18 Awesome (& Educational) STEM Subscription Boxes for Kids

We all love receiving gifts in the mail – especially my kids!

Do you want to create a recurring activity for your family? Or simply want a great gift for a kid in your life?

A STEM subscription box is an answer.

It isn’t easy to plan regular STEM activities with your family. Maybe you’ve tried different experiments or new science kits every month, but it’s becoming too time-consuming to plan and shop for them. (Plus, they start to get expensive!) Well, say hello to the easiest way to bring a STEM activity or experiment into your home every month.

As you probably know, there’s no shortage of subscription boxes! I’ve tried some for crafts and snacks, but my favorite theme has been STEM subscription boxes.

There’s a variety of STEM subscription boxes available for kids. You’ll find general STEM activities, robotics, coding, science boxes, and more. In this article, I’ll go over the best subscriptions out there for each category:

1. Best STEM Overall STEM Boxes
2. Best Subscriptions to Teach Kids to Code
3. Best Science Subscription Boxes
4. Best Robotics Subscription Boxes

Everyone at home is going to be excited when these boxes arrive in your mailbox every month. Let’s dive in.

Best Overall STEM Subscription Boxes for Kids

These boxes switch it up every month! You’ll find activities that range from engineering to science to technology. If you’re looking for a box packed with a variety of STEM activities, one of these is a great option!

1. Kiwi Crate

At just $20/month, Kiwi Crate is GREAT! Hands-on STEM activities arrive at your doorstep every month. Plus, every box includes a lesson, so your kids understand the skills or principles taught through the activity.

The activities vary each month, so you won’t get bored. You’ll find some more focused on engineering (like building a catapult) while others have a science (like replicating constellations with fiber optic lights.)

KiwiCo offers eight different subscriptions for different ages. Our family received KiwiCrate, which is designed for ages 5 to 8. But you can find a subscription for every age – they have 8 different subscriptions, each with a different age & activity focus.

Use code SHARE30 for 30% off your first box!

Age: 3+

If you want a deeper look into KiwiCo, please check out our full hands-on review of KiwiCo here.

2. Green Kid Crafts

This is the STEM subscription box for your nature and art-loving kid! 

It’s the perfect combination of science and art delivered to your door every month. I have a hands-on review here, so you can see how my kids integrated with this Green Kid Crafts subscription.

Example projects include making bird feeders or a safari-themed box. 

What makes them especially awesome is that they plant a tree too for every purchase. It’s a win-win for everyone! 

Get 50% off your first month with the code GET50.

Age: 4-12

3. Curiosity Box

Curiosity Box provides a different take on STEM subscription boxes.

In these subscription boxes are mesmerizing science toys, brain-busting puzzles, and exclusive T-shirts made for Curiosity Box customers.

Every item is hand-selected by the creators of Vsauce, the award-winning science education network with over 3 billion video views.

It is NOT a monthly subscription like most STEM boxes. They are seasonal.

You can find our hands-on review here. Or you can check out the Curiosity Box site for more information here.

Make sure to use coupon code BRAINFOOD for 10% off a quarterly or annual subscription. 

4. Amazon’s STEM Club

Amazon offer’s its own STEM subscription box for just $19.99/month. However, this is a different type of box. Instead of receiving monthly activities and experiments, you’ll receive a STEM-focused toy each month. 

You can choose one of three different age groups.

I like this subscription because it is affordable. But, it does not mean you’re getting cheap STEM toys (ie. selling you toys that would typically be priced under $20). It is a big variety, but I would estimate the average price is about $20 per toy, so while it isn’t a steal, you also don’t feel ripped off. Past months have included Snap Circuits or Gravity Maze.

Age: Multiple Age Groups Available

5. Little Passports Science Expeditions 

Little Passports offers 3 different boxes for different age groups, but if you’re looking for a box for older children, their science box is a great option! The Science Expeditions box is ideal for 9 & up.

Each month you’ll receive a fun science or engineering activity! You can subscribe directly to their site here. You can also take a look at my hands-on review with my son here.

Age: 9 & up

6. Womple Box

Womple Box is a culture subscription box that lets your kids explore the world without ever leaving home.

Each month you’ll receive a box focused on a country to explore. Kids will learn about the country through activities, maps, books, and interactive session plans.

You can find my hands-on review with my kids here.

Check out more on the Womple site here.

Age: 6 & up

7. Girls Can! Crate

Girls Can! Crate boxes include an activity or STEM project, alongside a book that teaches about a famous woman in history, making it a great education subscription that combines both STEM & history.

Next up – let’s look at those subscription boxes that focus on teaching kids to code. Many of these kits aren’t simply programming on a computer. They are teaching kids the logic patterns that they would need as a programmer!

8. Genius Box

Genius Box is a well-balanced STEM subscription for kids.

Most educational subscription boxes focus on one subject, such as science, engineering, or physics. The Genius Box approach is a practical subscription box for kids that touches on four main subjects.

If I had to fit Genius Box into a category, they lean on engineering more than anything else. The kit my son reviewed focused on making structures and engineering lessons.

You can find my hands-on review with my kids here.

Check out more on the Genius Box site here.

Age: 6 & up

9. Groovy Lab in a Box

With Groovy Labs, kids are encouraged to think like engineers!

These hands-on activities involve following the engineering design process. Activities have included creating your own guitar or marble runner.

You can check out my full hands-on review here, with my eight-year-old son.

(You can also get 20% off your first month with the coupon code: GROOVY GLOBE.

Ages: 5-12

Best STEM Subscription Boxes to Teach Kids Code

Next up – let’s look at those subscription boxes that focus on teaching kids to code. Many of these kits aren’t simply programming on a computer. They are teaching kids the logic patterns that they would need as a programmer!

