Toy recomendations for young Scientists, Engineers, and aspiring geeks

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

I stumbled across this today- 10 gadgets to help parents raise a nerd. Look what made the list (#3).

http://gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/02/8601012-10-gadgets-to-help-parents-raise-a-nerd

-AK2DM

[Ben]

Olivia welcomed reciet of a "Kid wood" real contsruction set (see here) last week-end. It uses styrofoam instead of wood and the tools are adapted fro cutting nailing fastening using the same techniuqes required fro the readl stuff. The first day she built a raft complete with sail and headed off for a pirate adventure. Soon after she enters the library she says "Build something?".

I still have to get comfrtable with her and the hammer. She tries to help out by saying "Its OK grampa.".

Sure the box says 6 and up but as long as you keep them from swallowing the screws or busting out the front window, it was/is a big hit in Olvia's book.

Ben

[Henrik_Volkers]

My oldest daughter (nearly 11) had the LEGO Mindstorms on her list, and this year the controlling dep. gave the OK 😄

Took some time to load the cells, but 24h later she already have a robot that can sing and dance 🙂 and she developed a ' follow the black line on the floor' algorithm without any help.

Dataflow makes it quite easy to explain parallel tasks and I miss (or haven't found) the highlight function, however I can't wait until she has school and has to go to bed early ;), and I need to install the LabVIEW + tools...

LEGO and NI did a really great job!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[Ben]

Hmmmm......

Sounds like grampa has a license to "get ready for Olivia" and get her's now.

ben

[Ben]

Over dinner last night Olivia's mother reported that Olivia has shared her life's dream which is "to become a scientist"! after she does the cheerleading thing.

SO the strategy of entertaining her in the garage with tools and science stuff may be working!

But her image of the garage is more like this.

Ben

[Ben]

NI Pocket screwdriver!

Olivai has learned to weild a pocket screw driver quite nicely. My X gave Oliva a bell for her tricycle and while installing Oliva took over and ran the screws in herself. Her father was impressed with her being able to "one-hand" the screw-driver and told her as much. She replied "My Grampa taught me!"

So The Princess dragged me along to a trip to Sam's Club this week-end and I spotted a toy toolbench for Olivia. I looked twice and then decided... to include a trip to Horbor Freight.

So we purched a collection of tools small enough to fit her hands but give her a tool bag to start her out.

She found it yesterday durring her Sunday visit and it did a great job of keeping here entertained. She latched onto the "Telescpoing magnet" which she used as a pointer and started lecturing on where to find the animals. When she started feeling the weight of all of the excitement and wanted to lay down for a nap, she wanted her Tool bag next to her head.

And for whne she masters the coloring thing (fine motor skills) I have a set of utility knives waiting for her.

Take care,

Ben

[Ben]

Old-school scope also a big hit with Olivia.

Ben

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

Ben:

Cool!

Is that an old HP, circa ???

Time to fire up the Lissajous patterns!

-AK2DM

[Henrik_Volkers]

Ben,

just hook up a mic or an old speaker to the input (xxmV/div @ 1ms/div) . Better than karaoke 😄

Spoiler

And don't tell her, now you can measure how loud she can be 😆

PS: She is not the first, see (at least) last page of one of Jim Williams (RIP) Appnotes

[Ben]

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@Henrik_Volkers wrote:

Ben,

@just hook up a mic or an old speaker to the input (xxmV/div @ 1ms/div) . Better than karaoke 😄

Spoiler

And don't tell her, now you can measure how loud she can be 😆

PS: She is not the first, see (at least) last page of one of Jim Williams (RIP) Appnotes

---

Olivia will love it!

I can see her dragging her mom and dad out to the garage now.

Thank you Henrik!

Ben