COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN A National Geographic Science Activity Kit!

Win a brilliant Earth Science dig kit and get stuck in with erupting volcanoes, growing crystals and uncovering pyrite!

The National Geographic Explorer Science Series Earth Science Kit is a must-have for any promising young scientist! There are so many fun activities in this kit that it’s perfect to share. It’s a great way to spend quality family time together or to use as part of your home school curriculum. Plus, you can learn the science behind crystals, volcanoes, tornadoes, and gemstones together with the help of the full-colour learning guides.

We have 3 Science Activity kits to give away!

To be in for a chance of winning, just answer this question in the comments:

How many elements are there?


A) 116
B) 117
C) 118

This competition closes at midnight on 31st March 2022. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions

Thanks to Bandai, National Geographic and Playtime PR for this brilliant prize!


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Watch Scott Kelly learn how to balance again

While in space, astronauts lose the ability to balance. When they return to Earth, this makes turning corners, climbing stairs and even walking in a straight line very difficult until their balance comes back! Watch NASA astronaut Scott Kelly learn how to balance again.

Find out more about what it’s like to live in space in Whizz Pop Bang: OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Fill your child with science wonder with a subscription to Whizz Pop Bang, the award-winning magazine for 6 to 12-year-olds. Watch their face light up with glee when their very own magazine zooms through the letterbox! Packed full of hands-on science awesomeness, it’s the gift that keeps of delighting, month after month.


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Living in space

Astronauts have been living aboard the International Space Station for the last 21 years. Ever wondered how astronauts wee and poo, sleep and brush their teeth in microgravity? Find out here…

Find out more about what it’s like to live in space in Whizz Pop Bang: OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Fill your child with science wonder with a subscription to Whizz Pop Bang, the award-winning magazine for 6 to 12-year-olds. Watch their face light up with glee when their very own magazine zooms through the letterbox! Packed full of hands-on science awesomeness, it’s the gift that keeps of delighting, month after month.


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COMPETITION CLOSED The Cosmic Book of Space, Aliens and Beyond!

It’s your chance to win the galaxy’s most wacky activity book. Grab your pencils, Earthlings. Let our mission commence!

3, 2, 1…blast off! Are you ready to journey out of this world to discover what lies beyond? From space pirates and surfing aliens to galactic shark ships and mysterious planets, strap in, put on your alien mask and zoom through the stars for the ultimate cosmic activity adventure. We’ve got FIVE copies of The Cosmic Book of Space, Aliens and Beyond! to give away!

To win one of FIVE copies, just answer this question in the comments:

Which of these IS NOT one of Jupiter’s moons?

A Callisto
B Europe
C Ganymede

This competition closes at midnight on 31st January 2022. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a National Geographic Ultimate Gemstone Dig Kit!

Uncover hours of fun with this Ultimate Gemstone Dig Kit from National Geographic!

The extra-large dig brick has 20 amazing gemstones hidden inside. Your kids will love discovering them all using the included dig tool and brush and then get a close-up view of each with the magnifying glass. A full-colour learning guide provides fascinating facts about each gemstone, and easy-to-follow instructions make excavating each gemstone a whole lot of fun! Gemstones include two types of agate, three types of quartz, tiger’s eye, snowflake obsidian, amethyst, aragonite, aventurine, hematite, desert rose, a geode piece, green fluorite, pyrite, red jasper, sodalite, turquenite, blue calcite, and labradorite.


This National Geographic Ultimate Gemstone Dig Kit is available from very.co.uk!

To win one of THREE kits, answer this question in the comments:

What is the hardest gemstone?

A Topaz
B Ruby
C Diamond

This competition closes at midnight on 31st December 2021. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions


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glow-in-the-dark mega science kit competition bandai national geographic

COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kit!

Explore glow-in-the-dark science with PUTTY, SLIME, CRYSTALS AND MORE!

The days are getting shorter and the nights are drawing in but fear not, this fun STEM kit from Bandai is sure to brighten any dark evening! Inquisitive minds will love discovering the world of glow-in-the-dark by making glowing slime and growing their own crystals! We’ve got THREE Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kits to give away!

The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kit is an astounding collection of experiments and activities that all glow when the lights are out! Inside the kit, you’ll find a crystal growing set that produces a glow-in-the-dark crystal specimen you can proudly display.

There are two DIY slime packs in this kit as well, allowing you to mix and play with your own glow-in-the-dark purple and green slime! And glow-in-the-dark putty will astound kids as they use the included UV light keychain to draw pictures and words that glow when the lights are off!

There is so much included in this Mega Kit: one glowing crystal seed, two DIY slime powders in glowing green and glowing purple, two slime containers, one glowing putty in a storage tin, one wernerite rock, one UV light, and a full-colour learning guide that takes you through each experiment step by step.

The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kit is available from Next!

