The Electricity Workshop set for children: a collection of 22 funny geek tricks

We are quite closely looking at children's electronics, and today we came across a set of "Electricity Workshop." This is something like a mix of the well-known on the market "Connoisseur" and "Mikronika" on the one hand, but with its own characteristics.



Indeed, we spend a lot of time in search of interesting educational children's gadgets. On the pages of this blog, we have already talked about the board Verve , constructors " Mikronik " and " Expert ".

Then, in the Children's World, we got a curious pen " Kakadu ", and the other day we found a set of "Electricity Workshop" .

Today we will tell you what it looks like to others and how it stands out from the crowd. In fairness, I must say that this is quite a good synthesis of several children's boards and learning sets: ideas were borrowed not only from the above-mentioned instances of designers, but also from quite popular “boxes”, such as “Natural electricity”, “Potato clocks”, etc. .

The last Chinese “collections” added an interesting, in our opinion, advantage. If “Connoisseur” and “Mikronik” seem to be “peremptory”: you have to do it, sit and do it, otherwise it will not light up or squeal, in fact leaving the child with such homework and the question “why?”, Then everything is different.



A series of experiments suggests “hooking” on the “Wow” effect, or, in other words, spurring curiosity, and only then explaining some of the processes and phenomena that you need (or useful) to know. For this purpose, it is proposed to use salt water, a pencil or a coin as conductors: in order to broaden the concept of the world around and surprise with simple things, which, it would seem, are always at hand.

This is a classic pedagogical method, when you surprise a student before any topic. For example, you ask whether the noun animated "ball", "racket", - "no." And the "doll"? - "Yes". And ... "Wow," so, is this a toy? And you calmly start the topic "The category of animating nouns." It works!

So we are invited to explore the simple, sometimes, perhaps, not the most interesting basics of electricity. For this, the kit offers:

• Panel to build (analog board)
• Battery compartment
• Call
• Little motor
• 20 spring (spring)
• 20 spring covers
• Signal lamp
• 2 light bulbs
• 1 cardboard disc
• 2 electrodes
• 2 resistors
• Electric wires

There are two instructions in the set: one text, which explains how to collect some element, what will happen, what will not happen. The second is a set of illustrations for each scheme.



Everything is decorated clearly and visually, but it is preceded by a direct description of specific circuits (in this set it is called “Chains”) a little story about what electricity is. Before proceeding to recreate the experiments, you should assemble a panel, or board.



Springs (springs) should be installed along the perimeter of the plastic square, each of which should be covered with a lid: it will act as a kind of handle.



Given that this is a fairly simple device, this decision seemed justified and convenient.



In contrast to the same designer, Mikronik, where the connectors on the board were so close to each other, and the holes themselves were very small, that sometimes a couple of wires were problematic to plug in, and some of them could fly out with awkward movement here everything is different.

You simply pull the handle, the spring expands, and then the wire bites. Simple and reliable.



It is proposed to fix some elements to the board immediately: these are light bulbs and a motor. Under the first - a cutout is provided in the center of the square.



The motor is mounted using special plastic holders. He will remain near.



Also at the very beginning you need to collect the power source. This will require a screwdriver and 4 "finger-type" batteries ( the set doesn’t fit). After the “platform for experiments” is assembled, the first experiments can be started.



According to the instructions, it is proposed to assemble 22 chains from simple to complex:


The last few experiments are the so-called games in the terminology of the compilers of the set. A few experiments suggest the presence at hand of simple things that are not included in the set: a coin, a pencil, water, salt, and some others.

Experiments are provided with descriptions, comments and a kind of test questions that help the child to formulate in simple words why this or that effect occurred. Or did not happen. Such a change of surprise, the gaming component and the learning process should inspire the proposed topic.

Where there is at least some minimal danger, this is clearly indicated in the text instructions, so it is better to use both at once! For example, a warning that "Attention, the resistor will heat up" is not included in the illustrated version !

Methodically, the experiments are designed according to the principle of complexity of structures. Let's give an example. For a start, it is proposed to simply light a light bulb by connecting the wires.



Further, in an experiment with an open / closed circuit, it is demonstrated that under certain conditions the lamp does not light up when the circuit is not closed.



The next step will be asked to connect the wires manually.



And, finally, to think whether other subjects, less obvious, but so familiar, can become a “closure”: a trick with a coin.



In this case, the child becomes not only an observer of the processes that may not yet be clear to him, but also a participant, a creator, a person who influences what is happening, gradually becoming carried away.


Hey, son, are you drawing with a pencil that has a current?

It is offered to do such experiments with light, sound and rotation, for which a motor imitating a fan with the help of a cardboard disc is proposed.



Do you know how mom makes our soup?



Yes Yes. The simplest water and the most ordinary salt can cause the motor to move, and the lamp to burn. And, if for many adults, this is obvious, then for many children it will sound like a miracle. And bewilderment, delight and desire to understand, as soon as they see it. Therefore, we came up with such a title, about “tricks”, because one of the goals of this set is to surprise and awaken the desire to understand, especially since all this is simply explained.

A few words about picking

Despite the fact that the contents of the kit does not look very rich, and this can be seen in the illustrations, it is packed as a gift, and the box itself is quite capable of generating interest. Yes, of course, craftsmen can collect something similar and independently, but - not everyone. Someone will be easier to take a "turnkey gift" with simple explanations on paper. Instructions and comments in such toys play an important role.

Using

This form seems to be more visible and gives the child more freedom of movement, and therefore most of the work with the board, he will be able to do on their own. Although the recommended age is “7+”, some simple things can be shown to young children.