A Hands-On STEM Play & Engineering Kit

Created by Scientific Sue, whose interactive science shows inspire thousands of young scientists every year.

What happens when storytelling meets structural engineering?

In this interactive STEM theatre experience, children don’t just hear the story… they build it, test it, and engineer their way through it!

Inspired by Sue Carvell’s (Scientific Sue’s) live performances, The 3 Ingenious Pigs & Gale Force the Wolf transforms a familiar tale into a powerful exploration of forces, materials, design, and problem-solving.

Exclusive Access: The Ingenious Engineers Resource Hub

When you purchase this kit, you’re not just receiving materials — you’re unlocking a complete teaching experience.

You will be sent a secure password granting access to The Ingenious Engineers Resource Hub, your dedicated online support space for delivering the full STEM theatre experience with confidence.

Inside the Hub you’ll find:

• Full narrated script for easy classroom delivery
• Clear explanations of forces, materials and structures
• Step-by-step engineering challenge guidance
• Drama direction tips to engage every child
• Real-world housing comparison visuals
• Extension and differentiation ideas
• Curriculum mapping (UK & Ireland)
• Question prompts to deepen scientific thinking

Everything is designed to help you lead meaningful investigations — not just activities.

Full of experiments, facts, and fun ways to bring Science2Life!

What Children Will Do

• Act out the story using pig and wolf masks
• Test houses against “Gale Force” wind power
• Build and compare straw, stick, and brick structures
• Explore stability, strength, and structural design
• Create and use a working balloon pulley system to solve a dramatic rescue challenge
• Predict, test, improve, and redesign their builds

This is engineering thinking in action.

STEM Concepts Explored

• Pushes and pulls
• Effects of forces (starting, stopping, changing direction)
• Strong vs weak structures
• Materials and their properties
• Stability and foundations
• Simple machines (pulleys)
• Real-world housing comparisons

Perfect for linking to Forces & Energy, World Around Us, and cross-curricular drama and literacy objectives.

What’s Included

• Character masks (pigs and wolf)
• Story script for teacher-led narration
• House-building materials (straw, sticks, template guidance)
• Guidance for brick builds (LEGO® or similar)
• Pulley system activity instructions
• Teacher guide with STEM explanations and discussion prompts
• Real-world housing comparison notes
• Extension ideas for literacy, numeracy, and drama

Everything you need to bring the classroom story to life.

Designed for Teachers. Loved by Children.

Created by Sue Carvell — founder of Science2Life and former Guinness World Record holder for the Largest Practical Science Lesson — this kit blends:

Practical engineering
Creative drama
Scientific investigation
Cross-curricular learning

Full of experiments, facts, and fun ways to bring Science2Life!

The post STEM STORY: 3 Ingenious Pigs Engineering Kit appeared first on Science2Life.

Harry Potter’s Incendio Wand

This wand shoots real fire – it is not a toy.

Introducing the Harry Potter Incendio Wand – where enchantment meets innovation in a mesmerizing blend of technology and artistry. Crafted with precision and inspired by the magical world, this wand brings the wonders of wizardry to life with its sophisticated ignition mechanism reminiscent of professional stage magic tools.

Scroll to the bottom to download instructions for use.

What’s included?

• Magic Incendio Wand
• Flash Paper (100 shots)
• USB Charger
• Small Screwdriver
• Beginners guide to wand motion sheet
• Presentation Box

At the heart of the Incendio Wand lies a carefully integrated technology that seamlessly merges with its magical aesthetic. The wand is meticulously crafted using high-quality resin and steel pipe, ensuring a non-toxic, odorless, and well-made masterpiece. Experience the magic like never before as you produce jaw-dropping effects, captivating any spectator or passerby with an incredibly realistic fireball touch to ignite.

Step 1

Load the wand with the flash paper – Start with 10 cm x 1 cm

Step 2: Cast a Fireball!

Take aim at a space in front of you, as you utter the mystical incantation “incendio’, press the button to unleash the magical fireball.

The wand responds with a mesmerizing display of flames, and the tighter or bigger the paper, the further the flame ball will gracefully soar. What’s more, this portable wonder works without the need for fuel, lighters, or any harmful objects, making it both safe and convenient for magical enthusiasts of all ages.

Perfect for parties, theater role play, birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, and costume accessories, the Incendio Wand is a must-have for those who seek to add a touch of magic to any occasion. Packaged in an elegant wand box, it makes for an enchanting gift that will charm recipients with its captivating shape. Elevate your magical moments with the Harry Potter Incendio Wand – where fantasy and reality seamlessly converge.

