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Suggestions for STEM kits


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We love all things STEM in this house but I often find I just don't have the time or energy to out into preparing as many activities as we would like. This year the kiddos have been focusing on lego contraptions when I am not prepared for other activities and they have been great, they both love them and really love making their own contraptions (they have this set each: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/001150 )
I am looking at getting more STEM type kits or sets and just after ideas.  I am thinking along the lines of snap circuits or lego tecnic or ???? Hit me with your favorite products please, I would ideally love a good selection on my shelves to mix things up a bit.
My girls are 6 (1st) and 8 (3rd), they are working around 3rd-4th levels.

Thanks :)

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My youngest enjoys getting Tinker Crates. Some of them have been bigger hits than others. We usually use it as a springboard for exploring a topic further. It gives me an easy way to do a monthly unit study on a topic that I might not otherwise have covered. My girls would have LOVED these when they were younger.

 

We also really enjoyed the EEME electronics kits. My son is pretty fanatical about electronics, so these were a big hit and totally worth the money. I just wish there were more of them.

 

Snap Circuits are awesome to start. We got our first kit years ago and all of my kids have enjoyed them. Thames and Kosmos make some great science kits.

 

MAKE Magazine has a section of kids' projects if you're willing to work on them with your kids! We're big MAKE fans.

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My son is thinking about going into engineering or something mechanical, so we've gone crazy in the science kit department...

 

1.  Snap Circuits - we have the big kit (I think it's the 750).  Three of my kids are doing projects from it this spring.  Always a big hit.  I love Snap Circuits.

 

2.  K'NEX Bridge-building kit - probably my son's favorite science kit of all times.  It came with a book that went over the different bridges and what they are used for.

 

3.  Physics Workshop and Physics Pro - we liked Physics Workshop a lot more than Physics Pro (ironically).  PW was great, but PPro has been kind of a pain in the butt.  We spent several days trying to get the wind tunnel to work and the hydraulic pumps/tubing are very frustrating.  The tubing pops off and water flies everywhere.

 

4.  Zometool - these are incredible to build with, but break easily (and are expensive).  There's also a free downloadable ebook on their website - which was awesome.  Great kit, just wish they weren't so fragile (and expensive).

 

My kids have also enjoyed some of those Professor Ein-O kits (even though they are very overpriced IMO).  We've picked a couple of them up from Hobby Lobby just for fun and they enjoyed them.  Also, we bought a Simple Machines kit once - and I think it was Thames & Kosmos...but my son really enjoyed that, too.  

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Following - I've been toying with the idea of getting Tinker Crate - http://tinker.kiwicrate.com/ butnot sure it's worth it. It's around $20/month less if you order a longer subscription. It says on the website that it can be used with multiple kids and there are a few good reviews online but I have never actually seen one.

 

I really want to get this, but I'm afraid my kids will fight over it.  My dining room would turn into a WWE wrestling ring over who gets to build it.   :001_unsure:  I wonder if the projects can be taken apart and put back together or used multiple times...  I like the way they include "blueprints".  Very cool!

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I really want to get this, but I'm afraid my kids will fight over it.  My dining room would turn into a WWE wrestling ring over who gets to build it.   :001_unsure:  I wonder if the projects can be taken apart and put back together or used multiple times...  I like the way they include "blueprints".  Very cool!

 

Hmm... Not really. The EEME kits can be taken apart and rebuilt repeatedly, but the Tinker Crate projects are pretty much once and done. I think kids would have to take turns doing the steps on the blueprint. I'm only using it with my youngest so it's not an issue for us, but I think if I was using this 10 years ago with my older two, they'd probably have argued over who gets to do which step.

 

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I ordered a Tinker Crate for my son last month as a birthday present.  If it is a hit we are going to ask the family for gift certificates to the site as their gift to him this year.  There was some coupon code last month and a single crate was almost half price.  We haven't received it yet, but it should ship soon.  On the site it says our first crate is a DrawBot.  I assume that is one of the simple robots with markers attached to the sides.  I could probably do that without a kit, but I am sure it would take me multiple trips to the store, etc. to make sure I had all the parts and then maybe another week or so before I actually got around to doing it.  With the box, I'm sure Robby will demand to build it the day we receive it.  And really the price isn't very bad, IMO.  If I'm honest it is less than a treat at a restraunt for the kids and we will enjoy the tinker crate more than a cheap snack.

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I really want to get this, but I'm afraid my kids will fight over it.  My dining room would turn into a WWE wrestling ring over who gets to build it.   :001_unsure:  I wonder if the projects can be taken apart and put back together or used multiple times...  I like the way they include "blueprints".  Very cool!

 

I just checked, and they say many (but not all) of the crates have enough materials for 2 kids. I thought you could add more materials for about $10 per month, but that's apparently only for the Kiwi Crate.

 

I've never seen a crate in person. I suggested the Kiwi Crates when my MIL asked for xmas present ideas (she gave me a price range to work with), but she ditched it saying she thought those were too easy for my kids (WTF? as if I don't know my own kids).

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