The Shoebox Lab is a set of hands-on science kits for elementary school kids.
Each kit is a box with everything inside: a project to build, a workbook for the child, and a short guide for the adult helping. The kits are given away free.
Who built this
Hi, I'm Randolph Kirchain III. I designed and tested the Shoebox Lab as my Eagle Scout service project. I am a Scout with Troop 313 in Arlington, Massachusetts, part of the Spirit of Adventure Council.
An Eagle project asks a Scout to plan and lead something real that helps other people. Fewer than four Scouts in a hundred earn the Eagle rank. I designed the kits, wrote and filmed the videos, and lead the team of Scouts and volunteers who pack every box by hand.
Why the kits work at home
Everything is in the box
There is nothing to buy and no science background needed.
The steps are shown, not just written
Pictures and short videos carry each step, so a family can follow along while a child is still learning English.
Kids do the science before they learn the words
That rule shapes every kit. The hands-on part comes first, and the vocabulary comes after.
A kit is yours to keep
Each one builds a real toy that a child can take apart and build again.
Who they are for
The kits are made for most kids in grades 3 through 6. They work best with a parent or an older sibling nearby. 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.
We give the kits away through partner organizations. We do not hand them out one at a time. Our partners are community programs that already serve families in their area, and they decide which families receive a kit. More about our partners is coming soon.
If you help run a group that might be a good partner, we would like to hear from you — [email protected]. Our hope is that kits like these keep reaching more programs like yours.
Scouting and science
Scouting America has spent more than a century helping young people grow. It does that through hands-on adventure. Less well known is how much science is in it. Merit badges cover robotics, astronomy, coding, and more. Scouting is open to every young person, from kindergarten through high school. To find a troop near you, visit scouting.org.
The Shoebox Lab · designed and tested by Randolph Kirchain III as part of earning the Eagle Scout rank at Troop 313, Arlington, Massachusetts, Spirit of Adventure Council. Kits are assembled and distributed by the Scouts and community members of Troop 313.
Say hello
Questions about the kits, or interested in bringing them to a group? Send a note.