Flash Paper

The flash paper needs to be dry. Run a hairdryer on the hot setting over the paper for 10 – 20 seconds before use.

The strip measurement used in the video is 1 cm x 10 cm strips. Fold the strip twice, then roll it. It will be the perfect fit for the opening at the tip of the wand!

Instructions for incendio wand.

SAFETY

Do not shoot near flammable objects, people or animals.

The wand must be switched off when it is not in use and when you are loading the flash paper.

Do not look directly into the wand when it is primed.

Sparks of imagination are at the heart of creativity!
– Scientific Sue     

The post THE INCENDIO WAND: HARRY POTTER appeared first on Science2Life.

• 200 ml Audran Pure Glycerin

Usual uses for glycerin

Glycerin is used in many industries, including skin care, hair care and oral hygiene .. in fact, glycerin is the third most-used ingredient in the cosmetic industry after water and fragrance!

Why?

Glycerin is widely regarded as the most effective humectant. Humectants are water-absorbing substances that help keep things moist. This property of glycerine helps retain moisture in the skin and ……. slows down the process of water evaporation in bubbles!

The post Glycerine 200 ml appeared first on Science2Life.

Fizz! Pop! Fly!

Prepare for liftoff! The Bug Blast Launch Lab combines hands-on science with out-of-this-world fun as children launch their bugstronauts sky-high using fizz-powered rocket tubes.

Each kit includes:

• 10 reusable fizz rocket tubes
• 10 bug toppers
  

  A young scientist launches the Pop–Fizz–Fly bug rocket — learning that science really is a blast with Scientific Sue!

• Vitamin C tablets (enough for 2 per child)
• Mission Control Launch Guide
• Bug Blast Mission Log

Big fun, big learning, and big wow factor!

You’ll Also Need:

• Water
• Paper towels – if working indoors
• Safety glasses (recommended)

Curriculum Links:

• KS2/3 Science: Forces and Motion
• KS2/3 Science: Reversible and Irreversible Changes
• Working Scientifically: Planning, Measuring, and Recording

Bugstronaut Launch Instructions

Pop – Fizz – Fly! Get Ready for Launch

Peel off the sticky backing from your Bugstronaut’s feet and stick them firmly onto the outside of the rocket lid.
Make sure your Bugstronaut is safely attached and ready for the ride!

Add the Water

Pour one tablespoon (15 ml) of water into your rocket tube.
This is your starting volume — you can experiment later to see how the amount of water affects your launch time and flight height.

Pop in the Tablet

Drop in one vitamin C tablet — this is your rocket’s fuel!
This is a starting amount — you can experiment later to see how changing the amount of tablet affects the height and time to lift-off.

Fizz!

The tablet fizzes in the water, producing carbon dioxide gas (CO₂).
As the gas builds up, it increases pressure inside the closed tube.

Fly!

Quickly push the lid on tightly, keeping it pointed away from your face.
Place your rocket upright and step back (or hold it out at arm’s length).

Now wait for lift-off!
You won’t see the pressure building — but it’s happening inside the tube!

The time it takes for your Bugstronaut to blast off depends on:
1⃣ How much carbon dioxide gas (CO₂) is being produced, and
2⃣ How firmly you pushed the lid on.

When the pressure becomes too great… POP!
The lid flies off at speed, and your Bugstronaut blasts into the sky!

Did You Know?

Gas pushes outwards in all directions inside your rocket tube.

As the fizzing tablet reacts with the water, it produces carbon dioxide gas. The tube already contains air, so the carbon dioxide molecules mix with the air molecules inside the tube.

Because there are now more gas molecules moving around in the same fixed space, they collide with the sides and lid more often. These collisions increase the pressure inside the tube.

When the force pushing upward on the lid becomes greater than the friction holding it down, the lid pops off and launches your Bugstronaut!

Why Schools Love It

• Reusable & cost-effective → once you have the kit, it can travel class to class
• Perfect for STEM lessons, science clubs, and school events
• Includes full safety guidance and curriculum-linked science notes

Why Parties & Festivals Love It

• Make-and-take activity → each child decorates their rocket tube, launches their bugstronaut, and takes their kit home
• Brilliant for birthday parties, holiday clubs, and science festivals
• Exciting group launches

Bug Blast Launch Lab

Can you get the bug home?

Mission Briefing

Your bugstronaut is about to embark on a daring space mission — but first, we need to fuel the rocket! Add water and a fizz tablet to your rocket tube, snap the bug-topped lid into place… and wait.

