Science Reviews

I bought this for my grandson's birthday. He is 10 years old and ADHD. When he would visit me, he always wanted to start tinkering with something, either a clock or an old radio. This gift is perfect for him, it is not in the least frustrating and the outcome is very rewarding for him. He will sit and work with the set for an hour at a time.I have recommended this set to many of my friends.

A Happy Granny in Michigan

I got 2 kits - one for my 6 yo and one for my 8 yo. Both boys love the kits and can build the projects. The parts are durable yet easy to configure. The directions for the projects are clear. I highly recommend this toy for kids who like to build and are even marginally interested in science/electronics.

My 5 year old son has an interest in how things work and likes to "experiment." We go this as a first step toward learning about electricity, and it has not disappointed.

The projects range from fast simple ones (can get a light bulb and a switch going in a minute or so) to more elaborate more interesting ones (we actually built a working AM radio).

There are endless projects in the book with easy to follow directions on how to put them together.

The "snap" mechanism for connecting components is extremely clever -- it eliminates the challenges of bad connections on wiring boards I grew up with. The snaps are a little hard for a 5 year old to push close, so I find myself helping on them -- although the kit is aimed for somewhat older kids anyway.

Only "complaint" I have is that they could have put a couple educational points about how the circuit is working in the book near each circuit -- to spell out the "learnings" of each project.

Overall though, this is definitely one of the best science kits of any type that I've seen, and absolutely worth the investment.

Since Uplink-Hacker Elite, as it's called in the USA has just been released I thought it valid to write a review as I have had the game for a few months, being from Ireland and getting it during it's UK release. It's simple, you are a hacker, working through an online company, sub-contracted to various other countries to do jobs, from the simple, steal a file, to the more fun destroy a mainframe, frame someone, hacking a bank and many more. There is a plot but I'm not giving it away. Trust me and buy the game.

Unique, suspenseful, and exciting.

Ahhh, Uplink. Another one of those games that most people have never heard of. And if you haven't heard of it, and you are looking for an exciting and unique simulation, then you have been missing out. Uplink: Hacker Elite isn't just the only game of its kind. It is also an excellent game.

The game has a basic premise. You are a freelance hacker in the year 2010, free to commit all sorts of cyber crimes however you would like. It's kind of like Grand Theft Auto in cyberspace. It is executed very well. The simulation never gets "out of character", so to speak. The start game screen isn't even a typical start game screen - it's a "login" screen onto the game's virtual network.

What this game does a great job of doing is giving you a feeling of mischief that comes from poking your nose into places it is not supposed to be. You accept jobs off of a bulletin board, sabotaging corporate data, breaking into banks, and doing other assorted dirty deeds. You break into secure systems by hacking passwords, disabling firewalls, and other methods, and then work as fast as you can before you are traced. It's very exciting, and it gives you a devious pleasure when you successfully sabotage a company's files.

"Uplink: Hacker Elite" has all sorts of different things to explore. Did you get caught and get yourself a criminal record? Hack into the criminal database and erase it! Are you going to destroy a corporate database? Buy the stock of the company's competitor and make some money off of it. You have to either experiment and figure this stuff out for yourself, or use a walkthrough from the internet. The difficulty level of the game is insane, and it gives you almost no hints.

This game is certainly not for everyone. You will probably either love it or hate it. It requires lots of brainpower, experimentation and planning, and it can get extremely frustrating. This game is very unforgiving, and does not allow you to reload a saved game if you get caught (but there are ways around that). However, you won't find anything else like it out there, and it's very well done. If stealing files from a corporation and then framing someone else for the crime sounds like fun to you, then "Uplink: Hacker Elite" is the game for you.

this game is basics simple and frustratingly hard. this combines timing, knowlegde, memory, and cunning. you hack banks, jails, companys, and people's homes and schools. this game is challenging and extreamly addictive. there is no way you can get tired of this game. there are so many places to hack you can never get them all

Rocket is a great puzzle game. I've played it all the way through and I had fun all the way. Unlike many other games, the puzzles all had very satisfying solutions. Almost every time I got stuck, I could sit back, give it some thought and have an "aha" moment where the solution became clear.

I also liked the fact that there are not too many puzzles that just rely on gamepad dexterity. Since it's easy to make things arbitrarily hard, I really appreciated the careful game design.

Finally, some of the levels are just beautiful. I spent at least a couple of hours flying around just for fun.

If you liked Mario and Banjo Kazooie, get Rocket. You won't be sorry.

