Crunch Labs

Hands‑on STEM projects sound great until you’re the one scrambling for parts and instructions. CrunchLabs is engineer Mark Rober’s subscription box that ships a monthly build‑it‑yourself project plus an online video lesson explaining the science. Created specifically to make engineering feel like a series of fun challenges, each box focuses on mechanisms, physics, and problem‑solving. We love that the builds are substantial enough to feel like real toys when finished, not one‑and‑done crafts. It’s ideal for roughly ages 8–12 who enjoy tinkering and watching YouTube‑style explainer videos. The subscription is a bigger line item in the budget than many workbooks, and some builds may need adult help, but the per‑month experience is robust. Pro tip: set aside a dedicated “build day” each month and have your child explain the mechanism to another family member to cement the concepts.