Showing posts with label preschool learning toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preschool learning toys. Show all posts
Friday, December 5, 2014
Buy If... Then... Fun Deck Cards - Super Duper Educational Learning Toy
We use Super Duper cards in our ABA center. Kids, and therapists absolutely love them! They're well illustrated, and the paper quality if fantastic! Don't hesitate, as you can't go wrong purchasing a set, or two?
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Buy VTech Tiny Tot Driver
Great toy. Easy for the baby to play with from the belly or sitting. Lots of activity and modes. My son loves to pay with the wheel, mirror, stick shift. Then he turns it around and plays with the buttons. I think this builds multi-tasking skills since they can have a had on the wheel and one on the mirror or shift.
Can get a good 30m of play on it.
Can get a good 30m of play on it.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Best Fisher-Price Poppity Pop Train Deals
Hi folks -
We bought this toy on a whim while out shopping at a dept store. It was inexpensive, less than six bucks, and it was so cute we decided to buy it for our 6-month old.
It is extremely cute, with a face painted onto the front surface. Bright vibrant primary colors typical of Fisher Price, sweet as can be. It makes a popping noise as it is pushed along and it absolutely delights my baby. When we push it toward him, he squeals with laughter and joy. It's actually pretty funny since it is not obvious what is amusing about this process but somehow he reacts as though you're about to attack him with tickles.
His favorite thing to do with this toy is to spin the little barrel that is on the top surface of the train behind the smokestack. There are little dimples in the spinnable barrel and he is really enjoying developing his dexterity of his index finger by putting his finger in the dimples and flicking.
A huge hit around here, highly recommend especially if you can find it for a reasonable price like we did.
Even my 4mo son was very interested in it. He doesn't know how to play with such toys, but he is always happy to see his train and likes when I show it to him.
There are no sharp corners. Plastic is very good. It fall down from a high chair so many times and its fine!
Now my son is 5 months and in his playpen he tries to reach his train.
This train makes a rattle sound when his wheels are moving.
We bought this toy on a whim while out shopping at a dept store. It was inexpensive, less than six bucks, and it was so cute we decided to buy it for our 6-month old.
It is extremely cute, with a face painted onto the front surface. Bright vibrant primary colors typical of Fisher Price, sweet as can be. It makes a popping noise as it is pushed along and it absolutely delights my baby. When we push it toward him, he squeals with laughter and joy. It's actually pretty funny since it is not obvious what is amusing about this process but somehow he reacts as though you're about to attack him with tickles.
His favorite thing to do with this toy is to spin the little barrel that is on the top surface of the train behind the smokestack. There are little dimples in the spinnable barrel and he is really enjoying developing his dexterity of his index finger by putting his finger in the dimples and flicking.
A huge hit around here, highly recommend especially if you can find it for a reasonable price like we did.
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This is a tiny toy. Do not buy if you think it is big in comparison to the toddler model. The seller, however, is a perfect example of the kind of store we used to see in the old days you should buy all your toys from this seller. I made a somewhat negative review of this item back in December, and although I explained to the vendor via email that I was satisfied, they still sent me a refund check (which I will not be cashing). You can trust this vendor to take good care of you during and after the sale.Best Deals for Fisher-Price Poppity Pop Train
I got this for my son after he enjoyed playing with my Godson's at a birthday party. My Godson is three months older than my son, so they pretty much play with the same toys. I would have thought he would be done with this toy now that he is two, but he loves trains soo much, that this is still a toy that gets played with. If your child loves cars, trains, or things that just make noise, this is a great gift. This is an inexpensive toy that lets them use their imagination.Honest reviews on Fisher-Price Poppity Pop Train
This toy is very great!Even my 4mo son was very interested in it. He doesn't know how to play with such toys, but he is always happy to see his train and likes when I show it to him.
There are no sharp corners. Plastic is very good. It fall down from a high chair so many times and its fine!
Now my son is 5 months and in his playpen he tries to reach his train.
This train makes a rattle sound when his wheels are moving.
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My baby likes this train a lot....he loves to roll the small part over it and see the balls inside making noise...
Friday, November 7, 2014
Learning Resources Ten-Row Abacus Review
Plastic is cheap. Wish that I could have found the same abacus I had as a child, one made of real things like wood and steel only, with a bowed front as to easily access he beads. My child can't really play/learn with this item because it is so cheaply made. My child doesn't particularly enjoy working with it. I feel because of the lack of quality as well as the deficient design aspects, this important learning tool has been cheapened to trash. It's not that expensive but for what I received it should have only been a $3to $5 item.
I suspect the key to the abacus may be that it uses the senses kids can touch it, and I think that really helps. Now she doesn't even need to count out, say, 5 beads she just clicks over 5 and off she goes. And the great thing is that she's started doing math on her own in her preschool class she loves it now.
