Tag Archives: feuss

The Art of Summer

School’s out and it’s time to get your travel on. That often means a seemingly never-ending chorus of “Are we there yet?” and “I’m bored!” from the table- and smartphone-demanding minions who’ve set up shop in the back seat. We’ve got some good news for you: there are actually creative and stimulating ways to keep your kids entertained that don’t involve a screen. Really. Expect plenty of push back, though, but if you stand your ground, they’ll eventually come around. We promise.

Scribble & Doodle On the Go (Alex Toys)
Perfect for car or plane rides, or even for keeping kids busy in restaurants while they wait for their food. The hard cover book has 50 activity pages to color and play on and two pages of stickers. The “On the Go” book is, as you might suspect, about travel and travel activities. But there are other books in the series, including “Girly Swirly,” and “My First Scribble.” One warning: These books don’t come with crayons, so you’ll have to bring along your own. $11 each on http://www.alextoys.com/

Color a Backpack—Cutie (Alex Toys)
A fun project and a fully functional travel pack? What’s not to love! This backpack is small enough that your kids will be able to schlepp it themselves.. Plus, it’ll also give them a fun art project to work on while you’re making your way from point A to point B. Cutie comes with five permanent markers, so kids can design their pack any way they like—and it’ll stay that way. If you’re worried about the kids drawing on their clothes or the car, you can always do the art part before you leave home. Or invest in a smock and seats covers. $28 at http://www.alextoys.com

Desk to Go (Alex Toys)
This on-the-go desk for little artists keeps all their masterpieces in one place. One side of the Desk to Go is a firm desktop surface, while the other is soft for resting on a child’s lap. Pockets on the side hold crayons, markers, and more, while the top has a handle that makes for easy carting from place to place. The desk comes with elastic straps to hold paper in place while your little Michelangelo creates, and the whole thing folds up and zips shut when the masterpiece is ready to be framed. Why didn’t they have these when we were kids? $20 from http://www.alextoys

Car Valet (Alex Toys)
If you want something a little larger than the Desk to Go, or if your child likes to bring a wider variety of art supplies with them, check out the Car Valet. This baby packs so much into a small, tote-able package that no parent who travels should ever leave home without it. Ever. Your child can do just about anything he or she wants with this fold out art center. The play area is huge—about the size of a record (yes, we’re old enough to remember records)–and it’s only about as thick as your thumb. There are tons of pockets that you or the kiddos can load up with art supplies, decks of cards, paper, and anything else you can think of (except your smartphone). The Car Valet can fasten to the seat in front of the child and folds down, giving your child a nice workspace. When you get where you’re going, fold it back up, zip it shut, and you’re on your way in no time. $44 at http://www.alextoys.com

Summer Brain Drain? Not Around Here

Now that summer’s here and the kids are home, parents are looking for ways to keep their little ones’ minds sharp over break. Old standbys like activity books, worksheets, and reading are great at keeping those brains busy. But there are also a lot of fun reading are all important to keep learning locked in, there are fun toys you can add into the mix that kids will enjoy playing–and learning—with.

Telly the Teaching Time Clock (The Learning Journal International)
This little guy is perfect for kids who are learning to tell time—and yes, that’s important even in an era where clocks with hands seem to be going the way of the ichthyosaurus. Actually, with Telly, you can teach the kids both analog and digital, a feature you rarely find on the same teaching clock. There’s also a “quiz mode,” where Telly asks the child to match the digital time shown on his face by moving the hands on his (literal) face. Bonus: Among his many talents, Telly is a real, working clock, making him a nice addition to a child’s bedroom. Comes with three AA batteries. Retails for $28 on http://www.tlji.com/

Magnetic Spell and Learn Board (The Learning Journal International)
This is a great way to teach your kids letters, sounds, and spelling. Some of the magnets have short words and pictures of the words on them. They can then “write” out the spelled words with the magnet letters. This type of hands-on learning is a great way to build phonics, vocabulary, spelling skills, and early reading skills. The board and interlocking magnets make putting words together into sentences or poetry a breeze. And the handy storage compartment makes clean-up easy and minimizes missing pieces. Retails for $20 on http://www.tlji.com

