Thames & Kosmos Spy Labs Inc: Secret Message Tools Exchange Confidential Info w/Secret Pens | Essential Tools & Tricks of The Trade from The Detective Gear Experts for Young Investigators Medium

Okay, guys, let’s talk about the Thames & Kosmos Spy Labs Inc. Secret Message Tools. This kit is an absolute game-changer for all you young detectives out there. First off, it’s super engaging and educational. They even explain the science behind the secret ink, which is just so neat. The secret pens are high-quality and work perfectly when you follow the instructions. Now, let’s talk versatility. This kit isn’t just for kids; adults can totally get in on the fun too. It’s perfect for some family spy games or just to feel like a secret agent for a day. Plus, it promotes pretend play, so you can learn all the spy tricks right at home. And the best part? It’s super affordable. At just $15, it’s a steal for all the fun and learning packed into this kit. So, if you’re ready to dive into the world of espionage, this is the kit for you. Happy spying!

This kept my 8 year old occupied for about 10 minutes. I'm sure he'll come back to it at some point, but the kit is small and not that great. It contains two pens, a small dish and a little brush: The dish and the brush are for an experiment to smear lemon juice or milk on a piece of paper, allow it to disappear and then develop it by heating the paper to 200 degrees for 5 minutes (with supervision!) One of the pens writes in invisible ink. The other pen enables it to be developed. That's it! There are other sets out there with little UV lights or bigger, better pens. The only thing this has going for it is that it's cheap and compact. Like all toys from this maker, the instructions are engaging and pretty good, hence 3 stars and not just 1.

This review is for the Thames & Kosmos Spy Labs Inc: Secret Message Tools Exchange Confidential Info w/Secret Pens. The metal storage tin is cute and useful. The kit consists of a small notepad, a petri dish, 2 pens, 1 brush, and a small info insert. The first secret message method is using the magic pens. The second method is to use household items like milk or juice from lemon, apple, or onion and then to reveal the dried message using heat from a 400 degree oven. This kit is small but fun. My kids have used invisible ink UV spy pens in the past and had fun. I think that they’ll like adding a few new methods for writing secret messages.

This item is easy to use; just write on it with one of the included pens, then draw the other pen over it to reveal what was written. There’s no bleeding onto other pages, though that might change if you try the experiments listed in the booklet using the paintbrush to paint different materials (haven’t tried that yet, but it seems fun!). It’s kinda strange that each page is pre-printed with a message that takes up most of the page; would be better to have the pages blank in my opinion. Price is right for what you get, and I like that this comes in a tin you can store everything in.

This spy kit is so cool -- my kid loves it. It is a little kit that has pens, a decoder glass, and a pad of paper. Children can use it to learn about how to investigate and exchange secret messages. The ink becomes invisible as it dries. My son is absolutely delighted by this. Also, if you are looking for a unique stocking stuffer, this kit would be perfect.

This is not the same kit that uses UV to reveal a message. Instead it is a two part kit with a writing marker and a reveal marker that help do that. My kid likes to hide images and have me reveal them using the reveal marker. It is a inexpensive kit and my son enjoys it a great deal. I do wonder about how long these markers will last but that is my only major concern.

First off, my son and husband had fun doing this activity so it gets points for that. They got to write secret messages to each other and either use the pen to decode or there is a process for using milk or lemon juice and heat to make the messages appear. They enjoyed themselves and it was slightly educational so a win there. That being said, the activity lasted all of 15 minutes and I feel like it was just a couple of steps up from a wendys kids meal toy, there for 3/5 stars.

No UV light

This is incredibly overpriced for what it is. It’s basically 2 pens and a tiny bit of paper. It claims it’s for ages 8 and up but requires heat to use. Incredibly disappointed and a waste of money.