For years I have been a customer of Tag Along Toys. They are a blog advertiser (and very supportive of anything local), but I’m a customer because Patti and her team excel in so many places. Their customer service is amazing and what they offer is unique, great quality and diverse, especially the Arts and Crafts and Science sections.
I recently joined Patti Taggart, owner of Tag Along Toys, at her Bank Street store to chat about her science offerings. Many items on those shelves have made their way into my home in the past or have been selected as gifts for others. She told me that she was expending the science section for both stores and that the response from customers has been fantastic.
This doesn’t surprise me! Science is appealing to almost every kid, no matter their age or gender. Parents like the creativity that’s involved (we are always trying to find new ways to avoid too much screen time, aren’t we?) and the price points are very reasonable. These science kits often make perfect birthday gifts. Many of the sets are under $25.
Here are a five science products that caught my eye when I was in the store. What’s not pictured are all the smaller, mini kits that you can buy for loot bags, birthday gift add-ons and more. Sometimes, you only need a few small kits to keep the kids busy over March Break or on a PD Day!:
Both of my kids have little lab coats that they put on when they are ready to ‘do science’. They also have a mini chemistry set with test tubes and beakers. I often give them coloured water to play with in them, but most starter sets come with ideas and projects for kids to do.
This set gives a hands-on approach to electricity and circuitry to your kids in a safe way. Let their curiosity about how the remote control or the light switch works be put to good use with this set.
Seriously. Wouldn’t that be cool at the park or beach? This remote control metal detector looks like way too much fun, plus, you can sneak in some science learning along the way!
There are a variety of different Green Science kits in store, but they teach kids not only about science, but about eco-technology and energy. Plus, they are at the perfect birthday gift price point if you are looking for something for classmates.
We have boxes of these in the house already. My son also attended a Code for Kids workshop about them and he loves being able to put them together himself and see the results. In fact, below, in his YouTube debut, he’s done a video about Snap Circuits for the blog! In it, he builds two simple projects and chats about why he likes them.
What’s new with Snap Circuits is the the very cool Rover. Kids can build a remote control vehicle that moves! How exciting would that be?
Science is an exciting area for kids. They get to be hands on and learn how the world around them works. While imagination and make believe at any age is important, science and facts can be equally compelling.
What kind of science are your kids into right now?