Turbo Land Rocket (Scientific Explorer)
This toy offers a different type of hands-on experience that’s a lot of fun for a one-on-one parent-child adventure or a whole brood of kiddies. As you might assume from the name, you’re going to be building a rocket—a really fast one. The kit comes with almost everything you need (and easy-to-follow directions). The only thing you’re missing is the rocket’s fuel, which consists of vinegar and baking soda. It’s a real blast and you’ll want to do it again and again. Unlike so many science-based kits, you’ll actually be able to. The manufacturer claims the rocket can go more than 200 feet. Ours didn’t go quite that far but it definitely attracted a lot of neighborhood kids. $26 on http://poof-slinky.com

RootVue (HSP Nature Toys)
If you want to see science literally come to life, this indoor garden is for you. It’s kind of like an ant farm, where clear plastic windows gave you a chance to see how ants build tunnels. But instead of insects, you and the kids get a chance to see how root vegetables grow—the leafy tops up, and the roots down. RootVue comes with “eight super-expanding grow mix wafers, three packets of seeds, identification labels, water wicks for self-watering system” It also has a simple water basin and drainage system, so it’s pretty much mess-free, and a 16-page booklet that has easy-to-follow instructions for doing a variety of experiments. Aside from the science part, there’s also a nutritional component: when kids grow their own veggies, they’ll be a lot more likely to eat them. $35 on http://www.hspnaturetoys.com

Where Have All the Superheroes Gone?

In a word, everywhere (at least the little, plastic ones). If you’ve got a son, nephew, or superhero-loving child of either sex, you’ll find that there are tons of toys to go with movie blockbusters, TV shows, cartoons, and even a few just because.

Marvel Superhero Mashers (Hasbro)
Why is it that so many superheroes seem to have multiple personality disorders? They want to save the world, but they’re distraught and angry, filled with angst, feeling responsible and lonely, pushing people away, clinging to friends, and occasionally going off the rails (yes, we’re talking about you, Spiderman). Well, now you can make your own disjointed (literally) superheroes by mashing them up with other heroes and villains. Take the head of Iron Man, the body of Thor, the legs of Hulk, and the arms of Dr. Doom and you’ve got, well, we’re not sure. Prices range from $10 – $20 on http://www.hasbro.com or at your favorite toy retailer.

Power Rangers
Since they first appeared in 1992, Power Rangers have morphed through more incarnations than we can shake a stick at, if we were stick-shaking people. Two decades and nearly 100 Rangers later, the show is still going strong. The Power Rangers are an institution and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They’re still making movies and TV shows, and our children and their friends look forward to the new toys as much as we and our friends did a thousand years ago. So, what’s new in Power Rangers? Well, let’s start with the Legacy Megazord who’s celebrating 20 years of helping the Power Rangers saving the world. This latest Megazord has all the original details from the first toy, but beefs up the durability factor by using die cast metal pieces. The Megazord comes with a Ranger Key that can be used to open its chest. Good for collectors and fans of the current show alike. The Mystic Dragon Zord and Green Ranger set is also inspired by past seasons, and connects to other parts of the Zord Builder collection. Any four-inch figure or Power Ranger Key can work with the Dragon Zord. And the Legacy Megazord and Mystic Dragon Zord can be used together. Roughly $35 and $16, respectively, depending on where you buy them.

Pokemon (TOMY)
While we’re on the subject of toys (and TV shows) that have been around forever, does anyone (or everyone) out there remember Pokemon? Whether you played the card game (or still do, getting cards from places like https://pokeflip.com/, watched the series, or played with the toys, Ash and his lovable companion Pikachu have been fascinating kids for a while now on several continents, and the latest versions (inspired by the hit Nintendo video games) are Pokemon X and Y. This generation of Pokemon lets you go head to head with the older Pokemon you have already “caught” as well as the newest ones, like Chespin and Fennekin. Kids (and their adult wranglers) learn at an early age that you’ve “Gotta Catch “em Al.”, And considering that they cost about $8 for a two-pack, that won’t be too hard. Each two pack contains two two-inch figures and two “Attack Tags” for game play. http://tomy.com

