Gave my son a 9 volt battery today...

[Bo]

And he is completely obsessed with it!

Returned a lemon smoke detector to Costco today and had a 9v battery in my pocket when I got home. My 7 yr old son quickly inquired as to what it was so I explained it a bit then dared him to touch it to his tongue. He did so and made a ridiculously funny face and accused me (rightfully so I might add) of tricking him. Apparently the joke is on me as he seems to have enjoyed the sensation more than one might imagine and has been carrying the battery with him all afternoon. Could be the difference between ivy league and cc.

Note: lest anyone be truly concerned, I have explained to him that the shock from an outlet is legitimately dangerous and quite different from a 9v battery.

[Ombligo]

don't underestimate it, that may be all it takes to spark (sorry for the pun) a future in electrical engineering.

regardless, it is always cool to see a kid get excited about old school fun.

[space-time]

mine is obsessed with batteries since about age of 2.half, of course, he used AA and AAA to load "logs" on his trains and cars, and lift them with cranes, so I rarely throw out any empty AA and AAA unless they leak. his "log" pile is getting bigger.

Now he's also interested in flashlights, asks me to recharge the batteries when empty, and is interested in reading out-loud the voltage each time I check a battery with the multimeter. I haven't given him a 9V battery yet. I also avoid keep away from him any LED flashlight since those are very bright and I don't want him pointing any bright light at the baby.

[lafinfil]

Have him try carrying it around in a pocket full of loose change
and he may become interested in first aid.

: -(

No really - teach him that doing so can be dangerous & hurt.
Batteries are small but can pack a wallop under the right conditions.

[BernDog]

lafinfil wrote:
Have him try carrying it around in a pocket full of loose change
and he may become interested in first aid.

Probably not a standard combination in everyday life, but don't let him experiment around steel wool either. Burn your house down.

[deckeda]

Did he "lick it for 10?"

[SDGuy]

BernDog beat me to it...this was actually one of the techniques we were taught in Boy Scouts on how to start a fire (sans matches)...

[space-time]

BernDog wrote:
[quote=lafinfil]
Have him try carrying it around in a pocket full of loose change
and he may become interested in first aid.

Probably not a standard combination in everyday life, but don't let him experiment around steel wool either. Burn your house down.
cool, I didn't know this trick

[lafinfil]

I used to carry rechargeable ni-cad packs for my Vivitar 283 strobes
in my pocket when on a shoot. I had a set of keys short out a set
and it left a pretty nasty spot on my thigh.

[mikkaph]

lafinfil wrote:
Have him try carrying it around in a pocket full of loose change
and he may become interested in first aid.

: -(

No really - teach him that doing so can be dangerous & hurt.
Batteries are small but can pack a wallop under the right conditions.

I had that experience when I unconsciously dropped a new nine volt Batt. into my shirt pocket were it discharged against a KEY. It got real HOT real quick. So be careful what you show the young ones and always explain what is really going on if we are doing this as a joke, which you said you did.