Design
A parent's guide to Tinkercad
The free 3D design tool we use in class. How to set up an account, and three small projects to do together.
Tinkercad is the free 3D design tool we use in our 3D Design class. It runs in the browser, works on most computers and is simple enough for a ten-year-old to use on the first day. Here's how to get started at home.
Setting up an account
Go to tinkercad.com and choose "Sign up".
For children under 13, choose the option for a parent-managed account. You'll need your own email.
Once you're in, open "3D Designs" and start a new design.
If your child is already in one of our classes, the teacher will send a class code so their work appears in the class space.
The basics in five minutes
Drag shapes from the right-hand panel onto the work plane.
Use the white handles to resize, and the black arrow to lift a shape up.
Make any shape a "hole" to cut it out of another shape.
Select two shapes and press "Group" to join them.
Three small projects to try together
1. A name tag
A flat rectangle with your child's name on top. It teaches resizing and text. Takes about fifteen minutes.
2. A pencil holder
A cylinder with a smaller cylinder set as a hole. It teaches holes and alignment. Measure a real pencil first so it fits.
3. A key for your own door
Just the shape, not a working key. Your child measures the real key with a ruler and tries to match it. This is exactly the kind of task we set in class.
Measure first, design second. The ruler is the most important tool in 3D design.
Do you need a 3D printer?
No. Designing is the skill; printing is a bonus. Students in our classes can send their designs to the print farm, and many libraries now have printers you can book.
Thanks for reading
