Are you not entertained? 6 kids, 2 moms put children’s activity kits to the ultimate test

Summer is mere days away for Eastern Iowa schoolchildren.

The excitement is palpable. Parents know, though, that the initial elation soon gives way to boredom.

So what to do with your blase brood?

A cadre of companies promise to deliver a cure into your mailbox once a month for the common complaining child.

The concept is relatively new. But it's a growing trend. You can sign up for monthly mail delivery of everything from snacks to nail polish to wine to Fido-friendly treats.

These pint-size subscription-based services follow the same format as others. For a fee - rates vary by company and often are offered in one-, three-, six-month increments or longer - kid-friendly activities arrive once a month in the mail.

Some companies follow themes, others have a little bit of something for everyone.

Generally they promise to include all the materials and inspiration for two to three activities - art, science, games, imaginative play and more - per kit.

Perfect for road trips, rainy days or stretched out summer vacations, right? Or wrong?

We set out to put many of these kits to the test. To do so, we recruited the toughest critics we could find: our own children.

The four girls and two boys range in ages from 5 to 10, with the boys on either end of the spectrum.

All kits give appropriate age ranges. Many, though, like Junior Explorers - designed to teach kids about wildlife and nature and a love for the planet, say the founders - give a wide range of 5 to 12 years of age.

As moms, we suspected, though, that there are not many activities that a 5-year-old can accomplish that still will capture the attention of a 12-year-old.

In the case of the Junior Explorers kit, we were right - sort of. More on that later.

We also learned a few other mom-truths in the process.

These kits are not intended for trips in a car, plane or other mode of transportation. All the kits we tested made messes (OK at home, not in a confined space of various transportation modes) and required in many cases tools like scissors that only the most super moms among us may travel with.

Parents who have dreams of these activities entertaining their children unsupervised also should hold that thought. Except for the oldest of our testers, all the kids needed a lot of hands-on help, from reading instructions to executing tasks.

If we're honest, though, these kits aren't intended to be stand-ins for sitters. They are, as they pledge, designed to foster creativity and teach new skills.

On those counts they succeed. In some cases, though, not as you might imagine.

In their tips for 'squeezing the maximum enjoyment out of the activity,” New Zealand-based Seedling suggests that parents don't worry if a project takes longer than one session, encourage a child to think creatively and use tools at home to create one-of-a-kind projects, experiment even if it leads to mistakes, and most of all, have fun.

These turned out to be wise words indeed.

Kits that underwhelmed when we followed instructions took on a new life when our kids played outside the box, so to speak.

In the case of one of the Seedling kits - Invent Your Own Insect, which included pipe cleaners, clay, colored pencils and transparent wings among other items - the first butterfly creation couldn't hold a candle to the three-dimensional butterfly sculpture that literally used the box as its platform, incorporated beads and bells from another kit and was covered by a makeshift awning built out of a sheet that contained those sage sentences referenced above.

The Junior Explorer kit and another Seedling kit - this one a spy set with magnifying glass, fake mustaches, glasses and a notebook - were combined with superhero costumes in our own arsenal to create a game of super spies on a mission to save the animals.

Could the same craft supplies have been purchased a la carte for a fraction of the price? Sure.

But, another mother-truth is that toys in our own chests, cabinets and closets are never as appealing as shiny new ones, especially those that come in the mail.

So, after two hours of uninterrupted (and unassisted, we might add) free play, these kits turned out to be a worthwhile investment indeed.

Seedling

The kits from Seedling were a huge hit with both the kid testers and moms. The kids liked the variety of materials included with each kit, especially the glitter glue. They liked that their creations - tote bags and bangle bracelets, for example - were useful. Seedling offers a wide variety of kits; unlike other kits it does not offer a subscription option.

Details: Ages 3 to 12, $5 to $45 per kit, www.seedling.com

Mission Unboxable

Mission Unboxable kits are designed around the idea of being an investigator in your own home. Our 10-year-old tester really got into this one (while the 7-year-old stole the stick-on mustaches.) He enjoyed fingerprinting and working with the decoder. The packaging was fun, and this is another kit that still is being played with weeks later. More than a few mysteries have been solved around the house.

Details: Ages 8 to 12, $25 to $150 for one year, www.etsy.com/shop/MissionUnboxable

Green Kid Crafts

These kits were full of simple fun with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). An animal-loving kid tester really enjoyed the art- and science-filled African safari box. Another of our 7-year-old girls, who particularly likes music, created several musical instruments from items that would be found around the house, but because they were in a kit, didn't have to be. It encouraged thinking of everyday items in a new way. The box even turned into an instrument with the addition of a few rubber bands.

Details: Ages 3 to 10, $19.95 per month, www.greenkidcrafts.com

Junior Explorers

Designed to teach kids about wildlife and nature, these kits were the least interactive of the bunch. Each kit includes collectibles like pins, bracelets, stickers and tattoos. There's not a lot to 'do,” though. Our tester was a 5-year-old boy, who was probably too young for the other elements of the kits, which include an online component with a secret code that unlocks a 45-minute mystery game. Children earn points, which can be donated and turned into a financial donation made by Junior Explorers to an organization of their choice. There was a lot of animal and ecosystem information that would be captivating for an older animal-loving child.

Details: Ages 5 to 12, $19 per month, www.juniorexplorers.com

Ivy Kids

The moms loved that each kit was inspired by and included a popular children's book. Our younger testers had loads of fun reading 'Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” and diving into all the activities involving alphabet fun. There was even half a coconut shell included that they enjoyed analyzing and using for scientific experiments. The activities and games included in the kit seemed like ones kids would pick up and play with again.

Details: Ages 3 to 8, $38.95 per month, www.ivy-kids.com

Artsy Fartsy

Of all the kits we tested, the Artsy Fartsy kits seemed to be the simplest. But that's not to say they weren't fun. We tested out three craft kits that our 7-year-old girls were especially enthusiastic about. They decorated a flower pot and planted seeds, which will keep them captivated as the plants begin to grow. The kits came in a fun paint can package, too.

Details: Ages 2 to 10, $24.95 per month, www.artsyfartsybox.com

Groovy Lab in a Box

This kit was particularly intriguing for our science-minded 10-year-old boy. Groovy Lab in a Box believes that kids are natural engineers. The birdhouse kit our kid tester explored certainly proved that theory true. He didn't find the directions to be very helpful so he used the materials it included to construct his design. It was fun that the box it came in also was turned into part of the project. These kits, geared for older kids, are entertaining and engage some of their STEM skills.

Details: Ages 8 and up, $26.95 per month, www.groovylabinabox.com

Cooper & Kid

These kits are designed specifically for kids and their dads. (Hint: This would be a great Father's Day gift idea.) Everyone had fun creating games with the pieces included in the castle-themed set, which also came with a story. The games were quirky and fun and the kids still are playing with the wooden blocks days later.

Details: Ages 5 to 9 with dad, $65 per month, www.cooperandkid.com