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Hasbro)
With the new Captain America: The Winter Soldier movie recently coming out, kids want to act out the adventures (or perhaps misadventures) of Steve Rogers and the unfortunate Bucky Barnes at home. Hasbro has a line of 3.75 inch action figures to go along with the movie, complete with weapons, feature motions, and of course the famous shield. These figures are quite articulated and have weapons that fire actual projectiles. Additional accessories are sold separately. There are six figures in this line, $10 each. http://www.hasbro.com

Splish, Splash, We’re Taking a Bath

What is it about bath time that makes it so much fun for kids? Sure, having prune fingers is entertaining, but there has to be more. Is it the echo of your voice in the bathroom? The relaxing nature of warm water? The chance to splash around and make a mess (that for parents is a lot easier to clean up than splashing around in mud puddles)? The wonderful opportunities for creative play, cause and effect, and imagination? Actually, does it really matter? This week we had a chance to review a number of bath toys that can keep bath time fun for everyone—even when it’s time for the dreaded washing and shampooing part. We loved ‘em and we’re sure you will too.

B. Fish & Splish Boat (B. Toys)
Take two handfuls of colorful, durable water toys, put them in a boat, and you’ve got hours of fun. The Fish & Splish Boat includes nesting cups, the captain, a life preserver, a fishing hook (no, not a real one, of course) and four easy-to-catch fish—all of which stow away neatly inside the boat. There’s even a comb and nail brush (cleverly disguised as an innocent-looking octopus and a smiling whale) so mom and dad can sneak a little hygiene into the bathing experience. Ages eight months to three years. Retails for about $31.00 at Amazon. http://www.mybtoys.com/

Wiggly Wind-Ups (B. Toys)
If there’s one place where electronics don’t belong, it’s the bathtub. And the folks at B. Toys have graciously obliged, coming up with some delightfully old-school toys. All you do is wind ‘em up, let them loose and the paddle their way around the tub, leaving nothing but waves and giggling children behind. There’s a gorilla in a canoe, a giraffe with swim fins, and a masked blue super dog. Unfortunately, the Wiggly Wind-Ups are a little hard to find, but well worth the trouble.

Bubbalooka
Surfing in the Tub
Magnetic Ducks in the Tub (Alex Toys)

If you’re looking for a way to keep your little one(s) in the tub a bit longer, Bubbalooka is your answer. With Bubbalooka, kids (and we’re sure plenty of parents) can blow incredibly long, fluffy bubble snakes. The complete kit comes with a bubble horn, a bottle of bubble solution, and a suction cup holder so the bottle won’t spill into the tub. Can be used in the tub or anywhere else, for that matter. Recommended for kids two years old and up. Retails for $11.95 on the company’s website (http://www.alextoys.com/), or you can pick it up wherever you buy your toys.

The Surfing in the Tub kit is another bath time extender—one that’s designed to make washing a little less unattractive. Snap the monkey onto one of two foam surfboards and take him on his very own wave-riding adventure. Oh, and did we mention that the money also squirts? For ages two and up. But it for $11.95 on Alex Toys’ website—a bit more on Amazon.

Magnetic Ducks in the Tub are exactly what you’d expect from the name: three colorful, soft, vinyl ducks—theoretically a mommy duck and her chicks, but it could just as well be a dad or family friend—that click together magnetically. Good, clean, old fashioned, fun. Safe for ages two and up. Retails for $16.95.

“S” is for Science

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) is all the rage these days, and that’s a good thing. Without a working knowledge of all of those subjects, our children will be woefully unprepared to meet the challenges of the fast-changing world they’ll be living in when they finally reach adulthood. This week, we take a look at several excellent science-related activities that, besides being a fantastic way for families to spend time together, introduce the kids (and mom and dad) to a number of complex concepts in a fun, engaging way that will keep everyone entertained (and learning) for hours.

