Riley is my 9 year old stepson. He really likes gardening and growing things from seeds, so when Young Scientists Club offered a science kit for Riley to test out, he was really excited. We chose the “Science on a Gardening Adventure” kit, of course.
Now, I knew this was going to be a test of my ability to focus and commit to a project as much as his – and since he only spends 4 days a week with us (we alternate every four with his mom), I’d probably have to continue the experiment on the days he wasn’t around. So be it.
The kit comes in a colorful box with illustrations of what’s to come. We spread all of the pieces and parts out on the table and started reading. There’s an illustrated booklet that makes every part of the process an ‘experiment’ – from testing the water acidity with litmus paper to expanding the peat pellets with water.
The intent is to perform the experiment, then write down the results. Riley, being 9 and a little smarter than the average bear, knew what was going to happen to the peat pellets or when he added more water – and forewent writing down his results. He just wanted to zoom forward to the planting the seeds part of the experiment.
The kit also comes with some cute little gardening tools that are cute, but far to big to be useful in the tiny little planting containers. We ended up using our fingers, and because Riley is a perfectionist, I ended up using my fingers most (so the seeds could be spaced evenly in the containers).
Riley had a really good time moving through the first half of the booklet, up through planting. Then, we put everything away for the next four days while he was at his mom’s house.
When he came back, he eagerly ran out back to see how the seedlings were doing and was pleasantly surprised to see they’d sprouted. He used the mini watering can to keep them moist each and every morning.
To be totally honest, Riley was so excited to see the plants growing that the experiments were forgotten. And I think that’s the problem with science kits in general – kids’ natural impatience leads them to forego the ‘scientific method’ and opt for go go go with their kits. I know we’ve seen this with Riley before, and we lose interest just as fast (I never professed to be any sort of scientist, nor have any sort of patience!).
Overall though, we had a fun time going through the experiments and Riley had a really fun time setting it all up and watching it grow. He even enjoyed the litmus paper tests and comparing the colors to the chart. I feel like he learned about the scientific method even though he didn’t follow it.
Since I like learning toys, I think these Young Scientist Kits would make a great gift this holiday season. The company also makes kits from the Magic Schoolbus series that would be great for younger kids, and Adventure Kits that look like things I would’ve absolutely loved as a kid (volcanoes and crystals? Yahoo!).
They’re also affordable – from $10 – $30, the kits would make a good addition to any kid’s holiday stash.
Free Stuff Alert!
Young Scientists are giving away your choice of science kit – just in time for the holidays! Choose from one of three new kits introduced this year: Magic School Bus Going Green, Magic School Bus Diving into Slime, or Science on a Gardening Adventure.
To enter, you must:
- One Night in the Tropics video
- Visit the Young Scientist’s website and tell us which kit your kid would like best.
For additional entries,
- Leave a comment about how you get your kids interested in learning or science.
- Blog, tweet or Facebook about this giveaway – comment with a link to the post.
- Follow Your Mama Reviews on Twitter
. Leave a separate comment to let us know you did so (or if you already follow).
- Subscribe to Your Mama via RSS or email. Comment to let us know.
Contest is open to US residents ONLY. You must leave a valid email address to enter. Contest ends October 29th, 2009 at 12 p.m. Eastern. A total of five entries are possible. Your entries must follow the rules as stated above or your post will be deleted.
About the author: One day, Andi hopes to teach the men in her life that they, too, can pick things up and put them away after they’ve used them. Read more from this author.
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I’d love to win the Diving into slime kit. My little one is still to young for this but a day with my nieces and nephews would be a blast
I’m a scientist so I love to volunteer and do fun experiments with kids. My favorite activity was doing potions class as Barnes and Noble for the release of the second Harry Potter book. It got the kids excited about science and reading.
I follow on twitter @peabosmom
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My daughter would like the Recycling (Kit 1) the best.
My daughter is interested in science because of all the things we read her & taking her to the science museums.
I subscribe to your blog via email.
