Previous in Forum: Cathodic Protection Problem   Next in Forum: Captive Power Plant (CPP) Capacity
Close
Close
Close
14 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65

Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

11/30/2009 2:47 PM

I've decided that it's high time that my grandson, age 12, discover the wonderful world of electrical engineering. So, I need some help in picking out an appropriate Christmas gift. I grew up on electronics kits - both Heathkits and the more generic modular science kits. I only see him a few times a year so it needs to be something that he can do by himself, or with minimal help from his electronically clueless parents.

Any ideas?

Register to Reply
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Power-User
Hobbies - Hunting - Deer and Birds Hobbies - HAM Radio - Achieved Ham Radio license in 2008 Hobbies - Fishing - Fisherman United States - US - Statue of Liberty - Know freedom, no tyranny.  Know tyranny, no freedom. Hobbies - DIY Welding - Beginner

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 223
Good Answers: 19
#1

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

11/30/2009 5:37 PM

My better half teaches 4th grade, and has 10-11 year olds in class. Although they are a little younger than your grandson at age 12, I asked her for ideas. She said when she teaches the science portion of the day she has found a number of science and engineering items from "Smart Lab First," and she said they have electronic kits for kids. She said amazon.com carries some of the Smart Lab First stuff. She said also look at sciencekits.com

Matt

__________________
Go green, use a solar powered light saber...
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65
#2
In reply to #1

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

11/30/2009 5:38 PM

thanks, I'll check it out

Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#3

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

11/30/2009 10:57 PM

Try Ramsey Electronics

www.ramseyelectronics.com

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 927
Good Answers: 56
#4

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 1:11 AM

Edmond Scientific is one of the few remaining vendors from the era when I was growing up. Check their catalog.

I encourage you to speak to a science teacher at his school and see what kind of kit would dovetail with your grandson's course of study. Or, if you live too far from him to make that practical, speak to a teacher who is local. The contents of science courses do not vary that much across the Country.

I think what you are doing is great!

L.J.

__________________
"Both the revolutionary and the creative individual are perpetual juveniles. The revolutionary does not grow up because he cannot grow, while the creative individual cannot grow up because he keeps growing." Eric Hoffer
Register to Reply
Guru
Engineering Fields - Construction Engineering - New Member Engineering Fields - Civil Engineering - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member Hobbies - Target Shooting - New Member Hobbies - Hunting - New Member Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member United States - Member - New Member Hobbies - DIY Welding - New Member

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Latitude 38.701979 Longitude -90.439540 Coordinates 38.701979, -90.439540 N38°42.11874, W090°26.3724
Posts: 668
Good Answers: 15
#7
In reply to #4

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 5:57 AM

If you do live to far away to talk personally to the teacher, ask his parents for the schools website and/or the teachers email address.

All my kids teachers have email so we parents can keep an eye on our kids grades & etc.

__________________
scotchdrnkr
Register to Reply
Guru
Safety - ESD - New Member Popular Science - Cosmology - Amateur Astronomer Technical Fields - Technical Writing - Writer India - Member - Regular CR4 participant Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: 18 29 N 73 57E
Posts: 1390
Good Answers: 31
#5

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 2:44 AM

All ideas given by others are good. I add one more dimension:

Look for some kit from Magician, where electricity is used. This will educate your grandson that there is no real magic, but there is some science behind every magic.

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hemel Hempstead, UK
Posts: 5826
Good Answers: 322
#6

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 4:51 AM

I know it's in the wrong continent but for some ideas look here:-

http://www.mutr.co.uk/

Nearly all the items must be available in the US with a quick search.

__________________
If you spend all your time looking for people and things to complain about: trust me, you will find plenty to complain about.
Register to Reply
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65
#9
In reply to #6

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 10:15 AM

He won't end up talking funny, will he?

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hemel Hempstead, UK
Posts: 5826
Good Answers: 322
#10
In reply to #9

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 11:01 AM

I say! Don't know what you mean, old chap.

__________________
If you spend all your time looking for people and things to complain about: trust me, you will find plenty to complain about.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
Guru
Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 867
Good Answers: 11
#8

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 7:48 AM

You might go to radio shack and get an inexpensive voltmeter as well. But then you have to teach him how to not get shocked with AC current....

__________________
Eric
Register to Reply
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#11

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 11:10 AM

It may be thought of as nit picking, but I define electricity and electronics seperately, although they meet in many areas of course.

Both styles of kits can be interesting for a young person, maybe both should be offered?

In the 50's my Father put together an Electricity kit for me at age of 7 or 8. This stimulated my interest in both areas so much that I built my first radio control system from kits (single channel, valves/tubes in both Rx and Tx!! No transistors!) in 1957 at age 11....I had a HUGE solder gun from my Father!!!

Worked great!!

I used the transmitter for many years, but with transistor receivers in the late 50's and early 60's, as part of an early analog proportional system (Flight Link)......Mat 100 and Mat 101 transistors, that only 50% worked at 27 Mhz!!! You had to sort the good ones from the bad!!!!

Those were the days.....

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65
#12
In reply to #11

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/01/2009 11:29 AM

My earliest kits were electrical - lights and buzzers and motors, then I started to get the electronic kits.

My favorite kit was a monthly science subscription - every month they would send you something, a lens, a transistor, a motor, and over time you would make a telescope or a record player, or whatever.

Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#13

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/02/2009 1:38 PM
Register to Reply
Guru
United States - Member - New Member Engineering Fields - Power Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: California, USA, where the Godless live next door to God.
Posts: 4665
Good Answers: 804
#14

Re: Electrical Engineering Gift Ideas

12/03/2009 5:18 PM

Not electrical, but I just saw this system that a friend is getting his son. I wish I was a kid again...

rokenbok.

__________________
** All I every really wanted to be, was... A LUMBERJACK!.**
Register to Reply
Register to Reply 14 comments

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

Andy Germany (1); Anonymous Poster (2); bhankiii (3); ca1ic0cat (1); gsuhas (1); JRaef (1); Laughing Jaguar (1); Matt Skywalker (1); Randall (2); scotchdrnkr (1)

Previous in Forum: Cathodic Protection Problem   Next in Forum: Captive Power Plant (CPP) Capacity
You might be interested in: Engineering Consulting Services, Tool Kits, Splice Kits

Advertisement