We liked the way each kit covered several subjects, and all of the activities were fun and appealing to kids who have different interests.The Koala Mattress is a good foam mattress that is highly certified as non-toxic and eco-friendly. Projects like these went well beyond the techniques taught in the other boxes we tested for this age, and we think they kept the attention and focus of all of our testers because they weren’t strictly craft-based. Another Kiwi Crate kit we tested was a chemistry lab, which might not feel crafty, but it included experiments for making color-changing drawings and secret messages using acids and bases. It also included supplies to decorate the game’s backboard using a specific art technique described in the instructions. They loved the Kiwi Crate pinball machine, which gives all the tools and materials needed to build a small, analog pinball game kids can actually play. We had two 7-year-old testers, a boy and a girl, who both like science and math. Our older kid testers had strong ideas about what subjects and activities they like, compared with our preschool testers, and this definitely drove what kits they were drawn to. Even though many of the projects will need adult hands to help the youngest makers, one of our staffers has a Koala Crate subscription and confirms that her 3-year-old can sometimes (very proudly) finish a project or two by herself. Other projects in the boxes had more steps to challenge preschoolers than the other subscriptions we tested for this age, but they also taught new, interesting techniques that most of our kid testers hadn’t tried before. Sticky felt rainbow pieces could be stuck right on the cloud, and within maybe 15 minutes kids have a finished craft that they can actually keep and use. The rainbow kit we tested had a simple fleece cloud pillow shape and the stuffing to fill it, with an easy velcro closure so kids can make the entire pillow with little to no help. Most of the boxes had appropriate materials for small hands, with precut pieces that were easy to manipulate. The Koala Crate projects were age-appropriate for preschoolers, but honestly, this was true of all the boxes we tested for this age group. (One doctor-themed box we tried, from Bramble Box, included play prescription pills and a prescription pad, which our parent testers were understandably concerned by.) For this age group especially, we appreciate the resources a bigger company has to really edit and check their products for safe materials and safe play concepts. Kid feedback is a critical point in deciding which projects make it through to our subscribers.” Most of the other subscription companies we evaluated are much smaller operations, and don’t have the same level of vetting for their concepts and safety precautions. Brenda Grunewald, the director of marketing at Kiwi Crate, told us, “We run kid testing every week to vet themes and concepts, and QA all materials. And it’s been well-funded since its early days. It’s not the oldest company on our list (Green Kid Crafts is two years older), but it develops its projects with input from educators and child development experts. Kiwi Crate Inc., the company behind the Koala Crate subscription, is one of the most established of the kid craft subscription companies. Like Kiwi’s Koala Crate for younger kids, this one is also among the most affordable we found. Kids will need a grown-up’s help most months, but we think this subscription offers up challenging and completely original boxes. Another gives kids the materials to make a glowworm to learn about phosphorescence. For example, one uses acids and bases to make art. The projects are creative and often artistic. These kits don’t focus on traditional crafts, but rather on hands-on activities exploring concepts of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (an educational approach referred to as STEAM that helps foster skills like critical thinking and problem solving). Our 5- to 8-year-old testers found the projects in their Kiwi Crate boxes among the most engaging, and parents liked that they seemed better thought out. It feels like a special piece of mail arriving for your child, with vibrant supplies and designs produced in-house. The activities are fun and right on target for this age group. We think the quality of the materials is on a par with those from other craft subscription services, but the project ideas themselves are more creative. A Koala Crate kit comes with three activities each month and, unlike with some other subscriptions, everything you need is right in the box.
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