A box from the people who know your child (better than you?): Citrus Lane Review

I thought I was a fairly good judge of what my newly two-year-old likes to play with.  Until I received a Citrus Lane box in the mail to review.  I'm sure you've heard of subscription boxes like Citrus Lane.  You sign up for a subscription based on your child's age and then receive a box in the mail each month with toys and snacks curated specifically for your child's peer group.

I've reviewed a couple boxes like this before - PetiteBox and a children's clothing box called WittleBee - and loved them both but unfortunately both are no longer around.  The subscription box competition is fierce, it seems, with many newcomers setting up shop and just as many going out of business.  I've been hearing the name Citrus Lane for years now and was excited at the chance to finally get to try it since this would most likely have been my top choice for baby shower/new baby/young child birthday presents because this more established service seems much less likely to go out of business.

Let's get back to the fact that I don't know my child as well as I thought I did.  You see, when I first opened the Citrus Lane box, I wasn't thrilled.  I just wasn't sure Lucia would like the items.  They seemed like nice quality toys.  I liked them.  But I just didn't think they were her speed.  Oops, mom, you're wrong.  Lucia loves them and three of the items in the box are going in the "best gifts for two-year-olds" post I'm in the process of writing.

Here's a breakdown of what we received:














Puppy Slide Whistle from Hohner Kids - $10 value 

I thought this whistle was super cute but that Lucia might not be old enough to understand how to use it.  I was wrong.  Here's a video of her using it for the first time:

As you can see, it took her about 2.2 seconds to figure it out.  We frequently have "concerts" in our home now.  

Dreamz to Go Octo from Cloud B - $20 value

I cannot recommend this enough for little ones!  It's a little too bright, in my opinion, to use as a night light, but Lucia loves to go into her room at night, turn out the lights, turn this one and just stare.  It's definitely a nice way to get a overactive little one to sit still and relax for a while before bed.  We'll lay on our backs on her floor and stare up at the stars together, giggle and talk, as if we were in a meadow looking up at the night sky.  This is something I would have never thought to buy but that has really been a great addition to Lucia's room.  

Ladybug Magazine - $4.95 value
+ free 3-month digital subscription - $4.50 value (calculated based on $18/year)

My grandparents asked me to order Lucia a magazine subscription with the money they gave her for her birthday, so I was pleased to get this magazine as part of the box.  I had been trying to decide between Ladybug and High Five magazines, and decided to go with the Ladybug after receiving this issue and the discount code that came in the box ($19.95 for a full year print + digital, which sells on the Ladybug website for $51.90!!!). Ladybug is for children 3-6, so I was surprised to see it in my box, but for Lucia, I think it's a better option than Babybug, which she's probably outgrow soon if she hasn't already.  I'd prefer to get reading material slightly above her current level that we can reuse for the next several years.

BOPS from Good Boy Organics

The Baked Organic Potato Snacks (BOPS) were a flop.  I like that it was organic but they tasted like cardboard to me.  Lucia didn't care much for them either.  I offered the bag to her on several occasions and she's maybe eat one.  Obviously, with a food item, not everyone is going to like it and if there was a flop item in the box, I'd prefer it to be the low value food item.  

Overall, I was very pleased with the box.  It had relatively few items, but I think that most parents would appreciate a few higher-quality items than a bunch of smaller items.  The items, save for the BOPS, were obviously chosen by someone who knows two-year-old and the surprise of the box, as well as the value, make it worth it if you are looking for a great gift or a fun monthly surprise.  Citrus Lane has subscriptions for newborns through five-year-olds, each costing only $25 per month.  If you are interested in trying Citrus Lane for yourself, use this link to get $10 off your subscription. 

I received the above mentioned Citrus Lane box free of charge in order to facilitate this review. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions are 100% mine. See Disclosure Policy.