MEL Science Kids is a monthly AR‑powered STEM subscription box from MEL Science intended for kids ages 5-10. You can subscribe to the box for $34.90 each month and you’ll get science-themed projects plus a visual explanation of the underlying scientific principles. This subscription uses an app for an AR (augmented reality) science explanation. Each monthly kit contains hands-on experiments, activities, building sets, educational comics, and a unique piece of a great story! You can also gift the box and share the fun with other kids and families!
DEAL: Get 25% off your first month! Use this link and coupon code HELLO25.
They also listed all the box contents and provided us information on how it works.
This is a review of the MEL Science Kids – Ancient Canon box.
We’re so excited to finally open this box!
There’s a blueprint of the project at the inside of the box’s top lid.
A colorful booklet welcomed us when we opened the box! The materials for the project were packed in cute patterned boxes!
Everything in my box!
There’s a hexagonal card that can be scanned with the app for the AR experience!
Here’s how it looks like on the app!
The 3D image on the screen also comes with an explanation regarding how the cannon works.
It’s also interactive, as kids can click on it to see how the cannon will shoot.
Then, there’s a recap to make sure kids understand everything!
This app makes learning extra fun!
There’s also a sticker that the kids can put on the Mystery Planet Map to mark their achievement!
In the first box, we received the Mystery Planet Map for tracking down the kids’ achievements, or the projects that they’ve done.
For this project, it was a little challenging to locate the place where this month’s sticker should go!
There it is! The place for this month’s sticker looks like a place of Ancient Ruins!
The booklet contains educational comics and activities. The comics don’t only tell a story but also explains and gives instructions about the project.
The booklet also provided the list of components to make the ancient cannon: angle sticker, balls, rivets, rubber bands, stoppers, cannon slide, axles, small brace, small barrel walls, barrel base, large brace, barrel walls, trigger, base rails, cannon wall, graded cannon wall, target, and loading slot.
The comic also explains a lot about the scientific principles that underlie every project.
Newt and Zac are on to a new mission!
My kids love the comic part on the booklet!
The booklet also provided clear illustrations that the kids can easily follow to complete the project. Also, it’s best to identify the parts and compare them to the list first so that it will be easier to assemble.
The parts that we are going to assemble looks like puzzle pieces! Each has slots that connect with the others.
My kids easily identified the parts and then started assembling them.
There are also images that remind them to stop and check to see if what they’re doing is correct.
They easily built and secured the cannon’s body!
The parts easily go in but lock securely.
My daughter seriously watched as her brothers worked on assembling most of the cannon parts.
These pages provided the steps and instructions on how to add the loading slot.
Aside from the loading slot, the box also included materials to make the target.
They added the other details that will complete the cannon, like the loading slot.
Here, they are building the lower part of the base of the cannon.
It also includes the correct position of the angle sticker that goes on the base.
Sticking the angle sticker on the right position will make the cannon work efficiently and you can hit your target easily.
After completing the cannon, it’s time to test it out. My son tried different angles first.
There’s a comic strip that shows us how the cannon works!
As they completed the cannon, my kids learned about projectile motion, wherein each moment of flight, the gravity is pulling the ball down, and the launched ball follows a curved line called a parabola. You can also learn more about these Scientific Principles in AR!
There are also things that kids can try to see which angle the cannon must be set to reach the farthest.
There’s another activity on the booklet, which is the ancient trail.
It works like a board game where the kids take turns to roll the dice, answer questions to get extra turns, and race to the end of the trail.
Here’s another on-page activity, which is about completing the missing parts of the statues by drawing them!
It’s time to hit the target using the cannon and the balls! The kids set the right angle before launching the ball on the statue target!
Here’s the finished project for this month! It’s awesome!
Here’s how you can set the angle you want before using your cannon.
The cannon looks complex from this angle, but my kids surely enjoyed building it!
Here’s the slot where the ball goes before launching!
MEL Science Kids is always a blast! We all loved the project and my kids also loved the booklet so much. They enjoyed the comic strips, which was a fun way to explain science principles and the project itself. The on-page activities are fun as well, like the Ancient Trail activity! The instructions in building and using the finished project are made simple and easy to understand and follow. Before proceeding with building this month’s ancient cannon, we did the AR lessons first, which made it easier for my kids to understand the scientific goals of the project first. We all felt triumphant after filling the next space on the Mystery Planet Map with this month’s sticker as well! My kids love everything about this box, it’s definitely one of the best science subscription boxes for younger kids!
What do you think of the MEL Science Kids box?
Visit MEL STEM by MEL Science to subscribe or find out more!
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