If you’re a parent on social media, you’ve probably seen ads for Lovevery Play Kits ($80-$120 each at Lovevery.com). The Montessori-inspired subscription service includes a box sent once every two to three months that’s stocked with toys and books designed for your baby’s particular developmental stage.
If you’re like me, seeing post after post on social media about chic toys has piqued your curiosity. But the subscription service is on the pricey side at $80-$120 per box (depending on your kiddo’s age). When my son was about three months old in 2018, I caved to curiosity and subscribed to the Play Kits. I’ve since revisited the service with my younger son, born in September 2020. Here’s my honest review of Lovevery’s Play Kits.
Each Play Kit comes with a collection of seven to 10 toys or books, along with a play guide.
I started with the months 3 to 4 box (also called “The Charmer Play Kit”) for my older son. There were a couple more giant toys in the box — like a fabric book filled with lots of fun ribbons for tactile play and high-contrast cards that could be swapped in and out of pockets. Another box favorite is a rolling wooden toy with a little bell inside.
Along with the more oversized items, there were also a few play things that felt a little more like knick-knacks, like a bag with the material inside that makes a crinkling sound when you play with it — still cute, but not necessarily as exciting to unbox.
The play guide is worth calling out, as well.
It includes lots of info about the stage your child is in, suggestions for how and when to play with each toy — and research-based information on why it helps your baby’s development. As a new mom who felt clueless about what to do with my first son, I loved devouring this information about what was going on with his eyesight or motor skills. It was also helpful because I had no idea how to play with my baby in a way that made sense for his particular stage, so this gave me very concrete suggestions.
I also love how chic these toys look, as do many other parents. They’re super high-quality — many are made of wood, and when products are made of plastic (because they’re for water play), they don’t feel flimsy like other toys can. They also come in a color palette that’s bright yet adult-friendly, so when they’re scattered all over your home, you can enjoy looking at them almost as much as your child does.
Play Kits are available from birth through 48 months.
As of July 2021, Lovevery has extended the age range for its Play Kits. So you can now get the brand’s thoughtfully designed products from birth until your child turns four.
The price of the Play Kits depends on your child’s age:
0-12 months: $80 per Play Kit, delivered every two months
12 months-48 months: $120 per Play Kit, delivered every three monthsIf you prepay for three to four Play Kits at a time, you can get a bit of a discount — $6 to $12 off per kit.
I think the kits for toddlers are even more fun than the ones for infants. When my son got “The Helper Play Kit” (designed for kids who are 25 to 27 months old), there were so many great toys he loved and still plays with: a pretend to sink with natural running water, felt flowers that he could practice “planting” into a wooden block and paint sticks with more vibrant colors and a much smoother finish than typical crayons.
All of the toys are unique to Lovevery — meaning you can’t get them anywhere else — and I’ve found there aren’t even similar options available elsewhere for many of the items.
Is Lovevery worth it?
Ah, the $80 to $120 question. With my first son, I got four Play Kits that our family enjoyed. My major complaint at the time was that he wasn’t always able to interact with the toys as promised until a month or two after the play guides said he should have been (and no, he wasn’t developmentally delayed — every kid is just a little different).
Then, with his birthday (and the promise of many new toys) approaching, I decided to cancel my subscription for a while. At the time, I felt the ratio of more significant items to smaller, less fun ones was slightly off.
Since revisiting Lovevery with my younger son in 2021, there has been a higher percentage of more exciting items in each box, even though the price is the same as when I subscribed in 2018 — a win-win.
I can also confidently say that your baby will play with many of these toys for years to come. My two 1/2-year-old still loves reading that fabric book and playing with the rolling bell I mentioned above — and since they’re high-quality toys, they’ve held up well enough for my 10-month-old to play with them, too.
All of these factors, along with tons of positive reviews from What to Expect’s community of parents, are why we’ve recognized the Play Kits so many times on this site: They won a Mom Must-Have Award for “Best Toy Brand” in 2021 and have been named one of the best sensory toys for toddlers, to name a couple.
That said, if you’re the type who likes picking out a specific toy exactly when you need it, you might want to save your toy budget for other options. (Or check out Lovevery’s new line of toys at Target, which you can buy a la carte at more accessible price points.)
But suppose you’re the kind of parent who would enjoy opening a box of new surprises for you and your little one to discover together every couple of months — and you can swing the high-end price tag — then yes. In that case, a Lovevery Play Kit subscription is worth it.
See more: Starting at $80 on Lovevery.com.
