Cricket Crate is the newest subscription in the Kiwi Crate family, their first box designed for babies ages 0-2! Currently, you can only buy a "3-Month Newborn Pack" subscription. We're hoping that Kiwi Crate expands this box to the 4 - 36 month age range later this year.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Cricket Crate
The Cost: $20/month (billed upfront as $60 for the 3-month Newborn Pack)
ACTIVE DEAL: 15% off
CODE: EDUCATOR21
The Products:Every month, get an age-specific product, a board book, a copy of Wonder Magazine with more information about your child's age and developmental stages, and access to more online resources.
Ships to: Anywhere in the United States and Canada, including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and APO addresses. Free within the United States, $6.95 to Canada
Have an older kid? Check out all of our Koala Crate reviews and the Kids Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your Wish List or Subscription List!
I'm familiar with the Kiwi Crate brand, but since my own son is 2, we'd never had a chance to try their boxes ourselves. I have a few baby showers on my social calendar this spring, though, so it seemed like the perfect time to check out the Cricket Crate Newborn Pack to see what this box geared towards the very smallest kids is all about.
When you order this 3-month pack, you can put in the babies' name (optional - it comes addressed to them!) and expected birth month. Kiwi Crate also lets you select whether this box is for your child, or for a gift. If it's a gift, you can select to have the first box mailed to you, so it's perfect for bringing to a baby shower! You can also put in the parent's e-mail address so they will receive shipping notifications for future boxes.
To start things off, there is a nice intro letter from the founder and CEO, talking about how important it is to set a good foundation for your child in their first years of life.
Kiwi Crate partnered with experts at Seattle Children's Hospital to develop this box.
Similar to Kiwi Crate's other boxes, there is a booklet that goes more in-depth. This first box in the Newborn Pack is themed around "Safe & Sound."
The booklet talks about building a trusting relationship with your baby in those early days, which studies show makes them more confident in how they explore the world and makes them feel safe and loved.
There are lots of suggestions that you've probably heard before, especially if you've taken a newborn care class at your hospital or pediatrician's office: talk to baby, respond to the baby when they are fussy, skin-to-skin contact, etc. I read so many books about childcare when I was pregnant that none of this was new to me, but I re-read things often in the first month, too.
Swaddling was so important for our son, and it's definitely something that requires practice! These tips are nice to have handy.
Cricket Crate suggests some alternate uses for the included swaddle blanket, too.
There are also online resources available to subscribers, including monthly photo cards for you to print, and more educational resources.
The first item I pulled from the box was this swaddle blanket:
This is a 100% cotton muslin blanket with a cute cricket themed design!
The blanket is a nice size, too, about 50" x 50".
As a new parent, I was always happen to receive more swaddle blankets - I had no idea how important they would be to us until after my son was born! The bigger ones were so much easier to use and seemed to stay put for longer, so I appreciate that this one is generously sized.
The illustrations on this are really cute and different from other swaddles I've owned, which tended to have all-over prints.
Plus there are lots of activities and words to teach baby if you use this as a playmat or floor blanket for tummy time!
This box also included a book, Night-Night Cricket.
This is a sweet, simple story that rhymes different ways to say goodnight and get ready for bed with cute pet names for your child.
We started reading with our son as part of his naptime and bedtime routine within the first few weeks after he was born, and I feel like it's a super important bonding activity, even at such a young age. Books get repetitive so it's nice to have a variety near your rocking chair to mix things up a bit.
Finally, there is an adorable cricket soft toy!
This little guy is about 6 inches long and would be perfect for a new baby to snuggle. There are some nice textures to explore, like the satin wings and rope legs.
Verdict: Thinking back to my first month at home with my son, this Cricket Crate would have been a cute surprise to receive in the mail. We were always happy to receive more swaddle blankets, small toys, and books! And I think the overall value is fair - if I stopped at Babies R Us to buy a gift with these exact contents, I'd definitely end up spending more than $20 on a swaddle, new board book, and a small toy.
It still feels a bit to me like something is missing, I can't quite put my finger on it though... it might be that this box feels a lot like a "welcome new baby" box I might have gotten from my hospital, or maybe because all three items are cricket-branded? Or does it feel flat just because newborns don't do much besides eat, sleep, and poop? Remembering that this month is all about keeping baby safe and making them feel loved, it's a nice start, and I'm really curious to see what's in store for month 2 and 3. As baby starts to interact more and become more interested in the world, I'm hoping Kiwi Crate will have some more fun surprises in store.
Ultimately I'm happy with this box as a gift, and it's still a reasonable price point for me, especially with our 40% off the first box coupon.
What do you think of Cricket Crate? Are there any other boxes you recommend for gifting to new moms and babies?
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