Reviewed by
Mary
KiwiCo produces a variety of STEAM project boxes for all ages! There are science and arts/craft themed boxes, all creating a wonderful variety of items.
The three main age groups are 0 – 8, 9-13, and 14+.
The boxes are slightly differently priced, depending on which box you pick; the simpler boxes for younger children are cheaper, but of course they are also less complicated.
Of course the 14+ box means it’s suitable for adults too, and so as an adult I’m trying the KiwiCo Eureka Crate, which is focused on Engineering and Design. It costs from £23.99 a month.
Yes, you can build a pair of headphones! What a fantastic project.
All of the components are neatly arranged in the box, along with a seriously comprehensive Maker’s Guide.
As well as the instructions, the guide contains a large amount of fascinating information about the nature of sound, how the speakers and headphones actually work, and experiments with sound for further investigation and learning
The instructions are comprehensive and very easy to follow.
You don’t need any extra equipment, even and allen key is contained in the box. You really do just open it up, take everything out, and get building!
One thing I found very useful is that they give every single step, including those you have to repeat, for example making each earpiece for the headband. So you don’t have to worry about going back to see what you did the first time.
The combination of excellent diagrams and clear concise written instructions make it very easy to put together.
And they’re finished!
I made these in about 40 minutes.
Everything fitted perfectly, and there were even a couple of spares of the tiny little pieces.
KiwiCo has a page on their website of various sound clips so you can test out your headphones, especially the stereo aspect. Sounds coming from each separate headphone, and moving them around so you can really hear and understand the stereo effect.
Combined with the extra information, the experiments with the finished headphones were fascinating, and really made me think about what I was listening to.
They are also surprisingly comfortable to wear. The parts that come into contact with your head are all properly padded, and the overall design, especially with the red plastic and the wooden parts has a lovely funky look too.
By Evelyn 
