If your kids are naturally creative and inquisitive, these black friday science kit deals are too good to pass up. Including cooking kits, these deals also mean your child can spend days of fun completing experiments.
Playing with science kits not only gives your child a break from staring at a screen for hours at a time but also gives them the opportunity to participate in a hands-on educational experience. Teach them the science behind some impressive magic tricks with the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Science Magic Kit — now 22% at Amazon! The whole family can participate too, as most of these kits have easy-to-follow directions and include everything you’ll need for the experiments.
Check out our list of science kit deals. It's updated regularly so you’ll always know what's in stock. More gifts for kids can be found at Live Science’s Osmo deals.
- Check out STEM & educational toys at Best Buy
- Browse Amazon's deals on science kits
- See the savings on science kits at Walmart
- Take a look at the science kit deals available at Kohl's
- Target has a selection of science kits available
Today's best science kit deals
How to choose a science kit
There are so many options when looking for the perfect science kit for your child or a friend. Here are some factors to think about when scanning the "shelves" for an entertaining and educational kit.
Interest: Some kids have very particular interests that match perfectly with certain science kits. For your dinosaur enthusiast, you can choose from a slew of paleontology-geared kits that let them dig for bones and learn about the Jurassic along the way. A free-spirited naturalist could dive into a bug-catching set, an ant farm or a build-your-own terrarium. For children who have an array of interests, or even those who might want to expand their minds, you can think about the types of activities and experiences they like. A child who loves physical activity might enjoy a stomp-rocket kit or a virtual reality science kit that lets them interact with the universe as an astronaut. Someone with an interest in mixing ingredients for cooking might also love a magic potions kit or one that guides them in making candy while learning about food chemistry.
Materials: Some of these kits come with just enough materials to perform certain experiments one or two times. For instance, an erupting volcano kit can include the plastic basics and the chemicals to perform a few of the illustrated experiments. So you'll need to provide extra household supplies to finish them all. Other kits, like those for growing crystals, tend to include just enough supplies to do one experiment. (If you are looking for items you can recycle or throw away when done, these might be the perfect choice.) Also, check to see whether any of the chemicals or tools involved require parental oversight.
Level of difficulty: Most science kits state the recommended age levels, though if the kit is for a kindergartener who doesn't know how to read yet, you still might need to be involved. For instance, this STEM solar robot kit is rated for ages 8 and up; if your child is 6 and is interested in robot-building, just remember they may need extra guidance along the way.
Mess: When making your science-kit buying choices, clean-up is another factor to consider. Chemistry-based sets tend to make the most mess, with erupting fizz and "smoking" magical concoctions. Dinosaur digging as well as crystal-growing can also be messy. Sometimes, of course, the messier the activity, the more fun and engaging it is for kids. But for a tidier science experience, look no further than robots, electric circuits, coding games and even some of the VR options.
