Larry’s Lab Polymer Science Kit – 12 Days of Wonder

By Blog Editor Susan Wells

We have reached Day #6, our halfway point in our 12 Days of Wonder. Today’s spotlight science toy is Larry’s Lab Polymer Science Kit.

Steve Spangler Science is celebrating the 12 Days of Wonder and highlighting our top 12 science toys and kits that are perfect to put under the tree. As blog editor, social media coordinator and mom of two budding scientists, I will share my review of each product. Steve Spangler Science also found 12 respected, popular mom bloggers to each test and review one of our 12 science gifts. I will include a link to their blogs and their honest reviews of each gift idea at the bottom of this post. Today, Liz from The Kitchen Pantry Scientist shares her review. The kit is also the Deal of the Day. So check our blog every day for the next few weeks to learn all about our 12 Days of Wonder.

My Review: 

Water absorbing polymers are some of the most fun and engaging science tools in our catalog. They are ooey, gooey, fun to touch and just plain amazing. I have never met a child or adult that could resist touching and playing with them.

Polymers are long chains of molecules. Some polymers can also absorb a great deal of water. They are called superabsorbent polymers.

Larry’s Kit comes with my favorite water absorbing marbles and large orbs. The large orbs are colored, but the Jelly Marbles are clear and can be colored using food coloring or Fizzy Tablets. They are fun to touch and play with or you can use them for a few lessons in light refraction and magnification. I’ve used Jelly Marbles as ghost eggs and eyeballs at Halloween, a flower vase accent in the spring and frozen them as candle holders at Christmas-time.

Tis the season for Instant Snow. This kit also includes a jar of the original fake snow. You can make snow in seconds by adding water to this dry powder. Kids will beg you to make snow in their hands over and over.

Gravi-goo is a slippery, snot-like goo that will slip and slide when poured between two cups. Add a few Jelly Marbles to the mixture and you really have gooey glop. Gravi-goo will also pull itself out of the cup.

The  final jar in the kit is Water Gel. This polymer will turn from a powder into a doughy solid. This polymer is fun to put into a cup without anyone seeing you do it. Then pour some water in the cup and ask for volunteers to stand bravely under the cup while you turn it upside down over their head.  The polymer will absorb the water so when the cup is held upside down the water won’t come out. Place a playing card over the cup to catch the solid polymer.

Don’t forget to also add Larry to a tub of water and watch him grow.

Larry, the Jelly Marbles and Giant Orbs will all need at least overnight if not several days to fully absorb the water and grow to full size.

Here’s what you get in this kit:

I want to mention what a great deal Larry’s Lab is as a kit. If you were to purchase all five jars of polymers plus Larry individually, the total would be over $55. If you catch Larry’s Lab today on the Deal of the Day, you receive considerable savings on all polymers.

Blogger Review: 

Read the Review from Liz at the The Kitchen Pantry Scientist >

Many thanks to Liz at The Kitchen Pantry Scientist for testing our Larry’s Lab Polymer Science Kit. Visit The Kitchen Pantry Scientist and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.