The 11 Best Kids Subscription Boxes to Engage Your Child in 2022

Originally published at parents.com

While the holidays are filled with joyous merriment, they're also a huge undertaking for parents. Now that a new year is upon us, it's time to give yourself a little break. Instead of putting together projects and activities to keep your kids entertained, let someone else do the hard work for you.

Companies like KiwiCo, We Craft Box, and Little Passports offer a variety of kids subscription boxes that deliver engaging diversions right to your door. The list below includes a baking kit with recipes for the junior chefs in your household as well as shipments full of books, toys, crafts, and even science projects for curious and creative minds. Some of these brands provide developmental activities while others supply clothes on a monthly basis to keep up with your little one's growth. With box options for all ages and interests, these subscriptions are actually a gift for the whole family.

Reese Witherspoon and Her 8-Year-Old Son Love This Kiwi Crate Subscription Box

The 11 Best Kids Subscription Boxes for 2022:

• Best Overall: KiwiCo

• Best Meal Kit Delivery: Yumble

• For the Little Baker: Mix Box

• Best Art Box: We Craft Box

• For the Explorer: Little Passports

• Best Clothing Box: Kidpik

• Best Book Box: Owl Post Books

• Diverse Book Club: Just Like Me!

• Best Science Kits for Kids: Spangler Science Club

• Best Toy Subscription Box: Toy Box Monthly

• Best Empowerment Box: Girls Can! Crate

Best Overall: KiwiCo

With nine crates catered to every age bracket, KiwiCo offers children the chance to enhance their development through educational activities. Start with the Panda crate (0-24 months) and keep your child engaged through adolescence with the Koala (ages 2-4), Kiwi (ages 5-8), Atlas (ages 6-11), Yummy (ages 6-14), Doodle (ages 9-16), Tinker (ages 9-14), Eureka (ages 12+), and Maker (ages 14+) crates. Once you select your crate type, it will be delivered on a recurring basis. Pricing depends on what you order, and ranges from $15.95 to $31.95 per shipment (shipping is free). With almost 30,000 reviews and a 4.7-out-of-5-star rating, KiwiCo is truly a parent-loved brand. Customers say their kids "look forward to the boxes every month," and that they're perfectly curated for each developmental milestone.

Best Meal Kit Delivery: Yumble

Yumble offers busy parents a way to get their kids to eat healthy food they'll actually like (yes, even picky eaters). The meal delivery service has four plans to choose from, and the menu, which changes weekly, includes meals like fruity French toast, baked taco pocket, and sweet sticky rice with chicken. Prices range from $39.96 to $95.84 per week, depending on the quantity of meals in your order (four, six, eight, or 16). All meals are "heat and eat," meaning you can throw them in the microwave for 90 seconds or less. One mom said, "We love Yumble! Reasonably priced, great food and variety. My toddler always asks if he's going to have his Yumble meal."

For the Little Baker: Mix Box

Mix Box brings the joy of baking to your kitchen with a highly engaging subscription box that gives your child the items they need to create delicious desserts. Each box is themed around one specific dessert and comes with all the necessary ingredients (no store-bought mixes here). Detailed instructions are also included as well as video tutorials for every baking level. Each dessert makes between 12 and 32 servings. Monthly to prepaid 12-month plans are available and can be modified online at any point. One parent said, "My husband and I bought this for our 10-year-old daughter for her birthday… The ingredients were fresh and the directions were easy to follow. I sat back and supervised with a cup of coffee while she did everything!"

Best Art Box: We Craft Box

Geared toward kids ages 3 to 9, We Craft Box is a monthly craft subscription with art projects that will entertain and encourage creativity. Each box comes with a themed story and four or more related crafts, plus all the materials your little artist needs to make them (except scissors). Photo and video instructions are also included. Plan options range from one month to 12 months with the flexibility to cancel or change your subscription. One reviewer said the We Craft Box was the "best decision" they made during the pandemic as it encourages time spent on art rather than electronics.

