2 kids in 1 box

Best Toddler and Kids Lunch Box (Updated for 2022)

If you need a kids lunch box to pack for your toddler or big kid to go to daycare, preschool, school, camp, or just a day out of the house, here are the best of the best. These lunch boxes will last, are easy to clean, and have a range of price points to fit your budget.

Kids Lunch Box

I’ve been packing toddler lunches and big kid lunches for at least one of my three kids for almost 10 years, and I’ve learned a lot about what makes a great lunch box. It comes down to the material you prefer, ease of washing, durability, price, and the sorts of lunches you prefer to pack in terms of temperature.

I am determined to help you choose a lunchbox that will last so you can make the most out of your purchase.

The lunchboxes here have been vetted by real kids (and parents) in real life and have been tested for an entire year of school lunches (or more) to ensure they hold up to normal kid usage.

I hope that these reviews help you decide which might be the best container to use for your baby, toddler, or elementary-aged kiddo.

(I have a whole separate post on baby lunch boxes, too.)

Perfectly size for a toddler lunch, this affordable set of 4 is made of BPA-free plastic. They nest for easy storage, and the top and bottom are easy to wash. The bento-box-style compartments are perfectly sized for toddlers, and they are incredibly handy for packing multiple lunches at once—or for traveling!

(This is also a great baby lunch box or a snack container for kids.)

Best for: Toddler lunches that don’t need to be reheated, making multiple lunches at once (since you get a set of 4)
Price: Under $13 for a set of 4

Best Affordable School Lunch Box: Easy Lunchboxes

These heavy-duty BPA-free plastic lunch boxes are incredibly handy, and we’ve been using the same set for at least 3 years now. Plus, they are easy to stack and store, and they’re super affordable. They are fairly large for just a toddler lunch—for a year I used one to pack lunch and two daily snacks all together for a 1-year-old—so I like these for age 4 and up.

They’re great for kindergarten lunches.

I like to put silicone muffin tin liners in the large compartment to hold different foods. These are also great for a full day of traveling since they hold a lot of food in a compact container.

Best for: Packing a day’s worth of food in one container, lunches for kids (and adults!) 4+
Price: Under $14 for a set of 4

TIP: There are a few copycat versions of the Easy Lunchboxes and they are NOT as good. They leak and break easily, from what I’ve heard, so go with the real brand!

With an insulated 7.5-ounce center compartment to keep cold foods cold and warm foods warm, this is a great option for packing daily lunches with a mix of temperatures. So you could pack warm pasta alongside cold fruit and sides, for example. 

And on days when you don’t need the insulated part, you can simply remove it and pack a sandwich or whatever bento-box-style lunch you’d like to put there.

Best for: Packing lunches with some warm food and some cold food, all in one box.
Price: About $45

TIP: The pieces of this are easy to remove and clean, so it’s very easy to wash and air dry. You can also get the insulated bag to carry it in.

Best Leakproof Lunchbox: Bentgo

These come in the cutest designs, have handy compartments to make packing lunches easy, and are super simple to wash—the divided insert is removable! They also come with a 2-year warranty, which I love as reassurance that you’re getting your money’s worth.

Everyone from my toddler to my oldest elementary-age kiddo loves this box. They even have a model that fits an ice pack so the lunch box stays cold.

Best for: Packing a mix of foods together in one easy container.
Price: About $30

TIP: The brand makes lunch bags, too, which is handy if you’re needing to send lunch with an ice pack to keep it cool.

This small insulated thermos is perfect for pasta, soup, oatmeal, pizza rolls, rice and beans, and more. I know everyone always thinks thermoses are just for soup, but I’ve actually never once used it for soup! It’s a good size for toddlers (you may not need to fill it all the way for littler ones), and it’s super durable. 

Best for: Packing occasional hot lunches, being able to pack a larger portion of the main hot (or cold) food.
Price: About $25

TIP: This is available in 8-, 12-, and 16-ounce sizes so you can choose the one that works for your kids.

