The kids' software directory

DIY, making, 3D and electronics

Crafts, building projects, 3D design, CAD and electronics for young makers.

23 researched
1 to know about
119 more on G2, not yet researched

Peabody's own: the Workbench, real things to build. It is ours, so it is not in the list below and we do not rate it.

Researched by Peabody

Facts from each maker's own pages (terms, pricing, privacy), with our one-line take. A to Z; we rank nothing until we have tried it.

Desk researchFreeNo ads
Adafruit Learning System
Adafruit Industries · ages about 10 and up with an adult
A top free resource for families building electronics together; kids should not work through it alone.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Autodesk Fusion (Education)
Autodesk · ages about 14+ (high school and up)
Worth it for high schoolers serious about engineering or 3D printing; younger makers should start with Tinkercad.
Desk researchFree
Babble Dabble Do
Ana Dziengel · ages about 3-12
Great for families and teachers who want craft projects with a design or science twist; an adult should pick and prep the projects.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Blender
Blender Foundation (open source) · ages about 12+
Ideal for a motivated teen who wants to learn real 3D; younger kids should start with Tinkercad.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Crayola crafts
Crayola, LLC (Hallmark) · ages about 3 and up (each craft lists an age)
Handy for parents and teachers hunting for a quick holiday or rainy-day craft; nothing here for a child to use alone online.
Desk researchFree
DLTK's Crafts for Kids
DLTK's Inc. (family-run, Canada) · ages about 2-8
A handy free printables source for parents of preschoolers who don't mind ads; families wanting an ad-free site should look elsewhere.
Desk researchFree
EasyEDA
JiaLiChuang (HongKong) Co., Limited (JLC group) · ages about 13+
A practical free tool for teens ready to design real circuit boards; beginners should start with Tinkercad Circuits.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ELECFREAKS micro:bit kits
ELECFREAKS · ages about 8-14
Good value for families or classes that already have a micro:bit and want robots and sensors; families starting from zero may prefer an all-in-one kit.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Exploratorium Science Snacks
Exploratorium (San Francisco science museum) · ages about 8-18 (written for grades 6-12, also used with younger kids)
A strong free pick for families and teachers who want real hands-on science; kids who need a game-like app will want something else.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
KidsGardening
KidsGardening (Kids Garden Community nonprofit, Vermont) · ages grades Pre-K-12 (through adults)
A strong free resource for teachers and parents who want to garden with kids; not something a child would browse on their own.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
LEGO Builder
The LEGO Group · ages about 4+ (rated 4+)
A useful free companion for any LEGO family, especially for siblings sharing one build; skip it if you prefer screen-free paper instructions.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
LEGO Play
The LEGO Group · ages about 5-12 (rated 4+)
One of the safer first social apps for LEGO-loving kids, thanks to pre-moderation and parental consent; families who want no social feed at all should stick to LEGO Builder.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Little Bins for Little Hands
Little Bins for Little Hands · ages about 3-13 (preschool to middle school)
A go-to free idea bank for parents and teachers of young kids; expect lots of ads and supervise the messier experiments.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Little Passports
Little Passports, Inc., a Begin brand (Conscious Content Media, Inc.) · ages about 3-12
A good gift or monthly ritual for curious kids who like making things; families on a tight budget can find similar projects for free.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Make: and Maker Camp
Make Community, LLC · ages under 5 to 14+ (Maker Camp); magazine for teens and adults
A strong free option for parents, librarians or teachers willing to lead a summer or after-school maker group; not a self-serve kids' app.
Desk researchFree
Mr Printables
Mr Printables · ages about 2-8
A pretty source of free printables for parents of preschoolers; download the sheets yourself rather than letting a child browse an ad-supported site with no readable privacy policy.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Onshape Education
PTC · ages about 12+ (middle school to college)
A strong free choice for teens on robotics teams or in engineering classes; younger kids should start with Tinkercad.
Desk researchFree
Red Ted Art
Red Ted Art Ltd (Maggy) · ages about 2-15 (preschool, kids 5+, tweens and teens)
A dependable free craft idea source for parents and teachers; best browsed by an adult who then sets up the project, given the ads.
Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads
SketchUp for Schools
Trimble · ages grades K-12
A good free 3D tool for schools on Google or Microsoft; families at home should try Tinkercad or Onshape's free student plan.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
SparkFun Learn
SparkFun Electronics · ages about 12 and up (younger with an adult)
A good free companion for a teen who has a SparkFun or Arduino kit and wants to build real gadgets; younger kids need a parent alongside.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
TeachEngineering
University of Colorado Boulder (with partner universities, funded by the National Science Foundation) · ages about 5-18 (grades K-12)
A great free source for teachers and homeschool families who want real engineering projects; kids looking for something to do alone online won't find it here.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
TinkerLab
Rachelle Doorley (TinkerLab) · ages about 2-8
A good idea source for parents and preschool teachers who want messy, creative art time; families wanting an app a child uses alone should look elsewhere.
Desk researchPaid
Toybox 3D Printer
Toybox Labs · ages about 6-14
Suits families who want an easy first 3D printer for a curious grade-schooler and accept refill and subscription costs; makers who want an open, general-purpose printer should look elsewhere.

Know before you buy

Shut down, exposed children's data, or said unsafe things in tests.

WarningPaidNo ads
Steve Spangler Science
Steve Spangler Science (owned by Excelligence Learning Corporation) · ages about 4-14 (K-8 classroom and home kits)
Fine for buying a proven science kit through a retailer, but parents should not expect the club or online content the brand's site once offered.

Also listed on G2

Products G2 files here that we have not researched yet, in G2's order. Most are built for adults or businesses. G2 categories: 3D Modeling Software, General-Purpose CAD Software, PCB Design Software.