Mattel unveils a $300 3D printer for kids

This rebooted version of Mattel's ThingMaker would have made me so happy as a little kid. It's a $300 3D printer which allows children (and adults, of course) create their own toys. In the 1960s, ThingMaker let kids make their own playthings by pouring liquid plastic into special molds, which were then heated up and cooled. Now, with the advent of 3D printers, it only makes sense that Mattel would resurrect a classic favorite and give it a 21st century spin.

The ThingMaker 3D looks like a toy microwave oven and it uses PLA plastic filament, a popular material used in most commercial 3D printers. Users can make a wide range of toys through files via Mattel's proprietary Design App, which works on Android or iOS devices. Although the app is live now and can be used with other 3D printers, the new ThingMaker will arrive this fall, and you can pre-order it on Amazon.

[h/t: Toyland]

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