How delighted I was when I opened our Kitchen Science Box from Raddish. I love to cook and my son does too. I’ve always considered cooking with my kids part of their homeschooling. I like teaching them measuring and how to cook as a natural part of our homeschool experience.
But what’s a mom to do if cooking just isn’t her strength? How can she add cooking to her homeschool? And what about a busy mom who has little time for planning or adding kitchen time to her homeschooling, it seems such a supplemental subject to her and she never has time to add it.
The Raddish Kitchen Science Box is all about bringing science into the kitchen.
Whether you are one of those moms or not, a Raddish Box seems a great option. It’s very high quality and it’s full of easy to follow and implement themed ideas with recipes to try in each box! We’ve enjoyed working out of our science box over the last few weeks. There’s much more in it than a few science experiments! Here’s what’s inside:
- Raddish Apron (if your first box)- At first I thought this would be too “babyish” for my 11 y/o but he actually ended up wearing it when he got down to the recipes. Younger kids will LOVE it.
- Whisking Skill Card– The skill for this box is whisking and is applied to each recipe in the box. It explains what the skill is and how to do it.
- Whisk-This box also includes the whisk itself. I think each box comes with some item the child can add to his own cooking equipment collection.
- Whisking Skill Badge– To be ironed on the apron. Your child will get a badge with each skill acquired. What a great idea!
- 3 Recipe Cards (one for each recipe)- These are beautiful, three fold laminated cards that are engaging and easy to follow for the child. They illustrate the ingredients you need, steps, related tips, educational info and mini experiments!
- 3 Recipes in this box are- Super Kale Salad, Mac & Cheese Cupcakes, and Chocolate Volcano Cakes
- Kitchen Chemistry Cards with 3 kitchen experiments- Floating Egg (water density due to salt content), Vinegar Volcano (chemical reaction of vinegar and baking soda), and Water vs. Oil
- Science of Popcorn Card- Uses scientific method for an experiment using prediction on popcorn size before and after popping. The box also includes fun popcorn bags to fill and then eat the popcorn you make together afterward.
- Shopping List– Totally helpful and gives you a list of items needed for every activity in the box. When it comes time to go to the store bring the card and save yourself extra trips. Helps the busy mom for sure.
- Table Talk Cards– Tidbits to start you conversing with your child.
What I loved about Raddish.
- Raddish teaches skills. It’s my belief that this sets the program apart and makes it unique and of greater value. The fact that the themes are tied together with practicing a skill bring method and continuity to each box!
- Raddish brings families together. The program isn’t something you will hand to your child and walk away. It is designed to be a family event when you open the box. Though many of the cards can be read and understood by your child, they are meant to be worked on together. At the same time it is not something your child looses interest in and then you end up doing it all either! The table talk cards bring families together while working on or eating the recipes they just made.
- It’s well made and well presented, of high quality and design.
- Themes make each box fun and refreshing. I don’t think a subscription with Raddish would get boring. A new theme each box would make each month a new kitchen adventure.
Why my child enjoyed his Raddish box.
The Raddish cards are engaging for kids. They have large images on them and keep the directions easy to read and use. They explain each step simply and forth right. They are beautifully designed, of good quality, and very appealing to a child. This will not be a product you will do all the work with. The contents of the box are engaging. My 11 y/o can follow the recipes independently. This made him feel comfortable in the kitchen able to take charge of preparing the recipes and experiments.
How we used our Raddish Science Box to supplement our homeschooling:
Honestly, we have yet to do all the activities in the box. It looks small on the outside but there really is a ton to explore together in it. I can see us easily working out of one box for a whole month and beyond. The cards and contents we will keep to add to our homeschool kitchen. So, I feel it is worth the expense because you get many ideas planned for you. You only have to get the materials and have fun! We’ve been doing a recipe or experiment a week. So far I have introduced the skill and at another setting we made the Volcano cake.
While making the whipping cream by whisking, my child discovered it was quite a laborious job. We discussed the stages and that if you go beyond stiff peaks you eventually get butter. It brought up discussion on pioneer life. It’s these types of interactions that make homeschooling fun. We used our homemade whip cream for strawberry shortcake. The lasting elements of these boxes are the skills your child keeps forever!
We’ll be using the ideas in our Raddish Science Box for a while as they apply to our life and homeschooling. I’m saving the Super Kale Salad Recipe for when the kale in our garden is ready for harvest. Here is how it looks now.
Where to Buy a Raddish Kitchen Science Box
You can buy Raddish Boxes at raddishkids.com. You can add extra materials for siblings if you plan to use the box with more than one child. A subscription in which you receive a box a month is $27.95/mo. There are discounts for buying in 6 and 12 month quantities.
More Hands-on Science
- Motion and Force Activities for Kids – Hands-On Physical Science for Homeschool
- Hands On Elementary Earth Science
- Science in a Nutshell – kits for homeschool science
- Science and Nature Study Resources
Stephanie was a military spouse for 20 years and has homeschooled for more than 20 years. She and her husband of 25 years retired from the military and settled back home to their native state of Iowa where they continue to homeschool their youngest child. Her homeschool style is eclectic with Charlotte Mason and classical influences. When she isn't teaching, writing or moving she enjoys sightseeing, gardening, and cooking.
