10 Electrifying Electronics Kits for Kids!
An ecstatic way to keep children caught up with the fast-paced advancements in technology is to first help them understand the technology they interact with. What is the best way for children to understand technology? Well, for starters, they could create their own!
There is an abundance of electronics kits to get your children started on. As a parent or teacher, wondering which kit to purchase can be very time-consuming and difficult, especially since there are so many options to choose from.
Your problems end here as we’ve selected what we believe are the top 10 electronics kits that provide the best possible hands-on experience after thorough research. These kits would allow children to discover and learn everything there is to know about electronics and even basic engineering!
As they begin to comprehend principles and concepts related to electronics, mechanics, or even robotics through DIY projects, they’ll be able to experiment more in-depth with the help of these kits. Your children are bound to become engineers after they get their hands on these electronics kits! :)
Let’s take a look at our top picks now!
1. Makey Makey
Age Range: 8+
Review
Makey Makey is a creative way to introduce children to electronics. How so?
This electronic tool can turn everyday objects into fun inventions! Objects such as fruits, toys, or any other everyday conductive object can be used as various keyboard keys or “commands” such as your right arrow or your spacebar.
Children can indulge in fun projects using Makey Makey such as building a photo booth, a banana piano and even a human synthesizer. Imagination clearly has no limits when it comes to this electronics kit!
This kit is suitable for beginners as no prior programming knowledge is necessary. All you need to do is grab some alligator clips, a Makey Makey circuit board and a USB to plug into your computers. How convenient is that? Parents or teachers don’t have to scramble for additional hardware or software.
This kit teaches children all about current flows, conductors, and insulators! It is a children’s favourite because of how interactive this kit is.
Makey Makey is an electronics kit made for everyone!
To know which activities you can do on this kit, visit here or contact us here to check out our courses.
2. Micro:bit
Age Range: 8+
Review
One of the perfect controllers when it comes to learning how to build and program robots is Micro:bit!
These kits are so innovative that children can learn how to build robots or prototypes with circuits, build a DIY weather station, create game consoles, read sensors, control motors, build Bluetooth devices and many more exciting projects.
Micro:bit follows three different kinds of programming languages which are:
- Microsoft Makecode — This is a graphical block-based system
- CodeKingdoms JavaScript — This is a graphical drag-and-drop interface
- MicroPython — This is a text-based editor
Micro:bit is beginners friendly as years of experience is not required. A little bit of reading up on basic programming concepts is enough to get children going!
Micro:bit also allows children to experiment with cutting-edge electronics in a hands-on environment that is engaging and interactive all the while, saving parents and schools from spending too much.
Isn’t that just acquiring the best of both worlds? Such a great kit that offers brilliant education and experiences in electronics while protecting your pockets from going empty!
To know how we teach using Micro:bit contact us here to check about our courses.
3. Arduino
Age Range: 12+
Review
Introducing the experts in electronics kits, Arduino! Arduino is one of the leading open-source hardware and software companies in the world.
Users of these kits can range from children to adults and even professional programmers as they can use Arduino to tackle exciting electronics projects, real-life problems and even innovate and build their own robots!
To pick a favourite Arduino kit would be hard considering the vast range and diversity of electronics kits they have developed. Each kit is unique and creatively designed to introduce the basics of Robotics, Electronics and Arduino programming. However, one thing they all have in common is an Arduino microcontroller.
Examples of fun Arduino projects you can check out are:
- Arduino Bluetooth Basic Tutorial — Arduino Project Hub
- Robot Arm with Controller — Arduino Project Hub
Arduino is the best way to go if you want to encouragingly nudge your kids into the STEM world!
4. Snap Circuits LIGHT Electronics Exploration Kit
Age Range: 8+
Review
Snap Circuits LIGHT electronics Exploration kit is bound to be a children’s favourite as it has a unique, hands-on experience that teaches children electrical engineering concepts and techniques through 175 exciting projects. These projects are organised in a manner that allows your kids to develop their skills as they advance to different levels.
The endless number of projects to choose from will keep children engaged with this kit for hours!
Now, the outside of the box is indeed eye-catching but the inside of the box is even better! This kit comes packaged neatly with more than 55 parts and electrical components, along with simple, colour-coded maps in the manual that allow your child’s imagination to run wild with creativity but also teach them real-life lessons on how electric currents work.
The fun doesn’t stop there! Feel free to grab and plug in your iPhone or Android mobile and watch your circuits react in fascinating ways with flashing lights and music to jam to! Maybe even send a fan flying across your yard!
5. Playz Advanced Electronic Circuit Board
Age Range: 8+
Review
Does your child love Science, Math, and Technology? Well, what better way to teach all these subjects than through an intricately designed electronics kit that interconnects STEM with more than 328 activities based on real-world applications!
