With everyone talking about STEM these days, we here at Parents@Play are always on the lookout for great science-themed toys, games, and activities. Here are four that focus on vision that you and your family will love.
Amusin’ Illusions (Scientific Explorer)
Optical illusions are always entertaining to play with, but haven’t you ever wondered how and why they work? How do 3D glasses get images to pop off the screen (or page)? Why do certain patterns seem to move even when we know they’re not? How does water make objects look like they’re bent? With this fun, educational kit you’ll have the answers to these and a number of other questions about visual conundrums. Amusin’ Illusions comes with a thoughtful and nicely illustrated instruction manual that takes you through the steps of building a number of illusions and explains the science behind each one. A great parent-child activity for ages 6+. Under $14 at your favorite retailer or www.alexbrands.com
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One of the most important winter wear items is a durable, water-resistant coat, and this one is great for both daily wear and serious outdoor play. It not only wears well, but has all sorts of features that your kids (and you) will love, including a waterproof outer layer, a hood that detaches (but doesn’t fall off), and elastic trim for easy adjusting. It also has internal mesh pockets, all of which zip (which should reduce the number of gloves that get lost), and bight, reflective details, making spotting your child on the trails or during snowball fights even easier. For girls, there’s the Entrust Jacket—same coat, different name Both are about $140 at 
People have been traipsing in and out of your home for months now. And whether it’s winter mud, snow, salt, spilled food, or random holiday wrapping and decorations, the floors are a mess, and could really use a deep cleaning, right? The Shark Rocket Complete is a beast of a vacuum, with two powered brush rolls to make sure every bit of debris gets picked up. On hard flooring, the two rolls pick up large, small, and stuck-on items. On carpet, they pull in large particles and deep clean to remove ground-in dirt. Working together, these two brush rolls make quick work of just about any dry mess you can think of—and they handle regular vacuuming around the house, too. 
There are a lot of words to describe Laser X, but to keep the list short, we’ll limit ourselves to “Wow!” “Amazing!” “Cool!” “Whooo—hooo!” and, most importantly, “Let’s do it again!” Get the point? We reviewed the two-player set, which, if you’re a laser newbie, is the only way to go. Playing against someone else is infinitely more fun than playing by yourself. This set comes with two laser blasters, two vests, an interactive “coach” who tells you to get down and lets you know when you’re running low on ammo, cool sound effects, and hours of fun. It’s great for outdoor or indoor play, and since the vests and blasters glow, it’s especially fun at night. It’s also compatible with other Laser X equipment so you can field teams. Each vest allows you to select Red Team, Blue Team, or to go rogue and blast everyone. Ages 6-16. $24.99 for a single blaster and vest and $49.99 for a double set at major retailers or at 
In theory, this fitness tracker for kids is pretty similar to the one you may have your wrist, with its step counter and a promise to make exercise less boring. But unlike most trackers for adults, this one actually keeps that promise by truly making exercise fun by letting kids set distance goals such as a marathon or a run across the Brooklyn Bridge, giving kids info on how much activity they’ll need to do to burn of that bag of chips or slice of pizza (an approach that has been proven much more successful than simply listing calories and grams of fat), and providing all sorts of other incentives to get up and move. Ages 6+. Plain nabi Competes are under $40 for a pair. Barbie- and Hot Wheels branded Competes are under $30 for one. 
The latest in the line of Zoomer robotic pets, this little guy has all the moves—standing upright or on all fours. Right out of the box, he knows 10 commands (watch what happens when you tell him to “go bananas”), and you can teach him even more. Zoomer Chimp makes a lot of sounds, has built-in “progressive play” (meaning that he doesn’t always move the same way), and he’ll let you know how he’s feeling by facial expressions and the color of his eyes. His wiggles and dances are adorable and funny, but he’ll need batteries, which aren’t included. Ages 5+. Prices vary widely, so shop around. 
In a word, CHiP is amazing. He’s a smart, trainable, affectionate robot puppy that’s always ready to play. Tell him to fetch, and he’ll bolt after his Bluetooth-enabled ball. Give him a kiss, and he’ll give you a slobber-free one right back. Tell him to do yoga, and he’ll do a perfect downward-facing dog (no cat-cow for this little guy). If you wear the SmartBand, he’ll follow you around the house. But if you ignore him for more than a few minutes, he’ll bark to attract your attention. The voice-recognition is great and so is the hardware, which enables CHiP to avoid obstacles and respond to a variety of touches and gestures. The wheels are especially cool and allow CHiP to move in any direction—even sideways—and on almost any surface. You can play with CHiP for hours on a single charge, and when his energy level drops, his eyes change color and he automatically makes his way back to his SmartBed to nap. Ages 8+. Around $180. 
We’re already a week into Advent—have you bought an Advent Calendar for your child yet? If not, Playmobil has two adorable options. For children who love animals, the adorable farm-themed set #6624 is perfect (Playmobil refers to their sets by number and it’s sometimes easier to find them that way). Every day, as you count down to Christmas, your child can punch out a numbered door and find a fun surprise, such as a kitty, cow, goat, or a tractor. Whether you’re country born, or just have a country soul, #6624 is sure to please. About $25 at Toys R Us and Amazon. For sporty kids, the NHL Hockey set #9017 will score big. Once all the pieces are revealed, your hockey fan will have it all: hockey figures, child figures, flags, goal, Stanley Cup, puck bag, reindeer, and a Santa referee (who better to break up disagreements?) Around $27 at major retailers. 
Beauty and the Beast is arguably one of Disney’s best films. Anyone who’s seen it—no matter how long ago—probably has vivid memories of at least one or two scenes or characters. And what could be more memorable than the night Belle has dinner with Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, and the other enchanted objects? Now your little one can join in the fun by having her very own tea party—and if you’re lucky, you’ll get invited. The cart is delightfully ornate and comes with a Mrs. Potts teapot, two cups (including Chip, of course), two spoons, and more. And with the push of a button, it plays “Be Our Guest.” It’s for ages 3+, although you’ll need to be there to assemble the cart and install the batteries. Available at most retailers for around $59. 
Do you know a little girl who loves crafts? How about jewelry? Well, with Charm U, she’ll be able to make her own toys that double as jewelry. Charms are very trendy right now, and there are more than 70 to choose from, including foods, pets, princess, travel, and sports. Charm U’s come in all sorts of configurations. The Charm U Bracelet and Eight Charms starter includes exactly that the name promises—plus a “surprise charm” in a fun mini backpack, stickers, and more. You can also buy four-charm packs and blind bags that contain two collectible charms. Still need more? Try the Charm U Display & Playsets. Prices vary.