Toy electronics/electrical kit for 8 yr old? Any recommendations or experience?

[miljee]

I'm putting this in education because these are definitely educational toys!- and 'products' are full of baby stuff.

I'm looking at Cambridge Brainbox and John Adam's Hot Wires. Does anyone have any experience of these or other suitable stuff? Thanks

Last time I was in John Lewis they had a lot of that sort of stuff. Don't recognise what you've mentioned above, but they had a lot of Science museum stuff inc. build your own electric toy car (about £15 or so). Try JL online.

The gaurdian family section had an article on this sort of stuff at the weekend. The Cambridge one was definately one they recomend.

Hot Wires was a success with DS2 at that age. I don't know the other one.

DD got the Hot Wires for her 8th birthday last year and its good - she can build things herself from the diagrams. The 'lie detector' caused some hilarity!

That was after trying LogiBlocs (I think that was the name) - we sent it back because quite a lot of the components didn't work and it was a bit gimmicky anyway, not really proper circuits. Thumbs down on that one.

Is the Cambridge one new?

we are getting ds1 some of this for xmas, we have found the cambridge one at a good price in a catalogue, or rather mil has

i have heard good things about the cambridge stuff and we have a physics kit that they do and have been very pleased with it, hth xxx

We have a couple of sets of the snap circuits linked by SueW (they used to be called 'plug and play electronics), and they are great.

Be warned though this can progress to bigger things.

DS2 (8.5) has had a soldering iron for about 18 months now, and likes nothing better than creating electrical circuits and assembling little kits. For Christmas he is getting some electronics guidebooks, and a whole stack of 'stuff', as he wants to start building more and more complicated circuits by himself.

The Electro Mag looks fun.
www.johnadams.co.uk/electromag.php

Actually I looked at this thread to see if it were mentioned or any opinions on it. My 6 year old really wants it but wondering how suitable it is.

ELC now have an older kids section with some bits in it. Just in case your online shopping for younger kids at the same time.
www.elc.co.uk/firedupkids/

what about mindware catalogue/online

The ELC pop and snap vehicle project lab IS the Cambridge Brainbox Cars and Boats set. But costs 28 quid from ELC and 25 from Brainbox. Mmm.