In this Woom 1 balance bike review, I’ll dive into whether spending a bit more money on my toddler’s bike truly made a difference. Did she enjoy it more? Did she learn to ride faster (or better)? I’ll also address some commonly asked questions and give my ultimate verdict: Is the Woom 1 truly the best balance bike on the market?

Come along for the whole ride or skip to what matters most to you:

• What is a balance bike?
• Choosing a balance bike
  • Woom safety
  • Woom 1 size
  • Toddler enjoyment
  • Versatility
• Woom 1 vs. competitors
• The verdict: the awesome and the wish-it-were-different
• Pricing and where to buy
• Technical bike stuff and other FAQs
• Wrapping up

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

What is a balance bike and why should I get one?

I’m Tim, by the way—friend of Fathercraft, dad to the best toddler around, and Chattanoogan who spends as much time as possible outside. As a family, we make it a big priority to make the outdoors fun, engaging, and exciting for our toddler, Fia. So, we’ve had our eyes on a balance bike since she started wobbling across the living room for just that reason.

If you’ve never heard of a balance bike, you’re not alone. When my wife and I were talking about getting our daughter her first bike, the iconic image of pushing her down the driveway (feet on the pedals and training wheels flanking the side) popped straight into my head. But as we looked more into it, it was clear that a balance bike, which doesn’t have peddles or training wheels, was the way to go. 

Why? As it turns out, learning to pedal is the easiest part of riding a bike. So, a balance bike focuses on the challenging part first, which is (you guessed it) balance. By mastering balance first, your child builds confidence in their ability to ride while feeling unstable. Then, once your child has mastered the fundamentals of two wheels, add in the pedals! 

So, that’s it. No pedals. No training wheels. Just two normal-bicycle-sized wheels, a pair of tennies, and the open road (editor’s note: and a helmet, because we’re all about making safety cool here at Fathercraft).

Choosing a balance bike

After deciding that a balance bike was the way to go, it was time to figure out which bike was best. It had to score well in a few categories:

• Safety: I’m a firm believer in the let-them-do-it-themselves approach. But I also want to make sure they-do-it-themselves safely. As bike accidents are sure to happen, we needed our bike to have safety features resulting in less booboos and more woohoos!
• Size: Fia is on the smaller side for her age but also has less risk aversion than your average toddler. We wanted a bike that would fit her size and energy now but could also grow with her. We also needed the bike to be light enough to carry. Toddlers have a lot of strengths, but endurance isn’t one of them.
• Easy assembly: We are a family of movers. My wife and I both work and parent full time so there is not a lot of time for us to figure out how to assemble a dinner much less a 20-piece bike. I like to think I’m handy, but mechanical engineering was never my strong suit. The easier the assembly, the better.
• Toddler enjoyment: Maybe one of the most important factors… Our kid needed to actually enjoy the bike.
• Versatility: There is rarely a weekend where we aren’t going on a hike, playing at a park, camping, or visiting friends and family. We wanted a bike that could handle all our activities with ease. We’ve gotta be able to go from asphalt to gravel to dirt road to grass to gravel again and back to asphalt one last time.

So, how did the Woom balance bike perform in these areas? Let’s find out.

Woom safety features

It’s tough to beat a Woom bike’s safety features. Their bikes designed for children under 6 all come standard with a turn limiter designed to reduce crashes caused by overturning. Each bike also comes with rear brakes designed to fit into a child’s small hands.

Size 

Falling into the lowest size and age categories, we were deciding between the Woom 1 (weighing in at 6.6 lbs, 12″ and made for children ages 1.5-3.5 years old and 31-40’’ tall) and the Woom 1 PLUS (weighing in at 9.5 lbs, 14’’ and designed for children 3-4.5 years old measured 37-43’’ tall). Fia comes in at 2.5 years old and approximately 36’’ (measuring toddlers is difficult), so we opted for the smaller and lighter Woom 1. Out of the 7 color options (two of which are gradient) we settled on purple haze.

Woom also has options. The company carries a variety of bikes in a plethora of sizes from which to choose—the Woom 1 all the way up to the Woom 6—and four different lines (ORIGINAL, OFF & OFF AIR, UP, and NOW). Whatever your wants and needs, Woom has you covered with bikes for kids aged 1.5 to 14! 

Woom assembly

Right from delivery, we loved the Woom 1. It came in reasonably sized packaging which was easy to hide so our daughter wouldn’t see it when she got home from preschool.

The bike itself came mostly preassembled except for the handlebars made to attach by using a 4mm hex key (the small wrench they always provide) to tighten onto the stem. I wanted to go get my bike tool, but decided the tiny tool was good enough for this job. The seat was easily adjustable, and I was able to make my best estimation at where it would land before measuring. When my estimation was wrong, adjusting the seat was a cinch.

Toddler enjoyment

Fia’s face lit up when she saw her new bike! Armed with her excitement and a mantra given to her by this morning’s Daniel Tiger episode, Fia gave three Grrs, fastened her Elsa helmet, swung her leg over the easy clearance, step-through, lightweight frame, mounted the easy-adjustable seat, and pushed her 12” pneumatic tires into action. After a couple of false starts, a handful of seat adjustments, one solid test of the turn limiter, and dad’s personal check of the braking system, Fia was off on an adventure in the front yard. 

We’ll talk about this a bit more in the final verdict, but she learned quickly, too. We were a bit surprised by how often she fell at first, but after a few days, she was cruising. Stay tuned for a video of her terrifying her grandfather by flying down the driveway.

Versatility 

Our Woom 1 balance bike has carved out its own personal spot in our trunk on all family outings. A local Oktoberfest, a trip to the park, and even a camping trip. No matter the surface, be it bike path, gravel, or dirt, the Woom handled the terrain with ease. And even when she decided she was done riding halfway across a bridge, we didn’t mind carrying the bike since it was so lightweight.

Woom 1 vs. competitors 

How does our Woom 1 review stack up against other bikes and trikes? Fathercraft has tried two less expensive alternatives. My wife and I have first-hand experience with the Besrey Elfintrike—a grow-with-you bike we got off Amazon. And, fellow friend of Fathercraft, Matt, tried and reviewed the Strider Bike. We’ll briefly cover each below. 

Woom 1 vs. Elfintrike ($69)

The Woom 1 wasn’t our first bike. Before Fia was ready to take on two wheels, we bought a small tricycle, which could be converted into a balance bike. While nifty, she outgrew it quicker than we had anticipated, and we never actually got to try out the balance bike phase. When we went to replace it, the Woom 1 had all the comforts it didn’t. A comfier seat, ergonomic handlebars, air-inflated wheels, and hand brakes. And while it was more expensive, we thought it was worth the investment. It’s also worth noting that Fia consistently asks for the Woom instead of the Elfintrike and has seemed to get more enjoyment out of the former.

Woom 1 vs. Strider Bike ($109) 

Fathercraft also tested and reviewed the Strider bike, a quality balance bike sold at a lower price point. Matt only had good things to say about this bike: it’s lightweight without feeling cheap, easy for his toddler to use, and he admitted it looks “really cool.”

The Strider bike is ultimately a solid option, but it’s missing some of the safety features boasted by Woom, like the turn limiter and hand brake. And, although both bikes were easy to assemble, Woom has two pieces and Strider had four. 

Which one should you choose? It might depend on how seriously you take biking. The Woom definitely has an extra touch that competitors don’t have. If that’s worth the extra money, the Woom might be for you.

The Verdict: Is the Woom 1 balance bike truly the best? 

So far… yes. What was most impressive was the speed at which Fia was able to develop skill at riding! Her first time on the Woom 1 was a little shaky. Although it wasn’t her first time on wheels, it was her first time trying to balance. Yet, within the first week of having the bike, she was picking up both feet and gliding with ease across our driveway! It was so exciting seeing her be so proud of riding her very own bike.

• Looking for more toddler toys that foster independence? Check out our Lovevery play kit review.

The Awesome

The safety features are a nice touch: Does she know how to use the hand brake? Truthfully, no. But we like that we can introduce it to her. Plus, we believe the turn limiter helps her when she’s barreling down small hills.

Assembly is a breeze: You can’t even really call it assembly. It’s more “stick the handlebars on and go.”

It’s easy to carry or pack in the car: Because it’s so lightweight, we don’t have to worry about her running out of steam. And, it takes up permanent residence in our car, so that she can ride during any and all of our adventures.

Our toddler is crushing it: See video above. No further explanation required.

Just kidding, we’ll provide a bit more information. It actually did take her some time to get the hang of it. She fell a lot at first, but she kept going, and now she’s, well… terrifying her grandparents (and her mom). But we’re all psyched to see how this translates as she gets older and starts using pedals.

This wish-it-were-different

Lifespan: We love the Woom 1—and we wish we could love it longer. Because our daughter is on the smaller side for a 2-year-old, we went with the smallest bike. In a year or so, she’ll likely need something closer to the Woom 1 Plus.

Price: We would indeed be remiss if we did not mention the price point. Ringing up at $249, the Woom 1 skews to the more expensive side of the budget. Some might be wondering if the bang is worth the buck—and for good reason. In our opinion, if you want to see your child enjoy learning and riding a bike with a sense of independence, the Woom 1 is absolutely worth the price. If you think the idea of bike riding is interesting but don’t have a heavy investment into it at the moment, the Woom 1 might not be for you.

Pricing and where to buy

It’s easiest to purchase the Woom 1 directly from their website. That’s the quickest way to see the different color and size options—plus, they offer a no-questions-asked, 30-day return guarantee for a full refund if something doesn’t work for you (but only if you purchase from their site).

As far as we can tell, you can’t purchase a Woom on Amazon. But, you can find it at different outdoor retailers, like REI.

Currently, the Woom 1 is priced at $249, unless you get a fancy ombre color, which raises the price to $259. The Woom 1 Plus, which is sized for slightly older toddlers (3 and older), starts at $299.

Woom 1 “technical bike stuff” and more FAQs

What is the Woom 1 bike’s geometry?

The Woom 1 has:

• 12″ tires
• 18.7″ handlebar height
• 68-degree steering angle
• 10.4″ minimum seat height
• 14.4″ maximum seat height

I’ll offer that my daughter fits onto the bike quite well (better than she fits on the Elfintrike). It simply seams as if it was designed for her.

How do I teach my child how to ride a balance bike?

You don’t. Your job is to provide the right tools (a helmet and a bike), the right environment (a flat surface to start), and some encouragement. You might find that your child is a bit clumsy on the bike at first, but with practice, they start intuitively figuring out how to balance.

How much does the Woom 1 weigh?

The Woom 1 weighs 6.6 pounds. That’s less than my daughter weighed when she was born.

Is Woom an American company?

Woom was founded in a garage in Vienna, Austria. It now has a corporate office and several dealers in the United States, but most of its production occurs at partner facilities around the world.

Wrapping up

Hey, we’re Fathercraft! We invite you to explore more. We review stuff for parents —everything from baby and newborn essentials to books and toys. And, we make stuff that makes parenting even more awesome, like a men’s diaper bag and an online course for expecting dads.

Because the Lovevery Play Kits are exactly that—a box that comes to your house every 2-3 months full of age-appropriate toys for your little one. We had the same question, so we tested the kits twice over the span of a few years. In this Lovevery review, we go over our experience with an infant box (“The Looker”) and a toddler box (“The Analyst”). We’ll also help you understand what your options are for purchasing boxes (if you decide this is for you), while we give you a bit of info about what makes Lovevery awesome and, well… not awesome.

Read the whole review for the full experience (dad jokes included), or skip to what you need:

• What’s in the box?
  • The Lovevery Analyst Kit (for toddlers)
  • The Lovevery Looker Kit (for babies)
• Subscription and pricing
• The awesome and the wish-it-were-different
• FAQs

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

What’s in the box? The magic behind Lovevery Play Kits

Let’s start with some basics. This is a subscription box for babies and toddlers, starting with newborns and going up all the way up through 60 months (aka 4 years old… we’re not being annoying, we’re just following their lead. They break it down by month because they offer multiple boxes within each year).

Lovevery prides itself in making toys that “make parents feel confident.” Those toys are based on developmental research, designed to not just keep your little one’s attention but also help them learn. It’s a bold promise. Let’s see if they deliver on it.

The specs of the toys you’ll get certainly make you think so:

• Every piece of wood in the box is sustainably sourced from FSC-compliant sources.
• All fabrics are soft and natural organic cotton, no added ingredients.
• All products in the kits meet or exceed global safety standards for their age.
• All kits are shippped carbon-neutral, so you can feel good about the planet while your little one plays.

Meanwhile, the company’s research advisors make you feel confident they might just know what they’re doing.

Choosing the right one is nice and simple. Enter your little one’s birthday directly on the site, and you’ll get presented with a personalized plan for the boxes you receive based on their age.

Taking a look at the toddler play kits

Our most recent Lovevery review featured one of the toddler boxes, so we’ll start there. You can watch our overview of “The Analyst” box below:

The Analyst is a play kit designed for toddlers aged 46-48 months (an older three-year-old). Kits for three-year-olds arrive every three months at $120 per kit, containing more in-depth, STEM-focused activities. This one contained:

• A Montessori sensory box
• Color theory puzzle
• Sewing kit
• Pattern match parts and boat set
• Visual recipe cards and measuring cups
• Storybook introducing fractions

If this all sounds a bit too intense, it’s worth noting the guidebook heavily emphasizes these toys are meant to simply introduce concepts to kids. And, kids are welcome to play with the toys however they want (if you watched the video, you saw a shot of Calvin playing with the box itself).

Overall, the toys were engaging and I felt like my kid was learning something (I learned something too, with the recipe cards: patience). We’ll get into the details of what we loved and didn’t love a bit later. For now, here are the the other toddler boxes you can get:

• The Babbler Play Kit, for months 13 through 15
• The Adventurer Play Kit, for months 16 through 18
• The Realist Play Kit, for months 19 through 21
• The Companion Play Kit, for months 22 through 24
• The Helper Play Kit, for months 25 through 27
• The Enthusiast Play Kit, for months 28 through 30
• The Investigator Play Kit, for months 31 through 33
• The Free Spirit Play Kit, for months 34 through 36
• The Observer Play Kit, for months 37 through 39
• The Storyteller Play Kit, for months 40 through 42
• The Problem Solver Play Kit, for months 43 through 45
• The Analyst Play Kit, for months 46 through 48 (the one we tried here!)
• The Connector Play Kit, for months 49 through 51
• The Examiner Play Kit, for months 52 through 54
• The Persister Play Kit, for months 55-57
• The Planner Play Kit, for months 58 through 60

That’s a long list. If your eyes glazed over, here’s the main point: Lovevery has something developmentally appropriate for your toddler from the time they turn 1 until they turn 5 years old.

But what about the infants? Glad you asked.

A closer look at the baby play kits

We also reviewed “The Looker,” a Lovevery baby kit. You can watch the “unboxing” below, but a fair warning first: We tested this kit when I had a child young enough to play with it, which situated us in the heart of the pandemic. And, well… you can tell. A quick overview of the baby box is written below as well if you’re trying to avoid being reminded of that time in your life.

