See what's inside an Explore Star Kit Box
Eligible schools can apply to receive an Explore Star Kit Box for use in British Science Week 2027. Use this page to see what's inside, before you apply.
The kit boxes are part of a wider six-year programme to engage the public with research and innovation across the UK. Funded by UKRI and delivered by the British Science Association, this new initiative will celebrate the full breadth of UK research and innovation and the contribution it makes to improving lives and livelihoods.
What is an Explore Star Kit Box?
The Explore Star Kit Box is a one-stop solution for primary and special school educators to deliver relatable practical science activities that support students (aged 5-7 or working at that level) to develop the skills that underpin research and innovation.
Inside there are eight hands-on enquiry-led CREST Star challenges with cross-curricular links and a STEM Person of the Week toolkit to introduce STEM role models. CREST is the British Science Association’s education programme that provides flexible and impactful activities and projects that engage and reward young people.
What's in the Explore Star Kit Box?
'Box' doesn't do the Explore Star Kit Box justice - it is more of a treasure chest!
Contained within an outer box measuring 33 x 33 x 51 cm, the kit box has 4 inner compartments with the equipment and printed materials for eight CREST challenges and STEM Person of the Week toolkit. See what's inside:
Welcome Letter
The welcome letter will introduce you to contents of the Kit Box with tips on using - and re-using - the equipment.
CREST Organiser and Activity Cards
For each of the eight CREST challenges in the Explore Star Kit Box, there are printed Organiser Cards (for the teacher) and Activity Cards (for the learner) provided.
For a preview, why not download all of the Organiser Cards, Activity Cards, and slides further down this page or from the CREST Resource Library?
Equipment
For each of the eight CREST Star challenges, we've included the essential equipment you require to run the activity with your learners.
You may still need basic classroom materials like pencils and paper, but we've thought of everything else to make it simple for you to pick-up-and-run with it.
CREST Passports and stickers
For learners to track their progress, there are CREST Passports and stickers.
There are 60 printed copies of the Passport, and 20 sheets of stickers in the box.
CREST Award Certificates
To celebrate your students' accomplishment (once they complete a minimum of six of the challenges), there are 60 pre-printed CREST Star certificates in the box.
STEM Person of the Week toolkit
STEM Person of the Week is an award winning STEM engagement activity that’s been shown to reduce children’s stereotypes of scientists by providing counter-stereotypical character attributes through a set of diverse STEM role models.
Included in the box are 5 printed posters of STEM role models for you to discuss with students, as well as a complementary activity for your learners to explore what characteristics they have in common with the STEM workers.
Welcome Letter
The welcome letter will introduce you to contents of the Kit Box with tips on using - and re-using - the equipment.
CREST Organiser and Activity Cards
For each of the eight CREST challenges in the Explore Star Kit Box, there are printed Organiser Cards (for the teacher) and Activity Cards (for the learner) provided.
For a preview, why not download all of the Organiser Cards, Activity Cards, and slides further down this page or from the CREST Resource Library?
Equipment
For each of the eight CREST Star challenges, we've included the essential equipment you require to run the activity with your learners.
You may still need basic classroom materials like pencils and paper, but we've thought of everything else to make it simple for you to pick-up-and-run with it.
CREST Passports and stickers
For learners to track their progress, there are CREST Passports and stickers.
There are 60 printed copies of the Passport, and 20 sheets of stickers in the box.
CREST Award Certificates
To celebrate your students' accomplishment (once they complete a minimum of six of the challenges), there are 60 pre-printed CREST Star certificates in the box.
STEM Person of the Week toolkit
STEM Person of the Week is an award winning STEM engagement activity that’s been shown to reduce children’s stereotypes of scientists by providing counter-stereotypical character attributes through a set of diverse STEM role models.
Included in the box are 5 printed posters of STEM role models for you to discuss with students, as well as a complementary activity for your learners to explore what characteristics they have in common with the STEM workers.