I can't say that this product is better than other abacuses, although it is well built and quite durable, but it certainly fit our needs.
The funny thing is that my wife wants me to buy another one for our 2 year old son, who is also fascinated by it.
However, I've found two very handy uses for it and am quite happy with the product.
1) I originally bought this to keep track of the laps I swim in the pool. I like to relax and let my mind wander as I swim, and would inevitably lose track of the lap I was on an issue in that I'm really trying to keep to a regime and increase the number of laps. Being mostly plastic, this can sit on the edge of the pool and get wet, and it takes only a second to flick a bead over as I turn (true, I don't flip-turn under water, that would make it impossible). The metal rods that hold the beads have not shown any signs of taking issue with the water, and I'm optimistic it will hold up well.
2) As mentioned in another review, this works great for knitting and crocheting, and keeping track of rows. I have a crafting pegboard made specifically for that, but it take a lot more time and effort to move the little pegs you don't even have to put down your work to shove the bead over, and not more pesky trying to count the rows to remember where you are.
This may be a useless review for those wishing to purchase an educational toy, but maybe if it gives someone an idea of another way to tackle a different problem, it's worth it.
I bought this because I do a lot of crocheting and decided this was an easier way to count rows while crocheting than to use pen and paper and I was right ...I really like it, even if it is listed as a Toy !!!
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I bought this for my daughter because her preschool teacher said she was "not progressing" in math she just wasn't interested. We've had this abacus for just 4 weeks, and I've personally seen my daughter advance dramatically from counting 1-20 (she had a hard time with the teens at first), she went to 100, to simple addition, to counting by 2s and 10s, and now she's doing simple subtraction all in the space of a few weeks. But the great thing is she loves it to her, it's a toy, not work. She loves to show people the abacus and asks them to do math problems with her.I suspect the key to the abacus may be that it uses the senses kids can touch it, and I think that really helps. Now she doesn't even need to count out, say, 5 beads she just clicks over 5 and off she goes. And the great thing is that she's started doing math on her own in her preschool class she loves it now.
I can't say that this product is better than other abacuses, although it is well built and quite durable, but it certainly fit our needs.
The funny thing is that my wife wants me to buy another one for our 2 year old son, who is also fascinated by it.
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Admittedly, I did not buy this product for the use they advertise I pretty much have counting down, and this *does not* function as a real abacus in terms of learning to do more complex math functions (as it is easy to see it does not have the split and the 5/2 bead arrangement).However, I've found two very handy uses for it and am quite happy with the product.
1) I originally bought this to keep track of the laps I swim in the pool. I like to relax and let my mind wander as I swim, and would inevitably lose track of the lap I was on an issue in that I'm really trying to keep to a regime and increase the number of laps. Being mostly plastic, this can sit on the edge of the pool and get wet, and it takes only a second to flick a bead over as I turn (true, I don't flip-turn under water, that would make it impossible). The metal rods that hold the beads have not shown any signs of taking issue with the water, and I'm optimistic it will hold up well.
2) As mentioned in another review, this works great for knitting and crocheting, and keeping track of rows. I have a crafting pegboard made specifically for that, but it take a lot more time and effort to move the little pegs you don't even have to put down your work to shove the bead over, and not more pesky trying to count the rows to remember where you are.
This may be a useless review for those wishing to purchase an educational toy, but maybe if it gives someone an idea of another way to tackle a different problem, it's worth it.
Honest reviews on Learning Resources Ten-Row Abacus
Learning Resources Ten-Row AbacusI bought this because I do a lot of crocheting and decided this was an easier way to count rows while crocheting than to use pen and paper and I was right ...I really like it, even if it is listed as a Toy !!!
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This is a great toy that really helps to teach math skills. My 5 year old grandson uses it as he is learning to add and substract.Saturday, November 1, 2014
Cheap Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium
This is a goregous item! I was hesitant to buy it online, so went to Target to see it for myself. You HAVE to push the button to try it before you can really appreciate it. The pictures on the website just don't do it justice.
The lights and motions and sounds that you can't see in pictures are what makes this so special. The lights are bright enough to be really sparkly, but soft, not harsh, amber colored. The movements of the fish and plants are subtle and realistic. The songs and sound effects, several lullabies, bubbles, oceantides and running river are high quality, not high-pitched or tinny. This is soothing, my almost 3 month old likes it and it almost made me fall asleep too.
The remote works well too, which is usually a problem with these types of items. It is super high quality, heavy weight materials. Make sure you don't cut the straps that are to hold it in the crib, as they attach it in the box, and even though there's a big red crossed circle sign telling you not to cut them, it took me a minute to process what it meant, and I was in such a hurry to get this out and working and show the baby that I almost cut them anyway (we parents are programmed to break out the chainsaw to get toys out of their packages these days!)