Here at Sucker Punch Productions, we had a fantastic time creating this game!

In the tradition of Banjo-Kazooie and Mario 64, Rocket's adventure takes him through a series of fantastic locations and challenges. We didn't skimp on the worlds either -- they're huge and beautiful.

On top of that we've created 7 exciting vehicles, like the hot-dog-dune-buggy "DuneDog" and the paint-ball-firing-hovercraft "HoverSplat". Rocket gets to ride them all in his quest to defeat JoJo the Raccoon.

The game engine features our proprietary "fun-physics" engine which simply means Rocket, the vehicles, and all the objects in the world seem incredibly life like! It's something you have to see to believe.

But don't just take our word for it. In addition to the reviews here, Rocket has been receiving raves in print and online. Check out the November issue of Nintendo Power, where Rocket: Robot on Wheels was the top rated game!

I love it.You can build a roller coaster.IT'S SO SWEET.YOU'LL LOVE IT LOVE IT LIKE ME.BUY IT.There are 12 tickets in each land and 200 tokens.

The battle chest is a great way to get both Starcraft and it's expansion BroodWar, together the make one of the best combat / strategy games. If you don't own Starcraft buy the battle chest and get all the extras. They will help you enjoy the game fully. If you already own Starcraft unless you really want the two strategy guides just buy the expansion pack Broodwar instead. Starcraft really needs to be played with the expansion; it adds more depth to both the game and tactics with new missions and new units. The basic game play is pretty easy to pick up and if you play the single player missions in order you'll quickly learn the strengths and weaknesses of each troop type. Then the fun really begins when you battle against real opponents across the Internet. After you have played the single player missions you'll have your favorite race either Terran, Protos or Zerg. You'll come up with your own tactics on how to deal with your opponents There is a huge on-line community out there defending the 'Honor' of each respective race. Buy the game and come play. This game came out back in 1998 and it is still being played now. Few games can say they have that lasting appeal. The battle Chest is 100% value for money

If, by chance, you're reading this and you've never played Starcraft before, just go ahead and skip reading this and buy it. You won't be disappointed.

If you're thinking about buying it for someone else, go ahead and buy it: I've given three Battle Chests as gifts and it was a hit every time for both kids and adults, even to those who hadn't played this kind of game before.

The Battle Chest is definitely the way to go, as you'll save money over buying it and Brood War separately and get the strat guides for free (and, to be honest, I don't think the guides are worth having unless you're completely clueless about how to beat the game, and there is information in the strat guides that is blatantly wrong as well).

I've been playing RTS games since 1997, and in my opinion, this is the best one ever made. No one has made one that's as fun, has as gripping a storyline and artwork, or depth and replayability of gameplay. It's a work of genius. I've had it for two years and I still play it at least a couple of times a week. There's even one mission left that I haven't managed to conquer without cheating, so the challenge is definitely there.

What you have to understand about Starcraft is that it's not meant to be a cutting-edge feature-heavy supergame where you can customize the behavior of your units and give them complex orders. It's meant to be more of a strategy game like real-time chess, and in this it succeeds brilliantly. It shares the quality of chess in that there are a limited number of units with straightforward abilities, but there are an infinite number of things and strategies that you can do with them. To this day players are still inventing new strategies for these units and races.

The artificial intelligence and pathfinding of the game is the best I've ever seen. No RTS game has perfect AI or pathfinding (units getting lost or tangled up on each other or the terrain), but Starcraft's is by far better than any others out there. The computer will flatten you time and again unless you're playing competently.

Multiplayer is a complete blast, and more options are offered than any other RTS game. You can play team games where you and your allies are actually controlling the same units against the computer or others, in addition to a wide range of variations like Capture the Flag, etc.

Blizzard's Battle.net service is free and at any time of day there are literally thousands of people playing. Internet play is smooth. I've played friends both nationally and internationally with bad connections and low-end computers, and it runs solidly even with the additional traffic of voice chat like Roger Wilco over 56k!

Blizzard's continuing support for the game is also excellent. They release a new map for the game every Friday like clockwork, so there are over a hundred new, well-designed maps available for download and replay.

In summary, just a solid, solid, completely fun game. You can't possibly go wrong by picking up a copy.

