Showing posts with label developmental toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label developmental toys. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Discount Brainy Baby 9910 Shapes and Colors Learning - Flash Cards
My sister gave these cards to us when my daughter was first born. I started to show the cards to her around 11 months (yes they are flimsy) and ended up going to Kinko's and laminating them since she liked to bend them. I have worked with her almost every day on them and she now can recognize and say most of the colors and shapes at 18 months! She loves to pull out her bag and do flashcards together while at home or away. We also have the ABCs cards and she has learned those as well. I say use your judgement if you want to purchase them or not, but as for our family we love them and can't wait to give them to friends!
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Hape Clown Stacker Review
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $11.86
Today's Bonus: 9% Off

It's a bit early to write this review, as we just received the product in the mail today, but I have never seen my baby have this kind of reaction to anything, so thought I'd include a preliminary review, with updates to come should anything change.
My 7.5 month old saw me unwrap this along with another toy from the Amazon box today and she couldn't stop looking at this stacker. As soon as she got her hands on it, she had to explore every piece of it: first the colourful head, then each ring and finally the stem. She absolutely loves it. I don't know how these little baby brains work, and why some toys are more popular than others, but this toy is a winner. The finish is smooth (I love that it's non-toxic) and colors are vibrant. The stacker head is big enough that little ones have to use two hands to lift it, giving them practice with dexterity and object manipulation. The head also rolls quite easily, which seems to be a delight for my little one, who is busy crawling after anything that moves. It will be fun to watch her stack this as her skills develop and see her reactions to the wobble. Fun toy!
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $11.86
Today's Bonus: 9% Off
It's a bit early to write this review, as we just received the product in the mail today, but I have never seen my baby have this kind of reaction to anything, so thought I'd include a preliminary review, with updates to come should anything change.
My 7.5 month old saw me unwrap this along with another toy from the Amazon box today and she couldn't stop looking at this stacker. As soon as she got her hands on it, she had to explore every piece of it: first the colourful head, then each ring and finally the stem. She absolutely loves it. I don't know how these little baby brains work, and why some toys are more popular than others, but this toy is a winner. The finish is smooth (I love that it's non-toxic) and colors are vibrant. The stacker head is big enough that little ones have to use two hands to lift it, giving them practice with dexterity and object manipulation. The head also rolls quite easily, which seems to be a delight for my little one, who is busy crawling after anything that moves. It will be fun to watch her stack this as her skills develop and see her reactions to the wobble. Fun toy!
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Discount Science Kit - Junior Genius Blast of Color Lab - Over 15 Different
Lab in a bag blast of color was a good experience for my Grand-daughters ages 5 and 7. We did the many experiments and enjoyed seeing the changes in colors and the growth of little beads. We even made a form of snow! They loved it however an adult does need to be right there with children to do the experiments properly. The directions should be read ahead of time to make the process go faster as they are lengthy. The end result; it was a great memory maker for spending time together. All products are safe for the kids but there are some cautions on pouring some liquids down the drain as they could cause some problems so do read the directions.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I ordered this for my 5 year old daughter who is into making "potions" and we had a great time doing them. Instructions are very good, point by point on how to do perform each experiment and how to get the most out of what the child observes. With a 5 year old, you really have to be there to help but I can also see how this would be great for an older "scientist" too. Great purchase!Best Deals for Science Kit - Junior Genius Blast of Color Lab - Over 15 Different
I purchased this for my 8-year-old granddaughter. She told me, "This is my best gift ever!" She really enjoyed the scientific experiments, like growing crystals, and was looking forward to trying out more things. My daughter said it held her interest and she was still excited about playing with it days after receiving the kit.Honest reviews on Science Kit - Junior Genius Blast of Color Lab - Over 15 Different
Our 6 year old grandson loved it. His 4 year old brother joined in the fun, too. It was a birthday present. He like it so much he requested another "kit" for Christmas.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Science Kit - Junior Genius Blast of Color Lab - Over 15 Different
My kids like to experiment, and they really liked this kit. It's pretty basic so good for beginners and easy enough for a 4 yr old to help with.Thursday, November 20, 2014
AmScope 100 Piece Assorted Specimen Collection for Home School Review
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $250.00
Sale Price: $49.98
Today's Bonus: 80% Off

Here is a listing of the slides contained in this set from another site. You may get some different slides regardless of where you buy these nice AM Scope slides.
Bacillus, smear
Bee Wings, w.m.
Bee Worker Leg-Composite, w.m.
Bone Marrow Mammal, smear
Butterfly Wings Ocales, w.m.
Cerebrum Mammal, sec.
Chlamydomonas, w.m.
Coprinus Mushroom Set, c.s.
Cucurbita Stem, l.s.
Daphina, w.m.
Dog Cardiac Muscle, l.s.
Dog Duodenum, c.s.
Dog Esophagus, c.s.
Dog IIeum, c.s.
Dog Jejunum, c.s.
Dog Pancreas, sec.
Dog Rectum, c.s.
