Tinker Crate Review & Coupon – DRAWING MACHINE!

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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 the 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.

DEALUse 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).

The kit includes all the materials needed to construct the main project, a drawing machine! 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 handy pointers and a troubleshooting guide.

The illustrated instructions are very detailed, with lots of explanatory blurbs, close-ups of technical areas, and arrows to show where parts are to be placed.

They include check points to verify that assembly is going properly, plus, there is help available if needed!

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!

Our eight-year-old always reads the Tinker Zine completely before tackling the project. It provides great background info, replete with real-world historical examples of our subject in action.

The Zine’s articles are very in depth, and they use accurate scientific terminology to describe the explored phenomena.

The text is perfectly suited for the target age. Though scientifically accurate, the style is light and exciting.

The booklet includes additional experiments, explorations, as well as solid scientific learning.

All the pieces for the project were pre-scored and pre-cut. Several gears were provided, and we needed only to attach them with the provided nuts and bolts.

The gears and arms can be placed in various configurations, each alteration creating changes in the design produced.

The Crate came with four markers and a package of round papers.

Shifting the position of the gears and swapping in a large one can result in some crazy patterns!

This month’s project was easy to assemble, but there was plenty of challenge to be had in re-configuring the layout of the gears. Multiple configurations meant lots of fun to be had experimenting and creating pictures as a family.

Have you tried Tinker Crate yet with your kids?

Visit Tinker Crate to subscribe or find out more!

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