Instructables

Review

Common Sense Media says

Encyclopedia of cool DIY projects, but not all for kids.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

AGE
12
QUALITY
 

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Instructables is a gigantic DIY site where users share how to build, cook, sew, invent, or try almost anything. The site's overall tone is positive and supportive and encourages creativity. Searching through all of the ideas to separate the good from the bad is better left to adults -- or at least to teens who will check with adults before attempting to build their own outdoor hot tub or reassemble electronics. Expect plenty of ads, as well as a section devoted to alcoholic creations.

  • Positive messages3
    Overall, the DIY message this site sends is positive. You can do anything, and probably someone has done it before, too. Also, the collaborative theme of the site is refreshing.
  • Violence1
    Most of this site involves no violence at all; however, there are some pages full of ideas on how to make "bombs," but most of them are quite harmless, like how to make a ticking time bomb Halloween costume, or how to make a seed bomb to plant seeds in a large area. But others could potentially be more dangerous or at least disturbing (such as a how to make a nuclear bomb joke.) Other mock-violent entries include an award-winning guillotine Halloween prop, or the how to make a Hellboy gun prop.
  • Sex1
    Mostly non-sexual content. How to dress like a "pinup girl" for Halloween, is one current example of what users will see on the Halloween page. But this is a user-content driven site, so there are a lot of entries under sexy stuff, if you go looking for it.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism3
    There are ads, both small Google-style ads and larger ads throughout the site. Some of the ideas have product tie-ins, such as how to create a costume that looks like a certain cereal ad cartoon character.  
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Many recipes for alcoholic cocktails.
  • Privacy & safety3
    You don't have to register to view most of the content on this site. If you choose to register, it's up to you how much information you provide or whether you want to post at all.
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Is it any good?

 

INSTRUCTABLES was created by an MIT engineering Ph.D who loves "building kite powered contraptions, cooking breakfast, and demystifying technology so even his grandmother can use it." Users of this site can learn how to do all of those things and more, as well as share their skills and ideas with others. There are some ideas here that are just plain silly, but others are super helpful if you're looking for something specific. Plus there's a lot of creative ideas here that are just fun to browse for the sake of learning.

Online interaction: People can comment on the projects. Most comments appear on point and generally positive or at least not hurtful. There are very active forums for people who register and Pro Members-only forums who pay for that membership as well. A helpful questions and answers section allows people to ask about a problem on a project and get responses.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about why sharing ideas can often help make them better. Would teens be willing to submit an idea or instructions for something they're passionate about? Why or why not?

  • Talk about safety. Just because a project is featured on the Internet doesn't make it perfectly safe or reliable. Discuss basic safety guidelines and whether certain types of projects need your parental approval first. And talk about Internet safety too -- what's OK to share with others and what's not?

This review was written by Dana Villamagna
Parent of 1, 1, and 12 year old
May 5, 2011
AGE
9
 
^__^;;
dis website shows u how 2 maek chocolat nippels adn bombs
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Helped me decide (13) | Had useful details (9) | Read my mind (16)
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Kid, 10 years old
May 15, 2011
AGE
10
 
From bombs to computers.
I love this website, thank you for reminding me of this CSM!
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Helped me decide (12) | Had useful details (11) | Read my mind (14)
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Adult
September 27, 2010
AGE
15
 
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (10) | Had useful details (11) | Read my mind (10)
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Kid, 11 years old
November 23, 2010
AGE
11
 
i like the ideas on the website
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (12) | Had useful details (11) | Read my mind (7)
Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 12 years old
October 25, 2010
AGE
14
 
i love this website
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (11) | Had useful details (9) | Read my mind (9)
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This review was written by Dana Villamagna
Genre:Educational
This review was written by Dana Villamagna

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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