For the Explorer: Little Passports

Little Passports is a recurring subscription with educational activities for your child to explore in the fields of geography, nature, and science. There are five boxes for different interests and age groups, ranging from 3 to 12 years old, and a monthly, six-month, and 12-month subscription. Pricing depends on the plan you choose, but shipping is included for every box. One dad said, "My son is 12 and crazy about everything science and STEM. He loves the [Science Expeditions] kit!" Get 50 percent off your first month when you use the code PLAY.

Best Clothing Box: Kidpik

Kidpik is a monthly clothing subscription designed with your growing child in mind. The boxes come with seven items, including shoes (optional) and an accessory. You have seven days to try on the clothes and make any returns—you only pay for what you decide to keep (each item is around $14). Returns and exchanges are easy and free when you use the prepaid envelope included in every box. Before your kid receives their first shipment, they'll take a three-minute style quiz to narrow down their preferences. One parent said of the service, "Great quality! Unique clothes that are not going to be the same as all the other kids in school. My kids love the small accessories that come with each box. So much better than spending time at a store shopping [and] trying on clothes." Use the code KIDPIK40 to get 40 percent off your first fashion box.

Best Book Box: Owl Post Books

For little readers, Owl Post Books's Imagination Box is a top-rated subscription. There are options for all ages—with board books for kids ages 0-3, picture and storybooks for ages 4-7, early reader chapter books for ages 8-10, and tween novels for ages 11-13. Each month, your child will get three books, handpicked by a seasoned educator, along with a fun craft. There's also an Imagination Mini Box option with one book and one craft (which may work better for families with kids at different reading levels). Plans vary from monthly to a prepaid 12-month subscription. Parents praise Owl Post books for the high-quality content and commitment to inclusivity.

Diverse Book Club: Just Like Me!

While we're on the subject of books, let's acknowledge the frequent absence of diversity in children's literature. According to a study by the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, only 471 out of 4,035 children's books published in 2019 were about Black people. Many of the great lessons found in literature are learned when you draw parallels between yourself and the central character, and for children, that's hard to do when the characters don't look like you. Representation is so important, and Just Like Me! is a book box that aims to highlight children of color in children's literature while also focusing on BIPOC authors. Each box arrives with two to three books as well as accompanying book swag. To subscribe to this book club, choose the plan that matches your child's age range (0-12) and select your preferred billing cycle.

Best Science Kits for Kids: Spangler Science Club

If your child has a curious mind and enjoys experiments, the Spangler Science Club has kits that will dazzle them. These highly engaging science kits include five to eight experiments and hands-on activities that (with adult supervision) can be fun for the whole family. The club was founded by Steve Spangler—the inventor of the infamous mentos and diet coke geyser experiment that went viral in the early 2000s. If you want to give it a try, you can order an individual science kit for $32.99. When you're ready to commit, the subscription plans include three months for $29.99 per kit, six months for $27.99 per kit, and 12 months for $24.99 per kit. The recurring subscriptions all come with free shipping and can be modified online.

Best Toy Subscription Box: Toy Box Monthly

Perfect for children ages 4-8, Toy Box Monthly is the gift that keeps on giving. Every month, a small box with four to six popular toys will arrive from brands like Disney, Marvel, Barbie, Lego, DC Comics, and more. There are three box options to choose from—Boys, Girls, and Mixed for children who love all kinds of toys (both superheroes and princesses). Monthly to prepaid 12-month plans are available, and can be managed easily through your online account. As this is a small family business, the customer service team is extremely responsive, and parents have been thrilled at their children's reactions. One mom said, "My 5-year-old got [a] three-month subscription for Christmas from my in-laws… She is THRILLED with each of the three boxes! I'm debating starting a new subscription because they're great!"

Best Empowerment Box: Girls Can! Crate

The Girls Can! Crate is a monthly subscription that caters to kids who want to change the world. Best for children ages 5-10, this box introduces a female role model each month and includes an activity book, STEM challenges, crafts, and lots of fun goodies related to the featured leading lady. There are options for one child, multiple children, and even a mini mailer with a smaller assortment of items. Prices range from $18.50-$43.95 per box depending on your plan (one, three, six, or 12 months) with shipping included. One mom said, "The box is phenomenally well thought through and cohesive… I also love that the women featured are not the obvious choices of famous or iconic women, so this takes [my kids] well beyond what they learn in school."