Help with colony for 6 year old

[MiniEntomologist]

My 6 year old is insect obsessed and has been asking for an ant colony. I am completely clueless and I was hoping someone here could help me out with how to get this started. I know that there is a starter kit that is recommended, but I don't think at this point we are ready to spend $150+ on this. Is there anything else cheaper out there that is safe/healthy for an ant colony?

[Helianthus]

That's great that your child loves insects. Definitely save your money! The cheapest route would be to spend the winter learning about how to find ant queens yourself for free. Depending on where you are located, I'm sure lots of people could give advice on when and where to find certain species. Then all you need is a few test tubes, a clear tub or bin of some kind, and some fluon. The fluon will be the most costly item, but it is worth it as the best escape prevention method. You could set all this up for $30 or so. Raising ants in a test tube setup is the cheapest, easiest, and often the best way to start. Even the fastest growing species will not need a big fancy set up for at least a year or more.