The best 3D printers for kids are the perfect way to help your child learn engineering and design skills while having creative fun.
But with so many options out there, how do you choose the right 3D printer for your kids? The key factors are safety, simplicity, and value.
A good kid’s 3D printer must:
- Enclose have all hot and sharp parts to keep kids safe
- Be super easy to set up and use
- Deliver good print quality without costing a fortune
In 2024, the best 3D printer for kids is the Toybox 3D printer.
Super easy to set up, comes with different filament colors to get started, and a huge range of 3D printable files (including licensed Batman models!) that your kids will LOVE.
- Very simple smartphone interface suitable for all ages.
- Fully enclosed design keeps hot parts away from fingers.
- Easy to switch between colors of PLA filament
- Can only print PLA, not higher-temp materials like ABS.
When I tested it, it impressed me with its safety features and incredibly simple interface. It only prints PLA, which is fine for basic toy printing, and took less than 10 minutes to get set up.
It produces crisp, detailed 3D prints that compete with far more expensive options, and is operated with a smartphone app preloaded with hundreds of files to print right out of the box.
All of our recommended picks are plug-and-play FDM 3D printers that can be printing toys and creations within 15 minutes. Perfect for Christmas morning.
We also don’t suggest resin 3D printers for kids (as the materials can irritate skin and eyes), and I also do not recommend 3D printer kits with a complex assembly process.
I’ve included my hands-on test feedback, as well as the pros and cons for each printer.
And be sure to check the fun project ideas at the end to inspire your kids!
Quick Overview
For Younger Kids (Simple and Easy)
- Toybox 3D Printer — Super simple plug-and-play 3D printer, perfect for young kids
- Monoprice Voxel — Compact and safe enclosed 3D printer with touchscreen interface
- Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 — Enclosed 3D printer with auto-leveling for accurate, high-quality prints
For Teens (More Advanced)
- Dremel Digilab 3D45 — Educational bundle with lessons to teach teenagers engineering principles
Best 3D Printers for Younger Kids
1. Toybox 3D Printer – Best 3D Printer for Kids
- Price: Starter Bundle $299 / Deluxe Bundle $349 — Available on Toybox’s site here
- Print volume: 70 x 80 x 90 mm
- Max nozzle temperature: 220°C
- Heated bed temperature: No heated bed
- Filament compatibility: PLA only
Pros
Designed for children.
Affordable price tag.
Access to free 2000+ toy print catalog.
Biodegradable, non-toxic PLA.
Cons
Small print area.
Limited scope for practical learning applications.
The Toybox 3D printer is the ideal 3D printer for kids. It’s super simple to use and navigate, completely safe for kids to be around, and creates hundreds of hours of educational fun.
During my test of the Toybox 3D printer, it took just a few minutes to get set up, and then I picked a model from their toy archive, and pressed print, and that was it!
When you buy a Toybox 3D printer for your kids, you get access to their extensive toy library. This includes Easter and Xmas files for festive printing, mini F1 cars and tanks, and even print Batman action figures for Batman fans worldwide!
Here’s a quick seal 3D print I found from their repo and printed:
Overall, I was very impressed during my Toybox 3D printer review. The different colors of filament are easy to switch out, the enclosure keeps the hot nozzle away from kids to keep them safe, and it’s simple enough for even young kids to understand.
Plus, the easy peel print bed makes removing your finished prints super easy, even for little hands.
In speaking with Ben, one of Toybox’s founders, we discussed how 3D printers need to become more accessible for more people to adopt the tech. I really think they understand this deeply, and this underlines their focus on creating simple 3D printers for kids to learn 3D design, engineering and math skills with.
In fact, it would also make a good 3D printer for teenagers, or any adult beginners who want a really shallow learning curve and a stress-free 3D printing process.
Starting at $299 for the starter package, the Toybox offers great value for teaching your kids about design, color theory, and the basic principles of engineering, while printing their entire toy collection from their 3D printer.
Their own filament — affectionately called “3D printer food” — is cheap to stock up on, and you can even design your own models via their iOS and Android apps.
However, it can only print PLA, as the extruder cannot reach the temperatures required to print filaments like ABS. The print volume is also very small, so it won’t work if you want to print wide or tall models.
But for an accessible, beginner-friendly 3D printer, it’s the absolute best out there right now.
Super easy to set up, comes with different filament colors to get started, and a huge range of 3D printable files (including licensed Batman models!) that your kids will LOVE.
- Very simple smartphone interface suitable for all ages.
- Fully enclosed design keeps hot parts away from fingers.
- Easy to switch between colors of PLA filament
- Can only print PLA, not higher-temp materials like ABS.
2. Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 – Best Under $1000 (And Prints ABS, Is Much Faster)
- Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
- Build volume: 270 x 200 x 200 mm
- Max nozzle temperature: 350°C
- Heated bed temperature: 120℃
- Filament compatibility: PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PC, UltraPA, Nylon
Pros
Enclosed for safety around kids.
