11 Science Gifts for Your Favorite Kid or Kid-at-Heart
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Looking for a wholesome gift for a science-loving kid (or nerdy adult) in your life? We’ve got you covered with educational kits, desktop toys, books, and fun projects. Prices here range from $10 to $227, so there are options for every budget. Enjoy!
National Geographic Amazing Chemistry Set
The chemistry set.
The gift: National Geographic Amazing Chemistry Set
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Why it’s great: This chemistry set includes 45 experiments, offering tons of different ways to play with and learn about our chemical world. Ages 8 and up.
Price: $40
Where to buy:
Randall Munroe’s ‘What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions’
The cover of Randall Munroe’s sequel, What if? 2.
The gift: What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
Why it’s great: This book provides a deep analysis of impossible and ridiculous science scenarios (what if you made a lava lamp out of real lava?), complete with Munroe’s iconic illustrations. It’s fun, taken seriously.
Price: $19
Where to buy:
What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Snap Circuits SC-300
The gift: SNAP CIRCUITS SC-300
Why it’s great: It’s a not-too-complex introduction to circuitry for kids. If you’re looking for something less involved than an Arduino, this is the gift for you. Ages 8 and up.
Price: $70
Where to buy:
Crookes Radiometer
A Crookes radiometer.
The gift: Crookes Radiometer
Why it’s great: This is made of glass, so more appropriate for older kids. Radiometers measure flux in electromagnetic radiation; the vanes within the radiometer rotate when exposed to light. The more intense the light is, the faster the vanes rotate. Great for a student who’s starting to get a little more homework and wants something more interesting than a paperweight on their desk. Seriously, I got one of these in 8th grade and still love to watch it while I work.
Price: $27
Where to buy:
Build-Your-Own Pinhole Camera
The gift: Paper Pinhole Camera
Why it’s great: If you think your child would like photography, or if you’ve never delved into the fundamentals of the art form, a pinhole camera is a great introduction to how photography works.
Price: $10
Where to buy: Exploratorium Store
Gskyer Telescope
The gift: Gskyer Telescope
Why it’s great: Telescopes are always a difficult purchase. Generally, you get what you pay for—which can mean a steep price for quality. But if you want to balance an “entry level” telescope with one that does the job, this could be the telescope for you. It can make out much more than just the Moon—provided, of course, that you have a clear and dark sky available.
Price: $227.99
Where to buy:
LEGO LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox Robot-Making Kit
The gift: LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox (Robot-Making Kit)
Why it’s great: It’s a great starter set for getting your kid into robotics. You do need a tablet to use the associated app for the robot, so the gift could be cost-prohibitive. But if you or your child is already familiar with LEGO products, this goes a step further: Once you build the toy, you can animate it.
Price: $185
Where to buy:
DIY Music Box
The gift: Make Your Own Music Box
Why it’s great: If you have a basic understanding of sheet music (or if you want to learn!), this kit is for you. Punch holes in strips of sheet music and crank them through the music box to hear your favorite tunes in an old-timey fashion.
Price: $22
Where to buy: Uncommon Goods
A Tesla Coil Arc Speaker
The gift: Tesla Coil Arc Plasma Loudspeaker
Why it’s great: This device allows you to connect to a Tesla coil via bluetooth and watch it arc with the music. The Tesla coil will interfere with electronics when in operation, so keep your phone clear while it’s going.
Price: $96
Where to buy:
Newton’s Cradle
A Newton’s cradle.
The gift: Newton’s Cradle
Why it’s great: It’s a classic science gift, and for good reason. This to-the-point doodad shows off a physics fundamental: the conservation of momentum and energy.
Price: $14
Where to buy:
National Geographic Science Kit: DIY Siege Weaponry
The set and its contents.
The gift: National Geographic Model Battalion: Ballista, Bombard, Catapult
Why it’s great: Let’s put it this way. If someone told you you could have three medieval siege weapons for the price of a new shirt, wouldn’t you skip the shirt? This kit will walk your child through building a ballista (a large, wheeled crossbow), a bombard (an early cannon), and a catapult. Don’t worry—they’re made of wood and rubber bands—but their projectiles can launch up to 15 feet, and there will be some trajectories to work out…
Price: $29.99
Where to buy:
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