When it comes to subscription boxes that offer a wide variety of educational experiments and boxes, we have to say it is a battle between three major names in this industry — KiwiCo Vs Amazon STEM Vs Little Passports.
In this day and age, it is no joke when we say that this generation of young people was born with the world right at their fingertips. Today, with just a click, you can get a ride through apps like Uber and Lyft. When hungry, all they have to do is get their mobile phones and have their food delivered in just a few minutes.
When it comes to questions they have in mind about certain things, all they need to do is ask Google, and Google will give them a wide range of answers. Oh, there is also Alexa, as well as Siri to come to the rescue when help is needed for some school work.
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As with entertainment, gone are the traditional television entertainment era. Today, television is still there but for the purpose of watching high-definition YouTube videos, as well as Netflix series and movies. For your music needs, there’s Spotify, which is very much accessible digitally, anytime, anywhere.
You see, this generation of young people have so many options! Needless to say, too much convenience right at their fingertips.
But let’s be honest, as parents, especially as moms, we sometimes have our share of worries when it comes to our children’s exposure to technology. While technology is really very helpful, it also poses a lot of challenges, which is my some if not most of us try to limit our children’s exposure to it.
However, keeping them away from modern gadgets is a major challenge in itself.
Good thing is, there is a new crop of subscription boxes that have emerged to help this very exact problem among us, moms. These subscription boxes offer a wide variety of educational experiments, as well as projects for children of all ages.
In fact, some of these curated boxes are designed to help build children’s interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, also known as STEM.
“STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons as students apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in contexts that make connections between school, community, work, and the global enterprise enabling the development of STEM literacy and with it the ability to compete in the new economy. ”
Apart from this, there are also other boxes that focus on building breed curiosity on art and culture.
Whatever between the two, though, the thing is, these subscription boxes present an enriching experience that will help foster a lifelong love of learning. Also, it will help give your children a much-head start. We bet your kids will appreciate all of these later on their lives.
Now, having said all that, today, we are going to compare three of the most notable companies that offer amazing educational subscription boxes, and hopefully, this helps you decide which among the three is the best or most ideal for your child.
We will battle our KiwiCo vs Amazon STEM vs Little Passports. If you are ready, let’s start.
WHAT IS KIDS EDUCATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION BOX? HOW DOES IT WORK?
Before we compare KiwiCo Vs Amazon Stem Vs Little Passports, we find it important that you must, first and foremost, understand what a subscription box is all about, and how exactly does it work.
Basically, whether it be KiwiCo, Amazon STEM, or Little Passports, you begin by choosing a product line according to age. Yes, you have to select a product that is age-appropriate for your child. This helps ensures that the thing your child is learning is ideal for his or her age.
After, you will then have to decide on the length of the subscription. You may opt to do a one month trial to see if this will work for your kid, or you may choose to subscribe for six months or one whole year. Once you have decided, you may now proceed to the payment section, and add the payment method that you prefer. When it comes to payment, you have the option to either pay everything up front, or you can also opt to pay on a monthly basis.
Once everything is settled, the company will then ship out your chosen educational activities to your preferred address. Note that each box contains all your child needs to be more efficient in problem-solving, or better in art.
The major benefit of these educational subscription boxes is to get your children off from gadgets. Instead, I feel more excited about the endless possibilities of the non-virtual world, rather, the real world.
As moms, rather as parents in general, subscribing into these boxes does not only benefit your child but you as well. Yes! Who knows, you might actually pick a fact or two yourself, which haven’t known before! You see, these subscription boxes may also help you unplug from your own gadgets, and be involved with your child as he does each activity or project.
Just to avoid confusion though or the wrong impression, please note that these subscription boxes were not meant to replace your babysitter or act as an exercise in solitary study. Rather, each of these boxes was designed to spark the desire to learn more, as well as to have that eagerness to take part in changing the world.
To simply put it, these subscription boxes aim to help your child in his or her intellectual, as well as artistic development.
KIWICO VS AMAZON STEM VS LITTLE PASSPORTS: PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Before we dive into making a comparison between KiwiCo Vs Amazon STEM Vs Little Passports, let us first get to know what each brand is, and what they offer.
