I received product/compensation in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.
I often joke that my 9-year-old is going to be an engineer when he gets older. He loves to build and he will build with whatever materials he has. A pinball machine is not something I ever thought he would be able to build, but he has now thanks to PinBox 3000.
So how did my son come to build his own pinball machine?
PinBox 3000 is a kit that comes with everything you need to build your own cardboard pinball machine. Seriously everything is included and super self-explanatory. No tools required either!
The pinball machine took my son and I just over an hour to build, with him building it and me punching out the pieces. Each piece of the set comes on a piece of sturdy cardboard with perforated edges that you just pop out.
To build, you just fold flaps whichever way it shows and everything actually stays put once pushed in place. There are though plastic reinforcements called rickets that you snap in to really hold the set together. No tools required other than hand strength!
I cannot stress enough though how easy it was to build and how amazing the instructions are to follow. You really can’t make a mistake, unless you are not paying attention of course! Each piece of cardboard is one step and then there are letters to match each fold up to.
Once done you can of course start playing with your new pinball machine or start decorating it! My son could not wait to make the pinball machine his own. For guidance, we checked out the pinball design resources on the PinBox 3000 website and found a great theme to use. We just printed it out and he cut and glued on the pieces. We used the scraps of cardboard and the extra sheet of shapes you get for raised pieces and obstacles!
Here it is all done:
Here it is after it was glued, spray painted and taped on:
You also get an extra cardboard playboard surface to create a new design. The player can easily swap out gameboard designs for whatever mood they are in. Oh and you can also buy Playboard Kits with specific designs that are a little more professional than one you will print out at home. I am eyeing the LED Teck Pack to make our machine light up!
So I admit when I first opened the box, I wasn’t sure I expected a toy that would last in my house. I thought my son would build his cardboard machine, and then that would be that. Well, this Pinball machine has become not just a toy in our house but a piece of artwork almost. I have it displayed in our front room and am so proud to show it off when guests come over. Don’t be fooled though as this machine really does work and holds up to use, which my family has tested almost daily!
If you are stumped on what gift to buy for the child who has everything or looking for something your child can both build and play with, PinBox 3000 is something that is sure to make anyone smile. I ended up giving it to my son for Christmas and out of all the toys he received, this is the one he said was his favorite!
Get your own pinball kit
Check out the PinBox 3000 website to buy your own pinball kit!
Rachel says
I would decide with my kids how we would decorate
Rachel says
This is awesome It would be so much fun with the kids
Leah Shumack says
This is so cool! My daughter would probably decorate it with unicorns!!
Nicole Lancaster says
I think I would decorate the Pinball Machine with my daughter and it would be covered in glitter with a galaxy theme.
Danalee says
If my sons decorate it I am sure it will have dinosaurs. If my daughters decorate it I am sure they will do it in rainbow colors.
kathy pease says
I would decorate it with flowers
rosemary says
Our kids would love this
Kayla Klontz says
I would decorate it with my son, so whatever his imagination says would be what we would do with it.
John H. says
I would paint it.
Jennifer H. says
I would use different patterns and paint.
Brittany Carter says
My 11 year old would be the one to build it and decorate it so I’m so excited to see what he would do thank you for the opportunity
stephanie baker says
I *love* this idea! My girls would enjoy painting one for themselves in pretty princess colors, I’m sure (purple, pink, maybe some glitter?). My husband, the art teacher, would have a blast making one, too. I think I just found that dude his birthday gift!
denise low says
If I had it I would decorate it with neon colors. But if I won I would give it to my grandson and he could decorate the way he wanted.
Julie Hawkins says
I would decorate it with lots of bright colors.
Brenda Elsner says
I would let my kids decorate it.
Emily R. says
My son would decorate it like the solar system.
Edye says
I’d let my cousin do it 🙂
PattiAnn Green says
I would decorate it with my niece. I’d let her decide the design. Knowing her, there would be a lot of rainbows and glitter!
Teresa Kunberger says
Hmm not sure Id let my hubs do it
Ryan Schenk says
I would decorate this pinball machine with flames and pictures of lynx cat as that is my favorite animal in the world.
Melissa Shirley says
I’m not sure how I would decorate it I will leave that up to my kids to decorate it how they feel they want to decorate
Carrie Conley says
I’m not sure how I would decorate it, my niece is 5 years old so putting it together is going to be massize
Janice Crespo says
I’m not really sure but I think we would end up using markers with my grandson (5). It’s also too cold to think of going outside with spray paint. LOL I do think it’s cool that you can add lights Woo hoo! I may have to get this just for me!
maranda carlson says
I have mixed feelings about this it seems flimsy and might notvlast but this would be so fun to try with our kiddos. My husband practically grew up in his dad’s arcade and was a tiny pinball wizard. I would decorate mine in flying monkeys and outer space…not sure how they would decorate theirs.
Linda Madden says
My granddaughter loves my little pony so I’m sure she would decorate with that theme.
rosemary says
wow
BusyWorkingMama says
My daughter would probably make it a little girly and pink!
Teresa Kunberger says
I’m not sure. I’d let me ole man decorate it.
Yona Williams says
My nephew is very artistic…I would love to see what he’d come up with for decorating it. Me, I would make it a dragon design.
Robin Abrams says
My grand kids love spider man so they would decorate it with spider man
April Monty says
My grandson loves all the Zelda games, so we’d use that for our theme
Leela says
Simpsons pinball!
MaryAnn says
My son would probably figure out how to decorate it in a Minecraft theme.
Samantha B says
We would probably decorate this pinball machine with red and black spray paint, my SO’s favorite colors!
Denise Shepherd says
My grandson would love this. He is into music and learning to play guitar. I’m sure there would be music notes or instruments.
Linda G. says
My grandson would love making this, I bet he would have stars, moons and all colors of the rainbow on it.
Gary B says
I would decorate it with Paint
William Karcher says
It would get a sea turtle décor !
Lenora Wilson says
This is such a wonderful crafting toy for a child or grown up. I’ve always love pinball and if I won I would make it flash as I could!
Marty says
I think I’d leave that completely in my daughter’s hands 🙂
Abigail says
My kids would LOVE this but there’d be a dispute over decoration. My daughter would want pink and glitter while I could see my son going with a pokemon theme…
sandra says
maybe with some paint and stickers
vickie couturier says
i would let my grandsons decorate it,,probably in their school colors
Lisa Williams says
My son would probably want to decorate it with things associated with Star Wars or Lord Of The Rings,just a couple things he loves.
James Robert says
I’d like to win for my nephew since this is something he would really enjoy building and having. He draws all the time so I am sure he would come up with something creative. He seems to do good at drawing dragons so I could see him putting one somewhere.
laura feist says
they would decorate with decals
Lana Simanovicki says
I have no idea my son is the artist im sure he will come up with done cool
Mia says
I think we would give it a robot theme.
jenny says
I think my kids would decorate this with stickers, and jewels!
Nancy says
This looks like a fun project to construct and to play.