A collection of 22 funny geek-tricks / Medgadgets / Geektimes blog

We are pretty close to watching children’s electronics, and today we got a set of “Workshop electricity.” This is something like a mix from the well-known funny “Znatoka” and “Mikronika” on the one hand, but with its own peculiarities.

Indeed, we spend a lot of time in search of interesting educational children’s gadgets. On the pages of this blog, we have already talked about the Verve board, the “Micronik” and “Connoisseur” contenders. funny

Then, in the Children’s World, we caught a curious pen “Kakadu”, and the other day funny we found a set of “Electricity Workshop”.

Today we will tell you what it looks like to others and what stands out from the general mass. In fairness, I must say that this is a very successful synthesis of several children’s boards and training kits: funny the ideas were borrowed not only from the above-mentioned examples of designers, but also quite popular “boxes”, such as “Natural Electricity”, “Potato Clock”, etc. .

The latest Chinese “collections” and added a funny, in our opinion, advantage. If both the “Expert” and the “Micronik” are, as it were, “categorical”: one has to do this, sit and do it, otherwise it will not light up or be wilted, essentially leaving the child with such a homework and the question “why?” All a little differently. funny

A number of experiments involve “hooking” the effect of “Wow”, or, in other words, spur curiosity, and only then explain some processes and phenomena that you need (or useful) to know . To do this, conductors are encouraged to use salt water, a pencil or a coin: in order to expand the perception of the surrounding world and to surprise with simple things that seem to be always at hand.

This is a classical pedagogical device when you surprise a student before any topic. For example, you ask whether the noun “ball”, “racket” is animated, – “no”. And the “doll”? – “Yes”. And … “Wow,” how is it, it’s a toy? And you calmly start the topic “The category of nouns’ animation.” It works!

So we are invited to study simple, sometimes, perhaps, not the most interesting fundamentals of electricity. For this, the package includes:

• Assembly panel (board analog)
• Rechargeable battery compartment
• Call
• Motorcycle
• 20 springs (springs)
• 20 lids from the springs
• Signal lamp
• 2 light bulbs
• 1 cardboard disc
• 2 electrodes
• 2 resistors
• Electrical wires

There are two instructions in the set: one textual, which explains how to assemble some element, what will happen, what will not happen. The second is a set of illustrations for each diagram.

Everything is designed clearly and clearly, and the direct description of specific schemes (in this set it is called “Chains”) a little story about what electricity is. Before proceeding with the reconstruction of the experiments, it is necessary to assemble the panel, or the board.

Along the perimeter of the plastic square springs (springs) should be installed, each of which is covered with a lid: it will protrude As a kind of handle.

While this is a fairly simple device, this solution seemed justified and convenient.

Unlike the same designer “Mikronik”, where the connectors on the board were located so close to each other, and the holes themselves were very small, which, at times, a pair of wires It was problematic to stick, and some of them, with an awkward movement, could “fly out”, everything is different here.

You simply pull the handle, the spring expands, and then “bites” the wire. Simple and reliable.

Some elements for the board are suggested to be fixed immediately: they are bulbs and a motor. Under the first – there is a cutout in the center of the square.

The motor is mounted with special plastic holders. He will stay close.

Also at the very beginning you need to assemble a power source. This requires a screwdriver and 4 “finger” batteries ( in the kit – do not go ). After the “site for experiments” is collected, you can start the first experiments.

In total, according to the instructions, it is proposed to collect 22 chains from simple to complex:

Several recent experiments are so-called games in the terminology of the compilers of the set. And several experiments suggest the presence of simple things that are not included in the kit: a coin, a pencil, water, salt and some others.

Experiments are supplied with descriptions, comments and some sort of control questions that help the child to formulate in simple words why this or that effect has occurred. Or did not happen. Such a change of surprise, the game component and the learning process should enthrall the proposed topic.

Where there is at least some minimal danger, this is clearly indicated in the textual instruction, so it is better to use both at once! For example, warnings that “Warning, the resistor will heat up” in the illustrated version is not included !

Methodically, experiments are planned according to the principle of complicating structures. Let us give an example. To begin with, it is suggested simply to light a light bulb by connecting the wires.

Further, in an open / closed circuit experiment, it is demonstrated that under certain conditions the lamp does not burn when the circuit is not closed.

The next step will be to connect the wires manually.

And, finally, to think whether other objects, less obvious, but such familiar ones, will be able to become a “contactor”: a trick with a coin.

In this case, the child becomes not only an observer of processes that may not yet be clear to him, but also a participant, a creator, a person who influences what is happening, gradually getting carried away .

Hey, son, do you draw with a pencil in which there is a current?

To perform such experiments is proposed with light, sound and rotation, For which the motor is proposed, simulating a fan using a cardboard disk.

And do you know how my mother salt our soup?

Yes, yes. The simplest water and the most common salt can cause the motor to move, and the lamp to burn. And, if for many adults, this is obvious, then for many children it will sound like a miracle. And will cause bewilderment, delight and desire to understand, as soon as they see it. That’s why we came up with such a headline about “tricks”, because one of the goals of such a set is to surprise and arouse the desire to understand, especially since it’s all simply explained.

A couple of words about bundling

Despite the fact that the contents of the kit does not look too rich, and it is seen in the illustrations, it is packed as a gift, and the box itself is quite capable of causing interest. Yes, certainly, craftsmen can collect something similar and independently, but not everyone. It will be easier for someone to take a “gift on a turn-key basis” with simple explanations on paper. Instructions and comments in such toys play an important role.

Usage

This form seems more intuitive and gives greater freedom of movement for the child, which means that he can do most of the work with such a board himself. Despite the fact that the recommended age of “7+”, some simple things can be shown to younger children.

The cost of

The designer is comparable in value to the models to which he is clearly oriented – 989 rubles.