Electronics starter kits for kids

Ron Czapala

http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/816/cool-new-toys-for-2012/

The starter littleBits kit ($89 each, ages 6 and up) contains everything budding engineers need to set up their own circuits; kids can connect the battery to any number of switches from buttons to dimmers to pressure sensors to create reactions. A project can be as simple as setting a LED to pulse while more creative efforts can involve rigging up any sort of contraption (a sample device involved a motion sensor and a light inside a piggy bank that lit up when money was deposited). Sets are available now and add-ons range from $10-$40.

ratronic

Ron I have been on littleBits email list since you posted this. Until today all I saw was fairly basic littleBits kits. But today I received an email that says they have teamed up with KORG the synthesizer people and now offer a 12 littleBits collection

that allows you to 'stick' your own audio synthesizer together. Here is a video of a guy playing with the new littleBits collection. I haven't bought any LittleBits yet.

LoopyByteloose

I still feel strongly that providing kids with a kit that allows them to construct their own DC motor is one of absolutely best ways to get them interested in electricity.

Before most can grasp solid-state electronics, an introduction to electro-mechanical devices is very help and will make the idea of solid-state devices easier to understand.

Kids need things that are very hands-on with observable relationships to get started. Abstractions come later for most.

The Little Bit kits do look very attractive for kids that are deep into music and seeking a new audio sound. That certainly is another valid approach.

Publison

ratronic wrote: »

Ron I have been on littleBits email list since you posted this. Until today all I saw was fairly basic littleBits kits. But today I received an email that says they have teamed up with KORG the synthesizer people and now offer a 12 littleBits collection

that allows you to 'stick' your own audio synthesizer together. Here is a video of a guy playing with the new littleBits collection. I haven't bought any LittleBits yet.

That's pretty coll. I missed the original post by Ron.

My first production synthesizer was a Korg 1975:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/800dv.php

But I built this in 1974, (still have it):

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Modified_PAIA_2700.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAiA_Electronics&h=1162&w=1951&sz=503&tbnid=tybZe__GP9-vRM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=151&zoom=1&usg=__IQkXUpKQkvStPxm_g6SY2zRhEVY=&docid=paTpDdeE2S9DAM&sa=X&ei=z0R9UqHfO-Pk4APN7oGQCA&ved=0CDAQ9QEwAA

Then I needed a bigger one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_2600

I like the ketar approach, but I will keep my Moog Liberation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moog_Liberation