I bet you didn't know that play dough conducts electricity, or that it could be the ideal way to kick-start children's interest in electronics and circuits, from as early as age 4. STEM toys and activities have largely centred on technology-led learning and, if kids have no interest in computing, coding or building a robot there aren't many alternatives. Tech Will Save Us seek to plug this gap with their award-winning DIY kits and toys.
Created in partnership with Disney, the Marvel Avengers Electro Hero Kit is the ideal way to introduce superhero-mad kids to electricity and circuits. A series of secret online missions, starting with making your own play dough, introduce young scientists to electrical conduction and circuit building. Get the circuits completed and they will make LEDs light up and create official Hulk sound effects.
By bringing the worlds of science and superheroes together, young children are encouraged to learn basic electronics in a fun, interesting way. The interactive online missions ask kids to help the Avengers to build circuits so they can complete their tasks. And how can any child resist Captain America or the Hulk asking for their help?
Can they help boost Iron Man's power source after an epic battle? Help Hulk to break through a giant wall to save his friends? Or help Captain America test out new tech for his invincible Super Shield?
A bucket of conductive play dough becomes their own mini arc reactor as they become mechanics for superheroes. Not only do they learn about electricity and essential STEM skills, this kit can become a powerful role play tool as children tell stories about the superheroes. Lara got her figures out and had them act out stories which went along with the actions of her circuits.
Lara's favourite activity is the Hulk mission as it involves building a wall of play dough bricks and a Hulk fist which smashes the wall down. When the fist hits the bricks it completes the circuit creating Hulk sound effects, including "Hulk smash!", which she thinks is hilarious.
We loved how the missions are incorporated into stories, which made it more interesting to follow instructions, rather than just experimenting and making your own thing from the get go. That can come after as this kit is reusable again and again. Making the play dough cost pennies, so there will be no limit to how many times we can play with this.
The box contains everything you need, apart from the play dough, which you can either buy or make - go ahead and make it we say, all part of the fun! Just grab your phone or tablet (the online manual is compatible with all devices), and off you go. Mould the dough, connect the wires and battery, and make the 'magic' happen.
With the Tech Will Save Us Avengers Electro Hero Kit, some of the new superpowers children will learn are:
This unique kit which combines crafts and circuit building is designed for parent and child to do together. Once they get the hang of it older kids will be able to play with it on their own, or come up with new ideas with the parent. Can they create a parallel circuit or add a switch?
After completing the first online missions, kids can go on to create their own superhero missions and stories, meaning the possibilities are endless.
The box contains:
You will need 4 AA batteries and the ingredients for the play dough: flour, salt, water, vegetable oil, lemon juice and food colouring(s). Needless to say, our superheroes ended up with pink play dough!
Lara loved this kit and happily made the play dough, kneaded it, then worked on the missions. She quickly understood how to complete the circuit and was able to problem solve to find out why it wouldn't work sometimes. Finding out that play dough could conduct electricity was a revelation and she went off on a tangent to find out why it did before she got stuck in to the missions, which led to further learning about conduction and conductive materials. Combining her interest in science and how things work with superheroes made this the perfect kit for Lara, we highly recommend!
Tech Will Save Us want to empower a new generation to be creative and play with technology in order to help shape the world. With STEM learning still lagging behind, amongst a generation who will undoubtedly rely on technology even more than we do now, encouraging this learning and these skills is essential. Learning basic electronics alongside their superhero friends is a great start.
The Technology Will Save Us Avengers Electro Hero Kit retails at £29.99. Go ahead and save the world!
Created in partnership with Disney, the Marvel Avengers Electro Hero Kit is the ideal way to introduce superhero-mad kids to electricity and circuits. A series of secret online missions, starting with making your own play dough, introduce young scientists to electrical conduction and circuit building. Get the circuits completed and they will make LEDs light up and create official Hulk sound effects.
By bringing the worlds of science and superheroes together, young children are encouraged to learn basic electronics in a fun, interesting way. The interactive online missions ask kids to help the Avengers to build circuits so they can complete their tasks. And how can any child resist Captain America or the Hulk asking for their help?
Can they help boost Iron Man's power source after an epic battle? Help Hulk to break through a giant wall to save his friends? Or help Captain America test out new tech for his invincible Super Shield?
A bucket of conductive play dough becomes their own mini arc reactor as they become mechanics for superheroes. Not only do they learn about electricity and essential STEM skills, this kit can become a powerful role play tool as children tell stories about the superheroes. Lara got her figures out and had them act out stories which went along with the actions of her circuits.
Lara's favourite activity is the Hulk mission as it involves building a wall of play dough bricks and a Hulk fist which smashes the wall down. When the fist hits the bricks it completes the circuit creating Hulk sound effects, including "Hulk smash!", which she thinks is hilarious.
We loved how the missions are incorporated into stories, which made it more interesting to follow instructions, rather than just experimenting and making your own thing from the get go. That can come after as this kit is reusable again and again. Making the play dough cost pennies, so there will be no limit to how many times we can play with this.
The box contains everything you need, apart from the play dough, which you can either buy or make - go ahead and make it we say, all part of the fun! Just grab your phone or tablet (the online manual is compatible with all devices), and off you go. Mould the dough, connect the wires and battery, and make the 'magic' happen.
With the Tech Will Save Us Avengers Electro Hero Kit, some of the new superpowers children will learn are:
- how to build series and parallel circuits
- about electrical polarity
- how to make sound and light with electricity
- how electricity is conducted
- about conductive materials
This unique kit which combines crafts and circuit building is designed for parent and child to do together. Once they get the hang of it older kids will be able to play with it on their own, or come up with new ideas with the parent. Can they create a parallel circuit or add a switch?
After completing the first online missions, kids can go on to create their own superhero missions and stories, meaning the possibilities are endless.
The box contains:
- 5 LED lights
- 6 dough cutters
- 2 mats
- Battery pack
- 2 connector wires
You will need 4 AA batteries and the ingredients for the play dough: flour, salt, water, vegetable oil, lemon juice and food colouring(s). Needless to say, our superheroes ended up with pink play dough!
Lara loved this kit and happily made the play dough, kneaded it, then worked on the missions. She quickly understood how to complete the circuit and was able to problem solve to find out why it wouldn't work sometimes. Finding out that play dough could conduct electricity was a revelation and she went off on a tangent to find out why it did before she got stuck in to the missions, which led to further learning about conduction and conductive materials. Combining her interest in science and how things work with superheroes made this the perfect kit for Lara, we highly recommend!
Tech Will Save Us want to empower a new generation to be creative and play with technology in order to help shape the world. With STEM learning still lagging behind, amongst a generation who will undoubtedly rely on technology even more than we do now, encouraging this learning and these skills is essential. Learning basic electronics alongside their superhero friends is a great start.
The Technology Will Save Us Avengers Electro Hero Kit retails at £29.99. Go ahead and save the world!
Commissioned post