Well, I was in a Radio Shack recently and was looking at the toys, and I saw some simple starter electronics kits, like this one. As you might remember, my little boy really likes electricity…he first started getting into that about a year ago. We also did the “lemon battery” (check out YouTube) and he loved that. After enormous amounts of daily playing with legos helped him build his motor, analysis, and put-it-together abilities, I figured he’d really like this. It’s basically all just snap-together.
Well, I got a kit home and was I ever right. He just loves it, and he can do the projects pretty easily with my help. I started by demonstrating a few projects, and then we re-did them together. He can’t do them from the diagrams yet himself, but I have no doubt that with more practice with me, he’ll be able to do it himself the way he does lego stuff by himself. (Of course, I’ll be careful not to let him play with electricity by himself…he is still only 3, of course…)
I made him an electronics vocabulary presentation to give him background, by the way. I think this helps a lot. It even helps me!
I meant electronics terminology etc. I thought maybe I would create a category. I am an Electrical engineer so I thought if you had any questions I might be able to help. I thought your comment that making the electronic terminology helped dad too was cute.
Oh yes, please–anything you can provide would be fantastic. If you mean you’re in a position to add a new category to the LR forum’s free slideshow category list, I don’t think that’s necessary. But any more powerpoints about electronics would be very gratefully received. I’ve just made one introductory vocabulary presentation (words & definitions + pictures, similar to what I did for Charlotte’s Web).
Well thanks for all your efforts. I always enjoy what you do. If you have any specific suggestions of what you would like to see please suggest away.
I just did one on Materials as soon as nhocklady adds the pronunciations. It will go with an experiment for categorizing according to material found on Early Learning. http://earlylearningathome.com/science-for-preschoolers
I don’t know your son might already know about materials.
I am working on some more presentations about penguins. Colin just finished a unit at school on penguins. So I am trying to reinforce what he did not learn. lol
We got Blaise Snap Circuits for Christmas and he loves it. We do the experiments together, he tries to repeat them from memory, he does some of the easy ones in the book by himself and often he builds something from the book and ten starts swapping out parts to see what will happen. I highly recommend this toy.
patreiche–I don’t have anything in particular in mind. Well, one thing I’d be very interested in is a book about auto parts and what their functions are. Not exactly electronics… As far as that goes, you’re the specialist so whatever you think would be useful beyond basic electronics vocabulary (or even your take on that would be great)… Computer (i.e., in the box) components, that would be another great presentation to do.
linzy–yeah, maybe I’ll relax and let him go to town, but I haven’t wanted to let him do much because I want to train him to be cautious generally when working with electricity. I’m pretty sure he can’t hurt himself too badly with 2 AAs.