KIWICO
KiwiCo offers a lot of different educational subscription boxes that are appropriate for different ages — from infancy up to full-blown adults.
The company specializes in STEAM or Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. KiwiCo lives up to its claim as “the innovation factory”.
Basically, each subscription box you get contains all that your kids (or even you, yourself) need to learn. More so, it even includes online tutorials for the project or activity. KiwiCo aims to get children engaged, as well as to spark interest in exploring not just science, but also the art through hands-on learning, which is precisely why each of the activities they present requires creating physically or building something. To be honest, we find this method more effective especially for young children as compared to giving them worksheets.
For your reference, here’s an overview of KiwiCo’s subscription boxes:
– Tadpole (Ages 0 to 2)
A sample activity is creating a mailbag from scratch. The activity or project will require tracing, cutting, as well as folding fabric. This activity aims to develop your child’s motor skills, at the same time, help them learn about the mail delivery system. Since it also includes activities like cutting, tracing, and folding, this helps strengthen your child’s hand and eye coordination as well.
– Koala (Ages 3 to 4)
A sample activity under this age range would be making your own snake plush toy. By doing this activity, this will help your kid know some reptiles. This will also spark creativity as it allows your kid to make his or her own soft and cuddly, one of a kind snake pattern.
– Kiwi (Ages 5 to 8)
Under this age-range, your child may get a box that requires him or her to build a claw just like the ones seen in the claw machine arcade games. This activity also helps build or enhance your child’s creativity.
– Atlas (Ages 9 to 11)
This subscription starts with meeting your travel buddies Anya and Milo. The activity involves exploring the world map and learning about different cultures through photos, fun facts, as well as simple recipes. This also allows your child to master his or her navigational skills.
– Doodles (Ages 12 to 16+)
The doodle crate involves activity that lets your child design and create a personalized, one of a kind wall clock, which is a perfect intersection between art and science. This activity lets your kid choose the color, shape, and number for his or her wall clock.
– Tinker (Ages 12 to 16+)
This crate teaches your kid to learn how to create a trebuchet from scratch, at the same time, learn about physics through slings, levers, as well as air resistance.
– Eureka (Ages 14 to 104+)
A sample activity under this age-range is building a real four-string concert ukulele, at the same time, being able to explore the science of sound waves.
Know more about KiwiCo on this video:
AMAZON STEM
The Amazon STEM Club takes advantage of Amazon’s brand name, as well as its wide variety of products to help your child learn the science and math concepts.
In the first place, who doesn’t know Amazon, right? Thus, the brand takes advantage of its popularity by including items that will help build your child’s interest in marketable skills.
Upon subscription, Amazon will send you a mystery STEM toy or game everyone, two, or three months (depending on your preference). The items they will send you to range from simple car building kits to Erector-style model kits. This helps creates your kid’s interest in building, destroying, and rebuilding the items back to their heart’s content.
Of course, they ensure your child gets toys or kits according to their age. So, for younger children, Amazon STEM sends out toys that are mean to spark their curiosity with bright colors as well as moving pieces.
Some examples of the toys your child will get through Amazon STEM are crystal growing kit, electronic coding kit, as well as DIY Water Rockets.
Unlike other subscription boxes, Amazon STEM is not that flexible. Needless to say, you do not have the ability to choose. Amazon STEM will just let you choose your age range, and the rest will be up to them. So, yeah, there is that element of surprise as you will have no idea what particular kit or toy your kid will receive.
Based on comments and feedback though, parents were particularly impressed with what Amazon has been able to curate based on the different age ranges.
LITTLE PASSPORTS
Little Passports basically live up to their name. It was built with helping kids learn about the world in mind. The contents of Little Passports were curated to help provide a global adventure for children without having to travel. They will learn about geography, as well as foreign cultures right at the comforts of their home.
We must say that Little Passports offer a very exciting STEM experiment box, which they call Science Expeditions.
Once you subscribe, the first package you will receive is addressed to your child. This contains a fully-packed suitcase — don’t worry, this does not contain clothes or tickets, rather, your kid will find a wall-sized map, sticker, activity book, welcome letter, as well as a luggage tag. This basically gives your child the impression that he or she is about to embark on an exciting journey.