Glow-in-the-Dark Lab (SmartLab)
How many synonyms can you come up with for “glows in the dark”? Stumped? Try these: fluorescence, phosphorescence, chemiluminescence, bioluminescence. Those are just a few of the many science concepts that are introduced in this kit. Children and their adult supervisors can work together on as many as 20 separate projects, all of which glow in the dark: including a lava lamp, slime (no self-respecting science kit would be without it), alien blood, ink, bouncing balls, fake snow, and more. Comes with a well-put-together instruction booklet and almost everything you need to do all the experiments. You’ll need to provide your own glue, salt, flour, corn syrup, baking soda, vegetable oil, vinegar. But you won’t need batteries. SmartLab also has a number of other kits, including Squishy Human Body, That’s Gross Science Lab, and All-Natural Spa Lab. All retail for $24.99 and are for ages 7 and up (with adult supervision). http://www.smartlabtoys.com/

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Ravensburger)
Those CSI shows on TV have helped make forensics cool. While real CSI techs don’t generally carry guns and make arrests, they do use science to solve crimes. It all starts with the fascinating booklet written with the help of Mark Benecke, an actual criminologist and forensics expert, who introduces 12 different science-based activities real crime solvers use every day. In it, kids learn how to work a crime scene, collecting evidence, analyzing fingerprints and tire treads, examining drop shapes, literally splitting hairs, and even isolating DNA. Besides the booklet, the CSI kit comes with everything (a magnifying glass, plastic bottles, safety goggles, powdered plaster, crime scene baggies, fingerprint cards, and even a CSI ID badge) that you and the kids will need to solve robberies, catch someone in a lie, make copies of keys, and more. CSI is part of Ravensburger’s Science X series, which also includes kits that teach about crystals and gemstones, fuel efficient cars, electronics, circuits, optics, magnets, and more. $34.99. For Ages 8 and up. http://www.ravensburger.com/

Inventions (ScienceWiz)
Of all the kits we’ve reviewed, this is our favorite. It’s not quite as hip and cool as the others, but no matter. This kit contains almost everything you’ll need to put together a number of projects that actually work: a radio, telegraph, light generator, and spinning motor (you’ll need toilet paper tubes, cardboard, aluminum foil, glue, scissors, and a D-cell battery). It comes with a nicely illustrated, easy-to-understand, 40-page booklet that goes far beyond simply telling you how to put things together. Penny Norman, the brain behind ScienceWiz, gets deep into the Why, explaining the science behind each project in a way that really brings those concepts to life. Other similarly engaging kits from ScienceWiz explore DNA, chemistry, energy, rocks, magnetism, physics, light, and electricity. Each retails for $19.95. But they’re a little cheaper if you join the Science Kit Club and sign up to receive a new kit every two months. For ages 8 and up. http://sciencewiz.com/

East of Easter

How is it that giving candy and chocolate to kids has become such a major part of so many holiday celebrations? Every one of those holidays has its own, special, traditional sugary treat. In the case of Easter, of course, it’s eggs and bunnies. But these days we’re hearing from more and more parents of very young children who are looking for two things: reduced-sugar treats for the kiddies, and toys that aren’t too big for their little ones to pick up and play with. Here are some of our spring Easter-basket-stuffing faves that satisfy both of those requirements.

Bubbly Bunny and Glow Cuddles Bunny (Cloud b)
These two adorable bunnies are perfect for baby’s first (and maybe even second) Easter morning. Bubbly Bunny plays four soothing sounds, including giggles, wind, waves, and a cute lullaby. The selection and volume are set by mom and dad. There’s also a variable sleep timer (23 or 45 minutes). Comes with a Velcro strap to secure Bubbly to baby’s crib.

Cuddles Bunny adds sight and touch to the infant bedtime experience. The slightest hug makes Cuddles glow and activates a vibrating heartbeat (easily be disabled by a parent), which are designed to help your baby learn to calm herself. The light is dim enough to not interfere with sleep, and shuts itself off after 23 minutes. Both bunnies come with batteries and retail for $30 (Bubbly) and $33 (Cuddles) at http://cloudb.com.

Lil’ Chirpers Sorting Eggs (TOMY)
These cute, festive, brightly colored eggs are perfect for a child who is becoming more mobile. Six eggs come in a handy carrying/storage case that includes two different matching games. “Break” open an egg to discover a chick of the same color. Press the chick’s head to make him peep. Great for building manual dexterity and leaning colors, shapes, sorting, and patterns. $12 at http://tomy.com

Lamaze Bella Bunny and Giggle Bunny Ball (TOMY)
Bella Bunny lets your baby use almost every one of his senses: The colors are vivid and engaging (vision), there are a variety of fabrics and textures (touch), and the ears crinkle (hearing). Plus, Bella is made of completely non-toxic materials, so your baby can gum and gnaw away to his heart’s content. Lamaze color codes all their products to make it easy to find the perfect toy for your child’s age and developmental range.

