Gift ideas · Science
Gifts for kids who love science
Kids who love science want to know why, and then they want to try it themselves. Good gifts let them run real experiments, make a mess on purpose and watch something happen.
Skip: Kits built around one big experiment on the box. It's over in ten minutes. Pick one with lots of small experiments, or a tool they'll keep using.
Not sure how they play? Take the quiz.
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Ages 4 to 6
- 1A first science kitOur pick: GeoSafari My First Science KitReal tools sized for small hands, and simple experiments to do with you. Find it
- 2A first microscopeOur pick: GeoSafari Jr. My First MicroscopeBig eyepieces and a built-in light, so a little kid can actually see something. Find it
- 3A window garden to watch roots growOur pick: Educational Insights Sprout & Grow WindowSeeds go in against the clear side, so they see the roots grow, not just the leaves. Find it
- 4A magnet setOur pick: Learning Resources Super Magnet Lab KitLots of magnets in different shapes, and a reason to test everything in the house. Find it
One we made ourselves
Ages 7 to 9
- 1Snap CircuitsOur pick: Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100Real circuits that snap together. There are 101 projects in the book, so it doesn't run out. Find it
- 2A crystal growing kitOur pick: National Geographic Mega Crystal Growing LabIt takes a few days, which is the fun part. They check on it every morning. Find it
- 3A kids' microscopeOur pick: Nancy B's Science Club MicroscopeA real microscope and a journal for what they find. Find it
- 4A book of experiments to do at homeOur pick: The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science (Sean Connolly)64 experiments with things you already have. The title does the selling. Find it
Ages 10 to 12
- 1A digital microscopeOur pick: Plugable 250x USB Digital MicroscopeIt plugs into a laptop, so they can save pictures of what they find. Find it
- 2A bigger Snap Circuits setOur pick: Snap Circuits Extreme SC-750Hundreds more projects, for the kid who finished the starter set. Find it
- 3A real chemistry setOur pick: Thames & Kosmos CHEM C500Made for 10 and up, with 28 experiments to do with a grown-up nearby. Find it
- 4A book about how things workOur pick: The Way Things Work Now (David Macaulay)Gears, engines and lasers, explained with drawings and a woolly mammoth. They'll read it for fun. Find it
Things to do near you
Gifts are one way in. Camps, classes and weekend events for kids who love science are another. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.
How kids who love science tend to play
A lot of kids who love science are Puzzlers, and some are Explorers. Most kids are a mix of two Play Types, so the quiz is the quickest way to know which lists to use.
Gifts for other things kids love
Gift ideas by Play Type
Holiday gift lists
Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.
