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CREST Star Kit Boxes for Engage community

The CREST Star Kit Boxes are designed to provide you with maximum support to run CREST Awards activities with your children, by including all the essential equipment and instructions you need. This support page includes digital copies of your resources, supporting slides that you can use with your class, as well as demo videos to give you tips and advice on how to run the activities.

Getting started

1. Receive

Receive your kit box in the post, delivered directly to your setting!

Open the box and read your welcome letter.

Ready...

Box

2. Plan

Read the Organiser and Activity Cards provided in your kit box, and watch the demo videos below to see what is required for each challenge.

Plan when you will run the activities with your children.

Attend drop-in sessions to support your planning and delivery.

Set...

File Text

3. Run

Try to complete at least six of the activities in your kit box throughout the school year.

Perhaps you could encourage parents and carers to be part of the CREST activities?

Go!

Smile

4. Award

Reward children with their Star certificates!

You could organise an assembly or invite parents and carers (ordering more certificates in advance, if you need them).

Re-use your kit box next academic year, or pass it on to colleagues.

Reward & repeat

Award
  • 1. Receive

    Receive your kit box in the post, delivered directly to your setting!

    Open the box and read your welcome letter.

    Ready...

    Box
  • 2. Plan

    Read the Organiser and Activity Cards provided in your kit box, and watch the demo videos below to see what is required for each challenge.

    Plan when you will run the activities with your children.

    Attend drop-in sessions to support your planning and delivery.

    Set...

    File Text
  • 3. Run

    Try to complete at least six of the activities in your kit box throughout the school year.

    Perhaps you could encourage parents and carers to be part of the CREST activities?

    Go!

    Smile
  • 4. Award

    Reward children with their Star certificates!

    You could organise an assembly or invite parents and carers (ordering more certificates in advance, if you need them).

    Re-use your kit box next academic year, or pass it on to colleagues.

    Reward & repeat

    Award
HIS CREST Star Image Widget 2

Demo videos

To prepare for the CREST activity with your learners, watch the teacher demo video for each of the eight Star challenges in your kit box.

Animal Adventure

Animal Adventure Seren With Minibeasts Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about minibeasts and habitats. They will explore an outdoor area and go on a minibeast hunt!

Be Seen Be Safe

Be Safe Be Seen Children With Joyti Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about reflection and light. Test materials to see how reflective they are and how to be seen at night.

Peggy Problem

Peggy Problem Cosmic & Gem With Pegs Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about grip and strength. They will test different types of peg and see how strong they are.

Plant Detectives

Plant Detectives Tara & Zeke With Plant Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about where plants grow. They will investigate plants in their outdoor surroundings.
  • Animal Adventure

    Animal Adventure Seren With Minibeasts Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about minibeasts and habitats. They will explore an outdoor area and go on a minibeast hunt!
  • Be Seen Be Safe

    Be Safe Be Seen Children With Joyti Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about reflection and light. Test materials to see how reflective they are and how to be seen at night.
  • Peggy Problem

    Peggy Problem Cosmic & Gem With Pegs Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about grip and strength. They will test different types of peg and see how strong they are.
  • Plant Detectives

    Plant Detectives Tara & Zeke With Plant Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about where plants grow. They will investigate plants in their outdoor surroundings.

Sneaky Shadow

Sneaky Shadow Gem & Aunt Stella With Torches Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about shadows. They will experiment with making shadows, then create their own shadow play!

Sniffly Sneezes

Sniffly Sneezes Zeke With Tissue Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about strength and absorbency. They will test materials to see which will make a good hankie.

Testing Timers

Testing Timers Children With Beanbags Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about how sand timers work. They will observe real sand timers and then make their own!

Useless Umbrella

Useless Umbrella Aunt Stella & Children Sized For Process Card
Get children thinking about materials and their water resistance. They will test these to find which is best to repair an umbrella.
  • Sneaky Shadow

    Sneaky Shadow Gem & Aunt Stella With Torches Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about shadows. They will experiment with making shadows, then create their own shadow play!
  • Sniffly Sneezes

    Sniffly Sneezes Zeke With Tissue Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about strength and absorbency. They will test materials to see which will make a good hankie.
  • Testing Timers

    Testing Timers Children With Beanbags Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about how sand timers work. They will observe real sand timers and then make their own!
  • Useless Umbrella

    Useless Umbrella Aunt Stella & Children Sized For Process Card
    Get children thinking about materials and their water resistance. They will test these to find which is best to repair an umbrella.

Supporting webinars

This academic year saw the launch of the new CREST Star Kit Boxes, for young learners aged 3-7 (or working at that age). As a new product, the CREST team is keen to support and learn from educators using the kit box in their settings. A series of live support webinars are open to all kit box recipients and slides from past sessions are available below.

