It’s no secret that littleBits and their intuitive system of interlocking electronic components have been a big hit with kids, parents, or really anyone who gets nervous at the sight of a breadboard. Today, to help plant a more solid stake in the educational market, littleBits has announced a new STEAM Student Set for grades 3–8. Perhaps more importantly, the company has developed a curriculum for the kit and a separate educational course for teachers called STEAM PD.
The new kit retails for $299 (with a 5% discount extended to educators), with pre-orders in March and availability in April. Each kit provides materials for up to 4 students to collaborate with. A list of included parts is shown in the diagram below.
While I may not be the target market for this product, what I appreciate most about it is the work littleBits has done to optimize the kit and documentation so that kids have a successful outcome when they start exploring electronics. I also like that the guided projects are genuinely fun — a car, an art bot, a throwing arm — things that I can imagine children of all interests will be excited to play with.
You can learn more at littlebits.cc.
