Technology Will Save Us launched their latest tech toy for kids, Dough Universe on Kickstarter. Dough Universe is made of three different play dough kits kids play with and create light, sound, and movement, all while learning about electricity. The kits are made for kids ages 4-7.
These kits use play dough as electronic circuits. The high salt and water content of play dough is conductive with electricity. This is what allows the kid’s play dough creations to light up, move or make noise.
The first kit is the Squishy Sounds Kit. This kit comes with one sound controller, three play dough pots, one sound helper, three cookie cutters and one application download. With this kit, kids can make instruments like pianos, drums or keytars out of the play dough, connect the instrument to the sound helper and they have made a working instrument. The app, which is downloadable onto any smart device, shows the kids how to make the circuits and how to shape the dough to create the sounds. This kit is currently on Kickstarter for $40.
The Dough Universe Bright Creatures kit. (Source: Technology Will Save Us)
The second kit is the Bright Creatures Kit. This kit comes with one application download, one light controller, three play dough pots, five to seven light helpers, and three cookie cutters. With this kit, kids can create fire-breathing dragons, snakes with flashing scales and more. The app shows the kids how to make the electricity circuits to light up their new creatures. This kit is on Kickstarter for $40.
The third and final kit from the Dough Universe line is the Electro Machines Kit. With this kit, kids can build and control their own machines out of the play dough and make them move. Using the app, kids learn the mechanics of movement and how to control the speed and direction of their inventions. This kit comes with one application download, one move controller, one move helper, three play dough pots, one electro cable and three cookie cutters. This kit, like the other two, is available on Kickstarter for $40.
The app that accompanies each kit teaches kids about electricity through stories of a play dough world. The app also has mini games in the stories that help kids learn about electricity. The stories and games in the app give kids inspiration for new things they can create with the play dough.
While each kit comes with Dough Universe brand play dough, the kits work with any dough with a high salt content, including other brands and homemade dough. Oil based doughs may not work as well because they are not as conductive. Especially difficult to use with the kit are doughs made with plasticine, since the ingredient is not conductive. Technology Will Save Us even made a DIY play dough kit that you can access here.
The Dough Universe has raised $47,083 out of $50,000 of their goal. The Kickstarter campaign ends on July 5, 2017. There are nine different levels of rewards, from single kit given after a $40 pledge, to a customized workshop for a kid’s charity of your choice for a $5,000 pledge. According to the Kickstarter, the kits will start shipping out in September, and they will all be shipped by November, in time for the holidays. To learn more about this project, visit the Kickstarter page here.
