The Best Science Toys for Kids

Space Age Crystal Growing Kit

2009-10-27T19:44:00.001-07:00

There's something magical about watching crystals grow. The Space Age Crystal Growing Kit lets kids create a variety of glittering crystal specimens with nine individual crystal-growing activites. This children's science kit comes with salts, a Petri dish, tub tints, plaster of Paris, a measuring cup and spoon, a geode mold, crystal growing containers and more.

Spark ™ Talking Microscope

2009-10-27T19:37:00.001-07:00

The Spark Talking Microscope gives children 5+ years a guided tour through the wonders of the microscopic world. It comes with 12 slides of specimens including brine shrimp and scorpions. The microscope itself narrates interesting facts and tests children's knowledge with simple quizzes.

Discovery Praying Mantis Encounter

2009-10-27T19:36:00.001-07:00

The Discovery Praying Mantis Encounter is a praying mantis habitat made of netting which allows 360 degree of viewing. Children can watch praying mantises hatch, hunt, shed their exoskeletons and more. It comes with a hand-held magnifying glass, padded tweezers, an observation journal just like the ones scientists use, and a certificate for praying mantis eggs you can have shipped directly to your home.

Discovery Frog Pond Habitat

2009-10-27T19:35:00.001-07:00

The Discovery Frog Pond Habitat is a fun and simple natural science toy. It has a vented, see-though lid that lets young explorers watch tadpoles turn into frogs. The tadpoles are shipped directly to your home and will enjoy a realistic "rainforest" environment in their new, unbreakable, escape-proof habitat.

Discovery Butterfly Canopy

2009-10-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Discovery Butterfly Canopy lets kids watch caterpillars change into beautiful butterflies in a reusable habitat that can be collapsed and stored when not in use. The fine mesh screen allows viewing from all angles and opens easily to allow you to release the butterflies into your garden. Comes with a certificate to have caterpillars shipped directly to your home.

Meade ETX-80BB Backpack Observatory Telescope

2009-10-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

The Meade® ETX-80BB Backpack Observatory Telescope is a portable, lightweight telescope that comes with a durable backpack that has room for the telescope and all its accessories. It also includes the Autostar Computer Controller system which lets you browse and automatically locate more than 1,400 celestial objects.

Discovery Sky & Land Telescope

2007-12-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

Another entry for the best kids' telescope is the Discovery Sky & Land Telescope. It boasts a 70mm aperture which is wide enough to allow good views of moon craters, the rings of Saturn and even far away objects like quasars and nebulae. The telescope looks pretty cool, too with illuminated dials, a star chart light, a hinged lens cap that's practically impossible to lose and a sturdy aluminum tripod which extends to a comfortable 55" viewing height. The tripod also collapses neatly to fit in the light-weight, padded shoulder bag that comes with the telescope. Because of its cool design, ease of use and affordability, the Discovery Sky & Land Telescope gets my vote as one of the best children's telescopes on the market.

Science Kits for Kids

2007-11-21T21:35:00.002-08:00

Today's science kits for kids are a far cry from the junior chemical sets we used to play with in our basements. Easy science experiment kits come with a variety of chemicals, test tubes and racks, safety goggles and tweezers and everything else kids need to set themselves up as mad scientists.

The electronic Snap Circuits kit is an easy way for kids to access their inner Einstein. Simply snap the electronic elements onto a plastic grid, and then connect them together with wire pieces that snap easily into place. And with hundreds of projects to choose from, the electronic Snap Kits wil provide hours of building fun and learning for both you and your child.

Take a look at this list of best-selling science kits for kids and you'll be sure to find the right gift for your very own aspiring mad-scientist!

Kid's Microscopes

2007-11-21T21:35:00.001-08:00

A children's microscope is a magical toy revealing wonderful new worlds never before seen. Modern kid's microscopes are sturdy and safe, made from die cast metal and plastic. The Discovery Macro Microscope comes with a kit which includes slides, specimen bottles and sample specimens and a book of experiments.

Natural Science Toys

2007-11-21T21:34:00.000-08:00

Sea Monkeys are so yesterday. Today's natural science toys are much more interesting and easier to manage. The Discovery Illuminated Ant Gel Habitat, for instance, creates an environment the colony can both live in and eat. Gross, but cool.

There are many other natural science toys such as mini-habitats for butterflies, frogs and insects which help teach children the wonders of nature first hand.

How to Choose the Best Kids' Telescope

2007-11-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

Generations of parents have spent countless nights gazing at the stars through their kids telescope.

What's the best kids' telescope to buy? The aperture (or diameter) of a telescope determines how much your see and in what detail. Power (or magnification) is secondary.

A stable telescope mount is also important or you'll be fighting to stabilize your telescope on a dim point of light. Many telescopes now have powered mounts that track planets and stars. The Meade® DS-2130ATS-LNT Telescope comes with a built in computer that can give you a guided tour of the night sky.