conj Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Ok, My son participated in a summer camp this year where they all built and got to keep one of these: http://www.tamiyausa.com/images/product/440/71114/header_1.jpg Here is the manufacturer site http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=71114 They also have stores in many states which sell these. Have a child who loves erector toys? Likes to build? Can already ready schematics? Here is a great gift, likely to surprise and amuse! They also have a make your own version of rock-m-sock-m-robots! Oh, and DS was able to construct a blowfish robot that swam in water! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenseye Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 We sell those where I work! Excellent products and I'd highly recommend them to budding tinkerers and mythbusters in training! -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conj Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 OOh, do you Mike! What do you recomend as a follow up to the blow fish - DS is saving for the rock-em-sock-em set... but I'd like to get him one for hanukkah.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenseye Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 (edited) I like this because it introduces interaction with the mechanical bits. It's good to see what you built something that you can control!http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=71110It's a little pricier, but totally worth it in that it gives you some cool feedback about your work going into something that _does_ something that you can control! This guys neat because it gives the illusion of primitive intelligence. As it wanders, if the head hits something, it turns to avoid it.http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=71103 From the kits in this series, you can grow into the mechanical component stuff that they make. In these products, you can solve some interesting problems from scratch without having an advanced degree! That would be found here:http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/category.php?sub-id=38000|39000|42900|37000the nice thing about these parts is that they are cheaper and you can get a few of them and mash them together into whatever is running around in his head :) Tamiya is an awesome company that makes some great educational goodies. I highly recommend them to anyone! While they are a japanese company, and there is a lot of japanese writing on the package and in the instructions, they have a ton of drawings that explain everything to you! How old is your kiddo conj? If he's responsible, and happy with the tinkering stuff, there are some great products out there that I love getting in front of kids to show how cool this stuff can be! -Mike Edited November 1, 2009 by Ravenseye question for conj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerfan Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Mike, What would you recommend for my DS. He will be 14 in December. He loves building stuff. He went to Robot Camp one summer and made 2 robots there. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenseye Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Hmmmm....How much of a tinkerer is he outside the focus of the camp? Does he take stuff apart a lot, get those things back together? What kinds of things is he into? There are things that are video game/computer tinkering, or radio control tinkering, or just tinkering, tinkering. When I know that, I'd be able to help a little better! -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karmarose Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Great topic, I was considering something for my son this year as well. He's 9 so I don't know where to start, but I will watch this thread for ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conj Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 DS is 9. He loves to tinker... erector sets, legos, blocks. He only has a rudimentary understanding of the wiring part though, so the kits - with instructions- are still up his alley. The beetle is cool. Is he harder or easier than the race horse or giraffe? He is not responsible (mostly due to issues beyond his control) but tinker... ah he loves to tinker. The camp was 5 1/2-days (m-f) and they did 3 steps of the instructions and then did other stuff (like building battling lego robots) DS was impatient and often did more than he should. He wore out the battery in a couple days - but it was a great bonding thing - he and his great grandfather working in the garage to open it back up to change the battery :) I like this because it introduces interaction with the mechanical bits. It's good to see what you built something that you can control!http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=71110It's a little pricier, but totally worth it in that it gives you some cool feedback about your work going into something that _does_ something that you can control! This guys neat because it gives the illusion of primitive intelligence. As it wanders, if the head hits something, it turns to avoid it.http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=71103 From the kits in this series, you can grow into the mechanical component stuff that they make. In these products, you can solve some interesting problems from scratch without having an advanced degree! That would be found here:http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/category.php?sub-id=38000|39000|42900|37000the nice thing about these parts is that they are cheaper and you can get a few of them and mash them together into whatever is running around in his head :) Tamiya is an awesome company that makes some great educational goodies. I highly recommend them to anyone! While they are a japanese company, and there is a lot of japanese writing on the package and in the instructions, they have a ton of drawings that explain everything to you! How old is your kiddo conj? If he's responsible, and happy with the tinkering stuff, there are some great products out there that I love getting in front of kids to show how cool this stuff can be! -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerfan Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Hmmmm....How much of a tinkerer is he outside the focus of the camp? Does he take stuff apart a lot, get those things back together? What kinds of things is he into? There are things that are video game/computer tinkering, or radio control tinkering, or just tinkering, tinkering. When I know that, I'd be able to help a little better! -MikeI think I would say he is a video game/computer tinkering. But that is not to say he does not build stuff. When he got his bird he decided to use his Knex set and build a perch that could withstand his cockatiel weight. H was able to build it with extras like a swing, and various size perches for the bird to be occupied for hours at a time. I was actually bigger than the bird's cage. He has also built other things, as well as stuff for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenseye Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Cool! He does have some tinkerin genes then! Thats good. Basically, any of those little animal kits sound good for him. They aren't too involved and can be completed pretty quickly to keep the attention demands light. This, http://www.trossenrobotics.com/beginner-robot-kits.aspx is another place I'd recommend. That page specifically is the beginner kits they sell. These can be quite a bit more than the tamiya kits, but, they actually get the kids into programming stuff, and learning how real robotic things work! Which is very cool! Also, Lego has their Mindstorms setup which is AWESOME! I'd highly recommend that if you wanted something that is very good to learn with! With Mindstorms, there are actually national competitions that are held every year and can lead to scholarship money for him, and funding for his school too! Anyhow, Those are a few of my suggestions to get started. A few websites I'd recommend to look at and see if any of the projects they talk about would be fun to do would be: www.instructables.comwww.makezine.com Please read through these sites and filter the content. Sometimes they show ya some dangerous, or risque' (costuming things) stuff. Definitely look at it first, and print off some projects for the kiddos to work on! Also, the next time you're wandering around Barnes & Nobles, or the magazine section at your local grocery store, look for MAKE magazine, and Robots magazine. Both magazines are excellent! Any other questions, please let me know. I love to help out! -Mike, the mad scientist at the shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerfan Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Cool! He does have some tinkerin genes then! Thats good. Basically, any of those little animal kits sound good for him. They aren't too involved and can be completed pretty quickly to keep the attention demands light. This, http://www.trossenrobotics.com/beginner-robot-kits.aspx is another place I'd recommend. That page specifically is the beginner kits they sell. These can be quite a bit more than the tamiya kits, but, they actually get the kids into programming stuff, and learning how real robotic things work! Which is very cool! Also, Lego has their Mindstorms setup which is AWESOME! I'd highly recommend that if you wanted something that is very good to learn with! With Mindstorms, there are actually national competitions that are held every year and can lead to scholarship money for him, and funding for his school too! Anyhow, Those are a few of my suggestions to get started. A few websites I'd recommend to look at and see if any of the projects they talk about would be fun to do would be: www.instructables.comwww.makezine.com Please read through these sites and filter the content. Sometimes they show ya some dangerous, or risque' (costuming things) stuff. Definitely look at it first, and print off some projects for the kiddos to work on! Also, the next time you're wandering around Barnes & Nobles, or the magazine section at your local grocery store, look for MAKE magazine, and Robots magazine. Both magazines are excellent! Any other questions, please let me know. I love to help out! -Mike, the mad scientist at the shop Thank you so much!!! I was actually looking at the Lego Mindstorm. It is in my cart at Amazon. I thought he might like that. I have given all this info to DH and he says he will go out tomorrow to see if he can find the magazines. DH is on the websites looking right now. We have his birthday in December and Xmas coming up, so we have to start now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenseye Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Cool! I am glad I have helped, any more questions fire away! :) -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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