Packaged to look (and sound) like a bag of potato chips, this unusual science kit actually contains yellow packing peanuts, a book outlining 29 spud and potato chip-themed activities, and a sachet with assorted materials. Highlights include a potato chip-bag kite, a chip-tube windmill, and a "Tater Clock," requiring the use of the accompanying miniature clock, copper electrodes, and sound chip. There's trivia, too, like the survival benefits of spuds (raw potato defogs glasses) and an examination of a potato chip's "life cycle," from farm to factory to consumers. An inventive summer boredom-buster. Ages 8-up. (Sept.)

A new wrinkle – or should it be crinkle? – on the kitchen-table science fair.” - Buffalonews.com




"Entertaining, pun-filled, intriguing, creative, and appealing.” - Kirkus


"A hit with booksellers." - Publishers Weekly


"Perfect for kids. (I would have gone nuts for this as a child! And who am I kidding? I’m in my twenties and I still think it’s pretty cool!)” - EW.com


“A fantastic book of science experiments for kids to do with their parents. It's terrifically designed, and filled with fun facts and puns and silliness. Super fun!" - Goodreads.com


“Betcha can’t test just one.” - Youngexplorers.com


“Holy potato chips! Batman. There's something about the crinkle of a bag of chips that is like a geek siren song.” - ThinkGeek.com


“If you have a wee one with an interest in science... check out Kurzweil’s latest project, the science kit in a potato chip bag.” - Techcrunch.com


“Got a kid who loves science? What about potato chips? Check out Potato Chip Science — a grab bag of lessons on everything from physics to forensics, from navigation to neuroscience.” - Idaho Statesman


“Potato Chip Science makes experiments tasty for children. Most kids do not need much motivation to tear into a bag of chips. So why not come up with a way to take that natural tendency and use it to expand a child's mind more than his or her waistline?" - Tulsa World


“There’s a science-deficit among America’s young and one man’s cure comes packed in a potato chip bag.” - CBS-TV (Philadelphia)


"An irresistibly introduction to the tasty side of science.” - Mindware.com


“School’s in session, which means—deep breaths, parents—science fairs are just around the corner. Get kids motivated early and find some simple-to-implement, innovative ideas with Potato Chip Science” - Time Out, Chicago, IL


“Kids will get a recommended dose of fun with their lessons in physics, biology, chemistry and earth science that is, as the packaging says, ‘High in saturated facts.’” - L.A. Parent

Perfect for kids. (I would have gone nuts for this as a child! And who am I kidding? I’m in my twenties and I still think it’s pretty cool!)

This was one of a few games that kids rated as a 10+ on a scale of 1 to 10 (in our annual toy test). Third-graders tested this bag of fun and easy science experiments, all involving the lowly—but amazing—potato. Even the bag becomes a fun activity: the Bag Blaster. “We loved it!” the kids said.

Holy potato chips! Batman. There’s something about the crinkle of a bag of chips that is like a geek siren song.

If you have a wee one with an interest in science... check out Kurzweil’s latest project, the science kit in a potato chip bag.

What a brilliant concept! Author Allen Kurzweil followed up on a suggestion from son Max and uses everyone’s favorite vegetable as the basis for this 96-page book. Complementing the book is a potato chip bag that includes items used in the 29 delightful experiments in the book (a digital clock that can be powered by a potato, googly eyes, a biodegradable lab knife, etc.)

There’s a science-deficit among America’s young and one man’s cure comes packed in a potato chip bag.

School’s in session, which means—deep breaths, parents—science fairs are just around the corner. Get kids motivated early and find some simple-to-implement, innovative ideas with Potato Chip Science.

Do you like potatoes? Do you like science? Well, Allen Kurzweil has the book for you. The most obvious and coolest project in the kit is the potato battery...Other experiments include spud guns, compasses made out of Pringles can tops, and even a shrunken head made out of potatoes. You can even make a kite out of a potato chip bag and a Chia Pet out of a potato, some peat, and some grass seed. [But] the real value is the instillation of the tinkering spirit. As a parent, I see the value in teaching science and conservation through something fun like potatoes and potato products. Considering my five year old only wants to eat fries anyway, he might as well learn about composting and electricity through Idahos.

If the little chemist in your life prefers experiments to coloring, try out Potato Chip Science.

This was one of a few games that kids rated as a 10+ on a scale of 1 to 10. Third-graders tested this bag of fun and easy science experiments, all involving the lowly—but amazing—potato. Even the bag becomes a fun activity: the Bag Blaster. “We loved it!” the kids said.

Potatoes, potato chips and their packaging provide the materials for this entertaining, pun-filled collection of 29 science demonstrations and experiments plus one crunchy cookie recipe. The potato experiments will be familiar to science teachers but intriguing for young readers; the others offer creative uses for chip bags, lids and tubes. They include making rockets and kites, spinners demonstrating properties of sound and light, even a birdcall. The authors include explanations of the scientific principles involved, information about growing potatoes and making chips and their bags, oddities and curious facts. Recipe-style instructions and illustrations are reasonably clear. This book-with-stuff is packaged in an imitation potato-chip bag with a large number of packing peanuts, chip lids, googly eyes, stickers, a sound chip and a digital clock that can be powered by a potato and more. Although some of the plastic is labeled biodegradable, the whole of the packaging contradicts the message encouraging REuse of such materials. Though aimed at the book-as-toy market, this would be an appealing addition to a craft or science-fair shelf. (Informational gamebook. 8-14)