It seems harder to me. Your past days are reminiscent of mine, but I could get on my bicycle as a sixth grader, bike to Radio Shack, and grab some parts (light-activated SCRs, transistors, timers (555!) and logic chips and make stuff. Sometimes I'd get a grab bag of 'unknown' digital pieces and try to figure out the pin-outs (always could rely on +5 and ground being standard).

I'm not sure how kids go about doing that today. I don't know of any store a kid can get to (without a credit card, that is) that has that kind of hobby equipment any more.

I recently had occasion to go through the house where I grew up (my father still owned it) and saw all of my old play stuff. I told my tale but the kids (teenagers now) didn't seem so impressed (old CRTs lying around!). I grabbed the old Radio Shack IC guidebook and left the rest behind. Quite a sad day, actually.