A little more than year and a half ago, my wife gave me a birthday gift that turned out to be less of a gadget and more of a family adventure: a Toybox 3D printer.

At first, I figured it would be a fun way to tinker—maybe print a few trinkets or simple toys and recreate some of the fun stuff I have seen in my feed on Instagram. What I didn’t expect was how quickly it would become part of our family’s rhythm. We’ve printed over 750 creations since unboxing it, and somewhere along the way, the machine earned a nickname. My two-year-old son doesn’t ask to “see the printer.” He toddles up and says, “Daddy Robot! Daddy Robot!” which is his way of telling me he wants to head to the basement and see what the robot is making today.

From Curious Start to Creative Chaos

The setup was painless—less than 10 minutes out of the box and we were connected to wifi and had started our first print: a family photo printed as a Lithophane heart that we proudly display in our living room to this day. That “aha!” moment of watching something appear layer by layer out of nothing was addictive. Pretty soon, the question in our house shifted from “should we print something?” to “what should we print next?”

This wasn’t just a printer. It was a creativity machine.

My daughter dove in immediately. At first, she picked from the huge Toybox library—articulated geckos, miniature figurines, little gifts for her classmates. But soon, she started imagining beyond what was available online. One of my favorite projects began with a crayon drawing she made of Sonic the Hedgehog hanging out with two cloud sheep under a rainbow. We scanned it, tinkered with the design, and brought it to life as a 3D figure. To her, it wasn’t just a toy—it was her imagination, made solid enough to hold.

That moment taught me something important: This wasn’t just a printer. It was a creativity machine.

Costumes, Props, and Everyday Fixes

Not everything we print is fantastical. Some are practical little fixes. A broken hinge? A dishwasher handle that doesn’t block the silverware drawer? Instead of ordering a part or hiring a custom fabricator, we’ve designed and printed solutions in just a couple of hours.

Other times, it’s about fun and memory-making. For St. Patrick’s Day, we printed tiny green hats to wear. When my daughter’s doll was missing an accessory, we made her a perfectly fitted top hat. And as we prepared to see Blippi Live, we designed matching orange glasses and bowties for the whole family to commemorate the occasion.

We’re even using our 3D partner (er…printer) to gear up for Halloween (because if you’ve been around Life Between Weekends for any period of time, you know we love a good costume) by starting to create costumes for daughter’s Labubu collection.

It’s become a family joke that there isn’t a single room in our house untouched by 3D printing. Little robots, toys, or decorations seem to sneak their way onto every shelf.

The Learning Curve (and Glue Sticks)

Of course, it hasn’t been flawless. We’ve had our fair share of prints fail halfway through, or filament get stuck in the extruder. I learned quickly that a glue stick works wonders for helping prints adhere to the surface. And the printer’s bed is small—about 3 by 3 inches—which forces us to think creatively about scaling designs or printing in parts.

And full disclosure: There was one situation where I messed up pretty bad and accidentally cut a wire on the printer when I was trying to change the filament mid-print, and ended up having to contact Toybox support. They were incredibly helpfu and understanding, and they even sent me a replacement printer free of charge. (To that end, Toybox offers extended warranties beyond its standard six-month one, for added peace of mind.)

But those hiccups became teaching moments for me and the kids. When something doesn’t turn out, we don’t call it a failure. We tweak the design, try again, and usually end up with something better. It’s problem-solving you can touch.

Education Disguised as Play

That’s maybe my favorite part—the way this printer blurs the line between play and learning. My daughter now understands the basics of design software. My son may not design yet, but he knows the sound of filament feeding into the extruder and gets wide-eyed when the first layer sticks to the bed.

We’ve turned the printer into a science lab (like our own custom built marble run), a game studio (like that time we made oversized dice so our little guy wouldn’t be tempted to put it in his mouth), and even a kitchen accessory shop (because who doesn’t need a Taylor Swift cookie cutter?!). And when we printed a self-watering planter, planted an apple seed inside, and watched it grow into an 18-inch tree, the kids saw firsthand how tech and nature can intersect.

Looking Ahead: What About the New Toybox Printer?

Recently, Toybox released the Alpha Three, which the brand says can print faster and capture finer details than the previous models. We haven’t tried it yet, but I can already imagine what projects might look like using their printer. Until then, our little printer keeps humming away, fueled by PLA filament (which is thankfully non-toxic and safe around kids).

And yes, glow-in-the-dark filament is a thing. Because what’s the point of a “daddy robot” if it can’t make toys that shine after lights-out?

Final Thoughts

The Toybox wasn’t just a birthday present. It was a gateway into family creativity, problem-solving, and countless little moments of wonder.

If you walk into our house today, chances are you’ll be offered a tiny 3D-printed object before you leave. It might be your favorite animal, a sports team momento, a quirky robot, or just something that came off the printer while you were visiting. That’s the kind of magic this little box has brought us.

Not everything has turned out perfect, but maybe that’s the point. The fun is in the trying, the learning, and the laughing along the way.

After 750 prints and counting, I can say this much: our weekends—and weekdays—are a whole lot more colorful thanks to that “daddy robot” in the basement.

Filament (aka Printer Food) We Love:

While Toybox sells a great selection of filament, we’ve also bought spools from several different sources. Here are our favorites, in case you’d like to stock up (or try something new):

• Lovoon Tri-Color Filament, $24 at Amazon — By far the best color-changing filament we’ve tried.
• SUNLU PLA 3D Printer Black PLA Filament, $14 at Amazon — Reliable, affordable 
• DEEPLEE PLA 1.75mm 3D Printer Filament in white, $14 at Amazon — Crisp white, doesn’t clog the machine

3D Printing Tools to Consider

As you really get immersed in the 3D printing world, there are a few tools that make creating your own keychains, toys and other gadgets easier. Here are my go-to’s:

• Digital Calipers, $7 at Amazon — Whether you’re creating your own designs from scratch or using someone else’s, calipers help ensure you have the perfect measurement every time
• 24-Pack Dual-Tip Acrylic Markers, $12 at Amazon — This turns your print into a fun arts and crafts project to capture fine details and add dimension and character to your design
• 120-Piece Keychain and Lanyard Hooks, $9 at Amazon — I fully acknowledge 120 hooks seems excessive, but we soon found we were using 20-25 for every school holiday

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Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story noted that the Toybox comes with a lifetime warranty, which was an error. It has since been updated to clarify that the printer comes with a six-month warranty, as of December 2025, and that extended warranties can be purchased separately. You can find more details on that and the printer’s return policy here. It has also been updated to call out the launch of the Alpha Three.