Together Unplugged is a monthly subscription box designed with the whole family in mind. Each month you will receive 3-4 interactive games and loads of activities and reading material. This subscription is much more than a single-session box. They include activities and resources to help families play, create, read, learn, goal-set, laugh, and celebrate together throughout the entire month all while establishing a healthy digital/analog balance in our homes.
This box is being reviewed by popular demand!
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 Together Unplugged
The Subscription Box: Together Unplugged
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: MSA5OFF
The Cost: $47.95/month
The Products: Each month is different, but may include games, puzzles, crafts, team building activities, Highlights magazine, and much more.
Ships to: The US, Puerto Rico, and military addresses for free!
Together Unplugged July 2020 Box Review
For the second month, we received this little card that includes the URL for a Spotify playlist customized for the month of July by Kenny Ball, the founder of Together Unplugged. We enjoyed the fact that this playlist suits all of our family's needs. Ranging from Martina McBride, to Veggie Tales, to Poison, there is a song for just about everyone. I also like that on this card they share snack and treat info with all ingredients for those with dietary restrictions and allergies.
The item I always check out first is the "Welcome to your Box" note. This list gives a rundown of all the goodies to explore in the month of July. Each main component in the box has a summary of how to get the most out of that particular activity. They even use symbols to indicate what skill you are using for each activity! I love using this list to check off all of the items we do as a family, just to make sure we get as much as we can out of this box!
Speaking of getting the most out of your box, we are also given some literature that describes ways to best utilize this box. Setting aside times, bringing enthusiasm, and creating a "no phone zone" are just some of the suggestions they give us to help create an unforgettable experience. I appreciate these tips, and as one of them suggests, we have created a storage box for our jokes and puzzles in particular, because the kids reach for them often!
1 of 2
Each month we also receive a fun calendar filled with unique, fun, and patriotic reasons to celebrate in July. While it has federally recognized holidays listed, such as Independence Day, there are also less known days like Ice Cream Day, Lollipop Day, and Cousins Day to celebrate! Since almost everything we had scheduled for this summer has been canceled, it has been nice to celebrate these quirky holidays to add a little excitement to our very relaxing, but a little bit sad, summer! Lollipop Day isn't until July 20th, but my kids just couldn't wait to open the included Dum-Dums, so we went ahead and celebrated early - while listening to "Lollipop" by The Chordettes on the included playlist of course!
1 of 2
An educational aspect of this box that we really enjoyed this month was the literature on Independence Day, courtesy of DUCKSTERS Education site for kids. Recently, my husband came across "The Star Spangled Banner As You've Never Heard It" and it was pretty darn powerful. We had watched this prior to reading our included information and my boys were so excited to know some of the answers to the discussion questions! This was a great summary of the history and included some great fun facts. The other side didn't include the usual information about a holiday, but did include some really neat information on how to put your phone in "Do Not Disturb" mode. I didn't realize you can put your phone in this mode and still accept calls from your Favorite contacts, and that there is an emergency feature! You learn something new every day!
Goal Sheet
Everyone needs goals, and this little sheet is the perfect way to introduce them to young children. I love how we can talk about goals each month and see if we met our goal in the previous month. Last month, Hank did make Father's Day spectacular with homemade gifts, a special meal, and lots of hugs for dad. Charlie also did well with his goal, and hasn't fallen off the kitchen stool at all! Amazing!!! This month, our family goal is to get out our camping and fishing at least one more time. Hank's individual goal is to complete his BrainQuest book, while Charlie's goal is to eat more popcorn. I can't wait to reflect at the end of the month!
Expressions of Gratitude Sheet
Reflecting on thoughts of gratitude provides us with many health and happiness benefits, so I am all for this sheet every month! I love how important the boys feel when we sit down and talk about these questions together, really letting them open up and taking in all of their feelings. Some highlights from this month included: Skills we are thankful to have (the ability to ride a bike, do math, and run fast through puddles and leaves), memories we are grateful for (family road trips and fishing), and things that always put a smile on our faces (kisses from mom, hugs from dad, and when my brother plays with me). Plus our favorite outside places: in the garden, at the basketball hoop, and in the woods. I love these, and save the answers in a folder to look back on every so often!