Dog Skeletal Muscle, l.s. & c.s.
Dog Small Intestine, sec.
Dog Smooth Muscle, l.s. & c.s.
Dog Spleen, sec.
Dog Squamous Epitheblium, w.m.
Dog Stomach, sec.
Dog Trachea, c.s.
Dog Ureter, c.s.
Dragonfly Wings, w.m.
Earthworm, c.s.
Euglena, w.m.
Feather, w.m.
Fern Prothallia, w.m.
Fern Prothallia and Sporangia, w.m.
Fern Leaf-Sorus, w.m.
Fish Blood, smear
Fish Scales, w.m.
Frog Blood, smear
Frog Epidermic Cell, sec.
Frog Liver, sec.
Frog Lung, sec.
Frog Showing Spermary, sec.
Honeybee Mouth Parts, w.m.
Housefly Compound Eye, w.m.
Housefly Mouth Parts, w.m.
Human Blood, smear
Human Cell Mucus Membrane, smear
Human Hair, w.m.
Human Spermatozoa, smear
Hydra, c.s.
Hydrilla Verticillata Leaf, w.m.
Ipomoea Leaf, c.s.
Ipomoea Root, sec.
Lillium Anther, c.s.
Lillium Ovary, c.s.
Marchantia Mature Sporophyte, l.s.
Meiosis-Lillitrm Pollen,w.m.
Mitosis-Onion Root Tip, l.s.
Mixed Bacteria, smear
Mosquito Larva, w.m.
Mosquito Mouth Parts, w.m.
Mosquito Wings, w.m.
Nervous Tissue, sec.
Onion Epidermis, w.m.
Paramecium, w.m.
Penicillium, w.m.
Pig Motor Nerve, w.m.
Pine Leaf, c.s.
Pine Root, c.s.
Pine Stem, c.s.
Pine Young Staminate Cone, l.s.
Poa Leaf, c.s.
Pollen Gem, w.m.
Pome Sclereid, w.m.
Pumpkin Stem, c.s.
Rabbit Arteriole, c.s.
Rabbit Artery and Vein, c.s.
Rabbit Blood, smear
Rabbit Hyaline Cartilage, sec.
Rabbit Lympy Node, sec.
Rabbit Spinal Cord, c.s.
Rabbit Testis, sec.
Rhizopus, w.m.
Rice Stem, c.s.
Root-Meristem, l.s.
Smooth Muscle Breakaway, w.m.
Spirllum, smear
Spirogyia Conjugation, w.m.
Stem-Collenchyma, c.s.
Stem-Parenchyma, c.s.
Stem-Sclerenchyma, c.s.
Stem-Tracheid, l.s.
Stomata-Vicia Faba Leaf, w.m.
Sunflower Stem, c.s.
Tilia Stem, c.s.
Tomato Flesh, w.m.
Volox, w.m.
Yeast-Budding, w.m.
Zea Root, c.s.
Zea Root Tip, l.s.
Zea Seed, l.s.
Zea Stem, c.s.
Zea Stem, l.s.
Some of the samples are a little bit thick but you would have to spend 3 to 4 times the amont of money for better preparations. If you are a pre-med student or biology major this is a great set to work off of.
Some of the fixatives and dyes are basic and you can't see absolutely everything but you can see most major tissue landmarks and structures. This set has over 22 slides of mammal tissue from a wide range of locations so there is a lot to look at and study. Most of the samples are from a dog or rabbit but there are a few human samples.
Mine came very nicely packaged and undamaged. Easy to store and clean. I would definately purchase another AmScope set based on this one.
List Price: $250.00
Sale Price: $49.98
Today's Bonus: 80% Off
Here is a listing of the slides contained in this set from another site. You may get some different slides regardless of where you buy these nice AM Scope slides.
Bacillus, smear
Bee Wings, w.m.
Bee Worker Leg-Composite, w.m.
Bone Marrow Mammal, smear
Butterfly Wings Ocales, w.m.
Cerebrum Mammal, sec.
Chlamydomonas, w.m.
Coprinus Mushroom Set, c.s.
Cucurbita Stem, l.s.
Daphina, w.m.
Dog Cardiac Muscle, l.s.
Dog Duodenum, c.s.
Dog Esophagus, c.s.
Dog IIeum, c.s.
Dog Jejunum, c.s.
Dog Pancreas, sec.
Dog Rectum, c.s.
Dog Skeletal Muscle, l.s. & c.s.
Dog Small Intestine, sec.
Dog Smooth Muscle, l.s. & c.s.
Dog Spleen, sec.
Dog Squamous Epitheblium, w.m.
Dog Stomach, sec.
Dog Trachea, c.s.
Dog Ureter, c.s.
Dragonfly Wings, w.m.
Earthworm, c.s.
Euglena, w.m.
Feather, w.m.
Fern Prothallia, w.m.
Fern Prothallia and Sporangia, w.m.
Fern Leaf-Sorus, w.m.
Fish Blood, smear
Fish Scales, w.m.
