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So it's that time of year again, and I'm pondering gifts for the kids that will teach them Science, Tech, Engineering, Math (STEM) fundamentals without their knowing it. The google searches so far have produced addition flash cards with cartoon characters on them and the like, which is instant tedium. I saw this replica of the Digi Comp at Maker Faire a couple years ago and thought it would fill the bill, but $350 is a big risk to take on something they might only play with for 5 minutes. Have any Soylentils given STEM gifts that really have worked, capturing kids' imaginations and teaching them useful STEM concepts?
[Please indicate a suggested age-range for any gift you suggest. -Ed.]
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Ask Soylent -- STEM-based Gifts for Kids
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The last time I saw him he was walking down Lover's Lane holding his own hand.
-- Fred Allen
(Score: 5, Insightful) by BK on Wednesday December 16 2015, @02:17AM
Just Legos....
...but you HAVE heard of me.
(Score: 3, Informative) by looorg on Wednesday December 16 2015, @03:00AM
... and if LEGO is a bit to childish for the intended audience there is Meccano.
http://www.meccano.com/ [meccano.com]
(Score: 5, Funny) by davester666 on Wednesday December 16 2015, @06:21AM
buckyballs! if they figure out how to stay alive while playing with them, clearly they are genius.
(Score: 2) by Anne Nonymous on Wednesday December 16 2015, @07:30PM
Is Meccano compatible with old-style Erector sets from the 50s?
(Score: 3, Informative) by looorg on Thursday December 17 2015, @02:11AM
Is Meccano compatible with old-style Erector sets from the 50s?
I can't make any promise or anything. Since I had never heard about this Erector set before I had to look at some images online and from what I can see they look to be very similar at least, if not identical. They look to contain more or less the same pieces (shapes, sizes, types, cogs, screws), the pieces seems to contain the same amount of holes etc. While doing my image search I read a bit and it seems they would be. I would be surprised if they where not compatible. The set (Meccano) I had from the 70's was compatible with newer once at least, we tried that.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by GeriatricGentleman on Wednesday December 16 2015, @03:31AM
Yeah...and I think lego tries too hard these days too. Those stupid theme packs annoy me - my kids (8 and 10 year old girls) got a couple of them from work Xmas parties and they follow the booklet, make the picture, then ignore them (so all done in an hour to languish on the floor until they want some pocket money and need a clean room to collect! it). On rare occasions they get their blocks out and build something lame, but that is about it.
I have bought my kids solar powered packs that let you build dozens of cool things (bah, barely used) and we have an RPi2 game console, which gets lukewarm interest and a bunch of other things I think are super neat - and they sit on a shelf.
The closest to STEM stuff (outside of mythbusters and science videos online) that gets interest when by themselves is magic kits, rubics cubes - hmm, and I suppose they do like to make and play with non-Newtonian fluids sometimes.
Anyway, although the oldest can recite the periodic table (self taught) and won a state maths comp last term, left to their own devices, after youtube etc, they just want to shoot each other with nerf guns, ride their bikes to the park or just cause some carnage by demolishing something in the house. Hmm, although I just recalled Minecraft does hold some sway on their little minds (I justify it to my beloved as helpful to their development - does the building of reasonably complex artificial constructs count as STEM? I say yeah, why not).
However, the real truth is, if I am spending time with them they are passionate about anything. They don't care if I give a lecture on quantum mechanics (even with my profound ignorance on the subject, they crawl on my lap and listen) or if I host an impromptu spelling bee or a maths comp for the two of them in the lounge. Having an adult spending time with them and taking them seriously is hugely rewarding for them. ...NOTE: this also works in my favour when I want help with cooking dinner or building the cabinet for our MAME console etc, so I do encourage this approach to all parents.
Long story short, for my kids (YMMV) - I should stop buying stuff, but still spend something precious - my time.
As an aside, my mum was a school teacher (mostly for 5 year olds) and I used to help out a bit in her class as a youth (15-17). In my experience it is true to say that kids almost universally want an adult figure to listen to them and to take them seriously. Spending time with kids is not sitting with them in front of the TV. It is not chatting to other parents while they play with friends at the park. It is engaging with them. Talking, interacting, demonstrating acceptable behaviour blah blah. It sucks really, cos I don't get to be the selfish adult I spent my life building up for. Damn those pesky kids.
Bloody hell, this has turned into a rant. Sorry.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Wednesday December 16 2015, @02:30PM
On rare occasions they get their blocks out and build something lame, but that is about it.
Something lame? It sounds to me as if on those rare occasions they are using the blocks the way you want them to -- exploring what they can do. That's what the blocks are there for.
(Score: 1) by Osamabobama on Wednesday December 16 2015, @10:03PM
Mmmmm, peanut butter...good stuff.
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(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 16 2015, @07:28AM
LEGO. It's LEGO. Why do people keep saying it WRONG!!??
To be even more pedantic, it's 'LEGO' for the brand, and 'LEGO bricks' for the actual, um, bricks.
** goes back to building today's toy from his LEGO Advent Calendar **
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 16 2015, @03:14PM
(Score: 1) by Osamabobama on Wednesday December 16 2015, @10:33PM
The term "LEGO bricks" lends itself to the popular contraction "LEGO's." Please note that the apostrophe is for omitted letters, not because it is plural.
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