Our kits’ age grading is determined in line with ISO/TR 8124-8 “Safety of toys – Part 8: Age determination – First age grade for the appropriate play of toys”, which is based on children’s abilities at specific ages. We make sure that all our kits are appropriate and safe for kids within the established age range, and we also test whether children can realistically perform the experiments themselves.
That said, the experiments are designed to be carried out with adult supervision to ensure everything stays safe. Since children’s abilities and confidence levels can vary quite a bit even within the same age group, we always recommend that supervising adults use their judgment when deciding which experiments are suitable. The instructions are written to help adults assess each experiment and determine whether it’s appropriate for a particular child. We also advise that adults review and discuss all warnings and safety information with the child before starting.
Special care should be taken with experiments involving batteries, electricity, magnets, lasers, fire, or any kind of chemical reaction.
All MEL Science kits comply with the applicable safety requirements of ASTM F963 (Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety) and EN 71 (Safety of Toys), meaning we’ve minimized potential risks and ensured the kits are safe for both homeschooling and classroom use.