Lalo’s Play Boxes Are Filled With Toys Your Kid Will Actually Enjoy

When you are a new parent, or friends with one, trying to stay on top of age-appropriate toys for your baby or toddler can be so exhausting. Everyone’s constantly telling you to get this and that to help some part of your baby’s brain and body to develop, or telling you what to avoid because it’s harmful in some way. And then, because the children are too young to voice their opinions, you end up trying to make the parents happy more than anyone else. But shopping for toys for babies and toddlers doesn’t have to be so stressful, and one way to help mitigate the anxiety is to hand the reins over to the experts. Enter The Play Box, Lalo’s new curated toy subscription box that takes the guesswork out of trying to figure out when and what new toy to bring in next for your baby or toddler.

If you’re a new of a little one and on Instagram, you 100% have seen, and maybe even have, the popular minimalist highchair from Lalo. The products in each Play Box package are in-line what you would expect from the boutique baby brand: cute, well- and thoughtfully-designed, and curated with sustainability in mind.

What’s in the Lalo Play Box?

What makes this subscription box unique? These boxes are filled with items I think your kid will actually play with, and will make you feel pretty good too. As an expecting and new mom, I leaned hard into the Sad Beige, Montessori aesthetic and, many dollars and regretful decisions later, quickly pivoted when I realized her children 9/10 times prefers the antithesis of simple, monochromatic toy in blond wood. They want color and noise and things they can toss across the room because loud but not-too-loud sounds are fun.

Visually, the toys included in each box are colorful and energetic, but toned down ever so slightly to just not make them garish. And the items are simple and straightforward. We’re not looking at any innovative toys here, but that’s part of the appeal — why mess with something that’s worked for ages? The convenience is really in the curation, knowing that you’re getting a reasonable assortment of items that will tide you and your child over until the next developmental leap.

In total, there are 10 boxes, intended for children spanning from 0-24 months. Each box has a suggested age range stamped on the box and includes anywhere from 4-6 items.

The items in each box are selected with the best intentions, and based on the developmental level most babies are at each specific age range, physically and cognitively. For example, the 0-12 weeks box included, amongst other items, a stack of black and white cards because newborns can most clearly see high-contrast colors at that age. The cloth crinkle book, also black-and white, is easy to wash and grasp and engages multiple senses simultaneously when Baby interacts with it. In comparison, the 16-18 month old box has more tactile, responsive toys, like a stacked race track and cutting fruits and veggies set, that helps reinforce the idea of cause-and-effect, all the while encouraging them to activate their fine and gross motor skills.

Within each box there is a booklet and QR code explaining what the toys are, why they are age-appropriate (where most babies are developmentally and how interacting with each individual toy supports that development), and how your child can interact with them. These videos are led by Lizzie Assa, Lalo’s Head of Play & Development, who holds a masters in childhood education.

Pricing & how the subscription plan works

Each box of the 10 boxes includes an assortment of items including toys and books. If you sign up for the subscription model, a new box gets delivered every 2 months.

With the subscription model, the boxes are $80 each (and shipping is included), but you don’t have to commit to one to get access to these boxes. The boxes can be bought a la cart, and they range from $90 - $135 each.

The materials

The toys might actually look familiar, and that’s because Lalo’s not trying to take over the world as a toy manufacturer — they partnered with a company that already does this and does it well. If the products look familiar, that’s because they are. All the toys are from PlanToys, a longstanding Thailand-based company that has been making Montessori-esque toys for decades and recognized for not only the quality of their toys but the sustainability efforts behind making them. All their products are made from environmentally-conscious materials like reclaimed rubberwood and upcycled leftover sawdust. Their wooden toys are even coated in a non-toxic water-based lacquer which makes them safe for water play.

Worth noting also is that Lalo has set up a unique donation program for families who are looking to re-home these toys in the future. Called the Re-Play program, customers can request a shipping label to donate their toys to a family in need. I mean, you’ll probably have plenty of friends pawing for the leftovers when your kids are done playing with them, but it’s nice to know that the option is there if you want it.

Lalo’s Play Boxes are available here.