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 "Flight" Review
Minnesota weather is crazy, and exactly why I love living here. Last month we had temperatures dipping to 40 below, and today it was a balmy 64! This weather, though warm, was intensely windy so after a mega-calorie-burning family bike ride, we went inside and enjoyed an evening of flight adventures courtesy of Koala Crate. This particular subscription is geared towards kids aged 2-4, and because Hank and Charlie have now both aged out of this category, sadly this will be our last time reviewing. Check out to see how our "Flight" theme went below.
1 of 6
Two years ago we had the opportunity to go to the Duluth Air Show and watch the Blue Angels in action. We had a grand time, and the kids have asked multiple times when we can go again. That was a little bit of an introduction into our world of flight, and the kids have been obsessed since. This Flight themed box contained three aviation-based activities, including a rocket ship, a hot air balloon, and spinning helicopters. The activities were a little more complex than usual, so if your child is 2-4 years of age, they will definitely need assistance. Because Hank can read and follows directions well, he was able to help Charlie without much assistance from me. Though they were a little more difficult, the end results were awesome, and the kids had a ton of fun.
1 of 6
Each month the Koala Crate "Imagine!" magazine is included. This month they included pictures about adventures where stories may take place, an "Ella and Peter" story, a "find" activity, a learning activity, a DIY project, and suggested books about reading. This was fun, as Charlie is currently learning how to read. We enjoyed looking up the recommended stories on YouTube to listen to read-along style, and have actually made the straw rockets featured in the DIY section in the past!
Charlie did a great job reading the "Taking Flight" story featuring Kellan, Ella, and Peter!
Rocket Ship
1 of 5
For our first craft, we received a pump, water dropper, long straw, mat, foam stopper, launchpad, and rocket. The supplies are well made, high quality, and well thought out.
1 of 7
Like I said above, the guide gives us wonderfully illustrated and descriptive step-by-step instructions. I did have to put the foam stopper into the pump, as the kids struggled with that a bit, but from there out, they were on their own. They successfully inserted the straw, added the launchpad, water dropper, and rocket, and launched into space! This entire project literally took less than 3 minutes to complete, but they launched this rocket more times than I can count! I enjoyed the included "ideas for play" and the boys tried out the different tips, like launching their rocket on the mat and measuring to see how high they could get the rocket to go. If it wasn't so windy we would have brought this outside, as the rocket crashed into our 8 foot ceilings!
Balloon Climber
1 of 5
The next project we got to create was a balloon climber. Pre-COVID we enjoyed heading to our local children's museum where the kids were enthralled with a balloon-shaped climbing toy very similar to this. Because we haven't been there in what feels like ages, the kids were anxious to have one of these toys of their very own! The supplies we received were foam rectangles, baskets, a balloon, paintbrush and paint, beads, string, short straws, and a suction cup.
1 of 8
Because painting is involved, they suggest covering your workspace, so we took out our handy dandy stained up placemats to get to work. Using the included paint, all three of us contributed to the painting of the balloon. Once dry, Charlie added his basket by peeling the backing off the sticky areas, and adding the foam stickers. Once the basket was complete, he added the straws to the top of the balloon and poked the string through the basket, tying the beads onto each end of the string. This project was a little more complex, but Hank did a very nice job overseeing Charlie's progress, and was helpful with tying the knots. After the beads were tied on, he stuck the suction cup on our dining room window and hung up the balloon. It was hard getting an in-action photo, but here you can see the balloon ready to take flight.
Spinning Helicopters
1 of 4
Our last activity included the necessary items to make three spinning helicopters The supplies we received were helicopters, blades, a mat, sticks, and foam buttons.
1 of 8
How fun are these little helicopters?! Like the rocket project, these spinning 'copters didn't take long to create, but entertained my boys for quite some time! Once the helicopter blades were attached to the stick, we inserted them through the helicopter bodies, and added the foam button. Once complete, you toss them in the air to watch them spin as they fall. Charlie compared these to a much fancier version of maple seeds and loved trying to land them on the helicopter pad.
Verdict: This Koala Crate was one of our favorites as the "Flight" theme is something my boys are really into. The projects were fast to complete, which meant more playtime, and the different applications of use were educational and fun. As a family, we truly enjoy this box and love every aspect it brings.
All of the included projects came with high-quality materials and were educational as well as fun. This month's Flight theme was fun and entertaining and can be used over and over again. For me, the educational and fun aspects are worth the $19.95.
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!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of this month's Koala Crate?
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.