Editorial Review

Cross an electronic organizer, a cell phone, and a hand-held game caddy, and you have the Cybiko--the toy for Generation Y.Cybiko touts this hand-held unit as a "Wireless Inter-tainment System" for communicating (e-mail style)and playing video games--just what young, mobile, tech-minded kids are into these days. Thismultifunctional device offers wireless, high-frequency, digital connections to other Cybiko units within a range of 150 feet indoors to 300 feet outdoors.

Among the Cybiko's many functions: Users can chat wirelessly, play interactive games with friends orother Cybiko users, e-mail anyone on the Internet, and nurture the cyberpet, "CyLandia." The Cybiko alsohas a "Find a Friend" feature that can be utilized like personal classified ads. Tons of new games and internet software can be downloaded daily from Cybiko.com into the Cybiko unit. Also, it stores addresses,phone numbers, e-mails, and even offers a personal planner.

The Cybiko has a few minor limitations: It only downloads from personal computers, not Macintoshes; forinitial use, upgrading and "staying in the loop" depends on downloading vital information from Cybiko'sWeb site, including all Cybiko-compatible games; and users must plug into a hard drive to send and receivee-mails.

Included is one Cybiko unit, equipped with a stylus for keying tiny buttons; a rechargeable battery, an adapter for charging or plugging in; and an adapter cable for downloading to and from PCs. There's also adetailed user's manual to help with the initial programming. The Cybiko is 5.7 by 2.8 by .86 inches, weighsless than 5 ounces, and churns with a 32-bit, 11-MHz Hitachi main processor, and 512 KB of RAM. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Memories
this toy reminds me of when mike said he weighed 110 pounds. he said 110 pounds!!! and he was claiming he was 5'6 but he really was 4'11 and that was when mike liked skateboards. he said he likes girls but he was afraid to admit it and he said he is a cool guy and he wants to chat it was when mike was a cool person but now....hes changed and back then rossler was cool and he liked video games but now hes a drunk and matt used to be cool and skateboarded and was into video games alot but now he likes to do drugs.....the cybiko is really cool and it seems outdated because it is an LCD screen and it reminds me of when cell phones were not in color and it was during the good old times.....and joey was a good person and he said "you are my best friend"....but now hes a monster....and he is infected and addicted and he was supposed to be the young buck of woodhaven but now hes just washed up and jay was supposed to be the eric sermon of woodhaven and rossler was supposed to be the eazy e of new york and mike was supposed to be the adam sandler of new york and i was supposed to be the Nas of new york and when joey used to hang out with us and was really cool and we had his back cuz he was cool and he said ace is cool i dont make fun of him but now they backstabbed me

Worst toy ever
I got this toy for christmas and I thought it was the worst toy ever. I took it out of the box and turned it on. On the screen, it was missing some dots on the screen. I replaced the battery and it did the same thing. I returned it and got a new one. It didn't work either. Just for fun, my dad opened it up and looked at the inside. He said there was a piece missing. He also said this toy was just a pile of crud.

Neat Toy!
I got Cybiko on July 16 and liked it at first, but I soon noticed it only works when it is plugged in. So my dad exchanged this Cybiko for a new one. This one worked just like it should. I installed Cyberload and downloaded Cylandia. Now I am satisfied with this toy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Teens (Teenagers)    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Gadgets    5. Computers    6. Games    7. Activity    8. Learning    9. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)   

Editorial Review

Designed for children in preschool through second grade, and easily portable, the Leapster multimedia learning system offers educational games, reading exercises, art tools, and interactive videos in one electronic device. Atop an ergonomic silver body sits a 4-inch, 12-bit color backlit display protected by a blue rubber shield. Slide a Leapster cartridge into the slot, and learn letters, sounds, colors, shapes, numbers, and more, using the touch-screen stylus and multi-directional control pad. This unit comes with a bonus cartridge of six learning games; other Leapster cartridges are sold separately. Control knobs let you adjust volume and brightness; there's also a stereo headphone jack. Required are four AA batteries, not included. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (475)

The best toy of all time
My parents gave this to my four-year-old for christmas with five games.She hasn't stopped playing with it yet and it's mid-May!We're going on a trip to Scotland this summer, so I bought her two more games to play on the plane.That should keep her going for the entire 8 hr. flight.She just loves it so much she plays it non stop.As for the battery life, I have only changed the batteries twice in all this time.I think it does really well for batteries.This is by far the best toy she owns because she's having fun and learning at the same time.It's like a cross between game boy advance and an educational computer game.Buy this toy.It's worth it.

BEST ITEMIN STORES TODAY
I purchased this item for my son at Christmas, and he has played with it everyday since. My son is 9 years old and has Autism and he loves this item.

