Reviews of Copernicus - Radiometer

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A radiometer doesn't do anything useful, but it's really cool. You set it in the light and it spins. That's all. My cousin had one when I was a kid and I was always jealous. It struck me a fun stocking stuffer for my son who is an engineering student. It was a real hit. He immediately set about determining what kinds of light worked best: sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent, flashlight, candle light, heat from a blow dryer. I guess I'm going to have to get myself another one when he goes back to college next week.

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This is wonderful! I remember when I was a kid, and had one of these. It is not exactly fun to play with actively all the time, or something that you will be using every day to check lighting conditions, but it is definitely something to put on your window sill, or on a dresser or book shelf where it can be hit with the sun. I find it more of a decorative piece.

It is good to see these are still being made and sold! I bought two, and they both arrived VERY well packaged, in perfect condition, and work great! They also come with a little workbook with scientific experiments that can be done with them, and explanations of why it spins. Useful to teach with!

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Ever since I first came across one of these toys back in high school, I found it incredibly fascinating. For the longest time I thought it illustrated one of the very fundamental yet highly counterintuitive physics principles: light carries momentum. However, it turns out that this is not the mechanism that makes this toy work. The real physics behind it is a bit more mundane, although no less important. The colorings of vanes cause the air inside the bulb to be heated at different rates, which creates the pressure gradient that rotates the vanes. This is still a very important physical process, and this toy is a fun way of illustrating it.

The overall quality of this toy is fairly good. If not handled too roughly it will probably last forever. The best places to keep it are those that are in the open and receive a lot of light, like the work desk area or a window pane. The light bulb seems fragile and it should not be left in the areas where little kids or animals can easily reach it.

Honest reviews on Copernicus - Radiometer

I'm quite a fan of Radiometers...just the simple fact that they spin up when the sun comes out is enough to brighten up my day. I bought one as a junior high student after being enchanted by the simple elegance, and it's been going on ever since. Recently, I wanted to give a few radiometers as presents, but I couldn't find a local museum or science shop that carried them, so I turned to Amazon.

I choose the Copernicus Radiometer over the others primarily on price: I wanted a higher quality product and I was willing to spend a little more to get it. Unfortunately, the Copernicus Radiometer is not a high quality product. Compared to my original, the Copernicus displays poor workmanship and poor materials. My original Radiometer had an integrated glass base which not only looks better but is infinitely more robust than the cheap plastic base used by the Copernicus. Aesthetics aside, the plastic base is easily scratched and is simply glued to the bulb using a combination of glue and cement. Of the two Copernicus radiometers that I purchased, one of them basically fell apart the second I took it out of the box! Besides the base, the glass itself has a several flaws such as gas bubbles, foreign material, and a lack of evenness along the top. I thought maybe I got a dud but my second unit also had this issue. I should clarify that the sides of the bulbs look great and that the glass is only problematic on the tops of the bulbs. I posted pictures for reference.

Overall, the Copernicus Radiometer works, but lacks refinement. The biggest praise I can muster is that it's well packaged and can withstand the rigors of shipping and international travel as checked baggage. If this is your first Radiometer, I think the issues I described above (besides the thing spontaneously falling apart...a few dabs of hot glue did the trick) will not detract from the overall experience. You still do get a rather mysterious yet beautiful object.

Notes:

1) The physics behind how Radiometers work is more complex than the leaflet makes it appear to be. For example, the radiometer will actually spin backwards if you move it from a room-temperature environment to a very cold environment such as a freezer (sans light!)

2) Lasers work, but don't use a super-powerful one. You will DESTROY the vanes and you may foul the partial vacuum.

3) My rating is focused on the execution of this particular product and is not about radiometers in general.

4) It's much more than a toy!

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This is a windmill that runs on light. As ling as it is sunny the vanes will spin. A truely intreaguing piece of scientific equipment.

I broke mine and missed it so much I had to search for another.

Discount Dinosaur Tooth - 1 Genuine Spinosaurus Fossil Tooth - Extra Large!

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Very cool my child will love this. The only problem was the green velveteen bag did not come with it.

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I ordered a couple of the larger teeth and a couple of the smaller teeth. they are all in excellent condition and a great addition to my sons collection. I will be ordering from this company again :-)

Best Deals for Dinosaur Tooth - 1 Genuine Spinosaurus Fossil Tooth - Extra Large!

Extra large? It's the length of a German Shepherd tooth. I must have ordered an extra large tooth from a baby spinosaurus. Don't let the photo deceive you.

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The tooth came in-tact and is 3 inches long! My little brother loves it! It's the beginning of his fossil collection.

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I bought this tooth for my 3 year old son who loves dinosaurs. The tooth was much better than I was expecting as far as length and overall quality. However the tooth was repaired but I don't count that against it for any reason. I'm very satisfied and likely will order from here again.

American Educational 10 Piece Scale of Hardness Collection Review

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List Price: $28.00
Sale Price: $27.79
Today's Bonus: 1% Off

Don't think you can set this in platinum, but it is great to see a diamond as it is found in nature. All the other specimens are great and better yet they come with a key for identification.

