Tinker Crate Subscription Box Review + Coupon – Feb 2016

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.

Tinker Crate kindly sent us this box for review purposes. (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: 50% off your first month with coupon code MSA50!

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 and the Kids Subscription Box Directory!

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 all about illusion! 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 phantom projector! Cool!

These are the instructions for this month’s project. They are pretty detailed, but they are always very clear, complete, and easy-to-follow.

These were the materials Tinker Crate supplied for the project. With Tinker Crate, sometimes you have to supply a few things, but they are always items you have at home, like scissors or water. This month they included everything we needed for the project. Sometimes Tinker Crate includes some supplies for the smaller projects in TinkerZine, too.

This is our completed projector from the outside. The piece sticking up out of the top is the eyepiece to look in and see the illusion.

If you look inside the eyepiece, this is what you see. Notice the yellow ball.

If you turn the projector on, this is what you see through the eyepiece. A ghost ball suddenly appeared! Is it magic? No, it’s physics.

Verdict: My son and I love Tinker Crate! He loves the projects, and most of the time my eight-year-old is really interested in the completed projects, too. I love that he’s getting lots of hands-on experience with engineering! In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to spend $20 and an afternoon with your child every month. I also think older children would be able to do this by themselves if they wanted. It’s an incredible value!

What do you think of Tinker Crate?