Science-related gift for a 7 y/o

[transylvania_mom]

For my 7 y/o birthday, I would like to buy a science-related gift, but not the toy -type ones. He likes to collect rocks, he likes learning about electricity, taking pictures, building stuff... He has tons of legos, so I'm not considering that.

My dh suggested a microscope (a real one). Would you know where I can buy one and for how much?

Any other ideas, suggestions are welcome.

TIA

[MonarchMom]

How about a compass? Or a book on rocks and some crystals for his collection?

[moominmamma]

If you're considering a microscope, www.greatscopes.com has good products, but more importantly, great buyers' information to help guide your purchase and decide upon price-range and types.

Snap Circuits have been a hit here. A toy, but also just a great learning tool for electronics. Perfect for a 7-year-old.

Miranda

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by moominmamma 

Snap Circuits have been a hit here. A toy, but also just a great learning tool for electronics. Perfect for a 7-year-old.

ITA. My ds loves his snap circuit set. I think he got it when he was 8... Now he wants the "Green" version to add on to it because he's interested in alternative energy.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Originally Posted by 4evermom 

ITA. My ds loves his snap circuit set. I think he got it when he was 8... Now he wants the "Green" version to add on to it because he's interested in alternative energy.

we have snap circuits and they are pretty awesome

[Cassidy68]

Snap Circuits are great for a kid interested in electricity-- easy to use for small hands and developing fine motor skills, and you can build very cool circuits (working radio, conductivity tester, lie detector etc). You can start with a basic kit (about $40 I think) and it is easy to add on to it with expansion sets if he loves it. My son loved it- I think he was five when he got the first kit-- and has accumulated more bits and pieces over the past couple of years. He knows way more than I do about resistors, switches etc and has had tons of fun.

Thames and Kosmos science kits have also been popular in our house, as have the cheaper Science Wiz kits.

If you do buy a microscope, there is a nice book by kids' science writer Shar Levine which has some good ideas of things to do with it-- how to make your own slides etc etc.

Edited by Cassidy68 - 4/24/12 at 9:46pm

[transylvania_mom]

thanks for the great ideas! Where did you buy your snap circuits?

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by transylvania_mom 

thanks for the great ideas! Where did you buy your snap circuits?

I ordered them online someplace, probably through Amazon. I usually go to Google Shopping so I can see a list of online stores and prices. Then, I just make sure the shipping charge doesn't make the cheaper one more expensive than another place. Our Hobby Shop has them, too, but they are more expensive than where ever I bought them.

[tankgirl73]

i'm late to the party, I was going to come in and recommend Snap Circuits but I see I'm just adding to the crowd here.  :)

My 13yo son got a set of Snap Circuits with his NOEO Physics III course, it's a more basic set.  He loves it so much he wants us to buy one of the fancier sets.

[Mere]

Definitely Snap Circuits; we've had them for a year and a half, and they come out weekly.  The other gift that has been played with continuously by every child who comes into our house for the past two years is a set of Keva Planks.  They are not science-related in the same way that Snap Circuits are, but if your child is at all interested in architecture or physics then they are a sure winner.  They are expensive, but completely worth it IMO.  You can never have enough of them either, so there are opportunities for birthday and Christmas gifts in the future. 

We've also been into learning all about bridges lately with the K'Nex bridge building kit; the kids have had a great time with it, and I have to say that I look at bridges in a completely different way now.  I can't speak to the long-lasting appeal, but we've had the set since Christmas and bridge experiments (generally involving large amounts of Keva Planks stacked on different bridge designs) are going on all the time.

[serenbat]

Snap Circuits

you can buy them directly from the company and you can also get extras (we use the connecting wires and wanted more than what came in the set) also the solar connector is fun- look at the web site at least so you can see what all they offer no matter what way you do

we love them

[transylvania_mom]

thank you for all the suggestions. I will keep them in mind for future birthdays / Christmases. For now, I ordered SnapCircuits Green. Ds is very interested in alternative energy, wind mills in particular. I'm sure he'll love that.

Thanks again :)

[heatherdeg]

Originally Posted by moominmamma 

Snap Circuits have been a hit here. A toy, but also just a great learning tool for electronics. Perfect for a 7-year-old.

Miranda

Snap Circuits has been months of fun here.  We got the 750 set on Amazon if I'm remembering right.  :)  I happen to have an astronomy nut, so honestly--I'm stunned this gets as much use as it does.

[Pookietooth]

My ds didn't like snap circuits because unless you do it exactly right you may get a short circuit or just nothing happening. We went through two of them before realizing this. He likes chemistry sets better, and also those excavation type things (but they are one-use which seems kind of wasteful).

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by Pookietooth 

My ds didn't like snap circuits because unless you do it exactly right you may get a short circuit or just nothing happening. We went through two of them before realizing this. He likes chemistry sets better, and also those excavation type things (but they are one-use which seems kind of wasteful).

That's true that it's possible to short circuit and damage components though we haven't experienced that. I did wait until ds was the recommended age of 8 because I've found most age guidelines work really well for him (except choking hazard ones since he didn't put things in his mouth as a toddler). There is a whole page of do's and don'ts of circuitry in the snap circuit booklet and kids might need to be supervised until they understand. But you don't have to build things exactly following the directions which is part of why my ds likes it. He likes to experiment. It does have to follow basic electrical principals. If you don't do it right enough, it doesn't work just like anything electrical. But I understand it won't be to all kids' tastes. Should be nice for the OP's son since he is interested in electricity.