Best science kits for kids: Fun experiments for all ages
Get your kids interested in science at an early age with the best science kits for kids, with chemistry, geology, biology, engineering, and more.
During the first eight years of a child’s life, their brain can learn much faster than an adult’s. This is also known as the critical period (opens in new tab). As they explore the environment around them, they will be naturally curious about how the world works.
Since 2005, researchers from the Journal of Science Education and Technology (opens in new tab) have encouraged parents of elementary-age children to integrate the best science kits for kids into playtime. They not only help them lean into this curiosity but also give them the tools they need to learn independently. A Carnegie Mellon University Human-Computer Interaction Institute report emphasizes the need for hands-on activities that help children develop critical thinking and emotional intelligence skills.
Are you ready to enhance the way your child learns about science? If so, you’re probably wondering how you can choose the best kit for your curious child. Don’t worry; we’ve taken care of that. Our list of the best science kits for kids includes options that will work with both your budget and your child’s interest.
For more kits to encourage a lifelong habit of learning, check out our guides to the best chemistry sets and best coding toys that can help you expand your young scientist’s interests.
Build an erupting volcano, dig for dinosaur bones, make your own weather station, or grow crystals – the Smithsonian Mega Science Lab kit has it all! Plus it also comes with an Earth model and an eco dome habitat for bugs too. If your children would like to get a glimpse into different science fields, this kit is the way to go. In six activities, they’ll get introduced to the world of physics, chemistry, and Earth and environmental science.
This kit comes with various tools and materials, including a thermometer for the weather station, a bug collecting tool, safety glasses, and tools for fossil digging. You will only need to supply common household items like vinegar or baking soda.
Is your kid excited about fossils and gems? Then this is the perfect kit for your little Earth scientist. The National Geographic Mega Gemstone & Fossil Dig Kit contains a large dig brick with genuine gems and fossils hidden inside. Your child will excavate gems like tiger’s eye, pyrite, and blue quartz, or fossils from clams, corals, and even sharks.
All necessary tools for the excavation are provided: a chisel, brush, and magnifying glass. After the excavation, your explorers can learn all about their new treasures using the learning guide included in the kit which contains additional information about each of the specimens.
With this Einstein Box, your youngling will dive into the fascinating world of chemistry and material science. Fizzy magic potions, color changing liquids, fragrant soaps, and self-grown crystals – the engaging and colorful experiments will help your children understand the basic principles of science. The included instructions are really straightforward so your kids will be able to do the experiments all by themselves.
This means you can just lean back and let them explore on their own (although we do recommend keeping an eye on them just in case)! The kit has the materials necessary for 15 experiments and the manual includes instructions for another 25 experiments which you can easily do with household items.
Yes, it’s another National Geographic kit, but their STEM series are such good quality and highly rated that we just had to include another. From launching a rocket to making pop crystal fireworks, this Stunning Science Chemistry Set can get a little messy with its hands-on fizzy chemical reactions. The kit includes the materials needed for 15 experiments with instructions for an additional 30 experiments, all using common household items like baking soda or vinegar.
The experiment guide contains details about the chemical reactions involved as well as illustrated, step-by-step instructions that are easy to understand and follow. Your kiddo will spend hours conducting their own experiments, just like a real scientist! However, we do recommend that these are done with adult supervision as chemicals are involved.
Satisfy your children’s curiosity with this science kit that includes 50 experiments and activities. From growing crystals or building your own exploding volcano, to colorful reactions and mixtures, your kids will dive into the fascinating world of science. The kit includes experiments with varying difficulty levels, so that children from 5 to 12 years old all will be entertained. The kit includes all chemicals and equipment for 50 experiments except for a few household items like vinegar and lemon juice, or a stapler and paper clips.
The kit was designed by a math and science teacher and includes a manual with step-by-step instructions and background information on the science behind the experiments. If your kid is an audiovisual learner, then the accompanying video tutorials will be a big hit as they guide them through the experiments. Most experiments can be done without the help of an adult and those that do require a bit of assistance are clearly labeled in the manual.
Let your kids discover the invisible world with this beginner-friendly compound microscope. It offers six adjustable magnifications up to 1200x and produces a reasonable level of clarity for the price – you’ll be able to see individual cells and even nuclei! With this kit, your kids will gain hands-on experience with the scientific method: setting up an experiment, analysing, and documenting the outcome.
The microscope itself is made out of metal with a plastic stage, so it’s pretty sturdy. It even comes in a hard-sided plastic case, so it’ll be well protected and easy to tidy away. As well as the microscope, you’ll also get 49 accessories – like tweezers, an eye dropper, and even a Petri dish – all of which allow your curious child to easily set up their own microscopy experiments.
There are 10 prepared microscope slides included so you can immediately get a glimpse of the fine-grained structures, like a fish scale or a bean leaf, as well as some blank reusable slides to get creative with. We love this microscope so much that it tops our best microscopes for kids list!
Give your children the joy of having their own science lab station, where they can conduct exciting chemistry experiments. The lab station is easy to assemble and reconfigure for different experiments with a helping hand from an adult. The kit contains all materials needed for 20 cool science experiments – invisible ink, self-inflating balloons, glowing slime, rainbow in a test tube, and more! Like a lot of other sets, some experiments will require common household items like scissors, tape, or salt.
Instructions for half of the included experiments are printed on cards that can be directly clipped onto the lab station for quick reference. There’s also a 16-page, full-color manual that contains detailed instructions as well as easy-to-understand explanations so that your budding scientists can learn the science behind the experiments and how they apply to everyday life.
Show your kids the fascinating world of both geology and chemistry by letting them grow their own crystals. This kit, selected by the University of Cambridge no less, provides all materials needed for seven different crystal growth experiments. Once fully grown, these stunning crystals can then be proudly shown off in the provided display cases. The detailed instructions are easy to follow and the experiments are straightforward to set up.
Adult supervision is required for setting up the experiments as this involves boiling water. The crystals start forming in about five hours after set-up and will reach their full size in 7-10 days. The included fact sheet provides additional information on crystal growth. We really like this one as it provides a beautiful, tangible result that you can admire for years to come.
Science experiments can seem just like magic. This kit will show your young wannabe wizards the science behind the magic. They will master nine different “magic tricks,” while learning about the science behind fizzy foams, color-changing potions, and glow-in-the dark liquids.
The kit contains all required chemicals and equipment, including test tubes, a stand, and, of course, a magic wand! You will only need to supply some common household items like baking soda and vinegar. The instruction guide contains detailed descriptions as well as understandable scientific explanations and fun historical facts about famous wizards such as Merlin, Baba Yaga, and Circe.
Teach young minds about the mechanics behind levers and linkages and how they can be used to lift heavy objects with this lovely kit. In 16 hands-on activities your kids will build different structures such as a wheelbarrow, a parking gate, and a movable weight scale.
The step-by-step illustrated instructions are easy to follow. In case these are not enough, you can also view the models in 3D using an app that is freely available for Android and Apple iOS. The kit also comes with a booklet with theory and interesting facts, as well as a detailed quiz to test the newly acquired knowledge.