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Explorer Globe Reviews

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I would not recommend this globe. I bought this for my 3rd grader and on the first day of using it, the equator peeled off!! I thought of keeping it anyway but decided to deal with the hassle and plan on returning it. It also feels too flimsy and can fall over easily.

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What a great, inexpensive globe. It's fascinating to watch a child spin a globe even if they don't seem like they are learning anything, at least they are getting a general idea of the immense size of our world! Since getting this globe, my 5 year old son has learned about the continents and the oceans, found Australia on his own and pointed out that Antarctica is bigger than the USA. It seems that the globe gets loose from it's stand somewhat easily, but it is easily tightened. All in all, a great buy with terrific educational value.

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I bought this for my 5-year-old...the stand broke on the second day he had it. The globe itself is nice, but it's disappointing that the stand isn't stronger

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The globe itself is great. My daughter received this for Christmas and she just loves to find different places on her globe. The only problem is the stand. It is just screwed on at the bottom of the stand and we have to keep trying to tighten it up. They really should have made the stand better to with-stand children picking it up and actually using it. Other then the stand it is a great globe.

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We bought it to help the kids learn about the world. The raised mountains, and all the detail of the cities and boundaries, are really great. It'll work for them when they get older, too, because it's so very detailed. My husband and I really enjoy looking at it. It's a great value.

Apple Park Picnic Pal Organic 3-Piece 3" x 3" Soft Block Set, White Review

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List Price: $30.00
Sale Price: $29.95
Today's Bonus: $0.05 Off

I bought these because they were supposed to be organic but I found them to have a strange smell and returned them.

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I just received these. I had them on my registry but no one bought them so I ordered them myself and I'm so glad I did! They are super soft and a perfect size for a toy. Each makes it's own little sound and all the animals are adorable on the cubes. Because they are organic I have no problem with the fact that the baby will always have them in his mouth. I think they are definitely worth the money if you're in the market for organic goods. They are one of my favorite toys so far and they are also so cute that they would work as just a decoration in the nursery as well.

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I was really debating buying these blocks due to the price, but I'm so happy I did. They are bigger than I thought and even cuter than the picture. They are very soft and detailed and each one has a rattle, squeaks or chimes. The best part about them is I don't have to worry about my 4mo old putting them in his mouth because they're organic!

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My son loves these blocks and I have the peace of mind knowing they are safe to chew and suck on. He has other soft blocks, but these are his favorite because they are easy to grab and carry around. The surfaces are also wonderfully soft and he likes to rub his face on the fuzzy and silky sides. A bit more expensive than other brands, but well worth it.

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My baby just use clothes as teether, They are soft, and safe.

The only concern is you could not wash them or the sound would lost. I washed them and the sound lost.

But as the block is so soft and safe, it is ok if no sound appears.

Review of Snap Rover® for Kids

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We had purchased another of their kits before that our grandson really enjoyed. He actually selected this kit from the brochure that came with the first electronics kit we got for him. The controller that came with the kit was not working when he initially put the rover together but we e-mailed the company and a new one was immediately sent to us, no questions asked. We appreciate that level of customer service.

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Buy Anatex Deluxe Mini Play Cube

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

Basic Vocabulary Photo Card Set Reviews

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List Price: $26.99
Sale Price: $22.53
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

Learning Resources provided me with a copy of this product, but the opinions are mine.

The Basic Vocabulary Photo Cards set includes 156 cards in 16 areas. They come in a box divided by themes.

The front of each card contains a picture and a label. The back contains a picture with a blank. Students can use a dry erase marker to label the car themselves.

How am I using them in the speech room?

Expressive vocabulary : Labeling noun & verbs.

Receptive vocabulary: Identify the card I name.

Categories: Sort the photos into each section of the box.

Describing: These will be perfect to pair with the EET.

PROS: Real life photographs can be crucial for teaching young children or children on the autism spectrum.

CONS: Although there are a lot of themes, if feels like there are just a few in each section. I'd love to see more photos in the set.

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Clear photos, great cards. I use these cards with preschool students. Most pic cards with real pics are very expensive. Great product

Best Aleph Bet Flash Cards Deals

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IM TRYING TO LEARN HEBREW. THESE FLASHCARDS ARE FANTASTIC FOR CHECKING MYSELF OUT TO SEE IF IM GETTING IT. THEY ARE PERFECT FOR ANY AGE. COMBINED WITH OTHER RESOURCES, THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE ON HAND. ANYONE LEARNING HEBREW FOR THE FIRST TIME , REALLY SHOULD GIVE THESE CARDS A TRY. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. THEY ARE LARGE, THEY GIVE THE SOUNDS, THEY EVEN GIVE THE VOWELS. ANOTHER THING HERE, YOU CAN PRACTICE TRACING THEM ON TRACING PAPER TO GET USED TO WRITING THE LETTER. ITS FUN! THANK YOU, EILEEN HINES

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These are nice cards, clearly printed on durable stock with a nice finish. And they include the vowels, which is key.