This is an example of the kit box bundle that successful applicants will receive. The actual box may vary slightly in colour or branding, but the contents and overall design will be broadly similar.
Demo videos
Want to know more about how to run the CREST activities? Watch the teacher demo video for each of the eight Star challenges in the Explore Star Kit Box.
Animal Adventure
Be Seen Be Safe
Peggy Problem
Plant Detectives
Sneaky Shadow
Sniffly Sneezes
Testing Timers
Useless Umbrella
CREST Star Challenges
- This activity is designed to get children thinking about materials and their water resistance. Can they help Cosmic and Gem find something suitable to fix Aunt Stella's umbrella?#Star#Materials#Investigate#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Useless Umbrella Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Useless Umbrella is designed to get children th...#Star#Materials#Investigate#EarlyYears
- Be Seen Be Safe is designed to get children thinking about reflection and light. Can they help Tara and Zeke decide on the best thing to wear that will help them be seen in the dark?#Star#Light#Dark#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Be Seen Be Safe Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Be Seen Be Safe is designed to get children thin...#Star#Light#Dark#EarlyYears
- Animal Adventure is designed to get children thinking about minibeasts and habitats. Where can they find minibeasts in their outdoor environment?#Star#Minibeasts#Investigate#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Animal Adventure Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Animal Adventure is designed to get children th...#Star#Minibeasts#Outdoors#EarlyYears
- Peggy Problem is designed to get children thinking about grip and strength. Can they help Cosmic and Gem find out which pegs are best at keeping clothes on the washing line?#Star#Grip#Strength#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Peggy Problem Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Peggy Problem is designed to get children thinking...#Star#Grip#Strength#EarlyYears
- Plant Detectives is designed to get children thinking about where plants grow. Can they investigate and discover plants in their outdoor surroundings?#Star#Plants#Investigate#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Plant Detectives Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Plant Detectives is designed to get children th...#Star#Plants#Investigate#EarlyYears
- Sneaky Shadow is designed to get children thinking about shadows. Can they experiment with making shadows, before creating and performing their own shadow play?#Star#Shadows#Investigate#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Sneaky Shadow Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Sneaky Shadow is designed to get children thinking...#Star#Shadows#Investigate#EarlyYears
- Sniffly Sneezes is designed to get children thinking about the strength and absorbency of materials. Can they help Zeke find a better hankie to blow his sore nose?#Star#Materials#Investigate#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Sniffly Sneezes Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Sniffly Sneezes is designed to get children thin...#Star#Materials#Investigate#EarlyYears
- Testing Timers is designed to get children thinking about how sand timers work. Can they create their own sand timer that measures exactly one minute?#Star#Time#Measuring#EarlyYears
- These supporting slides accompany the Testing Timers Star challenge, providing colourful visuals and key instructions to help you run this activity with your learners. Testing Timers is designed to get children thinki...#Star#Time#Measuring#EarlyYears
- Children can track their progress as they complete CREST challenges by using a Star passport. Once they have completed at least six activities they can be awarded a CREST Star certificate to recognise their achievement!#Star#Passport#Explore#Investigate
Ready to apply?
If the Explore Star Kit Box is right for you and you'd like to apply, return to the British Science Week website to see whether your school is eligible, review the application guidelines in detail, and apply.
Explore Kit Box FAQs
Frequently-asked questions about the Explore Kit Boxes. For general information about British Science Week resources and support for schools, visit the website.
To be considered for an Explore Kit Box you must submit an application by the application deadline. For full eligibility and application information, return to the British Science Week website.
The Explore Kit Boxes are not a cash grant; there is no money paid out to schools that successfully apply for one.
An Explore Kit Box is an activity kit bundle that includes all the resources and equipment to run eight enquiry-led skill-building challenges, plus CREST Award certificates for 60 students, and there are two versions: Explore Star and Explore SuperStar.
If you seek grant funding for your school, you may be interested in Engage funding for CREST or the Curiosity Grant.
