The Best Biology Science Experiment Kits for Kids
Are you looking for a gift for a kid that loves science? Want a science kit that is “real science” and not just a box of kitchen ingredients that you can do science with? Well, you are in the right place, we’ve tried and tested some of the best science kits we’ve found and wanted to share them with you. So here you go The Best Biology Kits for Kids.
Biology Science Experiment Kits for Kids
Trust me when I say there are lots of biology kits out there that are for kids. But, finding great ones that actually do more than just pop some kitchen ingredients in a box or you mix up some materials and calling it science isn’t exactly going to take your kids science to the next level.
As an ex-science teacher, marine biologist, and mum of 2 science mad kids we’ve had lots of different kits over the years. Some have been really poor, a few bored the kids silly, others have made them go WOW. To help you avoid the poor and the boring kits we’ve finally put together our list of fantastically fun, real science kits for kids that teach biology.
Biology Experiment Kits for Kids
We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Of the different sciences, Biology is the one that I have found the hardest to find “kits” for that actually do real science and aren’t just a one-hit-wonder. So here you go my pick of the best biology kits for kids that they can use to do multiple experiments or reuse time and time again.
With some of the kits recommended you may be put off because of the packaging e.g. the Nancy-B range. From using, exploring, and learning with these kits they are some of the best I’ve found and really teach. If the packaging will cause a problem then I recommend buying and packaging it in your own way to avoid kids missing out on these excellent kits and science experiments.
Microscopes
Any biologist needs a microscope and once you start looking there are so many different sorts and varieties. As a family we have more than our fair share of them as I have inherited a few, have a few of my own and the kids have had different ones as they have grown.
Microscopes for Young Kids
- KIDS WILL LOVE THIS MICROSCOPE – Large focus knobs, a soft-touch eyepiece, and an adjustable platform make it easy to keep specimens positioned just right. Three levels of magnification and lights above and below ensure a great view, every time!
- FASCINATING SPECIMENS – Kids get 6 prepared plant slides in this microscope kit, along with 6 rocks and minerals, and 6 blank slides to prepare at home! They’ll be entertained for hours as they explore the microscopic world with this STEM lab kit!
- A COMPLETE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT KIT – With a pipette, specimen dish, tweezers, and easy-to-follow instructions, kids will be able to conduct tons of science experiments, investigating the world around them just like real scientists!
- ENTERTAINING LAB GUIDE – Kids will use their microscope to the fullest with the included lab guide, which has viewing activities for several different types of specimens, a super scientist game, and merit badge stickers for a job well done!
- SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – Our products are hand-selected to meet the highest quality standards. If your experience is anything less than extraordinary, let us know so we can make it right for you.
For young children this one is ideal, it has larger knobs a great light source and it’s got a selection of slides that have already been prepared so they can see something immediately. It also has a mini rock kit making it cross to earth sciences as well. We love that it includes plant samples slides especially – plant cells are much easier to view with a lower magnification than animal cells so it’s great way to see features easily.
Microscopes for Older Kids
When your kids get older there are 2 we recommend. For those that are interested in science but possibly won’t pursue it further then a good option is this microscope. It’s a step up from the young kids but with a binocular eyepiece, it’s easier for kids to use. The set pictured comes with prepared slides which unlike the basic younger kids model above also include animal specimens. However, more exciting it comes with everything you need to prepare your own slides so your child can start exploring their own microscopic world.
For a little more money you have an investment microscope that has even more possibilities with it. This is the microscope that we got our daughter when she expressed an interest in wanting one after using some of my old ones. It comes with 2 different eyepiece lens and 3 objective lenses giving you a huge range of different magnifications, adding in the teleconverter you can magnify up to x1600, making even small cells and features of cells possible to view. With 2 different LED lights above and below the stage, single slide and 3D objects can easily be magnified. One of the highlights for our daughter is the fact that there is a smartphone adaptor so she can easily share her finds with friends and family.
As a biologist I was amazed at how many drawings was involved – from copying microscope slides to profiles of shorelines and even dissections, to encourage your kid’s love of drawing check out our Gift Ideas for Kids that Love to Draw too!
More Microscope Ideas for Kids
As you can tell this is something that has been a huge hit in our house, we have added to it further with this fantastic book about Microscopes and the Microscopic world, as well as a big collection of prepared slides. The microscope and slides have gone with our daughter to various clubs, field trips and friends houses as she loves to show her friends the amazing world under the microscope.
Microbe Lab Kit
- Sold as 1 Set.
- Microbes Lab & Germ Journal
- 9.1″ (L) x 8.8″ (H). Ages 8-12.
- Features 4 Petri dishes, 250mL standing round-bottomed flask with volume markings, and stopper with hole to fit on top of flask. A great resources for integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) into your classroom.
- 22-page activity journal. Small parts, not for children under 3 years.
Germs, bacteria and more this is such a fantastic science kit for kids that I’ve ordered a second one to share with my oldest after getting it for my youngest a little while ago. It has easy to follow instructions, great experiments, wonderful results – who doesn’t want agar plates with bacterial and fungal growth around. After the microscope, this has been one of the best biology science kits we have found and used.
