>> Hi,
>>
>>     My 5 years old son is starting to be VERY interested in what I do and
>> is
>> asking me more and more to teach him "how to make boards" :-) I am lost
>> here
>> and I would like to check if anyone on the list has started to teach the
>> kid's so early and how I should do this...

>From personal experience (being the kid...), find plenty of (non-mains) stuff for him to take apart
& play with. Make it clear that dismantling is strictly limited to 'authorized' objects (at least
until he is good enough at it to put them back together again without too many bits left over...).

Things that have a mechanical content are good as it is more obvious how things happen - e.g.
cassette recorder, inkjet printer etc. 
 
As for soldering, don't worry too much - after a couple of minor burns he'll learn.... Things like
carpets are at more risk...!

Simple kits are a good start - I remember getting very frustrated by building things out of books
that didn't work, but the satisfaction when something does work is great. I didn't have someone to
help me get stuff working - guiding him through fixing things ( either that he's made, or existing
products) will teach very useful problem-solving skills.
The nice thing about kits as opposed to breadboards is that the items last, and can be used
later/modified/adapted/experimented with, whearas a breadboarded thing just disappears.




 

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