Glow sticks, bracelets and other glow items will last a whole evening at a party, campout or holiday celebration.  They are a universal favorite with kids and are a great way to get them interested in science.  They are non-toxic, non-radioactive, require no batteries, and emit no heat, sparks or flame.  This also makes them ideal for emergencies when batteries may be in short supply or gas may be leaking but you still need some light.  They are safer than sparklers or other fireworks because kids cannot be burned.

Glow in the dark items are another favorite of kids and will last for years.  Their glow is easily recharged by placing them in sunlight, black (UV or ultraviolet) light or house light. Glow will last for anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours, depending on the item you choose.  Glow time will be specified under each individual item.  These are also non-toxic, non-radioactive and emit no heat, sparks or flame.

LED (Light Emitting Diode) items use electricity or batteries just like normal incandescent lights.  Because much less energy is wasted as heat, the same batteries will put out much more light.  LED's can also have some entertaining color and flashing effects built in that would just not work good for regular light bulbs.

EL (Electroluminescent) wire carries electricity from one place to another, much like standard wire.  However, the wire will glow as electricity passes through it.  This allows for some incredible effects while allowing kids to study the flow of electricity.

Plasma novelties use high voltage to ionize gases inside a sealed container.  The kind of gas inside the seal decides what the color of the plasma will be.  A fun way to get kids of all ages interested in plasma physics.  The high voltage parts are locked away deep inside the devices and are not user serviceable.  Electricity in air (like lightning) creates a bluish-white plasma because of the mix of nitrogen and oxygen.

Laser pointers can allow for some great optics experimentation and are also useful when giving presentations.  Since the beam does not spread like ordinary light, it will remain bright over very long distances.  That also means to see the beam, you will need a dispersing medium, such as fog or smoke.  Red laser pointers are available almost anywhere, which is why we focus mainly on the rarer and much harder to find green and blue laser pointers.