Nothing seems to be happening at first, but inside the sealed tube, something incredible is going on. The tablet is fizzing away, releasing an invisible gas called carbon dioxide. As the gas builds up, the pressure rises higher… and higher… and HIGHER…

Suddenly — POP! WHOOSH! Your bug blasts skyward, ready to return home to its planet! Can you aim carefully enough to land your bug safely in its home planet bucket?

What’s Happening Inside the Tube?

The fizzing tablet contains citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (sodium hydrogen carbonate). When they mix with water, they react to make carbon dioxide gas. The gas has nowhere to escape, so it builds up inside the sealed rocket tube. When the pressure becomes too much, it forces the lid off — and your bugstronaut launches into orbit!

This thrilling moment is a perfect way to explore:

• Chemical reactions (acids + bases → gas)
• Gas pressure (invisible forces at work)
• Rocket science (Newton’s Third Law: for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction)

Bug Blast Launch Lab — Mission Safety Checklist

Protect Your Eyes

• Wear safety glasses if you have them.
• No glasses? Swimming goggles, sunglasses, or other protective eyewear are perfect alternatives.
• If you already wear glasses, keep them on — they’ll help shield your eyes.

Keep Hands Dry

• Dry hands only!
• Wet fingers can make the tablet start fizzing before you’re ready.

Safe Launch Zone

• Choose a big open space — a school hall, playground, or outdoors is best.
• Mark a safety line and make sure everyone stands behind it.
• Always point your rocket away from people, pets, walls, and windows.

Rocket Holding & Aiming Rules

• Hold your rocket firmly and vertically for the first launch — this gives the most dramatic lift-off!
• For subsequent launches, you can experiment with different angles:
  

  Which angles gives maximum range?

  • Around 45° usually gives the longest range.

• Never hold the rocket horizontally! As soon as the lid flies off, the water and tablet will shoot out too, creating a mess and a safety risk.

Special Advice for Indoor Launches

• Always test first: An adult should try one launch to check how high the lid flies.
• If the ceiling is too low for a vertical launch, all launches must be done at an angle — provided the room is long enough for safe distances.
• Make sure rockets are aimed away from people, furniture, lights, and windows.

The Waiting Game

• After adding water and snapping on the lid, hold steady — the fizzing reaction has started!
• You won’t see the gas building up, but that’s part of the suspense…
• Then suddenly: POP! WHOOSH! Your bugstronaut blasts away!

After the Launch

• Collect all lids and bugs after each blast-off — no bugstronauts left behind!
• Wipe up any spills to keep the launch zone safe and dry.
• At the end, wash your hands.

Bugstronaut Craft Zone

Before your mission begins, it’s time to design your rocket!

Decorate your tube to turn it into your very own Bugstronaut Space Shuttle:

Option 1 – Sticker Design
Use stickers to decorate directly on the tube — add stars, planets, or your Bugstronaut’s name!

Option 2 – Paper Wrap Design

1. Draw your rocket design on a piece of paper.
2. Add patterns, colours, and space symbols.
3. Wrap it around your tube and glue or tape it in place.

Science Tip:
Real rockets are decorated too! Engineers and astronauts add symbols, flags, and mission patches to show teamwork and identity.

Challenge:
Can you give your Bugstronaut rocket a mission name and logo?
Write it below or on your paper design!

Sparks of imagination are at the heart of creativity!
– Scientific Sue     

The post BUG BLASTER LAUNCH LAB appeared first on Science2Life.

• 500g Packet
• White powder
• biodegradable

Sodium bicarbonate is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO₃

Check out our Colour Changing Bubble Bath

Bicarbonate of Soda – also known as Baking Soda, Bicarbonate of soda and Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate has a number of useful properties – It can neutralise acid, scrub shiny materials without scratching, deodorise, and extinguish grease fires. It can be used as a deodoriser in the refrigerator, on smelly carpets, on upholstery and on vinyl. It can help deodorise drains. It can clean and polish aluminium, chrome, jewellery, plastic, porcelain, silver, stainless steel and tin. It can soften fabrics and remove certain stains and also soften hard water.

Traditional yet incredibly effective, these domestic cleaning products make us wonder why we ever stopped using the good old-fashioned solutions. And, as with lots of classic products, they’re really versatile too.

Follow the link below to purchase some citric acid.

The post BICARBONATE OF SODA 500g appeared first on Science2Life.

Light-up Sound Making Wizards Wand

• 1 Electronic Wizard Wand

An electronic wand which lights up and plays a magical sound when the button is pressed. Perfect for all wizards and witches.

