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Thames & Kosmos

Thames & Kosmos Candy Claw Engineering STEM Experiment Maker Lab | Build Your Own Claw Machine | Learn Hydraulics & Engineering | Includes Lollipops | Toy of the Year Finalist | Difficulty: Advanced

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Availability: Only 9 left in stock, order soon!
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Arrives Aug 25 – Aug 29
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Style: Candy Claw Machine


Features

  • Build & engineer your own arcade-style claw machine!.Ideal for ages:6 years and up
  • Experiment with three different types of claws (pincher, scoop, and three-pronged) to pick up lollipops and decoy candy boxes (both included!).
  • A fun yet challenging, gamified approach to engineering lessons, youll learn about hydraulics, levers, gears, belts, linkages, end effectors, and more.
  • No batteries or electricity required; it uses only the power of your hand and the mechanical advantage of the machines built into the device.
  • Refill your machine with your own treats and prizes for long-lasting fun.
  • For ages 8+ with help; 12+ "I got this!"
  • IMPORTANT: This cute candy claw is a challenging build! Parents/adults will need to be active participants in the assembly and engineering of this product.
  • IMPORTANT: Download and read the instruction before use. We recommend using the step-by-step assembly and troubleshooting videos available online.
  • Build Time: Approximately 2-3 Hours
  • The Toy Association's 2022 STEAM Toy of the Year finalist!

Description

Step right up and try your luck! Do you have what it takes to grab a claw-full of candy with the Candy Claw Machine? Experiment to develop your motor skills and engineering chops to conquer this awesome STEM challenge. Build a working model of the classic claw machine — that enticing, sometimes frustrating, and always fun arcade game in which you try to grab prizes from inside the machine with a remote-controlled claw in a limited amount of time. Cranks, gears, and belts move the claw arm left and right, and forward and back. Hydraulic levers move the arm up and down, and open and close the claw. A spring-loaded trap door shoots the collected candy out at you if you manage to succeed. Time yourself or your friends and see if you can retrieve a specific object in a given amount of time. No batteries or electricity are required — it uses only the power of your hand and the mechanical advantage of the machines built into the device. Choose from three different claw shapes (cool nerdy roboticists call these “end effectors”) and find the one that works best to pick up a particular candy or prize. Learn how the gears, levers, belt, screws, hydraulics, linkages, cranks, and claws all work together to pick up, move, and drop prizes. Experiment with different gear ratios to speed up or power up your claw. Packed with 6 lollipops and decoys (fake candy boxes), you can also fill it with whatever small candies, toys, or other small objects you like. The game itself is great for honing dexterity skills and hand-eye coordination. An innovative take on a robotic arm with something really worth grabbing!

Brand Name: Thames & Kosmos


Age Range Description: 8+


Educational Objective: STEM


Set Name: Candy Claw Engineering STEM Experiment Maker Lab


Manufacturer Maximum Age (MONTHS): 168


Number of Items: 1


UPC: 814743015838


Manufacturer Minimum Age (MONTHS): 72


Global Trade Identification Number: 38


Included Components: Plastic building pieces, lollipops, decoy boxes, sticker sheet


