I tried Lovevery's Montessori-inspired play kits with my 3 kids, and I'll never go back to other toys

• When I had my first son, I subscribed to Lovevery because I was overwhelmed when it came to toys.
• The brand sends you an age-appropriate box of Montessori toys every couple of months.

When my first child was born five years ago, I thought I had every base covered. We had plenty of diapers, newborn clothes, a fancy stroller, and the Snoo. While that was enough for the first couple of weeks, I realized I hadn't thought about toys, and I panicked.

At that time, everyone on my parenting Facebook groups was talking about the brand Lovevery because they sell age-appropriate, stylish wood toys that are available in subscription kits.

Looking for an easy solution, I subscribed to Lovevery's play kits without thinking twice. Each kit is aimed at kids of specific ages, and comes with four to five learning toys, one or two books, and an instruction pamphlet for parents on how to introduce each activity.

As a new mom, I loved the idea of eco-friendly toys that helped my child's development and came automatically in the mail without me having to scour the Internet for play ideas. I proceeded to subscribe to all the play kits and received one box every three months.

The real win came when I noticed my then-baby totally engaged with the toys. At first, the play kits consisted of things like chew toys, sock rattles, and black and white flashcards to develop eyesight. But as he got older, the open-ended toys captivated him, and he could be entertained for hours playing with stacking blocks, vehicles with peg people, and a puppet theatre with customizable puppets.

The brand was also our first introduction to the educational philosophy developed by Maria Montessori, and it aligned so much with our family style that we signed up our three kids to a Montessori school to continue to foster the kids' independence and development.

Lovevery now sells play kits for kids 4 and older

Up until recently, Lovevery kits were available only for kids up to 3 years old. When my three kids aged out of the kits, I kept looking for the next thing to help me with their needs. I tried renting Montessori-inspired toys, which helped us with clutter, but options for my kids' age range of 3 to 5 were limited.

We explored Legos, which kept them engaged but caused swears between closed teeth from my husband and me when we accidentally stepped on them. I tried avoiding toys with batteries like the plague because having three little kids is already loud and overstimulating.

But then in May, Lovevery announced they were releasing three new play kits aimed at kids 4 and older. I ran to get them.

Right off the bat, my kids each gravitated to a different toy. My oldest, who is into science, wanted to explore the microscope and inspect dog fur, leaves, and little pieces of lint. My 3-year-old twins, who are still in a pretend-play phase, went for the cityscape, swing set, and mini figurines.

While other toys have a start and finish — like, for example, a marble run where the ultimate goal is to have the marble go down the structure — this kit allowed them to use their imaginations and explore the figurines however they wanted.

Beyond being age-appropriate, the brand is also inclusive. My twins play with figurines consisting of little kids of different races and abilities. One figurine had a little wheelchair.

The play kits also come with booklets to help parents talk to kids about physical differences and abilities. The booklets say these dolls can be mirrors or windows for children, allowing them to see their own identities reflected back at them and helping them learn to engage respectfully with other identities. As a parent of mixed-race kids, I really appreciate this.

The new play kits, available for purchase on the brand's website, are delivered every three months. Each box costs $120.