This kit contained toys designed to catch a very tiny human’s even tinier attention span, like:

• A reversible, wooden mobile with black and white on one side and colors on the other
• Black and white card sets (8 cards total) with a card holder
• A silicone rattle with a removable ball
• A book of lullaby lyrics
• Scratch mittens with black and white patterns
• A booklet with information about how to introduce the items to your baby

At the time of reviewing, the box also contained a coffee mug for the parents, which was a nice touch.

The Looker Kit is one of six possible kits in this “Baby Play Kits” group:

• The Looker Play Kit, for 0 to 12 weeks.
• The Charmer Play Kit, for months 3 and 4.
• The Senser Play Kit, for months 5 and 6.
• The Inspector Play Kit, for months 7 and 8.
• The Explorer Play Kit, for months 9 and 10.
• The Thinker Play Kit, for months 11 and 12.

And just like that, your baby is a year old. Happy birthday!

As you can probably tell by these names, every kit has a specific theme that’s designed to match your baby’s developmental skills at that age. For instance, everything in the Looker is black and white (the contrast is good for tiny ones). By the time they get to the Thinker, they’re ready to start developing some imagination and fine motor skills.

What you need to know about Lovevery’s subscription pricing

In these boxes, you keep what you get. No loaning or shipping toys back when the next box comes. You also get a 100% money back guarantee, which is helpful if your baby or toddler just doesn’t want to touch the toys.

That’s helpful, because buckle up: This subscription adventure can get a little expensive.

Depending on the age of your child, your Lovevery kits can cost anything between $80 and $120 per kit. You can save a little bit of money by paying ahead for three or four kits at a time (for example, if you pay for four toddler kits up front, your total is $432, saving you $48).

The silver lining here is that through the process, Lovevery is completely transparent. Once you enter your little one’s age, you get to a page that outlines exactly what boxes you will receive and when, with a price for each. You can cancel at any time, so even if you’re about to get six boxes over the course of a year, you can decide you’re done after three of them. 

Still, it’s a little confusing. And it’s definitely expensive. Is that investment worth it? Well, why don’t you just ask to skip ahead to the next section, where we dig into our official review of the Lovevery toy kits.

Our Lovevery review verdict: the awesome and the wish-it-were-different

The awesome

• It’s a natural draw. Maybe the most important question: Did my kid like the box? Calvin was drawn to it as a baby, and he enjoyed it again at three. This boosted my confidence that the boxes are developmentally appropriate and engaging. Win-win for all parties involved.
• It’s got the quality. No cheap plastic or worries that anything will fall apart. Every part of the toys you get feels sturdy and ready for those little hands. (And teeth. And feet. Don’t ask.)
• It’s a learning experience. Every box you get has a theme, but it doesn’t end there. The toys inside are built for your kid to learn and develop, not just clutter up their room or the living room.
• It’s repeat enjoyment. Each of the toddler boxes includes different paths of getting to the same end goal. Plus, your little rascal can figure out how the toys make sense together, not just on their own. Pretty neat.
• It has a road map. Yes, literally a map that walks you through how to use every single toy in the box. Given the number of toys per play kit, that helps quite a bit in guiding parents through the learning experience.
• It takes the thinking out of toys. No worries about whether that thing you’re buying is actually age-appropriate. No research needed to see if it’s good for them. You go in knowing that the box you receive is well-suited for that little prince or princess.
• It has a guarantee. You can get your money back if you or your little one don’t like it. Just make sure you don’t lose any of the little pieces before you return it.

The wish it were different

• It’s a little overwhelming. When you first open a kit, there’s a lot to take in. I was trying to take my time, but Calvin just wanted to dive in. That was not only confusing, but it also resulted in a bit of a mess of fluffy balls. Long story.
• It’s still a bunch of new toys. If you’re already worried about the clutter, this adds a steady stream of new toys coming into your home. Yes, they’re beneficial, probably more so than that gift from the third cousin. But they still need their space, when many babies just don’t need a ton of toys.
• It’s expensive. If you can afford it, the benefits are great. But you’re already spend bunches on diapers, baby food, and more. This adds a cool $40 per month to that potentially tight household budget.
• You don’t unbox in order. Maybe that’s a little nit-picky. But as you might have noticed in the above videos, our unboxing resulted in a bit of confusion because the roadmap didn’t match the toys we were getting out at first. That can get confusing.
• Long-term enjoyment. After the initial unboxing, I had to intentionally take the Analyst kit out and prompt my three-year-old to play with it. And with a new box every few months, you’re not necessarily expecting years of committed play.

The verdict

Gotta be honest: It’s mostly a good one. For us, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives, and you can’t help but feel good when you see your little one playing or developing right in front of your eyes. They grow up so fast.

Beyond the sentimental value, these play kits actually serve a very important function. They give you age-appropriate, simple, learning-based toys that are not easy to find. And they do so without requiring lots of research or worry that you’re choosing the right thing. 

By the end of each kit, you’ll be surprised how well the toys educate not just your baby, but you as well. You have to weigh the cost, but it gets a thumbs up from us.

Where to buy Lovevery

Lovevery only sells its products directly on its website, but that’s probably the best place to buy them anyway as when you buy there you’ll enjoy the best pricing, free shipping on orders over $75, and everything you buy is backed by the company’s guarantee.

Just the FAQs about Lovevery Play Kits

So we’ve seen some questions about these play kits online. Let’s answer them. Just the FAQs, baby.

Is Lovevery a Montessori product?

Short answer? Yes. Lovevery advertises itself clearly as a maker of Montessori-based toys. The development team includes at least one explicit Montessori expert, along with a psychologist, occupational therapist, and more. The toys you’ll get in the box match up directly with the Montessori principles of active participation, developmental focus, and limited choices.

• Curious about other Montessori products? Check out our Stokke high chair review.

Are Montessori toys better than ‘regular’ options?

That’s just, like, your opinion, man. Better is in the eye of the beholder, but there are some definite advantages to Montessori toys that are worth highlighting:

• They make your child an active participant, requiring their exploration and their own decisions. Active learning tends to work well in the developmental process.
• They offer limited choices. That might sound counterintuitive, but the Montessori philosophy suggests that it’s a good thing. Too many choices means getting overwhelmed, and results in being unable to focus. Calvin’s surprisingly long attention span with one of these boxes is a perfect example of that philosophy in action.

Where are Lovevery toys made?

Look hard enough, and you may find the Made in China label. The company will tell you that the products are designed in Idaho and California, but the manufacturing still happens overseas. That said, Lovevery does say that the manufacturing facility focuses n sustainably-harvested wood toys, sharing the company’s core values. All products are inspected by Lovevery in the U.S. before they find their way into mailboxes.

Can you buy Lovevery toys separately?

Yes and no. You cannot buy the toys available in a play kit separately, because they’re designed to make sense together and for a specific age group. It’s one of those “whole greater than the sum of its parts” things.

That said, Lovevery sells other products on its website that aren’t a part of the play kits. You can find a block set, a play gym, and a few other items like a tunnel (hint, kids looooove tunnels as soon as they can crawl through at about 8 months) and a “pull pup” that follow the same general concept as the boxes. Not a big selection, but worth a browse.

They also offer four different course packs:

• The potty learning course pack
• The new sibling course pack
• The food before 1 course pack
• The tummy time course pack

(Psst… we also know someone else who offers parenting courses! It’s totally not us… okay, it’s us).

Wrapping up & what’s next

Thanks for checking out our review!

And, if you made it this far, chances are you’ll like some of our other stuff. Learn more about Fathercraft here, or check out our recommendations for essential gear for babies here.

