Ivy Kids

What's in the box: Each kit is themed around a children's picture book and includes teacher-designed activities that practice math, literacy and science skills.

Ivy Kids is a monthly educational box for children ages 3 to 9, and each kit is built around a picture book. Recent and past themes include Kitten's First Full Moon, Too Many Pumpkins and How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. Each book comes with activities covering math, literacy and science. The company says certified early childhood teachers who are also parents create the activities, and the goal is to give families structured time learning together. Science is one part of the mix rather than the whole focus, so a shopper who wants a dedicated chemistry or engineering kit may find it lighter than expected. You can buy in three ways: an ongoing monthly subscription, a one-time or gift subscription, or single past kits from a catalog of featured and seasonal themes. Kits start at $45.95, which is on the higher side for boxes aimed at preschool and early elementary children. New subscribers can take 20% off the first month with code IVY20. Homeschooling families get a real benefit here because the company works with ClassWallet and with charter school, scholarship and grant funding, so an education budget may be able to cover the cost. The site does not list exactly what materials come in each box, so look at the sample kit before you commit. Overall, it is a thoughtful, book-centered choice for young learners, not a deep science lab.