I think I’d like the Awesome Bubbles kit
I like the Save the Earth kit!
My daughter loves any science experiment, so I get ideas from books and the internet and a few times a week, we try them out!
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Would love the Magic School Bus Going Green, Magic School Bus Diving into Slime
We like hands on stuff like making goo or growing our own plants, etc.
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Science on a gardening adventure
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I offer my kids creative stuff to play with, computer learning games, and read their fave books to them.
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My kids would love the magic school bus slime kit! Anything having to do with slime is popular around here.
One way I have encouraged an interest in science for my kids is to have them plant a butterfly/humming bird garden. We researched the plants we would need and the area that was best suited for it and went to town. When we were done we had our backyard certified as a national wildlife habitat!! We even have a plaque hanging on our fence near our garden that says we are certified (or certifiable)!
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Magic School Bus Diving Into Slime, of course!
They are all great looking kits, but I think my kids would have a lot of fun with the Star Pilot!
I’m following you on Twitter @bettina75!
My kids are just naturally into science because I am. We love to watch cool experiments and try to do some together at home!
I think my kids would love the Magic Bus going Green.
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My kids would love the Mystery of Rainbows kit!
We’d have fun w/ the Awesome Bubbles kit.
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We’d like the diving into slime kit
I get my kids interested in learning by living. We go out, we do as many things as possible. I expose them to lots of different things.
My son would love the Planets kit.
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My oldest would love the Soaring Into Flight kit.
I get my kids interested by just teaching them daily. We talk about science (or art, or language, or whatever) whenever it comes up, and they never fail to show interest. It helps that I’m homeschooling them, so they’re there all the time for natural learning opportunities.
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Magic School Bus Going Green Sounds great!
My kids seem to enjoy science and there are so many super easy experiments they love to do. We grow plants, make slime, freeze things, do scavenger hunts, they are always interested to learn as long as it is hands-on!
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Oh, it’d have to be Diving into Slime!
My son would have a lot of fun with any of the sets, but I bet he would like the magnet set best.
My kids would love the Science on a Gardening Adventure kit!
We integrate science into our everyday lives to get our kids interested about learning. My son LOVES science!
My sons would like the Magic School Bus Diving into Slime kit.
I am an email subscriber.
We watch a lot of scientific TV shows and also rent science books at the library to encourage the children to get into science.
I am following on Twitter (simplyandreah)
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Set 4 – WH-925-1104
bacteria & fungi
weight and volume
acids and bases
Magic School Bus going green is my choice
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My daughter would like the Go Green – Save the Earth set
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We got on a lot of nature walks and talk about what we see to get the kids interested in science
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Mystery of Rainbows looks great
how you get your kids interested in learning – by talking to them about the world around them
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My kids would like all, but perhaps the gardening one best
I just talk w/ my kids about EVERYTHING. So science naturally comes up and then we talk about it and learn.
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My friend’s son (and my honorary nephew) would love the “The Secrets of Space” kit.
The Diving Into Slime, Gel, and Goop kit looks fun! Thanks for the great giveaway!
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My daughter wouold really enjoy the gardening set.
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My daughter would like the water splash kit.
Anything that is turned into a game is an instant hit at our house, so that’s how we get our daughter to learn without knowing it!
My daughter spent alot of time with my husband starting our garden from seeds last spring, watching everything grow, and harvesting the veggies. I think the Science on a Gardening Adventure would be perfect for her to reinforce what she’s already learned and add a scientific aspect. She’s only four and it suggested for kids five and up, so she may not understand everything but I think it would be a fun learning experience (for me too!).
Thanks for introducing me to this company and for a fun giveaway!
With my daughter, the best way to get her interested is to be interested ourselves. My husband loves to garden, so she was interested as well. She can always tell if we’re not so excited about something ;)
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My son would love the young scientist series set 4
My kids are excited about “projects” so science is always somehting we can find interesting. I bought my son a book and he experiments with the different science projects.
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My son would love the Diving into Slime!