Little Passports is a subscription box that helps kids explore the world through fun and educational activities and is one of the best subscription boxes for kids as voted by MSA readers. They offer a range of subscription options for ages 3-8+, as well as "Individual Activity Kits" that can be ordered along with any subscription at the time of purchase.
This review is of the Little Passports: Science Expeditions (recommended ages 8+) for $27.95. This box includes science experiments, plus a comic book related to the monthly theme.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Science Expedition: "Stars & Planets"
Once upon a time we reviewed the "Think Outside - Night" box and my boys absolutely loved it. Beings it came in the summer, we had a few nights of late-night star gazing, and still use the SkyView Lite app that was suggested for finding constellations. When we opened up this month's Little Passports "Stars & Planets" kit, both Hank and Charlie were excited to gain more information about the night sky and create their very own solar system model. Read below to see how it turned out.
Stars & Planets Comic and Activity Book
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Every month, Little Passports sends our monthly activity along with a really fun comic and activity book pertaining to the monthly theme. Our Stars and Planets comic was really well illustrated and while Charlie preferred the fun maze, Hank was really into the extra info about Mars, and found the mapping activity quite fascinating.
Nothing better than a late-night comic book reading sesh!
Stars & Planet Instruction Guide
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After reading this month's comic book, Hank couldn't wait to get started on his Solar System model creation. He dove right into the instruction booklet and got to it. This month all we needed was a cup of water, paper towels, and a paper plate from home. The hemisphere punch-outs, paper ring, sandpaper, circular base, rod, bars, paint, paintbrush, and arms were all included. We found the instructions to be pretty easy to follow, and Hank was able to get through both activities without help.
Project: Solar System Model
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Here are all of our supplies for this month's project. I was excited to see the texture detail in the plastic planets but was a little bummed to see that they didn't fit together 100% perfectly. I was happy to see all of the supplies included, and hope this is something that continues in the future!
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To start this month's project, Hank first had to use the sandpaper to sand down the plastic planets to help the paint stick: a simple task that he was very excited about. Once the planets had been sanded it was time to paint. Using the included guide, he mixed colors to paint each planet the way they suggested. We love painting projects, and he did a great job. Once the painting was completed, we cleaned up and hit the hay, letting the planets dry overnight.
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The next day, Hank used the instructions to put together each planet and assemble them on the arms. Like I said, it was a bit of a bummer that the planets didn't fit together 100%, but he made it work. It was a little tricky to identify which metal peg to use for which planet, but he did a great job. Placing the sun on the top of the model, his Solar System was complete! Now we just need to purchase some glow-in-the-dark paint to brush over the planets, so he can see it light up in his room!
Project: Star Quest Game
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The other project we received this month was a game called Star Quest. Included were a game board, cards, and a star chart. We needed no supplies from home, so this was another win!
We love games, so initially receiving one based on this month's theme was a big hit in our house. In this game, you're an astronomer studying two types of stars with different life cycles. With a partner, you play the telescope and fact cards to make as many observations about the stars as you can. If you mess up, you could cause a meteorite to hit the Earth, so answer carefully! Charlie was really excited to play this game but found it too difficult to play. Hank wanted to like it but found some of it a little too confusing. I'm going to take it out as a date night for Dustin and me to see if we can figure it out a little more to help the boys along next time.
Stars & Planets Badge
After we completed our activities, we were awarded the Stars & Planets Badge, as a tribute to our hard work and play!
Verdict
We have had some really great months of Little Passports and were hoping for another hit. With a theme like Stars & Planets, the possibilities are endless, and Hank loved the Solar System Model. That being said, I felt for the $27.95, another project or experiment should have been included. The game was kind of a miss for us, as the kids didn't really understand it, but even with that, I felt this month was lacking. I'm hoping to see an increase in value next month. What did you think about this box?
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To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You'll start with the Forensic Science box in the first month, followed by a different themed box each month thereafter.
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