The Fox family has spent over a year testing this product. In this Think Outside review, I will tell you what happened. From the price to the changes in our daughter after starting the subscription – I’ll reveal all so you can decide if it’s worth the investment.
Think Outside Review: Fast Facts
- What exactly are Think Outside Boxes? Every month you get a certain box that is built around a theme. The themes include topics such as first aid, fire, water, wildlife, shelter, and more.
- Each box is unique. Each box includes items such as a booklet with instructions on tasks that are all outdoor-related. There are some that teach skills such as morse code, fire starting, knots, and more.
- Each box also includes quick reference resource cards. These cards work as a supplement for the booklet and are laminated so they will endure the elements more easily.
- There are also gadgets in each box. Bear bells, flint and steel, a solar-powered light, compasses, and more. There were some items I wanted for myself.
- How much does it cost? The prices vary based on whether you get one box or a longer-term subscription. If you want to just try out one box it will be $44.95 but that may change based on deals they have.
Think Outside Review: Price
The prices vary but are broken down into various categories:
You can buy monthly, quarterly, half a year, or a full year.
One box costs $44.95 but the full year is $40.45 a box. That’s a savings of $54.00.
I first was taken aback by the price until we started receiving boxes. There are some really high-quality items in the boxes and lots of games and activities that can be woven into homeschooling. After receiving some boxes and looking at what was included in them I wondered how they could make a profit. When you think of it the price is no more than one of the textbooks that you buy your child for school, and the boxes are much more entertaining and useful.
Rating: 8/10
Think Outside Review: Design
Each box comes loaded with activities and books with brilliant pictures and educational material. Your child will be mesmerized by the pictures and activities contained in each one. The box itself is fairly plain but I think that makes it even more thrilling when your child opens it because they never know what will be inside.
Rating: 8/10
Think Outside Review: Effectiveness
They have activities and colorful gadgets but I am sure you are asking yourself, “Do they actually get your kid outside?” Our daughter went from a kid who had to be bribed with marshmallows to sit around a campfire to a child who thrills in setting up a fire and campsite. She can even use good old-fashioned flint and steel to start her own fire. What’s more, she wants to go outside on cold winter nights so she can check the stars and find different constellations now.
Rating: 10/10
Think Outside Review: Homeschooling
These days many parents are hurting to supplement the poor educational activities that are found in our local schools. THiNK OUTSiDE BOXES are a great resource filled with fun STEM-related homeschool extracurricular activities that educate as well as instill a love of the outdoors and nature. From simple science experiments to learning Morse code, your child will be given tasks that are both fun and educational. They will learn about topics that might be briefly covered in a normal school curriculum, but they will see real-world uses for the education they are getting.
Rating: 9/10
Think Outside Review: Survival Skills
As a former military officer, I am thankful that even if the world melted down right now, I could survive and keep my family alive in the wild. Hopefully, I will never have to do that, but it is reassuring knowing that I have those skills that can’t be taken away from me. As my daughter learns what to do in the event of an emergency, I am even more reassured.
These are just some kids survival skills my daughter has gained:
- How to build a simple shelter
- How to build a fire
- Different ways of signaling for help
- What to do in the case of a fire at home
- How to tie knots
- Morse Code
Rating: 8/10
Think Outside Review: Final Verdict
It was rough when we first started taking our daughter camping. Bugs, the elements, and just about everything else you could think of stopped us from enjoying our time as we listened to her complaints. These days she is like a new kid. I’m the one whining because I don’t really feel like going out all the time. My child hates bugs and even runs away from ladybugs. Ladybugs!!! These boxes changed all of that. She still thinks ladybugs are scary, but she enjoys all kinds of new activities outside and has gained new skills that may one day save her life.
Think Outside boxes were created by families just like ourselves who were looking for ways to teach and have fun while enjoying nature. Mr. Fox had the good luck to be involved in a very long chat with one of the founders. After that conversation, we were sold. The great thing is that you don’t have to buy a box to benefit from some materials provided on their site. You can find lesson plans and other links right on their site that are helpful if you have a box but are also great if you just want to explore what they are about.
If you have a little one who you are trying to coax away from the television and out into the fresh air, this might be the thing you are looking for. I can’t say it will be the same for every kid but these boxes had a profound effect on mine. I know it was mine.
Overall Rating: 9/10
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