I am always looking for fun, hands-on activities for my girls to do. Especially for my 6 year old daughter during her quiet time. I have strict guidelines for items we include in our “busy box” inventory for quiet time, because I need her and the newly turned 2 year old toddler to be able to work and play quietly while I work with the older girls. The Plants Magnetic Science Tin fits the bill.

The Plants Magnetic Activity Tin is one of three all-in-one science sets about living things. This particular set helps your preschooler through first grader learn all about plants. The fun thing about these sets is that the lid becomes the work space for the 8 activity mats. With 30 different magnets there is plenty to explore as your child identifies fruits, vegetables and different parts of a plant. Your child will explore and learn to identify the structures and needs of plants as well as understanding the life cycles of plants.

To begin using this activity tin, simply unwrap and separate the magnets and cards inside the tin. Model to your children the first time the set is used so the children know how to use the set properly by showing them how to place one of the mats inside the lid of the tin and use the corresponding magnets to complete the card.

In our house my daughter chose to work with this activity set at least 2 or 3 times each week. Even when I had something more “fun” as an option, like a sensory tub or painting, she would choose this set and spend at least 25 plus minutes playing and exploring with it. Sometimes I would ask her questions about the mat that she was using and ask her open ended questions about what she knew about the mat. She was always eager to tell me everything she knew about a particular mat.

We also enjoyed using this tin and expanding on the learning activities like painting pictures of flowers for art and exploring fruit and vegetables with magnifying glasses to examine the seeds. My daughter’s favorite part was tasting the different types of fruits for sure.

I really like that this activity set is self-contained. Everything from the 30 magnets, to the 8 activity mats, answer card and activity guide fit neatly within the metal container so nothing can be misplaced. The fact that the magnets are a bit chunky is a plus too since my toddler used the set also. I didn’t have to worry that he could rip the magnets or worse yet, bend them. Another plus is that the tin easily fits on a shelf and doesn’t take up too much space. The price is just right too for our monthly “extras” budget at just $29.99.

I appreciate the fact that the magnets are a bit chunky too since my toddler used the set also. I didn’t have to worry that he could rip the magnets or worse yet, bend them. We have truly enjoyed the addition of this set in our homeschool. So much so that I have added another set, Insects & Spiders Magnetic Tin, to our collection. I also plan to add the last set on Animals within the next few months. I think this is a great set to give as a gift or would be perfect for taking along during travel or to an appointment.

—Product review by Jacquelin Caffey, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, July, 2016