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.]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 16 2015, @04:53AM
The older boys had a can of gasoline; they splashed a little in the driveway and lit it to create an instant fun zone.
I myself liked to play with optics. A telescope borrowed from school was a fascinating way to survey the neighborhood. A magnifying glass became a way to beam death down upon hapless insects, vegetation, and flammable artefacts, just like the grown-ups. A cardboard box with a hole poked through one side became a pinhole cinema.
Discovering electricity was grand. With a pair of scissors, an electric clock became a pyrotechnic show. The focus voltage supply of a TV set also provided an interesting experience. Except for some accidents, I left the tube-popping to the older children.
Another fun time was when I found a pool of mercury. I discovered that by electroplating it onto pennies, I could turn them into "silver" coins, temporarily.
Suggested age range: 20 and up.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday December 16 2015, @12:49PM
Weren't the 70's great?
Washington DC delenda est.