Electronics Box

Compiled by Phyllis Davis, Head of Youth Services

of the Matteson Public Library

Basic Electronics• Exposing kids to electronics at a young

age can help to interest them in STEM-related fields.

• Using kits that do not require soldering is a library-friendly way to help kids develop skills.

• Using “smart” kits to support learning at early stages helps kids to gain confidence and the willingness to take new risks and try new things.

12 Snap Circuits Jr. kits(for teaching classes of 24 children age 8 and up!)

Basic electronics photos courtesy of elenco.com

2 Additional Kits donated by Elenco!

75 in 1 Electronics Lab

Little Bitsare a set of 10 color-coded modules that snap together magnetically to create larger circuits

Photo courtesy of littlebits.com

E-Textiles• This field combines sewing and

electronics.

• It attracts girls to electronics, computer programming, and engineering.

• Sparkfun will be sponsoring Makerbox in July by providing us with E –Textile components for workshops and open makes.

Basic Equipment

All e-textile photos courtesy of sparkfun.com

LilyPad (Arduino) Components

Sparkfun Inventor’s Kit for

Arduino

Uses the same microcontroller as lilypad and requires no soldering

Squishy Circuits• This project uses a non-toxic

playdoh-like substance to conduct electricity.

• The “dough” is made from a recipe of common household ingredients.

• This is a cheap, fun, and colorful project that can be used safely with very young children.

Squishy Circuits Kit

Pictures courtesy of makershed.com