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The Question Nobody Asks
Every “KiwiCo vs Lovevery” article on the internet treats this as a head-to-head competition — as if these two subscriptions are competing for the same slot in your household budget. They’re not. Comparing KiwiCo to Lovevery is like comparing a cooking class to a meal delivery service. Both involve food. Both arrive at your door. But they solve entirely different problems, and the right choice depends on which problem you have.
KiwiCo sends your child craft projects. Lovevery sends your child developmental toys. These are different products for different needs, and most of the confusion in this space comes from lumping them together under the meaningless umbrella of “kids’ subscription boxes.”
We subscribed to both for six months. Here’s an honest comparison — not to declare a winner, but to help you figure out which one (or neither, or both) actually makes sense for your family.
At a Glance
| KiwiCo Kiwi Crate | Lovevery Play Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $25/mo (monthly) / $19/mo (annual) | $80 per kit (ships every 2-3 months) |
| Effective monthly cost | $19–25/mo | $27–40/mo |
| Age range | 5–8 (Kiwi Crate); 0–16+ (other lines) | 0–4 years |
| What’s in the box | 2–3 craft/STEM projects + magazine | 5–7 developmental toys + play guide |
| Play type | Guided project-based making | Open-ended exploratory play |
| Materials | Consumable craft supplies | Durable wooden/fabric/silicone toys |
| Replay value | Low (projects are one-time builds) | High (toys are used for months) |
| Parent involvement | Medium (supervision + help for 5-6yr) | Low (toys designed for independent play) |
| Developmental claims | ”STEM learning,” “creative confidence” | Stage-based developmental milestones |
| Our product rating | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Our evidence rating | Emerging | Moderate |
How We Compared
We evaluated both subscriptions across six dimensions: price and value, play approach, developmental claims and evidence, age fit, practical considerations, and who each is best for. Each dimension gets a separate analysis below. We tested KiwiCo’s Kiwi Crate line (ages 5-8) and Lovevery’s Explorer Play Kit and subsequent kits (covering roughly 7 months through 2 years during our testing window).
Because the age ranges don’t fully overlap, we focus on the subscription experience as a whole rather than attempting an apples-to-apples product comparison where the ages diverge.
Price & Value
KiwiCo costs $25/month on a rolling subscription, dropping to approximately $19/month on an annual plan. Over six months, we spent $138 (on the 6-month plan at $23/month). Each crate contained $15-25 worth of craft materials at retail equivalent, plus the instruction booklet and online content. The value proposition is the curation — someone else planned, sourced, and packaged the project. If you’re the type of parent who would otherwise spend Saturday mornings on Pinterest hunting for craft ideas and then driving to three stores for supplies, KiwiCo saves real time.
Lovevery costs $80 per kit, shipping every 2-3 months depending on the child’s age. Over six months, we received three kits for $240. Each kit contained 5-7 toys that retail individually for an estimated $120-180 total (based on comparable products from other brands). The toys are substantially higher quality than KiwiCo’s craft materials — hardwood, silicone, organic cotton — and are designed for months of repeated use rather than a single afternoon of building.
The math: KiwiCo is cheaper in absolute terms ($138 vs $240 over six months). But the per-use cost tells a different story. A KiwiCo crate delivers approximately 1-3 hours of engagement and then it’s done. A Lovevery kit’s toys are used daily for 2-3 months, delivering hundreds of play hours. On a cost-per-play-hour basis, Lovevery is significantly cheaper.
The catch: Lovevery’s value calculation only works if your child actually plays with the toys. In our testing, utilization was high but not universal — roughly 4 out of every 6 toys in each kit became regular play items. The remaining 2 were used briefly and set aside. KiwiCo’s utilization was nearly 100% (every crate was completed), but the engagement was bounded by the project duration.
Edge: Lovevery on long-term value per dollar. KiwiCo on lower upfront commitment and flexibility.
Play Approach
This is the fundamental difference, and it matters more than price.
