Holiday Gift Guide: The Young Scientists Club (review)

When I was younger, I loved to experiment with things. My dad encouraged it by buying me a microscope and a lot of other science type things. I want to do the same for my kids, starting with Jeffery. The Young Scientists Club is just what I need to get started!

My dad was into gardening when I was younger, and I helped him, I was taught how a tree goes from a seed to being tall and shady, what it needs to grow and everything! Heck in my Nanny's front yard there is a tree that is HUGE now, that I planted from a seed! Almost all of the trees around my dad's house he started from seeds. He has a lot of pretty flowers and even does a garden in the spring/summer. Why am I talking all this gardening stuff? Because we were sent Science on a Gardening Adventure from The Young Scientists Club! This kit has everything we need to learn the ins and outs of plants, soil, insects and everything else you need to know about growing a garden! I can't wait until it warms up a little for us to pull this baby out and start planting things! The kit includes:

• 8 peat pellets
• pH Chart
• pH Tray
• Gardening Tray
• pipette
• 8 Popsicle sticks
• Plastic terrarium
• pebbles
• charcoal
• paper towel wicks
• plastic cup
• data notebook
• ruler
• construction paper
• circular cardboard
• foil
• clay
• wooden dowel
• 4 plastic bugs (ant, spider, beetle and dragonfly)
• Sticker sheet
• 6 packets of seeds (wheat, spinach, beans, zinnia, marigolds and mixed seeds)
• shovel
• rake
• watering can

Some of those things may seem odd for a gardening kit, and they did to me too until I read the instruction booklet about all the experiments there are to do, the charcoal (that was the oddest one for me!) is for the terrarium experiment about not having to water plants because it recycles itself. The clay is for making a sundial, and most of the other is self explanatory. The one thing I hope they improve is the terrarium, its SMALL, really, they expect plants to grow in it but after all the parts are in it, there isn't much room at all for them to grow before you have to take them out and plant them outside. Everything else is great, you soak the peat pellets in water for a few minutes and then use the little rake that is included to break it up and you have instant soil! I've never messed with pH before so that will be fun to do with Jeffery, I remember watching my dad do it though. I love how EVERYTHING is included, pretty much all you need from home is water! I took the kit over to Dad's house when I got it and showed him, he was intrigued by it, and I'm sure it'll be the 3 of us doing all the experiments (Jeffery, Dad and myself). It will be a great bonding experience for all of us!

The Young Scientists Club has much more than just Science on a Garden Adventure, they have difference series of kits, this one was from their Nature. They have a Magic School Bus series, The Young Scientists series, Adventure Science series, plus much more! Any of their kits would make the perfect gift for any kid this holiday season!!