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Kids are curious learners by nature. It is very natural for them to want to figure out how everything works. Nurturing a child’s curiosity is an essential way you can help your child to become a persistent learner so as they grow, they will be eager to explore and discover more. Today’s technology and electronics are widely spread and you might think they are too complicated for them to understand, but it’s not if you pay close attention to these 4 tips on how to introduce electronic concepts to your kids.
Solderless Board And Basic Components
A solderless board, also known as a breadboard, is used to build and test circuits quickly before finalizing any circuit design. Circuit components like ICs and resistors can be inserted into the board’s holes. This will allow kids to connect the components together temporarily. Young ones can do experiments and try things out on their own without being anxious about damaging parts. Once they are satisfied with their target circuit they can just take out the wires and components to build another desired circuit. They can practice connecting components and even build bigger things with the use of a solderless board. Of course, it will not be easy at first so your help is needed for their first few circuits. Once they learn the ropes, they can finally build circuits on their own.
Study Basic Circuit Diagrams
A circuit diagram is a graphical representation of an electrical circuit. This will show you the components and will guide you on how to connect them. This is the first step in building circuits. Why not teach your kids about basic diagram symbols so they can easily learn about common components like batteries, power resistors, capacitors, transistors and LEDs. There are so many simple LED circuits online that you can choose from. They may not fully understand the concept behind electronics (for now) but at least they can experience building circuits by looking at the diagram. This will serve as their basic reference as time goes by.
Demonstrate Basic Electronics Concepts
Their curiosity will definitely grow once they enjoy playing with electronics. Questions like “Why” and “How” will surely be a part of your regular conversations. When that happens that is the cue to let them learn about the basic concepts of electronics. Here are some of the basic concepts that you can teach them: closed loops, voltage, current, resistance, resistors and Ohm’s Law. You can look for resources online and in beginners’ electronics books for more detailed information. Just be careful with the amount of information you are giving a child as you don’t want them to experience the classic burn out! It is better for them to SEE how things work rather than just HEAR the explanation.
Buy Soldering Kit And Soldering Iron
As they learn, they may be inspired to build a permanent circuit. Here comes the role of a soldering kit. A soldering kit includes a printed circuit board, the components needed for building the sample circuit, and instructions. Just make sure that you supervise them always since soldering iron can get extremely hot. Help your child learn and grow by helping them explore and experiment on things. Little by little they will understand the theory behind electronics and their concepts and when that time comes, they will independently build and learn things on their own.
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