I borrowed Starcraft from a friend and after a few hours of playing knew that I had to get it. So, I went out and bought the Battle Chest. This comes with both Starcraft and the Starcraft: Brood War expansion pack, plus guides for each game and a technology tree map (shows which buildings are needed in order to build more advanced buildings). This is the perfect way to get started playing Starcraft. The game itself is excellent. My friends and I have spent many hours playing and plan on playing it for many years to come. Blizzard hit it right on the head with this game. If you don't have it get it right now. This truly is the standard to which all real-time strategy games are compared to.

This game is about worms picking up weapons and blowing each other up into birdfood. Features:Cartoonish Worms Cool weapons Nice battlegrounds Greatly done weather effects on weapons High pitched voices of worms You can play the training missions, the campaign,the deathmatches and the deathmatch editor. The best weapons of the game are the exploding sheep, banna bombs(put several worms in a hole, chuck a bannana bomb in there and watch them fly), and the kamikazie tackle, where a worm yells "kamikazie!",flys in the direction you are aming at and self destructs.

Only 4 words:This game is AWESOME!!(and really fun)

I love this game! It's easy to learn but hard to master ! Customizing your own team of players makes it feel personal. The multiplayer play is great! Funny! Original! Simple (and yet really complex!) Play a quick game or go for a series of wins. Don't let the cute worms fool you! This is a great game!

It isn't every day that one stumbles across an umbeatable idea for a game. But that is exactly what the folks at Team 17 did with Worms. The creators of this game took the ancient artillery style of video game (a style older than pack-man!) and added an attitude that just couldn't fit on any other game. Its great fun to watch the worms kill each other with all the weapons of the game. Plus, it is easily one of the most custumizable games I have ever seen. You edit almost every feature of the game, from weapon detailes to player hitpoints and more. Given the artillery style of gameplay, however, which is what makes all the action possible, I believe that Worms is one of those games that can only be ruined by a 3D engine.

This game is a gem, and unbeatable within its realm.

What else can you do for a game that has garnered as many awards as Freespace 2 has? Why add new missions of course! The result is Freespace 2: Sci-Fi Sim of the Year Edition, a product which includes 20 extra missions as well as some high-res artwork and wallpaper not included on the original CDs. The missions have been crafted by users and are approved by Volition and Interplay. First the specs: Freespace 2 requires at least a Pentium 200MHz processor and 32MB of RAM with a 4MB 3D video card. Ideally, you'll want to run the game on a Pentium II 266MHz or faster processor with an 8MB or higher video card and 64 or more megs of memory. Because the game has a 1024x768 screen resolution option the maximum install is about 1.2GB of hard drive space. But it's worth it, all of it. Freespace 2 is the ultimate representation of what any computer game should be. From the opening cutscene, which chronicles the Battle of Deneb from the previous game, to the first battle in which a cruiser destroys another with an iridiscent energy beam the game unfolds in magnificent fashion. The plot is set 32 years after the first game and casts you as a pilot flying sorties and missions against a rogue faction of Terrans called the New Terran Front (NTF). The implacable Shivans make a return from the previous game with new ships and weapons of mass destruction. Battles range from the cold void of space to the miasmic shadows of ubiquitous nebulae.

Graphics are handled by a game engine that requires a 3D accelerator card; supported chipsets include the 3dfx Voodoo family, nVidia's TNT and GeForce offerings, ATI's Rage Pro, and Matrox's G200 and G400. Direct3D and Glide are also supported as are EAX for Creative Labs' SoundBlaster Live! sound cards, and A3D for Aureal's Vortex audio chipsets. Force feedback deepens the level of immersion with wrist-rattling effects that will make you swear your den (or whichever room your PC's in) is a cosmic battleground.

Freespace 2: Sci-Fi Sim of the Year Edition is the culmination of excellent gaming. The music, graphics, and missions will have you in awe for hours on end. Get this game and experience it today!

Review System: P3-450, 96M RAM, RIVA TNT2

Sweet mother of god. Just thinking about this game gives me goosebumps, bringing me back to long sleepless nights spent in the eerie confines of a nebula, told that SOMETHING is out there, but silently knowing you won't see it until it's too late... Then something appears out of the shadows.

Freespace 2 is without a doubt the best space combat sim I have EVER played, blowing away its contemporaries X-Wing Alliance, Independence War, Starlancer and Tachyon: The Fringe. Graphics wise, unmatched. It's like playing a $100 million movie. Huge explosions, screen filling shockwaves, and incredibly detailed and bump mapped ships. Sound: Excellent. Atmospheric music, good voice acting, and perfect sounds for weapons, engines and more. Value: Great. A long campaign and good multiplayer options will keep you playing for a long time.