Really a good value for the money, I am so glad I went to see this and didn't pass it up! You will NOT be disappointed, go ahead and buy it on line if you like the idea and photos, you will LOVE the actual item!
They are priced comparably, although it seems that Amazon just raised the price on the Ocean Wonders one, for some reason. It is still available at other places like Target for about the same price as the Rainforest Soother.
The Ocean Wonders Aquarium soother is what I'm sticking with, and here's why:
1. My 5 month old likes it better! The Rainforest Peekaboo soother has lights and motion, but it's not as dramatic as the bubbles that you get in the Aquarium soother. My 5 month old got tired of the Rainforest soother after a few minutes, while the Ocean Wonders soother holds her riveted. (I think it's the bubbles!)
That was, of course, the deciding factor. Other considerations that pushed me over the edge were:
2. Ocean Wonders has longer music and motion cycle than the Rainforest soother. The Ocean Wonders soother goes for 18 minutes. You can optionally turn off the motion or lights or music. Conversely, the Rainforest soother only has an 18 minute cycle if you choose "music only." It has a 12 minute cycle if you choose "music and lights" (no motion). But if you want all 3 -music, lights, motion -you only can get that for 6 minutes. Not sure what the folks at Fisher Price were thinking there (perhaps battery life?), but no thank you!
3. Ocean Wonders comes with a remote. So, if that 18 minute cycle is longer than you would like, just shut it off from the doorway of your child's room.
4. Ocean Wonders has more music to choose from. There is a toggle button that allows you to choose 5 different music tracks (classical, nursery rhyme, etc) and just plan sound effects (bubbles, waves). The Rainforest soother, from what I can see, only has one choice, although it plays about 3 different tunes.
5. Ocean Wonders has a bigger start button, which makes it easier for your child to activate on their own. My daughter has turned the aquarium on all by herself just by stretching and kicking her feet. Which is fine by me! The Rainforest button is smaller and not as prominently located on the unit.
In short, they are both fine soothers, but I think the Ocean Wonders Aquarium soother has more going for it. And my daughter thinks so too!
I rated this very well when my daughter was 7 weeks because it truly helped her to fall asleep & adjust to sleeping in her crib. At 5 months old my daughter loved to watch the aquarium & learned how to turn it on & off which gave me a few extra minutes to get some things done during her naps. I ended up taking it out of her crib around 7 months because she was all over the place & I was afraid she'd get into trouble with it.
At 13 months old, I STILL use this everyday for her naps & bedtime routine. It stays on the rocking chair next to her crib & I use it to play music now. As soon as I go into the nursery, I turn on the music only (it has 3 options-music, lights & fish) & she sticks her thumb in her mouth & is ready to go to sleep. She still plays with it when she's out of her crib so I would certainly say this was well worth the money spent. It does use a lot of batteries if you run the music, lights & fish all at the same time but for just music it lasts for quite sometime.
By the way, there are several different songs/sounds to choose from. We've always just turned on the first song & I love it. Very pleasant & relaxing.
The lights and motions and sounds that you can't see in pictures are what makes this so special. The lights are bright enough to be really sparkly, but soft, not harsh, amber colored. The movements of the fish and plants are subtle and realistic. The songs and sound effects, several lullabies, bubbles, oceantides and running river are high quality, not high-pitched or tinny. This is soothing, my almost 3 month old likes it and it almost made me fall asleep too.
The remote works well too, which is usually a problem with these types of items. It is super high quality, heavy weight materials. Make sure you don't cut the straps that are to hold it in the crib, as they attach it in the box, and even though there's a big red crossed circle sign telling you not to cut them, it took me a minute to process what it meant, and I was in such a hurry to get this out and working and show the baby that I almost cut them anyway (we parents are programmed to break out the chainsaw to get toys out of their packages these days!)
Really a good value for the money, I am so glad I went to see this and didn't pass it up! You will NOT be disappointed, go ahead and buy it on line if you like the idea and photos, you will LOVE the actual item!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I could not decide between the Ocean Wonders soother and the Rainforest Peekaboo Soother, so I got both in order to see which was best.They are priced comparably, although it seems that Amazon just raised the price on the Ocean Wonders one, for some reason. It is still available at other places like Target for about the same price as the Rainforest Soother.
The Ocean Wonders Aquarium soother is what I'm sticking with, and here's why:
1. My 5 month old likes it better! The Rainforest Peekaboo soother has lights and motion, but it's not as dramatic as the bubbles that you get in the Aquarium soother. My 5 month old got tired of the Rainforest soother after a few minutes, while the Ocean Wonders soother holds her riveted. (I think it's the bubbles!)