Giggle Bunny Ball is another a great toy for babies and has been tested safe for birth on up. Like Bella, Giggle is colorful, crinkly, and multi-textured. But what sets her apart is that she giggles when shaken (and yes, there’s an on/off switch). One of her ears is a loop, which makes it easy for baby to grab on to and even easier for ma and pa to attach it to a crib, stroller, or car seat. Bella Bunny retails for $16 and Giggle Bunny is $10, both at http://tomy.com

Jelly Bean Racer (Little Tikes)
If you’ve got a budding Kyle Busch or Danica Patrick on your hands, he or she will love these racers which, as you might guess from the name, really do look like giant jelly beans on wheels. They come in four colors: pink, red, green, and orange, and sport two antennae-like “handles” to keep kids secure on top. By using their feel to pedal or push off the ground and to steer, kids can cruise around the house or any relatively smooth outdoors surface. Best for kids 12-24 months). Retails for $20 at http://www.littletikes.com

The Basket Case

What’s an Easter basket without a few stuffed animals? Most young kids love something soft to snuggle up with, and Easter is a great excuse to give them cuddly toys. But, honestly, do you really need an excuse?

Bunnies and More (Gund)
Gund is definitely on our list of favorite stuffed-animal brands, and they’ve got such a huge variety that you’re pretty much guaranteed to find the perfect addition to your little one’s menagerie. At this time of year, of course there’s no shortage of traditional rabbits, but they also have plenty of other soft and snugglies. Let’s start with bunnies. “Floppy” is a large, white rabbit that, as you might guess from the name, is actually floppy. But he’s also wonderfully plush and makes a great cuddle companion. Floppy comes in two sizes, for $15 or $25. “Ditter Bunny” is velvety smooth to the touch, and the perfect size for small hands. He is available for $12, and his sweet face will bring smiles to yours on Easter morning. A fun new addition to the Gund family, “Li’l Sprout Bunny,” is available in four fun and festive spring colors: white, yellow, green, and pink. He’s got a great, cartoon-ish face, complete with rosy cheeks. He’s also a little flatter than most stuffed toys, which makes it all the more interesting. Li’l Sprouts retail for $12 each, and can be a nice addition to your Easter décor. But you should have a Plan B, since your kids or grandkids are going to make off with them as soon as your back is turned. Gund has tons of other Spring toys, including even more rabbits, chicks, ducks, and lambs. You can find them all at gund.com or your local specialty stores.

Bunny Popper (Hog Wild Toys)
Bunny Popper isn’t quite as cuddly as some other Easter toys, but he’ll definitely add a little pop to your holiday. Put one of the six included soft foam balls in Popper’s mouth, squeeze, and it can fly as far as 20 feet. The harder the squeeze, the further the balls go, so you need to be the judge of whether you want to risk your fine crystal or send Popper and the kids outside. Popper is available for $10 on http://www.hogwildtoys.com/, or at many other retailers, including Amazon.com and Fatbrain Toys.

Character Eggs (Playmobil)
What’s Easter without eggs? Playmobil’s alternative to those high-calorie chocolate ones pack a lot of fun into a small package. Each one contains an entire scene, complete with characters and props. Scenes include race car drivers, knights, fairies, unicorns, and more. After playtime, all the pieces fit neatly into the egg, which is small enough to take anywhere your child goes. If you’ve got other Playmobil play sets, the eggs will fit in quite nicely. At $8.95, they’re a great value.

Hazlenut Chipmunk Family (Calico Critters)
Speaking of play sets, for kids who love Calico Critters (and most do), the new Chipmunk Family will be a hit. Each member of the family (mother, father, sister, and brother) has a distinct personality and works with the Calico Critter World theme, where everyone has a special job, and they’re all friends with each other. These cute toys are great for teaching social skills, stimulating imagination, telling stories, and learning about what makes a community. The Chipmunks and plenty of other families (bunnies, elephants, and more) run $23 and are available at http://www.calicocritters.com/.