Frog Blood, smear
Frog Epidermic Cell, sec.
Frog Liver, sec.
Frog Lung, sec.
Frog Showing Spermary, sec.
Honeybee Mouth Parts, w.m.
Housefly Compound Eye, w.m.
Housefly Mouth Parts, w.m.
Human Blood, smear
Human Cell Mucus Membrane, smear
Human Hair, w.m.
Human Spermatozoa, smear
Hydra, c.s.
Hydrilla Verticillata Leaf, w.m.
Ipomoea Leaf, c.s.
Ipomoea Root, sec.
Lillium Anther, c.s.
Lillium Ovary, c.s.
Marchantia Mature Sporophyte, l.s.
Meiosis-Lillitrm Pollen,w.m.
Mitosis-Onion Root Tip, l.s.
Mixed Bacteria, smear
Mosquito Larva, w.m.
Mosquito Mouth Parts, w.m.
Mosquito Wings, w.m.
Nervous Tissue, sec.
Onion Epidermis, w.m.
Paramecium, w.m.
Penicillium, w.m.
Pig Motor Nerve, w.m.
Pine Leaf, c.s.
Pine Root, c.s.
Pine Stem, c.s.
Pine Young Staminate Cone, l.s.
Poa Leaf, c.s.
Pollen Gem, w.m.
Pome Sclereid, w.m.
Pumpkin Stem, c.s.
Rabbit Arteriole, c.s.
Rabbit Artery and Vein, c.s.
Rabbit Blood, smear
Rabbit Hyaline Cartilage, sec.
Rabbit Lympy Node, sec.
Rabbit Spinal Cord, c.s.
Rabbit Testis, sec.
Rhizopus, w.m.
Rice Stem, c.s.
Root-Meristem, l.s.
Smooth Muscle Breakaway, w.m.
Spirllum, smear
Spirogyia Conjugation, w.m.
Stem-Collenchyma, c.s.
Stem-Parenchyma, c.s.
Stem-Sclerenchyma, c.s.
Stem-Tracheid, l.s.
Stomata-Vicia Faba Leaf, w.m.
Sunflower Stem, c.s.
Tilia Stem, c.s.
Tomato Flesh, w.m.
Volox, w.m.
Yeast-Budding, w.m.
Zea Root, c.s.
Zea Root Tip, l.s.
Zea Seed, l.s.
Zea Stem, c.s.
Zea Stem, l.s.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
The slides are supplied in a nice wooden case with a sheet of paper listing each slide and the slot number it is located in the case. The slides all had fingerprints or dirt on them but a quick wipe and they were easily cleaned. The range of subjects covered is nice and most of the slides are well prepared. Quality of stain was good and some of the slides I have viewed so far were really outstanding ( Housefly Compound Eye,Human Spermatozoa, Rabbit Testis). A few slides are of very small objects and it was difficult to locate them as there weren't many on the side. I got a set of 5 slides with my Celestron microscope and I can't help but feel that the Celestron slides are better quality. Overall the value for money with the AmScope set cannot be beaten. I will be buying their other sets in future. You should probably check what objects are included in each set so that when you add to your collection you minimise the number of duplicated slides. My kids are inspired by this kit.Best Deals for AmScope 100 Piece Assorted Specimen Collection for Home School
I had bought my daughter an Amscope 40x to 2000x microscope for her 7th birthday and wanted her to have a collection of prepared slides to start her in the world of microscopy. I don't have much experience with microscopes, but this prepared slide collection seemed to offer a good selection of plant and animal specimens. I gave four stars instead of five because some of the slides didn't seem to have anything on them. But, I don't know if that was because there was nothing on them, or if I didn't know what I was looking for. Also, the top of the box was not clearly marked, so when my daughter first opened it, the slides fell out of all their slots and it took me a while to sort them out again. None-the-less, I would recommend this slide collection to anyone who might be getting their first microscope or who might be giving a microscope as a gift. It's a great way to get started. Then, buy a slide making kit and start making your own slides (Amazon sells a kit that comes with a good introductory book on microscopy that can serve as a guide for preparing slides).Honest reviews on AmScope 100 Piece Assorted Specimen Collection for Home School
I was amazed at the things prepared on these slides. Bee's knees, wings and rabbit testies. It is a great value as well. My grandson has spent hours or hours looking at these slides.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for AmScope 100 Piece Assorted Specimen Collection for Home School
First off I should state that I am a pre-med student taking pre-requisites for medical school and I purchased this set to become more familiar with histology (the study of tissue) particularily in mammals for my Human Anatomy and Physiology class. I have a standard binocular microscope with an oil imersion lens. For the money I found these slides to be very well prepared and comparable to the slides my college bio lab had.Some of the samples are a little bit thick but you would have to spend 3 to 4 times the amont of money for better preparations. If you are a pre-med student or biology major this is a great set to work off of.
