Fun STEM Learning with Circuit Maze

One of the best things about being a reviewer is getting to surprise the kids with cool new stuff.

We've already reviewed several products from ThinkFun, so I was pretty sure this one would be another hit, but Jack's face tells it all.

Circuit Maze is science cleverly disguised as a game.  Kids ages 8 and up can learn how electricity flows and how to route it to light up the 3 included lights.

This is a totally safe way to teach about electricity, since the the components are all sturdy square pieces that snap into the base board.

The game includes 60 cards, from simple to pretty tricky, designed to challenge kids to find a way to add certain pieces to the setup shown on the card and make the light or lights go on.  Jack, who is 12, has not mastered all of them yet, so it's a game that will continue to grow with him for a while.

He actually prefers free play, placing the components wherever he wants and seeing what the results are.  I say he's still learning, so it's all good with me!

Homeschooler or not, you've probably heard about the need for more emphasis on STEM or STEAM activities for kids.  Circuit Maze covers both Science and Technology exposure.

Timberdoodle, a favorite catalog company of many homeschooling families, includes Circuit Maze in their Third Grade Curriculum Kit.

Since Hannah just finished third grade, I asked Jack to show her how Circuit Maze works.

It wasn't long before she was figuring things out.

Circuit Maze has been a big hit with both of them, and is a great activity for our daily "nap" time, since it's a quiet game that can be played by one person.  It always makes me happy to have the kids come to me, saying, "Mom!  Look what I made!" with their latest configuration of pieces.  Their smiles shine brighter than the little bulbs do.

If you're planning to homeschool this year, please check out the curriculum kits that Timberdoodle has compiled with some of their most popular choices.  Checking out their lists reminded me of a subject that I had forgotten to include in my own planning for the coming school year.  If you have a child age 8 or older, I hope you'll consider adding Circuit Maze to your order for fun science enrichment.

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