Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100
The very best factor in favour of the Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 is that it’s like a lego set that will not intimidate a kid with complex electronic digital parts. My own 7 year old started having fun with this and was very thrilled to complete his very first project to light a bulb using a switch. Learning about electricity followed naturally when at first the bulb didn’t lightup. I showed him the metal strip underneath the connectors and explained how conductivity works in simple language.There are no screwdrivers, soldering irons, testers or electrical tape.
The instructions are easy to follow, and consists of diagrams for basic projects. After a little help for the initial few, a kid can certainly work their way through the guide with the very least grownup direction.
The included video shows some of the projects – running a DC motor and fan, a switch circuit with light bulb, a Space War alarm combo, and a flying saucer.
One thing that I think helps tremendously is that there are for the most part no wires, and the components are hidden from plain sight. So, this gives a very simple non-complicated picture to a child and the concepts are a lot easier to understand. This distinction allows my son to truly enjoy it.
I highly recommend this item for your kids.
For more information on the Snap Circuits Jr SC-100, click here
Snap Circuits SC-300
This is a slight more advanced electronics set for kids. If you’ve had even a tiny bit of electronic experience you can see the value of this toy. When I was a kid, there were countless hours looking at circuit diagrams and using soldering irons to piece together electrical components to get basic projects going.
That frustration is the reason I lost all interest in electronics. If I had the Snap Circuits SC-300 electronics set, things would’ve been different.
When my second child (9-year old) started to show and interest in science, I thought it would be great to introduce him to the world of electricity through a fun and educational approach. After the experience my other child had with the Snap Circuits Junior set, I thought it might be interesting to see what other products Elenco has to offer. Thats when I came across the super-popular SC-300 set online. Adding it to my shopping cart was an easy decision when we read all the user reviews.
The box contained around 60 different parts which can be used to create 300 projects. A large number of the projects are basic but they are not to be discounted as they teach kids the fundamentals and lay the groundwork for the more complex projects leading to more independent thinking.
The different parts snap into place on a large plastic grid hence the name of the product. The pieces are labeled with the appropriate symbols so its easy to learn what role they play in the projects. While my kid was able to follow along with the manual, it is possible that some younger children might need more instructions or assistance. This is not really a bad thing because its an opportunity to teach your kids and learn in the process.
After seeing my older son, the younger one started helping out in making the projects. I would think for those who aren’t sure about electronics sets should use the Junior SC-100 as training wheels or if they want to challenge their kids a bit more they should give the SC-300 a shot.
An important update: There is an upgrade package available from the SC-100 to the SC-300 set
For more information on the Snap Circuits SC-300, click here