We all know the importance of STEM education. The trick is figuring out how to get kids interested. After all, it’s not like you can reason with kids. You can’t just sit down and patiently explain that STEM instills creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving skills, or that, in our ever-changing and increasingly technological world, STEM skills will prepare them for the jobs of the future. They’re not going to understand what you’re talking about. And even if they did, kids wouldn’t care. They aren't motivated by future thinking. So how do you get kids to take an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math? You meet them where they are. And if you’re kid happens to love video games, there’s probably no better way to get them interested in STEM than the Nibble DIY Game Console from CircuitMess.

Of course, kids are supposed to be covering STEM subjects like coding and engineering in school. However, with all the disruption to education over the past year, and all the uncertainty as kids switch back and forth between remote and in-person learning, chances are their STEM education has been a little lacking. So it might be time to take things into your own hands and get your kids engaged with STEM learning at home. In fact, even if you’re one of the lucky ones, and your kids’ education hasn’t suffered as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s always good to reinforce what your kids are doing at school.

Regardless of your personal situation, the Nibble DIY Game Console is the perfect tool for at-home STEM learning. Why? Because it’s so fun, your kids won’t even realize they’re learning.

Nibble DIY Game Console

Image via CircuitMess

The Nibble DIY Game Console from CircuitMess is a retro game console that teaches electronics and programming. How? By making you build it and program games yourself!

That may sound intimidating, but don’t worry! This awesome project is totally suited for people without any electronics and coding experience. In fact, the recommended age for the Nibble is nine years and up. Also, you don’t have to master the art of coding video games to start playing. The Nibble comes loaded with four retro games inspired by arcade classics: Bonk, Invaderz, Snake, and SpaceRock. Once you build the console following the easy-to-understand build guide, you can pop in some battering and start playing.

When you’re ready for the next challenge, you can learn to program your own games using CircuitMess’s CircuitBlocks code editor. CircuitBlocks is very similar to other beginner coding programs such as Scratch and Code.org, making it ideal for people just starting out. And all Nibble software is completely open source, and all the schematics are available for download. So if you’re already a programming wiz—or you’re planning to be—the sky's the limit!

Image via CircuitMess

When you order the Nibble DIY Game Console, you get a box with all the components and tools you need. That includes:

  • Main circuit board
  • Acrylic casing
  • Metal soldering iron stand
  • Sponge
  • USB soldering iron
  • Solder wire
  • Cross screwdriver
  • 2A USB power supply for the soldering iron
  • AAA alkaline batteries
  • LCD display
  • MicroUSB cable
  • USB soldering iron's power cord
  • Bag with small components
  • Battery holder
  • Build guide

The Nibble console features a 32-bit 160MHz processor, 4 MB of storage, a 1.4 inch display, WIFI connectivity. It takes approximately two hours to build even with no previous experience.

As previously mentioned, the recommended age is 9 and up, which means it is perfect for a group-family project. However, the Nibble DIY Game Console is obviously not just for kids and families. Anyone who loves gaming, electronics, or programming will absolutely love this kit.

So if you’re looking for a fun and educational new hobby for you or your family that costs less than $100, the Nibble DIY Game Console is a must have. Order it now, because these things WILL go out of stock.

Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with an affiliate partner. We may collect a small commission on items purchased through this page. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.


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