Kids can fulfill all their building and experimenting needs with Snap Circuits Bric: Structures!
STEM toys manufacturer Elenco first unveiled the Snap Circuits Bric: Structures line in 2018 as a mashup between an electronic experiment kit and a building set. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, Bric: Structures is the latest addition to the Snap Circuits line.
Bric: Structures features battery-powered brick constructions that kids can build by snapping pieces together. The kit requires two AA batteries (not included) as a power source for all its designs, snap wires or jumper wires to connect individual electrical parts and create an electrical current between them, and bric2snap adapters to connect electrical parts to the brick pieces. The set’s electrical parts consist of colored LED lights, a lamp, a slide switch, a fiber optic tree, and a speaker.
Bric: Structures features not only the iconic snapping mechanism between electrical parts that the Snap Circuits line is known for, but also adds an element of brick building so kids can build structures that light up, make sounds, or have moving pieces. While the metal snaps work flawlessly and remain secure, the circles on top of the brick pieces don’t always line up perfectly when placing different sized pieces next to each other. This might make it difficult to assemble a structure when kids try to place another layer on top. The kit does include a handy brick removal piece to help kids separate bricks, plates, and other pieces.
Compared to more conventional products in the Snap Circuits line, Bric: Structures features significantly less electrical parts (most of which revolve around light, with just one sound part), thus offering less electrical experiments, capping at 26 projects. The original Snap Circuits features 300 projects, Snap Circuits Jr. features 100 projects, and Snap Circuits Motion’s features 165 projects. However, the set’s play potential still remains high. This set comes with 215 brick pieces that kids can use to come up with an endless number of architecture designs limited only by their imagination. Bric: Structures is also a new line so there may be more projects to come in the future.
The included manual provides good step-by-step building instructions and safety precautions. Like other products in the same line, it excels at explaining complex concepts, such as what short circuits are, how to avoid creating them, and why you should never connect experiments to electrical outlets. Because of safety concerns, some advanced builds’ complexity, and the difficulty in disassembling some brick parts, parents are encouraged to assist kids in the first few play sessions with Bric: Structures until they’re familiar enough with the kit to play on their own.
Overall, Bric: Structures puts a unique building twist on Snap Circuits’ usual electrical fun. For a reasonable price, kids can enjoy creating countless architectural designs adorned with beautiful lights and interesting sounds.