Butterfly Growing Kit
- Bring the Outdoors In – Help kids foster a love for the world thanks to your real caterpillars to butterflies kit with a mesh habitat, food, a care guide, a STEM journal, and a voucher for caterpillars.
- Inspire Future Explorers – Ignite a passion for science with your comprehensive STEM activity journal, packed with problem-solving games that encourage exploring your caterpillar to butterfly kit.
- Raise Butterflies with Ease – Eliminate guesswork with your easy-to-read care guide. Plan to raise any future Insect Lore-brand caterpillars for butterflies kit refills in 50-85°F weather for 3 weeks.
- Feed Curiosity – When you see chrysalides in your live butterfly kit with caterpillars, set your cup lid on your log and in your 12-in. enclosure. We’ll send your log holder with your caterpillars.
- Educator-Approved Excellence – Join the thousands of teachers, parents, enthusiasts, and kids who have learned and played with Insect Lore butterfly garden kits with caterpillars for over 50 years.
One of the best ways to learn about biology is to watch it happen, whether you raise tadpoles in the spring (putting together a kit for this would make a great DIY present that can be reused year after year), or buying a butterfly growing kit to see the amazing metamorphosis from caterpillar to beautiful butterfly.
We bought the kit one year and used the voucher to get some caterpillars. Since then we have found caterpillars in the garden and grown them, as well as the enclosure currently being used to house our ever-increasing stick insect population.
Ant Farm
Learn about the amazing life of ants with an ant habitat, we love observing what happens under the soil (US version, UK version). Both the kits come with a voucher to get a colony of ants, but you can equally use ants from your environment to observe them and watch them create their intricate homes. A great way to see how a colony of animals works together that is very different than others.
Wormery
- EXPLORE THE WORLD OF WORMS — Help kids connect with nature with this classic worm farm. Re-create a real underground worm habitat and observe their fascinating world. WORMS NOT INCLUDED.
- HANDS-ON SCIENCE FOR AGES 6plus — Construct your own worm farm, decorate it and then find some wriggly inhabitants. Kids love exploring nature and capturing worms for their farm.
- KID-FRIENDLY, FULL-COLOR INSTRUCTION BOOKLETS — Science should be fun and easy to understand. That’s why each step in the activities comes with an illustration to show exactly what needs to be done.
- LEARN FROM NATURE — Kids will discover science with nature. Observe worm behaviors, food preferences, movement patterns and more. We provide tips on how to look after these incredible creatures.
- THE CLOSEST THING TO A REAL WORM HABITAT — We want worms to be healthy and thrive in their new environment. Because of the construction, the worms have access to water and food and won’t escape.
Do you know how important worms are to the health of your soil and the natural environment? What impact does that have on plants? A worm farm is a great way to explore and investigate whilst learning about these fascinating creatures. You can of course make your own wormery, but it is very temporary. We’ve found that the best kits allow plenty of viewing and have multiple investigations outlined in books to do whilst you nurture your worms (UK Version, US Version).
Check out our books about earthworms great to accompany the worm farm as a gift for your younger kids.
Decomposing & Environmental Impact
- Sold as 1 Set.
- Gardens Compost Kit
- 10.3″ (L) X 9.1 ” (H). Includes: clear compost container with 2 compartments with removable divider, two 3x magnifiers, 2 write-on/wipe-off boards, and lid with air holes.
- 22-page activity journal. A great resources for integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) into your classroom.
- Introduction to life cycles and environmental science. Small parts, not for children under 3 years.
Explore a little bit about life cycles and environmental impact with this fantastic kit from Nancy-B. This Compost kit looks at what is biodegradable, which objects decompose easily, and more. Similar to the microbe kit above this is excellent for teaching your kids as experiments, write-ups, and more are included in the booklet that comes with it.
Plant Science Kits
If you have a budding botanist then these 2 plant science kits are fantastic to get up close with growing plants. The first, a traditional soil method where you can observe root growth in the soil – it takes our bean in a jar experiment to the next level. From a young age, kids will start to learn about plant growth, however, it’s repeated time and time again with more in-depth study as they get older throughout science at school. So a way to observe the growth makes it great for kids and can be reused time and time again.
If your looking for something a little different then a Hydroponics Kit is fascinating. Learn about growing plants without any soil, observe roots, and more as you go through the activity booklet that is included. Our favourite combing little cress heads with the kit at Easter time!
Other Ideas for your Budding Biologist
Although these kits are fantastic here’s a few more ideas to help your budding biologist on there way to a bright future.
Spot wildlife easily when out and about with some good quality kid sized binoculars – why not combine with a bird book for your area of the world and their own bird watching journal FREE printable you can download and bind into a book for them.
Catching and observing bugs is great fun – however, depending on where you live in the world and what bugs your kids want to observe they may not always be friendly, a safe bug catcher means that they can observe without ever holding the bugs as a vacuum picks them up.
If it’s marine or freshwater biology your kids are interested in, then a great way to get them started is with an aqua scope – take it to the pond, river, lake, or shore and observe what is happening below the water. We love taking ours to the rock pools and going on a scavenger hunt.
Looking for other science kits check out our favourite Chemistry Subscription suitable for your tween and teen kids with our review of Mel Science Chemistry.