They know more about it than you do.
Sharks, planets, the T. rex, the human heart. Pick the theme that matches. The DK book goes deep, and the VR opens from its pages, so the book is part of the play, not an extra.
Abacus Brands · VR Explorer Kit with DK book · 10 themes
Dinosaurs, space, sharks or sports. Pick the one they won't stop talking about.
Abacus Brands VR Explorer Kit with DK Book and VR Goggles
Each set is an illustrated DK book, VR goggles that hold a phone, and something to make with their hands. The book's pages open the VR scenes, so reading is how they get in. Ten themes, one for whatever they're into this year.
- 10 themes
- DK book in every set
- VR goggles included
- Hands-on project
An adventure for their curious side.
A hands-on gift for a curious kid who enjoys books, discovery and immersive exploration. Choose an available theme they will love.
$75.99
Free USA standard shipping. Taxes calculated at checkout.
10 themespick theirs
80 to 128DK book pages
Phone onlytablets don't fit
- Free USA standard shipping: 5–7 business days, no minimum
- 30-day returns, even if opened
- Needs a phone for the VR: check yours
- Real people at vitalcorecustomers@gmail.com
Pick the one they won't stop talking about.
Every set has the same three parts: an illustrated DK book, VR goggles that hold a phone, and something to make with their hands. What changes is the subject. Tap a theme to see what's in that box.
Dinosaurs
- Book
- 80-page DK book
- Hands-on
- A fossil dig-out project: chisel a T. rex fossil out of a rock, then build it
- VR
- Dozens of VR experiences, per Abacus
- Scenes include
- A T. rex jeep chase, a roller coaster ride and museum tours
Abacus reports the Dinosaurs set as a 2023 Toy of the Year nominee (STEAM) and a Toy Insider STEM 10 pick.
Book pages and hands-on items are as printed on each box. VR counts and scene names are Abacus Brands' own, from its product listing. Every set includes the same VR goggles, and every set needs a phone for the VR.
The read it, make it, see it loop
Read it. Make it. See it. Then back to the book.
Most gifts on a favorite subject are one thing: a book, a craft kit or a screen. Each of these sets is all three, and Abacus built it so each part sends them to the next.
1
Read it
An illustrated DK book, 80 to 128 pages depending on the theme. Every VR scene starts from a page of the book, so reading is how they get in.
2
Make it
Every box has a hands-on project: a fossil dig, a planetarium, a wooden puzzle, scratch art, a mini canvas or medals. The phone stays out of this part.
3
See it
Phone in the goggles, look at a page's VR badge, and the scene opens. Each scene lasts 90 seconds or less, per Abacus.
In Abacus Brands' words: "They work by having you read the DK book, build the project, and explore this amazing world in VR." Recognition, as reported by Abacus Brands: the Dinosaurs set was a 2023 Toy of the Year nominee in the STEAM category, and the Dinosaurs, Oceans and Animals sets made The Toy Insider's STEM 10 list (2023 Winter Gift Guide).
Will it work with their phone? Check here first.
The goggles don't have a screen of their own. A phone does the VR, for every theme. Across this line of kits, the most common one-star complaint is about phones and apps, not the book or the project. Pick the device the kid will use.
iPhone: yes, on iOS 15 or later.
Under the goggles in the box there's a card with an activation code, per Abacus. It unlocks your theme in the free Odyssey XR app, which the App Store lists for iOS 15.0 or later. Download it on Wi-Fi the night before, not the morning they open it.
- App
- Odyssey XR (free, App Store)
- Needs
- iOS 15.0 or later
- Download
- 582 MB, plus your theme. Use Wi-Fi.
- Code card
- Under the VR goggles in the box, per Abacus
Requirements as listed on the App Store and abacusbrands.com on October 29, 2026. Apps change, so check the listing before the big day. Abacus doesn't publish a maximum phone size. App support comes from Abacus Brands at support@abacusbrands.com.
Who this is for
One big obsession
The gift-giver
More than one grandkid
Not sure what to get them this year? Start with what they already love.
Grandparents are the biggest group in the reviews of these sets, along with aunts, uncles and family friends. They pick the theme by the kid's favorite subject, and some come back for a second one.
You want the eyes-lit-up moment.
One box with three things in it: a book to read, something to make with their hands, and goggles to show you what they found. This page also tells you exactly what to set up the night before.
Different kids, different themes.
