$24.95. www.surpriseride.com

Send your imagination on a mission to Mars! For as long as we’ve been gazing at the Red Planet through our telescopes, humans have been imagining and wondering just what visiting Mars would really be like. With this kit, kids can pretend they’re on a mission to Mars as they experiment with the out-of-this-world properties of hydrophobic sand. The kit comes with a book that is packed with amazing martian facts, profiles of famous astronauts and cosmonauts, plus plenty of planetary jokes to share with friends. There’s even a little green martian to befriend! Send your young space cadet’s imagination rocketing into orbit with this kit. It encourages exploration, experimentation, and an interest in space, geology, and astronomy, and provides a fascinating adventure for future astronomers. This kit includes all required supplies plus a custom book, bendable martian figurine, parent guide, and kid-friendly learning materials. For ages 5 to 10.