In short it's a box filled with things for your child to do.
Long story is below.
My Story
I purchased a voucher on a discount site, $15 for a $30 valued Babba Box. I went to redeem it and had some problems. I think the site didn't like a $0 valued order. I emailed the company and received a very timely and helpful reply from Shelby. Shortly thereafter, my Babba Box arrived.
This was a problem. See, I ordered after the deadline for the current month's (December) box. Thus I should have received the next months (January) box in a couple weeks. The one I wanted. Again, I contacted Shelby and she gave me a code to use for redemption of the next month's box. Excellent. I really wanted the January box, because around here, late January we usually need something extra to keep us busy indoors. Additionally, my box was missing a piece to one of the projects in the December box. Shelby had that sent out. Unfortunately it came with postage due. I let Shelby know that I really appreciated all she was doing for me but that I was rather disappointed that there was postage due. To make up for all of this she had a $10 gift card sent to my home the next day!
Eventually, when the time came I went to place the order for the January box and again, had problems with the system. Shelby came to the rescue. All was taken care of. My January box arrived!
This gift card business isn't unheard of either. I just saw on their Facebook page that they included $10 Starbucks gift cards in boxes of those that had subscriptions before they hit their 10,000 like mark. Major bonus!
What It Is (from their website)
How often do you ask: “Hey kids, what do you want to do today?” You want to do activities that are fun, engaging, and enriching. If you’re like me, you worry if they are watching too much TV or playing with the iPhone too much. You have so many ideas and topics that you want to teach your kids. But, where do you start, what’s age appropriate, and where do you get all the materials?
It’s a monthly subscription box that is delivered to your home with ALL the physical materials plus know-how content to really engage with your kids. It’s a theme-based box every month with activities, knowledge, and experiences that encompass all the ways kids love to learn!
Target Age: Great for 3-6 year olds.
What's Inside?
4 major components are included:
Create: 2-3 projects kids do with their hands
Explore: activities to engage with the world and nature
Story Tell: books and stories for their imagination
Connect: interactively learn with BabbaCo approved downloads
Pay $30/month for a box of projects delivered to your door each month.
Receive 2-3 projects with instructions and all materials, a book, links to interactive content and a parent gift.
Sibling add-on packs are available (rather than purchasing multiple boxes). Contact customer service for prices.
Here is a great video to learn more about what it is.
What We Received
December Box- Calendar to color, personalize and hang, time capsule, noise maker project, diwali candle holder project, new years resolution hardcover book, and hand sanitizer (parent gift).
C loves having his own calendar. I was planning on either printing or purchasing one for him. He also loves the book (and so do I). His favorite part was the link to the book being read. I'm saving the time capsule and noise maker for next year. We just didn't have time since this box arrived days before Christmas. I plan to soon do the candle holder with C.
January Box- Paper mache orb with flame-less tea-light, star project with sun paper, chart to track the moon with binoculars, and wine stopper (parent gift).
C and I had fun making the paper mache orb, but after one viewing he decided to crush it (very unlike him). He loves his binoculars, but we don't have a good view of the moon right now from inside the house and it's too cold to go outside every night right before bed. We haven't gotten to the sun paper star project, but I'm wondering how well it will turn out with low levels of sunlight in the winter around here. I didn't like the book in this box at all and neither did C. I wish this box was a summer box, so we could lay outside on a Summer night and look at the stars.
My Opinions
I think this is a great way to have planned activities for your child(ren) each month without any planning by the parent. However, $30 seems a little steep for a frugal mom like myself. I broke it down (roughly) in my head like this:
$15 hardcover book
$3.33/project (figuring 3 projects)
$5 parent gift/ packaging/ online content
And of course planning, assembly and shipping must be taken into account.
I love this concept of having activities (many new to me or with a creative twist) already planned and on hand. However, it's steep on a limited budget. I love books but I don't purchase a $15 hardcover for my child every month.
The online content isn't always for us. I don't have a smart phone so I can't just pull up content or connect via the links they have. Plus, I'm personally not encouraging computer time at this point.
I was impressed with the December box, but disappointed with the January one. With what I saw, I'm thinking most boxes are going to be great.
Every little detail is thought out and every needed item is included. That is priceless. If people are confused by something, they put out a video on their Facebook page or on their website to help you out.
Extra items such as glitter glue, crayons, sequins, etc. can be used to replicate the projects or add to another.
Be on the lookout for discount codes and subscribe to their newsletters.
Customer service is impeccable. I even heard from Shelby on a Sunday!
While not everything will be 100% to your family's liking it is good to try something new. If you don't like something, pass it along to someone who will.
So, if you have $30/month to spare or are short on time for putting together and shopping for projects I say go for it! If you don't have the money to spare, consider putting a Babba Box (or subscription) on your child's wishlist. I'll be placing this on C's birthday and Christmas lists in the future.
If you buy please let BabbaCo know that Chasing Chalk sent you! Be sure to come back here and share your experiences! I'd love to hear from you and see pictures.
I did not receive compensation in any way (money or product) for this review. I simply wanted to share my experiences with you.
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