Hands-On with KiwiCo: Our Honest Review of This Popular Kids‘ Subscription (2023)
Hey there, fellow moms, dads and kid wranglers! Pooki here. If you haven‘t heard of KiwiCo yet, allow me to enlighten you. This cool company is all about engaging young minds with seriously fun and enriching hands-on projects delivered right to your door. Science, art, engineering – they cover it all.
But with so many kids‘ subscription boxes out there (looking at you Little Passports, Lovevery, Raddish), is KiwiCo really worth the hype – and the cash? I‘m breaking it all down for you in this super detailed, parent-to-parent review.
Full disclosure: we‘ve been getting KiwiCo Crates for our kiddos for over a year now, so I‘ve got plenty of firsthand experience and photos to share. Plus, I did a ton of research to give you multiple perspectives. Ready? Let‘s unbox this baby!
What is KiwiCo?
In case you‘re brand new to this company, here‘s the TL;DR version:
KiwiCo is a subscription service that delivers monthly boxes (or "crates") filled with all the materials and instructions your child needs to complete hands-on science and art projects. It was founded in 2011 by engineer and mom Sandra Oh Lin, with the goal of helping kids develop creative confidence and critical thinking skills through exploration and discovery.
Each crate is designed by experts to be developmentally appropriate, engaging and educational. The projects cover a wide range of topics across science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). And get this – KiwiCo has over 1500 hours of projects under their belt!
One of the coolest things about KiwiCo is how the subscriptions are divided up by age:
- Panda Crate (0-24 months): Introduce babies to new sights, sounds and textures
- Koala Crate (2-4 years): Hands-on fun with art, imaginative play and basic concepts
- Kiwi Crate (5-8 years): Creative projects exploring science, art and more
- Atlas Crate (6-11 years): Discover world cultures through crafts, recipes and activities
- Doodle Crate (9-16+ years): More challenging art and design techniques
- Tinker Crate (9-16+ years): Engineering and mechanics projects
- Maker Crate and Eureka Crate (14-104 years): Complex projects for "kids" of all ages!
So whether you have a curious tot or a too-cool tween, there‘s a KiwiCo line for you.
Our Family‘s Experience with KiwiCo
We started out with the classic Kiwi Crate when my son Jakey was 5. Right out of the box, he was pumped. The first project was building a working claw machine – I mean, how cool is that?! The step-by-step instructions were easy for him to follow with a little guidance, and he was so proud when he got that thing up and grabbing.
Since then, we‘ve explored chromatography, made a planetarium, learned about simple machines and more through Kiwi Crate. The projects are always super creative and use quality materials. Honestly, they‘re way more involved and engaging than most of the "rainy day activities" I come up with. Plus, I love that there‘s no frantic trip to Michael‘s required.
We also tried Tinker Crate for my 10-year-old daughter who‘s all about building stuff. One of her favorite projects was this cool optic sensor light-up circuit. She even showed her friends how to make it at our DIY Stem camp! I was amazed at how long it held her attention – a rare feat these days.
KiwiCo By The Numbers
Clearly KiwiCo is a hit in our house, but what about in the broader sense? I did some digging to see just how far this company‘s reach goes. Turns out, they‘re kind of a big deal:
- Over 20 million crates have been shipped to date
- KiwiCo has subscribers in over 40 countries
- More than 1500 hours of projects have been developed
- KiwiCo has won over 6 consecutive Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Awards
Pretty impressive if you ask me. And judging by the customer reviews I‘ve seen, my family‘s experience is not unique. KiwiCo gets top ratings on sites like Trust pilot, Influenster, Red tricycle, and My Subscription Addiction. Parents consistently praise the convenience, quality, variety and educational value.
Of course, no product is perfect for everyone. The most common complaints I noticed were around billing issues (like unexpected auto-renewal charges) and a few disgruntled customers who felt projects were too flimsy or simple for the suggested age range. Overall though, the good appears to far outweigh the bad.
How Does KiwiCo Stack Up To The Competition?
