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Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

You are here: Home / Family / Raising Kids / Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

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June 14, 2019 by Home Jobs By Mom
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This post was created in partnership with Tinkering Labs. I was not financially compensated for this post but did receive a sample for review purposes. As always, all opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support me! #STEM #TinkeringForAll

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

From the time kids start crawling, their world is quickly bounded by rules. And, don't get me wrong rules are great. I love rules, but sometimes kids need the opportunity to just create.

Full-fledged, no rules — just using their imaginations to make something amazing kind of creating. I mean — that's what inventors do, right? They take a general idea and turn it into something new and innovated.

I believe every child deserve that opportunity.

Plus, we all know they would love throwing the rule book out the window and now they have the chance with Tinkering Labs.

A Little About Tinkering Labs

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

After having such great success with tinkering schools and camps, Matt Brocchini decided to bring the love of tinkering to our homes and schools. He created a really neat Robotics STEM Kit called Electric Motors Catalyst.

In this DIY kit, you are given 50+ parts, two electric motors, wood wheels & connectors, and hardware so you can create your very own fun robotic creations.

And, the best part?

There are no instructions!

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

After all, there's no right way to tinker. However, they do give some helpful techniques and examples to get you started.

Challenge Cards

Instead of giving you a rule book, this STEM kit gives you a set of 10 challenge cards. Each card gives you an idea of something to make like ‘Build a machine that draws curvy lines.' or ‘Create a vehicle with a suspension system'.

And, literally, that's all the cards have on them. It's totally up to your child to use their minds and create these inventions however they see fit.

But, to help you out, the resource book gives you three examples so you can see how all the pieces go together.

Here are two of the example:

Challenge #3 Build a Machine that Draws Curvy Lines

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

In Challenge 3, the goal was to build something that draws curvy lines and that's just what we built. The resource example gives you basic instructions of what you will need and how to make it.

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

The guide does not have a lot of detail and that is on purpose. They want you to actually think and in the process come up with your own unique take on this project.

It was fun trying to figure out how to place the marker just right so it would actually draw a circle. And, that's half the fun — figuring things out, right?

Challenge #10 Create a Vehicle with a Suspension System

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

My son practically made this car all by himself! I just gave him the example book and he went to town.

He seemed to love the whole concept of this STEM kit. When he was younger he was very much a lego kid, but he outgrew that.

I'm so glad he has something a little more ‘grown-up' to tinker with now.

Immerse Your Kids in an Open-Ended Tinkering Experience

Even the cats were really intrigued by this vehicle creation. They were chasing it everywhere and we totally had a blast watching them.

This invention even accidentally flew down the stairs and the only part that came undone was the wires. It was easily fixed and back running in a flash.

We love that this Electric Motors Catalyst kit gives kids endless hours of thinking and fun. Once you are done making something, just take it apart and create something brand new. Nothing is better than that especially from a parent's perspective!

Shop Tinkering Labs on Amazon today! Happy tinkering guys!!

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Category: Crafts & DIY, Entertaining, Family, Home & Garden, Lifestyle, Raising KidsTag: tinkering labs

About Home Jobs By Mom

Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deb Pelletier

    October 3, 2019 at 11:02 pm

    hours of thinking and fun, great idea.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:29 pm

      Yep, can’t go wrong with tinkering!

      Reply
  2. Lily Kwan

    October 3, 2019 at 1:45 am

    This kit looks very fun. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:29 pm

      It really is – kids love Tinkering Labs!

      Reply
  3. Kristi

    October 1, 2019 at 9:46 pm

    I’ve never been into tinkering myself but I know some children are. I think it’s great for developing creativity and imagination and I would definitely buy these!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:30 pm

      Yes, so great for getting kids to actually think and create!

      Reply
  4. kathy pease

    October 1, 2019 at 11:20 am

    This does sound really great for children. Me myself I have never been a tinkerer but my granddaughter would love this.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:31 pm

      You should totally get your granddaughter Tinkering Labs for Christmas. She’ll love it!

      Reply
  5. Lauryn R

    October 1, 2019 at 12:06 am

    This kit is awesome, tinkering with things is so important for their learning experience! I definitely think that free thinking and doing things hands on is the best way to learn.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:31 pm

      I completely agree with you – sometimes we have to let go of structure and just be free to create!

      Reply
  6. Sara Tarver

    September 30, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    STEM is a great idea for kids! I’ve never tinkered, but it looks really cool!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:32 pm

      STEM is awesome and so is Tinkering Labs!

      Reply
  7. Sarah L

    September 29, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    I would have loved something like this when I was growing up. It was only 10 years later that I got into electronics.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:36 pm

      Yes, that happens to a lot of us – our tastes change as we age.

