Exploring Earth - Science Kit Review!

 

If your child loves to collect rocks, loves science or enjoys learning about earth then the exploring earth kit from The Young Scientists Club line sold by Horizon Group USA would make the perfect gift for them this holiday season. This fun kit comes with a dig kit along with supplies for a few science based hands on projects your child will have fun completing. It is recommended for ages five to seven, however I see no reason a child older than seven wouldn't enjoy this as well.

One or two of the projects in this kit can get a little messy so I would suggest doing this kit when the weather is a little nicer out so you can complete them outside & save yourself the hassle. If heading outside to complete the projects isn't an option, you can always lay down a plastic table cloth which will help collect any messes. In total there are sixteen activities included  in this kit & not all of them need to be completed at once so your child can spread them out over the course of a few days. The first project we dove into was the mineral dig, in the book it shows that it is supposed to come with eight minerals in total - four that have been polished & four that are unpolished. Our kit only came with seven of the minerals, we completely broke apart the block then even smashed the pieces into dust to check for the lost gem but it was no where to be seen, while a small bummer it is alright because we still love the others. It came with a little wooden chisel, but I was surprised that a little wooden hammer wasn't included as there is usually a chisel/hammer set in the dig kits we've done in the past. To help contain the mess we did the dig kit on the inside of the box everything came in & did it out on our front porch because the chalk the gems are buried in tends to get everywhere. 

The second project I would suggest potentially doing outside is the exploding volcano, chances are it won't end up everywhere but just in case we did this outside too for an easier clean up. Thankfully we have everything on hand that is needed for this project minus the volcano cone which comes with this kit. I like that the booklet that comes with this kit telling you how to complete the projects also has fun facts about the earth & spots for you to write down your observations of the projects you complete. This kit would make a great kit to use any time of the year & I think it would make a great gift as well for any child in your life interested in STEM projects. 

My son is nine so he was able to complete all of these projects by himself, younger children may need a help with a step or two of the process which works out because the projects are fun to do together. Horizon Group USA sells this kit along with dozens of others across their lines that are perfect for young children, all of the kits are fun yet educational, plus the best part of all is that they are affordable. You can purchase their products on Amazon, or at big box stores such as Walmart, Michaels Craft Stores, Etc. 

Disclaimer-  Horizon Group USA provided me with the products mentioned above for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. 

Arizona Science Center a great spot for hands on learning!

 

Phoenix families are you looking for a fun activity to do together before school starts back up for the year? Why not spend a few hours at the Arizona Science Center, where you'll have fun & keep the brain active while learning something new. The science center has four levels of exhibits to explore, along with their featured exhibit which changes frequently. The current featured exhibit is called "Survival of the Slowest" where you'll be able to see real life critters on display & learn fun facts about all of the different "slow" species. Tickets are $21.95 for adults & $15.95 for ages 3-17, admission includes all of their regular exhibits - tickets for the featured exhibit, planetarium, and theatre cost extra. They also sell memberships that are a one time payment & you'll be able to visit as many times through out the year as you'd like. The science center is located in downtown phoenix, the address is 600 E. Washing St. Phoenxi,Arizona 85004. 

Once you arrive, you can choose how you'd like to explore the science center, you can work your way up or down. We decided to head to the top floor & work our way down, we had arrived about 11am and wanted to attend the survival of the slowest show at 12:15pm so we made sure we were exploring the floor it was on so we didn't miss it. All the of exhibits offer hands on activities & experiences for both kids and adults to enjoy, ranging from building with Legos to digitally morphing a photo by pressing different buttons.  

The featured exhibit was personally my favorite part because they have close to two dozen different live critters for you to see up close. I was pretty impressed with how large their enclosures were for each animal, they were bigger than some zoo enclosures I've seen for animals of similar styles/species. Along the way you'll get to learn facts about all the animals plus other animals that aren't there in person. They have two shows daily where a staff member will talk about animals & even show you one or two of the animals. When we were there they pulled out the boa & let everyone touch it, then everyone had the opportunity to help feed the tortoises. 

We also stopped by to watch a presentation in the Planetarium. The kids really enjoyed the presentation on the solar system, it took you on a 360 degree virtual trip through the stars and planets. Along the way you'll learn about the solar system & take mini polls along the way answering by clicking the buttons on the handle of your chair. Who grew up learning that Pluto was a planet & thinks it should still be considered a planet vs a dwarf planet? 

During our visit we had a lot of fun exploring all of the various exhibits & getting to interact with what was available. There are so many things to enjoy at the science center that this post would end up being gigantic if I told you about everything they have to offer which is why it is best for you to check out the fun for yourself! I will also be putting together a Instagram reel highlighting some of the things we did while at the science center & you can click here to see a quick reel of some of the critters they have on display at Survival of the Slowest. 

I really enjoy that the science center isn't geared towards just younger children, teens & adults will have a great time as well. I personally like the "My Digital World" Exhibit & the "Forces of Nature"! One of the hands on activities in the my digital world area is this cylinder that is filled with tiny yellow & blue beads with one singular red bead thrown in. You are able to spin the cylinder round & round letting the beads roll as you turn it so you can try and spot the read bead, I was pretty excited when I was the first one out of my group to spot the red bead! In total we spent about three and a half hours exploring the science center, we arrived at 11am on a Saturday & were happy to find it was super crowded, plus with the way they have everything set up it allows everyone to have room to enjoy the exhibits. 

A few things to know before you go! Parking is not included with your ticket, there are several parking garages in the area however the science center will only validate your parking if you park in the Heritage & Science Park garage, you can google it or there is a map on their website showing where it is located. This will allow you to park for cheaper. They do have a snack vending machine that I spotted near the front entrance, but they do not have a restaurant at the science center so you may want to look into eating before you go, or stopping at a near by restaurant once you are done. The science center provides a list of close restaurants on the back of the map of the science center to make it easier for you to find a place to eat. If you want to really make the most of your day & beat the Arizona heat by staying indoors the Children's Museum of Phoenix is located quite close to the science center, you can find info on that by clicking here.

My family & I had a wonderful time at the science center and will definitely be keeping an eye on their social media pages to see what the next featured exhibit is. They also have various events & programs you can participate in, all of which can be found on their website. A little extra info; if you are a EBT card holder the science center is park of the Museums for all program where you can get tickets to the science center for $3 per person (you'll need to reserve your tickets ahead of when you want to visit).

Disclaimer- The Arizona Science Center provided tickets to the science center + tickets for the featured exhibit/planetarium for the review free of charge, no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.