On the bench now
Electric Light & Switch
Our first build is Project 1 from the Snap Circuits Jr. book: a battery holder, a lamp, a slide switch and a few snap wires. Along the way, kids find out what voltage is, why a thin wire in the bulb glows, and why nothing happens until the loop is closed.
Building along? You'll need the Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 kit and two AA batteries. Watching without a kit works too, since every step is animated.
Watch it on YouTubeNotes for grown-ups
Kids can watch Wonder Bench on their own or next to you. Here's what to expect, whether you're at the kitchen table or in front of a class.
If you're a parent
Each episode follows the same rhythm. First a peek at the finished project, then the build one part at a time, then a look back at what every piece was doing. That look back is a good place to pause and ask your child to explain it in their own words.
Episodes don't ask kids to buy anything, and there's nothing to sign up for here.
If you teach
Episodes are short enough to open a lesson before hands-on time, or to recap one after it. The first series follows the Snap Circuits Jr. project book in order, so you can match a video to the project your students are on. Our first topic, how electric current carries energy to make light, sits well alongside grade 4 energy units.
Grown-up check
Kits have small parts and use batteries. Read the manufacturer's age and safety guidance before handing one over, and never connect a battery's + side straight to its − side. The episode shows kids why.
How we make them
Every episode is animated by us. The parts are redrawn from scratch and the explanations are our own words. We're not affiliated with any kit maker; we name the kit so you can follow along.
Coming to the bench
Circuits come first. After that, more kits and more kinds of science.