KiwiCo Review: Atlas Crate for 6-11-year-olds
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KiwiCo’s Atlas Crate subscription box for kids aged 6-11 is perfect for parents looking for convenience, education, and fun! After all the fun Miss 2 had with her Tadpole Crate and Miss 5 had with her Koala Crate, we knew we had to try out KiwiCo’s Atlas Crate. Please continue reading below for our honest and in-depth review of KiwiCo’s Atlas Crate.
What is Atlas Crate?
Atlas Crate is a monthly subscription box for kids that takes them on a fun adventure to a different country each month. The first crate your child would receive is a world crate. Then, each month that follows, your child will have fun learning about a new country through hands-on projects, creative learning, and books.
Atlas Crate delivers immersive, hands-on experiences that connect kids creatively and intellectually with unfamiliar lands and people. Every month, Atlas Crate delivers engaging projects and content to help your child develop an appreciation for other cultures, growing their understanding and empathy for the world beyond their own immediate awareness.
What is in each Atlas Crate?
- Hands-on projects
Globally inspired projects and activities that explore world cultures and teach new STEAM concepts - Creative learning
High-quality materials and kid-friendly step-by-step illustrated instructions - Atlas adventure book
Collectible cards and stickers to create a special keepsake book - A world of content
Eye-opening, kid-friendly information that encourages an appreciation for world cultures
Several months ago, after much deliberation, we signed up for an entire year of Atlas Crate. This month we received France and wanted to give you a peek inside. Inside the crate was a kit to build a racing cyclist, a stained glass window to paint, a book (we upgraded to the deluxe kit which includes a curated book in each box), and additional pages to add on to our atlas adventure book.
Miss 6 decided to start with the racing cyclist. After building the cyclist, with a bit of help from Daddy, it was time to see him race.
We strung yarn from one side of the living room to the other and the racing cyclist peddled himself from one end to the other in no time! He peddled so fast and stayed on the yarn the entire time. The kids thought it was hilarious!
I love that the instructions are easy to follow and include graphics each step of the way.
A stained glass window kit was also included that looks like it will be a fun and colorful addition to our artwork wall once Miss 6 completes it. After building and playing with the racing cyclist, Miss 6 decided to save the stained glass window project for the next day. That’s one of the things I love about Atlas Crate – the activities last more than just one day.
The hardcover book that was included looked so promising but I noticed a few words inside that I didn’t particularly love. I will admit that I am super picky when it comes to books for children. Most parents probably wouldn’t have any issues with the book but I wanted to point it out just in case you are just as picky about books as I am.
What I didn’t like was that the little girl in the book complained and grumbled at one point and she always seemed to be rushing and hurrying her mother throughout the book.
The illustrations were really cute and I would have loved the book if it hadn’t been for the little girl complaining here and there. I loved that the book included a map so you could see where France is located and I also loved the bit of historical information included in the book.
Even though I wasn’t super impressed with the book, I didn’t feel it took away from the kit. The included atlas adventure book was jam-packed full of information about France so we stuck to reading that instead.
There is so much fun to find inside each month’s Atlas adventure book! Inside France’s adventure book, for example, we discovered a mouth-watering recipe for gougeres, learned how to play the game escargot, learned about Impressionist art, learned how to do mime, and more!
What are the benefits of Atlas Crate?
In addition to learning about different cultures around the world, your child (and you!) will:
- Learn new art techniques
- Learn new recipes
- Learn simple engineering
- Practice following instructions
- Play games
- Read books
- Create art with paint, sand, and more
- Hand sew
- And so much more!
Why Choose Atlas Crate?
- It’s convenient. Everything needed to create, explore, and learn is delivered right to you.
- It’s creative. It builds a sense of adventure and exploration through creative play.
- World citizenship. It inspires appreciation of other cultures and builds a sense of global citizenship.
- STEAM values. Hands-on learning and discovery, through art and science.
Atlas Crate is designed by experts and tested by kids. They have won over 20 awards for their crates, including:
- Academics’ Choice Award
- Parents’ Choice Gold
- Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Building Toys
- And more!
Who is Atlas Crate for?
According to their website, Atlas Crate is geared towards 6-11 year olds but Miss 6 has enjoyed her crates since she was 5. And of course, Miss 2 enjoys tagging along with big sisters as they work on their crates.
Atlas Crate is perfect to use as a unit study for homeschool students, to supplement what they’re learning in school, or to simply use as a fun weekend activity.
You could easily add more books, games, music, or crafts to each month’s kit and make it a full-month unit study. Or, you could simply use what is provided in the kit. There is so much packed inside each kit but it is presented in such a fun way that it doesn’t feel like learning and the kids just love it!