That was, of course, the deciding factor. Other considerations that pushed me over the edge were:
2. Ocean Wonders has longer music and motion cycle than the Rainforest soother. The Ocean Wonders soother goes for 18 minutes. You can optionally turn off the motion or lights or music. Conversely, the Rainforest soother only has an 18 minute cycle if you choose "music only." It has a 12 minute cycle if you choose "music and lights" (no motion). But if you want all 3 -music, lights, motion -you only can get that for 6 minutes. Not sure what the folks at Fisher Price were thinking there (perhaps battery life?), but no thank you!
3. Ocean Wonders comes with a remote. So, if that 18 minute cycle is longer than you would like, just shut it off from the doorway of your child's room.
4. Ocean Wonders has more music to choose from. There is a toggle button that allows you to choose 5 different music tracks (classical, nursery rhyme, etc) and just plan sound effects (bubbles, waves). The Rainforest soother, from what I can see, only has one choice, although it plays about 3 different tunes.
5. Ocean Wonders has a bigger start button, which makes it easier for your child to activate on their own. My daughter has turned the aquarium on all by herself just by stretching and kicking her feet. Which is fine by me! The Rainforest button is smaller and not as prominently located on the unit.
In short, they are both fine soothers, but I think the Ocean Wonders Aquarium soother has more going for it. And my daughter thinks so too!
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I rated this very well when my daughter was 7 weeks because it truly helped her to fall asleep & adjust to sleeping in her crib. At 5 months old my daughter loved to watch the aquarium & learned how to turn it on & off which gave me a few extra minutes to get some things done during her naps. I ended up taking it out of her crib around 7 months because she was all over the place & I was afraid she'd get into trouble with it.
At 13 months old, I STILL use this everyday for her naps & bedtime routine. It stays on the rocking chair next to her crib & I use it to play music now. As soon as I go into the nursery, I turn on the music only (it has 3 options-music, lights & fish) & she sticks her thumb in her mouth & is ready to go to sleep. She still plays with it when she's out of her crib so I would certainly say this was well worth the money spent. It does use a lot of batteries if you run the music, lights & fish all at the same time but for just music it lasts for quite sometime.
By the way, there are several different songs/sounds to choose from. We've always just turned on the first song & I love it. Very pleasant & relaxing.
Honest reviews on Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium
My baby seems to really enjoy this aquarium. I like how long the music plays and the songs are very soothing. I also like all the different settings and choices. My only complaint is that for some reason the tv remote we have in the baby's room turns the aquarium on and off as I turn the channel and change the volume quite frustrating when I'm watching tv while nursing the baby to sleep... I haven't found any way around this except to make sure that the aquarium is turned off before I turn on the tv. A little bit annoying, but still worth it to keep my baby entertained for a little while!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium
When my wife first told me about this item I was unsure but ordered it anyhow. How right my wife was! Our son is crazy about it!!! We often use it to lull our son to sleep at night. Only one word of caution...the remote control is set on a very broad frequency so that even when you use your TV's remote control, whether changing channels, adjusting volume or muting will turn the Aquarium off and on. For this reason, I strongly recommend you turn the remote function off when you put your baby to sleep or he/she will get an unexpecting surprise during the night!Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Write-A-Mat Review
The "peek-a-boo" flaps, pull tabs, action and simple language in this book made it a big hit with our two children -(one toddler and one preschool age)! The darling mouse, Maisy, does lots of activities at school, such as paints pictures, writes a story, dances like a ballerina, and even adds and subtracts! Like other lift the flap/pull the tab books, your child can interact with this book. My preschool age daughter has even learned to add and subtract from this book and very much enjoys "reading" the book to me! The Maisy books are a huge success in our home...we're ordering four more to add to our growing collection!
We have special Write a Mat crayons for the placemat and they wipe off nicely. After meals I just wipe the placemat down with a hot soapy washcloth and it's back to normal, ready to reuse. It's very durable. My son likes these mats.
I've never tried other brands of crayons, because I'm afraid they won't wipe off so maybe that's the only drawback to this product, the propriatary crayons. Still, we enjoy it.
The only problem I have with the placemat is that the pictures wear off. I was surprised though that it was as thick of a plastic as it was. I would buy this again.
The only problem I have with the placemat is that the pictures wear off. I was surprised though that it was as thick of a plastic as it was. I would buy this again.
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We have a couple of these and use them at dinnertime and occassionally at playtime when coloring. My son is 3 but we have been using them since he was just under two.We have special Write a Mat crayons for the placemat and they wipe off nicely. After meals I just wipe the placemat down with a hot soapy washcloth and it's back to normal, ready to reuse. It's very durable. My son likes these mats.
I've never tried other brands of crayons, because I'm afraid they won't wipe off so maybe that's the only drawback to this product, the propriatary crayons. Still, we enjoy it.
