I bought this set for my 10 year old daughter and she loves it. The planets are easy to snap together and there is plenty of paint. My favorite feature is the glow in the dark paint. It can be painted on after the regular paint dries, or you can mix it with the colored paint for a different effect. It didn't glow as bright as I'd hoped, but that wasn't a big deal. The paint dried surprisingly fast, we were able to apply two coats of colored paint and the glow in the dark stuff in under two hours. I would recommend using a smaller paintbrush than the one included. We used a q-tip for the details. The sun and Saturn come with plastic rings, and there is even a poster of the solar system. The mobile was pretty easy to put together, and the instructions are very clear, my daughter did most of it by herself. We have it hanging on the ceiling in my daughter's room, so no one can touch it. When we were hanging it up, I accidentally scratched Pluto and some of the paint came off. Overall this is a great toy. I would recommend this toy for older children. I can't see a five year old painting details on the little planets and putting together the mobile.
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I added this toy to my son's xmas list. With much luck he did get it; and we are pleased ! I would not say that it's a "fun to play with" toy but the entertainment value still exists. The planets are large enough without being overbearing up on the ceiling. They glow at night..which is the best part !! At 36 years old I can't wait for nighttime to hang in my sons room to check out the planets! The stars the set comes with are perfect. They are NOT the bulky plastic ones that can be seen day or night. They are paper stickers that disappear during the day (on the celing they do anyway) The planets come with name stickers which adds educational value. My son is five and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES these planets. I say get 'em !!
Lisa Avilio-Meyer
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The 3D Solar System Kit by Toysmith is a good educational/learning tool that introduces children to the world of astronomy. This planetary system includes spheres representing the eight planets and the sun, sized in relative order (not to scale). It hangs from the ceiling as a mobile unit and includes special glow in the dark paint for added fun.
This solar system kit comes completely unassembled and part of the enjoyment for youngsters is the application of the paint. There are two strips of paint included with several different colors. This allows kids the chance to explore their creative side. Some kids will choose to paint the planets according to their actual color, such as painting the planet Mars red. Others will mix and match and create all sorts of different color combinations. Kids will enjoy this part of the process almost as much as they will enjoy looking at the completed mobile itself.
Once the fun of painting is over, it will then be time to assemble the pieces together. This is easily the most frustrating part of the process and depending on the ages of your kids, you may very well have to complete this step for them. The reason this is so frustrating is because of the very small size of the hooks and the rectangular pieces that are anchored into the spheres. The tiny hooks and even tinier rectangular pieces have a small hole in the middle through which you have to thread the fishing line. This takes time and patience and you have to tie the ends securely enough that the line won't come loose. A single knot isn't good enough. You need to make two knots if you want the line to stay in place. The pieces are so tiny, many young children will be unable to complete the task and even many adults will grow frustrated. The manufacturer should rethink this aspect and, if nothing else, increase the size of these pieces, in order to make them easier to work with.
Another possible trouble spot with this solar system module is the fragility of the pieces. The mobile looks interesting hanging from the ceiling and its lightweight design means it will slowly turn, with the slightest amount of air. However, because the pieces are so light and fragile, you have to keep the mobile away from wind/air sources. The air movement from a fan, for example, could be enough to make the planetary bodies come apart and/or cause the nylon string to become untied. Even the air movement from a heat duct could be enough to cause problems. It's best to place the mobile far out of the reach of small children. If little ones can easily touch the mobile, the constant handling will cause the pieces to fall apart.
Taken as a whole, the 3D Solar System Kit by Toysmith is still good educational toy for kids that introduces them to the world of astronomy. Assembling the tiny pieces can really try your patience and the fragile nature of this mobile solar system limits its quality. However, it still has enough positive points to earn a slight recommendation.
Honest reviews on 3D solar system kit
It was very easy to paint. The planets are in two pieces so they sit nicely on the table while you are painting. There is plenty of paint. The planets are labeled on the inside, so you can make sure you are painting the right one the right color & so you put them together right. It was easy to put together and hang. It comes with glow & the dark paint, so at night it glows in my daughters room. She loves it. I would highly recommend this.
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I bought this set for my 10 year old daughter and she loves it. The planets are easy to snap together and there is plenty of paint. My favorite feature is the glow in the dark paint. It can be painted on after the regular paint dries, or you can mix it with the colored paint for a different effect. It didn't glow as bright as I'd hoped, but that wasn't a big deal. The paint dried surprisingly fast, we were able to apply two coats of colored paint and the glow in the dark stuff in under two hours. I would recommend using a smaller paintbrush than the one included. We used a q-tip for the details. The sun and Saturn come with plastic rings, and there is even a poster of the solar system. The mobile was pretty easy to put together, and the instructions are very clear, my daughter did most of it by herself. We have it hanging on the ceiling in my daughter's room, so no one can touch it. When we were hanging it up, I accidentally scratched Pluto and some of the paint came off. Overall this is a great toy. I would recommend this toy for older children. I can�t see a five year old painting details on the little planets and putting together the mobile.
