KiwiCo. has been one of my favorite subscription companies for years now due to their outstanding kid subscriptions such as Kiwi Crate, Doodle Crate, and Tinker Crate, and my kids absolutely love their projects! In addition to their subscriptions, KiwiCo. has several standalone projects available for purchase in their online store. They recently sent me their Electronics Pack, which is a trio of amazing STEM-based electronics projects for children age 14 and up! I do not have any children in that age range, but this gave me an opportunity to work hand-in-hand on some fun STEM projects with my twelve-year-old son!
Please note that the full Electronics Pack includes three projects. This review is of only one of those projects, the Light-Up Speaker.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About KiwiCo. Electronics Pack
The Box: KiwiCo. Electronics Pack: Light-Up Speaker
The Cost: $99.95 for the trio (on sale from $119.85!)
Coupon: Get 40% off + free shipping on your first box of any KiwiCo subscription. No coupon needed—just use this link! (Coupon does not apply to the Electronics Pack)
The Products: Three electronics projects for children age 14 and up
Ships to: Anywhere in the United States
Kiwi Co. Electronics Pack Light Up Speaker Review
This is our instruction manual that was included in the box.
This is the table of contents. Unlike the publications that come in KiwiCo. subscriptions, this seems to be a fairly straightforward instruction manual. There are not many articles or comics, etc.
Here's a peek at some of the instructions. They are illustrated and easy to follow, but they are really pretty intense! This was a lengthier project than we are used to with KiwiCo.'s STEM-based box for 9-16-year-olds, Tinker Crate.
These are the supplies that were included. The only thing we needed to supply from home was a pair of scissors. They even included a tiny screwdriver for us! My son liked that.
As with all of these advanced electronics projects, it's really difficult to do an in-depth description of the process. The fundamental process in all of them centers around building a fairly complex circuit. Our first step was to connect the battery pack and the LED lights to the breadboard and to ensure that the lights worked.
Our next step was to connect the speakers, resistors, and other electronic elements to the breadboard. As you can see, it's pretty complicated!
We then connected the rear panel and wiring to the breadboard.
Next, we connected the speaker cover and mesh to the front panel.
We then put the casing around the front panel of the speaker. This step was kind of hard as we had to significantly bend the plastic casing and then secure it with these plastic pieces and screws.
The last step was to carefully put all the electronic components into the speaker body and attach the back panel to the casing.
This is our completed light-up speaker! It's so pretty!
And it works great! We were so excited about this! I think this was my son's favorite project we have ever done from KiwiCo! Mine too!
The Verdict: We love everything from KiwiCo., and this project was a special treat for us. It was a little more involved and difficult than the typical Tinker Crate project, but that should be expected as the age range for this project starts at 14. It was really fun doing this together, though. I think KiwiCo. has definitely helped engender a curiosity about the sciences in both my sons and that's quite an accomplishment. For a very reasonable price, too! This project was one of three in a $100 gift set. I would say $33 for an hour of learning together and creating something special is definitely a bargain!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, this box is not part of a subscription. It is an item in the Kiwi Co. store, which can be purchased while supplies last.
Coupon: Get 40% off + free shipping on your first box of any KiwiCo subscription. No coupon needed—just use this link! (Coupon does not apply to the Electronics Pack)
Check out all of our KiwiCo reviews and the Kids Subscription Box Directory!
What do you think of the KiwiCo. Electronics Pack: Light Up Speaker box?
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