Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

There are two big heavy hitters in this market- LittleBits and SnapCircuits. A quick rule of thumb is that LittleBits requires a little more investment and parental imagination before getting started, but they also go farther- LittleBits makes modules that adults use to quickly test out a variety of types of circuits from sensors to synthesizers. SnapCircuits is much easier for younger kids and solo play, but doesn't extend far past its marketed age level. Either of these kits is wonderful for children and adults alike- but you should consider what you're looking for. Do you just want a toy for young children to learn the basics of electrical engineering (get SnapCircuits)? Do you want a child-appropriate introductory toolkit that has a little less LEGO-style play up-front but can fuel a healthy imagination well into adulthood (get LittleBits)? Another comparison might be that if SnapCircuits were like LEGO blocks, LittleBits is more like an Erector set- not necessarily harder, just not as suited to outright play for small children, and more appropriate for experimentation. So what's included in this kit? -You get a power plugin (9v battery included, but the power module is a barrel plug that would connect to a standard 9v "wall wort" or A/C plug). -One potentiometer (allows turning voltage up or down to control various projects) -One sound sensor -One buzzer/speaker -One servo (think windshield wiper motor) -A few assorted bits (the "makey makey" hub, or a bar graph that lights up LEDs based on how much power comes through, and some plastic support parts, like the LittleBits project boards to allow you to to mount your projects semi-permanently in place) Overall, this is a cute kit. With some imagination you could do a lot of neat things with this. As the book points out, the servo motor that's used to create a "moving poster" (think a windshield wiper with a shark picture taped on it) could also be used to attach a simple loop so your kids can try throwing ping-pong balls or paper airplanes through a moving target. That's the sort of creative thinking this kit really teaches you. You won't learn a ton of actual electronics, but you will get a ton of ideas for how to use these bits to accomplish some cool ideas. And LittleBits, like SnapCircuits, sells a ton of other modules that can re-use these parts As an adult, I can appreciate these pieces as-is. The potentiometer is a "real" potentiometer that you'd use in electrical engineering, it's just hooked up in a way to make it easier to implement. The power plug is a "real" power plug, not some proprietary toy. And the parts are universal for LittleBits. The LittleBits power hub in this is the same as I'd use if I wanted to play with their synthesizer modules to allow my smartphone to play music, is the same as their controllers for robots, and so on. This is like a gateway drug for electronic engineers- get it for your kids, then buy a couple add-ons for yourself. It's neat that these kid-appropriate parts extend to all ages. In fact I already have plans to get the add-on MIDI synthesizer module, which will allow my Korg SQ-1 Synthesizer to start making music with other LittleBits components. These same parts that are totally appropriate for children, can be unsnapped and added to an adult project in moments. That's the real power here- these bits could follow a kid for their whole life, so long as you'll help coach them a little in the process of getting started and learning to experiment.