Piper sent me this free unit to check out. All opinions are my own! If you are looking for STEM gifts for the kids, this one is a winner!
With STEM gifts, kids are learning life skills at an early age.
They are learning to use critical thinking to problem solve. Trust me, they are learning patience. Kids learn cause an effect. They’ll learn about the importance of team work, by seeing how each component plays an important role in the development of a product. They learn to do things for themselves. They become more curious, and likely to be more inquisitive about how things work, rather than just taking for granted that they do. Piper is genius! Players dive into a world-saving mission. As the levels progress, players find in-game directions for how to add on to their hardware, with wiring, sensors and more. Instant feedback makes learning fun. Assembling a Piper usually takes 1-2 hours. Completing all of the Piper hardware missions takes 8-10 hours. Enjoy Explore the creative mode indefinitely! 
Piper Computer Kit is the computer that prepares kids for a lifetime of building technology.
As kids build Piper and progress through the Minecraft* game, they develop both technical skills and approaches that lead to inventive solutions. Once the computer is built, players are thrust into a world-saving mission: A damaged robot who needs some systems fixed, and that’s where the little engineers come in! As the levels progress, players find in-game directions for how to add on to their hardware, with wiring, sensors and more. Instant feedback makes learning fun. Piper is recommended for ages 8-12. Of course, so are some of my favorite TV shows! Seriously, this is a fun learning experience for the whole family. My daughter, the only girl out of my kids, was really into building and using the tools. You’d think she’d already built 10 of them!
*Not official Minecraft product. Not approved by or associated with Mojang. The Raspberry Pi Edition of Minecraft by the Raspberry Pi Foundation is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.*
My triplets’ therapists helped them build the unit. It looked amazing!
(Okay, the hinges were backwards, some of the wood pcs. were backwards, and my daughter’s fingerprints were all over the clear window on the top of the computer box.) When the therapists left, my husband and I rebuilt it in no time! It really is a looker! Don’t worry, it’s easy to put together. We just let the kids try it their way, first. The wood computer frame coupled with the technical aspects, such as easy-access wiring, gives it a unique look and style which poetically symbolizes the bridge between old and new, progression and development. Not only is Piper one of the many great stem gifts for kids, it’s a fantastic one for community.
Consider purchasing one for your child’s classroom and give back.
In less than two weeks, I will complete my final training for a volunteer job I had dreamed a about for a long time. Giving back feels great, especially during the giving season!
Some people like to make lists for the holiday shopping. I definitely think that STEM gifts should be on that list! To get your own Piper, you can purchase one, HERE! Again, I’d like to thank Piper for sending us this free unit! We’ve already had hours of fun and learning. You can also follow Piper on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
By: Alicia Gonzalez
