Sunday 1 September 2019

National Geographic STEM Dig Kits And Ultimate Play Sand Review Age 8+ (Sent by Bandai)

We've really enjoyed being Bandai STEM Ambassadors over the last 6 months, and the final tasks they've sent have been perfect for the Summer holidays. We've been sent National Geographic Gemstone and Shark Tooth Dig Kits and Ultimate Play Sand - a miniature sand pit with 2kg of colourful sand that never dries out and comes complete with 4 mini sand moulds...

Nat Geo STEM Dig Kits And Ultimate Play Sand Review collage of photos from post

The Bandai National Geographic STEM Kits are complete kits for children aged around 8+, and they contain everything you need, including tools. Each kit contains a Learning Guide, which is a short booklet full of images and information about the items you'll discover in the kit. They're brilliant, concise and always teach me something new.

Bandai Dig Kits and Ultimate Everlasting Play Sand Review

The Dig Kits come complete with a double ended excavation tool, small brush, magnifying glass, instructions and a learning guide.

National Geographic Shark Tooth Dig Kit Review wha'ts in the box

Dig Kits are packaged in a cardboard box, with a cardboard tray insert which can be used as a work surface. They keep all of the mess fairly well contained and can be recycled after use. Your fossils and gems are hidden in a decorative plaster block.

National Geographic Gemstone Dig Kit Review what's in the box?

The Gemstone Dig Kit contains 3 real gemstones - Tiger's Eye, Quartz and Amethyst - and they're very pretty. They're also nicely varied, so children can tell instantly which is which. Once excavated you can clean them off by rinsing under water (put the plug in first), and then they catch the light really well. Or, as in our case, you can proudly show off just how carefully you exposed them!

National Geographic Gemstones Dig Kit Review showing stones exposed neatly on underside of plaster block

The Shark Tooth Dig Kit contains 3 real fossilised shark teeth - Crow Shark, Otodus Shark and Sand Tiger. There's a fascination in our house with exceedingly long-lived animal species, so it's particularly interesting to us that although our Sand Tiger Shark tooth might be 100,000,000,000 years old (one hundred million), Sand Tiger Sharks still exist today.

National Geographic Shark Tooth Dig Kit Review collage showing stages of exposing shark teeth and finished cleaned teeth

My boys are 9 1/2 and almost 11, so I've been really pleasantly surprised at the amount of use the Ultimate Play Sand has received. This is a really neat little sandbox kit which works very well to keep everything tidy and safe.

National Geographic Ultimate Play Sand Kit Review Box Contents tightly packed into plastic tray

The tray in the Ultimate Play Sand kit is plastic, but it is also your miniature sandbox, so it's definitely not single-use. Also included are 2lbs of play sand which never dries out, never makes dust and leaves your hands clean, plus 6 clever little sand 'castle' moulds.

National Geographic Ultimate Play Sand castle Moulds in shape of historical buildings

These aren't just any old sandcastle, the moulds are actually 6 historical buildings, something my older boys really latched on to. All week ancient civilisations have been battling it out in my living room...

National Geographic ultimate play sand formed into battle scene like something off Lord Of The Rings or Game Of Thrones

The sand is kinetic sand. Brightly coloured and fascinating to watch trickle out of your hand, it only sticks to the other sand. Very easy to scoop or sweep up and shouldn't ruin your carpet. It's actually quite mesmerising and incredibly relaxing to play with - whatever your age...

National Geographic Ultimate green Play Sand in plastic sandbox tray with castles and pyramid at front

Bandai's National Geographic kits are varied and interesting. They excite children and teach lifelong skills, supporting what your child learns in school. Kits start at around £9.99 each and they are available in toy shops, museums, gift shops and more nationwide. They are brilliant gifts for children aged around 8+.

Fossilised Crow Shark's tooth from National Geographic STEM kit - clean and shiny

You can find out more about the National Geographic STEM kits on the Bandai website, or check out our other reviews: 


collage of 9 Bandai National Geographic STEM Kits reviewed by us as listed above

The Gemstone Dig Kit £6.99rrp, Shark Tooth Dig Kit £12.99rrp and Ultimate Play Sand is available is several different colours, each £11.99rrp. Affiliate links below with latest prices on Amazon Prime...


This month Bandai have offered one of my readers the Gemstone Dig Kit as a prize in a giveaway. Entry is by the Gleam form below and is open to UK entrants only. 

