Like many HN'ers, I too grew up with these, but my life was radically changed when I was gifted a Gakken Denshi Block system to learn with: https://en.wikipedi

Like many HN'ers, I too grew up with these, but my life was radically changed when I was gifted a Gakken Denshi Block system to learn with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakken_EX-System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakken_EX-System It was a lot more robust than the spring-based electronics experimenter systems, and its built-in shield meant that my experimental circuits could survive the transport to school and the inevitable attempted rip of cables from the bullies, in order to show my favourite Math teacher what I had been up to over the weekend, and that led him to give me a student key to the schools computer room, and free access so I could hone my skills. I still collect Denshi Block systems, and the day I got the EX-181 with its synthesizer module was particular joyous. In Japan, Denshi Block systems were used in electronics engineering schools, and they were much, much larger and with a bigger variety of component modules .. I'd love to have one of those one day.