Build Your Own Plane Launcher Review

Reviewed by Alice Dixon

We have been sent a Plane Launcher kit to try out this week from Build Your Own.

My two sons already really enjoy building paper planes together. It’s something I remember doing a lot with my Grandad as a child too. They often try out different folding techniques and designs. But none of them ever seem to fly that far. But with the Plane Launcher the planes slot in and can then be launched up to ten metres making this a step further than just paper plane throwing!

The kit arrived in a cardboard box and all the pieces included are also cardboard which I think is fab. I like to stay away from plastic as much as possible. The box states that the packaging and kit are FSC approved and are made from 85 – 100% recycled material. The company prides themselves on producing eco-friendly children’s toys that they can build themselves. The kit comes with 59 pieces that slot together to make a launcher plus ten ready to fold paper planes included to launch. I was really impressed that each piece was great quality cardboard as I was initially concerned that it may be too flimsy to play with.

The plane launcher itself I found to be at the right skill level for my eldest child . It says it’s recommended for ages 8 up to adults. The kit and instructions are well detailed making them simple to follow but it’s still challenging enough to keep their brains challenged making this a great STEM activity. My eight year old son was able to complete a lot of the building himself with little input however some of the pieces we did find tough to join together as they fit in tightly and he needed adult help to push them in. Also all the instructions are images to copy rather than writing so now and again he asked for help deciphering where a piece needed to go. There are rather a lot of components to the kit though with a lengthy instruction book so I can see why it’s recommended for 8+ years. It was too much for my six year old so he lost interest quickly. I imagine older children would enjoy this toy and it’s definitely a lovely activity to do together.

What I love about this kit is that there is no glue needed. So no mess and no fuss as it says on the box! Once the launcher was complete my son enjoyed building the planes and he was so impressed with how far they flew. The Build Your Own Plane Launcher is really engaging, fun and will be an excellent STEM activity to keep the kids busy away from screens during the Summer holidays. It’s no surprise that this kit was a winner in the 2020 Independent Toy Awards. The Build Your Own range also includes a microscope kit and marble run that we are now eager to try!

Rating: 4/5

RRP: £16.99

This product is available to purchase directly from Build Your Own Kits here.  Also available on Amazon.