DS has become entranced with atoms and molecules lately, and I would like to get him a molecular modeling kit. Any suggestions on one you have and like, or pros and cons. I've seen ones with very small atoms, and then there are the more traditional (but more expensive) sets with nice sized wooden balls for atoms. I am leaning toward the larger size, just seems easier to work with, but would like to hear any suggestions or things to think about (I take it should have a lot of carbon pieces!)

Thanks, Cat

Is this your DS8 (not sure if you have other children)? If so, assuming he doesn't have specific fine motor problems, I would suggest that the smaller ones are not likely to be a problem to handle and they have the advantage that supplementary sets tend to be cheaper and big molecules take up less space than with the bigger sets (our DS likes to build polymers!). We bought DS-then-5 this Orbit set:
http://www.cochranes.co.uk/show_product.asp?id=398&catid=43
(given that he was obsessed with chemistry *and* used to choose modelling straws as his craft activity the whole time, it took us an embarrassingly long time to twig that he needed a set!)
It's a 10mm set but actually I think the 6mm ("Minit") set would have been fine for him too; he never had any trouble handling it.
We've needed to buy specific extras several times, and this range has a lot of them:
http://www.cochranes.co.uk/show_category.asp?id=82
- a bag of 100 phosphoruses makes a wonderful stocking present we found :-)

I can also thoroughly recommend this chemistry book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated-Dictionary-Chemistry-Usborne-Dictionaries/dp/0746077467
if you're in the market for something approachable but thorough.

ColinsMum,

Thanks so much, this is just the sort of feedback I was looking for. Yes, it is for DS8 (I have a DD5 too ) and he doesn't have any fine motor issues - it is legos galore around here. And I hadn't even thought about things getting too big, I am glad you pointed that out.

Thanks again, Cat

Thanks for sharing this ColinsMum - this is a great site and I have just got DS8 a set - I have a feeling that DS5 will also be very interested...