Some of the fixatives and dyes are basic and you can't see absolutely everything but you can see most major tissue landmarks and structures. This set has over 22 slides of mammal tissue from a wide range of locations so there is a lot to look at and study. Most of the samples are from a dog or rabbit but there are a few human samples.
Mine came very nicely packaged and undamaged. Easy to store and clean. I would definately purchase another AmScope set based on this one.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Discount Insect Lore Bug Biter
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $11.99
Sale Price: $10.49
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

My 5 year-old grandson thought the Insect Lore Bug "Catcher" was just great. He played with it all day--catching sow bugs, other small bugs. He had fun just playing with it--making it "fly" and catching other things with it. It is a good toy for eye-hand coordination. This is a true hit for any child that has the faintest fascination with bugs. I understand that he is still playing with it.
List Price: $11.99
Sale Price: $10.49
Today's Bonus: 13% Off
My 5 year-old grandson thought the Insect Lore Bug "Catcher" was just great. He played with it all day--catching sow bugs, other small bugs. He had fun just playing with it--making it "fly" and catching other things with it. It is a good toy for eye-hand coordination. This is a true hit for any child that has the faintest fascination with bugs. I understand that he is still playing with it.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Expedition : Skull Of Tyrannosaurus Rex Reviews
My 9 year-old son who's really into gems and minerals received this for Christmas. Great gift! There's instant gratification with the "crystal mine," one of those dig it type activities, and fun watching different colored "gems" (simple crystal formations) grow on a rock which you supply. This takes about a week. My son has a collection of these crystal formations displayed in his room. With adult help and supervision, a child as young as 6 or 7 could have fun with this kit. One caution, though. My younger son accidentally spilled the green growing solution which contains a huge amount of coloring. Though we were able to clean it up, it was a big mess on the granite counter, wall, and tile floor. Next time we chose a container with a lid. Overall, a very cool gift, and different than anything I was able to find locally.this is a great product for that kid who loves science or that adult who likes to experiment. excellent educational item
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Buy Anatex Deluxe Mini Play Cube
First off, the short version: if you're not comfortable enough with tools to fix what's wrong with this toy, don't buy it. That, or check the packaging and product carefully -if it claims a 2007 manufacture date and says it was made in China, or if on inspection you see anything wrong, pack it back up and return it as defective. At least some versiosn of this thing are at best poorly made and fragile, and at worst dangerous.
I'm not going to address the fun or educational aspects of this toy, just the manufacturing issues some have reported. Bought one for my daughter in September 2009. It arrived in a box prominently labeled "Made in China" and with a claimed manufacture date in 2007. Whatever factory in China accepted Anatex's outsourcing contract hasn't yet mastered quality control, because there were quite a number of manufacturing defects:
Imprecise assembly: fasteners and brackets are not accurately placed, causing parts to be loose or misaligned. This is most evident on the bead maze on the top and the "abacus" sliding-bead panel on the side, which is mounted on four stand-off brackets. Mount those brackets in the wrong places and the screws used to attach the panel either won't reach or will be under enough strain they'll pull out (it's very soft pine, and screw threads easily pull loose.) Up on the bead maze, some of the wire ends are mounted crooked, resulting in the wires actually touching or just passing so close to one another that the beads can't pass by.
Mismatched, incorrect parts choices: speaking of that panel, one of the screws used to mount it was the incorrect size, and had not only pulled loose but was loose in the box when I unpacked it; it doesn't match any of the others used with identical mountings, nor does it match any other screw found on the entire unit. There's no excuse for that one short of basic incompetence combined with inadequate or nonexistent quality control.
Incorrect gluing: Once again with the abacus panel -it's held together with glue. Nothing wrong with that if it's done right, but it wasn't -see, to make a good glue joint you need clean surfaces, a lot of contact area and a proper amount of glue inbetween, plus a good pressure fit while the glue dries. Well, the surfaces were clean and the joint more or less correctly designed, but the glue was _missing_. What was holding it together? A dab of red paint around the corner. Splendid. Paint ain't adhesive, guys, and the whole point of a glue joint is you put some actual _glue_ in there somewhere. As it was, two of the four joints had popped open, causing the rods to dislodge from their sockets and scarring the surface. Those beads are small enough to be a choking hazard if they get loose, so having those glue joints work is important.
Inadequate torque: Ah, the gift that keeps on giving. About a third of the screws and other fasteners in the unit were loose because they hadn't been torqued down hard enough. Another third had stripped the threads out of the soft wood, because they'd been torqued too hard. The remaining third were in a magical inbetween state which might even have been correct torque -but I suspect it's just coincidence. As I mentioned, this is soft wood, and proper torque matters. (n.b. for nonmechanical types: "torque" roughly means "how hard you twist the screws.")
What else was wrong? Well, there were plenty of inexplicable gouges, scrapes and dings on the surface, even though it was properly packed and nothing in the box had a chance to impact the surface. Plenty of people have commented on that -it means the factory in China that produced them was working too fast and/or wasn't well tooled for the job, so parts were being thrown around.
