MEL Chemistry is a subscription box for kids ages 10-16+ from parent company MEL Science that sends all of the materials you need to complete 2-3 chemistry experiments every month. This is perfect for kids who are interested in science or for homeschool students!
This is a review of MEL Chemistry (for ages 10-16+), which costs $34.90 per month.
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This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Check out our reviews for MEL Physics (ages 8-14+) and MEL Kids (ages 5-9+) to see what else MEL Science has to offer!
First Impressions
Everything was packaged neatly and wrapped individually. This made the setup for each experiment easy to navigate.
Starter Kit & More
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Before we get into this month's box, I want to quickly highlight a few of the extra features that we have access to. Firstly, your free starter kit (valued at $50.00) will come in your first shipment. It includes all of the equipment you'll need to conduct your experiments each month and even includes some accessories for your tablet or smartphone to help you access all of the information they provide in their apps. To see more details about everything we received in our kit, you can check out our Starter Kit review here!
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Also included with our Starter Kit was this virtual reality headset. This cardboard headset folds up easily and then you slip your phone into the slot and use their free MEL VR app. The VR app opens up in a lab where we have the opportunity to learn about different molecules and atoms and explore them closely.
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While they provide individual cards for each experiment, we also have the option of accessing the directions through the app, which provides a more interactive way to complete the experiments. Here is a look at how the app is set up. It's well-organized and easy to use with information on safe disposal, some troubleshooting tips, and a scientific description of what happens during the experiment. You can even set a reminder to start the experiment.
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The app gives so much detail about each of the reagents including a description, hazards, precautions, and even a link to the Wikipedia page for further information. So thorough! And it's even more fun if you interact through the VR app!
What's Inside the Box
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The back of the box gives a breakdown of everything that is included in the box for the experiments, and what we need to grab from the starter kit. I love that everything is listed so clearly on the box, it made preparation simple which I really appreciate since I had two impatient scientists ready to get to work!
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My little scientists were in their gear and ready to go! Are these photos going to be their future album cover?!
Experiment 1: Acidic Patterns
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Our first experiment was "Acidic Patterns" where we see how thymol blue reacts to changes in pH. My kids are really into experiments that involve mixing colors so they were really excited to learn more about this one!
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We started the experiment by creating a sodium carbonate solution that is diluted with water in our petri dish. Then we added the thymol blue and stirred it all together.
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The next step is where the color change really begins! We started the color change by adding sodium hydrogen sulfate which is an acid salt to lower the pH of the solution we created in the first step. We stirred everything together to reveal a beautiful swirl of colors! Next, we added sodium carbonate which is an alkaline solution to raise the pH of the solution and stirred it all together to make a lovely yellow. From there they recommend that you repeat both of those steps at different volumes to see what colors you can make. We ended with this amazing pink tone that my daughter just loved!
Experiment 2: Color-Changing Milk
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This experiment involves milk, dyes, and liquid soap. Sounds intriguing!
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My kids were very confused when we started pouring milk into the petri dish, but that was the first step! Next, the kiddos added a few drops of dye to the milk. Fox added a few; Philomena basically dumped a whole bottle in.
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Then we added liquid soap to a Q-Tip and touched it to the milk. The dye spreads and slides as you touch the Q-Tip to make these beautiful movements of color.
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We then used the dropped to add liquid soap straight into the milk. With each drop, the dye just spreads out to the sides, almost like it is running away from the soap! This was a simple experiment, but it was really fun and easy for my kids to see how the soap reacts to the dye.
Experiment 2: Magic Liquid
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Our last experiment was all about making water change colors!
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We started by making a solution of water and thymol blue that would be our pH indicator. Next, we took our 10 plastic cups to prepare our samples. Each compound would influence the solutions' pH levels in different ways. But how and what would they look like?!
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Once our compounds were ready we poured in the pH indicator solution. We saw a variety of colors appear in our cups, indicating what the solutions' pH levels were. This felt pretty similar to the first experiment so my kids weren't super excited with it, but they did enjoy watching and guessing what the colors would be!
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: BOGO
I was really excited to see 3 experiments in this box! It has been a long and cold winter with a lot of indoor family time so I've honestly been searching for activities to keep the kiddos entertained. Having 3 experiments meant keeping the kids entertained for a longer length of time on a cold weekend. I also really loved how easy these experiments were! My kids were able to be hands-on and work with us to create and learn. They also love working with making colors change and enjoy the guessing game of it all so I knew this was going to be a hit. This box feels so simple yet professional, and it really makes bringing science right into your kitchen easy. Everything is labeled well too so I don't have to second guess or struggle to understand the steps in each experiment.
Key Takeaways
There is nothing better than seeing your kids get excited over a box! What I love so much about this though is that it is getting them excited about science, and it is something that we can all do together. I never did science experiments at home as a kid and I remember getting into school and thinking science wasn't fun. The reality is that it really is and it is all around us! Throughout the pandemic, I have been trying to do little experiments here and there when I have what I need, but this box really takes the planning and the buying out of it. I love that I can get super educational yet easy experiments all ready to go so that I can do it all quickly to keep the kid's attention and easily. Watching them learn is my favorite, but watching them learn while I'm also learning and discovering right along with them is just the best thing that I can hope for as a Mom!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add MEL Chemistry 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: BOGO
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