Aw, Blast It!

No matter how politically incorrect it is to play with things that shoot, the fact is that kids—and plenty of adults—love ‘em. So here are some of our Spring faves.

Djubi Classic (Djubi)
Playing catch must be one of the oldest games in existence, and one might think that after millions of years, we’d have exhausted every possible variation. But then along comes Djubi Classic, which is part slingshot, part baseball glove, part lacrosse stick, part racquetball racquet, part butterfly net, and all fun. The game comes with two racquets and two balls called Djubis, which are attached to a stretchy rubber loop. Just hook the loop over the special notch on the racquet, pull it back like a sling shot, and let ‘er rip towards your partner who can be as far as 100 feet away. Then all you have to do is catch the Djubi in the racquet’s deep net. While not intended for indoor use, the racquets and Djubis are waterproof, which means you can take the fun to the pool or the beach. For ages 8 and up. $14.50. djubi.com

Djubi Dart Ball (Djubi)
While the Classic is meant for cooperative play, Djubi Dart Ball is made for head-to-head competition. The set comes with two launchers (miniature versions of the regular racquets but without the netting) six small Djubis, a target (essentially a dart board made of netting), and a dry-erase scoreboard. Load up your Djubi and start firing. Players can compete on points, speed, or anything else. Meant for outside use, but if you have a big enough play area and you’ve removed your fine China, there’s plenty of fun to be had indoors as well. Ages 6 and up. $10.50 at your favorite retailer or djubi.com.

VMD Cannon Commando (Sky Rocket Toys)
The Cannon Commando is a remote-controlled (RC) blaster that shoots further and harder than anything else in its class. And just in case there was any doubt about what this toy is about, VMD stands for Vehicles of Mass Destruction. The Commando responds well to the control unit and can move in any direction while firing off its 16 foam darts. Interestingly, unlike some other RC blasters, which allow players to adjust the dart trajectory up and down from the control unit, the Commando needs to be aimed manually. That gives parents a great opportunity to have the all-important safety discussion that absolutely must be a part of any game that involves shooting. The manual adjustment also reduces the chance that anyone will get shot in the face. Requires six AA batteries and one 9-volt. For ages 8 and up. $40. http://www.skyrockettoys.com/

Tek Recon 55450 Hammer Head Battle Pack (Tek Recon)
The Tek Recon battle pack includes two hand-held blasters (one green, one orange), two targets, and about 80 of what the company calls N.R.G. rounds, which are small, thick, rubber bands that can fly up to 75 feet. The rounds are reusable, don’t leave stains, and can be loaded into removable magazines. What makes this set of blasters so much fun is that players can go beyond simply shooting each other. The blasters comes with a bracket to attach a smartphone, which (when running the free app), players can use to communicate with each other, track (using the phone’s GPS), and access special features like night vision, custom scopes, and very cool sound effects. For ages 8 and up. $34. http://www.tekrecon.com/

If You Build It… You’ll Have Fun

There’s nothing that says “play” better than a construction kit—and nothing that says “great way to spend time with your kids” either. So it’s no surprise that so many different manufacturers making so many different kits out of so many different materials. This week we take a look at one kit that’s traditional—in a very innovative way, and two that actually have an agenda.

Knuckz Delux (KnuckleStrutz)
Before you even open the package and start building, you’d better clear your calendar because you’re going to be need a few hours, but the time will fly. KnuckleStrutz kits are traditional in that you have a variety of pieces that you can assemble to create something. But those pieces are like nothing we’d ever seen before. KnuckeStrutz are incredibly well made: they fit together snugly—and stay that way until you take them apart to build something else. We also marveled at the engineering brains behind KnuckleStrutz who created so many pieces that can go together in so many different way.