Yes. The application asks which version(s) of the box you want to apply for. Explore Star is for learners aged approximately 5-7 and Explore SuperStar for those aged 7-11 (or young people working at those levels).
If your school would like to be considered for both types of boxes, please submit only one application, which may require that you collaborate with an/others at your school to submit the combined application.
Although influenced by the demand for boxes and numbers of applications submitted, it is unlikely that a school would be awarded both an Explore Star and an Explore SuperStar box in the same academic year as we seek to support as many schools as possible with our funding.
Not this year, no. Although we recognise that secondary schools may wish to run practical activities for students working at the 7-11 year old level (or indeed as outreach with feeder schools), for this inaugural year that they are offered we will only be awarding them to primary and special schools (including alternative provision).
To be considered for an Explore Kit Box you must submit an application by the application deadline.
Should your application be successful and your school is awarded an Explore Star or Explore SuperStar Kit Box, you will be removed from the corresponding CREST Star or CREST SuperStar Kit Box waiting list(s) (as the CREST and Explore kit boxes are very similar, containing the same eight CREST challenges).
If your application is unsuccessful your place on the CREST kit box waiting list(s) will be unaffected and you will be notified when more funded CREST kit boxes are available (which will likely be the 2027/2028 academic year).
The eight CREST challenges and associated equipment in each of the Explore Kit Boxes are the same as those in the CREST Star and SuperStar Kit Boxes, although the CREST kit boxes do not include the STEM Person of the Week resources.
If your school has already received a CREST Star or CREST SuperStar Kit Box it is unlikely that an application for an Explore Kit Box would be successful, as the British Science Association seeks to support as many schools as possible with our funding.
To be considered for an Explore Kit Box you must submit an application by the application deadline. For full eligibility and application information, return to the British Science Week website.
The Explore Kit Boxes are not a cash grant; there is no money paid out to schools that successfully apply for one.
An Explore Kit Box is an activity kit bundle that includes all the resources and equipment to run eight enquiry-led skill-building challenges, plus CREST Award certificates for 60 students, and there are two versions: Explore Star and Explore SuperStar.
If you seek grant funding for your school, you may be interested in Engage funding for CREST or the Curiosity Grant.
Yes. The application asks which version(s) of the box you want to apply for. Explore Star is for learners aged approximately 5-7 and Explore SuperStar for those aged 7-11 (or young people working at those levels).
If your school would like to be considered for both types of boxes, please submit only one application, which may require that you collaborate with an/others at your school to submit the combined application.
Although influenced by the demand for boxes and numbers of applications submitted, it is unlikely that a school would be awarded both an Explore Star and an Explore SuperStar box in the same academic year as we seek to support as many schools as possible with our funding.
Not this year, no. Although we recognise that secondary schools may wish to run practical activities for students working at the 7-11 year old level (or indeed as outreach with feeder schools), for this inaugural year that they are offered we will only be awarding them to primary and special schools (including alternative provision).
To be considered for an Explore Kit Box you must submit an application by the application deadline.
Should your application be successful and your school is awarded an Explore Star or Explore SuperStar Kit Box, you will be removed from the corresponding CREST Star or CREST SuperStar Kit Box waiting list(s) (as the CREST and Explore kit boxes are very similar, containing the same eight CREST challenges).
If your application is unsuccessful your place on the CREST kit box waiting list(s) will be unaffected and you will be notified when more funded CREST kit boxes are available (which will likely be the 2027/2028 academic year).
The eight CREST challenges and associated equipment in each of the Explore Kit Boxes are the same as those in the CREST Star and SuperStar Kit Boxes, although the CREST kit boxes do not include the STEM Person of the Week resources.
If your school has already received a CREST Star or CREST SuperStar Kit Box it is unlikely that an application for an Explore Kit Box would be successful, as the British Science Association seeks to support as many schools as possible with our funding.