Newton's Lab Physics Experiment Kits Review (Age 10+) Sent for review.

We've been sent 2 of the brilliant build-it-yourself cardboard science kits from Newton's Lab to review. Made by Kikkerland, they are very carefully designed build-it-yourself physics-based engineering and science kits suitable for older children aged around 10 or over. 

I'm really keen that toys should last for decades, or be made with the Earth in mind (or both if possible). Children's science kits often include throwaway items, or tons of plastic bags, and you end up feeling like you might well be a part of the problem. The Newton's Lab kits are very much recycled cardboard with a couple of other pieces for stability or durability, packaged in a recycled cardboard box.

There are 8 different 'experiment kits' available, we've been sent the Catapult (rrp £15) and Wind Energy (rrp £20), which is an LED lighting kit powered by your own breath. 

Contents are in a reusable plastic bag, and we had detailed instructions inside the Wind Energy set.

The instructions are also printed on the box - and this is my one real gripe. Yellow on brown is incredibly hard to see. We had to take photos and zoom in to see the diagrams for the catapult. They are very easy to follow however, and the build is quite intuitive. Our 12 year old worked alone on the catapult. 

Everything you'll need is inside the box. The die-cut cardboard parts, and other items including a fan head, electric motor and LED light for the windmill, and elastic band and 'S' hook for the catapult. They even include sticky dots or tape if the kit requires it, and no gluing or cutting is necessary. These are a good kit for when you're away from home, and a great gift to post - very light and the box is robust. 

The kits teach children a lot about physics, and require a bit of care and concentration. My boys were keen to get started and neither stopped until they'd completed their models, so that's a clear win. They were genuinely proud of what they'd made. 

The Catapult is really effective. It has a lot of power and the release system works well. There are 3 targets in 3 different sizes, so we all attempted to get the ball through 1 or more in a single shot. This is a lot harder than it looks, but it is great fun. The targets work really well, and it's an opportunity to learn more about physics - trajectory, speed, distance, and power. 

My 14 year old built the Wind Energy set. This incorporates electricity, using a simple circuit and an LED, and I personally found it a really exciting set, which creates a beautiful working model. 

You need to blow quite hard to get the LED to light up, and it is incredibly satisfying. The light shines through the little tissue paper windows, which is a really clever bit of design and very rewarding.

I love these kits. My children had an excellent afternoon putting them together and playing with them. There's loads of scope for expanding your understanding, adding to the design or making changes to see the effect, and challenging yourself to do something better. They're really rewarding, Earth-friendly and very affordable. 

There are 8 different Newton's Lab sets, and each experiment kit demonstrates a different scientific principle - including optics, hydraulic forces, gravitational forces, and aerodynamics. They are all available direct from the Kikkerland EU website, with free shipping on all orders over €29.99. PayPal and Visa/Mastercard payments accepted.

 

We were sent our kits for review.