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I love these cards and they really help to solidify the the character and what it means as well as the numeric value of each letter. If you're learning Hebrew it's a great aid between classes. Now, as I'm learning words, I am making my own flash cards with the letters strung into words and it's helping me to remember the word and the meanings. Try it! great tool for the student young or old!

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These are large cards, easy to read and will be a good teaching tool.

The cards are a bit large to hold for children but will be a great way to learn the ABC.

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i totally love this flash cards. they have definitely helped me out since i'm trying to learn Hebrew.GREAT tool...very helpful

Best Table Skittles - Devil Among the Tailors - Jaques London Deals

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List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $74.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

The product came packaged very nicely. It gave you the feel of quality. Unfortunately there were no instructions given on how to assemble the few parts that needed assembly, but I was able to do it by looking at some pictures of an assembled unit. The game is simple to play and very addictive. My wife already wants to take it to a party with us. I highly recommend this product for anyone looking for a simple but fun and addictive game.

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I ordered this for a Christmas gift very close to the time itself hoping it would arrive in time! It certainly did arrive well before! I was very impressed. It was extremely well packed and it is of very high quality.

The game itself went down very well too.

I would highly recommend this.

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I have had this game for years and was very happy to be able to find a good quality wooden one. The post is a little unstable, but so far it has lasted. The game is well made. I work with students from Kindergarten to Grade 8, and this is one of the all-time favorites for all ages. They simply love it and most ask where they can get one. The price might seem like a lot (I think I may have paid more when I bought mine directly from Jacques years ago), but when I see the games that sell for $20 or more and are just plastic junk, I cannot complain about the price.

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This is a fun game for all ages. Hard to find in the United States. I do not think it is worth $99.00 though. The pole the ball and chain hang from seems to be a little unstable. I thought the wood and base would be heavier and more sturdy. Too bad more companies in the U.S. do not make this and distribute it.

Review of Curiosity Cards

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What a great idea! These laminated cards on a ring can be stowed easily in a purse, backpack, or hooked to a stroller. I recently took these on a day trip with my family and we made use of the cards as a way to stimulate meaningful conversations about thoughts, emotions, dreams for the future, and just plain getting to know each other better.

I love the variety of ideas and activities suggested on these cards and the fact that they can be used with a variety of ages. We all enjoyed using this product and give it a big thumbs up. They are going on my list of things to give to young parents.

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Opposites Language Cards Reviews

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List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $11.43
Today's Bonus: 12% Off

I ordered these to help my son with vocabulary acquisition. The images are crisp and the concepts are evident. What I was most disappointed about was the weight of the cardstock they used. They are light to maybe mid-weight. I laminated mine to add to the durability and that modification will likely save them a few months of life. I'm a mother of one toddler. If you are getting these for educational or therapeutic purposes and intend to use them daily, I might advise caution.

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We got them a while ago and although I bought them with the intention to use them for therapy, my 3 year old daughter has taken over the box and wants to play with them 24/7. Great size to play on the floor with.

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Nice, images On the cards, and they are very good quality. Easy to match up the opposites! My toddler likes it.

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These cards (and the other categories offered by this company) are absolutely beautiful. I plan to utilize them for speech therapy, and I'm excited to have them. I purchased a few decks in the series, and they are all made well. The pictures are gorgeous, and kiddos love 'em. Definitely a good purchase!

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Like other packets, the variation of picture orientation makes it difficult for my child to stack the pictures. Also, I forgot to mention in the rhyming cards that I do not like the plastic container. I prefer the metal. I cut my hand trying open and close it and then one of the plastic hinges busted, so now it's hanging by one plastic hinge...

Best Rainbow Wrist Ribbons Deals

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I purchased these for both a music and movement class and a toddler dance class I taught and the kids loved them! The size was perfect for the children (ages 1-5). Using the rainbow ribbons was a great way to encourage participation, especially from the shyer kids in the music and movement class. The dance class performed with them at our end of the year recital and they looked great on stage. Definitely a worthwhile purchase!

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These ribbon bands are amazing! Our kids have a great time Praising The Lord in dance with these ribbon bands! We will order more!

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The ribbons were ok. They were kind of small, but the tween girls at church used them for a praise dance. Thought they would be a bit longer so they will not be able to use them as they get older, but they can use them right now.

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This items were used to worship and praise. Little children love it, easy to use, bright colors, good quality, don't wrinkle. Best of all, it can be use to help children with disabilities, and worshipt the Lord with praise dance.

Cheap Playskool Explore and Grow Busy Ball Popper Assortment

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This is the best toy to give a toddler (1+ years). It is gift I give for those first birthday parties or first Christmases. Every kid loves it, and it often becomes their favorite toy. They don't grow tired of it.

The models of this toy vary some in the coloring of the plastic, the velocity that the balls shoot out the top, the decorations on the side, etc.

But it is always a hit ... and after giving the toy, the parents will invariably come back with "that's his favorite toy" or "she has never grown tired of the ball popper" or "you always give her the best things" ... definitely a hit if you need a standout something for a toddler in your life.

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