So, should you buy this toy? Well, chances are your kid(s) will love it. So if you want one, fine, but be prepared to inspect it very thoroughly when it comes out of the box. Test every screw to ensure it's snug and not loose or stripped. Pop the little plastic caps off the axles on the gear side and check that the locking washers are tight. Check the glue joints and be prepared to spend a little time gluing and clamping. Check both ends of every wire in the bead maze to ensure they're firmly stuck in their mounting holes. Go over all the many dings, gouges and scrapes and smooth out the splintered bits. Find any screws that don't look like they match their companions, gently unscrew them and if they're too short or too fine-pitched in the threads, replace them. While you're at it, attach something heavy to the lower edges on the inside, because it's top-heavy and will tip over the first time your child tries to use it to stand up. Think of it like a toy for both you and your child -you get a fun evening in the garage fixing everything Anatex's manufacturer did wrong, while showering curses on the consumer-hostile side effects of globalized manufacturing. Then when you're done, your child gets a fun thing to play with.
I purchased this cube in June of 2012 from Amazon.com. The cube was delivered via Amazon Prime via FedEx 2-Day service. The cardboard box arrived in very good shape. On the outside of the box there was a sticker that had a picture of the cube on it, and it stated that the cube was made with non-toxic paints and Made in the USA.
Assembly was easy. The box is in essence two parts (the top and sides), with the screws holding the two main peaces together. As others have noted in their reviews there was one packing flaw a single screw was missing. I had a screw that worked just fine in my toolbox and I was able to get my 15-month old playing with the toy in no time.
The cube seems very well made and robust there has already been some heavy tugging on the wires on the top with no wear and tear on the wires or the cube itself. The toy can keep my child going for 30 minutes or so, which can seem like a pleasant eternity.
To make a long story short I'd purchase this toy again and would highly recommend it to anyone with a child they'd like to keep entertained.
So as the title would suggest, the stickers on the cog wheels are starting to come off (after 1 week). This doesnt affect the functionality of the toy, just the aesthetics. If you are not bothered by some bare cogwheels this is still a great toy!
It stands 2 feet tall to the top of the maze and is the perfect height for little ones. The other 3 sides are: ABC with pictures rotating blocks, Abacus, Sliding plastic pegs. The only side with stickers is the cog wheels so no worries about other sides losing stickers.
If they had made the cog wheels out of wood or had the design painted or imprinted into the plastic this toy would be a 10!
I'm not going to address the fun or educational aspects of this toy, just the manufacturing issues some have reported. Bought one for my daughter in September 2009. It arrived in a box prominently labeled "Made in China" and with a claimed manufacture date in 2007. Whatever factory in China accepted Anatex's outsourcing contract hasn't yet mastered quality control, because there were quite a number of manufacturing defects:
Imprecise assembly: fasteners and brackets are not accurately placed, causing parts to be loose or misaligned. This is most evident on the bead maze on the top and the "abacus" sliding-bead panel on the side, which is mounted on four stand-off brackets. Mount those brackets in the wrong places and the screws used to attach the panel either won't reach or will be under enough strain they'll pull out (it's very soft pine, and screw threads easily pull loose.) Up on the bead maze, some of the wire ends are mounted crooked, resulting in the wires actually touching or just passing so close to one another that the beads can't pass by.
Mismatched, incorrect parts choices: speaking of that panel, one of the screws used to mount it was the incorrect size, and had not only pulled loose but was loose in the box when I unpacked it; it doesn't match any of the others used with identical mountings, nor does it match any other screw found on the entire unit. There's no excuse for that one short of basic incompetence combined with inadequate or nonexistent quality control.
Incorrect gluing: Once again with the abacus panel -it's held together with glue. Nothing wrong with that if it's done right, but it wasn't -see, to make a good glue joint you need clean surfaces, a lot of contact area and a proper amount of glue inbetween, plus a good pressure fit while the glue dries. Well, the surfaces were clean and the joint more or less correctly designed, but the glue was _missing_. What was holding it together? A dab of red paint around the corner. Splendid. Paint ain't adhesive, guys, and the whole point of a glue joint is you put some actual _glue_ in there somewhere. As it was, two of the four joints had popped open, causing the rods to dislodge from their sockets and scarring the surface. Those beads are small enough to be a choking hazard if they get loose, so having those glue joints work is important.
Inadequate torque: Ah, the gift that keeps on giving. About a third of the screws and other fasteners in the unit were loose because they hadn't been torqued down hard enough. Another third had stripped the threads out of the soft wood, because they'd been torqued too hard. The remaining third were in a magical inbetween state which might even have been correct torque -but I suspect it's just coincidence. As I mentioned, this is soft wood, and proper torque matters. (n.b. for nonmechanical types: "torque" roughly means "how hard you twist the screws.")
What else was wrong? Well, there were plenty of inexplicable gouges, scrapes and dings on the surface, even though it was properly packed and nothing in the box had a chance to impact the surface. Plenty of people have commented on that -it means the factory in China that produced them was working too fast and/or wasn't well tooled for the job, so parts were being thrown around.
