Advice for kids 3D Scanning / Design Software / Printer from iOS

[Elektrobot]

Hello all, My 8 year old recently had their first experience with a 3D printer and is hooked. In a rush to try and find something suitable as a holiday gift, I have come here to ask for some input. I imagine she would enjoy modeling things in Play-Doh or clay, scanning them into a design app, edit, and print. So, we need some software and a printer. I've already got the Play-Doh taken care of. She has a 2019 10.2" iPad and I have an iPhone XR. She would most likely enjoy managing it all from a portable device but I could setup an old Mac Mini or a Windows 10 computer for her to use. The Mac Mini we have is from 2011, upgraded with a solid state HD and 8gb Ram. It is no longer supported in iOS updates though so OS version might be a consideration with some software. The Windows 10 computer I could give her is pretty new, also with sold state HD and 8gb ram. Thank you sincerely for any advice

[fred_dot_u]

Because Tinkercad runs in a web browser, it may be a good solution to part of your quest. It is extremely easy to understand. I've seen youths in our local library "teach" mom or dad how to do something in the program, but that's not too surprising, is it?

Tinkercad can also be a gateway to more complex powerful software, once the user poses a question that can't be answered in Tinkercad. At that point you'll have a better feel for the hardware needed for the future.

Your post had my alleged mind spinning a bit faster too. There are a few 3D printers made for creating clay objects, which are typically placed in a kiln and fired/glazed/fired. I don't see a reason why one could not use such a printer with Play-Doh, especially as the stuff is consistent texture which can't always be said of clay materials. I suspect the price is a bit out of hand though.

[jamcultur]

BlocksCAD is an online 3D design tool made especially to teach children how to do 3D design. There are many tutorials for it online. https://www.blockscad3d.com

Structure Sensor is an iPad accessory for 3D scanning. It's pricey, but I've used it and it works well. There are also iPhone apps for 3D scanning, some of which will run on the iPad. I haven't tried any of them. I suspect the results aren't as good as the Structure Sensor, but they are much less expensive. There are reviews of some of them here:
https://all3dp.com/2/5-best-3d-scann...ur-smartphone/

[fred_dot_u]

BlockSCAD is a good option for youngsters who may develop an interest in programming and parametric modeling, as it's based on OpenSCAD, a text based modeling description "language." My experience with BlockSCAD is mostly frustrating but that's because I learned OpenSCAD before I became aware of BlockSCAD. For the youth, it's a good start due to the simplicity and intuitive aspect of the coding. Other resources use a similar GUI that make BlockSCAD valuable in accepting other, similar types of software.

[Elektrobot]

Thank you everyone. I'm reviewing the suggestions now. I appreciate all the input.

[jamcultur]

I just ran across this tutorial on making a 3D model using photos and free software called Meshroom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D0EhSi-vvc

There's more about Meshroom here:
https://alicevision.org

[Elektrobot]

Thank you for all the great software recommendations.

I selected a Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer that I found on sale for $199.

It is small but I think it will give us a good start.