Chemistry-mad child. Any ideas for bringing the subject alive?

[nkf]

My son is mad about chemistry. He's nine. What can I get for him? He really wants to do experiments and explore adn those kits are just rubbish. Toys not real chemistry. What can I get for him? Or where could I take him?

Have a look on planet sciencewww.planet-science.com/home.html
lots of experiments etc.

Boys like things that go bang or catch fire.

Glycerene and condys crystals both available from chemists. Put a teaspoon of condys crystals on an aold baking tray and then pour on some glycerene. Sit back and watch. After about a minute - smoke then another minute flames then it all dies away. Of course do it outside.

Obviously only do it with a kid who is well behaved enough not to go doing it on his own. Also I bought safety glasses and this was a good opportunity for him to learn that no matter what the experiment, that you wear safety glasses and stand well back.

I loved chemistry (and went on to do biochem for first degree). At about 10, I used to knickel-plate copper pennies and sell them for 10p each to my 'friends' as lucky pennies. All you need is a battery, some wire (quite tricky not to get wire marks on the coins) and some nickel salt in solution (sulfate, chlride or similar). You can probably get kits or instructions somewhere.

I had my 'lab' under the dining table but my mother had be clear it away after I made hydrogen sulphide the day the pastor visited...

Have a look at the Royal Society of Chemistry website. I am a chemist (as well as mom to young boys) and my local section do stuff for young kids like demo lectures. I ran an event for chemistry week where we showed primary school kids stuff like how a fuel cell car worked (my husband and I spent hours distilling water and then another local chemist dropped in with a bottle from halfords. duh) anyway, the RSC does have experiments on there- you can also try to find out who the local section is and ask them what are they doing for young people. We chemists love to hear about kids wanting to be involved and I am sure you could even petition to have an event run just for your sons school