Common Sense Media Review
Innovative tinkering tool for serious or silly invention.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
The Everything Machine by Tinybop
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
THE EVERYTHING MACHINE BY TINYBOP is an app for building almost anything. Kids begin by selecting an icon and adding a name. Start screens open with five premade machine examples (ordered by complexity), each with some components laid out and a coordinating step-by-step video. You can create what's modeled or go your own way. Touching the "+" on the start screen creates a new "blank" machine (only the battery). Progress is saved between visits, and both preloaded and created machines can be reworked or deleted. Intuitive to even little ones, tinkering is a drag-and-drop process, and pieces are easily linked and separated. Icons along the bottom organize components such as inputs (the device's camera or mic), detectors (for faces or motion), modifiers (kaleidoscope), and outputs (lightbulb, speaker). Some outputs require access to your photos, videos, and the like.
Is It Any Good?
This sandbox tool is an awesome opportunity to create and problem solve, but it may take a while to learn what each component does and how to use it. Imagine kids recording a kaleidoscope video of their actual artwork, playing a greeting on someone else's iPad, or setting the device to make a camel sound when someone opens the closet door and the app detects light. If your kid is into playing pranks, this app will be a dream come true, but it might warrant a conversation about what's appropriate, what's funny, and what's not.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about similar "real-world" machines, such as motion-sensitive cameras used to photograph animals.
Talk about how to be a lighthearted prankster and a good-humored recipient. When is something funny? How do you know?
Discuss how actual electric circuits work (and play around with real bulbs and wires) or even explain what's "wrong" with the app's imagery.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Subjects : Science : engineering , electricity , energy , Hobbies : building
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : defining problems , logic , problem solving , Creativity : imagination , innovation , Self-Direction : work to achieve goals , Tech Skills : digital creation , using and applying technology
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Release date : September 27, 2015
- Genre : Education
- Topics : STEM
- Publisher : Tinybop
- Version : 1.0.3
- Minimum software requirements : Requires iOS 8.0 or later
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate