In FCPS it’s part of science in fourth grade with real batteries and wires and bulbs. It’s one of my favorite units to teach.

Anonymous wrote:Wow I'm surprised your school did this. They're pretty expensive. Our son loves these at home, but the kits are pricey and we had to have like 3 to really make things. None of his friends have ever heard them.

If your son is older, try programming little raspberry pi machines.

Schools probably get a discounted price. The company might see the school as a gate way, the kid likes using them at school and asks for them from their parents who buy the more expensive sets. Or they are donated to the school by parents. I think that is what we did with our sets after DS was done with them.

We have a couple of kits at home and like them. We sometimes give a kit as a birthday present to another child. We have never had them at school or in after care.

For older kids, or with close adult supervision, there also is the "Crow Pi" kit by a different (Chinese) company. That has a range of more advanced electronic things that one can make.

Our school’s aftercare does this.

Wow, we played with snapcircuits in the 90s and my kids love them now, but we never had them as part of a school activity.

I agree w PP that they’re generally geared towards the younger elementary crowd.

Wow I'm surprised your school did this. They're pretty expensive. Our son loves these at home, but the kits are pricey and we had to have like 3 to really make things. None of his friends have ever heard them.

If your son is older, try programming little raspberry pi machines.

My 5ht grader came home thrilled about circuit building. Actual wires and batterys though.

I think it’s just more age appropriate for the k/1 crew than the older ones, that’s why your kid doesn’t do them anymore.

School spent so much time during K and 1st grade on this, along with building Legos and now I don’t hear much about STEM from school. Is this a trend that’s fizzling out?