1 of 9
Family Activity Pack
Hooray for the family activity pack! We LOVE the laminated jokes and riddles! Like I said above, I created a box to put these in, so we can go back and re-read them. Hank and Charlie have been trying to memorize them for our extended family. When I know we will be driving somewhere, I usually grab a couple to help the time go by faster, and it seems to help!
What do you get if you cross a duck with a firework? A fire quacker!!!!
1 of 3
S.T.E.A.M Craft: Cobra Weave Chain Reaction!
Our family loves crafts and experiments, so opening up this envelope to discover what our monthly STEAM project will be is one of our monthly highlights. This month we get to create a cobra weave chain reaction. I have seen this on Pinterest, but have never tried it... How did it turn out? Check out below to see!
1 of 2
Large Colorful Popsicle Sticks
To complete our cobra weave chain reaction, we received this huge bundle of large popsicle sticks in varying colors. While we made our chain with a mix of colors you could also create a colored pattern to really amp things up!
1 of 4
I was very impressed with the directions and how they took pictures of every step to help us create our chain with ease. They also included a YouTube video if you would like that type of visual instead. It was amazing to watch this chain explode because of the built-up energy! I tried getting a picture of it exploding, but because it happened so fast it was just a blur! We have tried it multiple times because it was so cool! Charlie had a hard time trying to create this project, so he built his own little log cabin and asked if I would share his picture on the review to show even a 5-year-old can utilize the included supplies.
1 of 4
Minute-to-Win-It Challenge Sheet
This month we received 2 sheets of Minute-to-Win-It Challenges. These sheets include multiple challenges along with varying levels of expertise. If you check out their YouTube channel, they even have a countdown timer that adds even more excitement and suspense to this experience!
1 of 3
Challenge Supplies
For this month's Minute-To-Win-It challenges, we received a set of 6 dice, 6 popsicle sticks, and 2 rubber bands.
1 of 6
I have to say, these games were the best yet! It was the first time we used the online timer and it really made it competitive!! We tried all of the challenges, but our favorites included "Dice Stacker" and "Stick Stack." It was amazing how long these challenges kept us entertained. I was happy to receive the set of 6 dice, but because everyone wanted to do the challenges at once, we used 2 sets of our "Tenzi" dice that we received in a previous Together Unplugged box!
1 of 2
Team/Character Building Short Story
As a family discussion, we also received a short story called "The Four Friends." This story then has a quick discussion, followed by a team/character-building activity. This month's story is one that comes from Bhutan. After reading through it, we learned how cooperation works best through communication and making a plan together. The back of this card includes an area with discussion questions and can be saved to reflect on in the future. Our family learned that we need to talk and work together through everything because we are a team and need everyone to participate. I find that through stories and communication, our kids really soak in these morals and can use them in everyday situations.
1 of 3
Family Team Building Activity
To pair with our short story, we were given a related team/character-building activity. This month they sent us a helium ring. Our group was challenged with lowering the toy ring to one foot above the floor together. Each participant has to have just one index finger under the ring, and no one's finger can lose contact with the ring. We gave this challenge a whirl, but my kids were a little too young to understand what we were doing and got a bit confused. It was fun to give it a try, but honestly, they had more fun using it as a mini hula hoop for their arms.
Here they were trying the challenge with a broomstick!
Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn
Hooray for popcorn! Like the treat info described above, we received a pack of popcorn to enjoy as a family. Hank and Charlie are obsessed with popcorn, and this brand is one of our favorites. Because we didn't want buttery fingers for the origami project shown below, we are saving this for a movie night!
