Any new parent deserves all the help they can get — a new parent who’s stuck self-isolating at home without extra help around? Damn, give them an award already! If you know someone living this scary scenario right now, skip the monogrammed onesie and instead gift your new-parent pal (or sister or cousin or coworker) the gift that truly keeps on giving: the subscription box. After all, they deserve a million boxes of treats.
The baby-friendly subscription options are endless. Want a box of diapers and wipes delivered to your door every month? No problem. Looking for baby toys to nurture your tot’s development through play? Done. Planning to start a stellar library for your little bookworm? Sure thing. Or maybe you’re just into the idea of getting a few surprises to inject a little fun into your parenting journey. Yep, there’s a box for that too.
With so many baby subscription boxes to choose from, it can be a little daunting to know where to start. So here are some of our top picks, whatever your wish list/budget/diaper supply situation — and they all get the thumbs-up from parents, of course.
Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
A version of this article was originally published in February 2018.
Lovevery ‘The Looker’ Box
Lovevery’s subscription box series has it all: It’s Montessori-, Waldorf-, and neuroscience-approved to help babies and toddlers with brain development, motor skills, and more. Plus, it’s so darn cute. Choose a subscription for any age, starting with “The Looker” for newborns.
Dyper
For the eco-conscious mama out there who also values convenience above almost anything else, traditional disposable diapers aren’t a perfect solution. Enter Dyper: a more sustainable diaper option. The minimalist diapers feature viscose fibers made from responsibly sourced bamboo. The bags they’re pacakged in are made from oxo-biodegradable materials. If you’re serious about reducing the size of your baby’s footprint from day one, you can compost the diapers at home or take advantage of Dyper’s centralized composting, called ReDyper. Oh, and they purchase carbon offsets for each subscriber in order to help reforestation efforts. At just $68 per month, you can start covering your little one’s behind with comfy, leak-proof diapers while starting those reduce-reuse-recycle lessons young.
Kidbox
The fashion-forward Kidbox offers easy wardrobe refreshes for babies and tots of all ages based on kids’ favorite colors and other style-profile Qs. So yes, it’s basically Stitch Fix for kids, and it’s delightful. The best part? Like with Stitch Fix, you only have to pay for the items you want to keep. The rest you ship back, no charge. That said, there’s also a discount if you do keep/purchase an entire box; each assortment of outfits is $98 for kids, $68 for babies. And by the way, Kidbox is apparently searching for its next Kids Board of Directors, so if you’re a parent to a fashionista between the ages of 6 and 15, encourage them to apply here.
Moon Canyon Kids
The adorable, eco-friendly and invariably boho-chic Moon Canyon Kids brand offers a clothing subscription box that’s 1 part modern, 1 part vintage. Tots will get three to five clothing items each month, plus a new accessory like a cool patch, purse or bracelet. And although Moon Canyon partners with local indie brands in Los Angeles to highlight their new items, the subscription box’s vintage spin is key — and the secondhand items are carefully curated and don’t at all resemble the sacks of crappy synthetic hand-me-downs your kid keeps getting from their cousin. Not that we’ve experienced anything like that…
The Story Box
It’s never too early to encourage a love of books. And reading to your kids isn’t just good for them; reading to babies actually makes you a better parent. Make it super-simple to get into the habit by signing up for The Story Box, which delivers kids books every month. The board books package, perfect for kids up to 2-1/2 years old, includes two sturdy board books per month and a guide for parents.
Ecocentric Mom
For the parent who wants to raise a tot without wrecking the planet, Ecocentric Mom provides a “monthly care package to support well-being in motherhood.” Each box contains four to five organic, natural, nontoxic and non-GMO products and accessories with a minimum total retail value of $45 tailored to your stage of motherhood, from pregnancy through preschool.
Bluum
We can’t tell you what you’ll get in the Bluum subscription box because part of this company’s selling point is the element of surprise. What we can tell you is that each box contains at least four items chosen from what the brand touts as “new toys, books, innovative gear and awesome finds for parents.” It’s all curated for your child’s age and stage and has a total retail value of at least $45. You can take a sneak peek at your selected box via email each month and grab the chance to order another box while supplies last. Your box selection is announced by the 1st of each month, and your child’s box ships on or around the 9th. Choose from a monthly plan ($34 billed monthly), a six-month plan ($186 billed every six months) and a 12-month plan ($348 billed yearly).
BabyGap OutfitBox
There’s a Gap on every corner these days, and now there can be a BabyGap OutfitBox at every door. All you have to do is give the baby’s age, sex and personal style (as if that exists — babies are either “classic,” “fun” or “surprise me,” apparently) and BabyGap will send an OutfitBox every three months. Each box contains six curated mix-and-match garments for the little one with a $100 value. And each box only costs $70 — so you do the math.
The Honest Company
The Honest Company, the brainchild of actor Jessica Alba (also mom to three actual children), offers subscription boxes for so many practical baby needs. Choose from a diapers-and-wipes bundle, an essentials bundle of personal care and home-cleaning products, an organic infant formula bundle and a health and wellness prenatal bundle. Unlike most other subscription box services, you’re charged per bundle, not per month.
Hoppi Box
If you want to help your child develop through play, the Hoppi Box provides expert-picked toys for each stage, from 0 through 3 years old. Inside each box, you’ll find three to five full-size, top-quality toys to encourage learning and nurture development. A new box shows up in March, June, September and December with a choice of two payment plans: the quarterly prepay Plan ($75 per box plus free shipping) or the annual prepay plan ($66 per box plus free shipping.)
IncrediBundles
A one-stop shop for baby bundles, IncrediBundles offers every type of bundle under the sun — diaper bundles, learn-and-grow bundles, book bundles, bath bundles, sleep bundles and organic bundles. All items arrive in reusable storage containers (of which parents can never have too many) and are approved by parents (peace of mind also very useful). You can choose from a three-, six-, nine- or 12-month subscription for the ready-made bundles or create your own from the huge range of products for a great custom gift. (Speaking of gifts, a year of diapers will set you back $719 but is possibly the best thing you can give a new parent.)
Lillypost
Lillypost is a subscription box with a personal touch: Each of the books and other children’s goodies are hand-wrapped (you know your tot may appreciate the wrapping paper as much as what’s inside) and contain a special note and stickers. The best option for babies is the board book box, designed for ages up to 2 years old; then you can move onto the picture book box when your child is ready. There’s also a mixed book box perfect for families with kids at different reading stages. One-, three- and six-month plans are available. As a feel-good bonus, Lillypost donates one book to a child in need (via literacy-based charities) for every box that is purchased.
LuliBox
We’re not sure if Prince William and Kate Middleton subscribed to LuliBox when Prince George and Princess Charlotte were babies, but they certainly had their fair share of goodies from Aden + Anais — just one of the companies linked to this baby box subscription service. Besides Aden + Anais’ royal-endorsed muslins, bandana bibs and swaddle blankets, these boxes often include Dr. Brown’s BPA-free accessories, Erbaviva organic travel baby products and Babyganics diapers and wipes. Boxes come in a choice of three colors — gray, blue and pink — and four sizes.
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Pin this for when you welcome your next baby — or, you know, for when your toddler turns terrible two. Mail-order life supplies know no timeline!
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