When Toby moved into Year One after the summer holidays, Ted became more and more interested in what he’s up to these days and is constantly looking to copy him. I thought now would be a good time to start thinking about getting some activities together that both boys could do especially as Teddy will be going into Reception at the beginning of the next school year.
Learning Resources recently got in touch to see if we’d like to review their Super Magnet Lab set and, knowing how much satisfaction I get from playing around with magnets, I hoped this would be the set to hold their attention.
Initially created to be used in the classroom, this is the kind of thing that fits right in at home too. A 119 piece exploration kit aimed at 5-10 year olds to help introduce them to the world of magnetism and all the science behind it. The leaflet enclosed comes with some super fun facts about magnetism and I even learned a couple of new things.
Obviously the boys were really keen to dig in to the set and they weren’t disappointed. There are several styles of magnet in the Super Magnet Lab kit and lots of accessories to boot. You’re unlikely to have arguments over who gets to use what because there’s so much choice.
The set itself opens up conversations and lessons about magnetism where the boys are actually interested in listening to the answer. We’ve spoken about the magnetic poles and opposites attracting, magnetic strength, magnetic and non-magnetic materials and we were able to experiment with things we had at home to see if they were magnetic or not.
There’s so much opportunity in the Super Magnet Lab kit for children of any age to explore magnetism and let their imagination play out while using their brains to try and work it all out. Teddy honestly thought it was just like magic, as the younger ones always do. He’s almost 4 and I’d have no problem using this set with him so long as it was supervised – there are lots of little things that could find their way into mouths so you do have to keep an eye.
It’s not particularly cheap at £31, but for something that is a solid and sturdy toy with lots of potential and learning opportunity, it’s a small price to pay.
The only thing I can moan about, and it’s a small moan, is that the kids just love to knock things off the table and I feel like I’m forever scrapping around picking bits up with a magnet wand. It’s all good fun though!
It’s a toy that will last; the wands are sturdy and the other components really are made with quality in mind; plus I like that the set is super colourful. It’s definitely one of those sets we’ll be holding on to for a while yet!
*We were sent this product in return for a review. All views and opinions are my own.