Makey Makey Invention Kit: Collector's Edition crosses imagination with electronics -- only $47.99

Give any adult the Makey Makey Invention Kit and they'll all invariably have the same reaction: I wish I had something like this when I was a kid.

But it's probably best to just put the Makey Makey into the hands where they belong...because children and the imagination of those formative years are all the fuel needed to make this Makey Makey Invention Kit: Collector's Edition (right now $47.99 in the Boing Boing Store) a Hall of Fame toy-slash-introduction to computer engineering.

It's deceptively simple on the surface, just a set of multi-colored alligator clamps and connecting wires. But the magic of Makey Makey takes shape in what a child brings to it. Wanna use balls of Play-Doh as controller buttons for a real computer game? You can do that. Wanna turn bananas into piano keys that can actually play music? You can do that too.

Once a kid grasps the ultra-simple method of connecting real-world objects to virtual outcomes (no programming know-how or expertise needed), they'll take the fun into areas adults never dreamed of.

The Makey Makey can even keep inquisitive adults on the their toes. It's compatible with both Mac and Windows systems and doesn't require any special software or training.

You've got to see the Makey Makey Invention Kit in action to gain a true appreciation for its potential, so get one now at 19% off its regular price.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfQqh7iCcOU&w=560&h=315]