Review & Giveaway: Air Storm Z Curve Bow: Aim to Focus

It's like three toys in one. Kids can play with the Zarts (suction arrows) and the Zooperball (rounded tip arrows) without the bow.  photo: Zing Toys

WHAT: Air Storm Z Curve Bow by Zing Toys

DOES:  I choose this over a toy gun anyday!; opportunity to use Olympics and the movie Brave to have your child embrace the toy version of this amazing sport, stresses trial-and-error learning, gives immediate feedback for performance even faster than video games; allows for practice on the act of focusing

INVEST:  $19.99 MSRP
TOOLS:  My Body Needs to Move, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Social Scene Helper (sports played along among like-minded folks help ease social setting), Lose and Win Gracefully
GIVEAWAY:  Details below

Review & Giveaway: Creative Eddy and Sleddy: Design to Fly

This is probably the strongest coloring project your child will ever do.  Tyvek is super strong. photo: HQ Kites and Designs USA

WHAT: Eddy Kid's Creation and Sleddy Kid's Creation by HQ Kites and Designs USA

DOES:  A terrific buy-in move for reluctant flyers, An excellent entry for any child to the world of kite-flying, Well-designed to suit both needs of busy families on-the-go and novice flyers

INVEST:  $7.99 and $6.99 (respectively) MSRP
TOOLS:  Express Yourself, My Body Needs to Move, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Social Scene Helper

Expert Opinion: Vanessa Garza, Administrator in Residence, Green Dot Schools, Los Angeles and former Director of Family Science, Iridescent Learning

Review: Designed By You Fashion Studio: Toys for Sophisticated Young People

If someone gave me something like this when I was a little girl... without a doubt, I would have fainted.   photo: Creativity for Kids

WHAT:  Designed by You Fashion Studio by Creativity for Kids

DOES:  easy way to design clothes allows your young children to run with their imaginations, great quality material challenges kids to do more

INVEST: $35.99 (other retailers may vary)

TOOLS:  Express Yourself, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer (Making clothing is building too)

Review & Giveaway: Sleddy Kites: May the Force Be With You

Remember this whole thing can be folded and tucked neatly into a pocket-sized pouch.  That's incredible!  photo: HQ Kites and Designs USA

WHAT: Sleddy by HQ Kites and Designs USA

DOES: An excellent entry for any child to the world of kite-flying.  Well-designed to suit both needs of busy families on-the-go and novice flyers

INVEST:  $15.99 MSRP
TOOLS:  My Body Needs to Move, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Social Scene Helper

Expert Opinion: Vanessa Garza, Administrator in Residence, Green Dot Schools, Los Angeles and former Director of Family Science, Iridescent Learning
GIVEAWAY Details of 6 Kites (= 6 Winners!!) at the Bottom of this Review

We've Got Mail: Aidan's Planet and Planet-Inspired Essay

Nothing inspires this toy review writer more than photos like this.  I am so grateful to Aidan's mom for sending me this.  Thank you!

WHAT: Aidan's Planet and Essay about his project.  (Pssst.. he made with Planets: Create a Solar System Mobile by Creativity for Kids)
DOES: my cup runneth over, a reader's son sent this to Toys are Tools today
INVEST: invaluable meaning to me as a toy review writer.
TOOLS:  I am so happy, I can't think straight.  I love the readers here sooooo much!  Look at this direct connection to play-inspired learning.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Dear Aidan, 

Thank for showing us your photo of your planet.  It's so beautiful!  I don't know why but I can't stop thinking of peaches.  It actually looks delicious.  What a wonderful color you made!

I am very impressed with your picture and essay too.  I think the arrow is awesome. It looks like you worked really hard.  I hope you get to make a lot more planets soon and most importantly, I hope you have lots of fun trying out your ideas. 

Please send us a picture when you finish your mobile.   I can't wait to see it!

Yours truly,

Jenn Choi

Note: We are so very grateful that Creativity for Kids not only created such an awesome mobile set but that they sent it to us to facilitate a review.  Readers should know that reviews are never promised in exchange for payment of any sort.

Review and Giveaway: Faber-Castell: Play with Shimmering Iridescence

Metallic Mania has everything you could possibly ever want if you want to explore drawing with metallic colors and black paper.  photo: Faber-Castell

WHAT: Metallic Mania by Faber-Castell
DOES: gives you an opportunity to try their metallic line such as metallic markers, metallic gel sticks, metallic colored pencils, black note pad (20) sheets, black paper cut-outs and more.... the results can be magical!
INVEST: $24.99
TOOLS: Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner, Express Yourself
EXPERT OPINION: Petra Pankow,  Museum Arts Educator, MoMA, Guggenheim, & Museum of Art and Design
Giveaway Details Below

 

Want to be a Toy Tester?

