The short answer is that while the contents of the KiwiCo box for the 13 to 18-month age range offer good developmental variety, the subscription model might not always be the best value. In our experience, replicating the items on Amazon can sometimes be cheaper, but the overall value of the experience and the curated selection—especially when it includes household items—does make the KiwiCo box a worthwhile purchase at $40.

This post breaks down what we got, what worked for our little one, and if you should pay for the subscription versus buying individual items.

What’s Inside the KiwiCo Feelings Box?

This particular box, focused on “Feelings,” included a variety of items meant to encourage emotional development. It wasn’t just toys; it mixed developmental items with household objects.

The kit included:

• Poppy’s Feelings Book: A book focusing on different emotions.
• Huggable Poppy Panda: A soft toy designed to help children practice compassion and empathy through caretaking.
• Emotional Stackers: Pieces meant for sliding and building related to emotions.
• Emotional Placemats: A mat intended for use during meal times.
• Beyond the Crate Cards: Cards designed to show how to play with items outside the kit.
• Mood Puzzle: Separate pieces to combine and show different moods.
• Emotion Stacker: A puzzle resembling Connect 4, challenging fine motor and cognitive skills.

Note: These boxes are curated for a time frame, and the box we received was designed for 13 to 18 months.

How Do These Items Compare to Amazon Alternatives?

To determine the value, we researched alternatives on Amazon.

Books and Emotional Learning

• Poppy’s Feelings Book: As a simple, one-word-per-page book, it is very easy for toddlers to connect a real picture with an emotion.
• Alternative Consideration: We noted a similar book, Making Faces: First Book of Emotions for 7.95, which appeared slightly more advanced with more words, but the simplicity of the Poppy’s Feelings Book was beneficial for early learning.
• The Deluxe Book Question: If you are curious about the Lovevery deluxe book, we found that the sample books included in a gifted deluxe box (like Baby Talk, Car, Truck, Jeep, and Colors) were all available for purchase in most book stores, and none were priced near the $10 extra cost for the deluxe subscription. We do not suggest paying extra for the deluxe option.

Toys and Practical Items

• Huggable Poppy Panda: This toy is great for car use as a companion. We found a similar stuffed animal with a blanket on Amazon for $12.99, though we couldn’t confirm if the blanket was removable like the one in the KiwiCo kit.
• Emotional Placemats: The idea here is to use food placement to teach emotions during meals. However, we found this mat to be more of a distraction during mealtime than instructional. We think this item would have been better suited for an earlier box.
• Mood Puzzle: This allowed mixing and matching parts to practice identifying expressions (happy, angry, silly, surprised). We found a similar item for $13.99, but the pieces proved difficult for our son to grasp conceptually at the 17-month mark.
• Emotion Stacker: This was one of our son’s favorite toys. It’s excellent for fine motor and cognitive skills, and we feel it has longevity because it teaches colors and emotions.
  • Amazon Alternative Difficulty: Finding a direct replacement on Amazon was challenging. We could find Connect 4 games, but they posed potential choking hazards for this age group, and jumbo versions were too large. The best alternative we found was a cash register playset for $14.99.

The Final Verdict

The total cost to recreate the contents of this specific KiwiCo box on Amazon was calculated at $58.91. Given that the KiwiCo box was purchased for $40, the value in the subscription for this particular edition was significant.

We feel the value proposition remains strong because the box included a household item (the placemat) that other boxes did not, making it feel more comprehensive than just a collection of toys. For parents navigating the toy landscape, the KiwiCo subscription remains a strong contender, especially when the curated contents offer unique combinations of learning tools and practical items.

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