Best Stainless-Steel Lunch Box for Baby and Toddlers: Lunchbots Quad

This is perfectly sized for a toddler appetite. It won’t hold foods like applesauce (the lid doesn’t close as securely as my other picks), but it’s otherwise a great option for little eaters. It’s easy to clean and it’s small, so it packs into a backpack, insulated lunch bag, or a diaper bag nicely.  

It’s also lightweight, so it won’t weigh down a backpack or bag.

Best for: Packing little kid lunches or snacks for on the go. This is a great baby lunch box, too.
Price: About $30

Best Stainless-Steel Lunchbox for Big Kids: Planetbox Rover

I find these popular lunch boxes to be too heavy for little kids, but if you’re looking for a stainless-steel lunch box to last through elementary school, this is a great option. The different compartments make it easy to pack a few food groups all together, too.

It’s an investment as far as the cost goes, but it’s one you’ll have to make only once.

Best for: Elementary-age kids wanting a plastic-free lunch box that will last
Price: About $60

Frequently Asked Questions

Which material is best in a lunch box?

Stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, and silicone are all good material options that are all easy to wash and care for. Stainless may be the most durable, but it can be heavy and more expensive. This often comes down to a personal decision.

How many lunch boxes do I need to buy?

You really only need one per child, assuming you plan to care for it well of course! I like the Easy Lunchboxes sets since I find it convenient to have a few extra in case we travel as a family and us parents need packed lunches too. Or if a kiddo looses one of that set of 4, it’s not the end of the world since they are lower cost.

Can lunchboxes go into the dishwasher?

Yes, though I usually hand wash them since we use them frequently.

Which lunchbox can my toddler or kindergartener open on their own?

It depends on his age but the Easy Lunchboxes Snack Box and the Lunchbots are both good options, especially for toddlers who need to be able to open their box at daycare or preschool on their own.

After that, a kindergartener should be able to open all of these (though if a lid of a thermos is secured on really tightly, they may need to ask a teacher for help.)

Best Snack Containers for Kids Lunches

If you need to send a snack or want to send lunch in individual containers, these are the ones we’ve found to be the best.

• Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags: These are wipe-clean, machine washable, and endlessly reusable. And the patterns are so darn cute!
• Replay Recycled Snack Stacker: We’ve had one set of these for years and I find them to be so great for taking snacks on the go—and for keeping said snacks from getting smushed in a bag. I regularly use these for my elementary-age kiddo’s afternoon snack.
• Lunchskins Bags: If you want a paper bag, these are awesome. They’re paper and recyclable.
• Beaba Clip Containers: This set is also really handy since the containers stack and hold together. We use them regularly, too.

TIP: You can find a full run-down of Snack Containers for kids.

Kids Lunch Box Ideas

I know the biggest challenge of packing kids lunches is the question of what to pack, so these posts will help you will with all of the ideas!

• 25 Toddler Lunch Ideas for Daycare
• 80 Healthy Lunch Ideas
• 50 Healthy Recipes for Lunch
• How to Meal Prep for Lunch
• 15 Easy Bento Box Lunches
• 10 Easy N0-Cook School Lunches

TIP: If you need a lunch bag to keep your packed lunch cool, check out this post with my picks.

Related Recipes

If you have a favorite lunch box that’s on my list or not, I’d love to know about it—especially if it’s easy for your toddler to open and close all on their own!

This post was first published June 2016.

Enjunior Box VOL-1 For Age 2+ Kids/ Toddler Boys & Girls Toys For Age 2+ Learning and Educational Toys, Books & Games (1 Box Set) Price in India

Toys and Games

Learning and Educational Toys

Flashcards and Workbooks

Enjunior Box Flashcards and Workbooks

Enjunior Box VOL-1 For Age 2+ Kids/ Toddler Boys & Girls Toys For Age 2+ Learning and Educational Toys, Books & Games (1 Box Set) (Blue)

Available offers

Delivery

Check

Enter pincode

Delivery by19 Feb, Sunday|Free₹

40

?

if ordered before 2:59 AM

View Details

Highlights

• Paper Material
• No batteries Battery
• Non Rechargeable
• Width x Height: 330 mm x 240 mm

Services

Seller

SHOPEECLUB

4. 2

Description

This box comes with 3 books and 4 activities designed just for age 2+,These books and activities develop a child’s love for reading, build thinking skills, and improve socio-emotional skills.

