KidArtLit is a literature and art based subscription designed for kids ages 3-8 by two longtime educators and moms. Each month is carefully curated to include a hardcover picture book, two different art experiences with enough supplies for two children, two lit-inspired art guides, and expert tips to help you spark curiosity and creativity.
Good to know: Not only does this subscription benefit our children, but each KidArtLit box is packaged by CSS, a non-profit group that provides employment and job training to adults with developmental disabilities. The boxes are made from 100% recyclable, and they also partner with dozens of women-owned companies!
There are multiple subscription options available including the Spark box for $35.95 a month, the Deluxe box for $51.95 a month, and the Digital box for $14.95 a month. As of November 2018, the Digital membership is included in the Spark and Deluxe boxes! All kits can be customized to include supplies for up to 8 children!
This is the review for the Deluxe Box which is $51.95 per month plus $8.95 shipping
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About KidArtLit
The Subscription Box: KidArtLit Deluxe Box
The Cost: $51.95 a month + $8.95 shipping. Save with longer commitments.
ACTIVE DEAL: $10 off new memberships
CODE: BOOKISHFAM
The Products: A specially curated box containing a gorgeous hardcover picture book, (brand new release, or from boutique or international publishing houses) enough high quality art supplies for two children to complete 2 different art projects to coincide with the included book, art guides, and expert tips to enhance the entire experience and bring the joy back into family time.
Ships to: Spark kits ship for $7.95 and Deluxe kits are delivered for $8.95 in the US. Canadian subscriptions ship for $18.95, while all other international orders ship for $25 a month.
April 2019 KidArtLit Deluxe Subscription Box Review
I really like that this box comes with an informational card that shows all of the items in the box. It shows an actual photo of the included book, the items in the Ready-Set-Go! Pack, and the items included in the Deluxe Process Art Kit. It is helpful to make sure I received everything I was supposed to.
Each month, the co-founders Julia and Megan write a nice letter explaining why they chose the included book and crafts for the month. I like how they include little fun facts about some of the items in the box; this month the weaving project is done with 100% recycled sari silk ribbon created by women in fair trade co-ops in India!
The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems - Retail Value $17.99 (found here for $12.75)
The featured book this month is called “The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems.” This large hardcover book is a collaboration of charming poems that are fun to read and keep kids engaged. The illustrations are beautiful and coordinate with each poem perfectly. My boys loved reading all of the different poems. The poem called “Toasting Marshmallows” had my kids BEGGING me to start a campfire to roast some of our own! I also appreciate that some are easy enough for my kindergartener to read to me (and his little brother!)
And here is a photo of my boys enjoying the book of poems.
This month we received a card with helpful tips for enjoying open-ended art experiences with kids, and how to get the most out of each box.
Along with the helpful tips, they included information on what process art actually is. I love this type of art and how they don’t include a photo of what the finished product “should” look like. It really leaves it up to the child to create whatever they want and become “true” artists!
Activity #1 Ready-Set-Go!
This month, all of the supplies for the Ready-Set-Go! Pack was packaged in this white paper bag. I love how they organize each project so well!
They include a well-written set of tips and tricks for the first project, which is a flower pressing project. The directions suggest you lace up your hiking boots and head outside to find treasures to press and enjoy forever. They also include information about the art and history of flower pressing. I really appreciate the fact that this press can be used again and again. The only part I am bummed about is that because we still have some snow on the ground, we only have a few blades of grass coming up on the south side of our house so we didn’t have much to press.
Here we have all of our contents of the Ready-Set-Go! Pack. We received 2 rubber-bands, 2 wood squares, 4 pieces of brown thick cardboard, and 6 pieces of white square paper. Very basic supplies to create your very own press. The instructions are very well written, and easy to follow.
The layering steps were super easy, and this project only took a couple of minutes. It suggests leaving the treasures in the press for up to 5 days to fully dry. The kids are excited to see what happens when we open it up! They have plans to make crosses with their blades of grass. It’ll be fun to see how they look. We can’t wait to try this again when our flowers are in bloom- it will make it a lot more enjoyable and exciting!
Project #2 Deluxe Art Kit
The deluxe art kit this month was all about poetry in weaving form. We created 2 woven wall hangings that turned out beautifully. The kit included the following supplies: notched cardboard loom, combed cotton yarn, sari ribbon yarn, chenille stems, 6” wood dowel rods. They also included a booklet with directions and tips and tricks to get you started.
The first part of this project entailed me wrapping the white cotton around the tabs. This was clearly stated in the instructions, and the illustrations helped. My 6-year-old started out trying to do this but needed some assistance.
I also wanted to include a photo of the back of the weaving warp, so you have an idea what it should look like.
After the weaving wrap is complete you are ready to weave. There were 2 different colors of silk; both boys wanted the blue silk, but Charlie took one for the team and used the pink. The silk piece was long and we had a few mishaps but I think that added to the charm of the finished product.
And here is the weaving complete. I have to say, Charlie, at 4 years old got bored of using this technique after about 10 minutes, but wanted his to be complete so I had to finish it for him. Hank was also getting a little tired, but he trudged on. We could have saved it for another day, but they wanted to see the finished project so bad that we had to continue.
The next step was to add the dowels to the tapestry. This was tricky and I had to do it for both kids. The instructions were very helpful, but this was kind of a pain.
The kids then used the included chenille stems to create their hangers. I did like that they included different colors so each kid could choose exactly what they wanted.
And here are the boys holding their hard work. We had extra chenille stems so they asked if we could include their initials on their tapestry. I think it added a little pizazz, and the kids couldn't wait to hang them in their rooms!
This is a close up of the finished work. They turned out really cute and the boys were so proud. It was a fun project, and it used a technique that my kids haven’t had the chance to experience yet.
Project #3 Garden Party Napkin Rings
Last but not least was this cut print out of these garden party napkin rings!
Charlie loved coloring these napkin rings while I helped him with his weaving project. These are perfect for Spring!
After Charlie finished coloring, he wanted to cut the rings out all by himself. I told him to have at it! And for just turning 4 I felt like he did a pretty good job!
After the rings were colored and cut, we cheated and used tape to hold them together. Charlie then found our roll of paper towels to try out his napkin ring. He was so proud that he even set a place setting to see how it would look. They turned out super cute!
The Verdict: This KidArtLit box was fun. We enjoyed the book, and like the well-curated art projects they send. Everything goes together very well, and we love the open-ended projects that let the kids create things just how they want to. This box isn’t just a craft box, it is also educational and teaches new skills. My kids enjoy doing these projects and look forward to them every month.
To wrap up:
Value Breakdown: The KidArtLit Deluxe box costs $60.90 a month, so between a hardcover book, and the 4 projects, it comes to about $12.90 for each finished item. While I love the idea of this box and how it thinks outside the box, this price point is very, very steep. The box does include everything you need to discover new techniques and projects, but I just couldn’t justify spending this much every month. While you can’t put a price on family quality time and the learning experience, I don’t feel it comes close to $60.90.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. If you sign up between the 1st and 15th of the month, your shipment will be sent on or around the 15th. If you sign up after, your box will ship within 3 business days. If the current delivery sells out, you will receive a past box as their inventory allows.
ACTIVE DEAL: $10 off new memberships
CODE: BOOKISHFAM
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What do you think of this month’s KidArtLit? Who did you share your project with? Tell us in the comments!
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