Compatible with a lot of materials.
Improved printing speeds over the original X-Plus.
Cons
Firmware was buggy at times during my test.
The ideal 3D printer for kids is one that is safe, reliable, filters out any fumes, and is affordable. The Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 ticks all of these boxes, making it ideal for beginners who want an easy and safe printing experience.
We recently tested the X-Plus 3 on 3DSourced and put it through its paces, and I was very impressed with how easy it was to use, how fast it could print accurately, and with the sturdy enclosure to keep heat in, and keep prying kids’ hands out.
The closed enclosure keeps your child safe from the hot extruder and print head, and also keeps the printing temperature consistent so finished prints have a smoother surface area and warp less.
For those who want a 3D printer for kids that is also precise, this is perfect. The solid frame weighs the 3D printer down so vibrations don’t affect your model’s surface finish, improving an already accurate 3D printer. The large touchscreen is also great for kids and easy to use.
It’s improved significantly on the previous X-Plus model. It’s faster, has more features such as the filament run-out sensor, and much more.
However, when I tested the Qidi Tech X-Plus 3, the firmware was buggy at times. I don’t think this is much of a problem, but I wanted to warn you of it anyway.
If you do have any problems, Qidi’s customer service pledge to respond within 24 hours, and this 3D printer comes with a 1-year warranty. Overall, it’s a great simple 3D printer for kids and teenagers alike, and I was very impressed by it during my Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 review.
The Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 is an excellent choice for makers interested in rapid prototyping or who want to try out advanced filament materials like ABS or PC.
Moreover, the X-Plus 3 has a very professional design, and its features have been optimized to handle higher-grade filament materials with incredible speed.
3. Monoprice Voxel — Enclosed 3D Printer for Kids Under $500
- Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
- Build volume: 150 x 150 x 150 mm
- Max nozzle temperature: 240°C
- Heated bed temperature: 100°C
- Filament compatibility: ABS, PLA, Wood Fill, Copper Fill, Steel Fill, Bronze Fill
Pros
Built-in Wi-Fi and touchscreen display.
Compact design.
Lots of compatible filaments.
Cons
Small build volume.
It’s small, sleek, and compact, doesn’t weigh much, and is perfect for kids learning 3D printing who want to take on small projects. It can print ABS or PLA with its heated print bed, and most importantly for safety, the closed enclosure keeps any prying young hands from burning themselves.
Most low-cost 3D printers don’t come with auto-leveling features, a really nice bonus for the Monoprice Voxel. Manual leveling is generally a hassle, an ongoing annoyance, and if you’re an impatient child who just wants to get going and doesn’t want to mess with any of the boring stuff, self-leveling is nice to have.
The full-color 2.8” touchscreen makes printing easy, and for a cheap 3D printer the Monoprice Voxel has a few neat features, including a filament run-out detector to avoid any print errors. While less focused on kids, it has a larger build area than the Toybox, though it costs $200 more.
Overall, it’s a good starter 3D printer for kids who want to have a go at 3D printing without a large investment.
The Monoprice Voxel is an affordable, beginner-friendly 3D printer perfect for kids.
Its compact enclosed design keeps fingers safe while auto-leveling ensures accurate prints every time.
The intuitive touchscreen makes printing easy for young users.
Best 3D Printers for Teenagers
4. Dremel Digilab 3D45 with Lesson Plans
- Price: Depends on whether you buy the pack with lesson plans – Check latest price at Amazon here / Available at Matterhackers here
- Build volume: 254 x 154 x 170 mm
- Max nozzle temperature: 280°C
- Heated bed temperature: 100°C
- Filament compatibility: PLA, PETG, Nylon, ABS, Eco-ABS
Pros
Minimal setup and easy to use features.
Compatible with lots of material types.
Comes with useful learning resources.
Cons
The price might be too high for a 3D printer for a child.
American legendary tool-producing company Dremel have recently ventured into the 3D printing industry and produced some of the best 3D printers of the last few years.
The Dremel Digilab 3D45 is especially aimed at teaching younger kids 3D printing in schools, making it perfect for parents and their kids to have fun together while also learning about engineering and making things.
You can choose to buy this 3D printer with or without the lesson plans and extra projects, with over 30 lessons included if you decide to go for the educational bundle.
It’s also accurate down to a minimum layer height of 50 microns. Even if it is focused on kids 3D printing at home rather than industrial printing, it is still very powerful and precise.
Dremel 3D printers are known for their reliability, and with the ability to print over WiFi and remotely using Dremel’s Cloud printing, it’s also very convenient. Overall, it’s a great, reliable 3D printer designed specifically for kids.
What Makes a Good 3D Printer for Kids?
- Closed enclosure: to filter out fumes and keep kids away from hot parts
- Quick assembly and simple to use: either comes pre-assembled or quick to set up, and simple to use 3D slicer software
- Auto-leveling: kids may be put off or be confused by manual leveling
- Lightweight and smaller size
- Lower print temperature: and no heated print bed also prevents kids burning themselves
- Filament run-out sensor, WiFi, built in camera: all these features make for an easier 3D printing experience
3D printers designed for younger children, such as the Toybox, are designed to use PLA exclusively as it is a lower-temperature material.