Read More

Specifications

General

Dimensions

Frequently Bought Together

Enjunior Box VOL-1 For Age 2+ Kids/ Toddler Boys & Girls Toys For...

4.2

(123)

₹604

₹999

39% off

Authfort Wooden Educational Toys Magnetic Art Easel Animals Woode...

4.1

(264)

1 Item

₹604

1 Add-on

₹499

Total

₹1,103

Ratings & Reviews

123 Ratings &

9 Reviews

• 5★

• 4★

• 3★

• 2★

• 1★

• 57

• 46

• 15

• 1

• 4

5

Brilliant

What an amazing and attractive box. The design is very impressive. I bought it for my niece and she loved it. It has so many fun filled doings that keeps your kids busy.

Recommended for all mothers who are looking to enhance the creativity of their children.

Very very happy!!!!!

READ MORE

Flipkart Customer

Certified Buyer, Gurgaon

Jun, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

3

Good

Ok

READ MORE

Jerin Joseph

Certified Buyer, Thrikkodithanam

May, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

3

Decent product

One time playable..

READ MORE

Flipkart Customer

Certified Buyer, Changanacherry

Jun, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

4

Value-for-money

Good

READ MORE

dasarat mumme

Certified Buyer, Ysr District

11 months ago

Permalink

Report Abuse

5

Classy product

Love a lot this product was amazing

READ MORE

Flipkart Customer

Certified Buyer, Chandrapur

11 months ago

Permalink

Report Abuse

5

Super!

Is is a good product.

READ MORE

Uday Mukherjee

Certified Buyer, Golaghat District

Sep, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

5

Perfect product!

Worthy

READ MORE

Flipkart Customer

Certified Buyer, Coimbatore

Jun, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

4

Nice product

Perfect for a toddler,

READ MORE

Flipkart Customer

Certified Buyer, Nanded

May, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

5

Super!

Such a beautiful gift for my 2.9 year old. Thanku.

READ MORE

Nidhi Harish

Certified Buyer, Kalyan

Apr, 2021

Permalink

Report Abuse

+

All 9 reviews

Have doubts regarding this product?

Safe and Secure Payments.Easy returns. 100% Authentic products.

You might be interested in

Baby Musical Toy

Min. 50% Off

Shop Now

Art Craft Kit

Min. 50% Off

Shop Now

Back to top

the story of the murder of an unknown child in the USA

Now this child could be about 70 years old, if only he had survived. No one knows who his parents were and where his house was, who beat him and left him to die in a box. But decades later, the police at least managed to find out his name, and there was hope that a little more would become known about the fate of the child.

Ksenia Ilchenko

Philadelphia police, Wikimedia Commons

In Ivy Hill Cemetery in Cedarbrook, USA, there is a grave with a simple tombstone and the inscription - "America's Unknown Child". It contains the remains of a boy who was found beaten to death 65 years ago. Then, at 1957, the investigation checked thousands of versions in an attempt to identify the child and find out who did this to him, but reached a dead end.

Contents of the article

Where was the boy found?

Monday, February 23, 1957. A student at La Salle College came to surreptitiously look at the girls enrolled in the Sisters of Good Shepard, a correctional home for "wayward" youth. In the undergrowth next to the road, he noticed a box in which a child's head could be seen. The student mistook him for a doll and passed by. And only on February 25, when he heard the news about the missing girl from New Jersey, the young man decided to return and, having found the body in the box, called the police.

The boy was dead. He was lying in a box from under the crib, stripped naked, hastily wrapped in a flannel sheet, very thin and covered with bruises. The hair of the child, whose age visually did not exceed seven years, was cut short and sloppy - according to the conclusions of the investigation, this was done on purpose to make it more difficult to identify the victim. Off the side of the road, the police found a corduroy cap and a pair of children's shoes, but it turned out that they were not connected with the case. There were no other clues.

