Hands-On Educational Kits
Are you considering exploring educational subscription kits for your homeschooling family? We’ve weighed the pros and cons so you can decide if one of these hands-on kits is right you you!
As homeschooling continues to grow in popularity, many parents seek creative ways to enhance their child’s learning experience. One increasingly popular option is educational subscription kits—carefully curated, hands-on learning experiences delivered straight to your doorstep! Can it be any easier?
These kits cover a wide range of subjects, providing engaging ways to supplement traditional homeschooling methods.
Why Consider an Educational Subscription Kit?
1. Convenience and Pre-Planned Lessons
Homeschooling requires meticulous planning, and educational kits take the guesswork out of crafting engaging lessons. Parents can focus on teaching rather than researching and assembling resources on their own.
2. Hands-On Learning
Many subscription kits emphasize interactive, tactile learning, which is especially beneficial for kinesthetic learners. Experiment kits, art supplies, and STEM projects help children grasp complex concepts in a practical, memorable way.
3. Exposure to New Topics and Interests
Subscription services often introduce children to subjects they might not typically explore in standard curriculum materials. Whether it’s coding, geography, engineering, or creative writing, these kits encourage curiosity and allow students to discover new passions.
4. Multi-Age Learning Opportunities
Many educational boxes are designed for various age groups, making them useful for homeschool families with multiple children. A well-designed kit can provide enriching activities for different levels, promoting collaborative learning among siblings.
5. Encouraging Independent Learning
Many kits foster independence by allowing students to work through projects with minimal parental supervision. Older students can engage with lesson materials on their own, building problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
6. Fun and Engaging
These kits are filled with a wide variety of learning materials. This approach allows each child to experience fun and different activities to keep them engaged and entertained. Who doesn’t like to learn while having fun at the same time?
Drawbacks of Educational Subscription Kits
While subscription kits can add tremendous value to homeschooling, they do come with a few challenges.
1. Cost Considerations
High-quality subscription boxes can be expensive, especially when purchased monthly. For families on a strict budget, the recurring cost may not be feasible compared to traditional textbooks and digital resources.
It’s also crucial that you stay on top of the recurring subscription plan. Some providers will automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term. The added responsibility of remembering when and how to cancel the subscription, might deter a parent whose plate is overflowing.
2. Limited Customization
Most kits follow a structured format and may not align perfectly with your child’s specific educational needs or learning pace. Families using specialized homeschooling approaches, may find it challenging to integrate pre-packaged materials into their curriculum.
3. Storage and Material Management
Subscription kits often come with numerous supplies and instructional booklets, which can lead to clutter. Maintaining organized spaces for materials and ensuring they are used effectively can require extra planning.
4. Quality Varies
Not all subscription kits offer top-tier content. Some lack depth, using overly simplified activities that don’t provide substantial learning value. Researching reviews and sample materials before committing to a subscription is crucial.
5. Not a Standalone Curriculum
While educational kits enhance learning, they are not comprehensive. Parents must still develop core lesson plans to ensure children meet educational benchmarks.
Still Interesting In Taking a Peek?
Take a look at these popular homeschool curriculum subscription kits.
Popular Subscription Kits
- Atlas Crate – A Kiwi Co product that offers cultural exploration through crafts and activities.
- Bitsbox – Coding subscription for kids, teaching programming through fun projects.
- Bookroo – Monthly book subscription for children, fostering literacy and reading skills.
- CrateJoy– Various cooking, craft, sensory, STEM and book bundle kits for all ages.
- CrunchLabs– Engineering kits for those who like to build and program.
- Finders Seekers – Mystery and puzzle-solving subscription for critical thinking.
- History Unboxed – Hands-on history lessons with artifacts and activities.
- Hola Amigo – Spanish language learning subscription for young learners.
- Kidstir– Masterchef Jr. cooking box kits.
- KiwiCo – STEM-focused subscription with various age-appropriate crates.
- Knowledge Crates– Unit study crates for preschool and elementary aged children.
- Little Passports – Geography and world culture exploration through engaging activities.
- MEL Science – Chemistry and physics experiments for hands-on science learning.
- Raddish Kids– Cooking kits for aspiring chefs.
- Sketch Box – Art supplies and tutorials for creative expression.
- WompleBox – Travel-themed subscription introducing kids to global cultures.
*This list is not complete. There are numerous subscription box kits available across a broad range of subjects and interests. Do you have a kit you’d like to recommend we add to our list? Let us know!
Plan on skipping out? Maybe the All-In-One Curriculum Sets or an Online Curriculum would be a better fit!
**Want to know more about the author? Check out my other articles at https://medium.com/@aubhouse for guidance on how to successfully work from home.