I distinctly remember being a kid and having the training wheels taken off my bike.  We were in the van on the way home from church and I spent the whole trip building up the courage to ask my dad, “Can I try riding my bike without the training wheels?”

There is a neighborhood kid in elementary school that made the decision to take off the training wheels this summer because some of the kids on the bus were picking on him.  He got the hang of it really quick – by the end of the week, he was a pro.

BUT – What if I told you we could completely skip the training wheels and still have our kids be a pro on the bike?

AND – what if this meant we could get our kids on their bike at an even earlier age than previously thought?

That is what the Strider bike – or balance bikes in general – offer to parents and kids.  The opportunity to put your 1-2 year old on a bike without training wheels and set them up for huge success down the road, without the dreaded training wheels. In this Strider Bike review, I explore the Strider Bike all the way from assembly to graduation.

About

Balance Bikes are becoming increasingly popular.  I’m sure you’ve seen a kid around the neighborhood, at a playground, park or campground cruising around on a bike without pedals.  They play a role in developing balance of a child on a bicycle – the most challenging part of removing the training wheels.

Studies show that kids who start on balance bikes end up learning how to ride a stand-alone bicycle earlier than kids who learn on training wheels (!!). 

When a kid rides a bike with training wheels, they don’t have to make any balancing effort at all.  Kids can cruise around on their bike and not have to worry about falling over unless they are taking a corner like they’re in Fast and Furious 72.  To mitigate this, training wheels have the ability to be raised off the ground by a few inches.  The idea is to slowly raise the training wheels higher and higher and before you know it: Boom! The kid isn’t even using them any more!  But, if you’re like me, you have seen a kid leaning into those training wheels that are 3 inches off the ground and riding their bike on a steep angle.

The Strider bike allows kids to find their balance immediately.  They essentially start by walking the bike.  As they grow more confident and want to go faster, they realize that they can push harder and pick their feet up the ground for longer.  This eventually leads to kids sprinting on their bike and then coasting all around with their feet up on the rests.  Now, all they have to do is learn how to pedal and they can ride their bike.

Strider does the balance bike better than anyone.  They make an incredibly durable, quick to assemble, easy to use bike that my son has had a blast with.  We’re going to go over the assembly, things I love, things I don’t love, and a final verdict. 

Lets get started!

Assembling the Strider Bike

This bike was incredibly easy to assemble.  It literally came in 4 pieces… thats it!  It came with everything you need to assemble, meaning; it came with the pieces, washers, bolt and tool to use in order to get the bike up and running.  Assembly took less than 10 minutes and my son couldn’t wait to ride it.  

The frame is made of painted steel, it has ultralight molded wheels with flat-free foam rubber 12” tires and an all-weather plastic seat.  The whole bike weighs 6.5 lbs, and can support up to 60lbs.  

Things I Love about Strider Bike

The things I love about this bike are…everything?  There is only one thing I don’t love (which we’ll get to in a sec), but the people at Strider did such a great job with this bike.  

It is very durable, so I don’t have to worry about it breaking down, getting flat tires, scratching up the handlebar grips, leaving it out in the rain and ruining the seat, etc.  It is built to last!  And when my son outgrows it, it’ll still be around for his little brother.

This bike is very lightweight without feeling cheap/fragile.  It’s light enough to allow an 18mo kid to be able to walk around with it.  It’s also lightweight enough that I can toss it in the back of the car without thinking twice.  Yet, despite being lightweight, the bike is very sturdy.  The steel frame makes it feel more like a real bike and less like a kids toy.

The adjustable seat is great because it can last a kid a few years until they are ready for a real bicycle.  They can start under 2yrs old, and make it until they get to 60lbs.  This also helps accommodate kids with long legs that are tall for their age.  They can still benefit from the Strider bike even though they have Giannis Antetokounmpo as a father.

Lastly, the overall look of the bike is just cool.  The bike comes in a wide assortment of colors and tons of accessories are available. Like I mentioned above, this doesn’t look like a childs toy.  It looks like a legit bike that your kid is going to love.

Things I Don’t Love

Again, there really is only one thing I don’t love – and that is; I wish the bike could get 1-3 inches lower.  My son started walking fairly early, and I felt that he was ready to try this bike.  But he was a little too short (despite being 60th percentile for height) to feel comfortable on the bike.  I know this is being really picky (since all we had to do was wait a few months), but it could be cool for the bike to be a tiny bit smaller.

Final Verdict

Fact: Balance bikes are awesome.

Fact: Strider makes an awesome balance bike:

Fact: Bears eat beets.

…..wait…never mind…

I have loved watching my son enjoy his strider bike.  I can’t wait to see him gain more and more confidence on this thing, and allow it to help him transition to a big boy bike.  It is so cool to ditch the training wheels from the jump, and I’m glad we have a Strider bike to help in that journey.

Pricing and where to buy Strider Bike

The Strider Bike retails for around $99 and is available from a number of online stores, including REI, Target, and Amazon.

What’s next?

Hello, we’re Fathercraft. We’d invite you to explore more— we review stuff for parents — everything from baby and newborn essentials to books and toys. And, we make stuff that makes parenting even more awesome, like a men’s diaper bag and an online course for expecting dads.

Let’s face it: fatherhood is daunting. From the moment you first find out you’re expecting to years after the baby is born, your life is full of firsts as you’re suddenly responsible for an additional life. 

It’s exciting. It’s thrilling. It’s probably one of the best experiences in your life. But if we’re being honest, it’s also scary as… well, insert a synonym to what goes into a diaper here. So why not get some help?

The good news is that millions of expecting and new fathers have gone through the exact same rollercoaster of feelings. None of them had to be on their own. They’ve sought, and in some cases used their experience to create their own, libraries full of advice.

The only problem? There are so many books full of parenting advice out there, it can feel impossible to know where to start. What’s worthwhile reading? What books are particularly good for expecting dads—that won’t put you to sleep, that’ll resonate, that’ll provide actionable info? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Consider this your comprehensive guide to the books that help you through everything related to fatherhood, from pregnancy to simply being a good dad. Because hey, you deserve all the help you can get. Let’s do this.

Please note Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Best overall books for expecting dads

Among all the books we considered, two stood out as great overview books that cover a ton of relevant topics for expecting dads. Call them the pentathlon winners, the lifetime achievement award winners… you get the picture. These two are, broadly speaking, the best baby books for dads.

The winner: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, by the American Academy of Pediatrics

We call this book the bible of parenting. It’s a beast, 960 pages chock full of advice, tips, and reassurance. If you only have the patience for a single dad/baby book, make it this one.

What it’s about:

Everything? That sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s actually not far from the truth. Now in its 7th edition, Caring for Your Baby and Young Child has dozens of chapters are broken down into pregnancy, birth, and age ranges up to age 5. You’ll also find dedicated sections on sleep, feeding your baby, common ailments, and more.  

It’s not just a baby book for dads – but if anything, that makes it even more relevant. The book contains so much information that you might actually get overwhelmed at times, but it’s relevant enough for both parents that you can always check it out together.

What makes it great: 

While the length is daunting at first, it’s also organized in a way that’s perfect to understand and skim. Every chapter is short, as little as a single page or two, broken down into topics that are easily recognizable.

That means you can treat the book as almost like an encyclopedia. Instead of reading it cover to cover, you can look up very specific questions about feeding your baby, illnesses, and any other topic that might be relevant quickly and easily.

Here’s one way to sum up the book: it’s almost like a more trustworthy version Google. When you have those panicked 2am wakeups and don’t know what to do, a quick reference can help you get valuable advice or at least assurance that whatever your little one is doing (other than sleeping) is perfectly normal. 