What did the child die of?

Pathological examination showed that the boy died from a blunt force trauma. Judging by the old bruises, the child had been beaten before, but none of the bones were broken. Experts also concluded that the boy was starving, which led to severe exhaustion. As mentioned earlier, the child was completely naked at the time of discovery, but there was no evidence that he had been sexually abused. A postoperative scar was found on the body - presumably after the removal of an inguinal hernia - and traces of droppers on the ankle, which indicated that the child was receiving medical care.

Investigation

Over the next six decades, detectives tested one lead after another. We started with an examination of the body. The cut hair suggested that the offender was trying to "cover up" his tracks. On the right leg and arm, the skin was wrinkled, and the investigators suggested that the child could spend part of the time in the water.

It sounds incredible that the "box boy" was dressed and photographed sitting in a chair. Shocking pictures appeared in all the newspapers and on posters throughout the city - the police hoped that the children would be able to recognize the child in such a "live" form. The archives of hospitals were raised - the investigation was looking for records of male patients who were treated for hernias and underwent blood transfusions. All versions, even the most improbable ones, were checked, including the assumption that the boy could be a Hungarian refugee, a victim of kidnapping, and somehow connected with workers of the traveling fair. But despite all efforts, no convincing leads were found.

Of all the leads investigators tried to identify the child, only two seemed promising. The first arose in 1960, when a medical examiner named Remington Bristow spoke to a psychic who brought the specialist to Arthur and Catherine Nicoletti and their 20-year-old daughter, Anna Marie Naji. The family lived a couple of kilometers from where the body was found and raised several adopted children. At Nicoletti Bristow's house, he noticed a cradle of the same make and model that was listed on the box with the body. Flannel sheets similar to the one the boy was wrapped in were also found. Bristow suggested that the child may have been the "illegitimate" son of the unmarried Anne Marie. The police tried to work out this version, but in the end reached a dead end.

Forty years later, in 2002, the woman identified as "M" in the case told investigators that the boy was bought by her abusive mother from another family in 1954. "M" claimed that the deceased was named Jonathan and that he had been physically and sexually abused by her mother. After the child vomited up baked beans one night, the woman beat him to death in a fit of rage. The story of "M" inspired hope in the police, since baked beans were also found in the stomach of the child during the autopsy.

In addition, according to the testimony, the mother of “M” tried to bathe the boy after the beating, which could explain the wrinkled skin on his fingers. But in the end, the investigation was unable to proceed with this statement due to insufficient data to bring charges. Decades passed, but it was not possible to find out more about the fate of the boy.

In 1998, when DNA analysis technology fell into the hands of law enforcement agencies, the child's remains were exhumed. The case of "the boy from the box" was included in the list of the most wanted people in the United States. By that time, the investigation already had a computer reconstruction of the child's face and the results of a genetic analysis of his biomaterials, which led to the emergence of new versions.

Breakthrough in case

In December 2022, the Philadelphia police announced that after 65 years, the name of the boy, Joseph Augustus Zarelli, had been revealed. This became possible thanks to the work of specialists in genetic genealogy - a relatively new direction in detective work, thanks to which many dead-end cases have been solved in recent years. Experts compared the child's DNA samples with data from a nationwide database and found the boy's maternal relatives. The police managed to find out that Joseph's parents had long since died, but his brother and sisters are alive - their names were not disclosed. Joseph was born on January 13, 1953 years old, and at the time of his death he was four years old.

Despite the breakthrough in the case, the mystery of the “boy in the box” has not yet been fully solved, because the answer to the main question is who killed the child? — still not. But new data has helped the investigation move forward, and officials say they already have suspects.

Do you think it will be possible to find Joseph's killer?

Source

Do-it-yourself sensory boxes for children from 6 months to 2 years old - Zhili-Bili

Maria Montessori, a well-known educator, found that the age from birth to 3 years is a period of active sensory development of a child. At this age, the baby receives information about the world mainly through the senses: by feeling, examining objects, learning their properties, the child is developing rapidly.

