Koala Crate is the toddler subscription box offering from KiwiCo, designed for hands-on learning and fun every month!
KiwiCo offers boxes for different age groups:
- Panda Crate for 0-24-month-olds,
- Koala Crate for 2-4-year-olds,
- Kiwi Crate for 5-8-year-olds,
- Atlas Crate for 6-11-year-olds,
- Doodle Crate and Tinker Crate for 9-16+-year-olds,
- Eureka Crate and Maker Crate for ages 14 and up. There really is something for every age with this company.
This review is of the $19.95 a month Koala Crate, for Pre-K kids ages 2-4.
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 Koala Crate from KiwiCo
The Subscription Box: KiwiCo Koala Crate
The Cost: $19.95 a month + free shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: 2-3 fun DIY projects for you to do with your preschooler!
Ships to: The US for free, Canada for $3.95 per month, worldwide from $4.95-$6.95.
KiwiCo Koala Crate "Cityscapes" Review
After 3 weeks back in school, our district decided to head back into Distance Learning prior to winter break and following winter break to try and keep our staff and students healthy. That means I am again working from home, while simultaneously checking in on my kindergartener and 2nd grader to make sure they are on task with their homework. During these challenging times, I am finding my kids finish their schoolwork wayyy before my workday is done, which can be problematic. I am the first to admit that my kids have been watching more TV than I'd prefer, so when we received this Koala Crate, it came just in the nick of time. This particular subscription is geared towards kids aged 2-4, and while Charlie is one year older than that age group, I find that with the help of his older brother, this box is perfect for them to tackle on their own. Check out below to see the projects they created this month.
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Our December theme was 'cityscapes' and Charlie was quite excited. We live in the country (like 30 miles away from the closest gas station/store country) so every time we head into the city, Charlie is nose-pressed-to-the-window excited to check out the buildings and lights. This month's kit included the well laid out pamphlet describing each activity with detailed illustrations, extra ideas for more cityscape activities, and social media info. I was working in the same room as the kids, so it was fun to hear them read through the information before getting started.
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Each month the Koala Crate "Imagine!" magazine is included. This month they included images and facts about real-life architecture, a story featuring Kellan, Peter, and Ella, activities, a DIY project, and suggested books that fit into the cityscapes theme. Like I mentioned last month, if you don't own the book, YouTube has had most of the featured books in a read-along style that my kids love!
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Before the boys get started on their activities, they read through the instructions and Imagine! magazine. Hank reads the stories and Charlie works on the activities. It's always so cute to see them work together and practice taking turns.
City Shapes Bag
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To create our city shapes bag, we received a cloth bag, wax paper liner, stencil stickers, paint, a sponge brush, and a plate.
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Before the boys started, they very responsibly, laid out a paper towel, and put their canvas bag on top. Inserting the wax paper inside of the bag, they then started applying the sticker stencils. Once the stencils were adhered, they used the blue paint and brush and colored in the stencils. After the paint dried, they peeled off the stencils to reveal their city bag. This craft was a bit messy but perfectly suited for a 5 and 7-year-old. Once the front side was dry, they added more stencils and decorated the back as well.
Skyline Paintings
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Our next project also utilized the paint and brush to create skyline paintings. Using shape stickers, the kids were able to create their very own skyline paintings. See how they turned out below.
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Using the included watercolor paper, the boys took the shape stickers and applied them to their paper in a skyline fashion. Once all of the stickers were applied, they used the blue paint and brush and painted over all of their stickers. Once the paint fully dried, they peeled off the stickers to reveal their skyline painting. This is a great concept but we did run into a few problems. We waited for the paint to dry, and when we tried removing the stickers, the watercolor paper came off with it in some spots. I'm wondering if this is because the paper was textured....not sure, but Charlie was quite upset with his results and wouldn't let me photograph his skyline painting.
Felt City Scenes
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Our last project for the month included all of the necessary supplies to create a felt city scene.
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To create the felt city scene, the boys chose the color background they wanted to use. To start, they created a night time theme and added their felt pieces to the navy blue side. They arranged the shapes to build a pretend city and used their felt board to act out adventures about Kellan, Ella, and Peter.
Verdict: This Koala Crate was admittedly a little lackluster compared to last month's Carnival theme. The projects this month didn't take a whole lot of time, and honestly, I was hoping for some 3D shapes to build with. The kids did have fun creating these projects, with the felt board being their favorite, but these projects just weren't as well thought out as previous months. That being said, I have high hopes for next month!
All of the included projects came with high-quality materials and were educational as well as fun. While it wasn't our favorite month, my kids were kept occupied for about an hour and learned about cities while getting a little messy. The educational and fun aspects are worth the $19.95 to me, I just would have liked to have seen more projects this month.
To Wrap :
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? From KiwiCo:
Crates are assigned each month based on availability and your crate history – not all subscribers receive the same theme each month
Check out all of our Koala Crate by KiwiCo reviews and the best subscription boxes for toddlers and kids!
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