Comments on: The Child’s Inventor’s Box http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/ Seeking Wisdom, Washing Dishes Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: A.Ross http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-121907 A.Ross Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:27:52 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-121907 We used PicoCricket at our summer camp for two years. The concept is lovely since the brain is small and can be easily integrated into craft projects. Girls are definitely more into this than boys. the technical difficulties are enormous, however. The main issues are: 1. The brains are of poor quality. By the end of one summer half of the sensors connectors didn't work. By the end of the second summer half of the brains didn't not work. We switched to Lego NXT and two years later there isn't a single technical issue. 2. The brain can connect to only 4 sensors. By day 2 most kids grew out of it. 3. System will work fine, until it its used to move an object. - for example, programing the motors to spin a wheel to make a car go. When the wheel is not attached, the system works fine. Then when the motor is attached the brain's center button will not turn on (green) or the brain's cricket logo will flash yellow when not in sync mode. 4. A lot of times the brain will not turn one an multiple syncs need to be made in order for the brain to work. 5. when programing the motor to spin while the sound is on, the sound that comes out is a sound that was not programed. The two will work fine separately, but when the two are attached to the same brain they will not work properly 6. when we try to program all three actions together (lights, sound, motor), only two will work at once 7. There have also been issues with programing the motors to move at a certain speed or to go in multiple directions. The teachers were stressed out trying to make things work and the students were disappointed. Lego NXT may not be as creative but it sure does work! We used PicoCricket at our summer camp for two years. The concept is lovely since the brain is small and can be easily integrated into craft projects. Girls are definitely more into this than boys. the technical difficulties are enormous, however.

The main issues are:
1. The brains are of poor quality. By the end of one summer half of the sensors connectors didn’t work. By the end of the second summer half of the brains didn’t not work. We switched to Lego NXT and two years later there isn’t a single technical issue.
2. The brain can connect to only 4 sensors. By day 2 most kids grew out of it.
3. System will work fine, until it its used to move an object.
- for example, programing the motors to spin a wheel to make a car go. When the wheel is not attached, the system works fine. Then when the motor is attached the brain’s center button will not turn on (green) or the brain’s cricket logo will flash yellow when not in sync mode.
4. A lot of times the brain will not turn one an multiple syncs need to be made in order for the brain to work.
5. when programing the motor to spin while the sound is on, the sound that comes out is a sound that was not programed. The two will work fine separately, but when the two are attached to the same brain they will not work properly
6. when we try to program all three actions together (lights, sound, motor), only two will work at once
7. There have also been issues with programing the motors to move at a certain speed or to go in multiple directions.

The teachers were stressed out trying to make things work and the students were disappointed. Lego NXT may not be as creative but it sure does work!

]]> By: Carnival of Family Life Harvest Festival | Raising A Healthy Family http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-27186 Carnival of Family Life Harvest Festival | Raising A Healthy Family Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:38:43 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-27186 [...] presents The Child’s Inventor’s Box posted at Diary of [...] [...] presents The Child’s Inventor’s Box posted at Diary of [...]

]]> By: Jen http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26670 Jen Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:15:39 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26670 <b>Julie</b>, so cool! Wish that museum was here... Julie, so cool! Wish that museum was here…

]]> By: Julie http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26665 Julie Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:09:47 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26665 There's a little corner of the Portland, OR Children's Museum called "The Garage"...it's simply a room that contains everything you list here and more and allows the kids to simply create whatever they want. It has inspired a 3 year "kick" in our son to keep a box in the garage full of any item he finds that he thinks he could turn into something. His garage time is so cool. Last week, he built a rocket out of our recycling. Great fun post Jen! There’s a little corner of the Portland, OR Children’s Museum called “The Garage”…it’s simply a room that contains everything you list here and more and allows the kids to simply create whatever they want.

It has inspired a 3 year “kick” in our son to keep a box in the garage full of any item he finds that he thinks he could turn into something. His garage time is so cool. Last week, he built a rocket out of our recycling.

Great fun post Jen!

]]> By: Jen http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26465 Jen Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:15:52 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26465 By the way, I was not paid in any form to advertise for PicoCricket...these are just my own observations of what's available for science exploration. BUT if someone from PicoCricket happens to come by my site, I'm happy to do an extended review for you--if you supply me with a kit to check out! :-) By the way, I was not paid in any form to advertise for PicoCricket…these are just my own observations of what’s available for science exploration. BUT if someone from PicoCricket happens to come by my site, I’m happy to do an extended review for you–if you supply me with a kit to check out! :-)

]]> By: Jen http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26464 Jen Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:12:33 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26464 <b>FunkiPlanet</b>, thanks...I'm hoping to save up money for the PicoCricket kit, it looks like a ton of fun... <b>Tipper</b>, way to go, those girls have great science minds, too! FunkiPlanet, thanks…I’m hoping to save up money for the PicoCricket kit, it looks like a ton of fun…

Tipper, way to go, those girls have great science minds, too!

]]> By: tipper http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26463 tipper Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:51:05 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26463 How neat! I'm going to try some of these with the girls! How neat! I’m going to try some of these with the girls!

]]> By: Funkiplanet http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26462 Funkiplanet Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:42:00 +0000 http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/#comment-26462 This is awesome. Thanks! This is awesome. Thanks!

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