after reading some other posts, i thought i’d buy this for my 5-year-old daughter. at the very least, i thought we could grow a few cultures of bacteria and mold from her hands, feet, the sink, etc. i’m a former biology teacher so i thought it would be a fun experiment. well, after following the directions to make the gelatin, the solution still was too watery. we tried it again, doubling the gelatin, and still encountered the same problem. (by the way, one petri dish came cracked) the other “experiments” are a total joke–mash up bread and vinegar in a balloon and squeeze it out on a plate? that’s supposed to show you about digestion? mix gelatin, water and a drop of green food coloring to make snot? really, i can’t believe some of the other reviews that talk about doing this with their class and learning vocabulary?! the vocabulary i saw was “eeeewwwwwhhh! grooosssss!” and it really wasn’t gross. i’m at a loss for how this thing gets so many stars… big waste.

I bought this for my grandson and the following is the review I received from my son, his father:

Let me say thanks for the absolutely nasty s**t I had to put my hand into. It was like a bowl of cold snot! Isaac loved every second of every experiment. Lisa will have to give you the rest of the details. Thanks again. Maybe he can do some to (for) you.

I’m using this kit in my classroom – the students are having a great time with the experiments. As a teacher, I love the “interesting facts” and the vocabulary. My kids at home want me to get one for them, too. Fun, hands-on learning that grab kids’ attention.