The Best Subscription Boxes for Homeschoolers
A great subscription box makes an excellent addition to your secular homeschool curriculum! We’ve tried quite a few boxes in different categories and I want to share some that we’ve absolutely LOVED. I highly recommend these as winter holiday gifts too- that’s often when we start a new box, check each website for shipping and timing so you are sure your gift arrives on time. You’ll find options for many subjects and levels. Here are our favorites, a few we will be trying soon and some of our homeschool friends’ favorites too!
****POST UPDATED WITH NEW BOXES SUMMER 2024!***
Cooking and Baking
I’m The Chef Too! (ages 4-14) This STEAM-centric baking subscription box “infuses educational concepts into recipes making learning fun, engaging and tasty!” All kits can be shared and contain 2-3 servings. They do have an option to purchase single kits if you want to give one a go before you subscribe. Each “adventure” (box) comes with a recipe card, STEAM activity with a shopping list, pre-measured dry ingredients and specialty supplies. Check their site for current offers and special promotions.
Raddish Kids ages 4-14+ Created by a (super local to us) super- awesome homeschool parent, Raddish kids is a fantastic subscription box to get your kiddos into cooking/baking. There is curriculum structure in each box and we loved using it for comprehension and snack time in one!
America’s Test Kitchen Young Chef’s Club - Ages 5+ We found this gem through the America’s Test Kitchen Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs cookbook that we worked our way through in 2021-22 as our cooking curriculum. Each monthly box has a theme, kid-tested recipes and other good stuff that makes your homeschool week way more fun! Their website and online community also provide additional resources.
Baktivity ages 4-10 My youngest absolutely loves baking, and as a homeschool mom who used to have a cake pop business, I can’t blame her! We love baking together, and this monthly box comes with a taste-tested recipe and all the dry ingredients! Like Raddish there is a very intentional homeschool lesson in each box, made with homeschool families in mind! My littlest also loves that each box comes with stickers.
Kidstir Cooking Kit 5-10 Each box contains THREE recipes, a kitchen tool, a magazine, stickers and a shopping list. They also have additional resources online like homeschool lesson plans, videos, games and more.
Eat2Explore (also a great geography option!) This box for learners 5-12 is definitely a homeschool family favorite. Homeschoolers love a good cross-curricular hands on activity, and this box has it all. Learning about different cultures through culinary experience is SO much fun and super delicious! Each box comes with THREE recipes, spices (we love this), an activity sheet, a shopping list, A FLAG PIN (this is my friend’s kiddos FAVE part), a cooking tool, a passport (I love that detail), and a brochure with info on the country featured. They also have gluten free and vegetarian options.
Geography
Universal Yums -This was a big part of our Geography and History curriculum, and I HIGHLY recommend it. Universal Yums is fun for the whole family, delicious treats, a cool colorful map, a sticker and loads of fun facts and trivia about the country featured each month! We did the smallest box and it was PLENTY for our family of 4. The potential to create lessons around the boxes is fantastic!
Little Passports ages 3-10 Little Passports has 4 different age-leveled box options. They also have a United States option and a science box option. LOTS OF OPTIONS. LP is good if you have kiddos of different levels and they want to have something all their own. All boxes contain hands on activities and give an awesome opportunity for project based learning about the world.
Atlas Crate by KiwiCo. ages 6-11 Much like Little Passports- KiwiCo has a TON OF BOXES, SO MANY OPTIONS!!! Atlas crate is a geography specific subscription box packed with art and science project based learning opportunities. Collect story cards and build a travel book as you go! Each box contains 2 globally specific projects, the story card to collect and “Atlas Cards” w DIY activities on the locations geography, traditions, history, and cuisine.
Little Global Citizens ages 4-10 Each LGC box contains a country activity guide, a book, several crafts and activities, a recipe and a collectable language card. A new country is delivered every other month- 6 boxes per year. A unique aspect of this box is the “sibling option” to add extra crafts/supplies making sharing easier. They also have an option to shop single boxes which is a fabulous secular homeschool resource for a specific study unit!
Creativity
BrickLoot This is a house of LEGO. So of course we had to check out this box for ages 6 and up. There is a new theme each month, starting at $28 and it’s a MasterBuilder’s dream. This is such a fun gift for the LEGO fan in your life. Making custom minifigs is one of my kids’ favorite pastimes, and this company happens to have a KID CEO! Such a fun way to get super creative- this subscription box really helps you get outside the box with builds and ideas.
PipSticks preschool- 10+ (they report kiddos usually upgrade from the “kid” box to the “pro” box between ages 10-14) if your kids love stickers like mine do, this makes a spectacular gift! We use these in our writing curriculum, creating “sticker stories” and character maps with stickers is super fun!
Green Kid Crafts this local (to us) company offers two levels of box- a jr version for kiddos 3-5 and a bigger kid version for 5-10+. Each monthly box comes with a whopping 4-6 science and art projects and a 12 page magazine. They do also offer an option to purchase individual themed boxes which is fantastic for lesson planning and a big plus for homeschoolers.
Music Library Box- ages 4 and up. The Music Library box is a gorgeous box that helps kiddos learn more about music! The monthly box features a book about music, engaging activities that align with the reading and exclusive online resources for subscribers. You can check out more of their additional resources HERE .
