The Central Park Zoo’s polar bears and the flu virus are thriving in this cold and gray weather, but the city’s caregivers and kids are going a little insane. So we asked seven local children to brighten the mood in their homes by testing terrarium kits. Read on to see how the projects fared. You’ll want to try one (or more) of these yourself.

1. Amazing Dinosaur Plant
Testers Kiran, 4, Dumbo, Brooklyn; and Kyra, 7, Upper West Side
Objective The small kit comes with lava rocks and a shriveled plant that’s been “hibernating” since dinos roamed the earth—or at least that’s what you can tell your gullible tooth-fairy-worshiping kids. Add water and the plant will unwind into a leafy evergreen within 24 hours.
Entertainment value The project prompted learning—about dinosaurs, natch—but failed to captivate either kid for long. Unless your child is a yogi, don’t plan on making this the day’s main event. Got 15 minutes on your hands? Now you’re in luck.
Mess factor Medium. Have the kids wear a smock; red dust from the rocks spreads easily.
Sound bite Kiran: “Some dinosaurs eat plants and some eat animals. But do dinosaurs eat other dinosaurs?”
Grade B+
Dunecraft, $8; at fao.com. Ages 4 and up.

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