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Original poster

Science kits

13 replies

3bunnies · 08/11/2013 00:32

dd1 (nearly 9) would like a science/magic kit. She already has two magic kits which she doesn't play with so trying to find science kit but most seem to have dire reviews.

Main requirement from her is - 'not loads of boring recording and tables like school science', dh not too keen on loads of dangerous chemicals wierd as his father was a chemist I am happy to help her with it though and don't mind a few chemicals. Would be nice if not just single use so can repeat with dd2 and ds eventually . Also not entirly sure that she needs to make poo, snot and farts. I was good at science in school so happy to help her. Another option would be to put together my own science kit but not sure where to start and she would probably prefer to open something packaged. She has seen the John Adams adverts but the reviews for most of them are poor. Budget £10-20.

Have already got an electricity wire kit for dd2 ( although in an emergency can reallocate)

OP posts:
raisah · 08/11/2013 03:01

Have you tried the science museum online shop?

www.sciencemuseumshop.co.uk/

fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 08:20

Yes the John Adams ones are generally shite it seems, except the electronics 'hot wires' kits which are apparently fabulous (it's on my wish list for when my DCs are a bit older!)

There are loads of fun experiments you can do at home. We've had 'science days' in the holidays where we've done several in succession, mostly using stuff from the kitchen.

Vinegar/bicarb volcano
mentos in diet coke
dying chrysanthemums (put food colouring in the water, and it'll go up the stem and make white petals coloured - you can even split the stem in half, put each half in a different glass and the flower will be two colours!
Cloud in a jar (haven't tried yet - DH found it on Pinterest)

Original poster
3bunnies · 08/11/2013 08:20

Thanks, had a quick look - she has confirmed that she definitely doesn't want to learn how to make poo and farts! She would though like something more physics based - something with pulleys ideally. These tend to get better reviews :) but any recommendations?

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 08:27

Also making gloop with cornflour and water (makes a weird solid/liquid thing)

And you can do chromatography with coffee filters.

Recently we mixed colours using kitchen paper. Put three glasses in a row with water in the first and third. Colour them with food dye (we used blue in one and yellow in the other). Roll up two sheets of kitchen roll and place each one in a full glass, then bend them and put their other ends in the middle empty glass (so it looks like two rainbows)... Eventually you'll get green water in the middle glass

Original poster
3bunnies · 08/11/2013 08:30

x post we have got this electronic kit for dd2. Much cheaper to get her started.

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 08:36

Ooh, physics based, I don't know!

I did read in a Martha Stewart book though about making a marble run with various things - picture here - I'd love to try that now let alone as a child :o

There's lots of stuff you can make using cams - we made wooden toys in yr7 with cam shafts and handles etc. Would lots of raw materials like string for pulleys work? So she could invent stuff?

One cool thing you can do is make a hovercraft with an old CD, blu-tack a sports bottle lid over the hole (the type where you have to pull the white bit up to drink, like fruit shoot bottles :o) with the CD shiny side down. Blow up a balloon and place the end (don't tie it up) over the bottle lid. If you then pull up the lid, the air should come out of the balloon and on a hard surface like a book the CD should float (confess I haven't tried that one yet though)

fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 08:39

That kit looks good, too old for my DCs (6/4) but have added it to the wish list for the future thanks :o

fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 08:44

Hmm you've probably already seen this one and it has no reviews (always feels a bit riskier doesn't it!) but cheap enough that it might be worth a shot to satisfy the need for a 'proper' kit IYSWIM?

Magnets are a must too, but all the 'magnet kits' always seem vastly overpriced. Might be better getting ones separately with stuff like iron filings

fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 09:35

Also electromagnet stuff although I can't remember how to do it

Original poster
3bunnies · 08/11/2013 13:16

I had seen that one but had another look and I think I may need shares in that company! There is a slightly bigger one - will see if FIL can stretch that far. Plus for dd2's birthday/next Christmas they have an engineering one and an excavate a pyramid archeology one. She is currently having that angst that all nearly 7 yr girls have of whether to be an engineer or archeologist, with surgeon as the obvious fall back option! Dd1 just wants to build mechanisms! Thanks for all the digging!

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 08/11/2013 15:31

Ooh, an engineering one you say?

paperlantern · 08/11/2013 16:41

meccanno?

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