One thing we’ve always loved about littleBits’ magnetic electronic building blocks is that kids can snap them together in any way they want, while learning about circuitry and electronics in an open-ended and fun way. More ambitious kids can even gather outside materials to create some pretty amazing creations, some of which get featured on their “Projects” page so that others can recreate their ideas.
But, some kids, like my son, are more apt to create something really cool if all the supplies are right in front of him, which is why we were totally intrigued to hear about the new littleBits’ Gizmos & Gadgets kit. Not only does it include instructions for how to build things like a robot that can draw, a bubble blower, or a Bumperball arcade-style game, but it also has the all supplies you’ll need to actually make those things.
Related: Tinker Crate – The perfect gift for kids who love to build, create, and invent
littleBits’ Gizmos & Gadgets Kit is so all-inclusive and well-designed that my son had built a zooming little remote control Spin Roller in about 20 minutes. With the supplies in the kit, like motors, wheels, and 15 “bits,” he can make more than a dozen separate projects following directions in the enclosed project booklet. Kids can even decorate their creations in their own style as all the paper templates and sticker sheets come in white or purple; it’s up to the builders to add their own artistic touches to their final creations.
Related: Groovy Lab in a Box – A cool subscription gift for geeky kids
If I have one quibble with the kit, it’s that I wish that the littleBits’ magnetic parts would somehow affix to the plastic parts using something other than glue dots. We burned through the supplied glue dots in no time flat and imagine most people will need to stock up on their own supply if they want to build multiple projects. Definitely keep that in mind if you’re thinking about purchasing one of these.
Also, littleBits’ Gizmos & Gadgets Kit is definitely a premium toy kit for kids who are pretty hands-on and like to create new toys and gadgets, which is obvious in the price. But for kids who prefer their toys to be open-ended and not limiting in what they can do, this would make a really amazing gift. Because even after they’ve exhausted all the ideas in the project booklet, there are still an endless amount of inventions they can create.
You’ll find littleBits’ new Gizmos & Gadgets Kit for $199 on their website with free shipping.
Why do you feature such expensive toys! The Little bits kit and Cannybots look fabulous, but who/how many of us can afford toys that cost HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, no matter how great they are! Who is your audience? Certainly not me!
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We have always featured cool things that are free, cool things that are inexpensive, and cool things that are splurges. Believe it or not, the spurges are often the things that sell out for the holidays; there are currently 648 backers on Cannybots, which has surpassed its fundraising goal by more than 4 times. So there is indeed a market for high end toys, even if not all of us can afford all of them all, the time.
There are a whole lot of parents shopping for tech in the world, with different interests and budgets. We know that, which is why we hope you’ll find something that is a better fit for you in our upcoming gift guide, which always features items in every price range. – Eds