girl using a kids subscription box for science experiments

Full STEAM Ahead: Empowering Subscription Boxes for Girls

7 min read

Monthly subscription boxes designed for girls interested in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) can be a fantastic way to foster creativity, critical thinking, and a love for learning. From Girls Can! Crate to Yellow Scope Science Kits, each of the following STEM subscription boxes provides excellent resources for developing skills, sparking interest in new areas, and encouraging continuous learning outside of traditional educational settings. Many include empowering stories of successful female engineers, artists, and scientists—showing girls of all ages that the sky’s the limit! That’s why we’ve rounded up the best subscription boxes for girls who love to explore, adventure, and learn. Whether they are in preschool or heading into junior high, prompt your child to investigate, discover, and create with one of these award-winning subscription boxes for young girls.

Why It’s So Important to Encourage Girls As They Explore STEAM Fields

STEAM fields have historically been male-dominated, leading to significant gender disparities in both educational and professional environments. The underrepresentation of women in these fields can perpetuate a cycle where young girls see fewer role models and thus are less likely to pursue similar careers. Encouraging girls to engage in STEAM from an early age can help bridge this gender gap, providing them with the confidence that they belong in these areas just as much as their male counterparts. By promoting gender equality within these fields, we not only make it fairer but also challenge the systemic barriers that have kept women out, ensuring a more inclusive future in critical sectors of the economy and academia.

Diverse Perspectives

Diversity is a proven catalyst for innovation. In STEAM fields, where problem-solving and creativity are paramount, diverse perspectives lead to richer ideas and solutions. Women bring different life experiences and viewpoints that can challenge conventional thinking and spur innovative discoveries. When more women enter and thrive in STEAM, it enhances the breadth of inquiry and design, leading to breakthroughs that may not arise in a homogeneous group. This diversity of thought is essential in driving forward scientific inquiry and technological innovation, making the case not just for gender diversity but for a broad inclusivity in these critical fields.

Economic Empowerment

Careers in STEAM are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying. These fields offer substantial opportunities for personal and professional growth. Encouraging girls to pursue education and careers in STEAM not only positions them for economic independence and security but also contributes to the broader economy. As more women enter these high-skill areas, they bolster the workforce with essential skills and help drive economic productivity. Moreover, by achieving financial stability, women can invest back into their communities and families, perpetuating a cycle of growth and empowerment that benefits society as a whole.

Meeting Skill Shortages

Globally, there is a critical shortage of skilled professionals in many STEAM fields, particularly in emerging technologies and engineering. By encouraging a broader range of participants, specifically girls, to enter these fields, we can help address these shortages. A diverse workforce is more likely to produce the innovations needed to solve complex problems, enhancing the industry’s overall effectiveness. Promoting participation among girls not only helps fill these roles with capable individuals but also ensures a more balanced and representative workforce, which is crucial for sustainable development and innovation.

Social Impact

STEAM careers often directly contribute to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as climate change, sustainable development, and global health crises. By encouraging women to enter these fields, they become pivotal contributors to societal welfare. Women in STEAM can leverage their skills to implement solutions that have significant positive impacts, influencing public policy and community planning. Their involvement ensures that these solutions are inclusive and considerate of the broader societal implications, ultimately leading to more effective and holistic outcomes.

Breaking Stereotypes

Encouraging girls to explore STEAM fields plays a crucial role in breaking down long-standing stereotypes and social norms about gender roles. These stereotypes can deter girls from pursuing interests in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. By actively promoting their participation and success, society begins to redefine what girls and women are capable of achieving, which in turn influences younger generations. This shift not only impacts those directly involved in STEAM fields but also alters the broader societal perceptions, fostering a culture where gender is no longer seen as a barrier to any academic or professional pursuit.

11 Empowering STEAM Subscription Boxes for Girls

KiwiCo Crates

First on our list of monthly boxes that both young and older kids love is from KiwiCo. KiwiCo provides themed crates for different age groups and interests, from infants to teenagers and adults. Each crate is designed to promote STEAM learning in an age-appropriate manner. For example, the Tinker Crate for kids ages 9-16 focuses on science and engineering with projects like building a trebuchet or a fiber optic star map that stokes your child’s love of outer space.

These hands-on activities not only encourage learning through doing but also emphasize problem-solving and critical thinking. KiwiCo offers a flexible subscription model. Prices start around $19.95 per month, you can subscribe directly on the KiwiCo website, and you can cancel anytime.