This looks so interesting. I could us some inspiration teaching cooking to the kids. What a fun kit. I would love to win this.
Thanks for this review. I had not heard of this resource before. Sounds like fun.
It is a fairly new company, I think they will gain success quickly.
The creator of this company is a former middle school teacher and she has a company called Kitchen Kid, her is Southern California. They do birthday parties and summer camps and all kinds of awesome stuff. When she launched this company I went crazy with excitement. Every month there is amazing things to do and recipes to try. Truly written like a teacher and from the standpoint of wanting kids to love to cook! I highly recommend to everyone. Happy Cooking!
When we move, I plan to start gardening with my boys.
We like to visit local nurseries and gardens often. This sounds like a great product! Thanks for the review and giveaway!
This looks like a great resource to have!! My kids love to be on the kitchen and this might just keep them on task!!
This looks like so much fun! My four kids would love this science box!
My daughter would love this!
This is great! My son would love it. And my girls. Oh – kids make dinner… Hmmm … That’s appealing. You could extend to let them organize the economics of paying for the groceries – best deals, etc.
My two oldest have recently gotten very interested in cooking. What a great opportunity to learn some cooking and some science!
My girls would love this. We do cook together, but would love to have more “legit” teaching tools to use. Thanks for sharing this review.
I just found out about Raddish yesterday and know my 5 year-old would love this! Thanks for your review
You’re welcome Becca!
So fun! I’d love to start this with my daughters!
I have my littles help me in the kitchen. Our garden is always a great learning tool for science!
We do a yearly garden. My daughter has a section of her own. She selects the vegetables, plants them, suppose to weed/water them and then of course can eat them. Gardening badge was earned in American Heritage Girls this year.
My daughter would absolutely love this incoorporated into her homeschooling day.
I enjoy cooking with my children sometimes, but we usually make the same types of things together. I love that this program systematically introduces specific skills and a variety of applications.
This look sooo amazing. I’ve always taught fractions in the kitchen (measuring) and science in the garden 🙂
the kids are very involved in our garden and putting up our food for the winter. They learn about sustaining and preserving food as well as how to grow it.
We discuss measurements and chemical reactions (leavening, binding, etc). What a fun kit!
We have planted our watermelon and cucumber seeds so far. I’m hoping by having my youngest work in the garden, it may open him up to trying more types of veggies.
We love to cook and I am always looking for ways to incorporate cooking in our day. Little hands and hearts love to help and take great pride in cooking and creating. This looks like such a great tool for experienced and inexperienced cooks.
Yes, I think experienced cooks as well as those less comfortable in the kitchen would both love these boxes.
I homeschool my girls and so we are always learning and having fun in the kitchen and we even made our own little garden together!
This looks awesome! I would love to try this with my daughter!
We have been learning to cook and seeing how it is science, math and critical thinking. Would love to give this a try.
We plan on having 2 small gardens this year. One in the backyard with tomatoes and zucchini. One on the side yard with corn, sunflowers, and maybe some hot peppers.
we just planted several different herbs and greens! im hoping this process of getting them more involved in their food and the kitchen will get them eating better!
thank you!
*kelly
[email protected]
My kids LOVE to help in the kitchen! This would be perfect to teach new skills!
This is SO awesome! My daughter is interested in cooking, but when I’m preparing dinner I am sometimes in too much of a hurry to teach her. This would help me to slow down and enjoy the process!
My son will love this. He loves to cook.
We work together in the kitchen all the time. Measuring, mixing, pouring… Our three year old makes the BEST scrambled eggs! We are hoping to plant a garden this year!!
We love to incorporate math while measuring ingredients. This sounds like it would be fun and love the idea of earning badges to put on apron.
I love to let her plan a meal and see what goes into the process. She will also decide she is in the mood for brownies and will find a recipe either using google or looking through my recipe books. She learns to plan, research, follow directions. And the biggest plus of all is that someday she will be able to cook for herself and will not rely on fast food as a young adult.
This looks really neat! I have never heard about this! We are always cooking in this house. Even if it’s microwaving a bowl of soup in the microwave, my youngest ones especially are learning!
I have debated ordering this for my daughter once we have our kitchen garden set up. Your review has convinced me to take a look at our budget and hopefully make it happen next school year.
I use cooking with my oldest (9) and he is able to make simple mac and cheese and pizza but I would love to expand his knowledge and to get my other children in the kitchen too.
I found you Pinterest 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway!
My girls would love to help me cook in the kitchen with this! Love it!
I use cooking for learning by explaining processed vs natural foods. Its great to pair nutritional education alongside PE.
My daughters enjoy baking treats, but I’d love to get them more involved in our weekly cooking. And we just might start a veggie garden this summer!
Looks fun. I need to be more intentional about cooking with my boys
This looks amazing! My 9 yo daughter would love this. She’s youngest of 6 and I tend to get rushed in teaching her cooking skills and she definitely wants to do it herself.