To win one of THREE kits, answer this question in the comments:

Which of these means glow-in-the-dark?

A Phonetic
B Photosynthesis
C Phosphorescent

This competition closes at midnight on 30th November 2021. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN Swarm Rising by Steve Cole and Tim Peake!

Astronaut Tim Peake travelled to the International Space Station in 2015 and spent 186 days orbiting the Earth and has shared some tales from this epic adventure with Whizz Pop Bang magazine in this brilliant blog post: Tim Peake spills the beans on life in space!

He’s also just published his first children’s book, along with bestselling author Steve Cole, based on space-age science and technology: Swarm Rising. We’ve got SIX COPIES to give away!

When Danny is kidnapped by Adi – who can run through brick walls and make cars drive on water – he realises that all humans are in danger. Adi is part of a super-advanced hive mind, the Swarm, which intends to protect the Earth from the environmental catastrophe caused by the human race.

Adi – Alien Digital Intelligence in the form of a girl – can bend the laws of physics and control digital data, but as a digital being she wants to know what it’s like to be human. Which is where Danny comes in.

But what exactly is the ‘help’ the secretive Swarm is offering? Can Danny and his friend Jamila help Adi stop the Swarm Agents and give humanity a second chance?

Swarm Rising by Tim Peake & Steve Cole is available now.

To win one of SIX copies, answer this question in the comments:

What does ESA stand for?

A Egyptian Space Association
B Earth Seen Above
C European Space Agency

This competition closes at midnight on 31st October 2021. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions


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How to spot the Lyrid meteor shower 2021

The best time to spot the Lyrid meteor in the UK in 2021 is on the night of 21st – 22nd April. This year, it coincides with a gibbous Moon, which means that the night sky will be bright, which makes spotting meteors a little harder – but don’t be deterred! Follow these tips from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich for the best chance of meteor-spotting.

For full information about the Lyrids meteor shower, head to this article on the Royal Museums Greenwich website.

☄️Find a dark site with an unobstructed view of the sky.
☄️The best time to see the shower is in the early morning of the peak day, which this year is the morning of the 22 April (the night of the 21 April).
☄️Fill your view with the sky and wait! Lying on the ground is a great way to see as much as possible.
☄️Look towards the Vega constellation – here’s a handy map showing how to find it at this time of year thanks to Astronomy Now.
☄️Blanket optional but highly recommended. Reclining deckchairs make an even more comfortable way to view the sky.
☄️Remember to wrap up warm!

Image: Shutterstock

Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here and flick through a space-themed issue here!


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Moon poem winners!

In Whizz Pop Bag 62: Zoom to the Moon, we asked readers to write a poem inspired by the Moon.

Image: Shutterstock

The fantastic entries were out of this world! It was so hard to pick just three winners, but we eventually settled on Amelie, aged 8, Isabella, aged 9 and Isa, aged 8. Keep scrolling to read their Moon poems.

Each prize-winning poet won a Geosafari Vega 360 telescope from Learning Resources.

My moon by Isa aged 8

Silver sparkles, a bright light
the moon shimmers every night
If only I could go and see
I wonder what there would be?

I lay in bed in my dark room
When all of a sudden, a loud sonic boom!
I looked outside and couldn’t believe my eyes
A rocket in my garden! What a surprise.

Off I went, zoom zoom zoom,
Before I knew it, I was on the moon!
Could this be real? I rubbed my eyes
Chocolate-filled craters and mountains of pies

What more could there be, I started to think
Some delicious moon nectar for me to drink
I leaned in close, to fill up my mug
When all of a sudden I felt a warm hug

Oh no I thought, who could it be?
An alien or monster? I just couldn’t see!
‘Wake up sleepy-head’, I heard her say
I guess I’ll have to finish my adventure some other day.


Who holds the moon? by Amelie aged 8

Neither closer nor further in the night sky
The alluring moon hangs there so high
Landscapes of craters, mountains and seas
Luminous, it’s beauty bathes the trees

Have you wondered what force holds it there
For all to see, to dream and stare
Is it a wire, a rope or some string
No, there must be some invisible thing

Magnetism, is that what it could be
The reason the moon can’t break free
I struggle and ponder to find the theory
Although it takes time, it’s never dreary

I ponder and think, I jump up and come down
This is beyond me I say with a frown
Who knows not I, let’s wait and see
Ahh, maybe it’s the force of gravity


A Day Trip to the Moon by Isabella, aged 9

Gakk, Riley and Emmi, decided to go to the moon!
Y tried to warn them, that it could all end in doom!
Riley told them all, they should build a rocket,
Ready for this moment, he pulled a blueprint from his pocket,
Emmi tried to think, what else they needed to bring?
Gakk ran off and returned, with spades and a rubber ring!
“What on earth is that for?” Y shouted with glee,
Gakk smiled and said loudly “We are going to the sea!”
Riley laughed and shouted “ There aren’t any seas on the moon!”
“Yes there is!”, Gakk replied “you’ll see very soon!”
Emmi say to Y “We are going to need a ride”
Y says “Don’t worry, I have my moon buggy outside!”
Everything was assembled, Emmi climbed onto the first stair,
Y then shouted suddenly “Wait!, we can’t go anywhere”
“We haven’t got any rocket fuel and no money to pay!”
Emmi said “Never mind, we can go another day!”


