I have built several of these rockets and my kids love helping me build and launch them.
When they push that launch button and watch it zoom up, everyone smiles bigly.
Two tips:
1. Sparingly use 5 minute epoxy glue instead of the glue they suggest. It s easier to keep young kid's attention during assembly with less wait-for-glue-to-dry time This is slightly heavier but the launch height difference is minimal.
2. Use a B Size engine first. A size is too weak and the launch height too low. C is too strong and with even a mild wind you may lose the rocket. B is perfect.

The media could not be loaded. To start with, a good recommendation for beginners would be to buy a rocket "kit" rather than just a rocket. Rocket kits come with a launch pad and the launch pad's accessories so buying the kit gets you that required stuff; the kits also come with with a rocket. From there what you will need seperately will be recovery wadding (which gets added to the rocket tube before each launch to protect the parachute from the engine blast and provide flame retardant), engines (to power the launch), some craft glue or super glue (for rocket assembly) and 4 AA batteries (for the ingenious electronic launch kit).
This TASER rocket kit was a great place to start. For a modest price, this included a TASER rocket and the adjustable angle Porta-Pad launch pad (*reference the reviewer from 2014 that stated the pad is not adjustable, I can only assume Estes upgraded the launch pad in the last several years). Some assembly is required; together with my tween kids this took about a half hour to assemble; most of that time being dedicated to waiting for the super glue to set as we added each piece. Directions are fairly straight forward and the process is safe.
Another recomendation I can make is to consider buying a seperate, fully assembled rocket in addition to the basic kit; doing so is a few dollars more but gives the flexibility of having a backup rocket in the event the assembly goes awry or the rocket cannot be recovered after a launch. That is what I did, and despite the assembly going fine and having recovered the rocket after our first launch, it was good to know we had a backup because on a few occasions our launch resulted in a never-to-be-seen again wind blown rocket and a rocket-in-a-tree situation. Plus you can set up for two launches at a time which is nice. All tallied up, I was in for about $48; that included this kit, wadding, engines and a back up ATHENA rocket. I had glue and batteries at home so I did not count that. The launch process is relatively simple and my kids have done it as well. The long wire extending from the launch kit allows the person launching to be a safe distance away from the rocket. I have included a short video of our first launch for reference; you can judge by the enthusiasm of my two boys how much kids (and many adults) dig rockets.
One last tip I can offer is to start out with the lower powered A engines; then if you stick with it and get the hang of it, go to the C engines. Have fun, this is a nice hobby to do with kids. It makes them focus, build, get fresh air and think about physics while also getting the rush of launching and recovering a rocket. Have fun.

This was our first real rocket, so I was very nervous, especially since it was a xmas gift. The rocket was assembled by my 12-year-old son and I in a little under an hour. We bought the 3-pack of the A8-3 engines (the starter engines), and we were able to execute three successful launches. Beware! Don't jump right to a bigger engine! This rocket went up plenty high and we nearly lost it on top of a school roof...and the launch site was at least a couple hundred feet away.

I do have a recommendation though: This launch set didn't provide a number of items, although they did clearly mention the items that were needed and weren't included in the launch set. Rather than buy all the miscellaneous items separately (including engines, wadding, igniters, rubber cement, exacto knife), could Estes put together a "Rocket Kit" that included all of these items, or simply include them in the launch set itself? It would make purchasing a little bit easier.

This definitely won't be the last rocket we purchase through Estes!

I like this starter kit because it combines a model rocket and a proper launch pad system with ignition package. This allows beginners to start off on a good stable footing for their future enjoyment of rocket flight.

My elder daughter bought this for her younger (and very science minded) sister For Xmas, Off Amazon. She is 11, and had no problem assembling it without any adult assistance. We shot it off 3 times in one day, 3 chute deployments. We used A3 standard engines

The kit did not come with wadding, so we improvised, using ordinary pink fiberglass insulation (which is easy to track and retrieve, by the way)Whilst looking for some tips on flying the rocket on Youtube, I came across someone that strapped a 808 Car Key Chain Spy Camera Recorder 720*480 TF - New We decided to try it.

The results were spectacular! Search for "rocket cam final2" on youtube to view

Point by point:
1: The Kit comes with (almost) everything. (Wadding and motors come up as recommendation, just add them.)
2: - Do your homework RE rocket engine sizes! I recommend a8-3 as a starter, B6-4 if you are going to strap on cameras.
3: The Rocket is good for repeated Launches.(so far, we count 10, we had to repair one fin and lost the engine nut. Duct tape works fine for holding the engine)
4: Amazon is by far the most affordable place to buy the basic stuff. Once again - do your homework on what fits and what does not!
5: The kit is well worth the price - but your engines and wadding will double it, and if like my daughter, you like it, it will require more engines.