Girls Can Crate is a monthly subscription for children between 5 and 10 years of age that promotes the idea that girls can do whatever they set their minds to. Each month features a different female pioneer whose story inspires girls to achieve. Each box includes a 20-page activity book that includes the heroine’s story, 2-3 STEAM activities, and creative play props. Boxes cost $29.95 each month with themes that celebrate female pioneers from diverse backgrounds, but the activities themselves are usually gender-neutral.
DEAL: Save 15% on your first box! Use coupon code HELLO15.
The box is always full of fun stuff and activities.
The items were cushioned with bright yellow squiggles. Some items were also protected by plastic.
There’s a pamphlet that lists what’s inside the crate. This month, we’re celebrating the life of Adriana Ocampo!
Meanwhile, these are pointers on how to be a go-getter!
Everything in the box!
Every box includes a booklet featuring information about this month’s heroine.
At the back of the booklet is a quote from Adriana Ocampo:
I was raised to believe you could do everything you wanted with effort, time, and persistence. It didn’t matter if you were a girl. It is the dream of every child to play in the dirt. We geologists get to do it for real. We son’t explore places; we explore time, way back in the past. It’s written in the rocks.
Adriana Ocampo is a Go-Getter Geologist! This part of the booklet explains what being a geologist is all about, in a kid-friendly way.
The story takes the reader back to her humble beginnings and how she really wanted to be a geologist even when she was little!
She was so brave in pursuing her dream and her story is amazing. Aside from the illustrations, the booklet also includes real-life photos!
Next, there’s a feature about the different areas of study in geology. There’s also a game with fun facts about asteroids and meteorites!
This part of the booklet is all about the layers of the Earth, including the crust, mantle, the outer core, and the inner core.
Another exciting feature related to geology is about different landforms.
The next page shows 3 different types of rocks. On the other page is a spot the pairs game.
The box includes a collectible button pin featuring the Go-Getting Geologist.
Challenge #1: Mineral Testing. For the first challenge, my kids tested some minerals.
Everything needed for this project is already included in the box except for the penny and white vinegar which can easily be found at home.
My son read the instructions carefully.
There are 5 different kinds of minerals in the box. There’s calcite, pyrite, quartz, gypsum, and fluorite. The test will help kids figure out which is which!
Here, my son is doing a hardness test on Mineral # 1 by using a penny. It didn’t leave a scratch so that means it’s a hard mineral.
There are plenty of tests for this activity and my son had a great time doing them!
Next is the Acid Test! My son placed Mineral # 1 in a small container filled with white vinegar for observation.
No bubbles were formed even after 30 seconds!
My son also checked the minerals for luster. This one has a shiny metallic look to it!
There’s an allotted space for the testing data sheet which makes everything easier to keep track of.
My son listed down all his observations for Mineral # 1 and according to the data collected, it turns out that this mineral is called Pyrite!
Challenge #2: Layers of the Earth. The next activity is about soap making! At the same time, this will teach kids about the layers of the Earth.
They included 2 soap blocks, 3 mica dye powders, 1 soap mold, 3 wooden sticks, and 3 microwavable cups for this activity.
The first step is to cut the soap block in half to get 4 equal pieces, then microwave a piece in one of the cups for about 10-20 seconds to melt it. Next, add a quarter teaspoon of red mica powder and use the wooden spoon to stir until it is well combined and pour it into the soap mold. Using the same microwavable cup, do the same procedure with another soap block but this time, add a quarter teaspoon of yellow mica powder. Mix well and pour it on the mold again on top of the previous layer.
Use a new cup and repeat the process of melting a new block of soap but this time, add a quarter cup of the yellow mica powder only and use a new wooden stirrer. Pour the mixture into the mold again to add another layer. For the last block, cut up a quarter of that bar and set aside. Now get a new cup and melt the remaining block and add a quarter teaspoon of the blue mica powder then pour it on the mold again. For the quarter cut of soap bar that we set aside earlier, put it in the blue cup again and add a quarter teaspoon of yellow mica powder before letting it melt in the microwave. Then, pour it on top of the blue to create patches so it will look like the surface of the earth.
Let it rest and harden for about an hour.
The gray part is the land we live in, while the blue layer represents the ocean.
If you view it from the side, you will see all the layers of the Earth. The yellow layer is the mantle, the orange layer is the outer core, and the red part is the inner core.
Challenge #3: Crack a Geode. The last activity is about cracking a geode! Geodes are rocks with hollow holes and inside them are crystals.
There’s a geode included in the box. My kids only needed the rocks and mineral collection pouch from the previous activity and a hammer (used with adult supervision, of course!).
My son placed the geode inside the pouch so all the broken pieces will stay safe inside and will not go flying around.
Safety first! My son was wearing goggles while he was breaking the geode for extra protection.
This is what the geode looked like after breaking it.
The inside looks really pretty. It’s filled with white crystals!
They also included extra activities in the booklet, like this experiment about craters.
The materials needed for this experiment are flour, cocoa powder, the rocks and minerals from the first activity, the box itself, and a ruler. We opted to use a smaller plastic container for this activity and placed a bag of brownie mix inside with a thin layer of cocoa on top. This activity can get messy so make sure the space you’re working on is clear.
Now, it’s time to get the smallest rock/mineral from about 10-inches above!
Carefully remove the your rock/mineral and observe the size and shape of the crater it left behind.
You can use a ruler to measure the diameter and depth, making sure all your observations are recorded. Repeat with all the other rocks and minerals and see how craters change with bigger and heavier objects! And yes, we made brownies after!
Girls Can Crate is a good way to introduce kids to heroines they can look up to and get inspiration from. This month, the featured heroine is Adriana Ocampo, a geologist. She is a go-getter. She knew what she wanted and then worked hard for it! The box included different activities related to this month’s heroine, which means my kids got to work with rocks, minerals, and dirt (well, mostly flour and cocoa powder). Their favorite activity is the one about cracking a geode, but they also enjoyed testing the minerals and making a soap inspired by the earth’s layers. Most of this month’s activities were also a good practice for their observation skills! If you’re looking for a kids’ subscription that contains inspirational stories and lessons, you might want to check out this one. It’s also great even when you’re just looking for ways to keep kids busy since materials are already included and only minor things are needed from home.
Do you enjoy Girls Can Crate as much as we do? What’s your favorite thing about this subscription?
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