Kidstir

What's in the box: Three illustrated recipes, a kid-friendly kitchen tool, Foodie Fun magazine, achievement stickers, a shopping list and a MasterChef Junior challenge.

Kidstir is a monthly cooking subscription for kids built around the MasterChef Junior TV show. It is listed under kids activity and STEM, but it is really a cooking kit. Each box focuses on recipes, kitchen skills and games based on the show rather than science experiments. Families choose a plan length, and longer plans cost less per month. The monthly plan is $23.99 a month and the yearly plan is $19.99 a month. Every plan comes with a free apron, and the yearly plan adds a mitt. The site says shipping is free on US orders and that subscriptions renew automatically but can be paused or cancelled at any time. Each box has three recipes with photographed step by step guides, a shopping list with dietary substitutions, a kid-friendly kitchen tool, Foodie Fun magazine, achievement stickers and a recipe from a contestant on the show. The shopping list suggests families buy their own ingredients, so parents should expect a grocery run. Extras include an at-home Mystery Box challenge, monthly prize entries, augmented reality cook-along content and an online community. The site also mentions cooking along with Daniel Tiger, which may appeal to younger children. Fans of the show will get the most out of it. Families who want broader STEM projects should look elsewhere.