Tinker Crate Subscription Box Review + Coupon – May 2017

Tinker Crate is a subscription box for kids ages 9-14 from the makers of Kiwi Crate. Like Kiwi Crate, it comes with everything you need to complete 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.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (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 enhance children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills through activities that are exciting and fun!

Ships to: Anywhere in the United States and Canada, including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and APO addresses. Free within the United States, $6.95 to Canada.

Check out all of our Tinker Crate reviews and the Kids Subscription Box Directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your Wish List or Subscription List!

Every box comes with a copy of Tinker Zine magazine, which includes articles about that month's theme, as well as smaller projects and experiments. This month's theme is "camera obscura." How mysterious! I did this project with my eleven-year-old son.

Here's a peek at the table of contents from this month's Tinker Zine, plus a look at some of the pages inside. In addition to the large project that Tinker Crate sends, the magazine features several articles and smaller projects you and your child can undertake to gain a deeper knowledge of the scientific principles of that month's topic.

This month's big project is a... camera obscura! My son and I are almost always thrilled with Tinker Crate's project selections!

Here's a peek inside the instructions this month.  They may look a little intimidating, but they are always very clear, complete, and easy-to-follow.

These were the materials Tinker Crate supplied for the project. With Tinker Crate, sometimes you have to supply a few things, but they are always items you have at home, like scissors or water. This month they included everything we needed for the project. Sometimes Tinker Crate includes some supplies for the smaller projects in Tinker Zine, too.

My son's first step was to build the back of the camera.  This mainly entailed folding the box and then wedging a mirror inside and securing it with foam.

Then he built the front of the camera, which was mostly folding another box.  This time, however, he secured a lens on the hole in the front and secured it with sticky foam and a lens guard.

He then slid the back into the front.  This is the side of the apparatus, and you can see that there's a long slider that has been secured with a bracket.

His final step in building the camera was to attach this foam frame to the open square in the back and insert a piece of translucent acrylic into it followed by a viewer.

This is his completed camera! We were a little disappointed to find out that it does not actually take pictures, however. What it does do is really cool, though.

This is the view through the camera. When you slide the front of the camera away from the back...

It comes into focus! Amazing!

Verdict: We love Tinker Crate! This month's project was really fun to do, and both of my sons have enjoyed playing with the finished product. I have often mentioned that my younger son is usually the recipient of the older one's efforts, and this month's finished project was especially fun for the younger one to play with! It's very cool that this box is getting both boys inspired to explore engineering. Tinker Crate always picks out fun projects, sends quality materials, and provides loads of educational content. It's a huge value for $20 (and free shipping in the U.S.)!

What do you think of Tinker Crate?