Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Casdorph.
Hi Jack, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Idea for Creator’s Craft Crates started in 2024 when I took my then 5-year old daughter to a STEM Fair at the big, local expo center. I was excited to play with a bunch of STEM related toys and kits with her there and help ignite inside of her the same passion that I have for science and engineering. Unfortunately, the STEM fair was surprisingly lame. I don’t want to badmouth anyone, but I left there that evening quite disappointed in the majority of the booths and displays. I thought, “I could totally make STEM kits that would be way better than what we saw there!”
Then, I thought about it more seriously, “I could totally make STEM kits that would be way better than what we saw there!” I mean, I’m a Mechanical Engineer who has always had a passion for toys and fun. I already have a “Maker” business with multiple laser cutters, 3d printers, and years of manufacturing and online selling experience.
I should make STEM kits!
My goal, though is not to just make STEM kits, it was to inspire the rising generation with a passion for science, engineering, and making through kits and materials that:
– Show how fun science and making really are.
– Actually teach something rather than just being a toy with some “STEM” marketing.
– Help kids build the skills needed so that they can make cool stuff without even needing a kit that somebody else designed for them.
Soon after that, Creator’s Craft Crates was born!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My wife and I run Creator’s Craft Crates together and we believe in it so much that we have decided to make it our primary focus (and therefore our primary source of income as well). For 2 years now, we have been pouring our time and significant portions of our savings into growing the business so that we can bring our hands-on science approach to as many kids/families as possible.
During that time, we have also been operating at a deficit, putting more money into it than what we are getting out. We have been willing to do that because we believe in the good that we can bring to the next generation of scientists and engineers. We also believe in the long-term viability of our business model and plan and that it will soon be able to make enough of a profit to support our family.
During this time, money has been tight and we’ve had to skimp as much as possible to get by, but we are starting to reap the rewards of our efforts. Kids are loving our STEM kits and Physics for Makers curriculum and the business is now becoming profitable enough to support our family.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We specialize in STEM Kits and hands-on learning experiences for all ages.
What sets us apart is the “all ages” part. Most STEM kits and learning toys are designed for younger kids (typically about ages 8-11). Once kids enter middle school and high school, the majority of their learning tends to be through books and reading rather than through playing and doing.
Frankly, we don’t agree with that approach. As kids get older, their ability to build and create increases. That means that they should be able to build much bigger, cooler, and better things than they could in their younger years. It doesn’t make much sense to cut-off the hands-on learning experiences at this stage in life when their hands are so much more capable.
Hands-on experiences are not only more fun, they engage much more of the brain than just reading from a book or listening to a lecture. This means that concepts make more sense and stick with students better because they didn’t just hear about the concept, they experienced it.
This is why we offer several kits where kids can build cool things like DIY pinball machine (with working electro-mechanical components), water rockets, or a programmable music box. Our goal is to give kids experience making things so that they can go on to make their own amazing things without the need for kits at all.
What’s next?
In the future, we plan to expand our Physics for Makers Curriculum to serve all ages/levels from kindergarten all the way up to AP Physics. Right now, we only have our high school level curriculum finished.
We also plan to start hosting monthly “Creator’s Craft Challenges” through our YouTube channel. We will host building/engineering contests and students will submit videos of what they built to compete in the contests. I will then create a response video where I announce the winners and show off their builds as well as some honorable mentions. I will also talk about the engineering concepts happening in the builds, why those worked well, and some improvements that could have been made to make them work even better.
Pricing:
- Our STEM kits range from $16-$47 with an average price of $28
- Our Physics for Makers Curriculum is $700 and includes all 16 of our STEM Kits as well as a full online curriculum with reading, videos, activities, and practice problems.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://creatorscraftcrates.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creators_craft_crates/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creators.craft.crates
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@creators_craft_crates