      Reply
  8. Stephanie

    September 28, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    I’m a preschool teacher and love STEM experiences. It’s important to give children the opportunity to tinker and explore open-ended materials.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:36 pm

      Tinkering Labs would be a great intro for your kiddos! Granted they may be a little young but they’d probably enjoy seeing someone build them and then use them.

      Reply
  9. Jessica Love

    September 28, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    Awesome!

    Reply
  10. Molli Taylor

    September 25, 2019 at 11:37 am

    i really love STEM and STEAM activities. tinkering is learning!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      I love that – tinkering IS learning!

      Reply
  11. Maryann D.

    September 23, 2019 at 5:13 pm

    This Robotics STEM Kit is a super gift for all children. Terrific for imagination and I do like to tinker, it would be fun for me too.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      You should totally try Tinkering Labs then!

      Reply
  12. Alissa A Apel

    September 23, 2019 at 9:39 am

    I love kits like this! I do have to say that I like STEAM better than STEM, which includes art.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      I like the addition of art too!

      Reply
  13. Piroska

    September 21, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    I think this great, especially for kids that need to focus more–if they are interested in it. My son had ADHD, as does my grandson, and something like this would have been perfect for them.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:38 pm

      Yeah, it is always great to get kids to do activities in which they actually like. They stay way more engaged that way.

      Reply
  14. Ashley Chassereau Parks

    September 21, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    I love STEM activities. With 3 engineers in our family, we love seeing these types of activities for girls and boys in the family! My girls would be super interested in these! I love to tinker and work with my hands as often as I can. I am so busy with 3 little ones, I do not get to work on my hobbies and fun activities as much as I like unless it involves them. This would be great for us as a family.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      October 17, 2019 at 4:39 pm

      Wow – three engineers. That’s awesome! Yes, Tinkering Labs would be a great activity for your family especially.

      Reply
  15. Nicole Bradley

    September 14, 2019 at 2:55 pm

    They don’t have enough free thinking hands on projects in schools these days. This sounds like some great activity time to get the engineering process in gear!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:02 pm

      I agree – more free-thinking is needed for our kiddos!

      Reply
  16. Linda Linneman

    September 13, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    I love getting stem toys for my grandchildren. What a great and fun way for our children to learn. My grandson would love this. Thank you so much for sharing

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:03 pm

      Tinkering Labs would be a great Christmas present for your grandchildren!

      Reply
  17. Karen P.

    September 11, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    I love this kind of stuff; ever since I was young, I enjoyed making robots and doing science experiments. I’m bookmarking this page for when my nephews visit; we could do this together.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      Your nephews would totally love Tinkering Labs!

      Reply
  18. Karen Jaras

    September 11, 2019 at 5:10 pm

    My grandsons love to build robots and circuit boards.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:02 pm

      What do they use to build their robots? Or is it just from scratch?

      Reply
  19. Sanique

    September 10, 2019 at 6:02 pm

    Wow

    Reply
  20. Heather K

    September 10, 2019 at 10:22 am

    I think STEM is very important but it is not for everyone. As a child I loved to tinker. I was always taking things apart and putting them back together again.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      That’s true – not everyone is into STEM stuff but when they are Tinkering Labs is a great choice!

      Reply
  21. Jeffrey

    September 9, 2019 at 9:26 pm

    I think that STEM is important to the future of our society. Yes, I am a tinkerer. Not the best one, but I do try every now and then.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:05 pm

      What do you like to tinker with?

      Reply
  22. Julie Lundstrom

    September 8, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    I like Stem for helping teaching my kids and hands on learning. I also like they learn problem solving with it.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:05 pm

      So true – the benefits of STEM are awesome!

      Reply
  23. Mishelle G

    September 6, 2019 at 9:19 am

    I think this is a great idea!! They get to create their own machines from a kit instead of having to make everything like everyone else. Thinking outside the box.

    Mishelle G

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:06 pm

      Thinking outside the box is a great skill to have, I think.

      Reply
  24. Annmarie Weeks

    September 5, 2019 at 2:59 pm

    I personally am not a tinkerer. But I’ve always encouraged my children to participate in a variety of interests & activities. STEM is so important for our young people…and I’m glad to know that my daughter is now a budding-architect because of the STEM classes she took in her earlier school experience.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      Congrats to your daughter! She must also be a great artist 🙂

      Reply
      • Annmarie Weeks

        September 16, 2019 at 7:51 pm

        Thanks! That’s what makes a great architect…being able to combine artistic ability with engineering concepts. She’s got both…lucky her!

        Reply
        • Home Jobs By Mom

          October 17, 2019 at 4:40 pm

          So awesome!

          Reply
  25. nick baster

    September 5, 2019 at 10:41 am

    these is great experience/ activity for your kids to at home in there free time

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      Yes, Tinkering Labs is a great activity for kids to do at home when they are bored

      Reply
  26. laurie damrose

    September 5, 2019 at 10:25 am

    I like to work on these with my kids.I believe all of the basic skills combined help understand this and make it fun.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      Do you have a favorite kit?