KiwiCo is guided making. Each crate has a theme, instructions, and a defined outcome. The child follows steps to build something — a hydraulic claw, a spinning zoetrope, a working flashlight. The satisfaction comes from completing a project and holding a finished product. It’s creative within constraints: the child follows the plan but can embellish, modify, or extend. The experience is convergent — there’s a right way to build the thing, and the instructions tell you what it is.
Lovevery is open-ended exploration. Each kit contains toys without prescribed outcomes. A nesting set, a ball drop, a fabric book, a set of wooden vehicles. There are no instructions because there’s no “right” way to play. The play guide offers developmental context and activity suggestions, but the child leads. The experience is divergent — a wooden stacking toy can be stacked, sorted, knocked over, lined up, hidden, counted, thrown, and used as a pretend telephone. The child decides.
Both approaches have research support. Project-based learning (KiwiCo’s territory) develops procedural thinking, fine motor skills, and creative confidence. Open-ended play (Lovevery’s territory) develops divergent thinking, self-regulation, and sustained attention. Neither is superior. They serve different developmental functions, and ideally a child has access to both types of play.
What we observed: KiwiCo produced more visible excitement (the unboxing ritual, the project completion pride). Lovevery produced more sustained engagement (the same toys used daily for weeks, with play patterns evolving over time). KiwiCo was an event. Lovevery was a resource.
Developmental Claims & Evidence
KiwiCo claims “STEM learning,” “creative confidence,” “innovation skills,” and alignment with educational standards. As we detailed in our full KiwiCo review, the educational claims are overstated. The learning we observed was primarily craft skills (following instructions, fine motor control) and creative self-efficacy — valuable, but different from the “STEM education” the marketing implies. The project-based learning research provides partial support. We rate KiwiCo’s evidence as Emerging.
Lovevery claims that their kits are “designed by experts” to support specific developmental milestones, with each toy targeting age-appropriate skills. As we detailed in our full Lovevery review, Lovevery’s developmental framing is more honest than most competitors. The play guides cite specific developmental research, and the toy selection genuinely reflects what developmental psychologists know about stage-appropriate play. Lovevery’s Montessori-adjacent philosophy (simple materials, child-led exploration, developmental progression) has meaningful theoretical backing. We rate Lovevery’s evidence as Moderate.
The distinction: KiwiCo makes big educational claims about a craft box. Lovevery makes measured developmental claims about curated toys. Lovevery’s claims are more modest and more defensible. KiwiCo’s claims are more ambitious and less supported.
Neither product has been subjected to independent research demonstrating that their specific subscription produces better outcomes than alternative approaches (buying individual toys, doing Pinterest crafts, going to the library). The evidence supports the types of play each facilitates, not the specific branded products.
Age Fit
This is where the comparison gets asymmetric.
KiwiCo offers different crate lines for every age — Panda (0-2), Koala (2-4), Kiwi (5-8), Atlas (6-11), Doodle (2-4), Tinker (9-14+), Maker (9-16+), and Yummy (6-14+). The flagship Kiwi Crate targets 5-8, with a practical sweet spot of 6-7. The breadth is impressive, but each line is a separate subscription with separate pricing.
Lovevery covers 0-4 years with age-specific kits that ship on a schedule matched to developmental stages. After age 4, Lovevery offers the Block Set, Play Gym, and Playshelf as standalone products, but the subscription cadence stops. If your child is over 4, Lovevery’s subscription isn’t available.
The overlap window where both subscriptions serve the same child is narrow: roughly ages 2-4, where KiwiCo’s Koala Crate and Lovevery’s later play kits both apply. Before 2, KiwiCo’s Panda Crate is available but Lovevery is the more natural fit for infant development. After 5, KiwiCo is the only option.
For most families, this isn’t actually a choice between two subscriptions. It’s a question of which subscription fits your child’s current age. Lovevery for 0-3, KiwiCo for 5+, and a genuine decision point only in the 2-4 overlap.
Practical Considerations
Storage. KiwiCo produces finished projects that accumulate. After six months, we had a shelf of completed crafts that no one wanted to throw away but no one was playing with. Lovevery toys are compact, high-quality, and designed to be stored in a toy rotation system. Lovevery is easier to live with long-term.