I love how convenient KiwiCo’s subscription boxes for kids are! The kids get so excited when they see those brightly colored boxes sitting by the front door. Not only are they fun but they’re educational too and often incorporate STEAM education.
Sample Crates – a Peek Inside
The journey begins with your first crate, where you’ll meet travel buddies Anya and Milo. Explore your world map and master basic navigational skills. Build a real spinning globe! Collect atlas cards to make your own travel book, filled with fascinating facts and photos.
There isn’t a set order as to which crate you will receive first, but we’ll give you a sneak peek into a few more crates to give you an idea of what you will receive when you sign up for KiwiCo’s Atlas Crate.
Inside Japan’s crate, for example, you will make your own koinobori fluttering carp windsock. Use a mini mallet to take a whack at a traditional game, daruma otoshi. Follow the recipe to make delicious onigiri rice balls. Expand your travel book with pages of awesome activities and insights about Japan!
Inside Peru’s crate, you’ll join Anya and Milo as they discover Peru. Make a fluffy alpaca and try your hand at making local textiles by weaving a mini blanket and matching chullo hat. Play an ancient tossing game called sapo and test the accuracy of your aim. Discover the mysteries of the Nazca Desert and create your own Nazca Line art. Whip up some sweet quinoa con leche for a taste of a local treat. Make music with a DIY antara flute.
Build your own adventure book with the collectible atlas cards and stickers that come in each crate. Before long, your book will be a world of information and projects you can reference and enjoy over and over again. Personally, this is one of my favorite aspects of the entire subscription box. The cards are absolutely gorgeous and are printed on high-quality and durable paper to ensure they last.
Each crate features seven atlas cards highlighting each country’s geography, customs, landmarks, history, and foods. Try out a few Karate moves from Japan, explore the history of Machu Picchu in Peru, make delicious coconut shuku shuku treats from Nigeria, and more!
And, what subscription box for kids would be complete without adorable graphics. Atlas Crate features super cute travel buddies, Anya the Cricket and Milo the Sandpiper. Inspired by a found globe, the little duo decides to embark on a big adventure to see the world. Join them as they journey from country to country exploring local cultures, foods, traditions, and more!
In the Australia crate, kids will enjoy making their own hopping kangaroo. All the kids thought it was so fun and Miss 1 particularly enjoyed seeing it hop. We even managed to get a video of it jumping – leave a comment on this post if you’d be interested in seeing it and we will upload it.
What do the kids think about Atlas Crate?
Miss 8 really loves the crates. She loves to learn new things about the various countries, and really enjoys working on the crafts and trying new recipes. She also enjoys the games that are included in the atlas cards. In fact, I often find her browsing through her atlas cards.
Miss 6 also loves the crates and gets so excited when they show up at the door each month. She enjoys the craft projects and playing with the activities.
I love the variety each crate brings. There is always something unexpected and exciting to be found in each crate, which is one of the reasons we love Atlas Crate!
Can multiple children share a crate?
In theory, I suppose they could share a crate. It would be a good exercise in sharing and working together. 🙂 However, if you’d like to avoid any arguments about who gets to make what, I would suggest that each child receives their own kit. Also, if you have a younger child, you may even want to sign them up for their own subscription (such as Tadpole or Koala) so they don’t feel left out when their older siblings receive a crate in the mail.
Of course, if it isn’t in the budget to do so, you could always put together a simple activity for the younger ones to work on while their older siblings work on their Atlas Crate and simply pull it out when the Atlas Crate arrives. You could even pack it up in an empty Atlas Crate so it is convenient for you to pull out when needed.
How can you sign up for Atlas Crate?
To sign up for Atlas Crate, click here.
KiwiCo currently offers four different subscription lengths.
- Monthly
- 3 Months
- 6 Months
- 12 Months
Their 12-month plan offers the best discount and is a great deal if you don’t mind paying upfront. Even still, their monthly plan is a great deal, considering all the fun and learning that your child will have each month.
You can also upgrade to their deluxe box which includes a curated book that complements each box.
They also offer free shipping on their subscription and of course, you can cancel at any time.
KiwiCo also offers additional crates for younger/older children in a wide array of themes. To see them all, click here.
We were so impressed with KiwiCo’s Atlas Crate! This subscription box would make a wonderful gift for children. In fact, they are currently running a sale. Head over to KiwiCo to learn more about their crates.
To learn more, or to sign up, click here.
Related: Check out our review of Kiwi Co’s Tadpole Crate for 0-36 month olds here.
Related: Check out our review of Kiwi Co’s Koala Crate for 3-4 year olds here.
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