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As with most of the negative comments, the placemat wears terribly after repeated washing. My 2 year old loves singing the alphabet and pointing to letting and saying what they are. It's unfortunate that the letters are faded to the point he can't read some anymore.Honest reviews on Write-A-Mat
I think having a placemat at the table is a great learning tool. Just think how many times a day and for how long your child will be looking at this placemat, sometimes 3 times a day for 10 minutes at a time. My son plays with his placemat when it isn't mealtime. I purchased the special crayons but I didn't know that you can also use pencils on it too.The only problem I have with the placemat is that the pictures wear off. I was surprised though that it was as thick of a plastic as it was. I would buy this again.
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I think having a placemat at the table is a great learning tool. Just think how many times a day and for how long your child will be looking at this placemat, sometimes 3 times a day for 10 minutes at a time. My son plays with his placemat when it isn't mealtime. I purchased the special crayons but I didn't know that you can also use pencils on it too.The only problem I have with the placemat is that the pictures wear off. I was surprised though that it was as thick of a plastic as it was. I would buy this again.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Reviews of Orion 10020 SkyQuest XT12i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope
After months and months of researching scopes (particularly Orion's and Zhumell's Dobsonian scopes) I decided to purchase the XT12i.
The quality of the scope is great and the only real gripe I have (if you can even call it a gripe) is the sheer size of the scope. Of course, I was aware of the size before I bought the scope so this isn't really fair with regards to the telescope's review.
Eighty-three pounds of gear though is a rather hefty load to transport anywhere by yourself. I am a military male in my mid-twenties and I was super-motivated to get this thing out in the field and I must admit it drained me physically. It's important to get an accurate measurement of your vehicle or other mode of transportation for your telescope because I "assumed" I wouldn't have a problem fitting it in my moderately-sized compact car... I was wrong. I can indeed fit the scope in my car in two separate pieces (base and tube) but the two take up so much space that I cannot even safely fit my wife in the car while I'm transporting it. This is again obviously no fault of the scope but it's something that all potential buyers should be aware of before purchasing.
If you are new to telescopes (Orion categorizes this scope in the "advanced" class) the setup may seem a little overwhelming, but it isn't very bad. The biggest step will be "collimating" your new telescope in which you fine tune the mirrors to ensure proper alignment. This was made much easier for me with the help of a laser collimator--you can buy these from Orion or other companies as well. The instructions were simplistic and had plenty of pictures. With help from my wife setup went very smoothly.
As for setup in the field the XT12 shines. Other than the sheer size and weight of the scope the setup is very, very easy. You simply lay out the base and rest the tube assembly on top of it. Next you screw in two knobs on the side of the base and you are more-or-less ready (One may need to wait for the telescope to acquire the right ambient temperature) to observe!
Like the other reviewer I have no complaints (other than the size, again not the scope's fault) but I haven't been lucky enough to get a lot of observation time. So far I've seen M42 in Orion, Venus, a double star, Pleiades and some other constellations. Sirius shines like the sun in the scope--it's amazing! If you live in a place which experiences lots of rain, cloudy conditions or extremely cold temperatures you may want to choose a smaller scope as the XT12i requires a moderate amount of work to move to and from shelter. Orion sells separately a bag (another hundred + dollars) which will temporarily cover the scope from rain (which is good to have when you are set up in the field and catch a temporary amount of rain). I live on the "windward" side of an island and so I must constantly deal with cloudy skies and rain.
In the end, would I recommend the scope? Definitely! It's very well-made and viewing through it is amazing. You may find yourself wanting to upgrade to premium eyepieces though (think anywhere from another 300-1000 dollars) because the stock ones aren't great. I upgraded immediately to Tele Vue Nagler 31mm and 7mm eyepieces (these two ran me almost a thousand dollars--or almost the price of the scope itself). I also felt the need to buy the carrying case for the scope (another 100 bucks or more), a barlow (more money) and several other accessories. If you think the price for quality observing stops with the purchase of the scope think again. Just like many other hobbies there are many hidden expenses--unfortunately in astronomy the expenses tend to run moderate through severe.
I would NOT recommend this scope for people of small stature or particularly young/elderly people. The setup and transportation of this unit may be too much for someone who is not physically capable. I do however feel it's a great scope for families and children too as long as someone is able to handle the size.
Seeing the moon through the XT12i (oh and buy a moon filter or polarizing filter!) was inspiring.. amazing. My wife was with me as well and we have never seen the moon in such clarity and grandeur. The XT12i gave us such an amazing view of the moon that it's hard to put into words.
Every night that passes I'm constantly gazing in the sky to see if there's a possibility of pulling out the 80-pound beast. I highly recommend buying a quality pair of binoculars (Celestron, Orion, Bushnell, Garrett Optical) though to allow you flexibility when wanting to view the sky but only have a limited amount of time.
