Tinker Crate Subscription Box Review & Coupon – September 2015

Tinker Crate is a subscription for kids ages 9-14 from the makers of Kiwi Crate. Like Kiwi Crate, it comes with everything you need to complete multiple projects based around a central theme. Unlike Kiwi Crate, however, these projects are less craftsy and more based on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning and enrichment.

My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

The Subscription Box: Tinker Crate

The Cost: $19.95 per month (free shipping)

COUPON: Save 40% off your 1st month! No coupon needed - just use this link.

OR

Now through October 31st, you can get your first month of Koala Crate, Kiwi Crate, Tinker Crate or Doodle Crate for free – just pay $5.95 shipping! No coupon needed – just use this link!

The Products: STEM-based crafts and DIY projects for kids, with supplemental learning kits, booklets, and activities. Projects are designed to enhance children’s critical thinking and problem solving skills through activities that are exciting and fun!

Ships to: Anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and APO addresses

Check out all of our Tinker Crate reviews!

Every box comes with a copy of TinkerZine magazine, which includes articles about that month’s theme, as well as smaller projects and experiments. This month’s theme is Electricity! This makes me so happy! I honestly feel like the more often my kids are exposed to electrical engineering, the better off they will be. I do this box with my nine-year-old son, and he loves Tinker Crate!

Here’s a peek at the table of contents from this month’s TinkerZine. In addition to the large project that Tinker Crate sends, the magazine has several articles plus smaller projects you and your child can undertake to gain a deeper knowledge of the scientific principles of that month’s topic.

This month’s big project is a hand crank flashlight! We love when the project is something practical and useful.

At this point, I usually show a photo of the instructions, but I forgot to take one this month. The instructions are pretty detailed, but they are very clear, complete, and easy-to-follow.

These were the materials for the project, and everything was included; we didn’t even need scissors. One thing I’ve noticed lately is that when they include little items like screws or brads, they always include a few more than are needed. It’s so easy to lose those little things!

Here’s our completed flashlight! No batteries required! It works from the energy generated by the crank. It has a little window in the side to view all the wires, resistor, capacitor, etc.

This is the view of the front so you can see the little LED lights. It works perfectly! Unfortunately I couldn’t get a picture of it in action because it is hard to crank and take a picture at the same time. But what a cool project! We can’t wait to show his friends at scouts.

The verdict: My son and I both absolutely LOVE Tinker Crate! That being said, this month’s project was kind of hard for my son. One of the items included was a little board to attach all the electrical components, and it was tiny. The numbers were hard to see, and the wires were hard to poke into the board holes. It was tricky! It just took a lot of patience, and that’s not something my son has in abundance. More patient nine-year-olds probably would have had no problem with it. Otherwise, we once again learned a lot, had fun, and got a great end result. Tinker Crate still holds the title for my son’s favorite subscription!

What do you think of Tinker Crate?