But, you say, Starlancer had great graphics! Tachyon had great sound! X-Wing had great value!

Where Freespace 2 really excels is atmosphere. I remember the first time I went up against a capital ship. All other space sims had taught me to believe cap ships were big, sluggish tugs, useless in a fight and just waiting for me to light 'em up with a few well placed torpedoes. Heck, even the first Freespace didn't do much to shake this belief.

So, towards the ship I went in my bomber, thinking this would be a cakewalk. I saw the normal ineffective and poorly aimed lasers flash towards my squadron. Smirking, I armed my torpedoes and fired a volley. As they streaked towards the bridge of the enemy corvette, I saw strange looking flashes surround the torpedoes, then they exploded 500 feet away from the target. Hmm, I thought. Better get closer in.

My ship began rocking as flak from the corvette filled the space around me. This isn't right at all! I thought! This shouldn't be happening! I fired two more torpedoes, and they exploded a second later, flipping my ship around from the force of the blast. Then, I heard a noise. A kind of powering-up noise. I faced the corvette, and I saw a ball of energy growing on its nose. What the....? And then my ship was cleaved in half by a huge pulsating beam of death. I replayed that mission with a new respect for my advisary.

If things like that don't shake you up, I guarantee you the nebula missions will--especially one when you go on a scouting mission with the GVD Psamtik near the middle of the game. I'll leave it up to you to discover why.

In short, buy this game.....buy it now.

Though this game is coming up on 5 years old, it has aged very well. I have replayed the game more times than I ever had any other game. You will see why it is THE benchmark upon which all other space sim games are based. It's a travesty that it didn't get more credit and press. If you enjoy combat flight simulations and you haven't played this one, you're missing out. Play it; you won't be disappointed.

Now if only Volition would release a Freespace 3!

Tired of seeing Imperial Tie Fighters drop like flies against a target as slow and vulnerable as a patched-up Correlian freighter? Than this game is for you. The original Tie Fighter was a sequel to the original X-wing Fighter" game - both have been updated for Win 95 and 98 with better sound and graphics in the flight sequences. Between the flying, however, the graphics on each look like a throwback to the game's 486-era ancestor - with still characters and MIDI music (stereo sound is available during flights, so anybody who needs an excuse to hear that John Williams music should get either game). Since the collectors ed. of each game is strongly rooted to the earlier games, and with the original Tie Fighter having been the better title, the new Tie Fighter Collector's Ed. beats the XWCE. Besides the better and more believable interiors of the Imperial craft - the target computer in TF shows the ship and what direction it's pointing relative to you) is a better story. Here, you not only fight for the empire (how's that for a switch) but for its inner circle as well. Most of the time, the interests run in the same direction as the high command - now you have to investigate ships that your commanders want you to destroy, and you may find yourself getting shot at by some of your fellow Tie pilots. Even the obstacle course is better - with the complex tunnels and moving doors reminding me muc of the Death Star run from "Jedi". You start out flying the simple basic Tie Fighter (no shields and no hyperdrive) working your way up to the Tie Interceptor and up to the Tie Advanced. Not of all of your missions pit you against the rebellion - instead you'll spend more time fighting pirates or against both sides in civil wars (you need the empire's permission to war against anybody) or against imperial defectors (complete with their own star destroyer and squadrons of the latest in TF technology. A complex storyline will have you saving the empire from a coup and even flying alongside Darth Vader himself (if you screw that mission, you'll have to apologize in person).

Storyline and graphics aside, TF suffers for much of the same reason as XW - canned missions that have you blasting away at just about everybody can get pretty repetitive. You're the weak link - there are a few set mission goals and if any are missed, the mission is a failure (you'd think with their fleets of cruisers and their clouds of fighters, the empire could afford to miss a few hundred). Also, the XW/TF series has been advanced in meaningful but slow steps - with the collectors ed being a great facelift for the older games, but not a great improvement on them. If you've got at least an old P-200 MMX with a decent 3d card (I had the Voodoo2) you should make the jump to the X-Wing v. Tie Fighter, making sure that your version comes with the "Balance of Power" campaign. XWvTF was geared for Multi-player, but supported it poorly. Nevertheless, single-play is always going to a problem for scripted-mission games like these, and the newer games have somewhat better graphics and sound. If you're running a P3, I'd suggest going up a notch to "X-Wing Alliance". The collectors edition of either of the first two games is strongly recommended for those whose systems top out below 200MHz.

