Best Habitat Science Kits in 2022

Last update: December 2, 2022

RESTCLOUD Insect and Butterfly Habitat Cage Terrarium Pop-up 23.6 Inches Tall Review:


This little mesh terrarium is essential for butterfly survival! The night before a strong freeze, I became alarmed when I discovered 7 small caterpillars in my garden. Uncertain of what to do with them, I carried them inside (and just to specify, these were monarch caterpillars, the kind that migrate, not overwinter, as cold temperatures will kill them quickly). I searched Amazon while I placed them in an old fish tank. I spotted this terrarium and decided to take a chance because I loved the reviews. I was surprised and delighted when it arrived two days later! I moved each caterpillar to its new residence. Instead of having to trim the leaves, it is tall enough that I could even plant milkweed in a pot (as I was having to do with the fish tank). The mesh terrarium is large enough to accommodate six potted milkweed plants while remaining small enough to fit on the kitchen table without being in the way. It is also tall enough for the caterpillars to form chrysalis at the top of the mesh without disturbing the milkweed or the caterpillars below (or being disturbed by them). If the bottom is coated with paper towels to catch the frass, it is also quite simple to clean out. With two zippers, the door is simple to open.Two of the rescued caterpillars are in chrysalises at the top of the mesh, while the others are still eating and developing, to provide you an update on their condition. Seven caterpillars were saved by this tiny tent (which have turned out to be 6 Monarchs and 1 Queen). You never know when you might need two of these terrariums, so I've just added another one to my cart.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you're interested in accidentally or purposefully raising caterpillars/butterflies. Another thing I'd like to mention is that this will be really simple to pick up and transport outside once the weather warms up so you can adapt them to the temperature without exposing them to predators. This mini terrarium even has carrying handles!



Safari Kidz Outdoor Adventure Set. Perfect Safari, Christmas, Hunting, Park Ranger Costume with Vest, Hat, Binoculars, Bug Net, Bug Container, Whistle, Flashlight, Magnifying Glass, Tweezers Review:


Excellent merchandise and customer support!! I brought my 5-year-old son this birthday present. Everything was of high quality and exactly as shown. The strap and bug container have a few minor difficulties. The vendor quickly replaced a missing plastic component from the strap. If you were serious about catching bugs and other animals, the lid isn't very secure, especially with small hands, but they informed the maker of the problem. I heartily endorse this product. Your young explorer will have a great time with these well-made items!



Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids LED Light on Lid - Science Kit for Kids - Crafts & Arts Create Customized Mini Garden for Children - Toys Gifts for Boys & Girls Age 3, 4, 5, 6, 7+ Year Old - Kids Toys Review:


Fast shipping, and my kids will enjoy the experiment. As you may know, children aren't the most patient people, so the fact that they can witness a difference after just one day is remarkable to me and to them. The seeds are excellent; they literally started sprouting the next day, which is great. A wonderful present for children.



Backyard Safari Critter Shack Review:


This year, as part of our homeschool studies, we started keeping nature journals, and using this small house has been so much fun!Lizards, frogs, beetles, no butterflies (we thought it was too small and didn't want them to feel trapped), and no ants (Florida red ants are the devil), but this "shack" has allowed us to add more detail to our sketches and paintings than we could have done with just our memories alone.We've had to learn how to put that cover on quickly, but the squeals and laughing make it all worthwhile. Even if our catch eluded us and got away before we could catch them;)A fantastic resource for interested young children!



Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids with LED Light on Lid - Create Your Own Customized Mini Garden in a Jar That Glows at Night - Great Science Kits - Gardening Gifts for Children - Kids Toys - Dan&Darci Review:


We both adore the Mini Explorer Light-Up Terrarium Kit! The box's contents were all legibly labeled. The Setup Guide was extremely well-done, with detailed directions and pictures for each step. There were more than enough high-quality and accurately represented materials included. After only a few days, our seeds began to grow, and now my daughter eagerly awaits our return home to water her plants. We have been able to teach her about the value of plants and the value of taking care of things in a fun environment thanks to it. She enjoys watering Mommy and Daddy with the spray bottle that was provided. Although she is far younger than the product's stated age range, she has done well and liked the experience with our assistance and supervision. For anyone searching for an attractive, entertaining, and educational project to do with their child, I heartily suggest this product.



