What Type of Balance scale should I get?

[acsnmama]

I need to purchase a balance scale. I'm looking at the bucket scales, or the more expensive precision scale from Learning Resources, which comes with weights. Can you recommend a good one to me?!

[Jay3fer]

For younger kids, I think you'll be better off with a cheap, sturdy bucket balance. We have one just like this, only without the bears. It's sturdy and they can play with it and you won't get nervous. :-)

 

If we need precision, I bring in my kitchen scale, which is digital and does grams and ounces. But we've only done that a couple of times. Bucket balance is best for elementary math/science, imo, because you can't mess it up and it teaches relative weights better than a one-number scale (like the digital one). And it's more accurate than other types of balance because items are in the bucket so you don't have to worry about position.

 

ETA: Just looked again and Learning Resources has this one for $15. The precision one you mentioned seems like overkill for early elementary, imo. And they won't learn more... it seems to me that a balance should be as simple as possible so they absorb the principles first. Later on, you can get more precision tools for middle-school science.

[Erica in OR]

I agree with Jennifer that at that age the best choice is a cheap, sturdy bucket balance. We have the inexpensive Learning Resources one and it's stood up to many years of use and has been an excellent and obvious way to show the weight of one item relative to another.

 

Erica in OR