Along with such games as X-COM: UFO Defense and Civilization 2, a true classic. Why is is one of the greatest games of all time? One very simple reason. The graphics don't make the game good, the GAME-PLAY makes the game good. You get to be the bad guy, and that's always cool.
If you haven't played it, you are missing out on alot. I first played in on my big old 486 25 MHz with a whopping 8 Meg of RAM. I still have it loaded on my newest system, a 1.5 GHz 256 Meg system, with a video card that has 4 times the amount of my system RAM on that first computer.

There is something extremely thrilling about playing the bad guy for a change. I was always happy to earn a medal after completing a mission in the X-Wing games, but I LOVED earning the Emperor's blessings as a TIE Fighter pilot. Goose bumps! I got goose bumps on missions of vital import to the Empire. I felt like I could take on the entire Rebel Alliance myself.

The style of dogfighting is so different in a TIE because you ain't gots no shields!!!! :-) You simple must not get hit or pray that its a glancing shot you can shake off over time by outmaneuvering the enemy.

Playing for the Empire opens up a diffrent sort of game. It is a lot fresher than the X-wing games, which make you feel like the understudy to Luke Skywalker since you are essentially taking on his place as Top Gun in Rogue Squadron. I mean, how many times can you blow up the Death Star in a Star Wars game? That type of game you can find over and over. But in TIE Fighter, there is a new perspective, much more intrigue and mystery. Lots of suprises. Hey, you are working for the bad guys, not everyone on your team plays well with others.

There is a reason that this is considered one of the best games of ALL time. It is that good. And a minor spoiler... I nearly cried when I got the pleasure to fly as wingman to HIM. The Force IS strong with this one.... the Dark Side of the Force.

I think the fact that I still play this game 10 years later says it all. Master of Orion II (MOO2) may be the best 4-X (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) game I've ever played -- and that includes the other heavy hitter in this category, Civilization.

MOO2 is endlessly replayable. In addition to the numerous standard alien races (all of which you can play), there are nearly limitless combinations of custom races you can make. This alone allows you to challenge yourself over and over. Try a crippled race with multiple penalties and no bonuses. Or try taking bonuses you don't usually like.

And the ship-building! This could be a game in an of itself. Everything is customizable, from the size of ship, to its armament, even down to its name. You can concentrate on massive, Death Star-like constructs, or field a fleet of easily replaceable "missile boats". Or perhaps you prefer Wing Commander-style carrier-based combat? MOO2 can handle that as well (although you don't get to control the individual fighters, just the capital ships).

Add in the random events, various galaxy sizes, and Antaran attacks, and you have a game that never fails to entertain. MOO2 will still be on my hard drive 10 years from now.

This has to be one of the best strategy games out there available even for its age. Though Starcraft might be the preferred choice for many people, MOO2 is the game for those who dream of becoming a head of an imaginary galactic empire. You've got pretty much everything you desire in terms of warfare, diplomacy, and building a civilization. Many games just put too much emphasis on warfare or building colonies. MOO2 allows you to get the full experience on all matters of empire building. Another attractive feature of this game is you get to choose the type of galaxy you want to play in before the start of the game. You can choose the size of the galaxy, the type of planets, tech level, and how many empires will exist in the game (2-8). The AI is not stupid and you'll have to use your brains a lot when negotiating with aliens (whom to ally or whom to attack). Each alien race has unique strengths and weaknesses so you'll have to think and plan before you even start the game. MOO2 is far more superior in terms of game-play than MOO3. This game is a hall of famer in terms of space strategy games.

This game is great! My boyfriend turned me onto it, and I LOVE IT! It has provided me with hours of enjoyment, trying out different races and different statistics. Very cool options to build ships, research facilities, industry facilities, and farming facilities. I also enjoy the different ways to win the game--beating the Antarans or conquering all the other races. The hot seat function is great as well, because you can play with friends. Definitely a game worth playing for anyone out there that likes Sci Fi.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have, and still am!

This game is stealing all my sleep! As a fan of Civ and Civ2, I should have expected this... Alpha Centauri's improvements have added many new dimensions to the game. One of my favorites is the modular style of unit design. In the past games, new technologiess simply allowed you to build a new type of unit. Now they give you the ability to create a new type of chassis, weaponry, abilities, etc. that you can use to design your own units. Your engineers give suggestions, but you can customize to your heart's content.

In addition, the interface with other factions feels much more real. Part of the screen scrolls through pictures from the other leader's life, making you feel like this is a real person with a history.

