National Geographic Crystal Growing Kit - 3 Vibrant Colored Crystals to Grow with Light-Up Display Stand, Science Toy for Girls and Boys Ages 8-12, Includes 3 Gems, Cool STEM Gift (Amazon Exclusive)

The media could not be loaded. The crystals grew and though they’re not perfect, we love them! We grew the purple one in the container it came with and the other two in glasses- so they’re a little different, and the video is day one after taking them out, cleaning them, and drying them. My daughter doesn’t want me to pull of the ‘tree’ part at the top of the blue and green one. I placed them in a warm garage and let them grow for about 14-21 days. The light holder is very nice! It changes colors and is very cool! This was a great value for the money as it kept us busy checking on them every few days and was so educational for my 9 year old daughter. She asked so many questions- most of which I had to google lol, so educational for all involved. We grew a large glow in the dark one as well, and some other ones from other companies and these turned out the best.

Our six-year-old grandson had fun watching the first crystal growing over the course of a month. Now he can enjoy two more before his illuminated garden is complete. This is an educational activity that is lots of fun, too!Since writing this review, my daughter informed me that the instructions say to boil a little over a cup of water so that you have 6.75 oz. to use, but it also said "fill to the line on the experiment cup"(which ends up being less than 6.75 oz). Therefore, the powder didn't fully dissolve and the crystal did not grow. So, with the second crystal, she filled the experiment cup a little past the line, using the full 6.75 ounces. That worked!

Best home science kit ever.

If you want a STEM activity that actually hooks kids and keeps them engaged past the first five minutes, the National Geographic Crystal Growing Lab is a solid bet. This kit isn’t just about mixing powders and waiting—it’s about creating something that feels alive as it slowly forms day by day.Setup & First ImpressionsThe kit comes with three different color packs, a light-up display base, and three natural gemstones. Instructions are clear enough that an 8–10-year-old can follow with minimal help, though adult supervision is smart since it involves hot water and chemicals. The first 15 minutes are mixing and pouring, and then the real fun is the waiting game—checking back over hours and days to watch tiny structures branch out into full crystal formations.The Growth ProcessHere’s the real win: the crystals actually turn out like the box promises. They aren’t just dull clumps of salt—they form vibrant, spiky clusters that catch light beautifully. Watching them develop is half the experience, almost like science in slow motion. It also teaches patience, which is rare for instant-gratification toys.Display FactorThe included LED base is more than a gimmick. Once the crystals finish growing, placing them on the light-up stand makes them look like glowing geodes. It turns the project from “a science experiment” into “something cool enough to display.”Pros:• Easy setup with kid-friendly instructions• Crystals grow visibly in just a day or two• Finished crystals look bright and striking• LED base adds a wow factor for display• Combines science learning with hands-on funCons:• Requires patience—takes days for full growth• Crystals are fragile and can break if handled too much• Single-use; once you’ve grown the three, that’s it unless you buy refill packsVerdictThis is the kind of STEM toy that sneaks in learning under the guise of magic. It works for kids, but even adults will find themselves checking back in just to see the progress. The crystals won’t last forever, but the memory of growing them—and the excitement of seeing science in action—sticks.

Overall, good kit. Its crystals, you grow them, mission accomplished.Could of things to point out:1) There are three crystal powders. Each one is a different crystal type. They will not look the same by way of color or structure. I know this because I ordered two kits and each of the purples was one type of Crystal. The blues were another type of Crystal and the greens were yet another type of Crystal. This is important because if you're trying to grow an apples to apples comparison with all three crystals, you will not get it. It's not a terrifically bad thing as long as you know this going into it.2) There is only one grow cup. We ended up buying silicone cups of an appropriate size from Amazon so we could grow all three at the same time. We were doing a science fair project for growth. If we couldn't grow them all at the same time, it would have taken us three times as long (a week each). If you're on a time crunch, that's not good. It's not a bad thing since it only shows one cup in the description pictures, but you may not think of the time crunch aspect when you order yours.In conclusion, it does what it says it's gonna do: give you the sets of crystals.

This was a great and simply fun science gift for my 10 year old grandson.

Everything about this is fun to do. EXCEPT, in the instructions it says that you can use a pint glass or a heat proof jar as additional containers to grow crystals. This is true, but just know that if you do that you will NOT be able to remove the crystal from the jar AT ALL!The silicone cup that comes with the kit is great because, it is flexible and you can carefully and EASILY remove the crystal when it is finished growing.Since this kit comes with the material to grow three different crystals, I would suggest purchasing additional silicone cups to use, or just wait and grow them one at a time.If you are going to go the glass jar route, use a glass jar that you can see through completely. So, at the very least you will be able to view the crystals through a clear viewing space.Everything else about this process was fun for my niece and I to do together. We ended up growing them in different areas, one in the dark, one in the light, we made it a fun experiment.We are going to do this again and this time we are going to purchase different size and shaped silicone cups to do our experiments in.

Grandson loved it.