Unlock Your Child's Creativity with the Best 3D Printers
Best Overall
The Bambu Lab A1 Mini stands out as an exceptional choice. It's not just for adults; kids will love its simplicity and speed. With little assembly required and flawless prints guaranteed, it's the perfect entry point for young beginners. On sale for 9 from Bambu Lab and 9 for the AMS lite combo, it offers great value. It can print in four colors without the need for paint, thanks to its RFID-tagged filament. The accompanying MakerWorld website and Bambu Handy mobile app provide a wealth of free print files and design tools. It's a full-fledged, fast, and affordable powerhouse that can serve the entire family for years to come.
Though it lacks software tailored for children, its beginner-friendly features make it accessible. The printer is mostly assembled, and only a few parts need to be pressed together. It's backed by Bambu Lab's comprehensive website with spare parts and maintenance instructions. This is the only youngster-friendly printer on our list that can print in four colors for vibrant prints.
Best for Very Young Makers
The Toybox is like the Easy-Bake Oven of 3D printers. It requires no setup, is safe, and is super kid-friendly. It features a library of free and paid premium parent-approved models and simple toy-designing tools. The website is heavily curated for children, restricting models with "grown up" themes. However, our one concern is its limited connectivity that relies on home WiFi. We had trouble getting it to connect, and once your child outgrows it, you can no longer use the website. Another disappointment is the lack of user serviceable parts, as nozzles are considered covered by warranty. But the company is coming out with a new, larger printer dubbed the Comet, which looks promising.
Despite these drawbacks, the Toybox is excellent for teaching and entertaining elementary-aged children with very little need for parental supervision.
Best To Grow With Your Kid
The AOSEED X-Maker is a great starter 3D printer. It's ready to use out of the box and comes with a suite of design software tools to support your kids' creativity as they level up their skills. It has a safety enclosure, an easy-to-understand graphic interface, a decent print volume, a heated bed, and a nozzle that can handle PETG or ASA. The website sells kits to add wind-up motors or music boxes to models, allowing kids to build and customize their creations.
Unlike the Toybox, X-Maker's designs can be saved as normal stl files and exported for use on other 3D printers. It can handle full-sized spools of nearly any filament, making it a versatile choice for growing kids.
Best Budget Kid 3D Printer
The AOSEED X-Maker Joy is our favorite budget printer for kids. Once the filament is loaded, a child can operate it from a mobile device with little supervision. It comes with kid-friendly design software and a website with curated models. However, it has some limitations. It has no interface at all, relying only on a mobile device and home WiFi. The mobile app also poses a challenge as it needs to be connected first. But once these barriers are overcome, it offers average speed, good print quality, and a cold build plate suitable for PLA. Kids will enjoy the monitoring camera that lets them watch the printing process.
Best for STEM
The Prusa Mini+ is an excellent choice for tweens and teens. Even the semi-assembled version requires more assembly than most modern printers, making it a great STEM project. It has 24-7 European support, ensuring that any issues are promptly addressed. With its traditional 3D printer features, excellent quality, and heated bed with auto bed leveling, it offers a great user experience. Though it needs "grown up" software to operate and the kit version requires complex assembly, its user-friendly features make it accessible.
Best for Teens
The AnkerMake M5C is a "full size" 3D printer that's superfast and easy to use for teens. With no screen and only one button to start and stop prints, it runs off your phone or computer. The phone app provides a wealth of information and access to all the printer's features, including a custom slicer with an excellent beginner-friendly "easy mode" for advanced users. It's easy to assemble in a few steps with clear directions, and a tween or teen can take it from box to first print with little supervision.
What projects can kids make with a 3D printer? Just like adults, kids can create custom toys, educational tools, and practical prints. A great resource is Printables, a file library with designer contests based on themes that kids find interesting. The possibilities are endless.
