Childrens Gadgets

So you think you’re a whiz at Tetris and all things puzzle - why not give the DIY Terrestrial Globe a try then? This is one interesting jigsaw puzzle that shouldn’t take up too much of your time, but it will definitely be a fun and imaginative way to teach your kids about geography. Granted, knowing how the world looks like when flat in the form of a map is one thing, but fleshing it out in 3D is another. Perfect to develop the spatial recognition part in kids (and adults, too!). There are 60 pieces in total, so it could take a few long attempts before it becomes second nature to you. The DIY Terrestrial Globe can be purchased for $16.

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No need to pack up and travel for miles just to get your surfing kicks in as long as you have the Skimboard Surfer. This nifty home-based device will bring all the fun of the beach to your backyard, as long as you own a decent-sized pool to go.

With a 26 foot (7.9m) water filled slide and a 30″ pro-quality plywood skim board, this kit will keep kids (and grown-ups who are young at heart) amused for hours. Skim-boarding, if you’re new to this great sport, is a hydroplaning technique whereby the boarder runs at speed towards a thin layer of water, he/she then drops the board onto the water and mounts it with one foot (usually left foot first), the other following in one smooth movement. The boarder will then skim along the surface of the water for as long as he/she can stay upright, and will manoeuvre the board in order to alter direction and perform tricks. The board itself is shaped like a mini surf board but is considerably thinner, as buoyancy is less critical.

The Skimboard Surfer will cost you £39.99, but that’s a small price to pay considering the amount of summer fun you’ll experience.

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Could the release of the Tamagotchi Familitchi bring about yet another craze which we saw so many years ago?

So say konichiwa to Tamagotchi Familitchi, an all new wave of the world’s favorite handheld virtual pets. In a nutshell (or should that be eggshell?) owners hatch and then raise their pet by pressing buttons throughout the day. The more your Tamagotchi matures the more games you can play and the more areas of Tamagotchi Town you can visit on the web. You can even travel to foreign destinations, visit your Tamagotchi parents and meet the Tamagotchi King!

What makes this version different from the ones of old is the ability to acces new passwords in Tamagotchi Town, earning precious Gotchi points which can then be redeemed for virtual items such as food, travel tickets, toys and clothes among others. You can also meet Tamagotchi fans from all over the world when logged on. The new Tamagotchi Familitchi will retail for £12.95 a pop.

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Marines are known to be tough SOBs, so what do you think Space Marines are made out of? ThinkGeek as Dueling Space Marines Copter Set up for grabs, and at certain angles it looks as though they’re shooting laser pee at each other.

This Dueling Space Marines Copter Set gets you a set of two mini r/c helicopters with infra-red laser tag style battle action. Take to the air from the palm of your hand then use the shoulder button on the remote unleash a plasma blast your opponent copter. Each shot causes the gun of your space marine to flash with simulated gunfire. The first hit causes your enemy to spin. The second makes the enemy copter lose power… the third cuts rotor power completely as your opponent plummets to the ground and you gloat in victory. However to truly dominate the sky, you’ll need to practice up on your flying skills. With stable flying characteristics and forgiving crash dynamics these diminutive space copters are perfect for hat impending battle against the betentacled alien planet hopper that awaits when you level up.

Plenty of practice is needed if you’re to remain at the top of your game. A couple of such copters will set you back by $49.99. Would be interesting to have a third party with a slingshot attempting to shoot down either Space Marine during the duel for that wild card factor…

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The RC Jump Jet is something different from the standard remote controlled planes and helicopters as it merges the best of both worlds.

It takes off like a helicopter and flies like a plane, using four gyroscopically controlled rotors and a not an inconsiderable amount of flying skill. The swept back wafer thin wings and tail help to control the stability of forward flight, and the multi-directional control allows you to fly in any direction you can think of, and often a few you hadn’t expected. Saying that this is cool is like saying Ricky Gervais is mildly amusing, or that Tiger Woods is quite handy at crazy golf. It’s really quite hard to describe (which is why we’re failing so miserably) just how awesome this indoor flier is. The way it moves through the air makes the Harrier look clumsy - even if it does have more weapons. To keep it light and balanced, the bodywork has been stripped to a minimum, and a twenty minute charge should give you a good ten minutes of the best indoor flying experience you’ve ever had.

The RC Jump Jet is supposedly easy to fly, and you’ll need to fork out £69.95 to find out. Well, it definitely is compared to the real deal, but being unconventional by itself will probably involve a rather steep learning curve, but I’m sure it’ll be fun once you get the hang of it.

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Toddlers are quite a challenge when it comes to feeding time, which is where the My Plate-Mate for Kids comes in.

My Plate-Mate is a children’s teaching aid for eating that can be used with any 8″- 9 ½ ” plate. Imagine a product that could assist a toddler in learning how to eat with a utensil and plate, without the usual mess and clean up! Well, My Plate-Mate does that…It helps toddlers learn how to eat like a big kid, while minimizing the mess that comes with toddler meals. Children gain self confidence and are less frustrated during meals with My Plate-Mate.

Well, I guess anything that helps parents have an easier time when feeding their toddlers is always a plus point in my book.

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Now according to the product description, the 3-D IQ Sphere is supposed to train both your IQ and EQ, although I’m not too sure how the latter part is going to be trained. Will arranging a rounded Rubik’s Cube actually improve my EQ? At $9 a pop, I’d rather throw in an additional $10 to pick up Brain Age on my DS which offers me way more interactivity, and to be able to share the joys of Brain Age with friends and family will definitely increase my EQ no two ways about it

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As any parent can tell you, most kids just hate to eat their vegetables, so if you were to ask a kid just what he/she would do in order to eat vegetables chances are they will want to alter the flavor first, followed by its texture. These three kids would want to make all vegetables taste like chocolate after inventing the “Micro Flavor Machine” that currently stands a chance of winning the 2008 Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision Awards. These third graders are whizz kids, where Katie developed a little prototype machine with two magnetrons that enables food to look the same when cooked, with changes made to the taste instead.

Source: American Inventor Spot

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