      Reply
  27. Judith Watson

    September 5, 2019 at 8:57 am

    You know, I really love this concept. This holds a child’s interest and I believe you retain more when you figure it out yourself.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:08 pm

      I think that’s true too – if you figure it out, it’s def getting stored for way longer than if someone just said it to you.

      Reply
  28. Amy D

    September 5, 2019 at 8:46 am

    I think that’s true too – if you figure it out, it’s def getting stored for way longer than if someone just said it to you.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      Thinking is good! Total fan here LOL

      Reply
  29. Anonymous

    September 5, 2019 at 12:50 am

    kids to be creative. Who knows maybe they’ll invent something that the world would find useful one day.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      True, you never know what they may create especially if they stick with it.

      Reply
  30. Seth Window

    September 4, 2019 at 9:34 pm

    The tangible element of tinkering brings a different and necessary perspective of STEM. Troubleshooting a computer or coding, while extremely valuable in the toolbox for learning, doesn’t engage a learner through this psychical avenue.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:10 pm

      That’s true – Tinkering Labs is def a different learning experience.

      Reply
  31. Christina Gould

    September 4, 2019 at 6:43 pm

    I think STEM is a great idea, especially for women. I’m a software engineer by trade, so I do like to tinker. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      STEM is great for anyone who leans towards those fields!

      Reply
  32. Laura Yeates

    September 3, 2019 at 10:23 pm

    Stem toys are amazing. They get kids to think outside the box and learn how things work.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Learning how things work is so important for kids!

      Reply
  33. Calvin

    September 3, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    I built robotics in summer camp a lot, these kits are great for kids, educational fun.. at home!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Sounds like you had great summers as a kid!

      Reply
  34. Paula Pennachio

    September 3, 2019 at 8:16 am

    I really don’t know what I think about stem. Tinkering is great for all ages. Kids could really get into it

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Kids love Tinkering Labs!

      Reply
  35. Veronica Lee

    September 3, 2019 at 5:37 am

    This is a fantastic activity for kids. I would love to tinker with my godson.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:12 pm

      Your godson would love Tinkering Labs!

      Reply
  36. gloria patterson

    August 30, 2019 at 12:18 pm

    STEM is so important for kids today………. our local schools have classes and clubs for it and WVU offers special classes in the summer for middle school kids

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:12 pm

      Our schools have after school STEM classes too. I’m glad they have those options.

      Reply
  37. Dana Rodriguez

    August 28, 2019 at 4:43 pm

    I would have enjoyed something like this as a kid. I like to be challenged to this day.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:13 pm

      Being challenged can def be fun!

      Reply
  38. gloria patterson

    August 24, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    I am a big STEM fan…. WVU has summer sessions/classes for STEM for middle school kids. A lot of schools have the robotic clubs.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      I love that schools offer STEM activities these days!

      Reply
  39. Christa Sloan

    August 24, 2019 at 1:42 pm

    Tinkering is really interesting! I would love to try a kit like this with my nephews!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      August 28, 2019 at 9:05 am

      Your nephews would love this kit!

      Reply
  40. Sherri-Lynn Gagnon

    August 24, 2019 at 10:03 am

    Very cool! It’s actually a great idea! I think it’s an awesome gift choice, especially for kids, as it helps their brains develop and improves things such as memory and critical thinking.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      Tinkering Labs does make a great gift that keeps on giving!

      Reply
  41. Paula Pennachio

    August 22, 2019 at 6:22 am

    I think these are awesome, kids would love to do them and play with them. This would be fun and learning for them. I do sometimes love to tinker

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      What do you like to tinker with?

      Reply
  42. Alissa A Apel

    August 21, 2019 at 1:54 pm

    I really like to focus on STEM, but I add an “A” to it and call it STEAM. The “A” is for art. I think art should be added. It reaches yet another spot in the human brain, for development.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      STEAM is great too, I think!

      Reply
  43. Dena Akbar

    August 9, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    I wish I would have it and I would like to have this for my family and for my friends,

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      August 12, 2019 at 2:16 pm

      It’s a great activity for kids!

      Reply
  44. Sandy Klocinski

    August 2, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    This really inspires creativity! I’m not particularly science / engineering minded but even I think this would be fun. Great toy!

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      September 16, 2019 at 1:16 pm

      Inspiring creativity is important for kids, I think.

      Reply
  45. Nancy

    July 20, 2019 at 10:47 am

    Creativeness is an important skill to teach kids. They may become one of the great problem solvers.

    Reply
    • Home Jobs By Mom

      August 28, 2019 at 9:03 am

      Yes, it’s great for kids to be creative. Who knows maybe they’ll invent something that the world would find useful one day.

      Reply
      • Donna L Holder

        September 21, 2019 at 10:05 am

        this would help out the kids. learning new skills are great

        Reply

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