Item Type Name: Engineering Science Kit


Model Number: 550103


Manufacturer: Thames & Kosmos


Manufacturer Part Number: 550103


Theme: Candy


Material Type: Plastic


Size: Large


Item Dimensions: 13 x 3.5 x 11.5 inches


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Aug 25 – Aug 29

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

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Similar Products

Top Amazon Reviews

    • Not the toy we were expecting
Style: Candy Claw Machine
This was not made to be a use able toy once finished. We thought we were getting a claw machine that our kids could use (like ones you see at game rooms, grocery stores, or restaurants). It took two of us all evening to figure out how to put it together. Water leaked everywhere, and we knew it wasn't actually going to work once we were finished. The pieces are all plastic and have to be cut off and then have to have any remaining plastic on the piece your working on either filed off or cut off with another tool (if your lucky to have one). Other sections fell apart as we worked on new sections, the ribbon that is supposed to pull the claw the lengthwise along the machine doesn't move it, and then the ribbon falls off the roll its on. The mechanism to move the claw from the front to the back of the machine is run by air- it does move the claw, but its jerky, and hard to turn. The water hydraulic system is used to move the claw up and down and to open/close the claw. The lever to move the claw up and down- that works good. Its probably the only piece that does. The lever that opens the claw on the other hand... all the water leaked out of the system and it didn't work. There was an easier way to "refill" that side if the water leaked out, but since it liked to fall apart randomly, we didn't chance it. The claw itself takes up over half the space between the top of the machine and the bottom (where the treats are). I'm sure as a "how do things work" science toy- this is great for older kids. But I don't think any kid 8-12 is going to have the patience to put it together. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2021 by Matthew Prentiss
    • This company REALLY believes in customer support!!
Style: Candy Claw Machine
Got the Thanes and Kosmos Candy Claw Machine for my grandchildren, and they were so excited about it that they opened it and started to put it together without any help. Well, it is pretty complicated and they really needed an adult, so they just skipped steps they didn't understand and scattered parts all over the place. Ultimately, I got involved and discovered a couple of key parts were nowhere to be found. The Customer Service department at Thames and Kosmos cheerfully sent replacements, and insisted on paying for the parts and the shipping (in spite of my offer to pay). I'm a customer for life for any company that actually believes in customer service and has good products to sell! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2021 by Cathy
    • Don't waste your time or money
Style: Candy Claw Machine
Terrible product! Had to redo certain parts because the hydraulics didn't work correctly. A couple of times the instructions were not specific, so later you had to redo it. Parts broke easy. Had to use a zip tie on one part because it was too loose. Had to sew the ribbon section because it kept coming undone. After 2 hours we finally got the whole thing put together AND working only to have the claw be too weak to actually pick up any candy. Kids gave up on playing with it after 10 minutes of trying and just ate the candy instead. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022 by April
    • Cool idea but poor design and setup/doesn't work properly
Style: Candy Claw Machine
Review Image by Bobby Kaleb Scott
Review Image by Bobby Kaleb Scott
Review Image by Bobby Kaleb Scott
Review Image by Bobby Kaleb Scott
My daughter used her own birthday money to buy this. She was wanting a claw machine, so I suggested her to get this one since it can be used for learning as well. The item shipped quickly and we received it fast. Everything was nice and neatly packaged. All of the pieces were there. The idea of this is so neat and fun. However, the company that makes this could do better with the design. This was assembled just as the directions said, but the claw opening and closing needed tweeking. It wouldn't function properly when assembled just as pictured. The latch for the prize door doesn't hold up and the door flies open each time you lower the arm. I've put a piece of tape over the side just to hold it in place. The suction cups are a great idea for keeping the machine still; but the way it is designed, it doesn't hold them in place and the machine still moves with use. Lastly, the tubing that moves the arm forward and backward keeps twisting up and coming off. Like I said, great idea, but the design and setup definitely needs to be better. I feel bad because this purchase was made for my 9 year old who used her own money to buy it, and it just doesn't work like it should. *This took longer than 2 hours to assemble, with having to cut pieces first and reading directions.* The box says it takes about 2 hours. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2025 by Bobby Kaleb Scott
    • Christmas present
Style: Candy Claw Machine
Fun. Good value. My 14 year old struggled to complete it.
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2025 by Heather R.
    • Great Start Defeated By Messy Hydraulics
Style: Candy Claw Machine
Review Image by NotInKY
Review Image by NotInKY
Review Image by NotInKY
Review Image by NotInKY
Review Image by NotInKY
Review Image by NotInKY
There's tinkering with something, and there's tinkering with something covered in water and cooking oil. I enjoyed this challenging build for an hour or so, but there's a step where you're supposed to fill pistons that have previously been lubricated with cooking oil with water through flexible tubing, and the pistons just wouldn't fill. The tubes kept popping out of the water; I broke a gear piece when taking all the pistons apart and reassembling them. My hands and the table were wet and greasy, and it wasn't fun trying to fix things. I decided to learn about hydraulics from the informative booklet instead. I think this kit is so close to being an exceptional educational toy for older children and adults! Not just STEM-in-name-only, it aims to teach about gears, pistons and hydraulics. The materials are bright and well-made, and the printed instructions are clear and supplemented with QR codes for videos at points where extra help may be needed. There's just two drawbacks I experienced: 1) angled pliars and oil are required, which could cause a delay and extra expense, if they need to be purchased, and 2) filling the pistons with water seems to fail for lots of purchasers, and that's a lot of plastic to throw away when the toy doesn't work out. Preassembling the two primary pistons or providing an alternative filling method might improve builders' experience. Alternatively, including the option to operate the claw with an additonal pully system, like the one that's used to control directional movement, could enable those of us who can't get handle the hydraulics to at least have a functioning toy when we give up. =-) ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2024 by NotInKY
    • Cool project
Style: Candy Claw Machine
I can not say enough about this company’s customer service probably the best customer service experience I’ve had in 20 years Was a cool project however once we got it assembled the hydraulic unit on one side did not work leaking so ☹️ sadly we could not get it to work disappointing, however contacted the company and they sent replacement parts super fast. Very happy customer ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2024 by mildread stormyweather
    • Horrible for Children!
Style: Candy Claw Machine
This product would be great for high schoolers or college students who are studying engineering and how to improve on children's toy designs. This is not easy to assemble. The age listed is 6-14, but really 6-10 year olds will need a LOT of help to put this together. More important, this really doesn't work. I would not consider this product as a functioning candy claw machine. It is instead a hydraulics building lesson, where the main point is how a poor design won't end up working. The hydraulics leak, to the point where you have to refill them after each use. And even when full they still don't work. The weight of the liquid (which is part of the claw assembly) makes it difficult for the claw to be raised high enough to drop the candy in the chute. I'm sure the design could be changed to function better, but as is you will likely be unable to get this to function at all, much less consistently, and much less well enough to where a child in the age range can use this and have fun. This review is not even considering the myriad other issues such as the wonky controls used to move the claw around before it drops. Ultimately this isn't a good present for anyone unless you really don't like the children or the parents. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2023 by Matthew Howell

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