This post was sponsored on behalf of K’NEX. All opinions stated are my own.
Are you looking for something this holiday season that your tween won’t just toss aside after a few minutes? Then, you need to check out the K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster. It will definitely keep them busy!
The Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster Building Set from K’NEX is a creepy carnival themed coaster that includes a motorized chain-lift that sends the coaster car through 14 feet of twisting, turning track! This set is available exclusively at Walmart.
There are a lot of small pieces. We found the most effective way was to sort them all ahead of time. This roller coaster took us an entire evening, but it was a great way to spend quality time together. My 12-year-old son and I put it together.
I thought this was a great toy for kids who love to build and are thinking about engineering. Both his grandfather and father are engineers, and his brain definitely works like theirs do. He is also a gifted kid, so most things don’t challenge him. I loved that this took hours to put together, and it really did challenge him. He had to really think how to put things together as it grew and grew. It’s over 2 1/2 feet tall!
There are over 40 pages of illustrated directions, so it’s fairly straight forward how to put it together, but you have to also think about it as you’re building. There were a few times we added a connection facing the wrong way, but it was easy to flip it once we were connecting all the pieces together.
My 12-year-old started it alone, but he did require help. While the package says 9+, I would definitely say this is for the older tweens and even teens. It probably would have taken him days if I hadn’t helped. We sat side by side and split the tasks, so he would build one part on the first page, and I would build the second part on the second page. Then, he’d put the two big pieces together and add them to the roller coaster. It was a totally fun challenge to put together.
Here’s a video where you can see it in action:
When we finished and ran it through several times, my son was already planning how he could change the roller coaster with his own ideas. Plus, there is a photo on the back of the box that shows how to change the track into a different style coaster without all the loop-the-loops, and you can find those instructions on the K’NEX website.
Find it at Walmart for $32.97. If you need the perfect gift for a tween who loves to build and create, then head to Walmart and check out the K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster! They will love it!
27 comments
That is a great set. The thing I love most about K’Nex is how it encourages the kids to learn to love STEM.
What a great kit. Toys like this that encourage learning and development are always my first choice. Love it.
If our son was a little older (he is 7), I would love to get him this K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster set!! I can just see him putting it together with his daddy 🙂 I do love that it a learning tool as well!!
We love K’Nex. Hubby and the kids are always building some huge contraption. I’ll have to ask them if we have this set.
This looks like such a fun kit that the kids would spend hours playing. I especially like that they have to build it first, teaches so many skills, including patience.
This is such a great toy to promote STEM learning. I just love how it encourages kids to be creative and unplugged. I wish there were more toys like K’Nex.
This K’Nex set looks really fun. My son loved playing with K’Nex when he was younger and he would have loved to have a set like this.
Kids will surely love it! It’s a great way to encourage kids to learn to build.
The K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster would make for a great stem gift for any kid 9 or up. I will have to share this with my sister and niece for my nephews. They would really enjoy putting this together. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome gift idea.
I love that K’NEX are still around! They are an amazing STEM toy! I love this roller coaster!
My nephew would definitely love this. I love giving toys that spark the kids’ creativity.
This Knex set looks like so much fun. My boys would enjoy playing with it. I will have to look into getting it for my youngest.
My girls would love this. It looks like a lot of fun. I’d even have fun helping them build this.
Wow this looks like a fun toy to play with, my daughter and I would love to have this. I will have to add this to the Christmas list.
My kids have never really gotten into the Knex thing before, but after this post, I think it is something I should introduce them too! It looks like something they would really enjoy! I didn’t realize how elaborate it could get !
This is a great gift idea for Christmas. It would be a great project to do with your child.
Ooooo I bet my daughter would love this K’Nex set! We always joke that she will grow up to be an engineer since she loves building and problem solving!
What a fun toy. I was concerned by the title you got real whip lash. I got whip last from a roller coaster in my early 20’s it was horrible! I will have to get this one for my boys when they get a little older.
That looks super fun. Heck, I’d play with that and I’m in my 30s. Can’t wait til my daughter is a bit older so I can do stuff like this with her
Wow! Our son loves to build. He’s already a teen but he’s going to love that, for sure. And I was just thinking of what else to get him. That would be it!
This toy looks fun… I am sure my son will love this! He loves to build
My son is almost at the age where he will appreciate this type of toy. It looks very fun and educational too!
I’m super stoked for my toddlers to be ready for K’nex so I can have a cover for playing with them myself. Blocks are fun but I’m ready for the next level.
My son would have loved this!! He loves building things and this roller coaster is right up his alley!
This looks really fun! I have some cousins that I know will love this! They always get something that falls along the ‘building’ category and I know they would love this!
Silvia
http://www.lovelysilvia.com
I was so excited until I read that your 12 year year old needed help. Maybe I’ll get it for my husband 🙂
My first time to see this toy but I think it’s wonderful because kids will learn to be creative and to follow instructions.