Mysteries In Time

Mysteries In Time Subscription Box Review

These days as parents we often feel like we are battling to ensure that our children don’t spend all their free time with a screen. We want to offer our children something that is exciting and will grab their attention, and if it’s educational even better!

I was really delighted when Mysteries In Time gifted us one of their monthly subscription boxes. What better way to capture the attention of my eight year old than having a Time Machine arrive in the post. From the moment it dropped through the postbox, Rory’s interest was piqued. He was desperate to open it and find out what the mysterious parcel contained. We were kindly sent the Bumper Box. It comes in a Time Machine box which immediately grabs the attention of both young and old!

When we opened our time machine, I could not believe how much was contained inside. Our box was themed around Ancient Egypt. It contained a letter from Katie and Max. These are the main characters of the subscription box and they are there to guide you through your historical adventure. The letter opens up and has a guide to how to use the box inside which was great for first timers like us. You absolutely don’t need to follow the order they suggest. It’s designed to be very flexible. The first box you receive contains a large wall map which also has a timeline. We really liked this as a starting point. We found UK and then Egypt which was a great starting place to set the scene for the rest of the box.

Katie and Max are also featured in the adventure book you receive. Our Egyptian Adventure novel had 15 chapters which means you could break it up and read a little bit across several days. However, if like Rory you are a bookworm, you could also devour it in one sitting! Because the Ancient Egyptian box is the first in the series, the book sets the scene for the historical adventures you are going to enjoy. Max and Katie receive a mysterious letter from an unknown sender who has invented a time machine. He asks Max and Katie to promise not to tell anyone about it so the time machine doesn’t fall into the wrong hands! Rory loved this and firmly promised not to tell anyone about the secret time machine. He explains that they will travel through time in order so solves some mysteries that people have been trying to solve throughout time. In the Egyptian adventure, a Pharaoh and his daughter seem to have disappeared. Rory was so enthusiastic as he read the story. He commented that he really loved it as every time he tried to guess what would happen, he was wrong. The book really kept him guessing.

The box also contains a non-fiction magazine. The information is broken down into boxes meaning that the information isn’t overwhelming and very easy to digest. It also means that it is easy to dip in and out of. The magazine also contains colouring sheets, a quiz about Ancient Egypt and some fun puzzles. Rory liked that the puzzle pages had a really variety of things to do including number puzzles, spot the difference, anagrams and a word search to name but a few. There is a postcard in the box which is a guide to hieroglyphics. There is a chance to decipher some hieroglyphics and have a go at writing your own too.

The Bumper Box also contains a craft kit. This was Rory’s favourite part of the box. In the Ancient Egyptian box, you receive a pot of air dry clay and some sticky gems. The activity is to make an Egyptian amulet. The instructions suggest that if you split your clay, you should be able to make two amulets. Rory made an Eye of Horace and an Ankr and we still had plenty of clay left over to make another amulet. We used a playdough tool and a rolling pin which we already own for the craft however you could easily mould the clay with your hands.

Another lovely touch found in the Bumper Box is a topical gift. We received a Tutankhamen pen which Rory absolutely adored and used to complete all the puzzles. There is also a sheet of Egyptian stickers. One of which is to be stuck on the time line on the wall map. The rest are to be used as the child wishes.

As a parent, I really loved the Mysteries In Time subscription box. I felt that there was something in there to please everyone – a little geography, some craft, an exciting story and of course some history. It was really wonderful to see how enthusiastic Rory was from the moment it was opened and he has decided he is going to use his birthday money to buy some more of the boxes. As a child who is usually quite reluctant to part with his pocket money, that is a really endorsement. I asked him to give it a rating and his response was 20/10!

Mysteries In Time offer two subscription services – the Classic Pack and the Bumper Box. The classic pack has similar contents to the Bumper Box however it doesn’t include the craft or the historical gift. This pack is £7.95 per month + postage. The Bumper Pack is £12.95 per month + postage. If you have a child like Rory who loves craft then I would say it is worth the extra pennies to get the Bumper Box. Also, there is a discount if you commit to subscribing for 6 or 12 months. You can find out more by visiting their website: