Learning Electronics with Snap Circuits Jr.

Introducing electronics with Snap Circuits Jr. made for some great hands-on STEM learning.

We were kindly gifted this Snap Circuits Jr. 100 Experiments Set by Elenco for purpose of review (original price $20.99 on Amazon). All opinions and images are our own and completely genuine. This post contains affiliate links.

My 5 year old is at the stage where he is looking for more challenging toys. We've got lots of open-ended products such as LEGOs and Picasso Tiles, which are all great for STEM learning, but what else is there? He's started learning about coding and electronics in Kindergarten and he is so passionate about it. That's why we were excited to receive this Snap Circuits Jr. set (can you tell from his face?!).

I must start by saying this product is recommended for 8+ and my son is only 5. I never see this type of thing as a problem, it's simply an opportunity to challenge your child's learning. We were sure to supervise his play with the kit and took the time to explain all safety issues when building circuits.

The purpose of the product is to teach kids how to build a variety of electronic circuits in a hands-on and kid friendly way. This set comes with 30 parts and can build over 100 working circuits!

The circuits are made using color coded snap together parts, each with a simple number or letter label. No additional tools are required, just two AA batteries. The design of the parts is such that when they snap together, it forces a strong connection. This really impressed me. I was concerned that the parts might be too delicate and fiddly for my son. I was worried he might get frustrated and not be able to make the circuits. This was not the case at all. The parts and circuit board are all manufactured to the highest quality making them robust and kid-proof.

The base grid works on a simple rows and columns system. This meant that it was easy for my son to work out where to place each component. It also has the benefit of replicating the printed circuit board found in most electronic products. My son was fascinated to listen as my husband explained how things like computers worked (glad he was there to explain that one!!).

With the set you get an easy-to-follow manual. On each page there is a colorful circuit to build. The colored pictures match the colored components, which again is a helpful way to make this product very child friendly. Projects include making a doorbell, flying saucer, an alarm and so much more. My son's favorite project was most definitely making the speaker play music with a single touch.

This set really captivated my son's love of technology and engineering. It is versatile and the way that it encourages learning by doing is a big plus for me. The cause and effect nature is there, but with the additional challenge and learning needed to make it suitable for an older child. We even let baby sister have a turn at using one of the circuits big bro had built (closely supervised of course). She loved being able to switch the light on and off.

This Snap Circuits Jr. 100 Experiments Set goes beyond so many of his other toys and I love that this is only the starter set. At a little over $20 it really is good value for money. We will definitely be purchasing more (he's going to love the arcade set) to support his exploration of circuits and engineering.