Soldering and electronics for kids - any hints for a clueless mother

[roisin]

DS2 (8.5) has had a soldering iron for about 18 months and loves it

He will solder anything given half the chance
and is quite adept at making the little kits (from Velleman and Madlab)

but I don't feel he is learning a lot about electronics by assembling these kits, and they are quite expensive.

Given that I know nothing about electronics, are there any kits on the market, where he has to work out himself how to put things together? Or could I just get a load of random stuff and let him 'play'?

But how does it work with the circuit boards, as the kits he has always used have pre-printed circuit boards.

Please advise and help me!

Any of these first three on left side sold by Maplin, targetted at kids, does basic circuits/principles -- you really need somebody in the house who understands and can explain (not me, DH!), and make sure you don't accidentally fry the battery. Suitable age 8+. ...

lljkk - I'm not sure which 3 you're referring to.

But I think you've hit the nail on the head: we don't have anyone who can do this hands-on with ds2, as he already knows more than we do (= not a lot!)

He does have a big 'click together' electronics set too, but he much prefers the smell of hot solder! So wants to do his own thing.

Ooh - this sounds brilliant.
I will go now and see if I can find the stuff on Maplin.

Back shortly.

OK, I have ordered Electronic Project Building for Beginners
Hope that's right?

I think I'll give him a voucher too for Christmas for £40 of 'stuff' from Maplin, once he's read some of the book and decided what he wants. (He'll probably get some other Christmas money to spend on it too.)

It sounds thrilling doesn't it? Personally, I was sorely tempted by "How to Use Oscilloscopesand Other Test Equipment", but decided to leave that for a later date

Actually GGF#1 if you are around, can I ask some more questions, please?

My uncle has an electronics firm (making CCTV cameras, or components for CCTV cameras or something).

We don't have a lot of contact, and I haven't actually seen him for ages, but my mum keeps in touch.
Presumably he has loads of 'stuff' that he gets at super-discount supplier prices. I want to ask him for some 'stuff' for ds2 to play with, but I have no idea what to suggest, and I don't want to sound like a complete ignorant idiot (which of course I am).

To help get my conversation started, could you suggest some items of 'stuff' that I could talk to him about. i.e. I'm looking for the 'stuff' that probably costs him pennies, but would cost pounds from Maplin, and that he is likely to have lying around in their thousands.

ROFL @ [outofmydepthemoticon] - I need one of those!

PS I can't actually work out what GGF stands for?

I'd get your uncle to put together a bag of common electronic components - transistors, resistors, capacitors and inductors (in a range of common values). You can always 'butcher' an electronic appliance that is being thrown away - if you learn the colour code system of labelling resistors for example.

A basic electronics book will explain how each component works, and show simple circuits to demonstrate their use.

Vero board is brill, so he could make the circuits up using his beloved soldering iron. Kids projects could include making a crystal radio, traffic lights, etc.

BTW, do you realise that solder fumes are toxic, and you should avoid inhaling?

Katsma - thanks for that. I didn't know that soldering fumes were toxic
Ds2 quite likes the smell! (Ds1 can't stand it, which is why he hasn't got involved in the electronics.)

I just searched for Vero Board on Maplin, and don't understand the results at all
I think I'll have to read the book first to try and understand what we need!

But I'll see if I can get a bag of stuff from my uncle too.

Califrau - we live in the back-of-beyond, and the nearest Maplin store to us is 2 hrs away. So I'm trying to do it by internet if possible.

Thanks for the list.

Please say a huge thank you to GGF for me

thank you califrau

I am now dying to know what on earth these things are!