Thames & Kosmos Mega Cyborg Hand STEM Experiment Kit | Build Your Own GIANT Hydraulic Amazing Gripping Capabilities Adjustable for Different Sizes Learn Pneumatic Systems

I bought the Thames & Kosmos Mega Cyborg Hand STEM Experiment Kit as a Christmas gift for my 9-year-old son, and it was a huge hit! From the moment he opened it, he was excited to dive into the building process.The instructions were clear and easy for him to follow, and he managed to assemble it mostly on his own, with just a little guidance. Watching him figure out how each piece fit together and seeing his pride in completing it was priceless. The kit provides a fantastic hands-on learning experience, teaching mechanical concepts and the basics of hydraulics in a fun and engaging way.Once assembled, the cyborg hand is incredibly cool. It fits comfortably, works smoothly, and my son has been having a blast testing its capabilities, like picking up objects or pretending he's a robot. The fact that it’s adjustable for different hand sizes means he’ll be able to use it for a long time.This STEM kit is not only entertaining but also educational, sparking curiosity about engineering and science. I highly recommend it for any kid who loves to build, tinker, and explore how things work. It's a gift that keeps on giving!

Cool gift my son loved

This is a really cool STEM toy! The Mega Cyborg Hand is fun to build, and the instructions are easy to follow. It’s a great way to learn about mechanics and how hydraulics work. However, it feels a bit too simple once assembled—I was hoping for more complexity or extra features. Still, it’s a fun and educational project that works well. A solid choice for kids who enjoy building!

After reading the reviews on difficulty level I decided to get this for my 16 year old. He is very good with putting things together and this took him about 6 hours to assemble over a few days. He (gently) used a power drill because the screws were too difficult to do manually. It is a great gift for an older kid that likes to build but would not recommend it for the ages listed in the description. He enjoyed it, it was challenging enough without being overly frustrating and not so easy that he was done with it in no time. It is a very cool hand and works really well!

Great for gifting, there are some steps that may require an adult. The pieces need to be cut out and burs removed from edges and that requires sharp scissors or a blade depending on age that may require assistance. The hydronic components also require lubrication and precision cutting of tube. Overall it’s not very difficult and it’s fun and silly as a toy that you can have fun with for awhile. The instructions include stories that are fun for kids too. Definitely recommend

My kid had a great time building this. It is not heavy duty and isn't durable enough to actually use to grab things or play with. Some pieces broke during construction, which the company replaced. Very good activity, though.

I ordered this for my son’s 9th birthday, after he saw it online and became immediately obsessed. He couldn’t wait to start building, and I had to stop him from ripping it open multiple times. This definitely required close parental involvement (for his age, at least)…he didn’t appreciate the value of the directions until he used the wrong size screw in an early step, and we had to undo several pieces. After that, he was VERY careful to read the guide (which was the best instruction set I’ve ever used - clean / easy to understand drawings), and he carefully filed off the little plastic nubs from each part after we snapped them out. The pieces are plastic, but we didn’t have any just break on us…but be warned, some pieces can’t be unsnapped after they are clicked together (this isn’t a project you can make multiple times). At one point when we were almost done, my son accidentally clicked two pieces together without placing them around a third piece…and they wouldn’t come undone. I tried to pry them apart with a little screwdriver, but I snapped off one of the tabs. He felt awful and cried, but thankfully we could fix that with superglue. We also had one piece with a manufacturing defect, but I reached out to the company, and they kindly sent us a replacement. I think it took 5 hours over 2 days to assemble, but it was worth it. I’ll re-emphasize: parental/adult involvement is necessary…don’t turn a younger kid loose with this project. We bought another one for my son’s best friend, but I think he worked on it alone, got frustrated, and put it away…hoping he didn’t snap together pieces that can’t be undone, because that will make the set worthless. Our experience was positive, though, and now my son is scouring the company’s catalogue to choose his next project, which he desperately hoping comes under the Christmas tree.

The Mega Cyborg Hand kit is a fun and educational STEM project that my child really enjoyed building. The hydraulic system is a great way to introduce kids to basic engineering and mechanics, and the instructions were fairly clear. However, some parts were a bit flimsy and didn’t fit together as well as expected, which caused a bit of frustration during assembly. Also, the hand is quite large and not very comfortable to wear for extended periods, even with the adjustable straps. Overall, it’s a decent kit for older kids who are patient and enjoy building things, but it could use some improvements in design and durability.