Should I Buy a Nintendo Labo Car Kit for My Child?
I’m not exactly a tech-savvy parent, so when I was asked to check out the Nintendo Labo car kit , I first thought, “Wait, what’s a Labo?”
Luckily, my son Ryan, who just got the much-coveted Nintendo Switch for his 8th birthday, said, “This is where you create really cool stuff and then you can play it on TV!”
(I still didn’t get it, but he was flustered, so I decided to give it a try.)
Labo kits include a cartridge, a small bag of assorted materials, and a stack of pre-cut cardboard sheets that can be removed, folded and turned into objects with easy-to-understand on-screen instructions.
Once created, the two Joy-Cons on the Switch slide into objects so that when you move them — for example, pressing the pedal with your foot — the game detects the Joy-Con’s movement and recognizes you. step on the gas.
With the car kit, we were able to build a pedal, a car steering wheel, a submarine control panel, an aircraft joystick, and a spray can to customize all of our vehicles. Ryan needed a little help and control over the more complex parts of the design, but overall he was able to do most of it on his own (while I helpfully quickly navigated through the directions while holding the “A” on the controller, which was not too difficult for me to control ).
Having made a pedal that is used for all vehicles, we decided to design the main elements – the car, the submarine, and the airplane – in reverse order. In retrospect, I understand why it is proposed to make a car in the first place; car games are the most addicting and challenging. But it is also the most difficult to build. We wanted to get started easily and get started with the game, so we first built the plane, which only took us about 45 minutes (compared to the car, which took about two hours).
The construction process itself was surprisingly satisfactory. It was like making a Lego set, if the Legoes were much larger, made of cardboard, and played a catchy melody in the background as you worked.
This is what I liked about Labo
The aspect of family unity
We had a lot of fun together. The onscreen instructions even prompted us to stop for a break or grab a snack from time to time, which we thought was great advice and a good excuse to share some of the Graham crackers. At one point, Ryan said this to himself out loud: “This is so much fun! I’m building things with my mom! “(This is a direct quote. He is a sentimental child.)
Perfect for a rainy day
Better yet, a snowy day. I’d love to buy things like this and put them aside for the day when you need a good compromise between what your kids want (to be on screens all day) and what you want (so that they use their brain in some way. ).
Children can see firsthand how the machine works
Particularly with a car that has a wheel and a leverage system, it’s really great for kids to see the inner workings as they fit together. We talked about how when we use machines (like phones or computers), we press buttons and something happens inside, but we never see what it looks like or how it works. With Labo, we can see exactly how things stretch and move within before the whole thing closes down for good.
Customization
At the end, we put together a small “spray can” that you can use to paint your cars in different colors and patterns. Ryan said it was his favorite part of the whole process because, to quote, “I had to design my car.”
(BTW: They even instruct you to put the little round pieces inside the jar, which rattles when you shake it, so it really SOUNDS like a real aerosol can. I figured whoever designed these kits had the coolest job on the planet .)
The cardboard is really strong
If you are like me, you think: “The cardboard pedal will last exactly 30 seconds with my child.” It is thicker and stronger than you think, however, and we expect it to hold up well.
You can use the car with the game Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
It’s a bonus for me because Mario Kart is my favorite Nintendo game, but I’m not exactly the best driver. The steering wheel will take my game to the next level. ( I promise Nintendo was for Ryan .)
What I didn’t like about Labo
Only one thing: once built, the pieces are really big. I don’t know where to store all this now. I found a car suitcase on Amazon, but it costs $ 80, so it doesn’t. So, at this point, some of the items are hidden on the large end table and some are on different surfaces in my dining room.
After all, we have plans to create a small “kiddie cave” in Ryan’s basement, and the switch and all of its accessories will go in there, so it’s not such a big deal. But you might want to think about what you have room for before buying all the kits. (There is everything to make from the different kits, including a guitar, piano, robots, fishing rod, and game console.)
However, the good certainly outweighs the temporary clutter. And I feel a little more tech-savvy than I was before this all started.