Tinker Crate Review & Coupon – WOODEN CRANE

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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. 

This month’s theme is Pulley Power!

Everything arrives together in a single Tinker Crate – the supplies, a fold-out instruction sheet, and the Tinker Zine.

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 wooden crane!

In addition to the cool stuff found in the Tinker Zine, most crates have a secondary project or extension activities that build on the primary project, extending the exploration and focusing in on the science principles demonstrated by the main project.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. One side of the sheet has pointers for using your newly-constructed device, plus an inventory of all the supplies provided in the Crate.

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

They include checkpoints 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 full of well-written, historically and scientifically accurate background and explanatory materials. This where the lessons really take shape!

Like most Tinker Crates, this Crate featured a single, big build with options for further modification and experimentation.

Our kids always read the Tinker Zine completely before tackling the project. Having learned a bunch about the project before building it, she asks really pointed questions during the build and initiates discussions about how the project works. The combination of age-appropriate support materials and a cool hands-on project really makes for engaged learners!

The Zine’s articles are very in depth, and they use accurate scientific terminology to describe the explored phenomena, yet it’s really well suited to the target age. The pedagogical approach is great for a variety of learners – historical examples are used to illustrate the scientific principles in action, and there is always a balance of text, pictures, diagrams, and hands-on activities. They do a great job of keeping it light and fun, too!

Tinkering is big part of the Crate (to no one’s surprise), with lots of opportunity for further exploration. The Crate included parts and instructions for modifying our simple pulley system into a two and three pulley system.

The Zine explained very clearly the relationship of work, force, and distance, and the manner in which a multiple-pulley system creates a mechanical advantage. 

The instructions are very detailed, with enough information provided at every step that you never have to guess what to do next.

Little checkpoints are included to keep you on the right track.

Younger kids may need help with some aspects of the project, but there are enough illustrations and detail provided that proficient readers can do much of it unassisted.

Save that box! Many Tinker projects (either primary or secondary) use the Tinker Crate itself as a stand, frame, or case.

Our crane has two sets of locking spools – one to raise and lower the arm of the crane, the other to raise and lower the hook assembly.

The hook assembly and the arm of the crane included extra holes and hardware to make changing the crane to two and three pulley systems easy.

The crane was quite stable, and a book could be inserted in the Crate for added weight.

The inclusion of a little basket made the kit irresistible to our youngest.

The crane was fully functional and surprisingly durable. The wood used was very solid – I initially thought it might snap like balsam wood, but it withstood the application of a lot of force without any issues.

Here is our two pulley set-up.

We love Tinker Crate. It is exceptionally well put together – the projects and supporting materials make complex scientific and engineering principles easy for kids to understand and see in action. It is a superb activity for evenings, weekends, and school vacations, as it’s always fun and keeps kids mentally engaged and using their brains.

Have you tried Tinker Crate yet with your kids?

Visit Tinker Crate to subscribe or find out more!

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