So we know KiwiCo is popular, but how does it compare to other big names in the kids‘ subscription space? I put together this handy little chart to give you a side-by-side:
| Company | Age Range | Price (monthly) | Free Shipping? | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KiwiCo | 0-104 | $19.95+ | Yes (US) | STEAM, art, world cultures |
| Little Passports | 3-12 | $16.95-$27.95 | Yes (US) | Geography, science |
| Lovevery | 0-3 | $36-$120 (ships every 2-3 mos) | Yes (US) | Montessori, development |
| Raddish Kids | 4-14+ | $24 (with longer plans) | Only $4.95 flat rate | Cooking, kitchen skills |
| Green Kid Crafts | 2-10+ | $24.95-$29.95 | Yes (US) | Sustainability, creativity |
| MEL Kids | 5-9+ | $24.90-$29.90 | Yes | STEM, art, design |
As you can see, KiwiCo‘s pricing is about average, maybe even a little lower than some. But one big advantage is the free shipping and wider international reach. They‘ve also got the most expansive age range and variety of project types.
The Educational Angle
If you‘re looking for ways to supplement your kids‘ education (or let‘s be real, just buy yourself 30 minutes to breathe), KiwiCo is a solid choice. These projects don‘t feel like "learning" to kids, but they‘re actually pretty brilliant at teaching important skills and concepts.
In fact, KiwiCo‘s approach lines up with a lot of what experts advocate for 21st-century education. Hands-on exploration, open-ended creativity, interdisciplinary topics – it‘s all there. And with regular deliveries, KiwiCo helps make this kind of engagement a habit rather than a once-in-a-while thing.
As Dr. Helen Hadani, an educational advisory board member for KiwiCo, puts it:
"We‘re moving away from thinking about education as this siloed experience that happens in a classroom, and more about how learning is truly integrated into all aspects of a child‘s life…[KiwiCo] is one of the ways we can start to shift that narrative and give parents the tools to feel like they can support their children‘s learning at home."
Real Talk: Shipping, Returns, and Promo Codes
Okay, let‘s get into the nitty gritty details. I know you‘ve got questions and I‘ve got answers!
Shipping: As I mentioned, shipping is free for US customers (including Alaska, Hawaii and all those funky zip codes). For us, it usually takes about 3-7 days after placing the order for our crate to arrive. They do ship to a bunch of other countries for an extra $4.95-$6.95 per crate.
Returns: Now, subscription crates are generally non-refundable. If you sign up for a multi-month plan and cancel, you‘ll still get the remaining boxes you paid for, just no additional charges. Shop orders over $50 qualify for free returns within 30 days (just $3.95 for return shipping otherwise).
Promotions: KiwiCo pretty much always has some sort of deal happening, usually for the first month. You can expect 30-50% off your initial box with a subscription sign-up. For our friends across the pond, there‘s KiwiCo UK. They offer £50 off your first 3 months right now!
One tip: the very best promos are often through blogger partnerships, so poke around some mom/dad/parenting blogs (the ones that seem to really use the product) and see what they‘ve got going on commission-wise. I‘ve seen 60% off through those.
KiwiCo Alternatives & Add-Ons
While KiwiCo is one-stop shopping for us, I get that it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. If your kiddo is super into geography, Little Passports might be more their jam. For little master chefs, Raddish Kids is worth looking at. And my friend who‘s all about planet-friendly toys loves Green Kid Crafts.
On the flip side, if you‘re loving KiwiCo, there‘s lots of extra goodies you can add to your subscription. We‘re talking STEM accessories, expansive crafts, birthday bonanza boxes – even a whole year subscription wrapped up in one mega crate!
Preschoolers can also stay busy with Kiwico‘s Plastic-free Toys. And budding architects might like the Plus Plus Big construction sets.
Final Verdict
Whew, you still with me? I know we covered a lot! Here‘s the gist of my KiwiCo experience:
- The projects are engaging, creative, and sneakily educational
- You get all the materials you need, so it‘s great for busy/lazy parents
- There‘s something for every age and interest
- The quality is solid
- You‘re in good company with thousands of satisfied customers
- Shipping and flexibility are great for US customers
- There are always good promos happening
No product is perfect, and KiwiCo isn‘t immune to the occasional shipment delay or billing frustration. But all in all, we‘ve found it to be a fun and reliable way to spend quality time with our kids while supporting their intellectual curiosity. Anything that buys me an hour of quiet focus from my little monkeys is a win!
So why not give it a go? Seize one of those intro deals and see how your offspring like it. And hey, share this with a friend who could use something new in their parent tool kit!
I‘m always here to chat about creative kid-tainment, so drop me a line with your thoughts or questions. Until next time, stay crafty!
Pooki
