Tinker Crate is a subscription box for kids and tweens ages 9-14 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 9-14), which costs $19.95 per month.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
This month's project is one that I knew would appeal to my kids and I was sure it would also spark their imagination! Who doesn't love secret codes and having places to hide your treasures?
What's Inside This Box
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Our Tinker Zine is full of educational information related to our project. This edition was all about ciphers and codes with some extra activities for us to do!
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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.
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We received a mix of parts made from wood, plastic, and cardboard along with some assembly materials like rubber bands and brad fasteners, and some foam stickers.
There were also some strips of paper for our code along with a cipher disk for a separate project.
Part A: Build the Inner Tube
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First, I assembled the outer tube which was simple since the wooden pieces fit together easily. The foam pieces acted as spacers and the smaller cardboard tube fit around it.
Part B: Build the Outer Tube
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The outer tube was just as simple to assemble and again was just fitting together the wooden pieces using the foam as spacers.
Part C: Build the Code Rings
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Then it was time to build the code rings. I added a plastic ring to each of the cardboard tubes and then we wrapped the papers around to form the code by lining up the number with the opening in the plastic ring.
Part D: Assemble the Vault
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With the rings ready to go, it was not assembly time. The tube rings slid over the outer tube and then a final plastic piece was inserted to hold them in place. The smaller tube fit right inside and our vault was finished!
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I added a note to the tube and then gave it to my son to open. He thought it was pretty cool!
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For my daughter, I decided to take it a step further and I assembled the cipher disk used it to come up with a secret message to put inside the vault. Then I gave her some math problems so that she could solve them and get the code for the vault.
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I made her a "Top Secret" package and dropped it off with a note asking her to solve the equations first so she could open the vault. Then she needed to use the cipher disk to decode the note I left her inside of the vault. She thought it was fun, I thought it was a great way to sneak some math in, and of course, this led to an afternoon of playing spies, so it was a fun experience overall!
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $19.95
This is a tough one because this box was fun, but it also left a bit to be desired! Firstly, I wish that the papers on the outside of the vault were sturdier or that they provided extras for us. Secondly, it felt like there was a missed opportunity here to include some fun trinkets to hide or spy-type gear to make it even more fun like an invisible ink pen or something. I'm used to KiwiCo going all out, so it surprised me that they didn't take the opportunity here as that would have really added to the value!
Key Takeaways
Overall, it was still a great box that was easy to put together and there was some fun to be had, but it just felt a little light this month!
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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.
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