No entries are mandatory, but each action performed earns you extra entries into the random draw. The giveaway will end at midnight Sunday 29th September, full terms and conditions are at the bottom of the Gleam form. For a link to help if Gleam is new to you, or to see my other UK giveaways, see my Giveaways Page...

National Geographic Gemstone Dig Kit Giveaway (age 8+)




We've been sent all of our National Geographic STEM kits for review by BANDAI, as part of our role as BANDAI STEM Ambassadors. 

85 comments:

  1. Archaeological digging tools and a magnifying glass.

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  2. Hello! I think if I had a huge dig kit then I would love to find dinosaur bones inside it, that would be amazing!

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  3. A Sapphire.

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  4. Margaret Clarkson
    A Diamond

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  5. I'd love to find hidden gems because I love the different healing qualities they have

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  6. I would like to find lots and lots of gold

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  7. some real gold coins please,or a winning lotto ticket

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  8. I would love to find a giant T-Rex tooth

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  9. Sapphire it’s my birth stone

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  10. Anything related to the native Americans xx

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  11. Can i not find some gold coins worth loadsa ££££!!! x

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  12. Ive always loved the idea of finding dinosaur bones, but a dinosaur that hasnt yet been named!

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  13. id love to find a big emerald

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  14. A huge secret cave that only I knew about, and I could go in it and hide sometimes!

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  15. I think i'd have to say a shark tooth

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  16. My son would say dinosaur bones!!

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  17. A new car, or something to pay for a new car

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  18. Gold or silver ! I'll keep digging !!

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  19. Would love to find an old coin back in the day

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  20. Honestly right now it would be the garage keys, though I reckon my husband has gone out with them in his pocket

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  21. I'd love to find an ancient tooth inside!!

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  22. A winning jackpot lottery ticket would be just great :)

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  23. i would like to find a magic lamp that granted wishes x

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  24. some old coins or gems would be amazing

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  25. I'd love to find a time capsule from hundreds of years ago

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  26. I’d love to find gems & gold.

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  27. Karen Von kriegsheim26 September 2019 at 10:25

    A huge diamond

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  28. Such a great idea, I think my boy Finley would love this

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  29. A large fossil... ideally of an undiscovered species...! :-D

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  30. This would be amazing for my son! Love to hide a dinosaur bone in it, he'd love to discover something dinosaur related :)

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  31. A cache of roman coins would be good!

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  32. Lots of buried treasure in a massive chest

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  33. It has to be gold.

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  34. A diamond or a shark tooth would be great! Fingers crossed!

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  35. I would like to find something of importance from the vikings or Roman era

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  36. diamonds maybe or other precious stones

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  37. It would have to be diamonds or gold of some sort - obviously lol

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  38. diamonds and precious stones !

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  39. A diamond ring would be a nice surprise

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  40. A huge chest of pirate's gold would be really lovely.

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  41. A nice big diamond well they are girls best friends

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  42. A papyrus full of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

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  43. A papyrus full of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics (apologises I was signed in as my fiancé with my first comment).

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  44. Dinosaur bones or diamonds!! - geri gregg

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  45. A papyrus full of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics (apologises I was signed in as my fiancé on my first comment).

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  46. Fossils as it would be very interesting

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  47. i would love to find dino bones im fascinated by it all

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  48. A beautiful diamond bracelet! Or just a diamond...as long as it's shiny, I'm happy :)

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  49. A rare fossil would be awesome.

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  50. A real Diamond xx

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  51. Please put us out of our misery and tell us the buildings from the ancient civilisations - we know 4 of them, but 2 of them have stumped us and our kids keep asking! Thank you for your help in advance!

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    1. Hiya - I really wish I could! We have had a good look and the best we can come up with is middle American and Egyptian pyramids, conical pyramid from we think Polynesia, Taj Mahal, standard castle, and Tower castle.
      In truth I can't find anywhere where they are named, so it's very possible they're more "in the style of" - but thank you for the challenge!

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  52. Aahh! I tried tweeting the national geographic aswell, no response! We got: Taj Mahal, Egyptian pyramid, Great wall of China (towers - you have to build the middle bits) and chichen itza. The other 2 we've no idea!

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    1. Hahaha. You did so much better than we did! I can't believe we had Polynesia, but not actually Chichen Itza - and made an actual wall with the great wall of China, but didn't realise it was a wall. Brilliant. This has caught all of our attention, and there is now some debate over whether one is Iranian :D

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