Beautiful Discovery
- A monthly kit of adventures exploring beautiful patterns of life, from the perspectives of all STEAM subjects
- Our eco-games, code, origami and art simulate spirals, stripes, flocks and other patterns in biology, ecology, or behavior. See the patterns also in natural wonders, such as real pine cones, shells, minerals, leaves, all included in the boxes
- Beautiful Discovery boxes include easy access science-oriented games, drag-and-drop block code, stories and art activities for preteens, and also includes fascinating lessons for adults or teens
- Each box comes with lessons for an adult or teen alone, or for a preteen with adult guidance. Ages 9 and up benefit most.
- Like a forest walk or museum visit, Beautiful Discovery is accessible to all ages, yet endlessly stimulating the deeper one goes
Questions
Q: What age group Is best suited for this box?Asked by Von K., July 2019
To appeal to all ages, we carefully selected visually beautiful patterns
that have scientific, mathematical, and artistic significance. We include
games, models, art, and natural wonders that reflect those patterns and
make them tangible. While the boxes include easy access science-oriented
games, drag-and drop Scratch coding, stories and art activities for
preteens to enjoy, it also includes fascinating lessons for adults or
teens. Each box comes with a lesson for an adult or teen alone, or for a
preteen with adult guidance. So we believe two groups will benefit the
most: 1) preteens working with an enthusiastic adult, 2) teenage or adult
science geeks working alone. Thanks for your interest and your question!
Chris and Kathy
Q: Why is shipping to Canada SO expensive?!?!!!!Asked by Shadi D., December 2020
Shipping to Canada is now $15.99 per box. We just now changed this rate, so let us know of any issues or questions. Thanks for your question!
Q: Will we be able to also get the other boxes that have been sent prior to my signup?Asked by Cynthia G., April 2020
Yes, those boxes are among the ones we will send out. We also are adding new boxes, to extend past 12 monthly boxes. Thanks for your question. Hope this answer is helpful.
Q: really like this product, but the cost to ship to Canada using your carrier is too much. Could I provide a FedEx # and get free shipping to Toronto, Ontario Canada?Asked by Susan M., November 2019
Thanks so much for this innovative idea about shipping, and for
appreciating our product. Sure, we can get you free shipping, since you are
paying your own carrier. We have created a coupon for you that gets you
free shipping when you order. To get the coupon code (and give us your
fedex account) email us using the Contact Seller button on our listing.
Thanks again for your interest,
Beautiful Discovery
Shipping to Canada is now $15.99 per box, whereas it was $25 before this December.
Just curious Susan, how much do you save on shipping to Canada using this technique?
Beautiful Discovery reviewsReviews
Write a Review4.8
Average Subscriber RatingGood overall
Feb 13, 2021
Sharon K.
Items in the box are good, but there is too much reading involved.
Verified Purchase
Truly beautiful discoveries!
Sep 21, 2020
Cynthia G.
My kids and I love all of the boxes we have received! They really are beautiful discoveries! The packaging is enticing, the materials are beautiful, and the activities are all so unique. We are so glad we discovered this subscription, and we recommend it to everyone!
Verified Purchase
Great for older kids too!
Dec 15, 2019
Sara M.
I love this product! So many different options, and different ways to explore it!
I tried it with my friends' two kids: A 14 year old who is super into science, but doesn't think of themselves as creative AND an 11 year old artists who "isn't that into science". They both loved it, AND they worked on it together, making up their own games with it! Total win! Strongly recommended.
Verified Purchase
Fun and educational
May 25, 2019
Michelle L.
I got the box as something for my niece and I to do together. We loved all of the lil things that came in the box. And we learned a lot to. It's a great way to introduce science, games, nature and art into a kids life, as well as, for us adults. Fun for all ages.
Verified Purchase
Fun and educational
Apr 01, 2019
Laura S.
We loved opening the first box and discovering all the items inside. The activities provided opportunities to discuss the natural world around us and the games were fun for all.
Verified Purchase
Dec 28, 2018
Christopher K.
Our family and friends love to explore this kit.
Verified Purchase
A Wonderful Birthday present!
Sep 11, 2019
Rhea B.
Dear Chris & Kathy,
I wanted to let you know how much my 10 yr. old granddaughter is enjoying her Discovery Box! It was a Birthday present. After looking through the contents, she immediately started to organize the items. She made folders & labeled them and put the pictures in; she labeled boxes for shells and other items and she also made a T-chart to record her observations. She is enjoying it immensely! She was so excited to learn that she will be receiving another "NEW" Beautiful Discovery box next month! Thank you both; you've done a wonderful job!
Verified Purchase
Great for Math!
Jun 05, 2019
Rachael N.
This is a really cool box. If you're someone like me who often has trouble grasping mathematical concepts as they are often taught in classrooms, then the contents of this box may help you or your student. It presents math concepts in ways that are concrete and hands-on. Everything inside is beautiful, too!
Verified Purchase
My favourite math+art subscription!
Aug 04, 2020
Sandra Z.
