Top Ten Subscription Boxes – Groovy Lab in a Box

Groovy Lab in a Box is a STEM  (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subscription box with a focus on the Engineering Design Process. Having worked as a children’s engineering teacher previously, I believe that the Engineering Design Process is important for children to learn how to use to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Following the six steps and learning that sometimes (or most of the time) your first attempt doesn't work as planned and that redesigning and retesting are necessary. This is something that children don't get often enough today.

Each box comes with a Lab Notebook and all the supplies needed to complete activities, experiments, and design challenges outlined in that box’s subject specific Lab Notebook. In the Lab Notebook they can read about the topic, perform investigation activities, and document their findings. They also may go online to the Beyond learning portal which features videos and interactive activities to go along with that box’s topic and challenges.  Although the investigation activities have step-by-step directions, the design challenges are left for the students to work through the Engineering Design Process by following the steps (brainstorm, plan, build, test, and redesign) to create their own solution to the challenge.

This SB is recommended for ages 8 and up. I think that by age 14 children will probably be above the projects from this SB. Siblings of close age could work in teams using one box together and this may allow children younger than 8 to participate as well. It is perfect for tactile learners and also for visual/special learners who have the need to plan things out visually. The added online/video component helps cater to auditory and visual learners as well.

Each topic could take up a month with added research, documentaries, and related projects. However, unless a student is into a topic, I recommend just using the box each month as it is. It guides the students through the Engineering Design Process and leads them to be able to plan and build their own creations. For some students this may take only a short amount of time while for others it may seem to drag on forever. Allow your child to explore and design to their own standards.