So, should you buy this toy? Well, chances are your kid(s) will love it. So if you want one, fine, but be prepared to inspect it very thoroughly when it comes out of the box. Test every screw to ensure it's snug and not loose or stripped. Pop the little plastic caps off the axles on the gear side and check that the locking washers are tight. Check the glue joints and be prepared to spend a little time gluing and clamping. Check both ends of every wire in the bead maze to ensure they're firmly stuck in their mounting holes. Go over all the many dings, gouges and scrapes and smooth out the splintered bits. Find any screws that don't look like they match their companions, gently unscrew them and if they're too short or too fine-pitched in the threads, replace them. While you're at it, attach something heavy to the lower edges on the inside, because it's top-heavy and will tip over the first time your child tries to use it to stand up. Think of it like a toy for both you and your child -you get a fun evening in the garage fixing everything Anatex's manufacturer did wrong, while showering curses on the consumer-hostile side effects of globalized manufacturing. Then when you're done, your child gets a fun thing to play with.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
It seems that its been a while since a review of this toy has been written that has been deemed helpful by the Amazon.com community. Hopefully this review will help out future buyers.I purchased this cube in June of 2012 from Amazon.com. The cube was delivered via Amazon Prime via FedEx 2-Day service. The cardboard box arrived in very good shape. On the outside of the box there was a sticker that had a picture of the cube on it, and it stated that the cube was made with non-toxic paints and Made in the USA.
Assembly was easy. The box is in essence two parts (the top and sides), with the screws holding the two main peaces together. As others have noted in their reviews there was one packing flaw a single screw was missing. I had a screw that worked just fine in my toolbox and I was able to get my 15-month old playing with the toy in no time.
The cube seems very well made and robust there has already been some heavy tugging on the wires on the top with no wear and tear on the wires or the cube itself. The toy can keep my child going for 30 minutes or so, which can seem like a pleasant eternity.
To make a long story short I'd purchase this toy again and would highly recommend it to anyone with a child they'd like to keep entertained.
Best Deals for Anatex Deluxe Mini Play Cube
I love the design of this toy and so does my son. BUT, I sent the first one back because one of the crews was stripped and kept turning. I sure didn't want it to fall out one one and my son finding it. It had some paint marks on the inside and piece of wood on the inside was broken. Then, I got a replacement one that has one screw stripped once again and the 4 screws to screw the top were missing altogether and of course more paint on the inside. Made in China with lots of paint which also makes me nervous. Their quality control sucks, I can't believe that two out of two products are both defective. I feel bad for Amazon paying for shipping back and forth to send me new and will keep the second one, but will NOT purchase any more products from Anatex. This toy cost around $100 and for this kind of money, I expect quality. And this product is not quality.Honest reviews on Anatex Deluxe Mini Play Cube
Shipping was fast from the seller... The item wasn't as high of quality as I was expecting. It had screws loose (one had fallen completely out). It is hollow in the center with no bottom and the moveable colored pegs on the side are in there all floppy and are not very easily moved around. I don't think this cube is anywhere near worth the cost the retailers are charging for it.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Anatex Deluxe Mini Play Cube
I ought this for my daughter for her 1st birthday. She loves the bead maze at the top and she goes round and round the cube exploring all the different sides!So as the title would suggest, the stickers on the cog wheels are starting to come off (after 1 week). This doesnt affect the functionality of the toy, just the aesthetics. If you are not bothered by some bare cogwheels this is still a great toy!
It stands 2 feet tall to the top of the maze and is the perfect height for little ones. The other 3 sides are: ABC with pictures rotating blocks, Abacus, Sliding plastic pegs. The only side with stickers is the cog wheels so no worries about other sides losing stickers.
If they had made the cog wheels out of wood or had the design painted or imprinted into the plastic this toy would be a 10!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Buy Spedino Wooden Push Toy
Now that my toddler is walking, she loves this, we got it for her 1st birthday. Her big sister loves it too. Very nicely put together, a fun toy, great to find something made in Europe!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Cheap FingerTech "Viper" R/C Robot Kit
After robogames last year my eight year old daughter wanted to build a combat robot. She was able to assemble this kit entirely by herself in about 1.5 hours by following the included instructions. She has some experience soldering and likes to work with her hands. The kit has survived bashing around our arena and falls from 3 feet repeatedly. She is working on a mold for the vacuum former to improve the top armor which from stock looks like it is only 0.0625. Fingertech has worked hard to put a set of robust components together at a reasonable price with excellent documentation. If you like to work with sheet metal, you could put this kit together for slightly less, but quality costs money and their engineering and planning is totally worth the price of entry for what you will learn about how to put together a small robot.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Buy Montessori Shapes; 10 Shapes per Set; no. DD-81586
I have been looking for good quality metal insets, but they are very cost prohibitive. I love this option for a fraction of the price of the metal ones. I actually watched the lectures given by Montessorian Margaret Homfray who said she preferred plastic insets to metal, which made me feel confident with this purchase. I received the pink and blue set (didn't have to make a special request) which I wanted and are the traditional inset colors. The only reason I didn't give these 5 stars is because they don't come with a tray which would be ideal for display, and because the knobs to pull the shape out could be better and easier to grasp. Otherwise, well worth the money!