They learn many basic concepts and terms related to light control, magnetic control, sound control, touch control, voltage, current, resistance, and theories. With the 64-page illustrated instruction manual children are easily guided through assembling numerous circuits and electronic works such as connecting AM/FM radios, producing sounds like doorbell melodies and cute, animal sounds, making circuit boards to flash LED lights, and many more exciting experiments.
Get ready for an electrifying experience!
6. Snap Circuits 3D Illumination Electronics Discovery Kit
Age Range: 8+
Review
This electronics kit is not only brilliantly well-designed but it also has multiple 3D building boards to snap circuits onto by following a wonderfully explained manual with 2D illustrations.
The process children engage in to build a 3D model solely through imagination with the help of the 2D diag is called spatial orientation. A skill that is highly beneficial in the real world!
What makes this kit unique? Glad you asked! This kit comes packed with unique components like:
- A “light tunnel” that creates a fascinating effect using LEDs and a mirror.
- A mini projector that displays images through a wheeled disc.
Your child would spend endless hours building their way through over 150 projects that start simple and basic but journey them into more complex and brain-racking activities.
This kit is a magnificent mix of fun and skill-building!
7. Circuit Cubes Gear Go! Multi-vehicle Mobility Launch Kit
Age Range: 8+
Review
Are your children obsessed with Legos? If yes, then this kit would be more than perfect for them!
Gear Go! Multi-vehicle Mobility Kit is known to be Circuit Board’s award-winning kit because it allows children to build their favourite vehicles using electronic building blocks, and circuit cubes that snap together to bring power, light and motion to creative, animated projects.
This DIY electronics kit is wonderful for beginners as the kit comes packed with everything they would need to effortlessly assemble their powerful, circuit-board controlled vehicles. Children can build up to 5 robust vehicles!
This hands-on, STEM learning experience develops skills such as problem-solving and creative thinking which would prove vital in any aspect of life.
Make sure you grab your Circuit Cubes Gear Go! Multi-vehicle Mobility Launch Kit now!
8. Discovery MINDBLOWN Action Circuitry Electronic Experiment Set
Age Range: 8+
Review
Want to launch or make robots levitate? This electronics kit does just that! Children can use this kit to create kinetic sculptures and even spinning robots. How exciting is that?
With this exciting Build-It Yourself kit, children will engage in actively learning concepts related to electricity, circuitry and even engineering as they build and perform the experiments!
This STEM kit comes packed with everything your child would need to build a rocket launcher, floating ball, and even a light tunnel. The feelings of satisfaction after successfully completing each activity is a wonderful encouragement for them to learn more about how electricity works!
By the end of the experiments, your child would be ready to innovate their own action circuitry designs and experiments!
9. 4M Kidzlabs Robotic Hand Kit
Age Range: 8+
Review
Is your child’s favourite Marvel hero, Iron Man? Well, they sure would become a mini Tony Stark after using the 4M Kidzlabs Robotic Hand Kit!
This kit is an exciting challenge to your child’s imagination that puts to test their building skills and ability to make their artificial robotic hand perform simple gripping actions just by pulling a few strings.
This electronics kit is quite simple and will guarantee that children would engage themselves in endless hours of fun. This simple kit is a wonderful way to kick-start your child’s interest in robotics by teaching them basic crafting and mechanical skills through its hands-on experience.
Now that your child has the 4M Kidzlabs Robotic Hand Kit, you can expect them to be picking and holding everything with it!
10. KiwiCo Electronics 4-Pac
Age Range: 12+
Review
KiwiCo Electronics 4-Pack is one of the most advanced electronics kits that is “designed to teach, engage, and inspire kids and teens” according to KiwiCo. The best part about this kit is your child gets 4 different kits delivered together as 1!
What do these 4 kits consist of?
- Hand-Crank Flashlight: Children learn how capacitors, stepper motors and diodes work as they build a flashlight that can run without batteries and are perfect for outdoor adventures with their friends!
- Light-Chasing Robot: Children learn the science behind circuits and sensors with this kit. They can even customize their robot turtles with two different skins!
- Light-up Speaker: Children learn about the science of sound, transistors and electromagnetism by building a speaker. They can build their own speakers and add a little twist to it using LEDs!
- Geometric Laser Projector: Children can have fun creating various geometric patterns on their walls using lasers that beam out of their projectors! Through this kit, they will explore the science behind lasers, potentiometers, and motors.
Children can enjoy a wonderful hands-on experience with the best instructions manual and quality products using this kit!
These electronics kits are wonderful ways to get your kids started on robotics, mechanics, electronics and STEM. They range from beginner-friendly kits to even more advanced projects for teenagers and even adults; however, they all make understanding concepts related to electronics and even engineering so much easier.
These kits are sure to prepare children for real-world problems that they would have to tackle so why not start now and purchase one of these kits.
Important Note: We are not sponsored by any of these electronics kits!
We hope this article eased your mind on where to start in choosing which kit to buy. Feel free to come back and let us know in the comments if your children are obsessed with these electronics kits as much as we are!
