Getting a Kid Started With Circuits

[sumpm1]

Hey guys. I am new to electronics. I wan to get my son into circuit building. I am doing a small Arduino project that requires some circuit knowledge, with the end result being something I can use for my music.

But along the way I want teach my kid how to build circuits from a schematic. Of course resources on this topic are easy to find. But they are usually for a little bit larger circuits, and the circuit is usually specific to music, motors and robotics... So my son would not see the use of the end result unless he was already more in depth with one of those topics. He's 14 and hasn't been into any of those things, just video games mostly...

So what is a good resource for finding cheap and easy circuits perhaps just using led's, switches and buttons, and audio jacks?

Can anyone recommend books that teach through projects?

I already have "Make: Electronics 2009."

Thanks

 

[KJ6EAD]

There's Forrest Mims' stuff but maybe you'd prefer to just build some kits.

http://www.forrestmims.com/

**broken link removed**

 

[cowboybob]

Although dated, to me, one of the easiest and most immediately rewarding circuits was a crystal (or diode) radio.

No batteries required, no soldering, impossible to blow up, wiring errors easily fixed, AUDIO OUT, easy to learn how it works, exposure to a LOT of electronic theory, etc..

Except for having to deploy an ample antenna (just a long wire, and more learning experience) it's the "ticket".

Google "Crystal Radio Kits". I know that "HobbyTown USA" has them for $16.00USD (not RS anymore, though).

Good luck getting him off the video game.

73's,

CBB

K4NFF

 

[Dr_Doggy]

i think a circuit simulator would be best for him to learn circuit theories and how the electrons flow,

similar to the crystal radio kits;
when i was a kid, radio shack had these "50-in-one" kits, which showed the various schematics, then simple instructions of each node wiring, which is good to learn how to wire from schematics,

 

[4pyros]

Yes, Try and find one of the electronic labs with the springs to hook up the wires.
https://www.allspectrum.com/store/50-in-one-electronic-lab-p-505.html?gclid=CI66wKec9LECFUJo4Aod3TUAVA
They come with good books for kids to learn from.

 

[gabeNC]

I bought the Radio Shack learing lab/kit for a Christmas present to my boys last year. I think it was about $60 and has two Forrest Mims books and bunch of components. Overall it's been a good kit with a very wide variety of circuits/projects.

 

[drkidd22]

I think the best thing to do would be to first start with the basics. Show him how an LED with resistor and battery work. and all of the properties related to each component and how important they are. Current/Power/Voltage etc and limits of each component. Then show him the same circuit, but this time with the arduino so he's learning two things at the same time. It will be worth in the long run. Then move on to transistors, relays, servos and do the same thing. The internet is full of information, I don't think you will need a book for basic things like these. Use LTSprice to show him the theory/draw the circuit, then have him build it by himself on a breadboard.

Anyways this is the way I which I would've learned things. Hope this helps

 

[sumpm1]

Thanks for all the replies guys, they are well taken. I have ordered 2 Forrest Mims books, an Arduino, and a bunch of components.

And as far as kits go, I would rather look at the schematic and parts list and order them from Tayda or Mouser then pay big money for a "put it together" kit.

I like that the Arduino is so programmable and the source code is so damn easy to read and mess with. So if I can get him to follow some tutorials for programming 7 segment led's that will keep him busy I'm sure. And then we can do servos. It's just to get him off the damn video games!

I was hoping some project sites would get recommended. I know about:

makemagazine.com
instructables.com
circuit-projects.com
https://arduino.cc/playground
hackaday.com

 

[atferrari]

Simple and (hopefully) intuitive

A 9 V battery feeding three 10K resistors in series, physically in vertical position (to match the drawing of the circuit). A multimeter to measure voltages to get a feeling of what voltage is and by the way, a voltage divider. Later, do it with nine 10K resistors.

It works.

Add the LED later.