People have been fascinated with flight ever since the first human set eyes on the first bird. And even if we can’t do the actual flying ourselves, there’s something about launching things into the sky that’s almost as good. This week we had a chance to review three different toys that go up—way, way up—and come back down. One stays airborne for just a few seconds, the other two for at least a few minutes. All three have made it on to our current faves list, and we’re sure they’ll be on yours as well.

Strato-Slam Rocket Battle Blast (Poof-Slinky)
When it comes to flight, this is about as low-tech as it gets (short of simply throwing something into the air). But the lack of flashing lights and whirring motors does nothing to detract from the high-fun levels. The design is simple: slide a foam rocket onto one end of a flexible hose that’s attached to an adjustable launching dock. The other end of the hose goes into a round chamber that’s a little bigger (and a lot quieter) than a whoopee cushion. Stomp on the chamber, and your rocket takes off. The harder you stomp, the higher it goes—up to 200 feet, according to the manufacturer. Hard to verify, but we can say that our rockets were so high up that we could barely see them. The Strato-Slam comes with six foam rockets and two launching docs, air hoses, and chambers, and is literally a blast. That second chamber more than doubles the fun by adding an element of head-to-head competition. For ages 5 and up. Retails for about $37. http://poof-slinky.com/

Street Hawk Remote Control Flying Car (Hot Wheels)
Any self-respecting Pixar fan knows that cars can talk, make plans, and fall in love. But can they fly? If you ask Hot Wheels, the answer is a solid Yes, much to the joy of all those little (and grown up) boys and girls who can’t get enough of those miniature race cars. Made of light-yet-very-durable foam, the Street Hawk handles well on the road—as long as there isn’t much wind. When you and the kids get tired of gravity, switch to flight mode and you can fly your car as high as 200 feet. The lightweight construction makes doing airborne tricks easy. But it’s a little hard to control in the wind, and soft landings take a lot of practice. Fortunately, it’s such a great way to spend time with the kids that you won’t mind those minor inconveniences. Ages 8+. Retails for as low as $55. http://shop.mattel.com/

Sky Viper Camera Drone (Skyrocket Toys)
The bad news about Sky Viper is that if you want to master its four blades and six-axis gyroscope, you’ll have to put in some serious practice time. The good news is that it’s so engaging and entertaining that you (and the kids, if you let them near it) will be tempted to call in sick to play with it. The control unit has everything you need to do flips, barrel rolls, and other stunts (some are pre-programmed, others you’ll figure out on your own) and take video (up to 30 minutes) or stills (more than 1,000). Either way, it’s amazing what you can see from up there. The included data cable makes transferring images to your computer or YouTube a snap. The control unit requires 4 AAA batteries (not included) and the drone itself charges very quickly. It also comes with a very handy set of replacement blades. Ages 12 and up. Retails for around $80. http://www.skyrockettoys.com/