Ooze Labs Chemistry Station

Where were chemistry kits like this when I was a kid? It has some excellent experiments, a manual that plainly explains chemistry concepts, and it comes with a chemistry station to put together! Some of the awesome experiments include making a fire extinguisher on a small scale, making color-changing slime, growing salt crystals, making "invisible" ink, and creating an underwater volcano. Some experiments are more basic and recognizable, such as a self-inflating balloon. Even the less "fun" experiments, however, are quite cool because the manual explains why the substances involved work the way they do, and later experiments may use a concept learned in previous ones. Rather than the "throw away" kits that just contain some experiments, but not a lot of useful information, I feel kids can come out with a lot of foundational chemistry knowledge after going through this one! For instance, in the classic "oil and water" experiment, the manual explains that the reason water does not mix with oil is due to water molecules being polar and oil molecules being nonpolar, which is due to the sizes of the atoms that make up the molecules. It then explains that they can be mixed if an emulsifier (dish detergent) is added. This knowledge is then applied to a later experiment with moving colors, which travel because of an emulsifier and the attractions caused by it. As the manual clearly explains the concepts that go along with the experiments, children are able to learn and apply chemistry concepts at the same time. The 20 included experiments can all be done with the enclosed materials and common household items. - Janine