My wife and I read this one together, taking it one chapter at a time, each time our first daughter approached a new age range covered by the book.

Overall Winner

Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 8th Edition: Birth to Age 5

$20.61

Science-backed, comprehensive... the ultimate reference guide for new parents.

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

The runner-up: The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp

This author’s name might ring a bell. Dr. Harvey Karp is the creator of the Snoo, a smart bassinet that does a surprisingly good job of keeping your baby calm and sleeping (our review here). Karp is also behind the 5S’s to Soothe a Crying Baby, which we’ve found to be extremely effective. This book, maybe not as surprisingly, goes in that same direction. 

What it’s about:

Sleep, of course! The subtitle (The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer) sums it up. It’s essentially a more in-depth, researched, and comprehensive version of that above-mentioned 5S technique.

In just over 350 pages, Dr. Karp dives into the reasons why your baby cries and why sometimes, it’s just inevitable. Of course, he also goes into the techniques you can learn to minimize the unnecessary side of that equation, teaching parents and dads how to get that little bit of extra sleep during long and exhausting baby nights.

What makes it great: 

If you’re like most new dads, you know that a new parent’s life consists largely of two parts: trying to get your baby to sleep and/or to stop crying and soaking up every second of peace and quiet. Why not get a book that tries to help you do exactly that?

Reassurance is an especially important part of the book. Dr. Karp goes through the length to avoid scaring new parents or making them think they’re doing something wrong. Instead, he explains in detail why babies behave the way they do, positioning his tips and techniques as natural extensions rather than revolutionary new ideas.

The book has received some criticism that it’s just an extension of his 5S’s, which are easily available in any quick online search. But this book goes into much more detail than that, expanding on the safe ways parents can take these steps. It’s not as comprehensive as the winner of this category, but it still deserves to be on any list of books on how to be a good dad—I can tell you from personal experience using the 5 s’s technique (we had the OG DVD version) made me feel like a superhero with both of my daughters, so check this one out.

Runner Up

The Happiest Baby on the Block; Fully Revised and Updated Second Edition: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer

$8.63

This book works like magic for calming babies that seem inconsolable

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

There you have it—the best books for new dads and first time dads—if you only read one or two, make it one of them—and yes, we know they’re not dad-specific, but most parenting isn’t gender-specific.

Best books about pregnancy for dads

Pregnancy is all about your significant other, but let’s be clear: you should understand what’s happening. After all, the little one preparing to be born will be yours. It can be tough to find good pregnancy books for dads, but we do have a clear winner in this category. If you’d like a cheat sheet, we wrote a detailed guide in our week-by-week guide to pregnancy for dads.

The winner: The Baby Bump by Carley Roney

 This was the book my wife and I read together when she became pregnant with our first daughter, Kenzie. We loved it, for a variety of reasons. If you’re looking for a good pregnancy book for dads, you just might, too. 

What it’s about:

The content in the title: this one is all about pregnancy. It includes everything from week-to-week baby developments to keep track of what’s actually happening to advice on what to wear. Along the way, you’ll find a checklist for the birth plan, a baby kick tracker, and more helpful nuggets.

The book is first and foremost written from moms to moms, but it goes to lengths to ensure its relevance for the rest of the family, too. Both expecting parents, friends, grandparents, and more can all find some relevant info to help prepare them for birth.

What makes it great: 

It’s probably a tie between the information and the tone. This book is deliberately written in a less authoritative, more fun voice. That sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. This is the book that (jokingly) advises the mom to “run for the hills” when the first pregnancy test comes back positive.

The information itself is nothing to sneeze at, though. The book’s brevity doesn’t take away from its helpfulness; every page has practical advice, and especially for dad, that advice tends to be great context throughout the pregnancy. The many worksheets throughout the book also help in the practicality of this gem.

Understand Preganancy

The Baby Bump: 100s of Secrets to Surviving Those 9 Long Months

$11.99

Understand pregnancy: what to do, what to avoid, and how to help your partner thrive

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

Books that teach you how to be a good dad

There are one thousand and one books on how to be a great mom. And there should be—moms are awesome. Books on how to be a dad, on the other hand, can be tough to find. That’s actually a big part of the reason we started our company, Fathercraft. Still, they’re out there. You just have to know where to look. Below are what we consider the best books to prepare for fatherhood.

The winner: The Expectant Father by Armin A. Brott

Maybe it’s a boring choice. After all, this is the one that you find on all those guides ranking what to expect books for dads. Still, there’s a reason it shows up on every list, including this one, and is in its 5th edition: it’s a damn good book.

What it’s about:

It’s essentially a guide, organized by months, on what is happening during pregnancy and the first few months after the baby is born. The catch: it’s all from a dad’s perspective. The book covers everything from what’s going on with your partner to advice on how you can get involved and help throughout the process.

As a result, the 336 pages branch out pretty widely. In this book, you’ll find anything from starting a college fund what you can expect during delivery–and how you can help. 

What makes it great: 

Other than the general wealth of information, my favorite part here is the father’s perspective. The book does a great job in covering what most other books don’t: the father’s perspective during pregnancy, and the questions that might pop up there. 

Throughout the pages, the author inserts some levity with cartoons that sum up situations you’ll encounter.

Dad Prep Winner

The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be (The New Father)

$24.89

This is how your get ready to be a dad. No nonsense preparation.

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

The runner-up: Be Prepared by Gary Greenberg

Fair warning: this book is from 2004, and its cover looks like it was published in the 1950s. BUT, it’s the highest-rated book on Amazon specifically on this topic, so you know it has to be good; 2,500+ reviews can’t lie, right?

At least, in this case, they don’t. Greenberg focuses on the stress, challenges, new situations, and–yes–fun that fathers-to-be will experience. It’s a book on preparing for parenthood, and then some.

What it’s about:

At its core, it’s about giving baby tips for dads. Of course it is. That means all kinds of unique advice, like how to stay awake at work and constructing an emergency diaper.

When a book specifically tells you to throw out the deep stats and research, you know you’re in for a ride. It’s impossible to list all of the pieces of advice you can find here, so we’ll let one speak for itself: “how to create a decoy drawer full of old wallets, remote controls, and cell phones to throw baby off the scent of your real gear.”

What makes it great: 

It might be obvious already: the off-beat humor, of course. Parenting and fatherhood are hard, and this book makes it just a little less hard. What really makes this book special, though, is the fact that in all of that fun, you can actually find tons of real-world, helpful advice.

It’s not as comprehensive as other guides like the winner in this category, and it doesn’t have to be. Instead, it makes sure to keep you reading and you’ll be surprised just how much helpful information you soak up in the process.

Dad Prep Runner Up

Be Prepared (20th Anniversary Edition): A Practical Handbook for New Dads

$18.99

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

The bronze medalist: Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis

Yep, that’s the Michael Lewis, author of bestselling books like Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, and The Big Short. Turns out he also writes parenting advice and is pretty damn good at it.

What it’s about:

Home Game is not one of those all-knowing guides. Instead, it’s a first-person account on how Lewis went through what every expectant dad experiences: unexpected feelings, stress, panic, and a certain sense of guilt that he didn’t know what he was doing.

More specifically, the book is a detailed account of what Lewis went through when each of his three children was born. He’s just like any other dad out there, and that’s what makes his story – and this book – so special.

What makes it great: 

The brutal honesty, glorious banality, and subtle humor of Lewis’s account. Don’t use this book if you’re looking for comprehensive advice. But if you just need to know that every other new dad is going through the same thing you are, it’s absolutely perfect.

The Bronze Medalist

Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood

$12.34

Yes, THAT Michael Lewis. On fatherhood. As you would expect.

