Subscriptions We Love in 2020 (That also make great gifts.)
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If ever there was a time to give a subscription box, 2020 is the year. The COVID-19 pandemic looks like it will be following us into 2021 so having monthly activities delivered to your door is not a bad plan. They also make amazing gifts, even if you give just one box! (These always top our Christmas Lists!)
We’ve tried quite a few subscription boxes. Here is what we think is worth mentioning in 2020.
Subscription Boxes
Radish Kids Cooking Club
The Little Little (4) loves to cook, so Radish Kids was a perfect fit. Each box contains three simple recipes on a laminated card plus a cooking utensil and a badge. There are conversation cards and other activity suggestions. It’s great for introducing some new foods and we’ve found some recipes that have quickly become family favorites.
You don’t get much “stuff” in this box, instead you get a box of ideas to make what you would like.
Little Passports Science Jr.
I love that the Little Passports boxes are part hands-on learning and part workbook. The Science Jr. pack contains a real science activity, comic book and workbook for each topic. I love that the Little Little practices skills like coloring, matching and handwriting in each packet.
He is on the young side for this box, so some activities require a lot of adult assistance.
Little Passports USA
We actually completed (and loved) the world edition, so it was an easy transition to the USA edition. We are focusing on some USA studies so it’s a wonderful fit. Each box focuses on a particular state. Activities focus on what makes each state unique.
Kiwi Co. Tinker Crate
The Big Little (8) LOVES Tinker Crate. I love that he can do most of it without any assistance and then he can play with the results. The kits take about an hour to complete. The boxes all include other projects or variations on the main project, which equals more bang for your buck. Our only complaint is that the Big Little wants to hold on to everything he has built, so this box takes some storage space.
Let’s Make Art
The Big Little and I love to watercolor. I’m learning alongside him, so we were looking for some additional resources and landed on Let’s Make Art. We don’t get the monthly subscription, because we can’t keep up with the projects. (Each box has 4 projects!) Instead, I buy the kids box occasionally to supplement.
The instructions and projects are top notch. I love that we get all the supplies we need and instructions can be watched anytime on YouTube.
Programs
Prodigies Music
I love this music program! This online music program is a great way to offer music for all your homeschooled kids. (Particularly during the pandemic!) It’s such a great deal if you have multiple kids on multiple instruments because they can all use the same subscription.
The music instruction is all done by online videos, which you can play on nearly any device. It travels so easily which is a huge plus in our book. There are printable workbooks that you can use as well. Plus, they are always adding new songs. The Little Little plays bells, the Middle Little Ukulele and the Big Little loves recorder lessons.
Montessori Preschool
The Little Little uses Montessori Preschool as his guilt-free screen time. This app has a little of everything from staring math concepts to intro to reading. It also offers some Japanese. He loves to play it and I love that he is getting some educational content.
The app runs a bit slow on older devices, but we have no trouble on our newer Kindle Fire & iPads.
Prodigy Eduction
Prodigy is best described as a wizard math game. It has completely immersed the Big and Middle Littles. They talk about it incessantly, which would drive me crazy, except they are practicing so much math. There is a great parenting dashboard so you can keep track of their game progress. Plus, the folks at Prodigy Education are always coming out with game updates and festivals to keep the game fresh for the kids.
There is a free version and a subscription version with more pets to evolve. If you’re interested in the subscription consider finding a homeschool buy-in group to reduce your cost.
Math Tango
Math Tango is the perfect app for math drills. There are two “lands” one for addition and subtraction and one for multiplication and division. You complete math drills to earn points and complete challenges. The Big and Middle phase in and out of loving this game and the math drills are great for mastery.
You do need to be able to read to play as challenges are posted in writing on the side of the screen.
I love having all these as part of our monthly homeschooling routine. They make everything just a little bit easier while still helping me educate our kids.
This post contains affiliate links. Dutch, Dutch, Goose! may receive a small payment if you order though one of our links. As always, all opinions are our own.