“If you could have dinner in another country, where would you go?”).

Recommended age range: Ages 4 to 14

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Cost: $30 per box

What you get: Each box is filled with four to six toys from big-name brands like Nintendo, Star Wars and Barbie. Choose between boy boxes, girl boxes or mixed-gender boxes.

Why we love it: If your kid gets easily bored by his toys after a couple of weeks of playing with them, this subscription box will keep him occupied. We also love the inspirational card that comes with each box that encourages empathy and includes things to do at home and around the neighborhood.

Recommended age range: Ages 4 to 8

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Cost: $25 per box

What you get: Each box comes with a selection of doll clothing (including shirts, jackets, dresses and pajamas) and accessories for any 18-inch doll.

Why we love it: Promote open-ended play and keep your kid’s favorite toy looking fresh with new clothes each month that will work for any 18-inch dolls, including American Girl or Our Generation.

Recommended age: None

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Cost: From $30 per month

What you get: Books, activities and stickers for ages 8 to 12 or 14 and up

Why we love it: Each box has a different theme (think science fiction or action and adventure) and comes with other fun goodies like pins, bookmarks and interactive activity books.

Recommended age range: Ages 8 to 14

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Cost: From $36 per month

What you get: Gear and learning materials for life and adventure in the great outdoors.

Why we love it: Each box comes with a theme based on an outdoor activity (think star gazing and shelter building) and the items are designed to work in tandem. For example, the intro box comes with the basics for first aid, wildlife information, knot tying, navigation, weather protection and much more. The following boxes are seasonally and activity themed.

Recommended age range: Ages 7+

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Cost: From $17 a month

What you get: Up to three books per box, based on the age of your child.

Why we love it: Each book comes individually gift wrapped (a major win for any kiddo) and the selection is superb. “Raffie On the Run” and “The Vanishing Coin” were featured in recent boxes.

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 12

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Cost: From $19 a month

What you get: Inside you’ll find up to two books about women’s empowerment, diversity and inclusivity, one activity, a discussion card and a parents’ letter.

Why we love it: We love that there’s an option for children as small as 0 (in this case, board books with Black and brown characters and a story about a nurse who just so happens to be a man), proving these are conversations to have at any age.

Recommended age range: Ages 0 to 9

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Cost: From $34 bimonthly

What you get: A baking kit with surprise recipes.

Why we love it: A hobby you can do with your kids that results in a yummy treat at the end? Win-win!

Recommended age range: Ages 4+

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Cost: From $12 a month

What you get: Seven sheets of stickers, an activity book, a holographic sticker storage pouch and a coloring postcard.

Why we love it: Every box has fun and unique stickers that can be used for just about any creative project (or for just sticking on their face). They're definitely going to love the scratch n' sniff ones!

Recommended age range: Ages 3 to 8

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