Oyster is a monthly STEAM-based "profession" subscription for kids ages 5-9. Each month you will receive an educational kit made with the help of professionals and rigorously tested by kids, which includes equipment, information, and experiments to try out a different profession. According to Oyster, kids closer to 9 will be able to complete the tasks independently, while younger kids will require participation from their parents.
This box is being reviewed thanks to MSA reader request!
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Oyster
The Subscription Box: Oyster Kit
The Cost: $39.95 a month + free shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: A new profession to explore every month through STEAM learning materials, online tests, and DIY projects
Ships to: The U.S. only
Oyster "Vet" Kit February 2020 Review
My kids were absolutely stoked to see Oyster Kit in our mailbox! We have already become doctors, dentists, lab techs, artists, archaeologists, and paleontologists thanks to this subscription, so let's go ahead and add veterinarian to our resume!
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Safety first! Because this kit has a lot of small pieces, it is recommended for kids 5-8. Charlie is only 4, but I feel comfortable letting him participate because I am there to supervise. Some of the experiment cards include bonus material that can be found on their website and includes QR codes for easy access.
Onto the fun stuff:
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Vet Sheet
What is a vet? This sheet details some of the job duties of a veterinarian. The opposing side explains that Dr. Petson has left for Africa to treat an antelope so we are in charge of running his clinic! This lovely little chart directs us through a day in the life of a vet!
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Vet Package
How sweet is this pet adorned envelope? In here, we received our job duty cards, background information, patient examination forms, a vaccination record book, and fun assignments. We also received a passport, vaccination stickers, X-rays, and an anatomy diagram.
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Mr. Arfy
Awe!! Hank was soooo excited to see this month included a plush pup! Our 100% polyester dog is made in China specifically for this box. He is the perfect size to tote around and is soft and cuddly. It was very fun to watch my son bandage him up, do an examination, and document his findings. I have a feeling we are going to be having an entire vet clinic set up this afternoon!
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Pet Protection Cover
When our dog was neutered, we had to keep a "cone" on his head and it was absolutely miserable, but this cone is so little and cute!!! I love the thought they put into this box, and how well made this item is. The velcro and soft sides make for a perfect toy! Not only is it adorable, but they also have a sticker on it that explains why vets use this item. My boys have been having lots of fun with this- and it has been on pretty much all of our stuffed animals!
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Pet Collar Craft
Because pet safety is #1, we received an activity that will help to keep Mr. Arfy safe! We received a small tan collar, with a wooden bone shaped tag. The instructions are to color the tag and write your pet's name, address, and phone number on it and attach it to the collar. This is a fantastic idea and Hank loved getting to paint his tag, but this box didn't include any markers or paint to decorate the tag with. I thought that some sort of decorating material should have been included to fully round out this activity. Besides that small glitch, we enjoyed this project, and it turned out cute.
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Hank decided Mr. Arfy needed a blue tag and is waiting until we go shopping to put the finishing touches on it. (He wants to decorate it with specific sticker letters.)
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X-Ray Kit
To take this kit one step further, we get to pretend to be radiologists and study X-rays of different animals. We received the four X-rays, along with a guide to help identify what type of animals the X-rays belong to. On the backside of that card, there is a quiz to see how well you studied the X-rays!
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Vet Necessities
Also included in this kit was a syringe, bandage, drip tube, and stamp. We received an activity card that explains how to examine your patient and prescribe treatment. It also explains how to use the included tools and gives us information on how to be a good dog owner. Hank loved the stamp because he said it made him feel "professional" when he was signing his paperwork!
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Hank had such a great time filling out the patient examination form, adding the vaccination stickers, and trying out all of the vet tools on Mr. Arfy! This box truly made him feel like a real-life vet!
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Dog Anatomy Diagram Kit
One of the included activities was to help Dr. Petson get ready for a conference. Hank had to take a close look at the anatomy diagram of a dog, and using the clay, mold the same organs on the wooden dog figure, and place the figure on the stand. The opposing side had questions regarding what he had learned. I thought this activity was fantastic! Using such simple items, my son learned about (and was fascinated by) every organ listed on the diagram. I have to say, at first glance, he pointed out that the diagram doesn't show the heart, which I thought was a very good observation. Where is the heart, Oyster Kit? Besides that oversight, he loved creating the organs with the clay and had a great understanding of what their functions are after we completed this.
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Hank was truly concentrating on this activity, and was really proud of his completed diagram!
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Animal Sight Activity
This last activity was extremely interesting. I myself didn't know sparrows see the world through rose-colored glasses, or that bees see the world in ultraviolet light! We received a really cool UV marker and flashlight set to see the world through the eyes of a bee! They also included a QR code that brings you to a link for more tasks to enhance your research! On the flip side, we received a matching game that quizzes us on our knowledge of animal vision!
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At first, Hank didn't think his marker was working, and when we turned off the lights and turned on the UV flashlight and his mind was blown!
Verdict: Oyster Kit has quickly become one of our family's favorite subscription boxes. We absolutely love the fact that we can "test" out varying professions every month in a way that really engages and excites us. There is a wealth of knowledge in these activity cards, and even more on their website. This month's box was really fun and cute. We had a great time discussing all of the aspects of being a vet, and really felt we got to see the different areas of the job. Hank loved learning about the anatomy and working with the actual patient the best, but he also liked creating the pet tag and reading the X-rays. I think this box was well-curated and a great way to spend some quality family time together while preparing my kids for their futures!
We put about 3 hours into being vets with this kit, (with many more to come... why is every stuffed animal we own in the living room right now? 🙂 ) and I feel with the number of projects, the fun teachings, and the additional resources online, this subscription is worth $39.95 a month.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Possibly; it depends on kit availability.
Check out all of our Oyster Kit reviews and our list of 2020's best subscription boxes for kids!
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