Girls That Make is a subscription box that teaches girls how to build circuits, program, and sew to create their own wearable technology.
Each box will feature a different wearable project and all of the materials needed to build it. You’ll receive a needle and thread, various electronic components, and an instruction booklet to guide you through each step. The subscription is set up as a 12-project curriculum, with each box building on the skills you’ve learned in the previous one(s). Projects are designed for children (or adults!) aged 12 & up and require access to a computer with internet and a USB port. No previous tech experience is needed.
Disclosure: I received this box for review purposes. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate and/or referral links.
Subscriptions are $39.99/month or less with multi-month plans. Shipping is a flat fee of $5.
Let’s see what’s in my May 2018 Girls That Make box!
Everything was shipped in a colorful box with a fun superhero/comic design.
A peek inside!
The first project in the 12-month curriculum was a Sparkly Bracelet.
A full-color project booklet provided step-by-step detailed instructions, along with descriptions and explanations of each component.
The beginning of the book included an inventory checklist so you could verify that you had all of the needed materials.
Further pages go on to list and describe all of the components you’d be working with to build the bracelet. Labeled illustrations of each component were also provided to give you a better understanding of all the parts.
The booklet went on to describe various types of electricity and the components of a battery.
The instructions also included an intro to coding, which I still find a bit intimidating.
3D Bangle
A plastic, 3D-printed bangle was to serve as the, well, bracelet part of the project. It was hollow inside and came apart in order to fit all of the needed components.
Felt Sheet
A sheet of white felt would be cut to hold some of the components listed below. Specifically, the printed circuit board, LED lights, and coin cell battery holder.
White School Glue
A bottle of school glue was provided to attach all of the parts to the felt, as well as hold down and insulate thread.
Needles & Conductive Thread
I’m not sure what the pom-poms were for, but the needle and thread were for placing stitches along the edges of the felt and sewing the pieces in place.
Coin Cell Battery & Holder
At first I thought the battery was missing from my box, but then I realized it was already inserted into the holder. The on/off switch is also found here.
Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
This thin board is comprised of many different pins that each have a unique function that displays on the bracelet.
White LED Lights
LED stands for “Light Emitting Diode”. These make up the part of the bracelet that will light up and/or blink.
Alligator Clips
Alligator clips were to be used to connect the electrical parts for testing. Their colorful coating acts as an insulator, protecting you from electrical shocks and preventing the wires from touching each other.
Rewards Chart
A rewards chart was included in the first box, along with a sticker to mark the first project as completed. Once you complete all of the projects in a section (up to the yellow number), you can send a photo of the chart to Girls That Make for a special reward.
My daughters are a little young for this subscription, but my husband offered to complete the project since he likes tech stuff. Unfortunately, he’s been super busy with other things and this kinda got put on the backburner. Rather than wait for him to have the time, I decided to just post the review minus the finished product. I think (hope) you get the gist of it though!
If you’re a parent of a young girl who has an interest in learning about electronics and coding, Girls That Make is the perfect subscription. If you don’t have kids and want to try out the projects yourself, that’s cool too. While I’m not very tech savvy myself, I did find the instructions to be fairly easy to follow and everything was explained with the beginner in mind. 🙂
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