Backyard Exploration Critter Case Review:


We bought the Explorer Outdoor Adventure Kit, the Bugs A-Z, and the Critter Case together (you know, things frequently bought together to get you to spend a bit more). Anyway, it was worthwhile. Our 7-year-old granddaughter enjoys science and other experiments. She was ecstatic about this. Her 2-year-old (nearly 3-year-old) sister did the same thing, flaunting the Critter Case and the accompanying plastic spider to passersby while yelling, "BUG! BUG!" A tiny bag to store all the kit's components in, magnifying glasses, binoculars, a tweezer (so you won't have to handle those disgusting bugs), a whistle (in case you get lost while exploring), and other useful items are included in the Outdoor Adventure Kit. We also enjoyed it because she did. It appears that we will be purchasing a second whole set for a different grandchild who will turn 7 in the spring. highly advisable



Nature Bound Bug Catcher Critter Barn Habitat for Indoor/Outdoor Insect Collecting with Light Kit Review:


Fantastic Bug Buddy. The innovative features are great, and there is enough of space for my small companions. For the insects I discover inside my house in the winter, the size is ideal. I used to store them in pickle jars and let them go in the spring, but this is much nicer. The carrying handle is a benefit, and the night light is really brilliant. The top is solid; however, avoid picking up the barn by the sides since this will cause the lid to come off. This little critter barn can be transformed into an insectopia with a little creativity and TCL.During the winter, I frequently discover 10 to 15 stink bugs inside my house. They enter during August's "dog days" and exit in October when they become hungry. I keep them until spring because I have a good heart. I give them bananas, cherries, oranges, apples, and apples. They eat three to four times per day and appear to prefer oranges. In order to expose my cats to the outside and to collect insect droppings, I cultivate oat grass for them and place it on the bottom. They get kinder and smarter the longer I keep them. I believe that a kid might utilize this critter barn to practice taking care of an insect like a small pet under the right adult supervision.Overall, excellent purchase. I'm delighted I found this since it's a great resource for understanding, appreciating, and exploring nature.



Insect Lore Butterfly Growing Kit - With Voucher to Redeem Caterpillars Later Review:


Although this kit is excellent, beware of the additional charges! Caterpillars are NOT included in the kit's price. They provide a code for free caterpillars if you purchase the kit, but you will still be charged $5 for shipping and handling. If you want to have the caterpillars expedited with 2-day delivery, which they advise to prevent caterpillar deaths in transit, you will also be charged extra. My caterpillars arrived in perfect condition in 3 days thanks to standard shipping, which I opted for in order to avoid paying extra. You must pay roughly $15 for the caterpillars plus delivery if you want another batch of them. Buyer careful, then!Nevertheless, this is a fantastic little scientific kit. The newly arrived caterpillars captured the attention of my 4-year-old son. You don't need to feed them or take care of them in any way; just make sure they're not too hot or cold, and watch them develop! They arrive sealed in a small plastic tub with a layer of food on the bottom. They hang on the top and consume the food at the bottom before developing into chrysalises. After turning into butterflies a week or so later, you may feed them fruit or sugar water, which is also a lot of fun.Six caterpillars were given to us, and all six of them developed into butterflies. Beautiful and excellent for teaching young children (and us big ones too).A reminder: Prior to ordering the butterflies, confirm that you will be staying at home for at least 3 weeks. When they change into butterflies, you have to be at home to feed them, so if you leave town you might miss it.



Nature Bound Bug Catcher Vacuum with Light Up Critter Habitat Case for Backyard Exploration - Complete kit for Kids Review:


Oh my God... Everyone who gave this a low rating and complained that the vacuum couldn't pick anything up didn't aware that the vacuum "gun" has a trap door that needs to be opened before using it on a bug. THE BIG BLACK SWITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE DEVICE controls this trap door. Its goal is to make it possible for you to catch the bug you just sucked up without having to stand there and have the vacuum running all the time. Take your "broken" vacuum pistol outside, open that trap door, bury the point in the ground, and pull the trigger if anyone wants to argue with me about this. You'll immediately receive a faceful of sand, I can assure you of that.Bravo to the 70% of you who actually read the vacuum's directions or other included materials.Regarding the product evaluation, we give the thumbs up to any item that lengthens the time you spend interacting and having fun with your child. This item is not flawless, but it is not intended to be a crazy laboratory-grade kit for science. It is a low-cost STEM toy that youngsters and their guardians can play with in the yard.The kid adores it. asked to check shipping more frequently than I check the status of my own items, hehe As soon as it arrived, we went outdoors and started gathering a variety of insects. The majority of them are ants (large, little, black, red, flying, etc.), but we have also captured spiders and beetles.- Young children are drawn to the vibrant hues.- The bug box lid has a tiny, weak light inside of it for viewing in dimly lit spaces. Works incredibly well as a cute night light for your children.- The bug box is big enough for the bugs to move around in while providing a simulated habitat with dirt , twigs and leaves.- Although the vacuum cannon could remove even giant ants from concrete (see suggestions at the end of the review), it was not strong enough to damage the ants.Cons: If you don't watch how you hold the vacuum or what you're sucking up, it will spit sand and tiny pebbles right into your face. It is strongly advised to wear eye protection, even if it's simply a pair of simple sunglasses, especially if you plan to bury the tip in earth.- The bug box lid would significantly benefit from some kind of active retention, like a simple clip. The box's cover currently just sort of hugs it, but it might easily pop off if a toddler tries to pick it up by holding onto the rim. Assure your youngster that this is the case and that they should take up the box by the handle. Nobody wants a ton of filth and insects all over their house.- Although it isn't really bright, the small light in the lid is good for extremely gloomy spaces and adds a lovely little ambience. However, this is more of a point for improvement than a real flaw in the product.- It's a joke that the port was utilized to drop the bugs inside the box. It is one of those plugs that you insert and twist, and it doesn't really work very well. Once the bug has been added to the box, it is simpler to simply force the plug back in rather than attempting to line it up perfectly so that you can insert and twist into position. If they don't have an adult to help, small children could find this plug style to be a bit of a problem and might get frustrated with it.Tips for a better experience: Make sure your angle of attack is perpendicular to the surface you're trying to suck the insect off. Meaning that when you use the gun, it must be pointed directly at the ground, a wall, or a tree trunk. The turbulence required to pull the bug free from whatever they are clinging to will be created if it successfully creates a good seal around all of the edges of its top opening. When you buy this package, you're not exactly buying a Dirt Devil or Shop-Vac since INSECTS ARE VERY GOOD AT HOLDING ONTO STUFF.- Compare the bug's size to the size of the breathing holes in the lid as you pay close attention to the size of the bug you are capturing. Small insects are excellent escape artists and can squeeze through many gaps that don't seem to be large enough for them. Some individuals might find it disconcerting to wake up to a spiderweb between their dresser and a box, particularly parents who are already apprehensive about allowing their children indoors with house pests.- Include about 1 inch of dirt or soil, along with a few stray twigs and leaves, so that your youngster may observe how the bugs behave in a made-up natural setting. Ants, as well as other burrowing insects, will build tunnels while spiders will weave their webs between the branches.- Include small pieces of various meals, especially fruit for insects like ants who enjoy sugary foods.- Add a few water drops. Just enough to slightly moisten the soil, but not enough to allow water to collect and pose a drowning risk. Like all other living things, bugs must have access to water in order to exist.In addition to extending the life of the bugs, adding food and water increases your child's involvement with and understanding of the insects they are catching and studying.- Try varying things up by adding a variety of bugs. You and your child will be able to observe and learn from much more complexity if you watch ants move and excavate materials while a beetle crawls by and a spider spins a web above.



Live Ants, 1 Tube Approximately 30 Ants, Ant Farm Refill Kit, Will live in Gel or Sand Habitat, Great for Educational Classroom or Science Projects, Kids Love Ant Farms. Review:


If you're asking whether these ants bite or string, the answer is yes! My poor 1-year-old managed to get a hold of her brother's ant farm, and when my husband came running, she was covered with ants. She sobbed nonstop for at least five minutes after he removed them, and she is still irritable and in discomfort. She received about 8 bites, and they are horrendous. Since they are sold for ant farms for kids, I expected them to sting, but I didn't anticipate how badly. Despite this, I still gave them a rating of four stars because they were in good health and had previously spent some time living in my son's gel farm. Just a new breed that wouldn't have been so unpleasant and violent would have been nice.