Subscription boxes have really taken off in the couple years. I love the idea of fun things showing up at my house every month, so I’ve tried 3 of them. Two have been craft-oriented, but the third is Citrus Lane. who I first heard about when my friend Katie sent me their pregnancy box back in March 2012. I finally signed up for a monthly subscription back in the summer. You tell them how old your kid is, and whether you want a girl, boy, or gender-neutral box, and every month you get a box of goodies tailored to your child’s age and gender. It’s $25/month but there are often coupons, or savings if you sign up for several months at a time, and the value of the 4-5 items in each box usually exceeds $25 anyway.
The December box — our 7th — came yesterday so I thought I’d post about what was inside.
- First was a cute book called I Took the Moon for a Walk. I’m a sucker for any kid stuff related to space or astronomy for obvious reasons, so I liked this one. It’s just a thin paperback, and Emma isn’t totally trustworthy with that type of book yet (as in, they may very well end up creased and/or torn if left alone with her) but I still liked it.
- The next item was a Melissa & Doug rainbow stacker. I love Melissa & Doug toys and would have been more excited about this — but Emma already has a very similar toy so it’s a little repetitive. Not Citrus Lane’s fault, but a bit of a bummer.
- Third was a handprint art kid by Pearhead. I love this idea, and we used a Pearhead kit last year to make a handprint impression when Emma was little. But my canvas got a little smushed in transit, which was disappointing. This is the first time anything in my box has ever been damaged, but at least it’s slight and still useable.
- The final item was some kid’s lotion. We don’t use lotion much, but now that it’s gotten colder and drier this will probably come in more useful.
To be honest, of the 7 boxes we’ve gotten so far, this box was my LEAST favorite. We’ve gotten some great things in past months — a great sun hat in June, a Melissa & Doug peek-a-boo panda toy (that Emma loved) in July, board books in August and September, a kid tambourine in October, and a toy boat last month that is now a bath time staple. We’ve also gotten practical items like kid-friendly sunscreen and bug repellent, snack bars, wet wipes, and reusable snack containers and bags. There have even been a few things tucked in there for me like nail polish and lip balm!
Just before this box arrived, I signed up for a 3-month subscription instead of continuing month-by-month, so I’m curious to see what comes in the new year!
