DIY. It's a magical word. Or, more specifically, three words. Do it yourself means something in the tech arena, so this collection of cool projects to assemble from component pieces not only leaves you with something fun at the end, but it bolsters your knowledge and electronics abilities along the way.
These 10 kits are all guaranteed fun while you actually learn something. And on top of their already healthy discounts, you can apply the Semi-Annual Sale price to all these items as well, knocking another 15 percent off. Just enter the code ANNUAL15 at checkout and you'll get each of these fun sets for a startlingly low price.
SunFounder Nano DIY 4-DOF Robot Kit – $39.91 after code ANNUAL15; originally $59
Good rule of thumb: you'll never go wrong building a robot. This kit can prove it as you assemble Sloth, a fun little robot who you can build, then program to make walk, kick, or even dance. The Arduino board inside Sloth makes him capable of all kinds of fun coding challenges, and users can even build him in a few different configurations to keep the fun going.
Circuit Scribe DIY Ultra Kit – $58.64 after code ANNUAL15; originally $99
Here's one of the most interesting ways to explain to kids the mystery of electricity and circuitry ever. Using the kit's special conductive ink pen, users can literally hand-raw circuits to make lights blink, buzzers beep, and motors whirl, all on a simple piece of paper. And once you rope in an Arduino board or Raspberry Pi microcomputer, you can even start coding around the circuits. It's both fun and inventive.
DIY Autonomous Vehicle Kit for Ages 8 to 13 – $191.24 after code ANNUAL15; originally $249
Every kid dreams of a car that'll drive itself, so with this kit, they can actually build it for themselves. Young automakers earn the mechanical experience of crafting the vehicle from the ground up. Then using artificial intelligence, they find exactly how much technology impacts how modern transportation really works.
oneTeslaTS DIY Musical Coil Kit – $339.99 after code ANNUAL15; originally $449
Is it a science experiment or a musical instrument? With this Tesla coil, it's actually both. Learners can go through the steps to actually assemble this Tesla coil, then use it to vibrate air molecules, actually changing the frequency of sound waves generated each second to raise and lower pitch for one of the coolest — and weirdest — instruments ever.
Nibble Educational DIY Game Console for Ages 9+ – $67.96 after code ANNUAL15; originally $79
The Nibble looks like an average handheld retro gaming console. But there's a lot more happening here than that. It's actually a wicked smart educational tool, engaging kids in the pursuit of electronics and programming knowledge, all while they build the console on their own. Plus, it's got four cool pre-loaded games packed in once you've got it all put together so you can play to your heart's content.
DIY Building Block STEM Drone – $42.49 after code ANNUAL15; originally $129
Every kid loves to fly drones, so let 'em build one. Kids ages 6 to 10 use detailed instructions to craft this drone out of building blocks — but they better understand the laws of aerodynamics and weight distribution or they're bound for a very short flight. This drone not only encourages STEM learning and playing outdoors, but it develops a curious eye for the world and everything in it.
Metal Vehicle DIY Model Kit – $101.96 after code ANNUAL15; originally $119
This kit is all about model building, but with a decidedly mechanical twist. You get all the pieces to assemble a replica Bentley Speed Six vintage supercar. In addition to the high-quality artificial leather pieces, polished stainless steel construction, and authentic rubber tires, this foot-long model has most of the features of the original, from a car hood and doors that open, to a rear carrying space. But this model also comes with a wind-up feature so you can set it down and let it tear across your tabletop on the road to adventure.
Spencer DIY Voice Assistant – $84.99 after code ANNUAL15; originally $119
It's like Alexa, but a kid-friendly version. And yes, they make for themselves too. This DIY voice assistant teaches kids to learn about soldering, microcomputers, electronics, LED grids, sound processing, and even coding. But once they're done, Spencer can give you the weather, tell a joke, sing a song, set an alarm, or even show animations.
Flux Capacitor with Animated LED Lights Kit – $46.74 after code ANNUAL15; originally $64
Yep, it's the flux capacitor from Back to the Future — but unlike Marty McFly, you'll know how to build it for real. This palm-sized replica comes together using building blocks, but it's also got its own LED light array so you can juice this baby up to 88 mph and really drink in the fun as it blinks and flashes its way through time.
Geeek Club DIY Robot Construction Kit – $107.06 after code ANNUAL15; originally $129
You get the component parts to create seven different NanoBot robots, each giving builders an education in structural engineering and electrical design without it feeling like a stuffy classroom tutorial. With 70 different pieces, including light sensors and vibro-motors, you follow the step-by-step instructions to build a robot from the ground up, each capable of intelligently moving toward any light source. If you ever wanted to create your own robotic life, this is a solid start.
