5 Educational Toy Subscription Services for Kids

For a subscription price, KiwiCo sends your child a box filled with crafts and activities, all revolving around a theme. Containing at least two projects a month, the crate includes all the supplies your child needs to make something fun.

The boxes are centered around STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). From newborns to teenagers, there's a line geared toward kids of every age to learn and discover while playing.

The crates are designed by a team of experts, including parents and educators. The subscription can be customized to fit your needs and each box is a new surprise.

Pley is a toy rental company that offers one new toy a month for a subscription price. The toys include big names like Lego, Nerf, Marvel, Disney, and American Girl, so these are toys that kids want to play with.

The Pley system works much like Netflix, only on a credit system. The regular subscription price gets you one credit per month. Most toys cost one credit, though some are more, which will incur an additional cost.

You create a "Pleylist" based on your child's preferences and fill your queue with toys. Once you return the current toy, a new one arrives. You even have the option to buy a toy if your child simply cannot let one go.

The toys provided by Pley are sanitized before shipping. They even note that it's okay if a piece is lost while it's in your home.

It's time to play dress up! If your child loves to pretend and enjoys costumes, My Pretend Place is a perfect option. This subscription service offers a new box every one or three months from their Pretend Play Packages.

Each package includes a dress-up costume, book, and a craft or activity that fits the box's theme. The company even includes fun notes to keep kids excited about playtime and encourage their imagination. You can select it specifically for a girl or a boy, or go with the gender-neutral option.

The costumes are high-quality and they do not itch, which is a bonus. They include everything from fairies and pirates to doctors and construction workers. Ninjas, firemen, chefs, astronauts, and rock stars, your little ones can be anything they want.

Green Piñata Toys is a rental service that offers educational toys and peace of mind to parents. Their carefully selected toys are from top manufacturers who "use sustainably-sourced wood or recycled plastic." All are toxin-free and sanitized before they're shipped out as well.

The company sends one box with three to four toys each month. They're chosen based on a curriculum designed for your child's age group, from 6 months to 5 years. If your child falls in love, you can keep a toy for a little longer or buy it at a price comparable to what it sells for at Amazon.

Parents who use Green Piñata rave about the quality of these toys. They also point out that many of the toys are hard to find or high-priced, so the rental is a good value.

For older kids in the 5 to 12 age range, Spangler's Science Club is a fun option. This is a subscription kit focused on cool science experiments.

Each month, you receive a new STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) box that is filled with fun activities for kids and preteens. There are three levels: the basic kit includes one experiment and the deluxe kit has up to 10 activities.

This is a great opportunity to encourage your child's interest in science. Parental supervision is recommended, which makes this a fun family activity as well.