Sago Mini Box is a one-time or monthly subscription box service geared to preschool-aged children, 3-5 years old, that engages their creativity with an eye on sustainability. For $19.99 USD a month, Sago will send your child a new box packed full of activities and games to develop large and fine motor skills, encourage make-believe play and stimulate their creativity. For children 6-11, the company also offers Toca Life Box, activity kits, crafts, and games in a similar monthly subscription service. It’s worth mentioning that although the company is located in Toronto, Ontario, Sago currently only ships to the Continental United States. The company assures me that they are looking for ways to bring Sago Mini boxes to more countries.
The company has won big praise from Wired magazine, USA Today and Bloomberg, along with multiple awards, including the Academics’ Choice Brain Toy award for their creativity and playability.
Our Sago Mini Box came packaged in its branded box along with a 15% off coupon card to share with a friend. The mailing box is nice and sturdy, and it is lined with a colorful cityscape which Sago ingeniously incorporates into one of the activities for the month. More on that later.
Inside each monthly box is a collectible figurine. Our superhero-themed box came with Jack. Three main activities were separated into colored envelopes and wrapped in brown Kraft paper that can be used for drawing or other activities. Sago, as a company, really promotes creativity and “out of the box” thinking.
The first envelope contained a superhero dress-up set complete with a cape, mask, and stickers. All the items needed for your child to make their own superhero costume (encouraging large motor play) and some dice to roll that engaged children in make-believe play by acting out the superhero action combinations on the dice.
Activity number two contained an obstacle course that kids can set up around the home and (with their superhero costume) then take turns saving Jack from the jaws of the alligator, snake, or shark! All of the instructions are included with each activity, including a letter that you can read aloud to your child explaining their mission for that activity. For parents, the back of the envelope also includes pictures with suggestions on how to set up the activity and the educational play benefits that the activity is designed to encourage.
The third activity (our favorite) turned our Sago Mini box (the mailer that our activities came in) into a city playset by turning the box inside out to reveal a full-color Toronto cityscape (Sago’s offices are located in Toronto, Ontario). Kids are encouraged to move Jack through the city and use the included “carrot copter” or slide down the slide and interact with the added elements included in the third envelope.
Sago gets major points for repeat playability, creativity, sustainability, and the fun factor. Kids will be engaged for hours coming up with new activities and ways to play by combining boxes from different months together and interacting with the characters that come in each new box.
Each element of the Sago Mini Box has been built out of sturdy and thick recycled cardboard that is kid-approved and ready for repetitive play! It is perfect for parents looking for new, fun, and educational ways to entertain and educate their children during the pandemic.
