Our family focuses on hands-on learning. We believe in the importance of learning by doing and incorporating many of those skills into our days. My kids own an extensive collection of building bricks and spend their time engineering elaborate designs and constructing fun creations. I eagerly showed them the Kresio Kreator Kit Original from Mastermind Engineering to spark more creativity.

Nate Bernklau started Kresio in 2019 after being inspired by straw and tape STEM structures. Bernklau relied on his background in systems design, problem resolution, and material handling to create a building material stronger than its straw and tape counterpart.  

The Kresio Kreator kits are made from certified sustainable sources. The original kit includes 262 pieces divided into struts and nodes, a cutter, and a cord. The struts are strong cardboard straws that are nearly eight inches long. Builders can trim the struts to size with the included cutter. That simple handheld machine is designed to be safe for even young engineers as the blade is deep inside with a hole only large enough for the strut. One places a strut inside the hole and squeezes the lever. The nodes are cut from MDF board and come in nine designs. Each shape serves a different purpose and allows for endless building opportunities. They have holes for attaching struts, smaller holes for affixing the kit cord or string, and notches for connecting Legos or other building bricks. 

My kids were excited when I handed them two bags of goodies filled with new building materials. I made the mistake of telling them immediately that the Kresio pieces could be attached to Lego. At that point, they were in brick mode and struggled to design structures that go together more like K'nex. My husband sat with them, and together they created various constructions. 

There are some examples of builds on the Kresio website to spark the imagination. However, I think having a section specifically to explain the uses for the different nodes would be helpful. Kresio put much care into designing those as there are many options, but examples would be appreciated for someone like me who does not naturally have an engineer's mind.  

One of my kids' favorite parts is the cutter. The combination of its novelty mixed with the ease of use makes it a fun addition to the kit, not to mention the ability to adapt the creations fully.

The Kresio Kreator Kit Original is made from wood-based products, is reusable, and has endless possibilities. It is beneficial for design thinking to provide a solution, as a prototype to test a concept, or as a simple toy to encourage engineering. People of all ages would enjoy a Kresio kit.

Product review by Erika Leaf, The Old Schoolhouse® June 2023