Pilot kick off

An introduction to the aims and timeline of the pilot project. Meet the new CREST Star characters and see what activities will be inside the kit box!

Support webinar 1

Explore each of the eight activities included in the kit box in more detail, including the equipment provided and supporting materials.

Support webinar 2

A chance to consider some of the supporting resources in more detail, including demo videos and classroom slides for each of the CREST challenges, plus a recap on ideas for involving parents, carers and families in the kit box activities.

Support webinar 3

A look at how to use your kit box again next year, including how to order more CREST certificates, as well as a chance to share feedback and find out more about how to take part in the end of year evaluation activity.

  • Pilot kick off

    An introduction to the aims and timeline of the pilot project. Meet the new CREST Star characters and see what activities will be inside the kit box!
  • Support webinar 1

    Explore each of the eight activities included in the kit box in more detail, including the equipment provided and supporting materials.
  • Support webinar 2

    A chance to consider some of the supporting resources in more detail, including demo videos and classroom slides for each of the CREST challenges, plus a recap on ideas for involving parents, carers and families in the kit box activities.

  • Support webinar 3

    A look at how to use your kit box again next year, including how to order more CREST certificates, as well as a chance to share feedback and find out more about how to take part in the end of year evaluation activity.

Herringthorpe Infant School 129
Kit Box Engage Orange Icon Large

Printed resources in your CREST Star Kit Box

Your CREST Star Kit Box comes equipped with a class set of CREST Passports, Activity and Organiser Cards for each of the eight challenges, and a welcome letter.

Additional copies can be printed from the links in the sections below.

Additional CREST certificates can be ordered on the CREST platform, so you can use the box with another class or year group.

Your Star resources

Order more CREST certificates

Additional CREST certificates can be ordered on the CREST platform, so you can use the box with another class or year group.

CREST Star Certifcate Sized For 50 50 Widget
HIS CREST Star Original 2

Evaluation of CREST Star Kit Box

We hope that you and your pupils will be the first of many to benefit from free CREST kit boxes.

Sharing your feedback will help the British Science Association tailor the product and support to best suit educators and young people most likely to be underrepresented in STEM, as well as gather evidence of the boxes’ benefits, with a view to providing more to other schools in the future. That's why, as a condition of receiving a free kit box, we ask that you complete a questionnaire about your CREST experience.

Please complete the questionnaire by 11 July 2025.

Refer to your email communications for links and instructions for the evaluation questionnaire.

CREST Star Kit Box FAQs

Frequently-asked questions about the CREST Star Kit Boxes. For general information about the CREST Awards, visit the CREST Help Centre.

We recommend you complete at least six activities with your pupils in order to be able to award their certificates.

We hope that the equipment provided in your kit box will allow you to run the CREST activities with as little planning and preparation time as possible! 

The equipment is designed to be used by children under adult supervision. Always carry out a full risk assessment when undertaking practical work, taking into account the needs of your individual children.  

Some of the resources will be used for more than one activity. Where possible, we have provided enough sets of equipment for you to run the projects both with small groups or with a whole class. Two of the eight projects work best with small groups so, for these, we have supplied fewer sets of equipment that you can reuse. 

As the activities are aimed at a range of ages and abilities, please use your professional judgement and feel free to adapt them for your children, giving them the opportunity to explore each project in a way that is accessible and appropriate for them. 

See what's inside for each activity below.

Some kit boxes may contain additional general equipment like pencils, paper and scissors. If not, these items should be easily found in your setting!

1

Animal adventure (outdoor activity)

- Magnifying glasses  - Collection scissors  - Plastic tubs to observe minibeasts  - Cloth bags - An example petri dish

2

Be seen be safe (best run in small groups)

- Large black tablecloth - Torches  - Materials to test

3

Peggy problem (best run in small groups) 

- Washing line  - Coloured socks  - Selection of pegs  - Large pebbles  - Sticky dots

4

Plant detectives (outdoor activity) 

- Magnifying glasses - Sticky dots

5

Sneaky shadow

- Torches - Cardboard frames, tracing paper, notched stands - Chopsticks, black card and sticky tack   - Translucent coloured paper

6

Sniffly sneezes 

- Plastic trays  - Beakers  - Green paint - Pipettes  - Materials to test

7

Testing timers

- Real sand timers to demo - Paper cups  - Sticky tack - Coloured sand  - Digital timers (in some boxes)

8

Useless umbrella

- Plastic trays - Blue paint - Pipettes - Paper towels for testing  - Materials to test (e.g. sponge, wood, foil, cotton)  - Mini umbrellas with small holes 

We recommend you complete at least six of the activities in your box within the academic year, this way children will complete their CREST Awards and receive their certificates. You can however re-use the box for as long as you like.

