I don’t do loads of product reviews but something about this one sounded really appealing – maybe it’s the constant MCU talk that’s filled the house for around four years now and has stepped up a gear since *that* finger click. Or maybe it’s the interest that Roo has developed lately in all things scientific. Either way, this electro hero kit from STEM startup Tech Will Save Us seemed like it would fill a quiet Saturday afternoon.
It’s probably best to prep a little before you even show the kit to the kids – your child will need a maker account set up at www.twsu.co/hero before you can access the instructions for the missions. And you’ll need some playdough as it’s a vital component of the circuit making. We didn’t prep and so had a frantic hunt around the house before chancing upon a pot of freshish orange stuff tucked behind the telly. But fear not if you don’t keep any playdough in the house any more – once you’ve logged on to the mission portal, the first mission tells you how to make the dough from kitchen cupboard ingredients.
We skipped over that and went straight for the Hulk Smash! mission. For that, we needed to construct a wall of playdough bricks using the clever little brick mould:
That’s a quite satisfying part of the process for adults and kids alike. Then you need to make a Hulk fist and construct a switch by connecting fist to wall. Smash!
I won’t give too much away as you probably want your kids to discover the secrets of the circuits themselves but there were three separate missions to complete, and endless scope for free play with the LEDs, wires and power pack. The Avengers theme is a nice added on touch but the main joy is in completing the circuits from the basic:
to the arc reactor:
It absorbed both kids for two hours and included an element of experimentation, asking the children to test out different materials and predict whether they would be conductors or insulators. Both thought it was brilliant fun and have asked what other kits are available. I enjoyed it too, though found some of the bits with the LEDs a bit fiddly as my manual dexterity is pretty non-existent. It would also be good to have a bit of a clearer sign for which LED leg was the long one and which was the short one but apart from that, I don’t have any complaints. The playdough moulding on its own would be a fun activity for littler ones and Eva often took that task while Roo was doing the wiring.
So definitely a hit with my kids (9 and 6) and I haven’t even shown them the online certificates they got for completing the missions yet. I would definitely recommend it for a bit of hero-themed family STEM play. More information here.
Disclaimer: I received a free Electro Hero Kit in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own.