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

For dads who are going to stay home: The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad by Shannon Carpenter

We’ve said this before, and we’ll say it again: parenting without going insane requires viewing situations with levity. Which is why it’s great that Shannon Carpenter is a stay-at-home dad who also trained at Second City (yeah, the world-famous comedy club), and wrote a book about how to be a stay-at-home dad.

What it’s about

No surprise here: how to be an awesome stay-at-home dad. But this book goes deep—into how to cook and clean, but also thorny and important issues like mental health. Expect plenty of advice from Shannon’s 15 years as a dad, but plenty of others too—this book includes anecdotes from dozens of other stay-at-home dads, too.

What makes it great

Humor, as you might expect, plays a big role—Publisher’s Weekly said this book has “lighthearted quips and plenty of comic asides”. But also practical advice. And, since it was published in late 2021, it’s truly published with the modern dad in mind.

For Stay-at-Home Dads

The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad: Your Essential Manual for Being an Awesome Full-Time Father

$16.14

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

Preparing for parenthood books

Books about getting ready for your baby can cover a wide range of things. You’re probably scared about what you can do to prepare your kid throughout life. These books can help you feel just a little less worried.

The winner: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Sure, it’s not a book for or about babies. But it’s about one of the most important skills you can teach your kid from when they’re born all the way through adulthood. 

What it’s about:

It’s a book about the inherent potential of tenacity, the ability to persevere through adversity and achieve heights you didn’t think possible. It’s about learning how to not give up, but strive for bigger and better?

That sounds a little aloof, but it’s worthy advice coming from someone who has consulted with the White House, NBA, NFL, and more. Duckworth essentially writes a book about the practice makes perfect saying and makes it real in the process.

What makes it great: 

The biggest takeaway from this book is that everyone can be great with the right determination and approach.

That’s relevant for both expectant dads, and the kids they’re looking to raise. It’s impossible to not come away from reading this book and not feel ready to conquer the world, while also understanding what it takes to teach your little one the same approach.

Prep your kids for life

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

$12.09

It's your job to protect, but it's also your job to prepare. This book helps you do the latter.

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

The runner-up: Cribsheet by Emily Oyster

Consider it the economist’s guide to parenting. We promise, that’s more fun than it sounds. It’s part of a new wave of books that use data to help you improve and optimize your parenting skills.

What it’s about:

Data, first and foremost. But it’s really about the conclusions that this data leads to. Oyster takes conventional wisdom that tends to be pretty stressful (never co-sleep with your baby), then uses data to show that actually, context matters more than absolute truths.

Methodically, the author goes through all of the typical advice, but shows in which ways in which it is (or isn’t) supported by sufficient evidence or studies. The result tends to be pretty relaxing. As it turns out, you don’t actually have to follow an exact blueprint for raising your baby.

What makes it great: 

The writing is outstanding. That matters, because it’s easy to write a data-based book and make it seem completely boring. Oyster has accomplished the opposite, which makes this a surprisingly fun read.

Then, of course, there’s the actual advice. Having reassuring thoughts supported by comprehensive data feels both relaxing and surprisingly helpful. It’s impossible to come out of reading this book not feeling better about your impending fatherhood, knowing that it’s going to be okay. 

If you’re into this one, Oster has a prequel of sorts called Expecting Better (Amazon). We’ll let you guess what that’s about.

Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool

$10.13

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

The bronze medallist: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth M.D

This is the book my wife used to help both of their kids through learning to sleep. Listen, sleep books can be judge-y, but this one is far from it. That alone means it deserves a spot on our list.

What it’s about:

Sleeping habits, of course! It sounds self-explanatory, but what the title doesn’t mention is that not all sleeping habits are the same. Instead, this book provides plenty of options depending on your comfort level.

Are you a family with two working parents, or does one of you stay home? Each might require a different strategy, and this one covers both. It’s full of helpful advice related to everything you need to know about your baby’s sleep. 

What makes it great: 

We already mentioned the lack of judgment above, which you might recognize as a bit of a theme here. The best books for expecting dads take it to your level, instead of expecting you to raise it to theirs. 

At the same time, Weissbluth is not afraid to tell it as it is. His advice is backed by science, but he doesn’t shy away from answering general questions like whether keeping your baby up later helps them sleep in. Don’t know the details of sleep regression and what to do? Check out this book.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, 5th Edition: A New Step-by-Step Guide for a Good Night s Sleep

$11.70

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

Best baby books for dads (what to read to your baby)

Finding books for dads to read to baby girls and boys can be tough because everyone tells you something different on what works best. In the end, it’s all about your preferences, but we’ve picked out a few options that we especially love. 

The winner: The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

Boynton is our favorite board book author, bar none. This book shows why.

What it’s about:

A group of animals is preparing to go for bed. If that doesn’t sound like a great promise for the next Hollywood Blockbuster, I don’t know what does. In all seriousness, it’s a fun book about all those activities (from putting on pajamas to brushing teeth) that your little ones do before their snooze. 

What makes it great: 

Boynton’s book are unique. They have the magical ability to entertain both your little one and you. The new page might be unexpected or just plain silly. This one happens to be about establishing bedtime routines, which is, of course, a relevant topic. Just be careful it doesn’t soothe you as much as your baby.

The Going To Bed Book

$3.28

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

03/09/2026 08:00 am GMT

The runner-up: Opposites by Sandra Boynton

Another classic Sandra Boynton book, it’s truly ‘fun for all ages’. Babies just love the colorful pictures, toddlers enjoy the humor, and grown-ups are surprisingly quick to love along with it. 

What it’s about:

Why, opposites of course! From big to small and dark to light, this book teaches your kid about the concept in a way that’s so fun, they won’t even notice. You get a 16-page board book that’s sure to entertain you as much as it does your little one.

What makes it great: 

The silliness is the obvious answer here, but Opposites goes beyond that. In talking through opposites and why they aren’t always bad, Boynton manages to convey a message of inclusivity and positivity. At the same time, that doesn’t make it any less fun.

Opposites

$5.81

Buy Now

03/10/2026 04:03 am GMT

The bronze medallist: Anything you’re currently reading.

Here’s a secret: for newborns and small babies, what you read to them doesn’t actually matter much. Instead, they just want to hear the sound of your voice. So why not pick up a book you’re reading anyway, and read it to them?

It’s a perfect way to get through one of the books mentioned above. You can finally finish that book that’s been laying on your nightstand, or even make a resolution to start a new one. As long as you find something to read to them, you’ll win. 

It’s not a book, but we’re including it anyways (hey, it’s our website)

The Winner: Father’s Ed: An online course for expecting dads

It might not technically be among the top books for expectant fathers, but this is our list. And, full disclosure, this is also our product. At least we put it at the end, right? But seriously, online parenting courses can be a great compliment to reading—video content can demonstrate skills and convey information in a way that printed books just can’t.

In nine video modules, you’ll learn about anything from prepping for the baby’s arrival to diaper changing skills and essential gear you need. An 80-page workbook with plenty of cheat sheets helps to make sure you stay on track. And of course, you get all of that from the perspective of dads who’ve gone through the same thing you have.  

A practical class for first time dads Father's Ed

Not a book, but still awesome parenting prep—learn from 32 short, entertaining videos and a 93-page companion guide full of checklists and charts.

Buy Now

Closing the book on our best books for expecting dads

Do you have to read all of these books and consume all that content? Probably not. But, find a couple that speak to you to help you prepare. Use them as a helpful guide through the crazy, amazing journey that fatherhood is. It’s all about the baby now—but you can take a starring role in that process.

If you’re looking for more ways to prepare as a new or first time dad, allow us to introduce ourselves—we’re Fathercraft, a company dedicated to creating resources for dads. Learn more about us here, or download some of our favorite resources, free, right over here.

