The budding home scientist and horticulturist will both delight in the ease with which this self contained soil test kit brings discovery. The kit measures not only ph., but also Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash content and contains material for 40 tests. Since these are the essential ingredients affecting plant nutrition, we see a science project in the making: experimental plant growth in soils with different amounts of acidity and/or nutrients. From Luster Leaf(tm), the kit is entirely self contained and includes complete instructions for use and explanations. Be careful, please, the kit does have chemicals and should not be used by young children without supervision.

You can’t beat a nice fossil for helping you forget about the present. Transcend the 21st century with: a fossilized shark tooth, between 1-1/2” and 2”, dating from the Eocene to Cretaceous ages, which is even before chicken fingers; or a nice 3/4” chunk of dinosaur bone from the Colorado Rocky Mountains, dating from the Mesozoic era, and it was broken when we found it, honest.

Physics faculty alert: It's very small, but teaches a powerful lesson, this little diamagnetic-properties demo kit. You get (4) plated magnets, each 1/4" square x 3/32", and (2) 1/4" square pieces of graphite to float above them. The graphite may have slight chips along the edge but that won't affect the effect. Includes instructions/fact sheet.

Geology for those with short attention spans? The original Magic Rocks®, of course! Mix the solution in a jar of water, drop in the pebbles, and watch them grow into a forest of multi-color stalagmites. Growth starts in 10 minutes, is impressive in 30 minutes, and complete (up to 4" tall) in 2 hours. Extra credit if you can make it grow stalactites by gluing the pebbles to the bottom of a jar, then pouring the solution in and turning it upside down. Who knows? Maybe it will work. Comes with a set of marine decals to decorate the jar. Definitely not for use with living fish. For ages 10 and up.

Rock hammer with one squared chipping face and one pointy picking face, ideal for prospectors, rock hounds, construction and more. A single piece of forged and polished steel with a molded rubber grip makes this a solid and reliable tool that will last. 10-1/2" long x 6-1/2" across the 20 oz. head, 1-3/4 lbs. total. Well made. Good buy. Good bye!

Our micro rocket packs a lot of fun into a small package, much like hockey's original Pocket Rocket, Henri Richard, the 5' 7" brother of Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. Unlike Henri, this rocket's powered by baking soda and vinegar (not included), and actually flies quite high. Bullet-shaped, it's just 2-3/8" tall x 13/16" dia and sits on a launch base 2-3/4" tall x 3/4" ID. For rocket scientists over 5 years of age.

Right after you build your own working medieval catapult or trebuchet. All you’ll need is glue, scissors and a steady hand (plus a small bag of marbles or rocks or something as a counterweight for the trebuchet) to construct these wooden, Canadian-made siege engine kits. The catapult stands 6” tall x 5” wide x 10” long and will toss assorted stuff 15 feet or farther, depending upon the stuff. The finished trebuchet will be 26” long x 18” wide x 24” tall and will propel small objects (meatballs?) 20 feet or more. Both include detailed instructions and are great resources for STEM activities. For ages 9+. Note: Please don’t propel small mammals, and please don’t put anyone’s eye out.

Sort of like kleenex, because cellophane used to be trademarked but isn’t any longer so you can now say cellophane all you like. Cellophane, cellophane, cellophane. You’ll get (48) sheets of 12” square cellophane, a dozen each in red, yellow, green and blue, for teaching kids color mixing. But feel free to use them for anything. Includes instructions for making your own color paddle.

Make a whole bunch of fun and instructive Lego® machines/chain reaction models like marble runs and mousetraps involving ramps, buckets, funnels balances and much more. Comes with (33) Lego® elements, (6) Lego® balls, a dozen paper props, and a 78-page instruction booklet for (10) machines. You add a few common household items. Includes suggestions for more complicated devices if you have your own Lego® pieces, and if you don't, what are you waiting for? Ages 8+.

It's kinda pretty, and pretty simple, this old-fashioned rubber band-powered boat. Wind the paddle, watch it ride the waves, or bathtub. Measures 5-3/4" x 2-1/2"x 11/16" in varnished pine and even comes with spare rubber bands. Ages 5+.

Yes, now you can truthfully tell people this. Just get this combo 10" long 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom slash AM radio and you’re in business. The power knob/volume control in the right-side spare tire is frozen, but if you’re handy you can fix it and then truthfully say “I just fixed the radio in my ’31 Rolls Phantom.” These radio-models are from the mid ’70s, so they might be a tad tarnished, bumperwise, but they’re still your chance to work on, and own, a Rolls.

Create your own crystal garden and you'll never again have to run out to the store in the middle of the night for more crystals. Put the approx (2) ounces of rocks from this kit in a bowl, add white vinegar, put it in a warm place, and wait for the vinegar to evaporate. You'll have crystals in (2) days to (2) weeks. Add food coloring if you want to change your tasteful monochromatic crystals into a phantasmagoric garden of color. You provide the bowl, vinegar, food coloring and warm place. For ages 8+ with adult supervision.

Shoot one of these little plastic arrow-helicopter-rotor gismos straight up with the included rubber band launcher and watch it soar as far as 300 feet! A fun outdoor toy that grows in sophistication as you learn how to adjust the arrowcopter for wind conditions and flight patterns: distance, return, circular descent etc. Our "each" contains a package of two (2). Recommended for kids over the age of 9.

Electronics fans, musicians and budding Sci-Fi sound engineers will love this little starter electronics kit for making a mini version of a theremin, the venerable capacitance-based instrument that’s synonymous with eerie sounds. This one skips the volume antenna, but has a quantization mode as well as a continuous swoop via the pitch antenna. You add a 9V battery and some minimal soldering skills. Includes all parts, including IC sockets. Measures 2” square, and includes excellent instructions. You might want to get a little project box for it. Made in the USA for Madlab/Velleman.Ages 10+.

This Lego® set from Klutz has (58) pieces, including gear wheels, bricks, axles and connectors to build (11) gadgets, including a claw, catapult, assorted vehicles, robots, a fan and a hand-held blender thingy. Includes a 78-page manual with detailed instructions and a plethora of punch-out paper parts for added verisimilitude. For ages 8+, or anyone else who knows what plethora and verisimilitude mean.

Don't panic. A meteorite is speeding toward you, but it will only hit your mailbox. These small hunks of genuine meteorites are approx 4,200 years old, and have been harvested from Chandon, Argentina. (We never miss the meteorite harvest in Chandon.) You have two choices. The large-ish ones weigh between 20-33 grams and measure approx 1-1/4" x 3/4" x 1/2", which is very dense. (Get a pair and make cuff-links for your favorite meteorologist!) The smaller ones weigh approx 3-4 grams per box, and you may get multiple pieces. In either case, carry one in your pocket and you'll never be hit by a large meteorite. (And if you are, we'll give you double your money back.)

Among other things. (Sorry, no oranges.) Our each is a set of (4) laser-cut moving wooden gear models from U-Gears®, including a cat, a tractor, a human head and a heart. You like to fidget? Us, too. Each has (6) or (7) laser-cut parts and will fit in the palm of your hand when finished. They’re like worry beads in that you'll find yourself playing with them to help you inch toward inner peace. They’re press-fit, so no glue or tools needed. For ages 5 and up.

This excellent kit has (4) genuine geodes between 1-1/2” and 2” dia just waiting for you to crack them open, and since every place we ship to is in North America (OK, plus Guam) you’re going to be cracking them (a long way) East of Java. You’ll also get safety goggles, a little magnifier and an activity book. A Dr. Toys Seal of Excellence Winner.