2. Electronics Box Compiled by Phyllis Davis, Head of Youth Services of the Matteson Public Library

3. Basic Electronics Exposing kids to electronics at a young age can help to interest them in STEM-related fields. Using kits that do not require soldering is a library-friendly way to help kids develop skills. Using “smart” kits to support learning at early stages helps kids to gain confidence and the willingness to take new risks and try new things.

4. 12 Snap Circuits Jr. kits (for teaching classes of 24 children age 8 and up!) Basic electronics photos courtesy of elenco.com

5. 2 Additional Kits donated by Elenco!

6. 75 in 1 Electronics Lab

7. Little Bits are a set of 10 color-coded modules that snap together magnetically to create larger circuits Photo courtesy of littlebits.com

8. E-Textiles This field combines sewing and electronics. It attracts girls to electronics, computer programming, and engineering. Sparkfun will be sponsoring Makerbox in July by providing us with E –Textile components for workshops and open makes.

9. Basic Equipment All e-textile photos courtesy of sparkfun.com

10. LilyPad (Arduino) Components

11. Sparkfun Inventor’s Kit for Arduino Uses the same microcontroller as lilypad and requires no soldering

12. Squishy Circuits This project uses a non-toxic playdoh-like substance to conduct electricity. The “dough” is made from a recipe of common household ingredients. This is a cheap, fun, and colorful project that can be used safely with very young children.

13. Squishy Circuits Kit Pictures courtesy of makershed.com