In our role as ambassadors for the National Geographic™ STEM educational kits from Bandai we have previously reviewed their Dig Kits but with the summer here and the children wanting to switch off a little more and for those who are travelling the National Geographic™ STEM Mini Digs are probably more suitable.
National Geographic™ STEM Mini-Digs
Each of the National Geographic™ STEM Mini Digs comes complete with a specimen (which is cleverly designed in the theme of the mini digs), digging tool (with digger one end and a brush on the other), learning guide and translations booklet. The learning guides are also mini with a bite-sized amount of information on them – perfect for those with lesser concentration spans – and the instructions are short and concise (with only four bullet points). The packets can be opened by hand, but a pair of scissors may help make this easier. The STEM Mini Digs can be very messy so the newspaper is to be placed underneath the mini digs to catch the waste. I also recommend having something to clean and dry hands afterwards too.
The National Geographic™ STEM Mini-Digs come in five different types: Treasure, Dino Poop, Fool’s Gold, Gemstone and Shark Tooth. Each one comes complete with everything you need for the dig the only things you may want to add are some water and some newspaper. Be warned though they are quite messy, so if you are doing this on holiday it is best not to wear your favourite clothes (maybe do it at the end of the day wearing something that is going to go into the dirty washing pile).
Treasure, Shark Tooth and Dino Poop STEM Mini Digs
We received the Treasure, Shark Tooth and Dino Poop National Geographic™ STEM Mini Digs; as mentioned they were shaped accordingly – so the treasure was inside a treasure chest, the shark tooth inside a shark, and the Dino Poop inside a big poop. The treasure mini digs contain either a Tiger’s eye, aragonite or, as in our case, a pyrite. It was easy to identify which is was by the description and visual aid in the learning guide. The shark tooth mini digs contain a learning guide that describes the Sand Tiger Shark, the Otodus Obliquus (extinct) and Crow Shark (extinct) – there are pictures of a couple of shark teeth but it wasn’t 100% clear which tooth our shark belonged to. The Dino Poop however only has one picture and explanation of coprolites – explaining that it is nearly impossible to identify exactly which animal produced it.
Ages 8+
National Geographic™ Mini Digs (RRP: £4.99) available at Amazon
Visit www.bandai.co.uk for further information.
See also: Geodes, Crystal Labs and Sea Monkeys and Build Your Own Volcano.
We are Bandai STEM Ambassadors and were sent the National Geographic™ STEM Mini Digs for purposes of review. All opinions are honest and my own.