Tovi vs KiwiCo: Daily Household Activities vs Monthly Project Boxes
Tovi vs KiwiCo: Which Fits Your Family?
KiwiCo mails hands-on STEM, art, and science projects to your door, sorted into age-tiered lines — Panda and Koala for the youngest, Kiwi and beyond up through teens. Each box arrives with the materials and instructions for a self-contained build, and the quality is genuinely good: the projects are thoughtfully designed, screen-free, and satisfying to complete. For parents who want a reliable, well-made maker activity without sourcing supplies themselves, KiwiCo removes all the friction. The box shows up, and there's something real to make together.
Tovi is screen-free too, but it works from the other direction. Instead of shipping you materials, it gives you one short, personalized off-screen activity each day, built from items already in your home — a cardboard box, a handful of pasta, some tape. It also coaches you on behavior and routines and tracks developmental progress from birth through the teen years, using gentle scaffolding learning to meet your child where they are. The core axis of difference is cadence and supply: KiwiCo is a monthly, materials-included project; Tovi is a daily, materials-free prompt that adapts to your specific child.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Tovi | KiwiCo |
|---|---|---|
| Core format | Daily off-screen activity you lead | Monthly project box by mail |
| Activity Suggestions | Yes — daily, off-screen, household items | Yes — one project kit per month |
| Parent Coaching | Yes — behavior, routines, development | No — project instructions only |
| Personalization | Yes — adapts to your child | Age-tiered crate lines |
| Developmental Tracking | Yes — birth through teens | No |
| Age Range | 0-18 | Toddler through teen |
| Screen-Based? | No | No — physical projects |
Pricing Comparison
Tovi offers a free tier with daily activities and parent guidance, plus a premium plan that unlocks the full personalized library and milestone tracking. There's nothing else to buy — activities use items already in your home.
KiwiCo is a monthly subscription, with the per-box price usually dropping on longer plans, plus separately purchasable single crates. Rates and line-ups change, so check current pricing before subscribing. What you're buying is a curated kit each month with every material included, delivered ready to build.
The value models differ clearly: KiwiCo sells a physical project and the convenience of not sourcing supplies; Tovi sells personalized daily guidance that turns things you already own into play, with nothing to ship or restock. If you're weighing options, see our KiwiCo alternatives roundup.
Best For
Choose Tovi if:
- You want something to do every day, not once a month
- You'd rather use what you already own than wait on a delivery
- You want milestone tracking and parenting guidance, not just a project
- Your kids span a wide age range and you want one tool for all of them
- You'd like to avoid an ongoing subscription of physical goods
Choose KiwiCo if:
- You want a polished, materials-included project delivered ready to go
- You value not having to plan or gather supplies yourself
- A monthly cadence suits your family better than a daily one
- Your child loves open-ended building and making
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Tovi and KiwiCo do the same thing?
Not quite. Both are screen-free and hands-on, but KiwiCo delivers one materials-included project per month, while Tovi gives you a new personalized activity every day using items already in your home. Some families keep KiwiCo for the monthly big build and use Tovi to fill the days in between.
Which is better for a busy household?
It depends on where your friction is. If planning and sourcing supplies is the hard part, KiwiCo removes it with a ready-made box. If waiting on shipments and storing kits is the hassle, Tovi's daily, materials-free prompts fit a busy home better — there's nothing to order and nothing to run out of.
Does Tovi require screen time for my child?
No. Tovi runs on your phone to give you the day's activity; the play itself happens entirely off-screen, between you and your child. Your child never needs to look at a device.
Ready for parenting that tells you exactly what to do today? Try Tovi free and get one personalized activity built for your child.