GAKKEN KITS

My childhood would have been so much more fulfilling if these Japanese Gakken science kits were around. Last year, I broke down and bought the Aurorarium Kit: it makes cool aurora borealis-like lights on the wall and ceiling.

The instructions are in Japanese, but they are popular enough that English versions of the instructions are usually available online.

Make your own Edo Period Mechanical Clock • an oldschool record-playing Gramophone • a reproduction of Gailieo's Telescope • Vacuum Tube iPod Amplifier • an awesome Mechanical Tea-Serving Robot • your very own household Planetarium • an old-timey Vacuum Tube Radio • a Twin Lens Reflex Camera • a cool Mechanical Crab • an Edison Cylinder Recorder