littleBits: the perfect toy for curious, creative kids

 

 

Are your kids into LEGOs?

Are they into blocks?

Do your kids totally love Minecraft?

Do they love building and creating?

If so, they’re probably a lot like my kids. Sure, Maddy, Owen, and Cora love being outside, hanging with friends, and sitting in front of the ole telly, but the also love using their hands and brains to make things.

They’re makers, if you will.

And if you have makers on your hands, then I’m betting they’ll also love littleBits.

littleBits is something I’ve mentioned before in last year’s holiday gift guide, but this year, my kids have really had a chance to play with them. To use them. To create with them.

I’m thrilled to say that I’ve recently partnered with littleBits to get teachmama.com readers a rockstar $20 off a $100 purchase just in time for the holidays. (But you only have 30 days to use the coupon, so get to it!)

Not. Even. Kidding.

Here’s the skinny. . .

littleBits–the Perfect Toy for Curious, Creative Kids: 

Essentially, littleBits allow kids to make things that do things.

littleBits is a bunch of little electronics that snap together with magnets.

Each ‘littleBits‘ is color coded into four categories:

• power (blue) — needed in every circuit and the start of all creations;
• input (pink) — these accept input from the user and the environment and send signals to the other pieces that follow;
• output (green) — these Bits DO something, like light, buzz, move. . . ;
• wires (orange) — these Bits expand reach and change direction.

When you put these pieces (modules) together, crazy stuff can happen.

Magic happens. (Well, not really, but it kind of seems like it does. . . ).

Check it out:

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You put the littleBits together simply by snapping them together; they’re connected with magnets, so when they connect, they work.

But then the real awesome happens when kids add other things to the littleBits. They can combine littleBits with cardboard, feathers, LEGOS, other toys–you name it–to really bring things to life.

It’s nuts.

Often, I’ll find my kids playing with littleBits by themselves, just exploring what the sets can do, playing with the input, output, power, and wires. And though it sounds like I’d be worried, I’m totally not. I know that what they are doing is 100% safe and 100% awesome.

The littleBits set we’ve recently explored was the Premium Kit, Version 1.

I strongly recommend the littleBits because it includes just about everything kids need to create something really incredible.

The littleBits Premium Kit comes with:

• power
• slide dimmer
• pulse
• pressure sensor
• sound trigger
• roller switch
• branch
• wire
• vibration motor
• long LED
• servo motor
• fan
• servo accessories (arms to use in projects)
• vibesnap (helps you attach things)
• screwdriver
• battery and cable

You can make about a million different things with this particular set.  Instructions show you how you can create in just seconds:

• intruder alert
• back massager
• eyeballs
• cooling campfire (not a real one, silly!)
• auto greeter (hand that waves hell0!)
• and more. . .

Sometimes, Maddy, Owen, and Cora will just tinker around with the littleBits and not really make a huge life-saving device or earth-shattering creation. And really? That’s okay.

Because when they’re playing with the littleBits set, I know that they are learning more about engineering and how things work than I could ever dream of teaching them.

Yes, Owen has created a toe buffer on more than one occasion.

Yes, it’s true that they’ve also created a ‘tickler’ in the past.

Yes, my kids have also created a ‘bathroom surprise device’ where a light goes on automatically when the bathroom door opens.

Yes, we have toyed with a makeshift ‘clapper’ over here. (Cue: ‘Clap on. Clap off. Clap on clap off. Theclapper.’)

And the more they experiment with the power, input, output, wires, and all the pieces of this set, the more equipped they will be to take their class project or science fair entry to the next level.

It’s all good in my book.

Now, because littleBits loves us over here at teachmama.com, they’ve hit us with a super-special coupon code just for you.

Use LBFALL20OFF4 for $20 off a purchase of $100.  You have 30 days.

Be careful: it’s LBFALL20 (zero!) OFF4

 

Yay. Right? Think about the holidays, friends.

Now head over and check out the littleBits products for yourself!

Remember, littleBits is the fastest and most fun way to create with electronics. Create a circuit in seconds, no soldering required!

 

 What do you think? Have you tried these before? I’d love to hear it!

 

 

fyi: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Forever and always I recommend only products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” For more information, please see teachmama media, llc. disclosure policy.