MEL Physics is the newest subscription box for kids ages 8-14+ from parent company, MEL Science. Each month you'll receive all of the materials you need to successfully complete physics experiments in the comfort of your home. This is perfect for kids who are interested in science or for homeschool students!
This is a review of MEL Physics (for ages 8-14+), which costs $34.90 per month.
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code FREEBOX to get your first box free w/new subscription
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This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Check out our reviews for MEL Chemistry (ages 10-16+) and MEL Kids (ages 5-9+) to see what else MEL Science has to offer!
First Impressions
I love how well organized these boxes are! Everything is packaged neatly inside and they even sort the pieces for each experiment into bags that are numbered making them easy to locate when you need them. Looks like this month we are working with a laser!
What's Inside the Box
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The back of the box has a contents list for us and it opens up to reveal our safety manual.
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They always include a bonus experiment that we can access via the MEL Science app.
Speaking of the app, if you prefer to use technology, you can access everything you need on the app including safety and disposal information. The directions are sometimes animated, and they provide scientific descriptions and further educational materials which I definitely recommend checking out!
Experiment 1: Flat Beam
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This month we are experimenting with lenses and they provided almost everything we needed for the experiment with the exception of some batteries. I will always gripe about having to provide batteries with his sub because, at this price point, I would expect them, but this is definitely just a personal pet peeve of mine! They also included a cup, a plastic vial, and some red glitter liquid.
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We received a pipette, some craft sticks, wooden pieces, a laser, a foam sticker, and a plastic wire connector.
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The first step was to set up our laser stand by attaching the foam holder to the wooden pieces and connecting the battery pack. I slid the laser into one of the holes in the holder and then the wire connector allowed us to connect the laser to the battery pack. I turned off the lights and observed.
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Then we added the cylinder to the holder and checked it out before adding water to the cylinder. each time observing out the laser on the wall changed.
Lastly, we observed the laser beam through the cup of glitter water. It was pretty cool to see the glitter in an almost straight line where the beam shone through!
Experiment 2: The Lens of Invisibility
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Next, we were experimenting with the lens of invisibility.
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They provided a sheet of colored stickers along with a plastic lens.
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First, we observed with the popsicle sticks.
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Then we added some of the stickers to our paper and observed with the lens again.
Experiment 3: Spherical Microscope
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Our last experiment was to turn our box into a screen with the paper they provided.
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They provided some oat flour, a tiny spoon, some adhesive to stick our screen to our box, and a glass sphere.
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Once the screen was ready, we set up the laser in front of it with the vial.
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Then we observed with the sphere on top by itself, then with some oat flour water added to the vial. It's difficult to tell here, but the difference was noticeable.
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $34.90 per month
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code FREEBOX to get your first box free w/new subscription
CODE: FREEBOX
I think this month's experiments were pretty cool, but really they weren't too involved, nor were they super exciting. Other than the idea of working with a laser! I liked that they all built upon one another and that they found different ways to explore the same concept. I'm feeling like maybe I would have wanted just a little something more to these experiments though to make it a bit more worthwhile, so the value was just okay for me this month.
Key Takeaways
This box was well organized, the materials were all high quality, and the overall experience was educational without being too difficult. I think this is a great option if you are wanting to learn about physics safely from home!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add MEL Physics to your subscription list or wishlist!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, it is possible that you will receive this set. From MEL Chemistry:
"The topics are looped such that the start date of your subscription does not matter; you will eventually receive all the experiment sets."
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code FREEBOX to get your first box free w/new subscription
CODE: FREEBOX
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