3D Printers are a popular tool amongst the people of the adult world and it is no surprise that kids have an interest in tinkering with 3D printers too.
Do you have a child that absolutely loves playing with technology but aren’t too sure about letting them use your 3d printer? That’s fair enough because 3D printers aren’t exactly the most affordable pieces of tech on the market that you can just hand to your kid and tell them to go play.
If you’re one of those people, then you’re in luck. To the surprise of many, many people, there are 3d printers that have been designed with children in mind; this is great for those who have children that show an interest in technology, especially 3d printers.
Why is it a Good Idea to Get a 3D Printer for my Child?
One of the biggest advantages of owning a 3d printer is it encourages creativity. Children are very creative and a 3d printer allows them to explore their creativity further. A 3D printer is a fantastic tool for children because it allows them to bring things from their imaginations to life; this can be both very entertaining and rewarding.
As well as providing entertainment, 3D printers are also a great learning tool. Many schools nowadays do not offer many engineering-related classes, some may offer woodwork or metal work if you are lucky, so it can be difficult if that’s something that your kid may be into, this is why it is a good idea to get a 3d printer for your child if they show an interest in engineering.
In this post, we are going to a few of what we believe are the best 3D printers to invest in if you are looking forward to purchasing one for your child to start learning with.
Flashforge Finder
This printer has a homely feeling about it, its thick and chunky frame provides you with a strong and sturdy little machine, something good for your little one if they are prone to dropping things.
Setting up the printer is relatively easy which makes it great for those who are less tech-savvy than others. When you first start the printer, the touchscreen, which is on the face, begins to show you in simple terms how to use it.
Another upside about this printer is the sound, it is a lot quieter than other 3d printers out there, you hardly notice that it’s there.
The only real downside about this printer is that the filament can be difficult to load inside, but if you’re careful enough and can follow the instructions properly, you should be okay.
The Flashforge Finder makes a great alternative to the next 3D printer on the list which is the DaVinci MiniMaker.
DaVinci MiniMaker
This colourful looking printer is perfect for children, it looks just like a toy too!
This printer is a good way to introduce 3d printing technology to children because its bright colours make it look more like a toy than a boring learning tool that a lot of kids wouldn’t be interested in otherwise.
The setup for this printer is crazy fast. All you have to do is plug in the USB and power cable, snap at the printhead and feed the filament to the printhead and that’s all there is to it. The DaVinci MiniMaker is good for kids because many of them are quite impatient and this machine tells them how much filament it will use and gives them an estimate of how long their printing job will take.
There is only one big possible deal breaker when it comes to the DaVinci MiniMaker and that is that you can only use their brand of filament which is XYZ. Another negative about it is that XYZ’s filaments are rather expensive and they don’t have a huge range of different coloured filaments available.
Sindoh 3DWOX DP 200
This printer looks more like a home appliance like a coffee machine more than anything. Similar to the Flashforge Finder, it has a touch screen that walks you through a simple setup tutorial.
An awesome feature of this printer is that you can remotely watch how your print is playing out without having to go in and check on it, this is because the printer has a built-in webcam.
Just like the Flashforge finder, the DP 200 is extremely quiet. It is quieter than an office printer. It is also one of the more affordable printers on this list.
A major con that comes with this printer, however, is that it can only print with PLA filament which is no good for people that want to explore using other materials. Apart from that, this printer is a great option for your child.
In Conclusion
Besides the rather hefty price tag that comes along with most 3d printers, we think that its a really good idea to show your kids and teach them all about 3d printing technology, it is the way of the future of course. If your little ones are showing an interest in building or a really creative, why not think about investing in a 3d printer for them? It might just be the best decision you ever make.
