Tinker Crate Review & Coupon – 3D Viewer!

Tinker Crate is a subscription box that inspires kids to learn about science, engineering, and technology, all while having lots of fun.  Each month, the box explores a field of study within a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) discipline.  Kids practice their problem solving skills and learn how to engage in both structured and open-ended exploration and investigation.  Most boxes walk the tinkerers through construction of fairly complex mechanical devices.  

Everything that arrives together in a single Tinker Crate – the supplies, a fold-out instruction sheet, and the Tinker Zine.  In addition to the cool stuff found in the Tinker Zine, most crates have a secondary project that builds on the primary project, extending the exploration and focusing in on the science principles demonstrated by the main project.

The kit includes all the materials needed to construct the main project, the 3D Viewer.  Sometimes you need to provide some simple items from home for the second project or the additional explorations suggested in the Tinker Zine.

The instructions and other project info are printed on a faux blueprint fold-out sheet.  Along with materials and instructions, you get some handy pointers and a troubleshooting guide. The sheet tells you everything that came in the box, some tips, and help if you can’t get it to work.  This is a well-designed and tested box — we’ve never had a project with a fatal design flaw or any frustrating, unresolved engineering issues.  Plus, there is help available if needed!

The instructions are clear and easy to follow and include both visuals and text, with lots of tips and checkpoints to make sure you’ve done everything correctly as you go.   You aren’t expected to be an expert or know all the principles behind the project coming into it — the instructions are well thought out and anticipate areas where a novice might go astray.  We can tell from the exquisite detail and thoughtfulness of the instructions that the projects are designed and tested, with lessons from testing and re-testing make their way into the instructions.

The main project is always a great hands-on activity and a great demonstration of the scientific principles featured in the box, but the Tinker Zine is where the lessons really take shape!The booklet includes additional experiments, explorations, as well as solid scientific learning. Our daughter sometimes holds our projects up a bit because she insists on reading every bit of the Zine before we can start!

The Zine always has some very in depth exploration of the principles behind the project, as well as examples of real world applications.

The text is perfectly suited for the target age.  The discussion of scientific principles and concepts is accurate and uses correct terminology, but the style is light and exciting.  We can’t stress enough how great a job Tinker Crate does with explaining the principles demonstrated by the project.

We really wanted to check out the magic of light and mirrors, so we plowed forward to building our viewer – it assembled easily – the pieces just fit together and we added sticky foam as directed!

The frames to hold the viewing cards were assembled the same way.

Unfortunately my camera doesn’t have stereoscopic eyeballs, so I can’t show you that it really does create a 3D viewing experience, but it does. There was a whole stack of cards that we switched out to get all the 3D magic!

The Crate included instructions for a secondary project which allows you to create a 3D mirror viewer. Secondary projects use some common materials from home, but the Crate sometimes has a few unique components if needed.

This one included viewing cards, the tube, the mirror paper, and the tape (i.e., all the materials). We had a blast with it!

Really, we couldn’t get enough!

This was my personal favorite because the buildings at the base really seemed to pop!

This was an awesome engaging set of projects that my kids totally l-o-v-e-d and by the end of our experimentation, they learned a few new scientific principles too!

We really love Tinker Crate, because the projects are extremely well designed, with a comprehensive and engaging STEM-grounded lesson built around the project in each box.  It is a great box for tweens, but the projects are interesting enough that mom or dad will have fun helping younger kids tackle the projects, too!

Have you tried Tinker Crate yet with your kids? Use this link to save 30% on your first box of Tinker Crate!  (or Kiwi Crate and the KiwiCo family subscriptions Koala Crate and Doodle Crate).

Visit Tinker Crate to subscribe or find out more.