Meanwhile, the next boxes your child will receive contains new luggage tags, and different themed items plus activity book. The contents were designed to help your kid know more about the given topic or theme.
To give you an idea, here are some samples of the different boxes they have and what each contains:
– Early Explorers (Ages 3 to 5)
It comes with photos and toys of art, oceans, music, space, dinosaurs, as well as global landmarks.
– World Edition (Ages 6 to 10)
This box contains photos and souvenirs from different countries such as Japan, Israel, Russia, and South Africa.
– USA Edition (Ages 7 to 12)
This one contains postcards from all fifty states that compose the US.
– Science Expeditions (Ages 9 and up)
This educational subscription box has activities and experiments that allow your child to learn the basics of aerodynamics, hydrology, as well as forensic science.
If you want to know more about Little Passports, you may check this video from TTPM Toy Reviews to know their thoughts on the product:
KIWICO VS AMAZON STEM VS LITTLE PASSPORTS: COMPARISON
For easy and convenient comparison between KiwiCo, Amazon STEM, and Little Passports, you may check the table below:
|
AREAS FOR COMPARISON |
KIWICO |
AMAZON STEM |
LITTLE PASSPORTS |
| Focus | Arts and Crafts
Engineering Foreign Cultures |
STEM | Geography
Foreign Cultures Science |
| Age Ranges | 0 – 2 (Tadpole)
3 – 4 (Koala) 5 – 8 (Kiwi) 6 – 11 (Atlas) 9 – 16+ (Doodle/Tinker) 14 – 104+ (Eureka) |
3 – 4 5 – 7 8 – 13 |
3 – 5 (Early Explorers) 6 – 10 (World Edition) 7 – 12 (USA Edition) 9+ (Science Expeditions) |
| Price | $19.99 per month | $19.99 per month | $15-$22 + shipping per month |
| Introductory Discounts | 30% off your first month with code: SHARE30 | None | $20 off an annual subscription with code: EXPLORE |
Based on the table, all three have their respective focus. While Amazon STEM focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math, KiwiCo focuses more on arts and crafts, engineering too, and cultures. Meanwhile, Little Passports focuses on activities based on geography, science, as well as foreign cultures.
When it comes to age ranges, we give it to KiwiCo. They offer educational subscription boxes from 0 up to 104+ years old. Meanwhile, Little Passports cater to children aged 3 onwards. Amazon STEM, on the other hand, have very few age coverage.
Cost-wise, they are all fairly the same except for Little Passports with varying prices plus a shipping fee. While KiwiCo and Little Passports are generous enough to give introductory discounts, Amazon does not offer any discounts at all.
KIWICO VS AMAZON STEM VS LITTLE PASSPORTS: THE VERDICT
So, with all that’s been said, what is the best educational subscription box among KiwiCo, Amazon STEM, and Little Passports? Well, er have to say that while all three brands do share the same goal, they have different approaches or ways in attaining them. While KiwiCo and Amazon STEM are more focused on helping kids develop skills through hands-on activities or projects, Little Passports are more into workbook exercises, which is totally fine.
The bottom line here is that whatever works for your child becomes the winner. We are not here to imply which one your child should get, because at the end of the day, you know your kid better than anyone else. It’s for you to gauge which among the choices you think will work best for your child.
Now, if you really want us to choose based on the facts we provided earlier, we would have to give it to KiwiCo given their life-long commitment to providing not just kids but even adults learning platforms. More so, they cover a lot of subject areas, which is really commendable.
No wonder why it has become really popular among kids as well as parents. It definitely is a tool that will help kids and adults alike build well-rounded skills. More so, KiwiCo has a wide variety of educational subscription boxes that are based on age and your preferred subject matter.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON KIWICO VS AMAZON STEM VS LITTLE PASSPORTS
It’s nice knowing that parents now have a better alternative to modern gadgets. Perhaps through these educational subscription boxes, children today will become more engaged in the “real world” rather than being addicted to what the virtual world has to offer.
Have you subscribed to any of the educational boxes we mentioned? What is your experience so far? Would you also encourage fellow parents especially moms to get into this?
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