snap circuits!

March 18, 2008 at 10:29 am · Filed under ,

Yesterday morning the kid and I made a radio and in the process the kid explained to me that yes, indeed, the variable resistor does turn–becoming the tuner to our a.m. toy. This is exciting. More exciting is switches in parallel and switches in series and completing a circuit and reasoning out on occasion why our inventions don’t work. Usually the rationale starts with “We know it all goes from plus to minus, now what isn’t working.”

There are 300 diagrams, experiments and explanations. The components all snap together, like snaps on a shirt. This is the most beautiful piece of accessible science I’ve seen since I lusted over a real microscope set in the Sear’s catalog in sixth grade.

So much truth and beauty in a cardboard box.

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2 Comments »

tamecia wrote @ March 18th, 2008 at 8:47 pm

I totally agree. Just haven’t had a kid to justify buying it yet. It’s amazing. Which kid? Avery? There’s no way I will be able to suggest toys if he’s using that language now. He’s an exponential development-er…smile.

I can hook u up later with cool toys where you order kits to build solar cars, etc. The K’Nex interface is pretty cool for Amusement Park kit and programming.

Yeah Paula! Told ya you could do it…

Laura wrote @ August 6th, 2008 at 9:55 am

Paula,

where did you get the kit? online or in a local store? i’m hooked and want to do one with Grayce. the last time i did anything like this was when i wired AND and OR gates in my Masters program. this seems way more fun.

thanks!

Laura