Lucy the Valiant Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I'm not 100% sure what to put on the list . . . we have Snap Circuits 300 (very popular), basic Legos (but nothing mechanized? - are there intro-level robotic Lego sets?), math puzzle games, K'Nex . . . these are all popular, but I feel like this is the year to take things to the next level. Ideas / thoughts/ help - very much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Have you seem ZomeTool? I first encountered them at a conference for profoundly gifted children, and immediately bought three different sets:) My hubby's colleagues in the Uni chemistry dept often play with them, ahem, model chemistry concepts. There are sets for anything you can imagine. Even a bubble component:) There is so much you can do with them, and lots of room to grow. http://zometool.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I'm interested in something for my STEMy ds7! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas_mom Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Me, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Subscription to Make magazine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 :lurk5: Ds10 asked for a little computer add-on that goes with Scratch. I can't remember what it was called - I'll have to ask him when he gets home. eta, found it thanks to google saving the search - it's called a picoboard http://www.picocricket.com/picoboard.html . I have not yet looked into what it is or what it does. I was also thinking of getting him a Raspberry Pi since he had an intro to Java last summer and might be interested in beginning to learn Python. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas_mom Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Picoboard looks awesome. Too bad the pico kits were discontinued :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Have you seem ZomeTool? I first encountered them at a conference for profoundly gifted children, and immediately bought three different sets:) My hubby's colleagues in the Uni chemistry dept often play with them, ahem, model chemistry concepts. There are sets for anything you can imagine. Even a bubble component:) There is so much you can do with them, and lots of room to grow. http://zometool.com/ Whoa, we may have to get the Crystallography set if dd's geology interest continues! (I was a structural inorganic chemist before the kids--I would love a set to play with :D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelAR05 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Have you seem ZomeTool? http://zometool.com/ :drool5: This looks awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 For science lovers, I'd recommend The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe by Theodore Gray. It's a stunning book that anyone might enjoy browsing through. I've also seen a recent recommendation for Solar System: A Visual Exploration of All the Planets, Moons and Other Heavenly Bodies that Orbit Our Sun by Marcus Chown. Another idea ~ books by Theoni Pappas or her The Mathematics Calendar 2014. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 For science lovers, I'd recommend The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe by Theodore Gray. It's a stunning book that anyone might enjoy browsing through. I've also seen a recent recommendation for Solar System: A Visual Exploration of All the Planets, Moons and Other Heavenly Bodies that Orbit Our Sun by Marcus Chown. Another idea ~ books by Theoni Pappas or her The Mathematics Calendar 2014. Regards, Kareni Oh, cool. We have every rec listed in this thread so far except the Solar System book. Ds will love that. He has picked up a strong interest in architecture lately so I'm thinking of going with some Ravensburger 3D puzzles of famous landmarks but I could always use more ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AStableBeginning Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Have you seem ZomeTool? I first encountered them at a conference for profoundly gifted children, and immediately bought three different sets:) My hubby's colleagues in the Uni chemistry dept often play with them, ahem, model chemistry concepts. There are sets for anything you can imagine. Even a bubble component:) There is so much you can do with them, and lots of room to grow. http://zometool.com/ Thanks for this tip. I had never heard of these before. I just bought the creator 3 set for my daughters 13th birthday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Oh, cool. We have every rec listed in this thread so far except the Solar System book. Ds will love that. He has picked up a strong interest in architecture lately so I'm thinking of going with some Ravensburger 3D puzzles of famous landmarks but I could always use more ideas.Is he into LOTR? I received a gift magazine in the post from the Cricket magazine folks today and found 3D LOTR puzzles. Each of my nephews is getting a different one:)http://www.cricketmag.com/CUS96246-3-D-Jigsaw-Puzzle---Hobbiton http://www.cricketmag.com/CUS96247-3-D-Jigsaw-Puzzle---Minas-Tirith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaChicken Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Aduino - he's been anticipating this for most of the year. Last year he got Make magazine and a soldering kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookspr Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Subscription to Make magazine? I second this. We get this magazine for DH and DS (11) and they have made several things from it. The most popular being an air compressor-driven potato cannon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 The problem we have had with Make magazine is that it does seem to require dh to help at this point. Ds finds wonderful projects he wants to do and dh (who is not at all the maker type and works insane hours) just doesn't have the time to help him and ds ends up disappointed. I wish Make would put out more volumes with projects that kids can do on their own. Admittedly, this is a problem that ds will outgrow as he gets older and more capable but it is frustrating for right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 The problem we have had with Make magazine is that it does seem to require dh to help at this point. Ds finds wonderful projects he wants to do and dh (who is not at all the maker type and works insane hours) just doesn't have the time to help him and ds ends up disappointed. I wish Make would put out more volumes with projects that kids can do on their own. Admittedly, this is a problem that ds will outgrow as he gets older and more capable but it is frustrating for right now.That's our issue as well. We have the EV3 now and ds really needs dh's input to really do more w/ it but he just hasn't had time. Dh does love these kind of things but the time is just not there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Lego does make programable robots, but they are pricey. They have a few different models. They're called Mindstorms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrousel Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Lego WeDo is for younger elementary, and a little pricey, for beginning robotics. Could also go with the technic or simple machines sets and just add a motor (sold just as the motor for $10 for the starter one on lego education site). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 A subscription to EEME: Monthly electronics projects delivered to your home with easy video instructions online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 We love Zome tool and EEME. There is a friend link in my signature to try a free month if you are interested, We have glow in the dark ZomeTool, much fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 My son got a MacBook Pro. We gave it to him early for Christmas. I think he's getting nothing for next 5 years. LOL ALso, we plan to renew his MUSE magazine subscription. We are extremely happy with the Science and thinking that Muse offers! You didn't give us an age for your son. but Timberdoodle has some cool STEM type project things, up to about 7th grade. After that their suggestions just seem to plateau. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 We have glow in the dark ZomeTool, much fun! Where is this?!? My kids love their Zomes and would think that is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 We are getting the Raspberry Pi model B, and I am eyeing BrickPi which makes integrating with the Lego Mindstorms sensors easy. We bought the ZomeTool Creator 1 set and my kids had use that set for playing bubbles in the bathtub. They are asking for more ZomeTool struts and balls. My kids are also eyeing the ROV in a bag kit and since no one swims in my condo pool during winter months, I'm tempted to get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 I don't have a 10yo kid yet. (Our oldest is 6). But Daddy-O is getting the Trebuchet and Catapult pack from PItsco. If your budget is more modest than that, they have paper engineering books for less than $10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Zome kits and a Brock Magiscope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindygz Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 LittleBits!! You can get an educator discount as a himeschooler. I'm so excited about them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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