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Mel Science Review

January 2, 2025

We were recently asked to undertake a Mel Science review.This caused much excitement as the review was done by one of our educational team who is an experienced Head of Science. We had high expectations for this at-home science option and wanted to see whether it nurtured and encouraged children’s love for the subject – or would it be something that parents buy with the best interests at heart, but something that children just didn’t want to engage with?

Mel Science is a generally a subscription-based science kit service that delivers hands-on experiments and engaging educational materials directly to your doorstep. Each month, subscribers receive a box filled with all the necessary components for conducting exciting scientific investigations, such as chemistry sets, robotics kits, and more. These kits are designed to be age-appropriate and encourage children to explore scientific concepts through interactive and engaging activities.

The Basics*

Brand

  • Mel Science

Product

  • Projector Optics

RRP

  • from £24.90 per month based on a 12 month subscription

 

Mel Science Review

For the means of this review, we have looked at the “Projector Optics” set rather than the full subscription. The “Projector Optics” project promises an exciting and educational experience for young minds. Through a series of hands-on activities, children will construct their very own camera obscura, transforming it into a projector, and even learn how to project images and movies from their smartphones. Along the way, they’ll gain valuable insights into how lenses work, the principles behind the camera obscura, and the fascinating way our eyes perceive and process images. This project is designed to spark curiosity and inspire a deeper understanding of the world of optics.

First Impressions

We loved how the set was packaged. As soon as you opened the box, everything was easily accessible, There is a clear instructional manual and the kit parts were packaged well.

The manual was very easy to follow and instantly engages children through the use of a story board. We love that concept, which allows children access whatever their ability. Some children will of course require parental guidance but we would expect that these kits be used alongside parents anyway. Out only niggle was that the characters didn’t have names – a small niggle but it would have been a nice touch!

Using the Science Kit

Using the kit was easier than we expected and the instructions were clear. It was easy for both children and adults to follow. The kit allows children to build their very own camera obscura. This is a device which uses a hole to project an image onto a surface. Our ‘guinea pig’ children found the instructions easy to follow but they did need adult supervision as bits of it were a little challenging. They were incredibly proud of themselves once they had finished building. they had a real sense of achievement.

One of the highlights of this kit is the ability to transform the camera obscura into a simple projector. Our children loved this! This hands-on experience helps children understand how light and lenses work to create images, fostering a deeper appreciation for the technology behind everyday devices like cameras and smartphones. They were learning but had the fun element of using a practical kit to demonstrate.

Conclusion

The Mel Science Projector Optics kit is a highly recommended educational toy. It’s a fun and engaging way to introduce children to the principles of optics while encouraging creativity and scientific exploration. Whilst it did need adult supervision, we do not see this as a negative as children (and adults alike) learn so much from a hands-on experience when working together.

We were super impressed with the ‘Projector Optics’ set from Mel Science. We do have a couple of negatives though. Forstly, the fact that you have to login to the Mel Science Website to find out any details including price – we find this a little frustrating that you have to hand over your details at such an early stage in the journey to potentially purchase. We think this would put many parents off which is a shame! Secondly, is the cost – it’s not cheap. A one off purchase is £34.90 but it does go down if you commit to a subscription.

However, it is truly science-based and is not a kit ‘pretending’ to support your child’s learning. These are incredibly well thought out. We awarded Mel Science a scientifically fabulous 9 out of 10 stars!

Pros

  • Scientifically sound
  • Supports National Curriculum
  • Very well made

Cons

  • Website initially hard to navigate without signing up
  • Costly, especially if not committing to a subscription

 

*Details correct at time of publication

Read more on Parenting Expert’s PLAY HUB here.

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