10. BitsBox

This Boulder, CO startup was founded by two ex-Googlers looking to teach their own children how to code.  

It combines both physical activities and the computer to give a child a well-rounded approach to how code works. Your kids will learn how to think like a programmer with this box! 

Each month you receive a box with dozens of coding projects, ranging from simple to more advanced. You then log in to the Bitsbox website to begin building the app. The app can be shared and played with on any mobile device or computer with a web browser. We loved the characters and themes of the games and kit!

If you have done other programming apps with your children, most are graphical. This eliminates any syntax errors and is generally easier for kids who are slower to type. However, Bitsbox is typing-based, which may make it frustrating for younger children who are slower to type.

Bitsbox uses JavacScript syntax. (But you, as the parent, don’t need to know anything about code to guide your kids through the activity!) 

This is my favorite STEM box with a coding focus.

You can subscribe directly on their site or manage your subscription through CrateJoy.

Ages: 6-12

11. Creation Crate

The Creation Crate is a combo programming and electronics subscription box for kids.

With the Electronics + Programming kit, you’ll be programming an Uno R-3 (essentially a slimmed-down Raspberry Pi model).

Ages: 12+

Best Science Subscription Boxes

Know you have a future scientist in your midst? These subscription boxes are focused on science experiments and activities.

12. Mel Science

Mel Science is on top when it comes to straight science subscriptions. This, along with KiwiCo, are the last two subscriptions my family would ever put on pause.

Mel Science is for kids that absolutely LOVE science!

This might be a little too “hardcore” for kids who lean towards artistic interests instead of science. The experiments are in-depth and a little more involved when setting them up. They have something for everyone, with a wide range of interests and age groups. You can find my full review of Mel Science here.

Take a look at everything Mel Science offers here.

13. Spangler Science Club

There are so many ideas for science experiments on Pinterest. But let’s face it. Actually coordinating and making them happen is difficult.

Spanger Science Club is a great subscription box for monthly science experiments right to your door. Make play-dough, slime, volcanos, and so much more!

Plus — it’s affordable. You can get the starter kit for just $15/month – making it the least expensive subscription on our list. Most of the kits were a one-time use. But I’d say an afternoon of fun experimenting for $15 is well worth it!

Age: 5-12

14. Club SciKidz

SciKidz subscription boxes are unique in that they focus on a specific scientific career in each box. One box may focus on veterinarian sciences and another on astronomy. (You can view all of their past boxes here!)

The company also offers STEM camps, so while I haven’t tried this particular box personally, I trust they know what kids love while learning!

Age: 5-12

15. The Young Scientist Club

Monthly science kits that are all Magic School Bus themed. Ms. Frizzle will take your kids on a scientific adventure every month with this subscription box.

Ages: 5-12

16. Raddish Kids

While not exactly science, there’s plenty of chemistry going on in the kitchen. At $20 a month with a subscription, this is a great kit to get your little ones interested in learning in the kitchen.

We recently did a full review with my kids and they loved it! Each month in, your Raddish Kids subscription box will include a cooking theme in it. The subscription box has an included kitchen tool, that goes along with kids’ recipe guides.

The guides are printed on trifold cards that are heavily laminated, in case anything gets spilled on them, the cards can be wiped clean, which is bound to happen when cooking with littles.

For $20 off of the 12-month subscription use CHEF20 coupon code.

Best Robotics Subscription Boxes

17.  GoBox

GoBox is an interesting STEM subscription! You receive a starter pack for GoPiGo car kit. The cars are using a Raspberry Pi. Then, each month you receive a new mission.   

I love Raspberry Pis. This subscription box is building skills you can keep using for the rest of your life and continue to advance to more advanced projects.

The big downside to this subscription box: the kits are $15.99 per month, which is the typical subscription box price. But GoBox charges a $189.99 entry fee (when you receive your car). However, generally, robotics kits are at a higher price point, so even though this is expensive compared to the other type of kits we have reviewed here, it was still worth the price tag!

Age: 9+

18. KiwiCo Atlas

KiwiCo Atlas Crate is a monthly subscription service that aims to foster curiosity and creativity in children aged 6 to 11. Each crate is a world of discovery packed with immersive activities that allow children to learn about diverse cultures and countries across the globe. The activities are thoughtfully designed to be engaging, interactive, and educational, allowing children to explore, create, and learn.

From Japan to Brazil to Egypt, the activities in the Atlas Crate are inspired by the culture and traditions of different regions of the world. The diverse activities range from crafting traditional art pieces to exploring landmarks and monuments to trying out new cuisines.

My kids loved the materials’ quality, the activities’ educational value, and how they encouraged her to think and learn creatively. She still sleeps with the sloth stuffed animal on her bed frame.

All in all, KiwiCo Atlas Crate is a fun and exciting subscription service for families looking to expose their children to different cultures and countries worldwide.

You can find our full review of KiwiCo Atlas Crate here.

If you’re interested in learning more about KiwiCo Atlas Crate, including current pricing and subscription options, you can click on the following link to be redirected to their website.

Wrapping Up Best Educational Subscriptions for Kids

Find a subscription box your family will love! If STEM doesn’t seem like the right fit for your family right now, know that there are plenty of other educational boxes out there.

Here at STEM Education Guide, we really want to help parents, families, and teachers learn how to have a healthy relationship with technology. These boxes are great activities for “screen-free” time while still learning STEM skills.

Overall, if you’re just looking for your first STEM box and want to figure out what kind of activities your kids love most, go for a KiwiCo box. It’s an affordable option with a lot of variety.

If you know your kids love science experiments and want to focus on a science subscription box, start with Groovy Lab in a Box.

And most importantly – have fun!