The task of parents is to create an environment for the child in which he can receive as many different sensations as possible, in which his fingers will actively work. In this case, the sensor box is an indispensable assistant. Here the child can touch, pour, pour, fold and shift, crumple, hide and look for objects - in general, explore without any restrictions. Games in the sensory box develop fine motor skills, attention, perseverance, coordination of movements. And what is very important - such an invaluable toy can be easily made with your own hands with virtually no special material costs.

The sensory box can be either a cardboard box (for example, from under shoes), or a basin, bowl, plastic container, pan. Various bulk or liquid fillers, small objects, toys and tools for the first experiments are placed in this container. Parents are required to regularly change the contents of the box so that the contents do not bore the baby, and also show the child what can be done with certain items. At first, it will be interesting for the baby to simply get objects with his fingers, fold and shift them, then you can connect a scoop, a sieve to games, learn to sort objects into jars, focusing on color or shape, use a story game.

What is a good base sensor box filling? Cereals (millet, buckwheat, oatmeal, rice (regular or colored), couscous, semolina), legumes (lentils, beans, peas), nuts, seeds, pasta, natural materials (cones, acorns, grass, straw, leaves, small pebbles, sand, snow), cotton balls, pieces of foam rubber, yarn, fabric scraps, buttons, aquarium soil, water, hydrogel (aqua soil), shaving foam.

In addition, you will need small toys and household items fun to play with in a box. For example, animal figurines, letters, numbers, cubes, rings, balls, pebbles, buttons, nuts, cups, bowls, etc. Try not to use too many elements, as it will be harder for the child to concentrate, and free space in the box is also necessary. Necessarily needed the first tools : scoop, spoons, ladle, strainer, rake, etc.

I will give examples of interesting and not too difficult sensory boxes that Taisiya liked.

Baby's first sensory box can be made as soon as he learns to sit. Small fillers at this age are best avoided, put something larger in the box, for example, balls, a bell, a brush, a hedgehog ball, a wooden spoon, a sponge, cubes, a jar of cereals (as a rattle), etc. It is advisable to pick up objects so that they differ in color, shape and, most importantly, to the touch - soft, hard, prickly, rough, smooth. It is better to pre-wash all things, because, most likely, the baby will taste them.

According to my observations, from the age of 9-10 months a child begins to have a real passion for small objects. I remember that Taisiya was attracted even by every piece of trash on the carpet, she squeezed her still poorly trained fingers with an effort to take it. This is the best time to make sensory boxes with small items for children. Add pebbles, beans, bolts, dice, coins (clean), buttons and other small things to the cereal. The child will love choosing items from cereals and putting them in a jar. During the game, the pinched grip with fingers is well trained. An older child (from about 1 year 3 months) can also be offered to sort the found items by color or shape.

You can also practice weapon actions in such a box, so prepare scoops, spoons and containers. Those who have already learned how to cope with a scoop can be shown how to pour cereal from one container to another.

Perhaps someone will say that it is dangerous to give small objects to a 10-month-old child, he will definitely drag them into his mouth and choke. Indeed, the baby will probably want to taste a new toy, so the game should only take place under the close supervision of an adult. After each attempt by the child to put a button in his mouth, calmly remove the baby's hand from his mouth and explain that these toys can only be played with fingers.

My daughter Taisiya loved to find toys buried in the box. I hid the toys in the croup so that a small piece was visible, and she eagerly began to take them out of the shelter. Finger strength is well developed in this game.

For a variety of sensory experience, use different cereals in your games: buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, semolina, rice, peas. Rice can also be dyed in bright colors. This can be done using food coloring or brilliant green, turmeric, beetroot, carrot juice, cocoa powder, etc.

