Tinker Crate is a subscription box for kids and tweens ages 9-16+ created by kids subscription box company KiwiCo. Each monthly Tinker Crate contains all the materials and instructions needed to create innovative, hands-on STEM projects, as well as a "Tinker Zine" full of educational information and additional activities.
This review is of KiwiCo's Tinker Crate (for ages 9-16+), which costs $19.95 per month.
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.)
First Impressions
This month we got to make a motor-powered maze which honestly didn't take too long to build, but provided us with many moments of fun after it was all finished! My kids really loved this project and it was even fun for my husband and me to test out as well.
Read on to learn how we built the maze!
About Tinker Crate
The Subscription Box: Tinker Crate
The Cost: $19.95 per month + free shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your 1st month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Innovative hands-on STEM projects for kids, plus the materials and detailed instructions your child needs to complete them. You'll also get a "Tinker Zine" full of educational information and additional activities.
Ships to: The U.S. for free, Canada for $3.95 per month, worldwide from $4.95-$6.95
KiwiCo Tinker Crate "Motor-Powered Maze" Review
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Our Tinker Zine is full of educational information about controllers, switches, and circuits. I love the way they make sure to include real-life applications of the concepts we are exploring! They also include some great further reading suggestions for us.
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The directions for our project come on a separate sheet with illustrated steps broken into different sections. They always include helpful troubleshooting information as well.
Part A: Assemble the Stand
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The first step was to assemble the stand. They provided the cardboard maze stand with all of the sections labeled, the cardboard controller holder, a motor, a battery pack, a battery, and even some battery use instructions for it. There were also some sticky foam pieces, zip ties, and some tiny switches.
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My daughter assembled the stand, then we added the battery pack and motor to it using the adhesive foam and a zip tie. The wires all came out through the side so that they were ready to be hooked up when the time came.
Part B: Build the Controller
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Now it was time to prepare the controller. They provided a wooden paddle and pivot piece and some rubber bands. Also pictured here are the brad fasteners and the motor mount that we would later use.
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My daughter added foam pieces to the controller and then we wired up the switches to the battery pack and motor before setting them inside.
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The last step was assembling the wooden pieces and placing them on top. Now when we flipped on our battery pack and pressed the wooden arrows the motor would spin clockwise or counterclockwise.
Part C: Make the Maze
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The final piece was our actual maze which consisted of many layers including a paper template, magnetic maze foam, a maze wheel, a plastic cover, and of course the small metal balls to go inside of it.
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We added the motor mount to the back of the maze wheel and then placed the paper template over it.
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Then my daughter began adding the magnetic foam maze pieces to the template by matching the size and shape of each to the purple areas on the template. She actually really enjoyed this part even though it was a bit tedious!
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Once the pieces were in place, we added the metal ball to the maze, placed the cover on top, and secured it with the silver brad fasteners. Then we stuck that onto the motor.
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Here is our finished maze with the attached controller.
My daughter was eager to test it out for us! Pressing on either side of the controller would move the maze clockwise or counterclockwise so that the ball could navigate the maze. It definitely takes a little getting used to, but it's just the right amount of a challenge. Plus we can open it up and create a new maze at any time since the pieces are magnetic!
Key Takeaways
This Tinker Crate box was both fun and educational. We learned a little bit about motor power, got to build with our hands, and even had a fun game to play with as a result!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? It is possible you might get this crate, but it is not a guarantee. From KiwiCo:
Crates are assigned each month based on availability and your crate history - not all subscribers receive the same theme each month.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your 1st month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
What do you think of this month's Tinker Crate?
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