Do you have a young adventurer in your life? Maybe you can’t give them the gift of travel right now, but you can still get kids excited about the world around them.
There are several monthly subscription boxes tailored to globally minded kids. Which one is best for your family? We checked out several to find out what makes each one unique.
Culture Cakes
Did the word “cakes” get your attention? The Culture Cakes box definitely caught my daughter’s eye when it arrived on our doorstep. No, the box doesn’t contain any actual cakes, but it does have the recipe and makings for some.
Culture Cakes provides a recipe and exotic ingredients to make a cupcake specific to the country of the month.
We sampled the kit from Germany. It had a recipe for Black Forest Mousse Cupcakes with instructions to use one of the items in the box, the Double Chocolate Mousse, to make them.
(If baking’s not your thing, you can simply subscribe to the “Mini Culture Snacks Only Kit.” Kids will still get to learn and experience a different country, thanks to an assortment of snacks.)
The opportunity to taste Germany extended to the other items in the box which included gummy candies, milk chocolate, marzipan and even Bavarian meats.
One of our favorite ways to souvenir shop when traveling is to visit local grocery stores and stock up on snacks and sweets. Since we can’t do that right now, this is a fun alternative.
Recommended age: Age appropriate for all. Younger kids will need assistance baking the cupcakes.
Cost: The Culture Cakes kits start at $29.99 for a single box. A 6-month subscription is $174. The Snacks Only kits starts at $19.99 for a single box. A 6-month subscription is $116.
eat2explore
Travel isn’t just about seeing and doing, it’s also about tasting. Trying interesting foods, specific to the location you’re visiting, makes for memorable experiences. We’ll never forget our first bite of durian in Singapore or the funny looking hot dog we ate in Iceland.
eat2explore brings the flavors of different countries and regions right to your own kitchen. The subscription kits contain a variety of items including recipe cards, spices and seasonings, detailed information about the location, an enamel flag pin and a cooking tool.
The idea is that you’ll cook and learn as a family. The recipes require team work, and adult assistance.
We checked out the India box. It included recipes for three authentic dishes and spices and sauces. We’re talking about Kofta Meatballs, Nilgiri Curry and Vegetable Korma. We learned about India, and what makes these dishes special, as we cooked (and ate!).
Read our review of the eat2explore South Korea kit and check out what we made in the French kit.
Recommended age: This kit can be fun for any age, but it’s recommended for those 5 and up. Younger kids can still help with kitchen tasks. Regardless of age, parent involvement will be required to some extent due to the complexity of the recipes.
Cost: A single eat2explore box is $24.95. A 12-month subscription is $21.21/month. To save 20%, use our special discount code KIDTRIP20.
Up and Away Adventures
The Up and Away Adventures box gets point for its suitcase-like appearance and for containing the most stuff! It comes packed and ready to transport you to a new place.
My daughter murmured as she opened it, “Wow, there’s a lot of cool stuff in here.” The box contained a wide variety of things ranging from snacks to art supplies.
We explored the Spain-themed box. Inside the box is a map, showing different regions of the country. There were corresponding items for those locations. For example, Chupa Chups lollipops from Pilona and ceramic tiles from Talavera de la Rein. Upon arrival, it’s recommended that you visit the website where an itinerary is created for the specific country. For example, there’s a 2-day itinerary to Spain. Day One includes a craft, game and a video. Day Two involves cooking and more crafting. Following the itinerary makes the fun last a little longer and allows your family to immerse yourself in another culture.
Recommended age: Appropriate for all ages. Parent involvement may be needed for crafts and recipes.
Cost: A single Up and Away Adventures kit costs $54.95. A bi-monthly subscription costs $49.95.
Womple Box
This Womple Box adventure subscription box transports your child to a different country each month. A key difference in this kit is that it doesn’t include any food items. Womple Box features other fun stuff, like an early-reader chapter book, a project related to the featured country or culture, a fold-out map and country guide, and collectibles like a keychain and stickers. For example, the project in the Japan kit was a woodblock print. The projects include enough materials for two kids.
The book, stickers and keychain contain contemporary comic-style artwork. My 12-year-old sifted through the Japan box and immediately laid claim to the keychain, declaring, “I’m gonna hang this on my backpack.” After perusing the box, she said, “I like learning about Japan.”
Recommended age: 6-11 years old
Cost: A single Womple Box costs $29.99. A 12-month subscription costs $24.99/month.
Need more gift ideas?
Looking for other gift ideas? Here are 10 fun and functional travel gifts. We’ve also got this list of interesting gift ideas for kids and adults. Travel-related books always make great gifts, too!
The writer received complimentary samples of these kits for purposes of this review. All opinions are her own.
