Snap Circuits

Remember learning about electricity and circuits with those little light bulbs and circuit board that looked like something out of the 1960’s? The ones that used red and black wires that looked like the ones scattered around your grandpa's garage workshop, and you could never really tell if it wasn’t working or if you just didn’t have the wire twisted perfectly? There wasn’t much to them.

Well now there’s Snap Circuits. They clip together and have all sorts of functionality beyond light bulbs. My nephew recently got a Snap Circuits kit for Hanukkah, and the look of wonder on his face was awesome to see (because who wants educational toys as a present? You do if it’s fun!). From spinning motors, to little speakers, and even multicolored fiber optics, there’s a lot of electric learning that happens with a Snap Circuits set.

 

The base of snap circuits is a clear plastic grid with letter rows and numbered columns. The little electronic modules snap right onto the grid, or onto each other, to create all sorts of circuitry combinations. The pieces are even color coded based on functionality. The fact that everything plugs in and snaps into place is a benefit over the traditional battery and wire circuits. No more danger of students stabbing each other with wires or inaccuracy of the wired connection (is it touching? Is it not? Is this light bulb dead? Am I just stupid?). The snaps of the circuit pieces are all metal, so as long as you form a correct configuration, your contraption is sure to work.

What makes Snap Circuits so cool for learning is that they offer student and teacher guides that go along with their kits. The guides have easy to follow instructions and diagrams that increase in difficulty as you go through the booklet. Project Lead The Way even uses snap circuits in their Gateway program.

Another great feature of Snap Circuits is their Snap Circuits Designer that lets students design their own snap circuit diagram to share with their classmates, or even upload into the Kid Kreations page of the Snap Circuits website. There, you can also download designs from other users.

So, if you’re tired of the same old battery and light bulb, snap to it, and try out Snap Circuits in your classroom.