There are lots of shiny things that we love at STEM Venturi. Below is a list of some of our favourites. Unless stated otherwise they are all used by us regularly in our clubs and labs.

For those who love to code

The BBC micro:bit

This small but mighty chap is at the heart of a lot of our projects. You can buy it from various websites include Kitronik, Pimoroni and Pihut.

You can use the BBC micro:bit for a host of projects on it’s own, or with accessories, some of which are listed below.

BBC micro:bit robots

There are a range of BBC micro:bit compatible robots.

We LOVE the MOVE:motor by Kitronik. Add lights, sounds, a pen to draw with a ultrasonic sensors for collision avoidance. This is a great start robot for those that love block coding.

A more advanced robot is the DFRobot Maqueen. This has better battery life and more advanced coding options.

For those who love to design & make…

The first step in designing awesome things is prototyping – making cheap, relatively quick examples of ideas to see where improvements can be made.

Makedo

At STEM Venturi we love cardboard. There I’ve said it! It’s an accessible, easy to use material that can be reused or recycled afterwards. The makedo kit is a safe, easy way to cut, fold and join cardboard together.

Chompsaw

If you want to level up the cardboard cutting, the chompsaw is worth the investment. It cuts through cardboard, and other materials, like butter. It can be noisy so if your young engineer is sensitive to noise, earphones are advised.

For those that love electronics…

LED noodle kit

There are lots of DIY electronics kits available. We love the Kitronik ones as they come with really well thought through tutorials and instructions. The LED noodle kit is a particular favourite, and the kit we use in our Light It Up Lab. It can be used for simple LED signs, bringing light to art or more adventurous projects.

Find your next engineering adventure