The new kits are designed to introduce different scientific topics, with fun facts and interesting hands-on experiments, and Thames and Kosmos have sent us 2 to review - Amazing Minerals and Crystal Geode.
The Amazing Minerals Experiment Kit is a nicely presented digging kit with 2 tools, magnifying glass and the familiar chunk of plaster containing the hidden treasure.
The instructions suggest you behave like a real geologist or archaeologist, marking your area into squares and working in sections. My son really liked this idea and it was around 30 minutes before he had proudly excavated all three of his precious stones.
Each kit contains a purple Amethyst, a milky white piece of Mountain Crystal Quartz and a stony, glittery piece of Pyrite, or Fool's Gold. Before you uncover them though, you really have no idea what shape or size they'll be, or just how pretty.
I think we did very well and my 9 year old is very happy - especially with his Fool's Gold!
First you need to dissolve one of the sachets of chemical 'Crystal Powder' (Potassium Aluminium Sulphate) into warm water to create a 'seed crystal', and leave it to sit until the 'seeds' are ready to be taken out. I had expected the 'seeds' to be more chunky, but here they are, small and beautiful.
Use the plaster of Paris to create your geode 'rock' and scatter the seed crystals onto the damp plaster. Let that dry for 24 hours.
When the 'rock' is dry, mix up the second sachet of Crystal Powder and add in the colour dye sachet. Pour the dyed chemical mix into the rock, sit back and wait for your crystals to grow. Once you are happy with your formation, you can remove the plastic mould and tip away the excess liquid and crumbs of tiny loose crystals that are created.
It takes a few days and it's entirely my fault that we haven't yet been able to complete this... I promise I will post our progress on my Instagram account!
I love these kits. They're carefully thought out, interesting and the instruction leaflets are very clear and easy to follow. My children needed a little help with the Crystal Geode kit because you have to heat your mixture, but it's well worth 5 minutes adult supervision to be able to do a more tricky and 'grown up' scientific experiment, and my children learned a lot about how to be safe and sensible while heating and moving chemicals.
The full range of MBE STEM kits available are:
Amazing Minerals – excavate minerals like a real geologist!
Bouncing Planets – space fans will love making their own bouncy-ball planets in various colours.
Crystal Geode – this kit includes all the ingredients and instructions needed to grow your own crystals in a self-cast plaster mould.
Crystal Growing – from white crystal salt and water, this pack shows children how easy it is to create their own fascinating crystals.
Prehistoric Sea Dogs – an unusual ‘pet’ for Easter, this experiment kit lets kids breed their own prehistoric crustacean.
Molecule Beads – As if by magic, turn liquids into slimy giant molecules!
Monster Putty – make playful monsters or funky aliens with this amazing ‘Intelligent putty’.
Magic Tricks – Each pack includes a collection of magic ingredients
There are 8 different sets in the Thames And Kosmos MBE STEM Kit range and they are newly available now priced £8.99rrp. You can find loads of Thames And Kosmos kits online on Amazon (*affiliate link).
Thames And Kosmos have kindly offered my readers a chance to win an MBE STEM Kit (chosen at random) for yourselves. Entry to the sweepstake/giveaway is via the Gleam form below and it is open to UK entrants only. The giveaway will end at midnight Sunday 19th May.
For a link to help with Gleam or to see my other current UK Giveaways, please see my Giveaways Page...
MBE STEM Science Kits Giveaway (age 8+) Sent by Thames And Kosmos
We were sent our kits for review. *Amazon links are affiliate, which never costs you anything more, but earns me a few pence if you buy through my link. I'm not paid to cover children's STEM, so it helps keep the website free.
During a recent holiday on the Isle of Arran, I saw a kingfisher hovering over a stream! It has to be the prettiest of birds I have ever seen - it's feathers were so vibrant!
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ReplyDeleteI would also be Fossils that I found.
ReplyDeleteIt was a sunset one evening. The weather that day wasn’t particularly spectacular, but I walked down the road to be greeted by those clouds. Beautiful pinks fading into bright yellow. It was certainly the most sublime combination of colours I have ever witnessed. I’ve never seen a sunset that compared since.
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ReplyDeleteIt was a few,months ago.it was a tree that looked just like a human. My little girl was fascinated xx
ReplyDeleteI think it has to be fossils for me too - fossilised fish, in a quarry in Caithness. It's so exciting to split open a piece of slate and see the remains, knowing you are the first person to see it for many thousands of years
ReplyDeleteMargaret Clarkson
ReplyDeleteVarious fossils including ammonites and belamites
A ghost of an old lady picking flowers in the garden.
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ReplyDeletemy husbands boss found a fossil in a quarry before he sold it on for loads!
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ReplyDeleteFound fossils along the north Norfolk coast
ReplyDeleteWe found a fossil whilst digging a huge hole in a friends garden when we were younger, we were trying to get to the other side of the world :)
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ReplyDeletewe often go to an abandoned quarry to hunt for fossils we are yet to find any tho i did once find a cool rock in the shape of mans bits but it was huge so couldnt take it home lol
ReplyDeleteHermit crabs, the kids were fascinated by them.
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ReplyDeleteFossils on the beach
ReplyDeleteFound fossils on the north east coast
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