Toys

I love toys. This years toys I purchased for Christmas gifts:

HexBug Nano. These little robots are cool. They look like electric toothbrushes without handles that scurry around where ever they go. They sell little habitats for the electronic critters. Think of it as a Habitrail with out the stinky mess. The HexBug Nano toys are a winner because they are under $10, and the habitats start at $20 (and come with 2 nanos!) The HexBugs are affordable super fun toys. They come ready to go, battery already installed. I got my first Nano at Radio Shack, but I purchased the habitat set direct from HexBug.com.

Kid Robot. This year I am into the Doppelganger toys at KidRobot.com. They are simple “ghosts” that all look the same, just different in color. I purchased an entire case to use when teaching simple math, as well as color theory. The Doppelgangers stack up, and can be used in many creative ways to make math interesting, and hands on. With a MagnaDoodle to write on, and a few Doppelgangers from Kid Robot, my 5 year old is ready to learn some basic math skills, and it all seems like play.

Giddy Up ‘N’ Go Pony by Little Tikes. Last year my daughter asked for a candy cane for Christmas. This year she wants a pony. Lucky for me she noticed an ad on QUBO for a Giddy Up ‘N’ Go Pony. I told her to write a letter to Santa and ask him for one, and she did. When the thing arrived from Amazon, I wanted to get the pony ready for Christmas. The Giddy Up ‘N’ Go Pony arrives without his head and tail attached. Where and how the parts connect are easy enough to figure out, but I had to use all my strength to do both. The zipper that goes around the horse’s neck was the most difficult part for me. Now that he has his head, I have the pony hiding in my studio with a blanket over him to keep little eyes from finding him before Christmas. It’s not easy hiding a horse.