Who would have thought… the Netflix of LEGOs
Pley is a LEGO version of Netflix. At Pley you create a queue of desired LEGO sets that you want to build. They then send you one at a time, so you can enjoy building each set without the cost of purchasing them. Once you are done, you ship the set back, and they sendRead More…
You’ve added a laser to your phone – now add lasers to your building blocks
Laser Pegs are similar to a lot of toy building blocks on the market, but you build lighted creations with these blocks. Each kit has 72 blocks, and each block has an LED light and low-voltage circuitry; the power supply in the base makes your creations glow with light. There are a variety of kitsRead More…
Jawbones – not a Bluetooth headset, but a cool construction toy
Are your kids (or maybe yourself) bored with LEGO? Tired of TinkerToys? Do they even make TinkerToys anymore? Here’s an alternative construction toy system that I just discovered. They are called Jawbones and they feature pieces that swivel, ratchet and snap together in all sorts of creative ways. They are billing it as The BuildableRead More…
Be amazed with Q-BA-MAZE marble maze building block sets
Q-BA-MAZE kits are a collection of plastic interconnecting building blocks that you can use to build cool marble maze sculptures. The blocks are made of translucent colored plastic and when combined with other blocks, create tracks and runs for marbles to slide through. They are designed for anyone… adults and kids ages 5 and up.Read More…
littleBits Starter Kit, Extended Kit, and Holiday Kit review [Updated]
Science and engineering are cool, right? That’s a matter of opinion, but there is an increasing need in our country for students to study the STEM subjects–Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. And with more information showing a link between technological innovation and creativity, why not foster both in your kids at the same time? DescribingRead More…
Chuggington Die-Cast 10-in-1 Layout Track Pack review
Koko and Dunbar not included. When I was offered the opportunity to review a toy train set, I thought it would be interesting to try it in conjunction with my expert team of train set testers – my sons, Franklyn (7) and Matthew (4). They willingly agreed to work with me on the project andRead More…
ATOMS Express Toys Kickstarter Project
I have been a builder all my life. To this day, I still love playing with LEGOs and Erector sets. So, it is exciting when folks use modern technology to take these classic thinking-toys to the next level. The designers and engineers at The Seamless Toy Company have created the ATOMS Express smart block system to bringRead More…
Ubooly – Teddy Ruxpin reincarnated into a smaller less creepy form factor
Teddy Ruxpin (animatronic toy from the 80′s) always creeped me out with his freaky moving eyes and mouth. I never had one but I wonder how many kids were traumatized by that battery operated story telling bear? Fast forward 27 years and we now have Ubooly (say it like oo-boo-lee), an orange marsupial that canRead More…
Uncle Milton Force Glove – “Discover the Power of Magnets, You Will”
From Uncle Milton, the Force Glove disappointingly doesn’t actually use the Force but rather magnets. The glove is part of their educational Star Wars Science Range. By changing the polarity of the magnets, you can either “Force Push” or “Force Pull” the supplied Droids or Light Sabre. Available for $16.99 from the Uncle Milton Store.
Get your Geek on with BuckyBars, BuckyBigs and BuckyBalls Chromatics Magnetic Building Sets
I find magnetic building sets to be irresistible. I love the pull, resistance and click clack noise as magnets snap together and pull apart. You’ve probably heard of or seen regular BuckyBalls before. They are small BB sized chromed rare earth magnets that can be arranged in really cool configurations. Three new Bucky sets are nowRead More…
Tegu Prism Blocks
If you are bored with your current collection of office toys, you might want to check out a set of Tegu Prism Pocket blocks. We’ve told you about these wooden Tegu magnetic blocks before, but now they are offering smaller sets that store in a heavy felted pouch. The Prism set shown here has 6Read More…
Free Universal Construction Kit
You build with LEGOs and you build with Tinkertoys, but you can’t build with LEGOs and Tinkertoys – until now! F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab have created a set of 80 universal connectors that “enable complete interoperability between ten popular children’s construction toys.” (See the F.A.T. Lab site for a complete list.) You can’t buy theRead More…
Fly Through the Water With Subwing
I have to admit I’ve never tried water skiing, and I have my doubts if I could actually even stand up. The Subwing might actually be more my style though. The Subwing is made of fiberglass, rubber, and stainless steel, and with it, you can travel on the surface, skim the ocean bottom or just doRead More…
Eco-Friendly Earth Blocks Building Blocks
These LEGO-like building blocks are made from “a composite of the bark of the cedar tree, compressed dust from sawn cedar logs, and coffee beans as well as other recycled materials.” The Earth Toy Earth Blocks are 1.25″ long x 0.6″ wide x 0.6″ high. A set of 50 blocks is $30 at the GuggenheimRead More…
LEGO too ho hum? How about Playable Metal?
