I've always been kind of a sucker for geeky kid stuff. I grew up watching shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy and Beakman's World, and of course I had one of those Creepy Crawlers bug-maker kits. Now that I'm a dad, I like to keep an eye out for these same kinds of geeky things I can share with my son when he's a bit older.

Today I found just the thing: the Snap Circuits Alternative Energy Kit. This thing is chock full of circuits and other cool parts – such as a hand crank, a solar cell, an FM radio, a windmill, and a lot more – that can be assembled in 125+ ways (don't worry, there are step-by-step instructions) to help teach kids about electricity and alternative forms of energy. Educational!

What's even more impressive to me is that this kit has a 5-star Amazon rating with nearly 100 reviews, so clearly the other parents are loving it. It also appears to be a good deal, because the list price is normally $80 but it's available for $46 right now.