Mess. KiwiCo projects involve paint, glue, scissors, and craft supplies. Expect cleanup after every crate. Lovevery toys are largely mess-free (with occasional exceptions like sensory play items).
Parent time. KiwiCo requires parent involvement for children under 7 — reading instructions, helping with tricky steps, supervising scissors and glue. Budget 30-60 minutes per crate. Lovevery toys are designed for independent play after a brief introduction. Budget 5 minutes to unbox and set up.
Gift-ability. Both work well as gifts. KiwiCo is more dramatic to open (the project unboxing is exciting). Lovevery is more practical as a gift (the toys last longer and the developmental framing reassures gift-givers that they chose something “good”).
Cancellation. KiwiCo allows monthly cancellation (on monthly plans) or cancellation with remaining months honored. Lovevery allows skipping kits but the subscription is harder to cancel mid-commitment. Both have customer service friction around cancellation that we’d like to see improved.
The Evidence
Both subscriptions sit within play categories that have developmental research support, but neither has product-specific evidence.
Open-ended play (Lovevery’s domain) has stronger and more extensive research backing. Lillard and Else-Quest (2006) found that children in Montessori programs — characterized by simple, well-designed materials and child-led exploration — showed significantly better academic and social outcomes, including stronger executive function, reading, and math skills, compared to peers in conventional programs.1 Hirsh-Pasek et al. (2009) argued persuasively that guided play with open-ended materials produces deeper learning than either direct instruction or free play alone.2
Project-based making (KiwiCo’s domain) has research support primarily in educational settings. Krajcik and Shin (2014) found that structured projects improve conceptual understanding, but the evidence is strongest when projects include teacher feedback, reflection, and assessment — elements that a subscription box doesn’t provide.3
The honest summary: If you’re choosing based purely on the strength of developmental evidence, Lovevery’s play approach has more robust research support. But this is a comparison of play philosophies, not specific products. A child who does KiwiCo projects and also has access to open-ended toys gets the benefits of both approaches.
The Verdict
We’re not declaring a winner because these products solve different problems. Here’s our decision framework:
Choose KiwiCo If:
- Your child is 5-8 and you want structured creative activities
- You value the ritual of a monthly project and the excitement of unboxing
- You want to reduce screen time with a compelling alternative that requires minimal planning
- You’re comfortable with consumable products (projects are one-and-done)
- Budget is a primary concern ($19-25/month vs $27-40/month)
Choose Lovevery If:
- Your child is 0-3 and you want developmentally appropriate toys without hours of research
- You value open-ended play and Montessori-adjacent philosophy
- You want durable, high-quality toys that last months (not afternoons)
- You prefer minimal mess and minimal parent involvement during play
- You’re willing to invest more upfront for better long-term value per play hour
Choose Both If:
- You have children in different age ranges (common scenario: baby gets Lovevery, older sibling gets KiwiCo)
- You want both structured making and open-ended play in your household
- Budget allows $45-65/month total
Choose Neither If:
- You’re a confident toy selector who enjoys curating your own picks (individual purchases often beat subscriptions on value)
- You dislike subscription commitments
- Your child has strong specific interests that a general subscription won’t serve
Read our full individual reviews: KiwiCo Kiwi Crate Review | Lovevery Play Kit Review
This comparison reflects our independent evaluation. ScienceBasedKids.com purchased both subscriptions at retail price. We may earn a commission if you subscribe through our links, which helps fund our research. This never influences our ratings or recommendations.
Footnotes
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Lillard, A. S., & Else-Quest, N. (2006). “Evaluating Montessori education.” Science, 313(5795), 1893-1894. ↩
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Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Berk, L. E., & Singer, D. G. (2009). A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool: Presenting the Evidence. New York: Oxford University Press. ↩
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Krajcik, J. S., & Shin, N. (2014). “Project-based learning.” In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences (2nd ed., pp. 275-297). Cambridge University Press. ↩