If you’re bored with LEGO, how about checking out Playable Metal building sets. Playable Metal sets are made of an aluminum alloy and come in different colors and allow you to build 3 dimensional structures. The parts are connected together with special screws. YoYo.com offers a variety of sets that range in price from $34.95Read More…
Angry But Cute Angry Birds Plush Toys
Are you still a big fan of Rovio’s Angry Birds game? Show your enthusiasm with these super cute plush toys from ishareGifts. You can get a set of all 5 Angry Birds for $35.99 (free shipping), or just buy your favorites for $7.99 each. Each bird is about 10cm in diameter, which is about 4Read More…
Tiny Camera Models
Yesterday, Jackie sent me a link to Photojojo and I’ve been browsing all their cool products like this super cute mini DSLR. It’s a 1/6 scale model that includes 3 lenses that can be attached to the camera. How neat is that? The whole set is $28. I’m really tempted to buy one for myself.Read More…
Tegu Magnetic Wooden Blocks Review
Well, I did it. I went ahead and bought a set of the Tegu blocks “for my son”. If you will recall, these are wood blocks with magnets in them. This lets you create some unique structures with the box. The front of the box displays a rooster created out of the blocks. The options haveRead More…
Tegu Blocks
One of the great things about being a geek and a dad is the new justification for purchasing that being a parent gives you. Sure, my wife did not really buy that the Star Wars Bobble-Heads I bought on Woot were for the boy, but it helped me justify the purchase. My latest interest isRead More…
Fushigi Magic Gravity Ball
The Fushigi Ball appeals to many aspects of my personality- mediocre magician, out of practice juggler, gadget freak, fidgeter extraordinaire, and someone just fascinated by spheres. Basically, this is just a steel ball in an acrylic shell but it lets you do some pretty cool things.
Hi-Tec Sketch Art Review
Back in the stone age when I was a kid, we had classic toys like Etch-a-Sketch, Spirograph and Lite-Brite. I had the first two, but never had the pleasure of having a Lite-Brite. This was a simple toy that encouraged creativity and imagination. It allowed you to make pictures with little colored plastic pegs thatRead More…
Lego Architecture Series
The Lego Architecture Series models caught my eye when I was in a bookstore yesterday. These Lego models use what appears to be standard Lego blocks (for the most part) in non-standard colors. For example, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater uses 811 clear, green, and tan blocks to create a 10″ wide replica of the historic home. There areRead More…
Dora Links Doll – A Gadget for Girls
When my daughter was younger, she owned Gameboys and Nintendo DS, but it was always difficult to find an age-appropriate game that appealed to her. She did have a Dora the Explorer computer game she liked, but it was very repetitive and quickly grew boring for her. I wish they had the Dora Links DollRead More…
Be a Jedi with the Star Wars Force Trainer
Marcus Wright sent me an email this morning telling me that his son is going ‘mental’ over the Star Wars Force Brain Trainer game. The game will allow you to move a Jedi Training Remote ball up and down the Training Tower…with the power of your mind! The innovative wireless headset can actually read andRead More…
Tomy i-Sobot: Attack of the 6-1/2″ Robot
Review of the Tomy i-Sobot According to the Tomy i-Sobot website, this is the world’s smallest humanoid robot in production, as per Guiness World Records. With 17 servos and only 6-1/2″ high, it could be.