BUILD.
TEST.
LEARN.

Kid-built. Science-approved.

Free hands-on science kits for families. Open the box and start.

Watch the videos Meet the kits

Meet the kits

Gravity Games kit

Gravity Games

A Racing Science Adventure

Roll it. Race it. Discover what makes things move.

Grades 3-6
Matter Mayhem kit

Matter Mayhem

Mix, Squish & Discover the Science of Stuff

Make slime. Bounce a ball. Crack the mystery.

Grades 3-6
Launch Lab kit

Launch Lab

Fling it. Launch it. Topple the fort.

Coming soon
?

Three more kits

Six kits in all. More on the way!

Coming soon

Short videos for every activity

Watch every step, then do it yourself. Every video has captions, and there is nothing to sign up for.

Start Here: Welcome to Gravity Games

1:54

Activity 1: Build & Roll

11:01

Start Here: Welcome to Matter Mayhem

2:31

Activity 2: Stretch It! — Make Slime

4:20
See the videos

How it works

1 · BUILDOpen the box. Follow the pictures. Make something cool.
2 · TESTTry it out! Race it, stretch it, launch it. What do you see?
3 · TALKShare what you found out. The workbook shows you how.

You don't need to be a scientist. You don't even need to read English. The pictures and videos show the way.

For groups

Teachers and group leaders: our kits work for club days, class time, and family nights. Each kit has a companion guide with session plans.

Want to run Shoebox Lab with your group? We would love to help.

Email us

Questions families ask

Is it free?Yes. Kits are free for families in our partner programs.
Can my family get a kit directly?Not right now. The Shoebox Lab gives kits out through community partner programs, not one family at a time. If you know a group near you that might be a good partner, please tell us.
What ages is it for?Most kids in grades 3 through 6. The science follows what schools teach in grades 3 to 5. We keep the reading simple on purpose, so older kids get real science without a lot of text, and younger kids can do it with a grown-up helping.
Do I need to read English?No. The pictures and videos show every step. More languages are coming.
Do the videos cost money?No. They are free. No sign-up. No ads.
Can we keep the kit?Yes! The kit is yours. Build it again and again.

About Shoebox Lab

Hi — I'm Randolph. I started Shoebox Lab as my Eagle Scout service project. The goal: put real, hands-on science into the hands of hundreds of kids in my community. Every kit is planned, tested, and packed by hand.

Our partners

We do not hand out kits one at a time. We work with partner groups — community programs that already serve families in their area. More about our partners is coming soon.

Say hello

[email protected]

More about the project →

Photo of Randolph with a kit — to come