Every set works the same way, so one setup covers them all. A parent who owns three of the themes says the kids "love picking pages for each other to explore."
Abacus Brands recommends its VR sets for ages 8 to 12 depending on content, and says kids 5 to 7 can understand the content but need significant help from a parent.
Most gifts do one thing. Each of these sets does three.
| What you get | This set | Kids' reference book | Craft or science kit | Standalone VR headset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illustrated reference book | ✓ | ✓ | var | × |
| Hands-on project | ✓ | × | ✓ | × |
| VR scenes on their subject | ✓ | × | var | var |
| Book pages open the VR scenes | ✓ | × | × | × |
| Works without a phone | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Columns describe common product types, not specific brands. "var" means it varies by product. The phone row is there on purpose: this set's VR runs on a phone, and it's better you know now than on the day.
Setting it up
Set it up the night before, not the morning of.
Find the code card
Abacus says it's on a card under the VR goggles in the box. It unlocks your theme in the free Odyssey XR app.
Download on Wi-Fi
On the phone the kid will use. Enter the code in the app's My Collection screen, then let the theme download. If the app offers a parent account, Abacus says you can skip it.
Phone in, centered
Slide the phone into the clip on the goggles and center it. Phones only. Tablets don't fit.
Open the book, find a badge
Lay the book flat with both pages showing and look at the page's VR badge. The scene runs 90 seconds or less, then it's back to the book.
App trouble?Abacus supports its apps at support@abacusbrands.com. Email us too and we'll help you get an answer.
Queasy or blurry?Take the goggles off and take a break. VR can make some kids queasy, especially the first time, per The Toy Insider. A buyer of a set in this line said people with astigmatism couldn't see clearly through the goggles.
Under 8?Abacus says kids 5 to 7 need significant help from a parent. Sit with them for the project and the goggles.
Shipping it straight to them? Forward this page to their parents so the app is on the phone before the paper comes off.
What buyers of these sets say, both ways.
Patterns from public reviews of the sets in this line and their apps. The boxes review well. The app reviews are more mixed, and that's where most of the trouble starts.
What people like
- It lands as a giftGrandparents write about the moment it's opened, and the look on the kid's face.
- The book holds its ownReviewers treat the DK book as a highlight, not filler. One called it a "Fantastic book that feels like a toy to kids."
- Kids share itA parent who owns three themes says the kids pick pages for each other to explore, from age 4 up to 17.
- Grown-ups get into it tooParents mention trying it themselves, including a roller coaster scene that opens from a page of the Dinosaurs book.
What to know
- It needs a phone, and not everyone knewA Walmart reviewer who loved it still wrote that they didn't know it works through an app on a phone. It does. Plan whose phone it will be.
- The app is the weak linkApp reviews mention a black screen after the "put your phone in" step and a book cover that wouldn't scan. One set reviewer called the VR "a bit glitchy."
- It isn't a gaming headsetThe phone is the screen. A couple of reviewers were underwhelmed, and one called it overpriced. If they already have a VR headset, set expectations.
- Check the box when it arrivesOne buyer on the brand's site got a box that looked opened. If anything looks off or is missing, email us right away.
"My grandson loved the sea book I got him for Christmas so I knew he would love the dinosaurs"Grandparent, back for a second themeWalmart.com review, Jan 2026
"All of the kids love it from 4 years old all the way to the 17 year old! And me too!"Parent who owns three themesabacusbrands.com review
"My grandson's eyes lit up when he opened this gift."GrandparentWalmart.com review, Dec 2025
Verbatim excerpts from public reviews of sets in this line on Walmart.com and abacusbrands.com. Walmart marks many reviews of these sets as incentivized. These reviewers are not The Vital Core customers.
What's in every box
- 1Illustrated DK book for your theme80 to 128 pages
- 1Pair of hands-free VR goggles that hold a smartphone
- 1Hands-on project for your theme (see the table below)
- 1Activation code card, under the goggles, per Abacus
Not included: the phone. The VR runs on a smartphone through the free Odyssey XR app. Read the warnings printed on the packaging before you start.
Specifications
- Brand
- Abacus Brands
- Themes
- Dinosaurs, Galaxy, Oceans, Animals, Human Body, Transport, History, World Atlas, World Art, ESPN
- Book
- By DK, 80 to 128 pages depending on the theme
- VR scene length
- 90 seconds or less each, per Abacus
- Power
- No batteries. The VR runs on your phone.
