Reddit reviews Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center

I think OP is referencing something quite a bit different from a standard breadboard. It's probably something more like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=zg_bs_2528073011_12

They also come with rather large booklets that give definitions of all the electrical components and what they do as well as instructions for dozens of different cool projects you can build with it. I remember mine had projects for like a rain detector, a security alarm, a morse code clicker, etc.

They might be interested in something like this.

I'd actually got that for my 10 year old nephew before and he had a blast with it until he ran out of projects to make. Teaches them how to make all kinds of neat little inventions while they learn how circuitry and electricity works.

I really like the spring-connect kits for your purpose. He'll be able to learn some from the manual, and hook it up without requiring other components. $65 is a bit steep tho. Try amazon.

Youtubes

Trial and Error

Stuff like aftermarket stereo (assuming a basic install of head unit + Subwoofer) are relatively easy, but also very easy to do very badly.

The basics are - everything needs Power(+) and Ground(-), and in cars a some stuff will get it's ground from the frame (door pins, etc) or engine block. Everything needs a fuse. If you're connecting a new wire directly to the Positive (+) battery terminal it MUST HAVE A FUSE OH GOD PLEASE READ THIS AND NEVER FORGET IT.

For example, on a basic head unit you have a bunch of wires, but they're all doing really simple things. 4 pairs ( 8 wires) are for speakers, each one has a - and a +. Then you have the main power, the ignition power, and a ground (used by both powers). Then you usually have a + and - feeding a power antenna/signal booster. So you really just have 3 things wired up - Speakers, Power, and Antenna.

If you really want to learn it, grab some cheap "Electrical experiments" kit and you'll learn quick how different components work together and what kind of mistakes you can make in a pretty low-risk environment.

Well, a love for Dr Stone is a love for science. I don't know how old your brother is, but when I was a kid in the 90's science kits were way more common. I've seen some in Walmart and there's this $5 store called 5 below that has some but I'll look on Amazon and see what relevant kits I can find.

here's a telescope for $33. Senku's thing is space. Space is awesome. You may also consider seeing if your local college has a telescope, I was surprised to find out that mine does and it's open to the public!

Here's a crystal growing kit. Chrome loves rocks.

Here's a microscope and here's the one I lusted after after I saw one on TechTV Screensavers $18 so cheap now! Tempting...

Electronics kit!! I had one of these! My parents threw it away because they said I was obsessive about it.. now I watch Big Clive tear apart garden lights... Senku make a radio too, which I think you can make a crystal AM radio with this kit if I remember correctly.

RadioShack used to have those electronics project kits, like the 30 in 1, 160 in 1, etc.
They came with a manual and some easy diagrams for the first few projects, then the connection listing for more advanced ones.

All the wiring is done between spring terminals.

Like this https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_qgHXDbWM7TM2X

My favorite toy was either my roll-out walk-on piano, or [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=pd_sim_t_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1522BANMZ9R4XS3WJ55K). I would spend hours on this thing. I can also still jump out Chopsticks like nobody's business.

I really wanted some Kinex or other Lego-like toys with motors to make robots.

Was it like this?
https://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/

I considered it but I figured that it would not be much more difficult to just use real components and then he wouldn't be stuck with such a rigid platform. But maybe something like that would make it less intimidating.

Get one of those electronics kits.

First result on Amazon

Here's the style I had as a child.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417537035&sr=8-1&keywords=electronics+kit

If you're looking for actual breadboard stuff - something like this might be what you are looking for.
http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Ultimate-Starter-Includes-Instruction/dp/B00BT0NDB8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417537035&sr=8-2&keywords=electronics+kit

Just to add one more suggestion. I had something like one of these Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center when I was really young and I probably built 90% of the circuits in the book. It's a lot of fun and they do a fairly good job of describing how the circuits work. You connect components using precut wires to "spring" terminals.

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412479994&sr=8-1&keywords=Electronic+kit

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronics-Snap-Circuits-Snaptricity/dp/B0013BL3LK/ref=sr_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1412480035&sr=8-38&keywords=Electronic+kit

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-EP-50-Electronic-Playground-50-in-one/dp/B00000IUD2/ref=pd_sim_t_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KPKE2ZHBDF256TN2M8K

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-EP-50-Electronic-Playground-50-in-one/dp/B00000IUD2/ref=pd_sim_t_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KPKE2ZHBDF256TN2M8K

I had the Electronic Playground thing back when I was a kid. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from it.

I had a bread board to play with growing up. It was a really fun activity and came with a project book.

It was similar to this, though not this exact model
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7W5IDb1NSJ95C

Elenco has stuff like this that you could even get the kids involved. Also, these go on sale sometimes for about 20 bucks. Do a search for "Elenco Kit" will show up other related stuff too. I'm not with this company, I have this kit on my desk and made me think of it.

You could also get into making speakers and amps. Or Raspberry Pi stuff for robotics or automation (or endless other things :)

I'm also not really sure what you're looking for heh

Edited1:

Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center

Didn't know you were talking about free-energy videos. Anyway, those are a complete hoax. Sorry, but there's no way to create free energy. As for your son, here's a list of electronics and magnetism science kits I would recommend:

I highly recommend this one, I had one as a kid and loved it!:

$34.99 Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center (ages 12+)

$26.49 Thames & Kosmos Magnetic Science (ages 8+)

$24.00 Thames & Kosmos Motors and Generators (ages 8+)

$18.85 4M Magnet Science Kit (ages 8+)

And here's some nice assortments of fun magnets to play with:

$19.95 46 small-medium magnets

$34.95 100 small-medium magnets

$69.95 26 medium-large magnets

Not the exact same brand, but some of these classic kits from the 80s are still available new in box. You can find, e.g., the elenco 130 in one and 200 in one kits on Amazon for very reasonable prices.

This is really excellent advice! Sometimes just staring at a book is not going to make it stick. Another fun way to get some hands on electronics experience is with those project kits built to teach kids. Doing all of the projects in something like this or this shows you a lot of the theory in a way that will stick better because you have actually seen it work. And they cost less than a text book.

Legend! I was able to find the same products in the Aussie Amazon, thanks very much!

Edit in case anyone is looking https://www.amazon.com.au/Elenco-130-1-Electronic-Playground/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1523316972&sr=8-12&keywords=elenco+electronic

Nice. I had this http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_8?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1370635549&sr=1-8&keywords=electronic+science which was quite good. Also a tin of bits and bots is another good one, LEDS, buzzers, wires etc.

Since he is interested in technology, you can see if he would be interested in this kit. You can also show him some youtube videos of science experiments and see if he would be interested in doing any of those.

I know this isn't what you were looking for, but I think it warrants a serious consideration. This toy was pretty much directly responsible for me becoming an electrical engineer:

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1396530630&sr=1-1&keywords=electronics+lab

Perhaps you might enjoy something more like this. https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=asc_df_B0035XSZDI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312003162663&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12376681281660115618&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052566&hvtargid=pla-434851101009&psc=1

The Arduino kits focus more on the microprocessor and getting things to work with that.

Something like this