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Amazon STEM Toy Club Review, Ages 3 to 4 – August 2017

Lacey Volk
ByLacey VolkAug 18, 2017 | 14 comments

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Exterior box

Amazon STEM Club Toy Subscription
5 overall rating
3 Ratings | 0 Reviews

Amazon has launched a STEM Club Toy subscription box! This monthly subscription delivers "handpicked, high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math toys" to your door for $19.99/month.

We signed up for Amazon's STEM Toy Club subscription as soon as it launched, and this is our seventh delivery. This subscription looks like any other shipment from Amazon, with no exterior branding on the box.

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Unboxing

There are 3 age range options:

  • 3-4-year-olds (counting, building, and cause and effect)
  • 5-7 year-olds (hands-on experiments and explorations of electricity, earth science, and simple math)
  • 8-13-year-olds (more complex projects and experiments based on principals of physics, chemistry, and engineering)

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

This is a review of the 3-4-year-old age range Amazon STEM Club, $19.99/month.

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - This month's toy

The Subscription Box: Amazon STEM Toy Club

The Cost: $19.99 per month

The Products: Each month you will receive a different, age-appropriate STEM toy.

Ships to: U.S. (free shipping)

Check out all of our Amazon STEM Toy Club reviews, more educational and STEM subscriptions for kids, and all Amazon subscription boxes in our subscription box directory!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wish list!

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Brio Builder Construction Set

Brio Builder Construction Set - Value $45.98

This month's toy is a pretty advanced looking building set for ages 3+.

 Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Brio Builder Construction Set

This kit has 135 pieces, including tools, connectors, wheels, and all sorts of interesting doodads and bits.

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Brio Builder Construction Set

The cardboard box is sturdy enough to use for storage and has a convenient handle, although it's not as nice as the plastic case we got last month.

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Instructions

There aren't really instructions since the toy is designed for free-form building and play, but there's a little pamphlet with some inspiration and ideas to get you started!

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Instructions

These examples are really helpful because they give you an idea of what parts work together in these kits. The connectors are actually pretty complex and varied for a preschool age toy: There are bolts with nuts that you can use for things like wheels, or blue "nails" that you can use to simply pin two pieces together. There are even spacer sleeves that you can put over the bolts if you want to add some space between the pieces (like the car at the bottom of the above photo).

 Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Instructions

It took me way too long to realize that this last one is a rocket ship. Ha!

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Instructions

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Instructions

Brio is known for their trains; at least, that's what I knew of this brand before receiving this toy. There's also an included pamphlet showing off the other toys they offer.

Ready to see all of those 135 pieces?

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Parts & Pieces Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Parts & Pieces Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Parts & Pieces

I think this set is super cool. I love the modern design and the use of both wood and plastic components, and I love that it will teach kids about different ways to build things rather than just sticking things together like LEGO.

But, with an almost 2.5-year-old who already has a myriad of plastic screws distributed throughout the house, I made the executive parental decision to reserve this particular kit for when he's a bit older. This subscription is for kids ages 3-4 and this toy is rated for 3+, but it's just a bit too advanced for my son's attention span at the moment.

Amazon STEM Club Review, August 2017 - Assembled Sample

I was able to put together one of the sample models from the pamphlet in just a few minutes. I feel like even 3-year-olds would need some adult assistance with the fine motor skills on some types of assembly, like tightening the bolts and nuts so that they actually hold wheels into position. But you can make a lot of really cool things with this kit and I'm excited to play together with this in a few months!

Verdict: Definitely another win for Amazon's STEM Toy Club this month. I love the various materials and how advanced some of the concepts are, so I'm really looking forward to breaking this out when my toddler has a longer attention span for building. I don't go to toy stores or browse the toy aisle when shopping at Target very often, but Brio isn't a brand I've seen outside of specialty stores... it feels pretty unique and a little more sophisticated, and the retail price reflects that, too. Value wise, I think this is the best month we've had, paying just $19.99 for a toy that is currently $45.98 on Amazon!

What do you think of this month's toy from the Amazon STEM Club Toy subscription box

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Lacey Volk
Lacey Volk
Lacey's introduction to the world of subscription boxes was Julep Maven, but she quickly moved on once she discovered there were subscriptions for cooking, coffee, and art supplies. Current favorites include Crate Chef and Ecocentric Mom, and she's looking forward to trying more.

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14 comments

Misti

My son’s subscription is a month behind so we will get this next month. Although I think it is super cool, all I can think about is how all the pieces are going to be lost throughout my house or retrieved from my dog’s mouth. Haha. I agree that this seems a little much for my 3yo. I have been saving all the ones I have gotten so far for Xmas, so maybe by then it will be better for him.

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Lacey Volk

Agreed, this is a great way to stash up for Christmas gifts early! That’s exactly what we’re doing with this one haha

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LoRi

Would love to see reviews for the 8-13 year old subscription

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Annie

Yes! I’d also love to see the 8-13 box!

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Roni

I receive the older kids box and I LOVE It!!! Our last shipment was a t-rex model. (value $49) Every shipment is something different.. the vary the genre, one month it will be something chemistry related, the next electrical, my 11 year old LOVES it!!! Every one is at least double what we paid for it. The value is outstanding!!!

Sharon

I’m so impressed by this kit, but yeah, I agree with you on this being for a slightly older child. But this would make an amazing birthday gift for any kid!

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Meg

My initial reaction was this looks awesome but there are so many little pieces!! I think I’m going to give this a try for my 3 year old…but if we get this kit I will make it a rainy day activity so all those pieces don’t become part of our daily chaos.

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Lacey Volk

I will say that this particular kit definitely has the smallest pieces out of all the things we’ve received so far in this subscription, and we’ve been doing it for 7 months now. So it’s not super intense on the tiny fiddly bits every month!

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Jamie

Wow! I had no idea this subscription even existed. This is perfect for my homeschool.

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Lacey Volk

I’ve definitely thought it would be perfect to donate this subscription to a preschool or a kids group 🙂 We havent been able to review the older age ranges, but they get some awesome toys and projects too!

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Jamie

I signed up for the 8-13 box. My daughter is 12 and has ASD. I have several subscription boxes related to science and history and art that we use as an added boost to our weekly/monthly lessons. It’s hard to go shopping with her so all these subscriptions make it a lot easier for me to add fun experiments and projects into our curriculum. She is a tactile learner and picks up on lessons better when she has something she can manipulate in physical space.

Ashlea

So hope we get this one this month! It’s similar to the other building sets we’ve received but looks to be of much nicer materials.

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Lacey Volk

Yes, it is super cool! From comments on past reviews, I do think people usually get the same item, but Amazon doesn’t explicitly say that anywhere.

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Ashlea

I’ve been getting the same items as in your reviews but not in the same month.