DiscoverThis.com

Science kits for girls or not?

DiscoverThis — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:11:08 +0000

All kids love to explore, learn and have fun and as part of our commitment to offer the best quality science kits and science toys we have traditional chemistry sets, experiment kits and more. I have two daughters and they help test products and are very involved in providing feedback about what they like and what they don’t like. We have created our gift suggestion pages to help parents and grandparents decide what to buy. I read in a recent trade journal a debate amongst toy industry leaders about what makes a “girls toy” (read the article here) The discussion of whether the separate marketing of toys to girls and boys is social engineering or rather a reflection of our society is interesting. Seems like a chicken and egg discussion to me. I don’t know of anyone who would disagree that children need equal opportunity to learn, especially science. A quick sidebar — in trying to figure out the origin of linking pink to girls, it appears that it is a post-WWII phenomenon, so relatively recent.

Back to the point of this post….. Every few months or so, I get an angry or upset email from someone (usually female) protesting the fact that we have a Science Gifts for Boys section and a Science Gifts for Girls section. The argument is that we are perpetuating the stereotypical myths about girls not being good in science and we should wake up and treat everyone equally. The most recent email is:

“I noticed that you have chemistry kits listed under boys(4-8)…but not under girls(4-8). You have a princess garden, and a couple other ideas for girl sin this age bracket…..but not as many kits geared towards chemistry. How are we supposed to encourage our daughters to pursue scientific careers, when this stigma still occurs that science is for boys. You can find the stigma under GIFT CENTER IDEAS (for girls/boys) this should be a unisex category. Every sub-category of science is for all genders!!!”

Believe me, we are not making any attempt at social engineering, but rather hoping to help well-intended parents and grandparents make choices about what to buy. As to the question of “how are we supposed to encourage our daughters….”, yes, we all make our choices about what to purchase for our kids and what to spend time on with them, so ultimately this is up to you! Our lists are suggestions only based on feedback we’ve received from our thousands of happy customers. Our gender-neutral science gift ideas pages are prominently featured throughout our site. (you actually have to go looking pretty hard to find the gender-specific ones) And please, feel free to buy the spa science kit for your 10 year old boy.

Ants!

DiscoverThis — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:10:27 +0000

If you’re looking for a science project for the spring, think about something that can teach kids responsibility. A live creature is a great low risk way to do that. most ant farms and bug kits are fairly inexpensive and a great way to have kids be responsible for feeding/watering/etc…

Depending on where you live, the ants themselves may not be available to ship in the winter since they would die in the mail, but don’t worry, as soon as spring hits, the bugs will be crawling!

Eggciting Classroom Curriculum Game

DiscoverThis — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:00:03 +0000

Eggspert is an exciting game system for your classroom. Create your own games or use your existing curriculum. Plays like “Jeopardy” and kids can buzz in if they know the answer. Buy Wireless Eggspert at Discoverthis.com.

Owl Puke!

DiscoverThis — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:39:01 +0000

Owl pellets are one of the many interesting things to explore in the wild. The pellets are generally an oval shaped mass of bones, teeth, hair and other non-digestible pieces of an owls’ prey. They are produced by raptors including hawks, eagles and other birds that swallow their food whole. Dissecting owl pellets is a great educational experience, however they provide habitat for bugs and creepy crawlies and so it is preferable to not remove from the wild. Owl pellets are also extremely unsanitary for kids to be playing with. Traditionally, they would be collected in the wild and then baked to kill any germs. We are pleased to offer synthetic owl pellets! These are molded from actual skeletons of a starling, vole or mole and include information about owls, their prey and owl pellets. They come with synthetic fur and bones wrapped in foil. Simply unwrap and begin exploring. Choose from the Starling, Mole, or Vole Skeleton.

New 2010 Science Kits from Thames and Kosmos

DiscoverThis — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:09:10 +0000

Just got our sneak preview of new kits coming out this year from one of our favorite manufacturers Thames and Kosmos. They will be introducing:

Stirling Engine Kit power a car with solar generated electricity
Chem C100 Chemistry KitConduct experiments on household substances to reveal their unique chemical properties
Sustainable Earth Lab – experiments to save our planet
Recycled Paper Press – Recycle your old scrap paper, old newspapers and tissue paper into beautiful hand-crafted paper.

Look for these and more exciting science kits this year!

Top Science Kits for Christmas

DiscoverThis — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:16:43 +0000

Our top selling science kits for the Christmas season were:

1. Visible V8 Engine Kit
2. C1000 Chemistry Kit
3. C2000 Chemistry Kit
4. Smithsonian Crystal Growing Kit
5. Disgusting Science

We wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year!

Power House Experiment Kit

DiscoverThis — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:29:11 +0000

This kit is a great way to learn a holistic approach to alternative energy and the seasons. Designed to conduct experiments throughout the year, the Power House Experiment Kit is an intriguing narrative of living on a deserted island. You will learn to harness solar, wind and more. Targeted at ages 12 and up, homeschoolers and schools will love working on the experiments throughout the year.

Water Rocket

DiscoverThis — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:15:57 +0000

Water, pressure and projectile! What could be more fun. Checkout our great Water Rocket. Launch over and over! We tested it and had great results! After about 10 launches, the fins needed repair, but a little duct tape and they were good as new!

Robotic Arm on TV

DiscoverThis — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:11:05 +0000

On a recent episode of FlashForward, did you happen to notice the robotic arm on the desk of the Japanese girl? It looks a lot like our Robotic Arm Edge. Check it out!

Green Toys Videos

DiscoverThis — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:24:24 +0000

If you’re looking for quality, eco-friendly gifts for the holiday season, look no further than Green Toys. Made in the USA with recycled milk jugs, these toys are sure to be a hit. Checkout the videos here and buy online: Green Toys Tea Set, Green Toys Dump Truck, Green Toys Recycling Truck.