Best Art Subscription Boxes for Young Artists – ARTnews.com

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission
Delight the young artists in your life by giving them an art subscription box. Mailed out monthly or bimonthly, these creative kits come packed with kid-friendly art supplies to keep them inspired, busy, and away from screens. They are a great way for kids to not only express themselves but also learn new skills, build confidence in crafting, and think outside the box. And they’ll enjoy the anticipation of each new arrival. Whether your child is a seasoned artist or is just beginning to explore the world of creativity, there’s a kit for him or her out there. Find an age-appropriate option in our list of favorite offerings below.

Related Articles

ARTNEWS RECOMMENDSKiwiCo CratesKiwiCo is a big name in the subscription box game. The California-based company offers a whole bunch of art-centric packages that deliver high-quality supplies to your door every month. For kids age 9 and up, we recommend the Doodle Crate, which focuses on simple crafting techniques; previous activities have included block printing, resist painting, fabric dyeing, soap making, and candle molding. Kids age 14 and up might prefer the Maker Crate, which provides tools for more complex crafts. For instance, recipients might learn to make a punch-needle pillow or a terrazzo clay organizer. Each crate is designed by former educators and child-development professionals, undergoes review by an interdisciplinary board of advisers, and is tested by kids to guarantee delight. In addition to supplies, you get easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions and access to video tutorials—and shipping is free within the United States.

Buy:
KiwiCo Doodle Crate

From $19.95 per box

WE ALSO LIKEOutside the Box CreationDesigned for elementary-age artists, this option focuses on fine art techniques. Previous boxes have featured watercolors, textural rubbings, metal embossing, and paper quilting inspired by the Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers. Boxes arrive with enough material for two people, and the supplies are solidly constructed and easy for young ones to handle. There are also family boxes designed to engage four artists at once. Note that there is an additional flat fee for shipping.

Buy:
Outside the Box Creation Art Boxes

From $31.95 per box

From 31.95 per month
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICELet’s Make Art Kids Art Subscription BoxOperated by an art supply shop in Missouri, this subscription option has a more personal touch, as each box is designed by one artist, Nicole Miyuki. Because Miyuki specializes in brush lettering, the activities tend to favor drawing and illustration, with previous boxes centered on watercolors and oil pastels. Each box comes with a generous amount of supplies—more than enough for sharing—and access to engaging and encouraging video tutorials by Miyuki. Kids can use the materials as they wish but also follow along every week, when a new project is released with step-by-step instructions.

Buy:
Let’s Make Art Kids Art Subscription Box

From $38.25 per box

ECO-FRIENDLYGreen Kid Crafts Subscription Box Founded by an environmental scientist who is also a mother, this subscription box is rooted in sustainability. All boxes are produced using environmentally friendly practices, and the company offsets 100 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions. It also plants a tree for every order and is committed to donating at least 1 percent of sales to environmental nonprofits. The projects themselves are grounded in STEAM education: Choose from Discovery boxes, which encourage creative experimentation in science, or Junior boxes, which have a heavier craft focus. Every month brings four to six projects as well as a 12-page magazine to guide young ones through open-ended activities. Past boxes have focused on rainbows, showing kids how to create a prism suncatcher and wooden rainbow mobile; and on the solar system, with kids creating constellations and a working sundial. Shipping included within the United States.

Buy:
Green Kid Crafts Subscription Box

From $24.95 per box

ALSO CONSIDERLittle Global Citizens Subscription BoxWant to teach your young one about the world? Consider this globally inspired subscription option, which is run by a husband-and-wife team and is offered on a bimonthly basis. Each box, shipped free within the United States, features a different country and comes with supplies to create art objects inspired by that nation’s culture. The Kenya box, for instance, teaches kids how to make a traditional Maasai mask and build a model of a traditional house called an inkajijik; the China box comes with materials to make a lantern, build a tiny Great Wall, and construct a dragon puppet. You also get a recipe, ideas for activities, and a language card. The concept is inherently reductive, and the supplies can be a little obvious (for instance, the China kit comes with a bamboo chopstick as a “souvenir”), but parents can use the boxes as a starting point for more complex and nuanced conversations.

Buy:
Little Global Citizens Subscription Box

From $40.00 per box

Source link