How to dye sensory box rice? First you need to mix the dye with water so that you get the desired shade. Well-washed rice is placed in this water (the water should completely cover the rice). It is necessary to hold the rice in water for a while, I leave it for 30 minutes for a guaranteed result, but in fact the rice stains much faster. After that, drain the water and spread the rice on a newspaper so that it dries properly. It is best to color the rice in the evening and leave it to dry overnight, and in the morning you can already start playing.

In order for the baby to remember colors better, many mothers arrange “color days”: for example, on one of the days they look for all red objects and toys together with the baby, put on red clothes, the next day the same with yellow, and so on. This idea can also be applied to sensory boxes by pre-selecting objects of one or another color for the baby. In the process of playing with such a box, the child learns colors very quickly, because. the right color is always in front of your eyes, and its name is mentioned many times during the discussion of the game.

To diversify your baby's tactile experience, use larger stuffing such as pasta. The essence of the game here is the same - we shift the pasta with a spoon, take it out with our hands, and look for small toys among the pasta. Even children are very fond of putting on large pasta on their fingers.

In this game, an educational game made from a porridge box will come in handy, in which the kid needs to feed his favorite character with pasta.

For children who have already mastered the scoop well, we can offer other devices for playing, such as a mill or a sieve.

One tip: for a sensory box with a mill, you need to take smaller cereals - millet or semolina, because. larger grains will get stuck in the holes, blocking the mill.

With the help of a sieve you can teach your baby to separate beans, buttons or small toys from semolina. In general, play Cinderella During this experience, the child develops a clear idea of ​​\u200b\u200bsize compatibility, he understands that large grains or objects will not fit into the small holes of the sieve.

To make a sensory drawing box, pour a thin layer of semolina, salt or dry sand into a large dish or container with low sides. You can draw with your finger or with a stick. And you can also make prints on the cereal with sorter figures or molds for baking figured cookies.

Taisiya was really delighted to play with the hydrogel, she even liked to just dip her hands into it and touch it with her fingers. The sensations here are completely new and unusual - the aquatic soil is slippery, cool, wet and at the same time not liquid. And getting toys for a baby out of it is not as easy as it seems, they will just slip out!

You can find aqua soil in any flower shop. It must be filled with water a few hours before the game. And remember that during this game it is necessary to carefully observe the baby's play and prevent any attempts to taste the hydrogel.

It is good to play with water in a basin or in a large container, it is advisable to lay an oilcloth on the floor in advance. A very exciting activity is to catch toys from the water with a spoon, ladle or sieve. At the same time, it is equally interesting to get both floating and sinking objects, at the same time the child receives the first understanding of “sinking, not sinking”.

You can also take various cups and molds, pour water with them, take water with a large spoon into a cup, pour water through a mill.

You can also make boats out of sand molds for small toys. Taisiya just loves this game. The game teaches the baby to calculate his actions by adjusting the pressure so that the boat does not sink when he puts a toy on it.

For older children (closer to 2 years old) thematic boxes with some kind of plot become interesting. You can read more about them in this article. One of the simplest role-playing game boxes is the farm. The most interesting thing for a small child here is to feed pets (Ozon, My-shop, KoroBoom), pouring food into troughs and cups for them. You can also bathe animals in a pond, send them to sleep in a barn made from a milk carton, etc.

Pictured is a box that I made for Taisiya when she was 2.5 years old. It should be noted that for a child under 2 years old, you should not use too many elements, because. he needs more free space to turn around, and constantly falling fences and trees can upset him. It is enough just to put a few animals, bowls, spoons, make a barn out of the box, and then focus on the interests of the child.

That's all, thank you for your attention! If you liked the article, tell your friends about it (there are social media buttons right below the article). And you can subscribe to new blog articles here: Instagram, Vkontakte, Facebook.

Learn more

• 
  Math concepts first grade
• 
  Evening routine ideas
• 
  Preschool space math activities
• 
  Little red riding hood interactive
• 
  Fun things for a 5 year old to do
• 
  Use your words 2
• 
  Alphabets upper and lowercase
• 
  Learning colors for kindergarten
• 
  Sound match activity
• 
  Social skill list
• 
  Games for 3 year olds free