For those interested in printing with higher-temperature filaments like ABS and PC, heated print beds are necessary for proper adhesion.
Heated print beds are very hot to the touch, so using an enclosed 3D printer like the Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 is vital for keeping children safe (and maintaining the consistent printing temperatures demanded by tougher filaments).
Build Volume vs Price
Name | Build Volume (mm) | Price | Where to buy for the best price |
---|---|---|---|
Toybox 3D Printer | 70 x 80 x 90 | $299-399 | Toybox Store here |
Monoprice Voxel | 150 x 150 x 150 | $299 | Amazon here |
Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 | 270 x 200 x 200 | $749 | Amazon here |
Dremel Digilab 3D45 EDU | 255 x 155 x 170 | $1,519 basic / $1,699 bundle | Amazon here |
When choosing a 3D printer for kids, build volume and price are key considerations. Kids will want to print larger toys, figures, and other creations as they learn.
The Toybox is very limited in terms of size only 70x80x90 mm but starts at just $299. It’s ideal as an easy-to-use 3D printer for small projects that still deliver good print quality.
Moving up in size, the Monoprice Voxel offers a 150x150x150 mm build area for the same $299 price tag. It lacks the ease of use of the Toybox, but you can branch out into medium-size prints here.
The Qidi Tech X-Plus 3 is the top choice when it comes to striking a balance between price and print space.
With dimensions of 270 x 200 x 200, it boasts a build volume that’s approximately 20 times larger than the Toybox, so you can 3D print pretty much any design your child can imagine.
Priced under $750, it represents a significant investment. However, it has the largest print volume on this list, which means that you won’t find yourself needing an upgrade as your child’s aspirations grow beyond the capabilities of a smaller 3D printer.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is crucial when choosing a 3D printer for younger kids. Complex controls and software will only frustrate them.
The Toybox 3D Printer is designed specifically with simplicity in mind for children as young as 4-6 years old. It has just one button to start prints and a mobile app with predefined models. Kids can be independently printing within minutes.
For kids ages 8-12, the Monoprice Voxel strikes the right balance of simplicity while introducing more controls. Its touchscreen and WiFi streaming offer an easy printing process without a PC, while still preparing kids for more advanced 3D printers.
Once kids reach their teens and have gained some experience, consider advancing them to a professional-grade 3D printer like the Dremel.
Reasons to Teach Kids 3D Printing
There are so many key skills young kids and teenagers alike can gain from 3D printing:
- 3D design skills: if designing the model to be 3D printed instead of downloading it. By using simple and free 3D software modeling tools such as TinkerCAD or FreeCAD, kids learn 3D printing and electronic engineering skills. Engineering is one of the most lucrative careers around, and this experience is hugely beneficial.
- Experience with rapid prototyping: rapid prototyping with 3D printers has become a mainstay in engineering, and early experience with creating models, tinkering with them and playing with them puts kids at a massive advantage.
- Having fun in real life while learning: instead of spending hours on a screen, kids using 3D printers gain all these great skills, while seeing the effects of their designs appear in real life, rather than just on a display screen.
Fun and Easy 3D Printing Projects for Kids
In this section, we’ve curated a list of cool projects tailored for younger enthusiasts.
These designs are not only captivating but also perfectly suited for smaller, desktop 3D printers – these are straightforward prints that ensure a fun and successful experience.
Each project comes with a pre-designed STL file, allowing you to jump straight into printing with ready to print options.
- 50+ coolest things to 3D print (and useful prints!)
- The best 3D printers for miniatures
- The 7 best 3D printers for schools and education
- Our top 10 3D pens
- 30+ coolest 3D printed toys you can print at home
- 50+ 3D printed cookie cutters you can print at home
How Has This Article Changed Over Time?
September 21st 2023 Updates: we’ve reshuffled our recommendations.
- A standout change is the Qidi Tech X-Plus evolving into the X-Plus 3. After putting the X-Plus 3 through its paces, not only did it surpass its predecessor, but it also leaped a few spots up in our rankings.
- We removed previous printers that featured, including the Dremel 3D20, which aren’t as relevant for kids and teens in 2023 as they were back in 2021/2022.
Jan 2024 updates:
- Updated pricing information for 2024.
Is a 3D printer worth it for kids?
A 3D printer can be a great educational tool for kids, allowing them to bring their ideas and designs to life.
3D printing helps develop spatial reasoning, creativity, problem-solving, and an interest in STEM fields.
What age is good for a 3D printer?
Children as young as 6 can start learning with an appropriate beginner 3D printer with adult supervision. Look for enclosed, education-focused printers with child-safe features.
By 12-14, responsible teens may be ready for their own desktop 3D printer to explore more independently.