I hope this review has helped!
EDIT:
:November 2012:
Since my initial review, I have had many nights out with my scope. I have been able to see many, many celestial objects and it has been a real joy. Some of my favorite things that I have seen through the scope are the globular cluster Omega Centauri (and many other magnificent globular clusters such as M13), magnificent Jupiter and Saturn, the Perseus double cluster of open clusters NGC 884 and NGC 869, and many, many other wonders. There have been many nights when I have had stable seeing, and I was able to see the Giant Red Spot on Jupiter and its different colored bands. I have also been able to view probably around 5-6 moons around Saturn (I believe they were all moons, but some may have been stars appearing near the orbits of the other moons). Saturn is a joy to view; it and Jupiter are my favorite solar system objects, alongside the moon. The moon is still a magnificent thing to observe. I have viewed a huge list of open clusters and nebulae, as well as double and variable stars. One of my favorite things to do is simply roam the Milky Way band and use my wide-field 31mm eyepiece (bought separately) to see SO MANY STARS. Also, do not be afraid to install and use the Intelliscope feature. I put it off for a long time, and when I finally installed it I wondered why I waited so long. As long as you have a flat surface, it is simple to set up.
I still highly recommend this scope. It is a 12" light bucket, although due to its large nature it may not be suitable for everyone.
The quality of the scope is great and the only real gripe I have (if you can even call it a gripe) is the sheer size of the scope. Of course, I was aware of the size before I bought the scope so this isn't really fair with regards to the telescope's review.
Eighty-three pounds of gear though is a rather hefty load to transport anywhere by yourself. I am a military male in my mid-twenties and I was super-motivated to get this thing out in the field and I must admit it drained me physically. It's important to get an accurate measurement of your vehicle or other mode of transportation for your telescope because I "assumed" I wouldn't have a problem fitting it in my moderately-sized compact car... I was wrong. I can indeed fit the scope in my car in two separate pieces (base and tube) but the two take up so much space that I cannot even safely fit my wife in the car while I'm transporting it. This is again obviously no fault of the scope but it's something that all potential buyers should be aware of before purchasing.
If you are new to telescopes (Orion categorizes this scope in the "advanced" class) the setup may seem a little overwhelming, but it isn't very bad. The biggest step will be "collimating" your new telescope in which you fine tune the mirrors to ensure proper alignment. This was made much easier for me with the help of a laser collimator--you can buy these from Orion or other companies as well. The instructions were simplistic and had plenty of pictures. With help from my wife setup went very smoothly.
As for setup in the field the XT12 shines. Other than the sheer size and weight of the scope the setup is very, very easy. You simply lay out the base and rest the tube assembly on top of it. Next you screw in two knobs on the side of the base and you are more-or-less ready (One may need to wait for the telescope to acquire the right ambient temperature) to observe!
Like the other reviewer I have no complaints (other than the size, again not the scope's fault) but I haven't been lucky enough to get a lot of observation time. So far I've seen M42 in Orion, Venus, a double star, Pleiades and some other constellations. Sirius shines like the sun in the scope--it's amazing! If you live in a place which experiences lots of rain, cloudy conditions or extremely cold temperatures you may want to choose a smaller scope as the XT12i requires a moderate amount of work to move to and from shelter. Orion sells separately a bag (another hundred + dollars) which will temporarily cover the scope from rain (which is good to have when you are set up in the field and catch a temporary amount of rain). I live on the "windward" side of an island and so I must constantly deal with cloudy skies and rain.
In the end, would I recommend the scope? Definitely! It's very well-made and viewing through it is amazing. You may find yourself wanting to upgrade to premium eyepieces though (think anywhere from another 300-1000 dollars) because the stock ones aren't great. I upgraded immediately to Tele Vue Nagler 31mm and 7mm eyepieces (these two ran me almost a thousand dollars--or almost the price of the scope itself). I also felt the need to buy the carrying case for the scope (another 100 bucks or more), a barlow (more money) and several other accessories. If you think the price for quality observing stops with the purchase of the scope think again. Just like many other hobbies there are many hidden expenses--unfortunately in astronomy the expenses tend to run moderate through severe.
I would NOT recommend this scope for people of small stature or particularly young/elderly people. The setup and transportation of this unit may be too much for someone who is not physically capable. I do however feel it's a great scope for families and children too as long as someone is able to handle the size.
Seeing the moon through the XT12i (oh and buy a moon filter or polarizing filter!) was inspiring.. amazing. My wife was with me as well and we have never seen the moon in such clarity and grandeur. The XT12i gave us such an amazing view of the moon that it's hard to put into words.