I am very disappointed and am going to buy a used metal set instead. Very poor craftsmen
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My children attend a Montessori school and this is one of their favorite lessons. Helped my daughter with handwriting and she gave my younger son lessons on how to use correctly. Learning can be fun.Best Deals for Montessori Shapes; 10 Shapes per Set; no. DD-81586
If you are a Montessori teacher you will not be able to do the magical presentation were you place inset onto the traces shape and fully hide the first tracing because there is way to much space between the inset and the outer form, badly engineered. Also. the measurements of the shapes do not allow for some of the classic extensions and variations.I am very disappointed and am going to buy a used metal set instead. Very poor craftsmen
Honest reviews on Montessori Shapes; 10 Shapes per Set; no. DD-81586
Both my boys enjoy using these. It helps develop hand writing skills and teaches shapes. They also seem extremely durable.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Montessori Shapes; 10 Shapes per Set; no. DD-81586
My 3.5 year old is using insets at his Montessori Casa class to build his finger muscles and fine motor skills so he can scribe better. He LOVES doing this activity and is always bringing samples home. Now, he can actually work on them at home as well. Only thing wish this offered was a tray to hold them too.Monday, September 1, 2014
Best Cartesian Divers Hook; Ages 8 & Up; no. BAT7105 Deals
I love this little project. I often give it as birthday gifts to children who enjoy science. It can be difficult to get everything to work just so, but your patience will pay off with this wonderful product. Young children (under 10) need lots of assistance, but the directions are clear and accurate. The last one we built we left out on the coffee table and our guests couldn't put it down!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Imaginarium Foam Building Blocks - 100-Piece Review
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $21.99
Today's Bonus: 45% Off

pieces are smaller in size than expected.
but I like it, colors are bright, material is good.
original one is of more rigid and firm material
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $21.99
Today's Bonus: 45% Off
pieces are smaller in size than expected.
but I like it, colors are bright, material is good.
original one is of more rigid and firm material
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This was exactly what I wanted soft they also float and stick to tiles in bathroom making tub time fun. This was a great buy.Best Deals for Imaginarium Foam Building Blocks - 100-Piece
They are light weight and sturdy, my twins are Teething and every time I think they're going to bite a hole through one, they can't. Great value and great color assortmentHonest reviews on Imaginarium Foam Building Blocks - 100-Piece
Just what I wanted she can build and throw and chew on them and not hurt anyone. Thanks for themFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Imaginarium Foam Building Blocks - 100-Piece
These foam blocks are wonderful! My daughter loves playing with them and I love that when she falls on them or my husband or I step on them it doesn't hurt. Also, the foam is good quality and stands up to her little teeth : )Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Review of 15" Hand Held Silver Telescope w/ Leather Case - 12x Magnification
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $43.95
Sale Price: $29.95
Today's Bonus: 32% Off

I have always enjoyed hand-held optics(binoculars, monoculars, spy-glass-type telescopes). I didn't have a great deal of hope for this one, as the price seemed a bit on the low end for anything that would be truly effective.
I was, however, delightfully surprised when I received and (admittedly, after a false start) figured out how to use the unit.
Needless to say, you won't see the astronauts' boot-prints on the moon. You will, however, bring ill-defined but visible objects within range for clear observation. I have been able to use it to find the livestock on my own and neighboring ranges, as well as evaluate wind-storm damage to trees that might possibly endanger said livestock (cattle, horses).
Also, when stabilized in a microphone stand (I am a professional performer), I have been able to do some limited astronomical observation.
The unit is more than worth the price I paid for it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Enjoy!
As an added bonus, this spyglass in it's case fits perfectly in the side water holder on my Avenir Excursion Rack-Top Bag (830 Cubic Inches).
List Price: $43.95
Sale Price: $29.95
Today's Bonus: 32% Off
I have always enjoyed hand-held optics(binoculars, monoculars, spy-glass-type telescopes). I didn't have a great deal of hope for this one, as the price seemed a bit on the low end for anything that would be truly effective.
I was, however, delightfully surprised when I received and (admittedly, after a false start) figured out how to use the unit.
Needless to say, you won't see the astronauts' boot-prints on the moon. You will, however, bring ill-defined but visible objects within range for clear observation. I have been able to use it to find the livestock on my own and neighboring ranges, as well as evaluate wind-storm damage to trees that might possibly endanger said livestock (cattle, horses).
Also, when stabilized in a microphone stand (I am a professional performer), I have been able to do some limited astronomical observation.
The unit is more than worth the price I paid for it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Enjoy!