- Phone
- iPhone or Android phone. Tablets don't fit the goggles.
- App
- Odyssey XR, unlocked with the code card. iOS 15.0 or later on iPhone. Android 7.0 or later, per Abacus's FAQ.
- Ages
- 8 to 12, per Abacus Brands. Kids 5 to 7 need significant help from a parent.
Every theme, side by side
| Theme | Book | Hands-on project | VR experiences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinosaurs | 80-page DK book | A fossil dig-out project: chisel a T. rex fossil out of a rock, then build it | Dozens of VR experiences |
| Galaxy | 80-page DK book | A planetarium model to paint and build | 30+ VR experiences |
| Oceans | 96-page DK book | Ocean-animal scratch art, with a scratch pen and brush | 30+ VR experiences |
| Animals | 96-page DK book | Animal scratch art, with tools | 40+ VR experiences |
| Human Body | 80-page DK book | An anatomy model to build, plus an X-ray poster | 20+ VR experiences |
| Transport | 96-page DK book | A 32-piece 3D wooden puzzle that builds a pull-back race car | 20+ VR experiences |
| History | 96-page DK book | A 3D wooden puzzle | 25 VR experiences |
| World Atlas | 112-page DK atlas | A world scratch map | Hundreds of VR experiences |
| World Art | 112-page DK book | A mini canvas, easel and paints | 29 VR experiences |
| ESPN | 128-page DK book | Championship medals | 20+ VR experiences |
Book and project as printed on each box. VR experience counts are Abacus Brands' own figures.
Straight answers
Questions before you buy
Which theme should I pick?
The one they talk about most. Every set works the same way, so there's no wrong pick on setup. Use the theme picker above to compare the book, the hands-on project and the VR in each box.
Does it need a phone?
Yes. The goggles hold a smartphone, and the phone runs the VR through a free app. The phone isn't included. The book and the hands-on project don't use a phone at all.
Which phones work?
On iPhone, the Odyssey XR app that the code card unlocks needs iOS 15.0 or later, per the App Store. Abacus's FAQ lists Android 7.0 or later. Abacus doesn't publish a maximum phone size, so try the phone in the goggles before the big day.
Will an iPad or tablet work?
Not in the goggles. Tablets don't fit, per Abacus and the stores that carry these sets. Abacus says Odyssey XR opens in full-screen handheld mode on a tablet, so a tablet can show the scenes without the goggles.
Is the app free? Is there a monthly fee?
Odyssey XR is free to download and sells optional extra content packs in the app; the App Store lists no subscription for it. The code card in your box unlocks the theme you bought.
Where's the activation code?
On a card under the VR goggles in the box, per Abacus. Enter it in the app's My Collection screen to unlock your theme. If anything seems to be missing, email us right away.
Is it OK for a 5 or 6 year old?
Abacus recommends its VR sets for ages 8 to 12 depending on content, and says kids 5 to 7 can understand the content but need significant help from a parent. You know the child best.
How long are they in the goggles at a time?
Each VR scene lasts 90 seconds or less, per Abacus. Then the goggles come off and it's back to the book or the project. How many scenes in a row is up to you.
Can VR make kids dizzy? What about glasses?
It can. The Toy Insider, reviewing a set in this line, wrote that kids may get nauseous using VR, especially if they've never used it before. A buyer of another set also said people with astigmatism couldn't see clearly through the goggles. Start with one scene, and stop if they feel unwell or their vision feels off.
Do we have to create an account?
No. If the app offers the Abacus HQ Parent Portal sign-up, Abacus's FAQ says you can skip it.
What if the app won't work?
Abacus supports its apps directly at support@abacusbrands.com. Check that the phone meets the requirements above, and lay the book flat with both pages showing when you look at a VR badge. Email us too and we'll help you get an answer.
When will it arrive?
USA standard shipping is FREE and estimated at 5–7 business days. USA expedited shipping is $7 and estimated at 2–5 business days. Outside the USA, standard shipping is $14 with an estimated 5–7-day delivery time; expedited shipping is $24.97. Delivery dates are estimates, not guaranteed arrival dates. See our shipping policy.
What if it's not for them?
You can request a return within 30 days of delivery under our return policy, even if you've opened it. Contact us first and we'll walk you through it.
Pick their theme. We'll ship it free.
A DK book, VR goggles for a phone and a hands-on project in every set.
$75.99