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The Top 10 Science Experiment Kits for Elementary

If your kids love science, or you are hoping to develop a love of science in your kiddos, then you’ll want to check out this list of science experiment kits for elementary!

Parents and teachers alike will love the science enrichment that these science experiment kids will provide for elementary kids. Science experiment kids make wonderful STEM gifts for kids!

The 10 best science experiment kits for elementary! Everything elementary kids need to do science in one simple and complete kit!

The Best Science Experiment Kits for Elementary Kids

We like doing open-ended creative STEM activities and science experiments for kids, but sometimes, it’s nice to have a kit all ready-to-go.

These science lab kits for elementary are sure to instill a lifelong love of science in your kids or students.

Keep reading to find out what our favorite science experiment kits for elementary kids are!

Why Purchase Science Experiment Kits for Kids?

best science project kits

If you’re not a science teacher or a scientist, you might wonder whether it’s a good idea to purchase science lab kits for elementary kids.

I believe that every child can become a science lover if exposed to the right kinds of projects.

After all, I thought I hated science when I was a kid until I realized how fun it could be. Thanks to hands-on science kits, my kids have developed a love of science that has traveled with them throughout life.

How to Choose Science Experiment Kits for Elementary Students

Here’s hwo to pick the best science experiment kits for your kids.

Here’s how to make cloud bread.

First of all, you need to choose a science project kit that is aligned with your kids’ interests. If your kids love building, you’ll want a kit that has an engineering focus.

But if your kids love chemistry, then you’ll want a science kit that focues on that.

Next, make sure the science kit isn’t too easy or too difficult for your child. I’ve found that, usually, most kits that we try are suited more for the top specified age range rather than the bottom.

And finally, make sure your child won’t get overwhelmed by too many options or supplies.

Our favorite kits tend to have fewer experiments with fewer supplies, but if your kids like big, complicated projects, you may prefer kits with more experiments.

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Where to Buy Educational Science Kits

Science Lab Kits for Elementary

When possible, I like to purchase our science project kits directly from the manfacturer, but you can also find many of these science subscription kits on Amazon or at big-box retailers.

The Best Science Kits for Kids

One of my favorite things to gift my kids at Christmas and birthdays are science lab kits for elementary. The science project kits listed below are some of our very favorite kits!

Jarring Science Club

Ages: 5-12

Best for: Teachers who want NGSS-alignment, homeschoolers, kids who like open-ended projects

Price: $16-$24

The Jarring Science Club is one of the best science kits out there. It offers 4 new projects a month that are aligned to NGSS standards and dive deeper into the science than many science experiment kits for kids.

Every subscription gets access to over 100 hands-on science lessons that you can do at home in a jar. Plus you get access to video tutorials, worksheets, lesson packets, and even quizzes for each lesson.

The only downside to this science experiment kit is that it is digital only. You are responsible for finding the supplies for each lesson, but thankfully, the supplies are usually things you’ll already have at home.

Mel Kids

Ages: 5-8

Best for: Kids who get overwhelmed with big kits, kids who like completing projects alone, parents who want detailed science explanations

Price $35

The Mel Kids science kit is one of our all-time favorite science experiments kits for elementary students. We’ve been trying the kits out with my second-grader, and she LOVES them.

While she usually ignores the science booklets in other kits, the AR app in Mel Kids kept her attention and really helped her understand the science behind the activity (which I was happy to see she was able to read and complete almost completely on her own).

The only tiny gripe I have is that the cartoon “hosts” are both male. One should be a female. Science is for everyone!

Science Experiments Kits for Elementary Students

Mel Chemistry

Ages: 8-12

Best for: Kids who love chemistry, kids who like completing projects alone, parents who want detailed science explanations

Price: $35

You can’t go wrong with a Mel Chemistry subscription. My kids LOVE the Mel Science kits and I love that the science lessons go beyond the basics of “make a volcano.”

I like that the Mel Chemistry kit in particular gives kids access to real science tools they would usually only find in a lab that are too expensive to purchase for household use (some of the liquids can cost 100s of dollars!), but the projects are still safe enough for home use.

Every time my kids open a kit, they are excited to see what’s inside.

Mel Physics

Ages: 10-16

Best for: Kids who love physics, kids who like completing projects alone, parents who want detailed science explanations

Price: $35

I’m a huge fan of the Mel Science kits, even though they are a bit pricey. I find them to offer themes and projects that you don’t find in most other science experiment kits and the added element of AR and VR really helps take the lessons to the next level.

The projects look exciting and kids are delighted to unlock the mysteries of the earth with these projects. The physics kit is ideal for older kids who may have outgrown the other subscriptions in this list.

STEM-ist Box

Ages: 8-12

Best for: Builders and tinkerers, parents who want a well-rounded STEM box

Price: $30

The STEM-ist box leans mainly toward an engineering STEM kit, but it also has some science explanations for it’s project.

This kit sometimes skews a little “crafty” particularly if your kids tend to ingnore the science booklets, but if your kids love building and making things, like my eldest, then they will have a blast with this kit.

Young Creator’s Club

Ages: 5-8

Best for: younger scientists, kids who like building and inventing, families with multiple age groups.

Price: $30

The Young Creator’s Club is a younger version of the STEM-ist box. Basically, the science lessons are simpler and the projects are easier to make.

Each lesson focuses on a common science topic, like flight, electricity, and gravity. If your younger kids love building and creating, then they will enjoy these science lab kits for elementary.

STEMed Discovery Box

Ages: 7-12

Best for: young kids, “wow” projects

Price: $84 for 3 months

The STEMed Discovery boxes include 3 projects per box, which in my opinion, is about perfect for a subscription box.

However, the supplies are a bit overwhelming and easy-to-lose. Kids won’t get bored with these boxes as a full range of STEM activities are included, beyond basic science experiments.

The science explanations are a bit skimpy, but it’s a fun way to introduce kids to STEM who may be reluctant to explore science.

Get the rock candy experiment here!

Club SciKidz Labs

Ages: 7-12

Best for: Kids interested in science careers, well-rounded STEM lessons

Price: $35

Club SciKidz, despite the somewhat cringy name, offers well-rounded science kits for elementary students.

Each of the boxes are loosely based on careers in science and STEM, which is enjoyable for kids who want to discover how science is used in the real world.

At almost $35 a month, this kit is one of the priciest on the list, and the sort of fiddly assortment of supplies can get overwhelming if your kids are like mine and try to dive into everything at once.

Still, it’s a great option for more “serious” kids who love science project kits.

Spangler Science Club

Ages: 5-12

Best for: Budget conscious families, kids new to science

Price: $11-$18

What we like about the Spangler science club is that it’s one of the cheapest on this list! The lab kit option starts at just over $11 for 5 activities.

However, we prefer the delux kit (just over $17) because it comes with 10 experiments!

One thing about this kit is that it can be overwhelming for some kids. I’ve found that with my kids, sometimes the boxes that have fewer experiments per box are the ones we actually do.

Also, there are no NGSS alignments for these lessons, and some of the boxes tend to be super basic and a bit vague on the science.

However, it’s a fantastic box for dipping your toe into educational science kits for a low monthly cost!

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More STEM Gift Ideas for Kids

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