Elenco Slide Making Kit

by Elenco

Product Features

• Get started in the fascinating study of the microscopic world
• Make your own microscope slides
• Learn how to view them
• Complete kit with clearly written instructions
• Hatch your own brine shrimp for microscopic study

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 11.2 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004YURW
• Item model number: EDU-36700
• Manufacturer recommended age: 10 - 14 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #962 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
  • #1 in Toys & Games > Learning & Education > Science > Microscopes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Learn all about microscope slides, how to make them , how to view them, and how to collect samples for your slides. This kit includes a clearly written instruction manual that will get anyone started in the fascinating study of the microscopic world. Includes: Micro Hatchery, (2) Prepared Slides, (10) Blank Glass Slides, (12) Cover Glasses,(12) Static Slide Covers, (12) Blank Labels, Vial of Eosin, Vial of Shrimp Eggs, Vial of Methylene Blue, Vial of Sodium Chloride, (2) 10mL Graduated Cylinders, (2) Collecting Vials, Tweezers, Dropper, Stirring Rod, 3x and 6x Magnifier, Safety Goggles and Instruction Manual.

Product Description

DIY Slides If you want something done right.... And yes, that includes laboratory slides. This 17-piece slide-making kit includes (10) blanks, (12) cover glasses, labels, and static slide covers, magnifier, (2) vials & graduated cylinders, shrimp eggs, methylene blue, micro-hatchery, goggles, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent beginner's kit, but not great, August 9, 2011

By 

Mojo Mama (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elenco Slide Making Kit (Toy)

Let me start out by saying this is a decent beginners kit. There are more complete kits on amazon, but they are twice the price and not available on prime. If you don't mind paying 10 dollars for shipping and 40 dollars for your kit, there are better options around. I was looking for something to get us started and this does do that, but I'll need to do some more shopping, and parts of the kit aren't going to last long. This kit does NOT contain a blade or a needle, although the box does warn "This toy contains functional sharp needle, also functional sharp edge on scalpel and slicer" so that's a bit confusing. If you are going to prepare many slides, you'll need a blade and needle. It also doesn't come with gum media if you want to make permanent slides, so I'd classify this as a temporary slide making kit.

It comes with 10 blank slides, which isn't a ton, so be prepared to have to buy more slides if you want to make permanent slides, but it's pretty decent if you're making temporary slides and rewashing. It's got two prepared slides (we have grasshopper parts and textiles), 12 blank labels (not that important for temporary slides, in my opinion), 12 glass covers, 12 Statical slide covers, a small plastic magnifying glass, 2 collecting vials, 2 graduated cylinders, a vial of shrimp eggs (these are readily available at aquarium stores), a vial of eosin, a vial of methylene blue (dye), a vial of sodium chloride (this is salt for you non chem people--and I think adding salt was a way to pad the kit and make it sound impressive but it's really a worthless addition), cheap goggles, a "micro hatchery" (for the shrimp eggs...it's a bit pointless), a stirring rod, a dropper, and a pair of plastic tweezers.

The two most worthless parts of this kit are the addition of salt and the shrip eggs/micro hatchery. Salt...I've got it on my table. I don't need it added to a microscope kit so that it can look more impressive. Same thing with the eggs (except I don't have brine shrimp on my table, ha ha). It's cool to make the brine shrimp available and suggest observing their life cycle as a project, but I was more interested in the nuts and bolts of making our own slides, not a science project kit. Same thing with the salt. I didn't need it in the kit so that I could shake it up in some water and observe. That's not what I wanted the kit for. I'd love a little more attention to slides, chemicals, and specimen collection rather than brine shrimp and salt.

Bottom line, this is a decent kit but it's more toy based. If you're looking for a quick jump start into slide making, this absolutely does that (although you will at least need a scalpel or razor blade to do this). However, if you're looking for something more comprehensive, invest in a more professional kit or research and buy your components individually. I can see this opening the door to microscope slide making, but if you spark a long term interest, this kit is going to outlive its usefulness fairly quickly.

57 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All things bright and beautiful, December 5, 2009

By 

Willow (Tn. United States) - See all my reviews

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Elenco Slide Making Kit (Toy)

Ahhhh, we have a microscope, my granddaughter loves our time together using this. She is six.
One day while looking at the pollen from a tulip...she said.." This must be another world...like Alabama ! Her good friend from school had just moved to Alabama and because she was trying to grasp and deal with the idea of her friend being gone ..."as far away as the moon" it may has well have been to "infinity and beyond".....in her mind.
We have used the kits I ordered and bought at a speciality store. Looked at everything from our hair to MY blood and it is magic for me, as well as "SHE" !
Please when you buy a child a gift like this......realize that things must be enjoyed together and with supervision. You can't just hand something over and expect them to learn on their own until they are ready. So if you don't have the time...(((( your loss )))) don't waste your money until they are older and don't wish to share "anything with you"
They dye is toxic...younger kids need supervision. Try the dye on onion skins or fibers it makes the detail much better. I bought her the duo scope...look at my reviews on the other "thing" that looks like a computer screen. DO NOT BUY...it is awfulllllllllllll ! Willow

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just add the microscope, August 9, 2001

By 

Just a girl (Concord, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elenco Slide Making Kit (Toy)

This is a wonderful aproach to science. I still haven't figured out what all the chemicals are for, but looking at anything I can find is cool. Try preparing an onion speciman. Their cells are quite large. It is nice to be able to use the slides over again.