Every night that passes I'm constantly gazing in the sky to see if there's a possibility of pulling out the 80-pound beast. I highly recommend buying a quality pair of binoculars (Celestron, Orion, Bushnell, Garrett Optical) though to allow you flexibility when wanting to view the sky but only have a limited amount of time.
I hope this review has helped!
EDIT:
:November 2012:
Since my initial review, I have had many nights out with my scope. I have been able to see many, many celestial objects and it has been a real joy. Some of my favorite things that I have seen through the scope are the globular cluster Omega Centauri (and many other magnificent globular clusters such as M13), magnificent Jupiter and Saturn, the Perseus double cluster of open clusters NGC 884 and NGC 869, and many, many other wonders. There have been many nights when I have had stable seeing, and I was able to see the Giant Red Spot on Jupiter and its different colored bands. I have also been able to view probably around 5-6 moons around Saturn (I believe they were all moons, but some may have been stars appearing near the orbits of the other moons). Saturn is a joy to view; it and Jupiter are my favorite solar system objects, alongside the moon. The moon is still a magnificent thing to observe. I have viewed a huge list of open clusters and nebulae, as well as double and variable stars. One of my favorite things to do is simply roam the Milky Way band and use my wide-field 31mm eyepiece (bought separately) to see SO MANY STARS. Also, do not be afraid to install and use the Intelliscope feature. I put it off for a long time, and when I finally installed it I wondered why I waited so long. As long as you have a flat surface, it is simple to set up.
I still highly recommend this scope. It is a 12" light bucket, although due to its large nature it may not be suitable for everyone.
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This scoope is one of the greatest I have ever had. I have now 3 scoops. One refactor that was my first and now it is the first scoop is going to my grand daughter. The second scoop is a 4.5 inch reflector still very good. And now with my 12 inch, wow to see things that my 4.5 could not reach out too. Even my grand daughter loves this new scoop. Oh she is just short of being 3, and she tells me what she likes to look at.Best Deals for Orion 10020 SkyQuest XT12i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope
Orion certainly makes decent telescopes, but all prospective buyers should be warned: Orion won't do business with you if you've bought one of their scopes 2nd hand: they won't return calls, sell you parts, or anything else you might expect from a decent company. Why does that affect folks who are buying new from Orion? Well, if you want to sell your scope in order to upgrade, the buyer will be out of luck when it comes to getting parts, so he or she may be contacting you so that you can act as a go-between with Orion. In the end, that will affect the resale value of your scope. Let's hope Orion changes this absurd policy, but until they do, I'd look elsewhere for a scope.Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jaguar Special Short Scale Bass Review
List Price: $279.99
Sale Price: $179.99
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
Is this really a 5-star bass guitar? No...but for $170, I don't think you could get a better guitar and therefore, I feel that I have to mark it as "I love it!"
The black with the matching black headstock looks great! The tuners are actually very high quality and it stays in tune.
The neck is smooth, the frets are smooth and the sound is amazing.
This is the perfect bass for a guitarist looking for a bass in order to record bass lines behind your guitar recordings.
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First off, just buy this. Its a great bass for the price. Im a guitarist that just needed something to mess around on and do some home recordings. Try to check one out fist at your local GC if you can, but you wont be disappointed with the playability and tone.PRO:
-Affordable
-Thin neck, which is great for folks with smaller hands.
-Tone from the P-Bass (split coil) pickup is great! Surprising deep and round.
-Light weight
-over all workmanship very good
CONS:
-The packaging, my box was all kinds of torn up, and looked like at had already been opened. Bass comes wrapped a thin sheet of packing foam.
-Desperately needed setting up. If you are new to guitar maintenance and setup you're going to need some help.
-Bridge pickup is a joke. SUPER low output compared to the split coils...
-frets are little uneven, neck too some time to set up.
-silver electronics pate was a little pitted (not the best hardware)
-volume and tone pots have a horribly short taper.
