Build Your Own are back with another eco-friendly, STEM-inspired construction toy. The award-winning designers’ latest creation is a pair of awesome working binoculars, perfect for outdoor adventures this summer.

Our family have been fans of BYO since we were lucky enough to try out the Build Your Own Telescope, Microscope and Plane Thrower and as we’re also outdoor enthusiasts we were very excited to build and put the binoculars through their paces.

Lightweight and ergonomically designed, the 71 piece binocular parts arrive flat packed with an accompanying instruction manual and 2 x large and 2 x small lenses with incredible 6 x magnification. They’re perfect for any budding bird watchers or for taking on nature walks to observe wildlife and the handy tripod stand means kids can display them in their bedroom when not having outdoor adventures.

Having trailed a number of kits now, Seb, aged 9, has become somewhat of a pro and was much more confident with having a go at this on his own than he has been with previous kits. That said, there are always a few tricky bits where 4 hands are better than 2 so I would advise being on hand – no pun intended – to offer any assistance as it can be incredibly frustrating when the parts slip out of slots or don’t stay in the correct place. We even had to resort to using masking tape at one point as the eyepiece holding the small magnifying lens wouldn’t hold together meaning the lens kept slipping out. I’d be interested to go back and see if removing the tape now would make a difference but it was definitely needed for step 12 and 26 at the time. I’m sure if we’d have persevered we’d have figured it out without needing the emergency tape but it was useful to have as it allowed Seb to continue without needing much help.

For the most part, the easy pop, slot and click technique worked well and the pre-cut parts were fairly easy to identify and put together– if a little tricky at times – and one of my absolute favourite features about these kits is the fact no glue is required with assembly. No sticky surfaces to clean or smudgy finger prints on the table – win!

It wasn’t long before Seb was finished and ready to calibrate the binoculars using the step-by-step guide at the back of the instruction manual. Every time we’ve built one of these amazing creations I’ve always been impressed at how good they actually work and the binoculars were no exception. The lenses are incredibly powerful and the focus slider works just the same as a regular pair of binoculars.

Each premium paper and board kit released by Build Your Own has been designed in the UK by a team of brilliant engineers using high-quality sustainable materials with minimal plastics so you’re getting a quality toy from a responsible company that encourages children to explore and spark an interest in science. From a parent’s perspective, that’s pretty darn important and anything STEM-inspired will always get my vote.

For an alternative to the hordes of plastic toys accumulated and to encourage creativity and an interest in STEM, this kit is perfect.

What we liked

The handy tripod was a fantastic addition as it can be used when exploring outside and acts as a display stand when not being used.

What we didn’t

There were elements of the design which felt a bit flimsy as they kept falling out of their slots. We had to resort to using a tiny bit of masking tape but this didn’t affect the whole design.

Overall

A great gift for any bird watching enthusiasts or budding engineers and a great alternative to plastic toys. Definitely an activity and toy the whole family can enjoy.

How much is it and where can I buy one?

The Build Your Own Binoculars are priced at £19.99 and can be purchased here.

About Build Your Own

Build Your Own, part of Paper Engine Ltd in Hampshire, are awesome creators of a range of exciting cardboard flat pack toys made from sustainable cardboard and paper which have been designed to be as eco as possible.

They came up with the idea of designing toys that kids would enjoy building and which captured their active imaginations in a fun, engaging way.

The team were concerned about how the majority of plastic toys would eventually end up in a landfill, so decided that cardboard was definitely the best way forward. Whilst they haven’t eliminated plastic entirely, cardboard and paper are always the main components.

Review by: Libby Dallimore

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* We were sent the BYO Kit in return for a review. All opinions are our own.