Skillmatics, a toy brand led by a team of educators, offers age-appropriate learning toys for 3-6-year-olds.
Their bi-monthly subscription boxes start at $45 and include toys and activities that focus on language and literacy, mathematics and numeracy, world knowledge, and social-emotional development. (Get 25% off the kits with code REBEKAH34834!)
If you’re looking for educational toys that are tailored to your child’s age, Skillmatics is definitely a contender. I’ve tested out a couple of the Skillmatics learning boxes with my 3-year-old, and here is my full review.
Note: Skillmatics sent me some learning kits for the purpose of this review. However, this article is not sponsored and the brand has not reviewed any of the content in this review. I always give my honest opinion after thoroughly testing a brand’s products! The discount code REBEKAH34834 gives you 25% off, and I receive a commission every time you use my discount code.
What’s In Skillmatics Boxes?
Skillmatics boxes include:
- 3 activities/toys/games
- 4 double-sided write & wipe activity mats
- 1 book
- 1 parent guide
Everything in these kits focuses on language and literacy, mathematics and numeracy, world knowledge, and socio-emotional development.
For my own 3-year-old daughter, I feel these boxes are helping prepare her for the academic environment. She’s advancing her reading and writing skills while learning more about the world around her.
Skillmatics toys are made in India and are designed by a team of in-house educators and child development experts.
Skillmatics Price
Skillmatics pricing is pretty straightforward:
- $60 per individual kit
- $100 for two kits (pre-pay)
- $180 for four kits (pre-pay)
You can bring the cost-per-kit down to $45 if you pre-pay for four kits at once. Since these kits are shipped bi-monthly, your monthly cost is as low as $22.50.
Additionally, you can get 25% off the kits with code REBEKAH34834.
Skillmatics Unboxing & First Impressions
The Skillmatics packaging is really cute, and when you open the box, everything is packed neatly.
I always look for the guide or instruction manual before digging into the toys so I can make sense of what I’m looking at. And I have to say – the parent guides that come with the Skillmatics subscription are AMAZING.
Reading the parent guides that came with our kits was so impressive – it’s pretty clear these kits are very well thought-out. Each toy in the kit is fully explained, and there are diagrams and charts explaining how these kits are helping with your child’s education.
I also liked that the activity mats are in the write & wipe style (as opposed to pen and paper) so that we can practice and reuse them over and over again.
Skillmatics Review – Pros and Cons
I was pleasantly surprised with these Skillmatics learning kits – there are so many pros to mention!
Pros of Skillmatics Learning Kits
The activities in these kits were not only educational but super fun! My daughter looked forward to activity time (after our younger son went down for a nap).
Some activities required assembly on our part, and while that wasn’t necessarily part of the educational focus, it was truly a learning experience for her! She had fun popping the cardboard activities out of the molds and getting the activity in order.
I also loved how Skillmatics made math fun. As an example, following the pizza recipes to practice counting up to 15 – just the fact that we were playing with a pizza made this so fun to my daughter.
The books also impressed me. Occasionally, it feels like books in these types of kits are throwaways, but these were not.
The stories in the books helped tie in educational concepts like measurements, opposites, patterns, and sequences. I saw what the book was doing, but my daughter had no clue she was learning while she was enjoying the story. Learning through play makes my heart so happy.
The activity mats were also a smash hit. We use these over and over again to practice counting, writing, tracing, spotting differences and similarities, and more.
Finally, as a working mom, I loved having this Skillmatics box to give to our nanny. It allowed her to have focused activities already prepared. She does create her own activities to do with the kids, but it’s nice to have something at-the-ready. Plus, it’s all age-appropriate!
Cons of Skillmatics Learning Kits
I do have a couple of cons to mention regarding the Skillmatics learning kits.
One of the activities had this QR code on the back for a free audio soundtrack, which was supposed to supplement the activity. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. And when we emailed the company and told them, they directed us to a YouTube link that also did not work.
Another con of these kits is the activities are not built to last. I do think this is reflected in the affordable pricing, but many of the activities are made of thick cardboard material. We’re only going to get so many play sessions out of them before they get destroyed.
Overall, I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons, and we love these learning kits!
Skillmatics vs Lovevery
After trying Skillmatics, it immediately reminded me of the Lovevery subscription boxes, which also include toys tailored to your child’s age.
In fact, some of the items in the 3-year-old Skillmatics boxes mirrored the exact items in the 3-year-old Lovevery play kits.
The Balancing Bars included in the kit for 3 years 8 months are the same concept as the Wooden Wobble Puzzle included in the play kit for months 43, 44, and 45.
The Shape-Scapes game reminds me a lot of the Double-Sided Sunny Day Puzzle from Lovevery:
Both brands include a parent guide that outlines developmental milestones and how to use each item in the kit. Even the Skillmatics website layout explaining what’s inside each kit looks the same as the Lovevery site.
However, there are some major differences between the two educational subscription boxes.
Skillmatics | Lovevery |
|---|---|
For ages 3-6 | For ages 0-4 |
Bi-monthly subscription | Quarterly subscription (starting at age 1) |
Less durable toys/activity | Highly durable toys/activities |
$180 for 4 kits (pre-pay) | $432 for 4 kits (pre-pay) |
More particular toys with specific functions in mind | Focus on open-ended play – toys can be used in multiple ways |
While I definitely prefer Lovevery, it’s two-and-a-half times the price and only overlaps in age for 3-year-olds. If you want to continue offering your children stage-based play at home, Skillmatics is an awesome brand to look at, especially for ages 4-6.
Conclusion
I’m a huge fan of the Skillmatics Learning Kits! Having educational and age-appropriate toys and activities, delivered to us every other month, gives me so much peace of mind.
I want to prepare my children the best I can for preschool and beyond, and having these kits helps take some of that burden off my mind.
Have you tried Skillmatics, or do you plan to? Let me know in the comments section below! And don’t forget to get 25% off your order with code REBEKAH34834.