My favourite subscription! My only 4-star is due to shipping to Canada - I wish I could get it free, but it is completely understandable :) Luckily, I can ship to my sister in the US because as a math teacher and art lover, I find these boxes to be the perfect fit in showing the connections between the two areas. I searched (for weeks!) for something that would inspire my own lesson plans and this does exactly that. Thank you for the thought put into designing these activities. With all the research I do on my end to connect art to STEM fields, you have taught me even more! Thank you so much and please continue these - I look forward to many more boxes :)
Verified Purchase
Fabulous for STEM-oriented older kids!
Jul 06, 2020
Nicole M.
This was a fabulous box for an older (I'd recommend 10+) STEM oriented child! My 11 year old son is very smart, loves Math, and has mild ASD (so in his case, patterns, codes, logic endlessly intrigues him). He had aged out of many of the other subscription crate options, and those that required complex fine motor/building skills (Tinker Crate, etc) were not his top strength. But the concepts here were new to him, and even enticed him to paint/draw/craft. This crate helped him decide STEAM (with the Art added) might be as great as STEM :) 5 stars!
Verified Purchase
This is very gratifying to hear! The benefits and experience you described for your son are exactly why we make these boxes!
Past boxes from Beautiful Discovery…
Secret Code of Flowers: Golden Ratio Spirals
Learn about the golden ratio and spirals in nature, with drag and drop code, a coloring book (with markers and paints), a real daisy, science booklet, origami, and real pine cones. Our materials, supplemented with movies and computer models, give you an intuitive feel for the golden angle, irrational numbers, and why the number of spirals in flowers and pine cones are Fibonacci numbers.
deCODING 3D & perspective
With our 3D glasses and viewing mounts, you can make your own three-dimensional drawings. A great way to learn about perspective drawing, parallax and other 3D mechanisms. Comes with 3D slides, drawing exercises, code and bonus 3D images online with your phone. We will go beyond the three dimensions, adding three color dimensions, learning how computers generate shades of colors.
Simplicity of Symmetry: Regular Polyhedra & logarithmic spirals
Explore elegant symmetrical patterns constructed with simple rules. These include sparkly and crystal clear “Platonic solids" and logarithmic spirals. See these patterns in the enclosed real fluorite crystal and an ammonite fossil. Make these patterns with easy drag & drop code.
Grazers and Hunters: Art & Science of Predator-Prey Ecosystems
Look deeply at the beautiful patterns of elk and wolves, with art and science. Draw the fur patterns with pastels. Get a feel for the ecosystem with a dynamic game, where you try to gain the most elk and grass through strategic grazing and hunting. The beautiful cardboard game has a code version, which is a model of a predator-prey ecosystem. Start with easy drag and drop code, and move onto analysis.
Frozen Fractals: deCODING snow patterns
Exploring the patterns of snowflakes, frost fern and crystals. We examine real frost fern as it appears on windows, snowflakes, draw them with a scratch board. Make fern salt crystals in minutes (we include salts and dish). Model growth of snowflakes, ferns and trees, and code the models with simple drag and drop blocks. Looking deeply at nature's fractals, we examine the simple rules that give rise to frozen fractals and similar life patterns.
Barely Balanced: Decoding Ecosystems
This board game is a barely balanced ecosystem. Try to tip it in your favor. Comes with coding blocks, instructional movies, online computer models, , real sand dollar, paper starfish mobile, colored pencils, art instruction for underwater scene.
deCODING nature's spots & stripes with art & science
With art and code, explore simple models generating diverse patterns on animal fur, feathers, and flocks. Learn techniques of painting and sketching with art projects celebrating the patterns. Includes models, real feather, transparent grid, paint, canvas, dye, dish and glue. Paint a closeup of a snowy owl, and use code to model of flock. For fun we model an owl flock from Harry Potter.
Heavenly Harmony: Pendulums and Music of the Spheres
Find out what orbits in our solar system have in common with music. This box includes harmonic motion pendulums, paint for a glow in the dark Mimas moon, a pendulum that glows its oscillations, code, pan pipes that illustrate mathematics of music. As in music, the solar system orbits show ratios of two to one, three to two and four to three.
DeCODING bubbles and bees
Discover why bees make hexagons. By making containers, explore why hexagons are the most efficient use of material. See soap bubbles form hexagons when packed. With a wax resist drawing of a honeycomb, celebrate the beautify of beehives and explore the hydrophobic nature of wax. Comes with wasp nest sample, and sheet of beeswax.
Parabolas and Paraboloids
The parabola is a pattern hidden throughout nature. Get an intuitive feel for this by making 3D models of parabolas and paraboloids using origami, stick frames, and cones, Also includes science booklet and drag and drop code.
Decoding Nature's Broken Symmetries
From flowers to crystals to atomic particles, nature abounds with broken symmetries. Play with floral shapes, making 3D models with broken symmetry, the Trillium flower, the hexagonal Mountain Laurel. Included is a pyritohedral piece of iron pyrite and a large model of the pyritohedron (a dodecahedron with some symmetry broken). See how reducing symmetry opens up new practical possibilities and new beauty.
Code of Behavior: Modeling Peer Pressure
The Meadowkin game is a cardboard and code model of social pressure and cyclic behavior. Meadowkin are simple-minded, cute, gnome-like creatures that love flowers, pumpkins, gourds, and berries. We include instructions for drawing Meadowkin-themed art.