Editor’s note: this post was originally published in January, 2020, but was updated in January, 2022 to include new and updated information

Just countless hours of entertainment, crafting, and learning …

At least that’s what KiwiCo, the maker of the Kiwi Crate and a number of other related products, promises.

So, how does it stack up? Read on, we dive in deep to these subscription boxes for kids.

Please note Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more.

In the age of YouTube channels and kids’ apps, it can be difficult to find entertainment options for your kids that don’t involve a screen and keep them active. KiwiCo is one of a number of companies that wants to change that.

The concept is simple: you sign up to receive a monthly box full of activities that are both fun and educational. Your kids can get creative and learn something in the process. At the same time, you’re on the hook for a regular subscription fee that keeps KiwiCo in the lab producing new boxes.

KiwiCo has maybe the most popular of these kids subscription boxes, so we decided to give it a test run. We tested the namesake Kiwi Crate with a 4-year-old girl, along with 5-year-old and 7-year-old boys. While we were at it, we also tested the company’s Koala Crate, designed for smaller kids, with a 2-year-old boy.

Does this product actually “inspire young innovators”? Let’s dive into our Kiwi Crate review and find out.

Before we start, a quick qualification. Kiwi Crate actually used to be the name of the company, which offered only a single subscription box. When they branched out, the company renamed to KiwiCo to keep its box name the same. We know, it’s confusing. To keep it simple in this review, ‘Kiwi Crate’ will only refer to that one subscription box. Anytime we talk about the company or all of its products combined, we’ll reference it as KiwiCo.  

What is a Kiwi Crate?

It’s a box full of creative activities that ships monthly, focusing on children between the ages of 5 and 8. Think of it as one of those healthy meal subscriptions, but with toys for your kids instead: you sign up once, specify the box that’s appropriate for your kid’s age, and do nothing but wait to receive the box in the mail.

Every box you receive contains one Maker Project, which can range from building an arcade to creating glowing jellyfish and glowworms. The box also has some additional instructions for tinkering that go beyond the core project, along with a magazine that carries on the same theme. Emails and online tutorials help you and your kids dive deeper into the project.

You can sign up for a single month or longer 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month intervals. The longer the time period, the more money you save over time.

What is a Koala Crate?

The nature of the activities in these boxes leads to them being beneficial only for a very specific age range. Not to worry, though: KiwiCo offers alternatives for other ages, as well. The Koala Crate is designed for your toddler or pre-schooler between the ages of 2 and 4.

The box itself is themed with options like Ocean Games, Doctor’s Visit, Rainbows, and Camping for any given month. Beyond the creative activities in that theme, it comes with a parent guide to help your little one learn, a magazine with stories and games that relate to the theme of the box, and online resources to dive deeper into the topic with your little one. 

Things to know about Kiwico and its crate

Enough with the introductions. You can read all of the above on the maker’s website or any other review. It’s time to dig into the specifics we found as we tested the Kiwi Crate. These are some initial takeaways:

• This kit requires your full attention as a parent, at least until your little one is 8 or 9. The activities are not likely to be something your kids can do on their own, so be prepared to help.
• Each Kiwi Crate comes with a ton of small pieces. That means you can’t take your eyes off your kids as they work through it unless you’re prepared to search for these pieces across the house, yard, doghouse … The activities work best when they have your full attention and you can complete them in a controlled environment.
• Assembly can be difficult when you have smaller siblings that aren’t quite ready yet. John’s 5-year-old son Calvin’s biggest hobby is sitting next to his big brother Oliver to annoy him. That made it tough to really focus on building, plus some of the items (batteries, marbles, etc.) need an extra watchful eye at all times to stay out of small hands and mouths.
• The projects you and your kids build are not built from materials meant to be around forever. But that’s ok; it won’t clutter up your house with it, and KiwiCo offers good ideas on how to recycle or reuse most of the materials.
• I was pleasantly surprised by the subscription beyond the box itself. KiwiCo’s emails do a nice job of adding to the fun through other DIY projects and ideas you and your kids can pursue.
• It’s definitely entertaining, even beyond the first time you build the project. Our 7-year-old ended up taking his project apart again to play with the coolest of its pieces.

Is this a subscription?

It definitely is, even though the company shies away from calling it that. Here’s why: when you sign up, even for a single month, it will automatically renew (and charge you monthly fees) unless you manually cancel it.

There is another option: KiwiCo has an online store in which it sells its crates, and a number of individual activities, without any commitment or automatic renewals. That increases the price and adds shipping costs. 

At its core, though, this is a subscription service that’s designed for you to keep getting boxes every month. One way to save a bit is to sign up for a single month and cancel after the first box.

Kiwico Reviews

Let’s dive into Kiwico reviews, starting with the Kiwi Crate …

Our Kiwi Crate review: The awesome, the wish it was different, and a verdict

Time for some judgment. You might have already noticed that we have plenty of good things to say about KiwiCo and the crates we tested. Is that enough to actually give it a buying recommendation? Keep reading to find out.

The awesome

Beyond the general idea (creative activities with your kids are just fun!), here are some specific things we especially enjoyed about the Kiwi Crate:

• The manuals and instruction manuals are well done. They’re easy to follow, both for you and for your child.
• The cartoons and stories in the accompanying magazine are great. Oliver especially liked reading them once the building was done and he was looking for something else to do.
• Each box actually contains more than one project. You can reconstruct things to make different projects, and the online resources last even longer. This is much more than a one-and-done.
• The new ideas you get in every monthly box are just great. It never really feels recycled or just a different twist on the same thing. Everything is new, interesting, and exciting.
• The projects are fun for adults, too. I helped Oliver put some of his projects together and was surprised by how fast the time went by.
• You don’t have to worry about breaking individual pieces. The projects are designed so that you can replace them with common household items if that happens.
• The Kiwi Crate actually spans a whole range of topics. This is not just arts and crafts; it’s science, and education, and a lot of other activities that all combine to a fun project.
• You feel your kids learning. This is not a lego set that has your kid mindlessly follow instructions. We could really see and feel our kids learning, and we actually learned some things in the process.
• The customization is pretty impressive. Paul’s daughter Kenzie, for instance, spent a lot of time decorating her projects when finished. Oliver didn’t, but still found plenty of other stuff to do.

The wish it was different

It wasn’t all great, of course. We did run into a few issues as we tested these boxes and built the projects with our kids:

• It can definitely get overwhelming. The pieces are pretty small, and there are tons of them. Keeping track and making sure you get everything right puts some stress on the parent.
• The projects are recyclable, but you still can’t help feeling wasteful. Once the project is complete, chances are your kid will stop playing with it. I will say that there were a couple of exceptions to this, like the light-up lantern box and the solar system, both of which got many uses after we built them.

The verdict

After looking at those two lists above, it’s probably not a shocking revelation to say that we really liked the Kiwi Crate. It’s a great way to spend time with your kids, building things together and learning something in the process.

You don’t have to be the creative force here. Even if you don’t have time to be that hardcore crafter dad or mom, you can build along with your kids and let their creativity flow freely. You get everything you need in a box, even the stuff you wouldn’t have around the house–no running around and frantically buying arts and craft supplies needed.

