It's slimy, oozy, bouncy, and runny. It's neon yellow, neon orange, or red as blood (or no color at all). It could earn high marks on a gross-o-meter or pose as a phony superball. Of course your 9-year-old is going to love it! We could tell you that it's a simple science kit for introducing crossbonding polymers, exploring gels, solids, liquids, and diffusion in solutions--but that might make it boring. And boring it ain't! Oozology is another of Wild Science's fun, open-ended, easy-to-clean-up kits geared towards creative kids and parents who want them to explore the world but not blow it up in the process. So what's a polymer? Remember Flubber? Unlike Robin Williams's creation, this stuff won't make you a basketball star--but it's a riot to play with. Everything you need to make several batches of it is packaged in a clear carrying case. Put on the gloves and mask (included in the kit), add water, and mix together in your chosen color and consistency. Make a "drip-o-later" or a "snapping oozewurst"; try out a "slimemold"! Double-sided jelly-proof experiment cards are fairly open-ended; just be sure to read both sides of each card when following the instructions. There are fun suggestions for all kinds of experiments (plus a bag of wiggly eyeballs to enliven things). The ideas are presented in such a way that when your kid meets them again in science lab at school, he or she will probably recognize them as old friends. --Julie Ubben