Good science kit for a kid I'll never meet, age 12.

[Tanaqui]

So I'm staring right now at a letter-to-Santa written by a disadvantaged kid. He says his favorite subject is science and he wants a science kit that he can do at home with his mom. Suggested budget is ~$40, but we can go a little over if the BEST KIT EVER is a little over. Don't mind giving him multiple kits with different focuses so long as it adds up more or less within budget. (Also, I'm going to squeeze in a book. Because of course I am. That doesn't count within budget.)

 

The last thing I want to do is get this kid a gift that turns out not to be any good. I can't do a takeback if it turns out it sucks. What kit is going to give me the most bang for my buck?

 

Also taking suggestions on books about science experiments one can do at home with a limited budget. (That's not the book I'll squeeze in. I meant I'll squeeze in something fiction or possibly a biography of a scientist or something. That's just lagniappe.)

Edited December 1, 2016 by Tanaqui

[Anne in CA]

 I have no idea how to help, but how fun to get a kid who wants something to self educate with!

[Liz CA]

Have you looked at Rainbow?

 

Or here: https://www.scientificsonline.com/shop/science-kits?Page=1

 

You can shop by age on this website. They have some stuff for under $50.

 

Edited December 1, 2016 by Liz CA

[Paige]

I got my DD a set from Home Science Tools last year and it was really well done. I would get one that they put together instead of the toy like kits that you can buy other places.

 

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/science-kits

[bibiche]

Does it need to be a commercial item? You could get a lot more bang for your buck if you assembled one yourself. Maybe using a book like https://www.amazon.com/Book-Potentially-Catastrophic-Science-Experiments/dp/0761156879 to gather up necessary items for some of the experiments? Or would a kid prefer all the wow! packaging of a commercial kit...?

[Tanaqui]

Does it need to be a commercial item? You could get a lot more bang for your buck if you assembled one yourself. Maybe using a book like https://www.amazon.c...s/dp/0761156879 to gather up necessary items for some of the experiments? Or would a kid prefer all the wow! packaging of a commercial kit...?

 

I don't know. Do you know, that didn't even occur to me?  I'll have to think about that!

 

You can shop by age on this website. They have some stuff for under $50.

 

I'm kinda looking for personal recommendations, because I'm scared stiff I'll end up flubbing this one.

[dancingmama]

I'd probably go with a Thames and Kosmos kit. They typically have everything you need and they have the "wow" factor for Christmas.

[dancingmama]

Or maybe a scientific explorers kit but I don't know the quality of those.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'd probably go with a Thames and Kosmos kit. They typically have everything you need and they have the "wow" factor for Christmas.

The Thames and Kosmos kit we bought was pretty lame and not everything worked.

[Tanaqui]

The Thames and Kosmos kit we bought was pretty lame and not everything worked.

 

Yeah, Google is suggesting to me that while the good ones are REALLY GOOD, the bad ones are AWFUL. So, uh, which did you buy?

[theelfqueen]

If you have time ... tinker crate offers individual past crates on their website.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yeah, Google is suggesting to me that while the good ones are REALLY GOOD, the bad ones are AWFUL. So, uh, which did you buy?

We had a history of science one.

[JudoMom]

What about a snap circuits kit, along with a kit you put together? And, of course, the book that doesn't count :D.

 

For the book, if you can find it, the Klutz Explorabook is pretty neat.

Edited December 1, 2016 by JudoMom

[Onceuponatime]

Someone gave my son a crystal growing kit last year. It worked well and included a light up base which made the crystals glow and still works. It was a hit. I can't remember the brand name.

[Spryte]

We have the Thames and Cosmos Physics Workshop.  It's part of DS's physics curriculum this year (we are doing NOEO, Physics 3).  We have enjoyed some Thames and Cosmos kits, so I thought this would be a huge hit - it's the reason we chose this curriculum.  Alas, DS finds it less than appealing.  But perhaps that's part of the school aspect?  I don't know, but I can say that a few of the projects just didn't go together quite right and were frustrating.  It also requires internet access if you need more instruction on the builds - and the "more instruction" is just the same as the booklet, but enlargeable.  I'd vote to skip that particular kit.

 

The Home Science Tools kits look really great - and more like "real" science tools, as opposed to toys, if you know what I mean?

 

 

[Miss Tick]

Thank you for introducing me to the word "lagniappe"!

[KarenNC]

What about a snap circuits kit, along with a kit you put together? And, of course, the book that doesn't count :D.

 

For the book, if you can find it, the Klutz Explorabook is pretty neat.

 

You might be able to find one of the snap circuits at a craft/hobby store like AC Moore, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby and use their weekly coupon to bring the larger ones into your range. At AC Moore you can sign up for their free rewards program, and they give teachers 15% off (including homeschoolers, at least around here) on top of other discounts. They have some of their Smithsonian kits for $9.99 this week, but I'm not sure how good they are.

 

Hobby Lobby's website says they have Snap Circuits Arcade for $65, which would be about $39 with the 40% off coupon from their website. Don't know if they do teacher discounts. http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Kids-Crafts-Activities/Science-Educational/Snap-Circuits-Arcade/p/80796414

Edited December 1, 2016 by KarenNC

[Paige]

Thames and Kosmos kits are in the never again category for me. We've had two and they both were shoddy. 

[TravelingChris]

I would look for a geology kit, if you don't get specific recommendations.  I know I loved as a child the sample geology box I got.  It had instructions for how to test rocks and the various things you test- luster, magnetic, etc.  If there was a kit like that, it really couldn't fail and the child could then go on and test rocks that he found in his neighborhood.

[maize]

Maybe a k'nex kit? They have a variety of science themed ones, and the building components themselves can be used for endless creations once the original models have been built.

 

Too bad you don't know just what elements of science are intriguing to the kid. Does he want to do experiment type stuff?

[vonfirmath]

So I'm staring right now at a letter-to-Santa written by a disadvantaged kid. He says his favorite subject is science and he wants a science kit that he can do at home with his mom. Suggested budget is ~$40, but we can go a little over if the BEST KIT EVER is a little over. Don't mind giving him multiple kits with different focuses so long as it adds up more or less within budget. (Also, I'm going to squeeze in a book. Because of course I am. That doesn't count within budget.)

 

The last thing I want to do is get this kid a gift that turns out not to be any good. I can't do a takeback if it turns out it sucks. What kit is going to give me the most bang for my buck?

 

Also taking suggestions on books about science experiments one can do at home with a limited budget. (That's not the book I'll squeeze in. I meant I'll squeeze in something fiction or possibly a biography of a scientist or something. That's just lagniappe.)

 

I'd look for a Snap Circuits kit -- they are REALLY good and can be reused over and over.

[mommyoffive]

I'd look for a Snap Circuits kit -- they are REALLY good and can be reused over and over.

 

Yes.  This is the only thing we use over and over.   Everything else is a one hit wonder.