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 that 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, battery pack, propeller, plane body, foam, wooden pieces, gimbal spinner, and more, this kit was jam-packed with goodies! 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 we are 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 some powerful telescopes are too sensitive for humans to touch - even the vibration from a heartbeat will knock them out of focus? That's why these telescopes are mounted on platforms using gimbals and adjusted only through machines. Crazy!
Filled with useful information and stories pertaining to the monthly theme, Hank loved reading about how when waters get rough, gimbals help a ship with smooth sailing!
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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.
Gimbal Plane
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When Hank opened this month's box, he was delighted to see the amount of included materials. Everything needed to create this month's project was included, from the motor to the tape. The only thing we needed to supply was a pair of scissors, so he was able to start building straight away. With a little Tinker Crate experience under our belt, we continue to be impressed with the quality of the supplies, and the thoughtfulness of the build. Though Hank was unsure of what a gimbal plane was before we started, he couldn't wait to figure it out and start building!
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Broken down into manageable steps, after going through the instructions, Hank started working on step A, which was to assemble the plane. Adding the motor to the propeller, he set it aside and worked on folding up the plane's body. This all went quite easily except for the plane wing part. Hank tried gently adding the wings, but the tab caught and one ripped. No worries though, we just added a piece of tape and were good to go.
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Once the plane was complete, he moved onto step B, which was where he was to build the gimbal. Utilizing the dowel, orange sticky foam, side pieces, spinner, zip ties, plastic tube, and the plane, he easily built the gimbal with no help from me. It was really fun to watch him zoom through these instructions, as some of the supplies were new to him, and I could see his confidence build as the gimbal came together.
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With the plane and gimbal complete, Hank moved on to step C, which is where the battery gets connected. Following the instructions, this was easily done and came together nicely.
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The last step was to finish the build by creating the base. Using the wooden base pieces, Hank easily put it together, and was able to set his gimbal spinner on top. The final test was to switch on the battery pack to see if it would fly. Sure enough, the plane started spinning round and round and on our hands was one proud (not so little) boy!
It's hard to believe that only a couple hours prior to this build, Hank didn't have a clue what a gimbal even was. After reading the fun magazine, reading through instructions, and putting his hands into action, he created one of his very own. Not only did this build confidence in my son, but also an awareness of science and engineering, all while having fun!
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.
Now that we are three kits into this Tinker Crate experience, I can honestly say this is THE box that Hank looks most forward to each month. The designs of the projects and the magazine are put together so well, creating a perfect theme each month. Because I work in education, I try to expose my own kids to as much STEM related activities as possible, and this is a fantastic way to do that. Because this kit included items such as a motor, and battery pack, Hank was super 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 wonderful time learning about gimbals while creating this piece and is 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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