If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
Looking for an interactive, entertaining way to build your child’s knowledge of science? Or do you need to stock up on low-prep or rainy day activities? A science subscription box for kids solves all of the above, arriving straight to your doorstep with all the necessary materials. No more searching around your kitchen, swearing you had baking soda in here somewhere.
“With reading, you have books, and with math, you have flashcards, but with science, you often have to get creative,” says Jamal Gross, Lead Guide at Alpha School Austin. A science subscription box can be the perfect complement to a child’s natural curiosity, nurturing their creativity and critical thinking too.
All students can benefit from a science subscription box, though you’ll want to match a subscription service with their interests and the appropriate difficulty level for your child. “If it is too easy or too difficult, children will be frustrated and quickly lose interest,” says Susan Laforet, M.Ed Curriculum and Instruction, an Outschool STEM teacher.
Science subscription boxes vary by topic—perhaps electricity one month, gravity the next—but ones that allow kids to test a hypothesis, applying their own creative thinking to the process are especially expert-approved. “The project should allow for critical thinking, not a cookbook approach with all steps front loaded. Students should be allowed to grapple, explore, try, fail, and try again,” says Laforet.
“When students are given an open challenge where they can use their imagination and ingenuity to dream up their own solutions, it really helps to build essential skills that they can apply to future education and life in general,” says Alexandra McCarty, an Outschool STEAM teacher.
• Best Overall Science Subscription Box: KiwiCo, $18.50+/month
• Best For Aspiring Astronauts: CrunchLabs Hack Pack, $24.95+/month
• Best Range of Activities: Groovy Lab in a Box, $24.95+/month
• Best to Convince Kids They Like Science: Annie’s Kit Club Genius Box, $29/month
• Most Customizable: Little Passports, $18+/month
• Best for Siblings to Do Together: CrateJoy’s STEM Discovery Boxes, $25+/month
• Best for Learning Electronics: CircuitMess Wacky Robots, $79/box every three months
• Jamal Gross is the Lead Guide at Alpha School Austin.
• Susan Laforet, M.Ed Curriculum and Instruction, is an Outschool STEM teacher.
• Alexandra McCarty is an Outschool STEAM teacher.
Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. KiwiCo is a SheKnows sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
KiwiCo has shipped over 20 million activity crates worldwide, and it’s easy to see why. They offer different boxes for kids of all ages. That includes Tinker Crate, a STEM subscription box encouraged for ages nine to 14, designed alongside a retired Professor of Science Education at Stanford University. The number of projects varies per box, but generally includes one or two larger activities and two or three small ones, all tied together with a single theme—and all encouraging critical thinking, confidence, and curiosity.
Customizable: Yes
Pros:
• Encourages critical thinking and curiosity
• Various boxes for different age groups and interests
• Designed by educators and child development professionals
Cons:
• We can’t think of any!
For the space-obsessed little ones, subscribe to CrunchLabs Hack Pack. CrunchLabs was created by former NASA engineer and dynamic YouTube personality Mark Rober. The monthly STEM kit is designed to teach kids engineering and problem-solving by building their own toys with simple step-by-step instructions. Once they’ve assembled the toys, kids can process how it all fits together with corresponding videos by Rober. (Many of McCarty’s students enjoy the Crunch Labs boxes, often mentioning them in class.)
Customizable: No
Pros:
• Promotes problem solving through toy building
• Each month kids can unlock a fun, educational video from Mark Rober
• Every box contains a chance to win a trip to CrunchLabs
Cons:
• For younger kids, parents may need to be involved
Each month, Groovy Lab in a Box offers kids hands-on STEM projects so young scientists can dive into experimenting. No need to run to the store for materials; Groovy Lab includes everything needed to build and discover. Kids can even record their findings in the included a retro-themed lab notebook. Groovy Lab in a Box is recommended for ages eight and older.
Customizable: No
Pros:
• Encourages critical thinking
• Covers a wide range of scientific topics
• Includes access to a web portal with additional activities
Cons:
• Some concepts may be too complex for younger children
When your child opens a Annie’s Kit Club Genius Box, they’ll find three engaging projects that they can design, build, and test themselves—each requiring hands-on investigation and problem-solving skills. One month could include launching rockets, the next excavating dinosaur bones, and the following building robots. Annie’s Kit Club Genius Box is created with kids age eight and older in mind.
Customizable: No
Pros:
• Develops problem-solving skills
• Each box contains three activities
• Themes change month to month
Cons:
• Not intended for children younger than eight years old
It’s a choose your own adventure with Little Passports, which offers three different STEM subscription box packages. Science Junior (ages five to eight) introduces science, engineering, and math discoveries with hands-on challenges. Space Quest (ages six to eight) is out of this world with cosmic activity kits, and Science Expeditions (ages eight and up) offers slightly older kids science experiments along with comic books and badges.
Customizable: Yes
Pros:
• Several box options for different ages and interests
• Also offer individual activity kits for those not interested in a subscription
• Approachable price point
Cons:
• May be too simplistic for some kids
Electronics, physics, coding, hydraulics, chemistry—CrateJoy’s STEM Discovery Boxes covers it all. These STEM-focused boxes include three projects or experiments with all supplies included. CrateJoy is intended for kids ages seven to 12, making it a great option for siblings to complete together.
Customizable: No
Pros:
• Appropriate for a wide range of ages
• Covers many STEM topics
• Includes three projects per box
Cons:
• May be too complicated for younger kids
If your kid never tires of building LEGO kits, CircuitMess Wacky Robots is right up their engineering-loving alley. Each box includes DIY robot projects (plus collectible cards for each robot) along with step-by-step instructions and creative possibilities beyond the instruction manual. Wacky Robots is intended for children ages seven and older. Choose between several different subscription options, then receive a new box every three months.
Customizable: No
Pros:
• A fun way to introduce kids to engineering and technology
• Each robot comes with a collectible card
• Robots can be played with indefinitely
Cons:
• Priciest option on this list
