If there’s anyone who knows how to make science exciting, it’s Steve Spangler. Have you seen this guy launch hundreds of film canisters on Ellen? Steve brings that same enthusiasm and love of science to the new Spangler Science Club subscription kits, which deliver kid-friendly experiments to your doorstep every month. While the kits aren’t inexpensive, the high-quality tools, detailed instructions, and overall sense of science-y fun are well worth it if you’re looking to foster a love of science.
The monthly subscription kit is packed with just about everything kids in grades K-6 need to run a series of experiments. And I mean just about everything—we only had to supply the water for the experiments in the first kit. I was particularly impressed with the test tubes in the box, which aren’t your run-of-the-mill science equipment, but instead come from a surprising source. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will say the tubes are sturdy and perfectly suited for kids’ hands.
The box includes two sets of instructions for running the experiments. One set, the “Top Secret” info for parents, includes the how and the why behind the science experiments. When we do experiments as a family, I always appreciate having info handy so I don’t have to go scrambling to Google to find the details behind what we’re observing. The text also puts the science in terms that kids (and grownups) can understand, so parents can explain concepts like osmosis and chemical reactions and sound like we actually know what we’re talking about.
The kids’ step-by-step walkthroughs not only include clear color photos and concise instructions, but also writing prompts to get kids thinking like scientists. Questions ask kids to predict what might happen and form their own hypothesis.
All instructions are laced with a sense of humor and enthusiasm, which shows kids that science isn’t all serious business—it’s actually fun to explore the world around us.
Experiments are designed to be done together with parents, along with some activities for the kids to spend some time on their own exploring the concepts. In the first kit, that meant my kindergartener had some hands-on time with color mixing by herself, taking the time to really make the experiment her own.
Every parent wants to share discoveries and encourage a love of science in their kids, but it requires a bit of an investment for a high-quality educational kit like the Spangler Science Club. Subscription costs range from $24.99-$29.99 a month, depending on the subscription plan. While you may balk at the price, it seems to be a fair cost for everything you receive each month, which includes the equipment, instructions, and shipping. There are also enough components in the box to run the experiments more than once or let siblings get in on the science action together.
If you have room in your budget and it’s important to you to encourage a love of science in your kids, Spangler Science Club is an incredible opportunity to turn science into fun family time every month.
GeekMom received a promotional kit for review purposes.