The Knuckz Delux comes with more than 300 pieces and instructions for building two very intricate things—a fire truck and big rig truck. On the website, there are instructions for 13 more creations, including robots, motorcycles, dune buggies, and even a helicopter. The printed instructions that come with the package are sometimes hard to read, but the online PDFs are much easier. And, of course, there’s no limit to what you can create without instructions. Challenging, engaging, and great for building patience, dexterity, imagination, and parent-child relationships. Perfect for rainy days, or any other day, for that matter. Recommended for ages 6 and up, but kids under 8 or 9 will definitely need help with the instructions and may need a little assembly assistance. Kids over 10 will be able to help dad or mom when they get stuck. $78, for ages 6 and up. http://www.knucklestrutz.com/

Goldie Blox and the Parade Float
Goldie Blox and the Spinning Machine
The folks behind Goldie Blox are very open about their mission: To inspire the next generation of female engineers, and along the way, they hope to help girls develop the spatial and building skills they’ll need. Each kit focuses on slightly different (but somewhat overlapping) skills. Goldie Blox and the Parade Float ($20 on Amazon) is designed to demonstrate wheels and axles, gear action, and vehicle design. Goldie Blox and the Spinning Machine ($29) also works on wheels and axles, but adds in force, friction, and tension. Besides the pieces, each kit contains a story book in which Goldie, her friends, and even their pets overcome challenges by building various machines. The idea is to tap into girls’ verbal skills to help them discover and develop hand-eye and engineering skills.

What a terrific concept. Although meant for girls 3 to 9, we recommend Goldie Blox for the lower end of the range. Older kids may be frustrated by the stories, which will appeal much more to little kids, the small number of pieces (there are only around 30 in each kit), and the pieces themselves, which don’t always stay together as long as they should. But little girls and, perhaps, some boys who don’t mind pink tool belts and ribbons, will love Goldie Blox. http://www.goldieblox.com/

Snowed In?

This winter has been pretty brutal for most of the country, and the endless “snow days” and “no-school days” have made a lot of families claustrophobic and, frankly, bored. So even though the worst of the polar vortex is (hopefully) behind us, here are some great boredom busters that will bring a smile to even the most jaded kids’ faces.

Power Rangers Mega Force Giant 31″ Red Ranger Action Figure (Jakks Pacific Inc.)
This Power Ranger figure is more than half the size of an average six-year-old and features seven points of articulation, meaning he can be twisted and bent into a ton of different poses. The Ranger’s giant size makes him an ideal companion for eating, playing games, snuggling up on the couch, reading, and jumping out from behind doors to scare mom and dad (that’ll get old for you rather quickly but will keep your child in giggles for a lot longer). The Ranger can stand on his own two feet, which makes him the perfect Godzilla-like destroyer of block cities and crusher of other action figures. And if you do manage to make it outside, he’s so big that there’s no chance of losing him in the snow. Available online, at WalMart, or Toy R Us for about $30.

Battroborg 3-In-1 Battle Arena (TOMY)
Think of Battroborg as a modern-day “Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robot” that, like the original, will keep everyone entertained for hours and hours. Once your kids (and/or you or your spouse) break it open, cancel your plans for the rest of the evening. The set comes two bots and an arena where they’ll duke it out. It doesn’t, however, come with the batteries you’ll need to make the bots work. Players control their robots using a small, handheld remote that captures and transmits their hand movements, which the bots mimic. Each Battroborg can battle in three different competitive game modes. What’s especially cool about Battroborg’s technology is that it allows up to 20 robots to pound each other in a full-on battle royal at the same time. Available on Amazon.com and at other retailer for $80

Galaxy Tab 3 Kids (Samsung)
Although the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is aimed at kids, what separates it from other tablets in the kids’ category is its speed and power. At the same time, the parental controls are simple and effective. Parents can pick the apps they want to allow their kids to be able to play from an extensive list, and then restrict access to anything and everything else. Adding new apps to the list requires a parent’s password, a 4-digit code you input when first setting up the tablet. The kids menu itself is brightly colored, easy to personalize and even easier to navigate. The tablet also sports a foam/rubber case which gives the impression that it can survive a freefall from outer space. Of course, we don’t recommend testing that out, but chances are, the tablet will survive basic tumbles. Ready for the coolest feature? Once the kiddies are in bed (or at school or on a play date, or even in the bathtub), all it takes is a few clicks and a password and you’ve got yourself a fully functional Galaxy Tab 7.0″ device that you won’t be embarrassed to be seen using. The biggest challenge is just waiting your turn. Retails everywhere for about $230

Parents@Play

Toys and Games That Get Parents and Kids Playing Together