{"id":444,"date":"2016-10-16T10:47:45","date_gmt":"2016-10-16T15:47:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learningtostem.com\/?p=444"},"modified":"2017-01-03T20:46:34","modified_gmt":"2017-01-04T02:46:34","slug":"zoob-car-designer-stem-product-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learningtostem.com\/zoob-car-designer-stem-product-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"ZOOB Car Designer – Product Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

ZOOB Introduction<\/h2>\n

ZOOB building sets are award-winning sets that uses plastic interlocking pieces\u2014including gears, joints, and axels\u2014that snap together to enable users to build many different objects. By design, ZOOB is intended to be used and played with after building.<\/p>\n

The Zoob Car Designer kit<\/a><\/strong> is one of the company’s most popular sets (Note: link goes to a newer version of the Zoob Car Designer set than what was .<\/p>\n

ZOOB Car Designer Kit<\/h2>\n

Product Details<\/h3>\n

\"Zoob<\/a>
\nThe ZOOB Car Designer kit adds 76 pieces to your ZOOB collection that can be used to simultaneously\u2014no need to take one car apart to build another!\u2014build three cars at once. Or, just build one big 12-wheel flatbed truck.<\/p>\n

Recommended ages:<\/strong> 6-18 | Based on our research, though, the maximum enjoyment age is probably closer to 12 and children as young as 3 can enjoy Zoobs.<\/p>\n

Zoob Car Designer Kit Review<\/h3>\n

Summary<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewers overwhelmingly consider Zoobs a great building toy for children. Especially children who are not easily discouraged when playing and do not feel the need to follow instructions. There are many different sets to select from but the Car Designer Kit is one of few that offers you the chance to add wheels to your collection<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

We recommend the Zoob Car Designer Kit as an inexpensive introduction to Zoobs. Unless your child always uses a build-by-the-book approach.<\/p>\n

Example Pictures:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Zoob<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"Zoob<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Pros<\/h3>\n

Open-Ended Play<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As mentioned in the\u00a0Cons<\/em> section, the instruction manual for Zoobs leaves much to be desired. However, this does not stop Zoobs from being great building toys. The ease with which they snap together encourages kids to try different connections and build various objects.<\/p>\n

Once created, the wheels add an extra dimension of play not always found in Zoob sets. Every child–even adult ones–enjoy watching their creation zoob–ahem, zoom–across a floor.<\/p>\n

Fine Motor Skills<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Zoobs are great for improving fine motor skills as they require children to manipulate pieces and connect them together. They are not so small, like Legos, that they may cause frustration with children who struggle manipulating small objects.<\/p>\n

From our experience, we believe\u00a0the pieces are just difficult enough to be challenging<\/strong> but not so difficult that children will get bored or frustrated. Particularly if working on their own creations. Even our three-year-old tester has no problem making connections<\/strong> after some effort.<\/p>\n

Cons<\/h3>\n

Instructions
\n<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe instruction manual is one of the most common complaints about the Zoob Car Designer Kit set. The complex manual can create a non-user friendly experience that may turn many children off from trying to complete the designs. The instructions often combine several moves in one step. This can make it difficult to determine what changes occurred from step to step.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, many children simply pick up Zoobs and make their own creations, rendering the instruction manual a moot point.<\/p>\n

\"Zoob<\/a>
The manual may tear over time<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Zoob<\/a>
This little guy was not as easy to build as it may seem<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were able to complete all designs successfully. <\/strong>We do\u00a0understand, though, why a number of\u00a0parents and children have expressed frustration with the manual. In fact, we could only complete the lunar rover above with a little more force than expected. Parents may want to demonstrate all of the connections listed in the manual (see page 5 of manual pictured above for an example)<\/p>\n

Durability
\n<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe Zoob cars are intended to be played with repeatedly, but the way Zoobs connect will cause them to eventually become misshapen during play.\u00a0Additionally, several users report concerns with pieces showing fatigue (e.g., small cracks and connections slippage).<\/p>\n

Our experience<\/strong> is too limited to comment on piece fatigue. Our personal Zoobs have only been used for 2-3 hours. In that time,\u00a0they have shown no durability issues. Also, many users have reported many hours of use without incident. We do agree that it is easy to move pieces out of place, but it is equally as easy to put them back.<\/p>\n

Abstractness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Some children may find Zoobs to be a bit too abstract and become easily bored.\u00a0<\/strong>Our in-house child tester (i.e., my 3-year old daughter) is much below the recommended age\u00a0and\u00a0has never shown interest in Zoobs. This seems to be a common claim with younger users.<\/p>\n

Questions\/Comments<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you have questions or comments about the Zoob Car Designer set, we would love to hear them in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ZOOB Introduction ZOOB building sets are award-winning sets that uses plastic interlocking pieces\u2014including gears, joints, and axels\u2014that snap together to enable users to build many different objects. By design, ZOOB is intended to be used and played with after building. The Zoob Car Designer kit is one of the company’s most popular sets (Note: link […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,31,3,15,20],"tags":[41],"wppr_data":{"cwp_meta_box_check":"No"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nZOOB Car Designer - Product Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about Zoob Car Designer, a 76-piece building toy set from ALEX brands. 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