There is a new series of educational kits called Exploration Station, coming out in a few day. You can pre-order them. I’ll post about three of them, starting with Exploration Station: The Human Body.
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The kids are designed for learning by kids six years and above, but I think they are ideal for third or fourth graders. All the kids follow a similar theme. There is one item that will end up on a bedroom shelf along with other toys like items. In this case, a make it yourself human skeleton one foot tall. There is a book on the subject, in this case, the human body. There is a large sheet of heavy duty laminated material and a set of stickers to stick on to it. In this case, it is a 13 by 18 inch poster with a depiction of the human body. In addition, this kit includes a set of flash cards about various aspects of the human body or physiology.
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The science is good, the book is engaging, lots of words but also lots of pictures. The manipulable materials are fun and educational.
![](https://i0.wp.com/gregladen.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SmithsonianA03_HumanBodybook-650x867.jpg?resize=604%2C806)
I think the kits were originally designated to be about $22, but the pre-order price is closer to $15 . I think they are worth the larger price, but the lower price is very nice.
![](https://i0.wp.com/gregladen.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SmithsonianA04_HumanBodyinsides-650x867.jpg?resize=604%2C806)
This is an ideal holiday gift for a kid in the right age range. It is not going to fill your space with a pile of useless crap, and it is not going to make a mess, or any noise. The educational value is high, and the quality is right in the range for an item of this price range. The only down side is that it is a little hard to wrap round things, but you’ll mange.
I recommend the Exploration Station: The Human Body for the kid in your life.