{Review} EEME Project Genius Light

There are a few skills that I think are truly important to learn in this day and age, and one of those is electronics. We live in a technological age, which makes it very important that we understand the inner-workings of the machines around us. Enter EEME.

 EEME's monthly hands-on project kits teach kids about electronics. Each project kit is paired with online curricula to not only guide the kids in assembling the project but also to teach the concepts applied. EEME's kits are aimed for kids ages 7-12, but older and younger kids can definitely learn from them too! The first kit in the subscription is Project Genius Light- which will get your kids learning all about circuits, resistors, LEDs and other basic electronics knowledge.

About the Kit:

 From EEME: 

              "With the Genius Light project, you will assemble a simple LED circuit system that does the smart thing - lights up when it is dark and dims when it is light. The project kit will be shipped with all the materials needed to build the Genius Light (a breadboard, resistors, circuits, LEDs, battery). Once you've gotten your kit, you'll come back to eeme.co to access our 45 minutes of online videos, which will (1) teach you and your kid how to build the Genius Light, and (2) explain the electrical engineering concepts behind it. (Videos are free to check out.)"

So what is in your first EEME monthly project kit? 

The only thing you will need in addition to your kit is access to a internet-ready computer. The kits go hand in hand with online curricula that will teach your kids not only HOW to complete the project but the WHY behind it as well.
 

How does it work?

You will start by accessing the video lessons from EEME's website. These lessons are broken down into many short videos that will step by step lead your children through the process. I was a little worried that 4 pairs of hands working on one project would lead to frustration, but there are so many little steps that everyone got plenty of chances to help build the project. Depending on the age of your child you may need to offer a hand, so stick around and use this time to learn together. I found that my 12 year old needed no help, while my 7 year old had a hard time with some of the assembly. The videos will also tell you when your assistance may be needed.

One of the best things about the video lessons is that they aren't simply how-to instructions. The kids have to build, take apart, and re-build numerous times before actually starting the final step of building the genius light. This means there was plenty of time for things to go wrong- which is a good thing! My boys learned how to troubleshoot and double check their wires and circuits in order to make it work before moving on.

The lessons not only gave directions on how to set up the circuits, but also the reasons behind what they were doing. So they learned what a resistor was and its purpose and got to experiment with how the light looked with and without the resistors in their circuit.

Also included were short assessment questions at the end of some of the videos to check and make sure the kids were actually understanding what they were hearing.

What we liked best:

• The video lessons were amazing. I loved that the lessons were broken up into shorter sections as opposed to one long video. Having someone who truly understands what they are talking about and teaching is so much more effective than me reading a manual and trying to teach the same thing. 
• One kit can work over multiple kids of multiple ages. The kit can be assembled and disassembled numerous times. You don' t have to have one kit per kid. They can work together or on their own one at a time.
• I liked that they were actually learning concepts. We've had many "eclectronic kits" over the years and they show you how to complete a circuit but not why.
• I like that each new project builds upon knowledge learned in the previous project, it's a great way to really solidify the concepts being learned.

How can you get your own?

EEME has 2 pricing plans, starting at $18.95 per month. Each month you will reuse your breadbox and battery pack, but will receive new project parts in the mail that will build upon the knowledge learned in previous projects.

And if you act fast, you will receive the first month free when you subscribe to EEME! That means you will get to try out Project Genius Light at no charge! Just click here and you will see a special promo banner on the bottom of the page! This promotion will expire on 9/16.

You can also find EEME on Facebook and Twitter!

 Click here to read more about EEME and what other families thought about the project.