These runners up each won a wonderful Y’s Wonder Club badge!

All About the Moon by Ada, aged 9.

The moon is dusty and far away.
It can be seen at night and sometimes day.
Wolves howl at the moon,
Bats swoop past the moon.
Moths navigate by the light of the moon.
Astronauts have stood on the moon.
Dropping a hammer, dropping a feather.
Testing the gravity.
Checking the weather.
The moon is bright on a dark night,
But it’s just reflecting the sun’s light.
With all that said, I bet it’s true,
We still don’t know all about the moon.


Team Moon by Layton, aged 6

Man has walked on the Moon,
NASA is going back really soon,
I wish I could be part of their team,
Being an Astronaut is my dream.

I love to stargaze with my mum,
When we have said goodnight to the Sun,
The stars all twinkle really bright,
But nothing is better than the Moon at night.


The Moon by Anna, aged 10

The moon is a silver coin tossed up high,
Glinting always in the dark black sky.
Will it land on heads or tails?
Will the moon landings succeed or fail?

The moon is a diamond, clear and bright,
Sparkling and shining all through the night.
Always staying in that same place,
In the deep black mines of mysterious space.

The moon is a guardian circling forever,
It and the Earth have always been together.
The moon watches over all that we see,
It watches you and it watches me.

The moon is a shapeshifter, changing shape and size,
Each night something different appears before our eyes.
Changing shape like cards shuffling, King, Queen, Ace,
Full, quarter, crescent, new, all the way up in space.

But whatever the moon is, it’s there every night,
Silver and glowing, clear and bright.
The moon is with us until the end,
And that’s why I say that the  moon is my friend.


The Rhyming Moon by Louis, aged 6

Bright white
Night light
In space 
I see a face
Made of cheese, if you believe

Wolves howl a tune
At the silvery moon.
Hey! Would you like to play on the moon tonight?


The Moon by Elijah, aged 11 

Somewhere up in the clouds above,
Where no creature or human lies,
When the sun goes down and darkness thrives,
Look! It’s the moon! Standing bright and alive.
Where the stars eyes gaze onwards,
All those miles away,
up in the great black skies,
the moon is there,
to guide our way.
Always watching onwards,
Always one step ahead,
The moon sits,
Just waiting,
Waiting for the sun to go down,
For it is then that the moon can stand,
Bright and alive.


Moon Poem by Nicholas, aged 11

Moon, Moon glowing bright,
you are the queen of the night.
You shine from dusk till dawn,
but are faint when we wake in the morn.

Moon, Moon glowing bright,
you are the queen of the night.

Moon, Moon glowing bright,
centrepiece of our night.
Your cycles wax and wane,
you’re greater than the sun with its fiery mane.

Moon, Moon glowing bright,
centrepiece of our night.

Moon, Moon glowing bright,
you take the troubles from our night.
You shine within our darkest hour,
and give us your glory and power.

Moon, Moon glowing bright,
you take the troubles from our night.

Moon, Moon can you hear me?
You save ships tossed at sea,
you guide sailors who have lost their way
and when they’re safe they say:

Moon, Moon who gives us light,
our beaming saviour of this night.



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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN three sensational science books!

Add a sprinkle of science to your child’s bookshelf this autumn with these three inspiring titles from Wren and Rook.

Launch yourself into the great unknown with Space Explorers by Libby Jackson. Marvel at 25 extraordinary true stories of humankind’s thrilling journey to the stars which have been brought to life by Léonard Dupon’s beautiful illustrations.

In An Engineer Like Me by Dr Shini Somara and illustrated by Nadja Sarell, Zara’s journey around the city sparks some serious curiosity: How do roller coasters do loop-the-loops? How do planes stay up? As she marvels about how they work, Zara learns about some of the brilliant engineers who have shaped the world around her. This inventive book is packed with engineering explanations and challenges get future scientists thinking.

A Climate in Chaos by Neal Layton tackles the huge issue of our warming planet by explaining what it is, what’s causing it and – most importantly – how we can all help to keep Planet Earth happy.

Want to win all three books for your family? We’ve got five bundles of three to give away to Whizz Pop Bang fans!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question in the comments:

Who was the first human in space?

A Buzz Aldrin
B Yuri Gagarin
C Sally Ride

Good luck!

This competition closes at midnight on Wednesday 30th September 2020. Whizz Pop Bang competition terms and conditions are here.

Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!


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