The Smart Circuits: Electronics Lab is advertised for kids eight years old and up and comes with 48 pieces, including a microprocessor, speaker, tricolor LED array, light sensor, variable resistor, tilt switch, push buttons, modular boards, jumper wires, and a battery pack (three AAA batteries are required and not included). Using these pieces and a very helpful 48-page illustrated manual, kids can assemble 50 different projects with snap-together boards, step–by–step, that will instruct them about electricity and electronics.
The first 10 projects are meant to help instruct basics before the lessons become more complex and educate students about ROM, RAM, sound frequency, RGB color, electrical currents and conductance, and more — using fun models appreciate electronic dice, a motion-sensing alarm, and a pencil that can “draw music.” Wirecutter, which tested several electronics kits with two panels of grade school children, named Smart Circuits: Electronics Lab “the best electronics kit for beginners” and said it “offers the best combination of interesting projects, thorough instructions, and real learning.”
While the kit may be perfect for kids, it might not be ideal for some parents hoping to avoid literal headaches — according to Wirecutter, its young “testers loved using the kit to build noisemakers and conduct quick experiments.” Another downside for both kids and adults is that the wires are thin and possibly not that durable. However, if you don’t mind the noise, and thin wires aren’t that big of a concern, you can purchase the Smart Circuits: Electronics Lab from Amazon and Walmart for $50.