Green Kid Crafts

This subscription box aims to blend environmental science education with arts and crafts. Each box is designed around a new theme each month (like oceans, space, or volcanoes) and includes up to six science and art activities that use sustainable and eco-friendly materials. Suitable for kids ages 3 to 10+, this box encourages environmental stewardship through creative learning and discovery. Prices start at about $29.95 per month, and subscriptions are available on the Green Kid Crafts website.

Bitsbox

Bitsbox provides a fun way for kids to learn coding. Each month, children receive a set of app projects that teach them how to create apps that work on real devices. Through typing real code and building actual working apps, children aged 6-12 can learn programming concepts and develop logical thinking skills. Subscription options vary in complexity and can be tailored to the child’s learning pace. Monthly plans for these subscription boxes for kids start at $24.95, available on the Bitsbox website.

Girls Can! Crate

Another subscription box kids love comes from Girls Can! Crate—a sponsor of one of beloved podcast Whatshername. Each crate focuses on the life of an influential woman in history. Customers love the 20-page activity book, hands-on STEAM activities, and creative play props.

This box is not just another craft box. It aims to inspire girls by showcasing female role models who excelled in various fields, reinforcing the idea that they can achieve anything. It’s particularly suitable for girls aged 5-10. Subscriptions start at around $32.95 per month and can be purchased on the Girls Can! Crate website.

Little Passports Science Expeditions

Designed for children aged 9+, these kits help kids explore the world of science through experiments and activities that encourage scientific inquiry and critical thinking. Each box explores a new scientific field each month, from forensics to aerodynamics, providing all the materials needed for the activities.

Prices begin at $27.95 per month, available from the Little Passports website.

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Groovy Lab in a Box

This subscription box combines scientific inquiry and the engineering design process, encouraging children to engage deeply with the project at hand. Suitable for ages 8 and older, each box contains everything needed to complete projects such as building a greenhouse or a lunar rover, along with an engineering design challenge.

Subscriptions start around $29.95 per month and can be ordered from the Groovy Lab in a Box website.

Creation Crate

Aimed at older kids and teens (ages 12+), this box focuses on electronics and programming. Each month, subscribers receive new components and a new project that builds on the skills learned in previous boxes, such as building an electronic mood lamp or a memory game. These progressive learning projects are ideal for developing technical skills.

Prices start at $29.99 per month, available on the Creation Crate website.

Black Girl MATHgic

This box challenges and demystifies math for girls, particularly encouraging Black girls to excel in math. Each box includes math activities, a math game, and an inspirational profile of a Black woman mathematician, aiming to enhance math confidence and reduce anxiety.

Specifically designed to empower Black girls, these kits are designed for ages 6-12. Plans start at $39.95 per month, available from the Black Girl MATHgic website.

Yellow Scope Science Kits

These kits target girls aged 8-12 and focus on rigorous science principles through fun and engaging chemistry and biology experiments. Each experiment is a surprise that promotes scientific curiosity and confidence. Each kit contains several hours of hands-on experiments like making a chemical-powered car or testing acids and bases. Kits cost around $49.99 each and can be purchased on the Yellow Scope website.

Genius Box

Each box contains three STEM-related projects around a new theme each month, like earth science or chemistry. It’s designed to engage kids aged 8-11 through exploration and discovery in various scientific fields. These kits provide a comprehensive approach to learning that encourages curiosity and problem-solving.

Subscriptions start at $25.00 per month, available on the Genius Box website.

GoldieBlox

This engineering-themed box encourages girls to build and engineer with projects that range from constructing machines to creating interactive games. Aimed at ages 6-12, the box also includes a book series featuring the adventures of Goldie, the brand’s girl engineer character, which integrates storytelling with problem-solving activities. Subscriptions cost around $24.99 per month and are available on the GoldieBlox website.

Let Us Know What You Create and Explore!

Encouraging girls of all ages and backgrounds to pursue their interests in STEAM is crucial for fostering a diverse and inclusive future in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. By introducing girls to role models who look like them and providing hands-on, engaging activities that challenge and excite them, we can break down stereotypes and build confidence.

Monthly subscription boxes, like the ones discussed, are an excellent tool in this endeavor as they deliver consistent, age-appropriate, and interesting challenges right to their doorsteps. These boxes not only make learning fun but also show girls that STEAM is for everyone and that their potential in these fields is limitless. In doing so, we nurture a generation of women who are equipped to innovate, lead, and inspire the next wave of scientific advancement and artistic expression.

Let us know which you gift to the girl in your life below!