Customer Reviews

Scientific Explorer Backyard Explorer Kit Science Kit

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The big draws for this kit were the worm motel, sundial and microscope. Turns out, if you look carefully at what is actually included in the box, you are only provided the instructions and some very minor equipment to make the worm motel and sundial. Everything else has to be provided by you. I felt sick when I realized this after my nephew opened this as his birthday present and there was hardly anything in the huge box.

The microscope was included, but wasn't as I expected. If you look carefully at the picture on the box, you will see that the microscope is actually more like a magnifying glass. Not only was this a disappointment, it was also very fragile. It comes in two parts which are not connected in any way. The first time my nephew used it, the top piece fell off and broke when it hit the floor. I wouldn't say it was sturdy enough for any child to keep it in good working order for long.

Save your money and buy the items you are interested in separately as this kit was not what it advertises.

You could probably just make some of the stuff in this kit out of empty plastic yogurt cups, popsicle sticks, strings, elastic bands etc. Doesn't seem all that special or worth spending your money on.

I bought this kit for my 5-year-old great nephew to play with at our family reunion. We had rented cabins in a beautiful wooded area outside of Asheville, NC. My great nephew played with it for a long time every day and had a wonderful time exploring the area with his grandfather, dad, mom-- anyone who would go outside with him! It really sparked his interest and curiosity in nature. He said he was looking forward to checking out what critters he could find in his own backyard.

The Backyard Explorer Kit is great for exploring nature right outside the backdoor. Kids will love chasing down creepy crawlies with the small nifty bug net. The kit also contains a nice plastic storage case with removable dividers for sorting and dividing all those wonderful treasures that are found. The best part of this kit is the "two-way viewer." Thanks to magnified lens and mirrors, kids can watch a small bug in the two-way viewer, safely observing the creature from the side and the top. I had just as much fun as the kids did when we watched an ant in the two-way viewer! For further instructions with this kit or perhaps for adding in more educational value, this kit also contains a helpful explorer's guide. The guide lists 7 activities for utilizing the kit as well as interesting information such as fun facts about worms and a challenge for kids to discover if a rock is hard or soft.

I received this item complimentary in exchange for an honest review. The opinions in this review are all mine.

Sorry, this was a gift for my grandson. I rarely get any feedback from him or his family. I bought it on his parents' recommendation. Looked like a nice idea for pointing grandson into scientific/engineering.