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 $23.95 per month or less depending on your subscription length.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your 1st month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
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
As my kids age, I am finding it harder and harder to find subscription boxes to suit their interests. Hank just turned 10, and has really started to hone in on specific interests, and construction is one of them. After recently discovering Tinker Crate, Hank has become hooked, and couldn't wait to dive into this month's STEM inspired project. Including a motor, switch, motor mounts, and bolts, this was right up Hank's alley and a pleasure to build. Read below to see exactly what we discovered.
What's Inside This Box
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Similar to the layout of the Koala Crate box I am most familiar with, this particular box also comes with a magazine. Featuring trivia, stories, experiments, and more learning opportunities, this booklet is packed full of useful info that coordinates perfectly with the theme. Did you know that the 18th-century pyrophone or "fire organ," consisted of a series of glass pipes filled with flammable gas? Talk about playing with fire!
Filled with useful information and stories pertaining to the monthly theme, Hank loved reading about whales and their rhythmic songs!
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The directions for our project came on a separate sheet of paper and included written and illustrated steps broken into different sections. Hank, at 10 years old, found them easy to follow and understand.
Aerophone
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Last month, Hank was amazed to see the included supplies, and this month was no different. Every supply that we needed was included besides a pair of scissors and pencil. Hank commented on how high quality the pieces were, and how well all of the items fit together. Included this month was a back panel, side pieces, discs, motor, battery pack, switch, front panel, motor mount, handles, bump tabs, bolts, foam pieces, hook and loop fasteners, pipettes, straws, disc holder, caps, thumbscrews, and rings. Though he had no clue what an aerophone was before we started, he couldn't wait to get his hands on these supplies and build!
First, Hank read through the instructions. While this is always a helpful step, it also gauges how much time we need to set aside to complete the project.
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After Hank read through the instructions, he was throughly prepared to start building. Tinker Crate breaks the build down into steps, so there were four separate parts to this build. Setting it up in this way made it so we could take breaks if needed, and made it very manageable. The first part was to assemble the sides to the aerophone. Using the handles, bolts, and switches, Hank was able to follow every step all by himself, feeling very accomplished when finished.
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The second step was to create the front panel. Utilizing the box, Hank lined up a pencil and poked a hole in the box. Adding the bolts to the panel, he was then able to attach the motor at this point, securing it with the motor mount and thumbscrews.
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The next step included building the box. Because there were more steps than in the first two sections, I thought maybe I'd have to step in to help, but he had it completely covered. I was really impressed to watch Hank connect the wires, screw on the panels, and put the rings into place without question. All of the pieces fit together perfectly, and the instructions were fantastic.
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Finally it was together, and he was able to add the disc. This aerophone was able to create sound by blowing the pipette into the slot while the disc was spinning. It was really quite entertaining to listen to, as we were able to experiment with the addition of a straw, using two pipettes at one time, and interchanging the discs. Neat!
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $23.95
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your 1st month! No coupon needed - just use this link.
As this was our second experience with Tinker Crate, I have to say both my son and I are equally impressed with this subscription. The design of the project and the magazine was very well put together and fit with the theme perfectly. Because I work in education, I am always looking for ways to expose my kids to STEM activities in fun and engaging ways, and this kit was an excellent way to do that. Because this kit included items such as a motor, battery pack, and bolts, Hank was extremely into it, and is already asking when the next kit is scheduled to come.
Key Takeaways
This kit was well-organized and really fun. Hank had a great time learning about music and musical instruments while creating this piece, and has become hooked on this subscription box.
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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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