I'm a worry wart.  I feel like I may need more help for the holiday season.  Just want to be prepared.

WHAT: Help Wanted
DOES:  Folks, we have great testers already but I have this nagging feeling that it is very possible that the testers will need help testing toys for the upcoming holiday season.
INVEST: Just a quick and simple read; if you're interested, apply!
TOOLS: Testing is not as easy as it seems but it's fun fun fun fun!

Review and Giveaway: Yamslam Game: Probability and Chance Makes Super Flexible Fun

I think the best feelings of hope and excitement occur when you are rolling the dice.  It is so simple and yet incredibly appealing to children, (not to mention spot number recognition practice!)

WHAT: Yamslam Game by Blue Orange Games
DOES:  The best games are part luck and part strategy because life is full of unpredictable circumstances
INVEST: $19.99 MSRP and could be less depending on retailer
TOOLS:  Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, Flexibility is My Superpower, Lose and Win Gracefully
Giveaway Details Below

Review and Giveaway: OWI 7-in-1 Solar Transformers: A Test of Will and Skill

The recharging station changes from truck mode to station mode. 

Your child may have played with Transformers but building one is a different story.

WHAT: 7-in-1 Solar Transformers by OWI
DOES: a build and play set where building is over half the fun; instant kid magnet at the park; car charges don't last long but the cars are fast;  charging by battery takes just seconds; battery charger included
INVEST: $26.95 depending on retailer
TOOLS:  Social Scene Helper, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer
Giveaway Details Below

Friday Mindfeed: Games are Good for the Parents Too

 

Here is another Friday Mindfeed piece.....  It is a TED Talk that I just saw and loved!  The game inventor, Jane McGonigal became bedridden and suicidal after suffering from a severe concussion.  She turned to her own craft to turn her situation around and make it work for her.  It's a great story to me especially because our summer has been full of games.


I'm sure you think we play lots of games here but like you, we have to do other stuff too.  However, Number 1 Son just finished the 2nd grade.   It's summer now and what defines summer for us?

NO HOMEWORK!!!! 

Review and Giveaway: Candy Construction: Familiarity is a Powerful Agent

 Building with candy is surprisingly scientific!  You won't believe this review! photo courtesy: Learning Resources

WHAT: Candy Construction by Learning Resources
DOES: promotes idea of using alternative materials for building, reduces intimidation because of familiar themes, spin factor creates simple illusions, excellent as a gift
INVEST: $34.99
TOOLS: Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner, More Make-Believe Please,  Social Scene Helper (candy is the ultimate people-connector), Think Like a Scientist/Engineer
Giveaway Details Below

Review and Giveaway: ThinkFun's New Special Needs Section: Play with Special Agendas

These are most of the ThinkFun games we bought before Toys are Tools was launched. Rush Hour Traffic Jam Jr. and Zingo are with other families now.    Hoppers and TipOver are at school. 

WHAT: ThinkFun's New Special Needs Section
DOES: Allows you to easily to find a game that offers the skills/features you seek (Speech and Language, Numbers, Memory, etc.)
INVEST: Only your time
TOOLS: Family Fix-its, I Can Take Care of Myself
EXPERT OPINION:  Susan Schwartz, MAEd, Director, Learning and Diagnostics Center,  Child Mind Institute
PICK-Your-Own-Prize Giveaway: Details Below

Review and Giveaway: Felt Mosaics: How Art Can Build Brains

Beautiful design can be as simple as shifting triangles.   photo: eeBoo

WHAT: Felt Mosaic by eeBoo

DOES:  provides multiple opportunities to learn about different elements of design; high-quality felt has magical powers; allow for practice of abstract thinking

INVEST: $18.00 MSRP

TOOLS: Express Yourself, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

EXPERT OPINION: Petra Pankow, Museum Arts Educator, MoMA, Guggenheim, & Museum of Art and Design

Giveaway Details Below

Review and Giveaway: Q-BA- Maze 2.0 Big Box: Toys that Enchant

It is a marble run or a sculpture or both?  Either way, this toy lures seekers of beauty and challenge.  photo: Mindware

WHAT: Q-BA- Maze 2.0 Big Box by Mindware
DOES: shows your child a new kind of marble run that can be
INVEST: $39.95
TOOLS: Express Yourself, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner, My Body Needs to Move
EXPERT OPINION: Jonathan Lauter, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Director, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Ambulatory Clinic, Elmhurst Hospital Center

Givewaway Details Below