It makes a lovely magic sound and the LED light shines when the side button is pressed.

This is a perfect gift for a birthday, Hallowe’en and Christmas.

The post THE WIZARD MAGIC WAND WITH LIGHT AND SOUND appeared first on Science2Life.

BALLOON PUMP

• 1 Balloon pump
• Random colour

Manual hand pump for balloons.

The balloon pump has a multi-fit nozzle.

This pump is easy to use and is sturdy enough to inflate as many balloons as you want in one go.

The post BALLOON PUMP appeared first on Science2Life.

This activity is perfect for the classroom or for a birthday party!

The kit contains:

• 30 Dragon Templates
• 300 Paperclips
• Magic Wand
• 3 Neodymium Magnets
• a balancing stick

Method

1. Cut out the Dragon.
2. Add more decoration using coloured pencils or crayons.
3. Balance the Dragon on a finger. Where is this balancing point?
4. Add one paperclip to each of the Dragon’s wings.
5. Balance the Dragon again. Where is the balancing point this time?You will notice the point – we call this point the Centre of Mass – will have moved closer to the dragons’ nose.
6. Repeat this process until the Dragon can balance horizontally on a fingertip.
7. Encourage the children to explore balancing the dragon on other objects around the room

Using Magic to get your Dragon to spin

In your kit there would also have been a kebab stick, a Magic Wand and 3 neodymium magnets

One magnet is attached the end of the wand with a sticky dot.

The other magnets are placed on each of the wings of your balancing dragon.

When you bring the magnet on the wand close to the magnets of the wings of the dragon the magnetic fields will interact and the Dragon will either be pushed away or pulled towards the wand.

• Abracadabra
• Alakazin
• Locomotor Magic
• Make my Dragon Spin!

Science in a Nutshell

All objects have a balancing point, called the centre of gravity. The lower you make the centre of gravity the more stable the object is.

The centre of gravity is also often called the centre of mass.

This balancing dragon is a toy that has its centre of gravity located at the tip of its nose. The centre of gravity is a special point on an object. It’s the point at which the weight of the body Is perfectly balanced.

To engineer it so that the centre of gravity is at the tip of the nose, the wings have been designed to extend in front of the nose far enough, and made heavy enough (with the addition of the paper clips or other masses), to balance the weight of the bird at its nose.

In most objects it is not clear where the centre of gravity is. If an object has a strange shape, then you cannot know by looking at it where the centre of gravity is.

If an object has a uniform shape, like a pencil, or a square, then the centre of gravity is easy to determine. It’s in the centre of the object. But for objects with non-uniform shapes this is not known ahead of time. To find the centre of gravity for these objects you need to use trial and error. You must try balancing the object on different points until you find where the object is perfectly balanced, and doesn’t fall over.

This point, once found, is the centre of gravity.

The post ACROBATIC DRAGON ACTIVITY appeared first on Science2Life.

This Stirrup Pump with gauge is perfect for schools and teams to inflate numerous ball efficiently – but is also a great aid in the classroom.

Scientific Sue uses this pump for her Cloud in a Bottle Demonstration and her water rocket demonstrations.

Features an air pressure tank. spring clip valve lock, reinforced air hose and a fold down footplate.

• Quick and easy to use
• Standard size needle ( included)

In the Cloud in a Bottle demonstration, the students directly observe a cloud from right before their eyes – and when the bottle is connected back to the pump and the air pressure is increased they will see the cloud disappear!

Cloud formation is part of the water cycle, but one we usually cannot see up close.

A cloud is a large collection of very tiny water droplets or ice crystals. The droplets are so small and light that they can float in the air. When warm air rises carrying with it evaporated water, it expands and cools. Cool air cannot hold as much water vapour as warm air, so some of the vapour condenses onto tiny pieces of dust that are floating in the air and forms a tiny droplet around each dust particle. When billions of these droplets come together they become a visible cloud.

This demonstration shows how water in the atmosphere can be made visible by changes in pressure and temperature.

Objectives

• Describe and illustrate the water cycle and associate parts of the cycle with weather conditions.
• Observe and describe changes to the properties of water when it is heated or cooled and associate these changes with weather conditions.

Materials

• Clean 2 L plastic bottle
• Cork with inflating needle 
• Stirrup or bicycle pump
• rubbing alcohol
• Safety Goggles

The post Stirrup Pump with Gauge appeared first on Science2Life.

What’s in the kit

Balloon Pulley System

• 4 doughnut balloons
• 6 long double-sided stickers
• 10 modelling balloons
• 4 small (5″) balloons
• 10 Water balloons
• 10 Small double-side stickers
• Small water pistol

What you need:

Example of show tray for the virtual experience

• Balloon pump
• Air zooka**
• Safety glasses
• Permanent pen
• 2 x trays for the water balloon parcels
• 6 paper/plastic cups

Secrets for Success

• Blow up the 4 doughnut balloons – These will make the two pulleys. The two balloons of the same colour are joined together by the double-sided stickers (3 stickers per set. Have spare sticky dots, stickers to hand).
• Blow up the four 5” balloons to a size that the children will be able to hold comfortably.
• Tie two of the model balloons to two of the 5” balloons. Thread the model balloons down the middle of the pair of doughnut balloons. If the model balloon isn’t long enough, add another – this one has to be removed before you tie the other 5” balloons to the model balloons to complete the 2 pulley units.
• When the small balloons are pulled apart the doughnut ‘pulley’ should spin on the stretched (uninflated) model balloon, when you give a downward tap.
• Depending on the size of your room, inflate 6 or 8 modelling balloons and join them together to form a loop – this will be the rope that goes over the 2 ‘pulleys’.
• Inflate 6 of the water balloons.
• You may want to write on each of them: food, water, medicine, etc.
• Put one small sticky tab on the bottom of the balloons – make sure the protective cover is removed on both ends of the tab – otherwise the balloons won’t stick to the balloon rope.
• To prevent them from sticking together and blowing away put them into the 6 paper cups – if the workshop option was purchased used the cups provided.

You will be guided on how to construct the pulley system by me in the video.

Fill your water pistol – if the one in the box isn’t big enough by all means add your own!

In the video I suggest that you the teacher use the water pistol, you will be the rain in the storm.

If you have an airzooka I will also guide you to choose a 5^th volunteer who will be the wind in the storm. Have them stand between 1-2 m away from the other volunteers. Guidance must be given not to release air into anyone’s eyes – safety googles are recommended.

Science in a Nutshell

A pulley is simply a collection of one or more wheels over which you loop a rope to make it easier to lift and/or move things.

ONE PULLEY SYSTEM

Pulleys are examples of what scientists call simple machine. That doesn’t mean they’re packed with engines and gears; it just means they help to make work easier for us and can even help us multiply forces. If you want to lift a really heavy weight, there is only so much force ore muscles can supply, even if you are extremely strong. However, by using a simple machine such as a pulley you can change the direction of the pulling force (and use gravity to help with the lift) and with increasing numbers of pulley wheels can effectively multiply the force your produces.

The more wheels you have, and the more times your loop the rope around them, the more you can lift.

One Wheel

If you have a single wheel and a rope, a pulley helps you reverse the direction of your lifting force.

So, as in the picture below, you pull the rope down to lift the weight up. If you want to lift something that weighs 100kg, you have to pull down with a force equivalent to 100kg, which is 1000N (newtons). If you want to raise the weight 1m into the air, you have to pull the loose end of the rope a total distance of 1m at the other end.

Two Wheels

Now if you add more wheels, and loop the rope around them, you can reduce the effort you need to lift the weight. Suppose you have two wheels and a rope looped around them, as

TWO WHEEL PULLEY SYSTEM

in the figure below. The 100kg mass (1000 newton weight) is now effectively supported by two sections of the same rope (the two strands on the left) instead of just one (ignoring the loose end of the rope you’re pulling with), and this means you can lift it by pulling with a force of just 500 newtons—half as much! That’s why we say a pulley with two wheels, and the rope wrapped around it this way, gives a mechanical advantage (ME) of two.

Mechanical advantage is a measurement of how much a simple-machine multiples a force. The bigger the mechanical advantage, the less force you need, but the greater the distance you have to use that force. The weight rises 1m, but now we have to pull the loose end of the rope twice as far (2m). How come? To make the weight rise 1m, you have to make the two sections of rope supporting it rise by 1m each. To do that, you have to pull the loose end of the rope 2m. Notice that we can also figure out the mechanical advantage by dividing the distance we have to pull the rope by the distance the weight moves.

A block and tackle is a cable system primarily found on cranes and boats that involves two pulleys and a cable or rope. The mechanism consists of one fixed pulley and one movable, usually hanging, pulley. A single rope is fixed to on or near the carriage of the fixed pulley, loops down and around the movable pulley, then back up and around the fixed pulley. A hook is attached to the underside of the movable pulley, and by tugging on the rope, the hook will lift or lower.

BLOCK AND TACKLE

The post BALLOON PULLEY KIT appeared first on Science2Life.