Our (mini) Koala Crate review

The general concept of the Koala Crate is the same as its older sibling, so most of the awesome and wish it was different from above still applies. In testing this out with Calvin, our 2-year-old, we still found a few unique things that are worth highlighting here:

• There are far fewer pieces to this box, and they tend to be less breakable. That’s great for an age range in which ripping and eating random things can be the source of great fun.
• Neither of our kids likes to sit still (probably not a shocker for anyone with kids in this age range). Unfortunately, that also means Koala Crate can be harder because it does require patience and focus that can often elude toddlers and pre-schoolers.
• Prepare to work a lot. For this crate to be fun for Calvin, we ended up having to have everything set up and ready to go before we started the activity with him, so you’ve got to find time for that in addition to actually with your kid time. You will need to read the instructions ahead of time if you don’t want to completely lose your kid’s interest.
• From a pure learning perspective, it was difficult to tell if Calvin was really getting anything out of it. He seemed to have fun, but he was too young to really display those signs of learning KiwiCo likes to point to. 

What KiwiCo crate is right for my child?

Beyond the Koala and Kiwi Crate, KiwiCo has also expanded its line to focus on other age ranges and activity types:

• The Panda Crate (ages 0-2) is designed for those early learning and brain development skills. 
• The Atlas Crate (ages 6-11) focuses on helping your elementary schooler learn about geography and culture.
• The Doodle Crate (ages 9-16+) is full of art and craft projects.
• The Tinker Crate (ages 9-16+) helps your kids build STEM projects like a trebuchet or a hydraulic claw.
• The Maker Crate (ages 14-104) is essentially an at-home art and design workshop every month.
• The Eureka Crate (ages 14-104) includes in-depth, advanced science and engineering projects.

Your kids’ ages will dictate which of these make the most sense. Especially until they turn 9, go with the suggested age ranges and maybe even play it a little conservatively to make sure they’re ready for the activity. For those younger ages, each crate option tends to cover anything from arts and crafts to science and early engineering.

At older ages, it makes sense to look at the specific crate and compare it with interests. We didn’t review these older options in detail, but there might be a situation in which you have to choose between two areas (like the two science options above) that sound really similar on the company’s website.

How much are Kiwi Crates?

The base price for the Kiwi Crate subscription is $19.95, and they often run free shipping promotions. Longer subscriptions decrease monthly costs:

• Monthly: $19.95 for a single month.
• 3-month subscription: $19.95/month for three months, or $59.85 total.
• 6-month subscription: $18.50/month for six months, or $111.00 total.
• 12-month subscription: $16.95/month for 12 months, or $203.40 total.

You can also buy each of the crates in the company’s online store, but that increases the price to $24.95 plus another $4.95 in shipping.

It’s not cheap, but the time we got out of it was well worth it. The kids (especially the older ones) seemed to love it, and we got some good parenting time out of it as well. Turns out, sometimes you actually do want to find out what’s in the box.

Wrapping up

Well, that’s it for our reviews of Kiwco’s Kiwi & Koala Crates. Hope you enjoyed.

Looking for more subscription boxes for little ones? Check out our review of Lovevery’s Montessori-inspired subscription play kits!

1. this is the first in a series of Short Report reviews where take quick looks at kid products of interest to dads. They won’t be as in-depth as our 30 Day Trial Reviews, but if we don’t have at least a good gut instinct about a product, we won’t do a Short Report. This Short Report is a review of The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep.
2. we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. You can learn more about our policies regarding affiliate links here.

Item: The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep

Type: Book / System to Get Kids to Sleep

Short description: a system for getting kids to fall asleep in the form of a book with sleep-suggestive language

Price: $10 On Amazon

Rating (1-10): 4

Review Summary: Seems to have potential, but length (30-minute read) meant I had to allow an exorbitant amount of time for it or cut into reading other books we enjoyed together. I read the entire book to Kenzie (3.5 years old) 3 times, she didn’t fall asleep during any of these readings. Ended up shelving it, might make another attempt later.

The Details

This book isn’t really a book, but rather a method for helping your child fall asleep. It makes some pretty hyperbolic claims in the form of instructions and warnings: “if your child falls asleep before you finish reading, it’s best to finish” and “never read this book out loud close to someone driving any type of vehicle or engaged in any other activity that requires wakefulness.” After reading these, I expected big results, and was darn excited to try it out, especially since our 3-year-old had been having some difficulty falling asleep – she frequently stayed awake for long periods after we were done reading to her.

We’d previously tried a couple of fairly effective techniques for calming her down –

1) instead of allowing her to come out of her room and barrage us with questions and requests, we’d first told her she was to stay in bed but could call us if she needed something, and then added a limit of 3 times to these loud “Mommy? Daddy?”s. Once she hit #3, we told her we would need to close her door and “stop responding for a while”. This language was chosen very carefully because we didn’t want to use “ignore”.

2) Since she couldn’t read yet but loved puzzles we allowed her to do a puzzle in bed for a few minutes after we finished reading if she wasn’t ready to go to sleep. This had the effect of keeping her in bed, keeping her occupied, and hopefully winding her down. Mostly fairly effective, but we struggled with puzzle choice, which could turn into an ordeal, when she wanted to do a puzzle that was too difficult and either got frustrated or wanted help, or when we encountered other mishaps – puzzles that didn’t work well on the soft surface of bed, pieces falling out of bed, in-between the bed and the wall, etc.

So, onto the new method – The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep.

There are a few things to know about this book:

1. It is long. I was totally unprepared for this the first time we read it (I figured I’d make it the last book we read after reading a couple of others, quickly realized it was damn long and that was a mistake since I was expecting it to fill the last few minutes of our reading time together. The book took me about 30 minutes to read to Kenzie.

2. There’s an illustration some children might find creepy. One of the characters in the book is a sleepy snail. After looking at it for about 5 second my daughter pronounced she didn’t want to look at it anymore, which made reading the page (each page takes 4-5 minutes to read) a challenge. Looking at it objectively, I can see why she came to this conclusion:

3. The book references the child’s name throughout – “Relax your feet, [name]. Roger and you …” While I see why this is used, this caused Kenzie to get excited about the fact that she was in the book and want to see where her name was written, causing me to have to explain that I was supposed to say her name wherever the book said, “[name]”. Neither of these helped Kenzie get sleepy.

The book in action, where we landed:

The book uses language based on “powerful psychological techniques” and includes phrases like, “… you can already see yourself fall asleep. You feel calm and relaxed and can do as I tell you. Now. Fall asleep …” These are at first interesting but quite repetitive, meaning the book isn’t really a particularly interesting story – which makes sense given it’s supposed to help kids fall asleep, but still – it’s 30 minutes long!

I read this book all the way through to Kenzie 3 nights in a row. The first night she was wide awake at the end asking questions about it. I thought perhaps some repetition would help this, but the same thing happened (with slightly fewer questions) on night two and night three, along with the not wanting to see the snail bit.

I certainly could have kept going and found that the book knocked her out like a light starting on night 6, but wasn’t willing to keep going, primarily because given how long the book is I’d have found it necessary to make this the only book we read at night, and wasn’t willing to do this given how much I value our reading time together. The book does note that many children start falling asleep during the reading, even after a page or two, which would certainly cut down on the time allotment, but this wasn’t something I had the patience to get to.

Also of note:

• The book is available in audio form, presumably read by an actor who’s very good at using the right tone, drawing out the right words, etc.
• There’s also “The Little Elephant Who Wants to Fall Asleep [Amazon]” to “add variety” (and perhaps friendlier-looking creatures, based on what the cover looks like).
• I wondered if this book would make me extremely sleepy too, limiting my usefulness after Kenzie went to bed, but wasn’t able to put this to the test as the nights we read this book I was already quite exhausted due to having a newborn.

Final Verdict

This book didn’t work for my daughter, at least not at first, and the length made continuing to experiment too much of a burden. That said, every kid is different. If you’ve got a kid who’s just not falling asleep and you’re looking to try something different, I wouldn’t rule it out if you keep the above in mind.