We Craft Box ages 3-9 and one box can be shared between 2 kids! Each box comes with color-coded tutorials, all the supplies needed for the craft. They also have a holiday discount code holidays20 (2022 Holiday season) to save 20% off! We love giving and gifting subscription boxes because it keeps the joy going through out the year. I also have to mention how epic it is this company also has a craft box for SENIORS! My grama would have loved that and I would have loved sending it to her! Such an incredible gift idea!!
Terra Create 9+ Crafts for older kids, founded by homeschool parents. Terra Create is a monthly crafting subscription box for tweens, teens and adults. Each box contains artisan quality tools with an emphasis on natural materials. They also have an option to make it a box for two crafters without doubling the price- which is awesome! Be sure to check out the Homeschool tab on their website, as they do accept funds from selected charters! So cool!!
STEM/Science/Math
MEL Science 5 different box options age range 5-14+…and there’s no way you HAVEN’T heard of this box! Featuring box options in coding, math, STEM, physics, chemistry and the MEDICAL box, which looks super cool. Mel Science has something for every homeschool family. In addition to the box, subscribers get access to digital bonus material like videos and an interactive app.
Generation Genius- (ages 9+ w adult helper- mine are 8 & 11 and I helped VERY little) We just tried this new box (November 2022) and it was so good I’m adding it to the list even though it says “25 boxes”. Generation Genius launched 5 years ago by Dr. Jeff to bring science fun to classrooms- they are a “feedback friendly” company that is constantly improving based on the info they get from kids/students/families. Our box included 3 experiments and EVERY THING you need for each experiment is neatly packed in a bag, pre measured and ready to rock. The BEST part for all 3 of us was the step-by-step VIDEO INSTRUCTION. I’ve seen versions of this with curriculum before, but this was the best version EVER. The videos automatically pause after each step and the whole experiment took less than 15-20 minutes start to clean up. The clean up is super easy. Both the kids and I rate this one a 10/10 in experiment quality, information and instruction delivery, and fun!
Black Girl Mathgic (level 3rd -9 th grade math) and newly launched The Mathgic Prince! Math confidence in a box! This woman (with a mathematics degree) owned company is curated to “increase math confidence and decrease math anxiety”, and who’s not all in on that!? Each box contains a math activity booklet, an affirmation and a profile of a black mathematician, as well as a guide for the grownup.
Kiwi Crate ages 5-8 The Tinker Crate by KiwiCo was the first subscription box for kids we ever experienced. This was years ago and the first time I heard someone explain what the Kiwi Crate was, I was IN. This was a great intro to subscription boxes for homeschool, and started our love for incorporating them in our curriculum each year. KiwiCo has LOADS of options for all ages- they also have an option to shop individual crates from the Kiwi Store, which I love. If you aren’t sure which KiwiCo box is right for you- visit their site to learn more.
Steve Spangler Science Club ages 5-12- this monthly box contains materials and instructions to perform 3-5 experiments centered around a theme. We love that they “encourage collaboration” and each box works well for 1-2 kids. Shipping is free and they do also have an option to purchase a single box or subscribe.
Bits Box (ages 6-14) This fun app building box teaches kids coding in a super fun, creative way! Parent educators don’t need any coding experience to support their learners, even better, you can learn together! Be sure to visit the Homeschool tab on their website, they’ve won several homeschool awards and this box makes a great, interactive curriculum option for computer science.
Crunch Labs Build-It-Box (ages 8-12+..”Hack Pack Boxes” designed for 14+) - this monthly STEM box pairs video instruction with hands-on fun designed by NASA engineer Mark Rober. The projects are paired with engaging videos and make for a creative way to add STEM to your curriculum!
Reading/Writing
A Kid’s Book About… Box (ages 5-9) this monthly box includes books, chosen by YOU, on a range of empowering and challenging topics. You can choose either one, two or three books per box. Membership benefits include 50% off your first box, exclusive books and insider updates when new books are on the way! They also offer free shipping and a feature glorious group of diverse authors.
The Writer’s Box for kids 7-12- This box helps foster confidence through writing- and they have homeschool-specific materials to help support parent educators and their learners. When you visit the homeschool section of their website you’ll see they offer curriculum boosters like live instruction and full support from their expert team, a new theme each moth with a playful focus and a publishing club so your kiddos can share their work in unique ways.
Kid Art Lit 3-8 years This creative box offers two options- the first comes with a book and an art kit and the second comes with a book and TWO art kits! The monthly box includes a magazine packed with illustrated instructions (great for building comprehension), author notes, A THEMED SPOTIFY PLAYLIST, and more. Every month you’ll get an “open-ended project that lets your kiddos creativity shine” and stunning hardcover picture book. Kid Art Lit was founded by two moms who are also educators. You can also shop past boxes, a big perk for lesson planning or gifts!
BookRoo ages 0-12 There are four leveled box options for this book box. The 0-3yr board book box comes with 3 board books. The 3-6 book box comes with 2 picture books. The 7-10 book box comes with 2 hardcover chapter books. The 9-12 has two books with higher word counts, more complex storylines, and advanced vocabularies. They also have an online store where you can find bundles and discounted books.
Call Number (Genre: Young Adult for older kiddos/ middle & HS) Call Number is a “library-inspired subscription box” featuring Black literature. This Black owned business was started by librarian, Jamilah, fueled by her passion to help readers connect with more Black authors.
Sol Book Box age range 0-8 Each box contains one beautifully illustrated Spanish or bilingual book. The books are thoughtfully selected to “serve newbies and experts alike”. The books are all hand picked and giftwrapped and a super fun way to connect with your kiddo as their world grows!
Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know in comments below!
