Pete's Expert Summary
My human seems to believe that the small, loud human requires intellectual stimulation beyond chasing the red dot I so generously allow it to pursue. This box, filled with colorful, clicky plastic bits and weird, noodly wires, is the latest attempt. Apparently, the goal is to snap these pieces together on a grid to create... things. Noisy things, flashy things, and—most intriguingly—a "flying saucer." The premise of learning "electrical engineering" is a complete waste of perfectly good napping energy, but I will concede that the potential for creating a new, noisy, airborne object to hunt is a compelling argument. The lack of tools means the human can get straight to the business of constructing my new plaything, which I appreciate. Still, the box itself is probably the best part.
Key Features
- SO MANY TOYS IN A SNAP: Make dozens of cool electronic gadgets - all from one box! A safe and fun way to introduce children ages 8+ to the basics of electrical engineering! Build exciting projects and toys using the included colorful instruction book!.Ideal for ages:8 years and up
- PROJECTS THEY'LL LOVE: So many fun electric-powered projects you can make and play! Ages 8 to 108 will love building 100+ projects! Have fun while building practical skills and learning the basics of circuitry. Build a flying saucer in a snap and watch it take off and sound the alarm! Kit includes 29 Snap Circuits parts.
- GREAT GIFT Give the gift of learning and fun this holiday season! Snap Circuits kits will keep kids busy and having fun all year round. Combine with other Snap Circuits kits for even more projects!
- NO EXTRA TOOLS NEEDED Elenco Snap Circuits kits include everything you need to start learning immediately - and more. Unlike traditional electronics kits, no soldering or tools are required to build. The numbered and color coded pieces snap easily onto the included plastic grid. Batteries required.
- AWARD WINNING KITS! We're proud to produce high quality products loved by kids, parents,and educators. Snap Circuits kits have won a number of awards - including the Specialty Toy of the Year Award, Seriously STEM! award, Good Housekeeping's Best Toys, Purdue University's Engineering Gift Guide, National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, Toy Insider's Top Holiday Toys, placement on the Dr. Toy list of 100 Best Children's Products and placement on the Dr. Toy list of Best Educational products, and the "Stem Approved" Trustmark from Stem.org.
A Tale from Pete the Cat
The ritual began on the living room floor, a space I generally reserve for sunbathing and strategic fur-shedding. The small human, my designated Staff Member for Play and Occasional Head Scritches, became a sort of techno-shaman, carefully laying out the colored components from the plastic sarcophagus. He consulted the sacred scrolls—a glossy, colorful manual—muttering incantations under his breath. The pieces were laid upon a clear, gridded altar. I, of course, remained unimpressed, observing from the arm of the sofa while performing a ceremonial cleaning of my left shoulder. It all seemed dreadfully tedious. Then came the sound. *Snap*. It was a crisp, definitive click that cut through the quiet hum of the refrigerator. My ear twitched. Another *snap*. My tail gave a slow, interrogative thump against the cushion. The shaman was connecting the runes, weaving the strange, stiff wires between them. My initial assessment of "boring plastic rectangles" was being challenged. He wasn't just piling them up; he was building a kind of circuitous altar, a tiny, angular cityscape of potential. I crept to the edge of the sofa, my gray tuxedo immaculate, my golden eyes narrowed in intense analysis. The first successful conjuring was a noise demon. The shaman completed a loop, and a small speaker emitted a series of piercing tones. It was crude, offensive to my delicate ears, but it was *something*. It was an effect. But the true test came when he assembled the 'Flying Saucer.' A small motor, a switch, and a bright yellow propeller. He looked at it with pride, then at me, a foolish grin on his face. He pressed the switch. A high-pitched whir filled the air. My entire being snapped into focus. The yellow disc spun into a blur, lifted from its plastic mooring with a rush of wind, and wobbled erratically toward the ceiling. It hovered for a glorious, chaotic second before banking hard and skittering across the floor. My cynicism evaporated, replaced by the primal certainty that I was about to vanquish a most worthy foe. I launched myself from the sofa, a silent, furry missile. I pinned the whirring creature with a single, perfectly soft paw just as its power died. The shaman cheered. I began my victory purr. This Snap Circuits kit, this box of shamanistic trinkets, had successfully summoned a worthy offering. It may have taken the human an hour, but it had finally produced five seconds of pure, unadulterated joy. For me, obviously.
