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Recommended products for teaching my kids? — Parallax Forums

Recommended products for teaching my kids?

invinv Posts: 2
edited 2007-10-01 20:18 in BASIC Stamp
I'm interested in introducing my kids (ages 10 & 14) to programming and microcontrollers. Does anyone have a suggestion on which product/kit to purchase? I figure we might as well start off with a BoE and a WAM kit. Any other opinions? Is the material in those kits too advanced for my kids' ages?

Thanks very much.

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2007-10-01 16:55
    KatyBri had a similar question recently (here: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=677353). Have a look at it because there were some good comments. The heart of the answer is that it depends on the involvement of an adult, particularly for the 10 year old. With two kids involved, you need to be sure that each has their own kit.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2007-10-01 17:01
    BoE and WAM are surefire. I assume you mean the BoE Bot. Make sure that they get to choose their their own major additions and that they have to in someway earn them, like completing the basic texts before they get more. Tracks instead of wheels for the BoEBot are really nice for outdoors.

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    "Everything in the world is purchased by labour; and our passions are the only causes of labor." -- David·Hume (1711-76)········
    ···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • Steph LindsaySteph Lindsay Posts: 767
    edited 2007-10-01 17:30
    Hello Inv,

    Andy wrote WAM to be the best first step, but the Boe-Bot text is also fine for an entry place.··The Discovery Kit (27207)·comes with a Board of Education, so if you later add·the Robotics Parts and Text (28154)· you would have everything you need to build the robot. Likewise,·the Boe-Bot Robot kit (910-28132)·also comes with a Board of Education; if you·then add the WAM Parts and Text (#28152),· you will have·all you need to complete that book as well.

    If you are buying two kits, the BASIC Stamp Activity Kit (9005) is a little more budget-consious.· It has a HomeWork Board instead of a Board of Education, but you can still do all of the experiments in WAM, Robotics, and most of the other Stamps in Class texts - the books are written to support both platforms.

    I hope you have fun, and if you all get stuck anywhere by all means just post and we will try to help.· You might find the Stamps in Class forum and Robotics forum to be good places to post as well.

    -Stephanie Lindsay

    Editor, Parallax Inc.·
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 1,023
    edited 2007-10-01 18:13
    Just a plug for the SumoBots. I teach classes for students in that age range, and they love the competition. And any of the 'bot kits can basically do what the WAM kit does, so I would go for the BOE or Sumo.

    Jonathan

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    www.madlabs.info - Home of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Robot
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2007-10-01 18:22
    +1 for the BOE-Bot kit. It can be used for all the 'interfacing' classes, plus when you're done you have something that moves. There's something very satisfying about programming something that moves under its own power.
  • Steve JoblinSteve Joblin Posts: 784
    edited 2007-10-01 18:25
    Sounds like a job for Scribbler!
    28136.jpg
    http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28136
  • D FaustD Faust Posts: 608
    edited 2007-10-01 18:40
    I am 14 and bought the BOE bot in April I think. It was perfect for me. Especially the fact that it moves [noparse];)[/noparse] I couldn't take just watching leds blink something like that. The text is very explainatory.

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ON subnum GOTO Hope_this_helps, Thanks!, WOW!!
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  • invinv Posts: 2
    edited 2007-10-01 18:51
    Thanks very much for the suggestions. Do we need a static mat on which to do our "work"?
  • Steve JoblinSteve Joblin Posts: 784
    edited 2007-10-01 19:08
    No... just a good clean work area... it is always good to touch something grounded before you start though. I live in near Philadelphia, and I try to make it a habit in the winter time when the dry air causes more static electricity than normal.
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2007-10-01 20:18
    Static mats do make a nice work surface, especially when used around cutting or gouging type tools, soldering irons, etc.

    In addition to the micro kits, I suggest getting a couple of small tackle boxes, and building a toolkit for each child.

    You can find a good selection of tools from vendors like Techni-Tool or MCM Electronics.
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