Kristina, a US mom, prints pretend play sets for her two-year-old son, and her Instagram Reel of the 3D printed learning toys has passed 6 million views.
The clip struck a chord with parents, who wanted to know what she was making, how she did it and whether 3D printing could really be this easy. What began as a few toys for her son has turned into a new way for the two of them to play, create and solve small everyday problems together. Bambu Lab, whose P2S she runs at home, profiled her on its blog.
The printing grew out of a bigger decision about work. After her son was born, Kristina wanted a way to balance her professional drive with raising him through his early years, and to stay productive, earn an income and be creative on her own terms. Pairing content creation with 3D printing gave her that, and making the videos now fits into her daily routine.
Many of her ideas start on MakerWorld, which has replaced social media as her bedtime scroll. “It’s like Amazon,” she said. “Before bed I used to watch Instagram. Now I just watch what I can print next. It’s addicting. I scroll through it, and I’m like, oh, I like this, I like this. I save it, and then I’m printing it.”
Most of what comes off the printer is built for imaginative play, hands-on toys meant to keep an energetic toddler engaged and exploring. Her photos show a tea set with cookies, waffles and pizza, a pasta playset and a farm-themed play tray. “It’s all about learning,” she explained. “Every toy teaches him something.”
The project list is now spreading beyond toys into home organization and decor for his space. Next up are custom brush holders, pencil organizers and 3D bubble letters spelling her son’s name. Being able to turn a digital design into a useful object in a matter of hours is what makes those small, personal projects practical for a busy parent.
Safety was the obvious question with a curious small child in the house. Kristina keeps clear supervision over the printer and monitors each print closely, and that routine has made her comfortable having the machine as part of family life.
Her advice to parents who think printing is only for tech people is simple. Don’t be scared to buy a printer, she says, because it is easy, it is fun and it opens up endless opportunities for parent and child alike.
Source: Bambu Lab
