A great last minute Christmas gift idea – the subscription – is making its presence felt in the parenting world, with monthly and quarterly services springing up left, right and centre. Our round-up of the best kids subscription boxes spotlights six companies offering child-centred products by post, covering everything from books to gardening – most with an admirable educational bent. Enjoy.

KIWI CO

For most kids, the natural (by which we mean easiest) solution to a challenge is to yell ‘Mum’. So why not encourage a more creative approach to problem-solving? Kiwi Co’s team of engineers and rocket scientists (no, really) send out monthly crates packed with hands-on STEM and art projects. All materials are included, so littles can start figuring it all out straight away – and there are online tutorials, tips and tricks if they need extra guidance.

Panda Crates for ages 0-24 months from £15.36 per month; kiwico.com

MONTI KIDS

We love the Montessori method, but there’s no denying it takes a lot of planning (not to mention some expense) to implement it in the home. Fortunately, US-based Monti Kids supplies an authentic Montessori toy curriculum by subscription, so you can receive sustainably made, safety-tested items and activities tailored to your child’s development. As each kit arrives, you’ll also receive video guides and ebooks on how to support your child’s learning.

$297 per quarter, plus shipping & duties; montikids.com

MUD & BLOOM

Green-fingered youngsters will enjoy Mud & Bloom’s monthly gardening gifts, which centre on seasonal activities you can enjoy in the great outdoors. Recipients can expect nature news and quizzes, garden craft activities, seeds to sow and organic, peat-free compost pellets to help them on their way. Created by qualified teachers, the activities are designed to support the national curriculum while taking influence from forest schooling, the Montessori method and Steiner education.

From £10.95 per box for a 12-month subscription; mudandbloom.com

PARROT STREET BOOK CLUB

Supercharge your kid’s love of reading with a carefully curated monthly parcel from Parrot Street Book Club. Focusing on lesser-known books from independent publishers and authors and genres beyond the best-sellers, each delivery also includes a fun-filled activity book.

From £12 per month; parrotstreet.com

ONE THIRD STORIES

A clever idea to encourage bilingual babies, One Third Stories sends a monthly book and accompanying activities designed to build children’s awareness of a foreign language. The colourfully illustrated books start out in English and introduce non-native vocab by stealth as the story progresses, drilling another language into your listeners without them fully realising it. Ingenious.

From £15.99 per box; onethirdstories.com

WHIRLI

A subscription that will save you money and save the planet? We love Whirli, which provides access to a seemingly endless array of toys, games and books for a regular subscription. Simply choose how much you want to spend and you’ll be given digital tokens to exchange for goodies. Kids love browsing for new stuff – and when they tire of it, you simply send it back. Sustainable, sensible and great fun.

From £7.99 a month; whirli.com