Tinker Crate is a brand new subscription for kids ages 9-14 from the makers of Kiwi Crate. Like Kiwi Crate, it comes with everything you need to complete multiple projects based around a central theme. Unlike Kiwi Crate, however, these projects are less craftsy and more based on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning and enrichment.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: Tinker Crate
The Cost: $19.95 per month (free shipping)
The Products: STEM-based crafts and DIY projects for kids, with supplemental learning kits, booklets, and activities. Projects are designed to enhace children’s critical thinking and problem solving skills through activities that are exciting and fun!
Ships to: Anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and APO addresses
Check out all of our Tinker Crate reviews!
Every box comes with a copy of TinkerZine magazine, which includes articles about that month's theme, as well as smaller projects and experiments. This month's theme is Awesome Animation! My eight-year-old is already quite the thespian, so he was really excited about this month's theme!
Here's a peek at the table of contents from this month's TinkerZine. In addition to the large project that Tinker Crate sends, the magazine has several articles plus smaller projects you and your child can undertake to gain a deeper knowledge of the scientific principles of that month's topic. I really like how they included some information on how the brain "sees." That is key knowledge when working with animation! My son wants to try every single one of these smaller projects this month!
This month's big project is building a zoetrope! Once again, I had no idea what that was when I saw the blueprint. Turns out, it's something that was used before the advent of film to create animation. Several slides are loaded into the inside wall of a drum that's on a base, and when the drum spins, the images blur together into animation. Incredibly cool!
I think for the past two months I've mentioned that the instructions or the materials in Tinker Crate were incomplete. I have to say, for the record, that this month the instructions were complete and easy-to-follow, and all materials were included. It makes completing the project a lot easier!
These are the materials for the project. The only thing we had to supply was a pair of scissors.
Here's the finished product, a working zoetrope! Tinker crate included several different sets of slides we could choose from to make our movie, and my son chose this little stick figure bullfighter. They also had robots, planets, and several others. The most exciting part for my son, though, was that they included some blank ones so you can draw your own animation sequence! He is really excited to try it!
Verdict: I am seriously impressed by Tinker Crate. Their projects are challenging and unique without being too difficult. We absolutely loved this month's theme! I can see my son playing with this for a long time. Although this month the instructions and materials were complete, they didn't include any Tinker Tokens. It wasn't a big heartbreak, but my son did notice. Have I mentioned how they love collecting emblems of achievement? Otherwise, I think this was our most successful Tinker Crate so far!
What do you think of Tinker Crate?
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