Dum-Dums
Lollipop Day is July 20, so they even sent us some suckers to celebrate!
Like I mentioned above, the 20th is way too far off to save these yummy little treats, so we had to eat them right away. We did pretend it was the 20th, and even played the "Lollipop" song for some pre-celebration! I also have to say I was happy to see the flavor variety... when the kids get one from the bank they almost always only have butterscotch or root beer left, and they are not fans of those ones!
1 of 4
Highlights Magazine July 2020 - Get a one-year subscription here for $39.96
Yes to reading! Did you know that children in 3rd-5th grade lose on average 20% of their school-year gains over summer? That's so sad, and as an avid reader myself, I am not going to let that happen to my kids. While both of my boys enjoy reading books, there is something special about a magazine, and this one in particular is packed with interesting and fun articles, crafts, trivia, and hidden pictures. It keeps reading fun and exciting which makes them want to read it cover to cover!
1 of 4
Easy Origami Book - Retail Value $4.99
This book sure brings back memories as I happened to have this book as a young girl, and absolutely loved it. This version has an updated cover, but is by the same author and features the same patterns. Along with the book, they sent a nice sized bag filled with a variety of colored origami paper for us to start creating straight away! The patterns are easy to follow, but some of the folds can be tricky. Hank is 7 and could do the easy patterns, but needed help on the harder ones. I was really excited for them to experience the fun of this paper folding art, and we spent a couple of hours using up all of the paper!
1 of 8
I give this craft book an A+, especially because it can be done outside! When the weather is nice, we try to spend as much time outside as we can, so we took our supplies to the patio. We created some hopping frogs and a boat (which of course we had to try out in the pool!)
1 of 8
Valley of the Vikings Game - Retail Value $29.99
Check out the size of this game! We usually receive 2 smaller games, but this month we received one huge and expensive game! Valley of the Vikings is a barrel bowling contest that was created in Germany. This game involves a bit of skill, a bit of luck, and a lot of strategy. The pieces in this game are made of wood, plastic, and very strong cardboard. The illustrations on the pieces are magnificent, and the details on the boats are amazing. We also were fascinated with the puzzle-style game board. This game is suited for ages 6 and up, but Charlie did fine with a little help. The kids thought this game was a blast, but didn't fully understand the strategy concept. I think once we play it more they will see how their decisions can impact who wins! It sure is a lot different from other games I have played, and is a welcome addition to our game night rotation!
1 of 4
The set up for this game was easy, but the directions were a little confusing. I found the YouTube video extremely helpful and suggest watching it if you too are confused with the instructions. To play, you set up the barrels and use the included batter to swing at the large plastic ball. Depending on the color of barrel you knock over, you move the tokens on the dock. Whoever ends up with the most gold tokens wins. You have to be a good bowler, and strategic in your playing!
Certificate of Recognition
Finally, we have the Certificate of Recognition. This certificate shows that in July 2020 we were a family that was focused on staying together and being unplugged. With the pandemic still in full swing, we have been focusing on staying at home, and this box helps remind us of the things to be thankful for and to focus on spending time with each other.
Verdict: Together Unplugged is always impressive! Like I have said before, I find spending time together as a family very important, and this box sends us activities and projects each month that help us do that. Not only do we learn new things, but we also have a ton of fun. It has been a wonderful experience to have our monthly goal conversation, and to talk about things we are grateful for. The variety this box sends is second to none. The work and time that they must put into this curation are amazing. Not only do we receive physical items that can be used over and over again, but we also receive thoughtful original content to round out the box perfectly, so I feel the $47.95 is definitely worth it (especially the one game included was $30!) It truly is a box that can be experienced throughout the entire month. We can't wait to see what they send in August!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You will likely receive the August box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: MSA5OFF
Check out all of our Together Unplugged reviews and our list of the best kids subscription boxes for 2020, recommended by MSA readers like you!
Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of this month's Together Unplugged?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.