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As a wearer of glasses, I am not a big fan of binoculars. I don't want to take the time to remove my glasses when I just want to take a quick look at something, and I don't like trying to hold the binoculars off my glasses. My wife and I do spend a good amount of time hiking and biking, and I had made a joke a while back (I think after riding Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney World) about wanting a simple spyglass so that I could see things in the distance. Well, fast-forward to our anniversary this weekend, and I was quite surprised to receive this telescope as a gift. The leather case is nice, the straps on the case are kinda third-worldish (aka flimsy), but the spyglass itself is really nice. It has a good weight to it, it slides very smoothly in and out, and it's clear and easy to focus (for the noobs, you focus it by making the whole thing a tiny bit shorter). I was very impressed by the looks, quality and usefulness. I'm also sure it will be a head-turner when I pull it out on the trail. It's so much quicker to sight things through this than through a pair of binoculars, I'm really surprised that spyglasses such as this one aren't more popular.As an added bonus, this spyglass in it's case fits perfectly in the side water holder on my Avenir Excursion Rack-Top Bag (830 Cubic Inches).
Best Deals for 15" Hand Held Silver Telescope w/ Leather Case - 12x Magnification
The telescope itself is great, my son loved it. But the leather case it comes with was in really bad shape. It was falling apart and all rusted wherever there was metal. No big deal to my son who just wanted the telescope though.Honest reviews on 15" Hand Held Silver Telescope w/ Leather Case - 12x Magnification
The telescope works and is fairly easy to use..........however, this is a gift for my 6 year old granddaughter and the musty smell coming from the leather part of telescope as well as the carrying case is HORRIBLE!!! I can't possibly give it to her like it is. I have cleaned it, put it over an a/c vent for circulation, put it outside in the fresh sunshine, etc, etc. Nothing has worked. PlLEASE HELP ME!!! I only have 4 more days until her party and this is what she wants ----BUT, I can't possibly give her such a SMELLY GIFT!Thursday, August 14, 2014
VTech Jake and the Neverland Pirates Spy and Learn Telescope Reviews
My son was disappointed. He is 3, he has binoculars, wanted a spy glass as well. I bought this at Target, the packaging doesn't allow you to look through the eye piece. It doesn't magnify anything, it has a piece of pirate shaped confetti in it, thats all you see! I returned it, now I am looking for one that works but is inexpensive enough for a 3 yr old.
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My daughter has recently become obsessed with Jake & The Neverland Pirates and picks up random items and holds them up to her eye saying "Hello Maties". I bought this for a 3rd birthday present for her and I'm incredibly disappointed. It is heavy and hard for a 3 year old to hold in position, the actual view when it is held up to the eye is very limited, the graphics are incredibly dated and grainy. The interaction is minimal. I thought this was going to be her favorite present, but it looks like it's going to be another dust collector. In addition, when left on the floor in the playroom, it is a terrible hazard for slip and fall!!!Best Deals for VTech Jake and the Neverland Pirates Spy and Learn Telescope
4 year old gradndaughter sings along w/video in her playtime activities after the afternoon nap. The telescope sometimes ends up in car when going to store, etc. Nana JHonest reviews on VTech Jake and the Neverland Pirates Spy and Learn Telescope
This was suppose to be a 2012 X-mas present but product arrived a day before I thought it would arrive. My son saw it in the box and would let me put it away. Ended up playing with it all day and slept with it that first night. His 2 year old sister like playing with it too!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for VTech Jake and the Neverland Pirates Spy and Learn Telescope
This is a grift. my 3 yr. old grandson loves it. It is a great quality toy and very educational for the kid who loves everything pirate.Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Leapfrog Zippity Learning Game: Cars Review
Great educational toy. My 3 year old son loves it and that's all that counts.........but. Spending the entire day after Christmas putting together all of these toys only compounded my frustration with a single flaw in the system. There is an A/C jack in the back of the main unit so it appears you'd be able to plug the main unit into a wall outlet. You'd think a system that costs in excess of $70 would be OK throwing in a $3 cord for free in the box. Didn't see one. I don't know how many people have a total of 8 C batteries laying around but I sure didn't......so on with the coat and out in the cold. Again, a small issue but the manufacturer is welcome to charge me $3 more to include the stupid AC cord so the main unit could just be plugged in. Toy is great though.
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My son loved this game. Racing cars and learning at the same time..what preschooler boy wouldn't like that!Best Deals for Leapfrog Zippity Learning Game: Cars
My 3-year old son loves playing Zippity, and adding one of his favorite characters, Lightning McQueen, makes it even better. I just wish there were more games to pick from.Honest reviews on Leapfrog Zippity Learning Game: Cars
My daughter still loves to play this game, even though she's 5 and it's way too easy for her now. Zippity games are really hard to find; I guess they stopped making this game system. Too bad, my daughter has had a lot of fun playing it.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Leapfrog Zippity Learning Game: Cars
I purchased this because my son is into video games, so I thought hey might as well get him something that will help him learn as he plays. he loved it!!! there are not that many boy themed games out there, so this was a big hit!!!
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