But probably the most outstanding feature is the overall thought that went into creating the technology tree. Most of these are futuristic (or state-of-the-art) technologies so there is impressive blend of logic and imagination here. (e.g: Non-linear Mathematics, Machine-Mind Interface, and Homo Superior just to name a few.) Anyone familiar with mathematics, physics, or philosophy will find their interests stimulated greatly by this game.

I've been playing Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri since the week it was released. When the expansion pack, Alien Crossfire, was released, I bought that right away as well. That was some time ago. I'm still playing it. Regularly. About the only other game I have ever owned with this kind of addictive play is SimCity 2000 (SimCity 3000 is graphically lovely but not nearly as absorbing). With all of the factions, random maps, difficulty levels, customizable units, etc, gameplay is surprisingly different every time. Mixing and matching the factions is fascinating. Perhaps the best feature of the game is that it forces you to think strategically as well as tactically - you literally have to think 20 to 50 turns ahead of the game all the time. Really a wonderful piece of work; I cannot recommend it more highly. And now I think I'll sign off and boot it up...

For making such a freakingly addictive game. I had to delete it from my computer I was playing it too much! As far as gameplay, there are so many different avenues to take--diplomatic, war mongering, economic, a little of everything--that it's replayability is beyond rapproach. You can create new factions, import those created by gamers on the internet, and this only adds to the games consistency.

What sets this game apart from its Civilization-like competitors, is the morbid science fiction backdrop that is as attractive as some of the better science fiction novels (although it definitely has a space opera bent to it). This is a nuanced futuristic society that subtely brings in many of the upcoming issues of tommorrow - genetic modification, cybernetic humans, quantum gravity. The characters reflect the tension and problems of tommorrow's science, and the various philosophical reactions humanity can have to it.

An awesome game, well worth the money. I wish Firaxis would develop this line further...

The kids have never been so excited about what will happen next. We couldn't wait for the caterpillars to come in the mail...counting the days. They all (10) did what they were supposed to do: eating, growing, spinning web, hanging. One did not turn into a chrysalis, and one chrysalis did not hatch, but we had 8 butterflies. They are easy to care for. They even lay eggs and the eggs hatch into tiny caterpillers. We haven't past the 2nd set caterpillar stage yet, but are hoping...

I AM VERY HAPPY TO SAY THE LEAST. WE GOT THE CATERPILLARS A WEEK AFTER MAILING OUT THE CERTIFICATE. THEY TURNED INTO CHYSALIDES ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER AND IN A WEEK AND A HALF OUR 1ST BUTTERFLY "PENNY" EMERGED. MY 5 YR OLD WAS EXCITED AND ANXIOUS TO SEE HER OTHER BUTTERFLIES. BY THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE ALL OUT. MY 1 YR OLD GOES CRAZY SEEING THEM FLY. WE JUST REALEASED THEM TODAY AND ONE FLEW ON KAELA'S SHOULDER AND SHE WAS DELIGHTED THAT "PENNY" AS SHE SAYS KISSED HER GOODBYE. WE WERE SAD TO HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE BUT LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM AROUND. WE HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE ORDERING MORE CATERPILLARS. I MUST SAY THAT IT IS SUPER EDUCATIONAL. MY DAUGHTER LEARNED ALOT FROM THE STAGES THEY GO THROUGH TO THE AMOUNT OF EYES THEY HAVE, HOW LONG THEY LIVE,HOW THEY BREATHE...ETC. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE. ESPECIALLY SINCE NOT ONLY DO YOU EXPOSE YOUR KIDS TO NATURE BUT YOU CAN REUSE THE HABITAT OVER & OVER AGAIN. MY CHILDREN LOVED IT AND SO WILL YOURS.

Raising butterflies with the Butterfly Pavilion was an experience that my kids and I will never forget. I'm a single parent trying to raise two young kids on my own. I'm busy and don't have much time to take them outside to experience nature. I wanted to give them something that would nurture their respect of nature. Boy did I pick the right item. We mailed our free certificate and about 10 days later, we received our caterpillars. Within about 7 days, they changed into chrysalides. We waited about a week, then suddenly, the butterflies started hatching. In fact, we got to see 4 of them come out within about 30 minutes of each other. It was the most fantastic experience. We kept the butterflies inside the netted habitat for about 5 days, then released them outside. My little 4-year-old girl cried as she had to free her "butterfries", but understood why it was important to do so. We'll never forget this experience and highly recommend the Butterfly Pavilion to everyone.