The kit box contains enough certificates for 30 children. If you would like to use your kit box with more children or re-use it, you can order more certificates on the CREST platform.

Yes, the kit boxes are designed to be re-usable. To re-use your box, you may need to replace some consumables and you can order more certificates on the CREST application platform.

The kit boxes are designed to help you support and engage young people most likely to be underrepresented in science/STEM. For this reason we recommend using the boxes with an entire class rather than in a STEM club.

Gem 1

Involving families and carers

Running the CREST challenges in your kit box can be a great way to involve parents and carers in their children’s learning. Why not take CREST beyond the classroom with some of these ideas!

Share

Stock Photo of Young Child and Male Adults Outdoor Play

Share photos of the children taking part in the activities in your newsletter, or on a photo sharing platform if you use one.

Share information about the kit boxes at parent coffee mornings.

Pass the activities on to outreach teams who might like to share them with families where children are currently unable to access/attend nursery or school.

Hands on help

CBIS British Science Week Original A Class Of Pupils Doing Science Activities With Teachers At S (84)

Invite parents and carers into your setting to support running the projects, or to see the projects in action.

Send some of the activities or follow-on tasks home for families to try together.

Celebrate

HIS CREST Star Certificate Process Card
Invite parents and carers to a special celebration assembly or ceremony to watch the children receive their CREST certificates.
  • Share

    Stock Photo of Young Child and Male Adults Outdoor Play

    Share photos of the children taking part in the activities in your newsletter, or on a photo sharing platform if you use one.

    Share information about the kit boxes at parent coffee mornings.

    Pass the activities on to outreach teams who might like to share them with families where children are currently unable to access/attend nursery or school.

  • Hands on help

    CBIS British Science Week Original A Class Of Pupils Doing Science Activities With Teachers At S (84)

    Invite parents and carers into your setting to support running the projects, or to see the projects in action.

    Send some of the activities or follow-on tasks home for families to try together.

  • Celebrate

    HIS CREST Star Certificate Process Card
    Invite parents and carers to a special celebration assembly or ceremony to watch the children receive their CREST certificates.

Taking CREST further

If you have enjoyed your experience with CREST Awards, in addition to re-using your kit box, explore below for more ideas and inspiration to embed practical science in your setting!

CREST early years

Earth And Beyond Covers

Children in early years might like to try our ‘Earth and Beyond’ challenge pack, which provides eight hands-on and exciting space-themed activities.

More Star resources

Star Resources Covers

Our main Star collection is suitable for children aged 5-7, or those working at this level, and has lots more fun, practical STEM projects to explore.

You can re-use the magnifying glasses and cloth bags from the kit box for the Discovery Bag activity.

Additional support

Adobe stock photo

Why not invite a STEM Ambassador to help deliver activities! STEM Ambassadors are volunteers who want to help inspire the next generation of young scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.

  • CREST early years

    Earth And Beyond Covers

    Children in early years might like to try our ‘Earth and Beyond’ challenge pack, which provides eight hands-on and exciting space-themed activities.

  • More Star resources

    Star Resources Covers

    Our main Star collection is suitable for children aged 5-7, or those working at this level, and has lots more fun, practical STEM projects to explore.

    You can re-use the magnifying glasses and cloth bags from the kit box for the Discovery Bag activity.

  • Additional support

    Adobe stock photo

    Why not invite a STEM Ambassador to help deliver activities! STEM Ambassadors are volunteers who want to help inspire the next generation of young scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.

Supporters of the Engage Teacher Network

We thank our generous funders The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Horners' Education Charity, NCR Foundation, and Mewburn Ellis for making it possible to provide free kit boxes to schools in challenging circumstances.

UK Research & Innovation Logo
the Worshipful Company of Horners logo
Mewburn Ellis LLP logo
1851 Royal Commission logo
NCR Foundation logo
UK Research & Innovation Logo
the Worshipful Company of Horners logo
Mewburn Ellis LLP logo
1851 Royal Commission logo
NCR Foundation logo
UK Research & Innovation Logo
the Worshipful Company of Horners logo
Mewburn Ellis LLP logo
UK Research & Innovation Logo
the Worshipful Company of Horners logo
Mewburn Ellis LLP logo
1851 Royal Commission logo
NCR Foundation logo
1851 Royal Commission logo
NCR Foundation logo