In conclusion although my cons list is long, I'm still super happy with my new bass. It gets the job done and it's fun to play. You truly get what you pay for with this one. But what you get ain't bad at all :)
Best Deals for Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jaguar Special Short Scale Bass
I've read the rave reviews regarding this bass for over 1-year. I decided to take the plunge because I wanted a bass that is very light, (my Jazz bass is more than 10 lbs), one I could bang around, and one that was easy on my aging hands and fingers --what a pleasant surprise. The craftsmanship for a bass at this price point is spot-on. Initially it was tough getting the intonation to stabilize, but after playing it a couple of days it settled down. The P pickup is better than the Jazz pickup, but I'm using it for that Jamerson Motown sound and to practice, practice, practice. I went a step further and installed my favorite strings -D'darrio Nickels (short scale version); it was an instant moment of bass sounding bliss. Listen, it's incredibly tough to beat this instrument at this price-point; I bought the black one and thinking about a red one too so I will have one to "hot rod"! Recommendation: buy it; immediately change the strings and get a set up ; wax the body to preserve the paint job and enjoy, enjoy. Be safe--be well.Honest reviews on Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jaguar Special Short Scale Bass
I got this bass for my band because it was cheep. I thought we would keep it for a while and get a better, more expensive one after we got started. After we got started I didn't want a more expensive one because it rocked.Great bass at an awesome price
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This little guy is perfect for a small home recording studio. Sleek and playable. I can safely recommend this product. Go Fender!Thursday, September 4, 2014
3D Horse Head Sculpture on a Brown Handmade Leather Bound Journal Reviews
This is a very nice journal. It's a little smaller than I would have liked but the outside is simply spectacular. It's a good weight, the material feels genuine, and the horse head is excellent quality. This a nice gift, looks like it should be one of a kind, handmade item. Very impressive to see and hold in person. I was a little hesitant because of the price, but the quality is worth it. It arrived VERY quickly in the mail (left from London and arrived in the US within 3 days). I do wish that the journal was lined instead of blank, but that's ok (I read in the description it was blank so I knew before I purchased). Overall, I would recommend this item as a gift for a horse lover. You won't be disappointed with it!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
For The Birds - IdentiFlyers Raptors #3 FALCONS Reviews
We use these in our idetiflyer alarm clock... A different bird sound chirps each hour and we change cards each week or so to keep the ambiance... we have a parrot and parakeet and they always stand to attention when they hear the different birds...
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Buy Language Builder Photo Cards - Picture Nouns; no. SLM001
Our therapist recommended we buy these cards for our in-home ABA (Applied Behvioral Analysis) program. I think they are WAY over priced at $150.00 and was glad to find them a little cheaper on Amazon.com. As long as you don't let your child play with the cards, they hold up pretty well for therapy sessions. We use them every day and we have two children with autism so it's been worth the investment. I give these cards 5 stars for function and 2 stars for price.
great pictures. very well thought out!
I would highly recommend these, especially this big set, for every toddler/pre-schooler; anyone who needs help with language building, etc.
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Our company provides ABA In-Home services for children who need to learn to use language, most of whom have an autism spectrum diagnosis. This series of flashcards, and this particular set specifically, have been essential tools for a number of years. We have purchased 20 or so sets over the past few years and they have been essential parts of our treatment program for many of the children we serve. The pictures are edgeless which is a plus. The images are clear, bright, and typically have little or no distracting background, which is really essential with kiddo's with autism in our experience. There are 4 main sets in this series with this set "Nouns" being the one most frequently used with our treatment programs. It can be augmented with additional nouns using the "Language Builder Nouns Set 2" in the same series. Good procedures are essential but so are good stimulus (teaching) materials and these cards are an excellent tool to help children learn to use language! We highly recommend this series of cards.Best Deals for Language Builder Photo Cards - Picture Nouns; no. SLM001
We have this set for ABA. We have had it for 2years now and the cards are all in great condition. We use them everyday. Worth every penny!Honest reviews on Language Builder Photo Cards - Picture Nouns; no. SLM001
We are starting a home program for our daughter who has autism with expressive and receptive language delays. These photo cards specifically were hightly recommended to us by the BCaBA we work with.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Language Builder Photo Cards - Picture Nouns; no. SLM001
This are not 'flashcards', they are language builders in many different aspects.great pictures. very well thought out!
I would highly recommend these, especially this big set, for every toddler/pre-schooler; anyone who needs help with language building, etc.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Discount Hexbug Crab - Green
My 5 year old daughter got this for her birthday because she's really into boy toys. She loves with this crab and all of her dinosaurs.
buy it again.
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My Grandsons love this toy, got it for Christmas. Play with it almost everyday. They're 3 year old twins, so they're pretty rough with it but so far crab has held up. Would definitelybuy it again.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Best Dinosaur Train Dino Poop - Herbivore Deals
my son will be three very soon and he will love this for his birthday. i though it was a bit expensive for what it is (colored play dough with debris) but he will enjoy it and that is what truly matters.
In my opinion, it is a great open-ended toy, as long as the child knows not to eat the parts, and is old enough to understand the difference between play poop & real poop.
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Bought this for a toddler who loves dinosaurs. The poop is basically play-doh with plastic "plants" in it. It has a play-doh smell, not terribly strong, just enough that she will hold it to her nose & then giggle because she can smell the "poop".In my opinion, it is a great open-ended toy, as long as the child knows not to eat the parts, and is old enough to understand the difference between play poop & real poop.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Cheap Workbook Hidden Picture Activity Zone (Pack of 3)
I was not expecting three of the same picture book and was disappointed in that. The book itself is wonderful and I would love different books in the same venue.
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