PIECE OF JUNK!!!
I am so disappointed in Leapfrog!We purchased the pink leapster for my daughter for her birthday and it doesn't even work.I don't know how on earth this product made it past Leapfrog's quality assurance team... or should I say what quality assurance?

Leapfrog cannot even warranty their product because they don't carry the pink ones. All they can do is send a replacement one in a different color. That didn't work with my 4 year old that wanted pink and got one for her birthday. So, we are having to pay double the shipping to return the defective product and pay the shipping for the new one.

The most frustrating thing is that this isn't the first Leapfrog product we have had to return that was defective.We also had to return the letter magnets because they wouldn't recognize the correct letter.NOW THAT'S EDUCATIONAL.

We won't be purchasing any more Leapfrog products because their quality assurance is sub-par. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Electronic    4. Math    5. Alphabet    6. Preschool   

Reviews (344)

Wow! My daughter loves her ABC's!
My daughter received this as a gift when she was too young (24 months old) for it.I held it off to the side for 6 months & then finally decided to give it to her right before she started preschool.

She loves to sing her ABC's now.The Fridge Phonics set reinforces the letter she is learning in school.We bought her a carry case for the letters & fridge magnet.She will carry it around & change the letter whenever she's in the mood.

I think this is one of the best educational toys out there for the alphabet.It tells the child the name of the letter, the sound(s) it makes & a few words.

Great learning toy
We have had this on our fridge for about 5 weeks now and my grandson loves to play with it, he now says the sounds before the little machine tells you the sound.

It is made very sturdy as my grandson has already had the peices thrown all over the place and the little machine too and there is no sign of any hard play with it, it still looks brand new.

Great, and durable toy
My 3 kids all love this, they can sing along with it and change letters so keeps them entertained.
One of them threw it in a sink full of water and it still works even after non stop singing for days!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Alphabet   

Features

• TV connection and built-in monitor
• Stereo connection
• Plays CD and CD+G disks
• Professional style microphone
• Pitch control for cassette playback

Reviews (22)

This is crazy fun!
We are having such a good time with this.I even sing with it when my kids are away at school- there has always been something fascinating about a microphone.I also recommend some singing lessons first!I tried a cd of them "Voice Lessons To GO" by Vaccarino that I saw someone else recommend so I thought I'd pass that help along.It's important to get lots of lots of music to sing to, because everyone has such different tastes.

Don't Forget To Plug The Mic In FIRMLY
I was put off by the reviews but ordered anyway.I thought I'd hooked the machine up properly, but the the mic was dead.Turns out you need to push the mic in FIRMLY until you hear a click and then the MIC works.IMO, other reviewers complaining of a mic defect probably never hooked the MIC up properly.

Once the machine was hooked into my sound system using the supplied cable it sounded just great.Now my friends and I are having a great time using this device for drunken sing alongs.What fun and how "Lost in Translation."

Terrible Product
After 2 months the microphone wires just came out.Purchased a new microphone from Radio Shack, then the mic stop working.The company wants me to pay for shipping to send it to them.This machine isn't worth 100+ dollar.DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic   

Editorial Review

A good pair of binoculars makes for a uniquely interesting educational toy. Sure, there may be some bothersome spying on siblings, but aside from that, they afford opportunities to spot birds, boats, animals, mountains, and just about anything else far away. These binoculars feature 10x magnification, a neck strap, and a carrying pouch. They're durably constructed of die-cast metal with a protective rubber covering. So while it's never a good idea to drop them on rocks, it won't be the end of the fun if they happen to get bumped occasionally. We found them easy to work with and quick to focus. The packaging also carries a warning that, while somewhat obvious, bears heeding: "Do not stare directly into the sun." --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (2)

save your money
These looked like a good set because of their objective size and power. I have bought good binoculars at K-mart for $15-$20 and been very happy. But these had a very hazy view with a pronounced fish bowl effect and double image. Also the adjustment knob would slide 1/4 inch up and down making focusing very difficult. The Edu Science binoculars I bought were unusable and I'm going to return them to toys r us asap.
As an aside,please be sure and examine any visual or audio altering or amplifing items before allowing a child to use them, as they could theoretically be injurous.

Just a fine product
I bought this binocular, i was amazed from its price and zoom but for a twenty bucks binocular this is very good. I just wish they could have better craftmanship. The product is very easy to break. Anyway good enough for those who want a binocular that is extremely cheap and just for fun. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science   

Editorial Review

Did you know that painted ladies (the butterflies, that is) taste with their feet and have 10,000 eyes? You and your kids will be fascinated by all you learn about these beautiful creatures with the Butterfly Garden from Insect Lore. The kit comes with a relatively easy-to-assemble observation chamber; supplies for feeding the butterflies (you provide only sugar and water); an informative booklet of clear instructions and butterfly facts; and a certificate for three to five free painted lady caterpillars. The metamorphosis from larva to butterfly takes about three weeks from when you receive the caterpillar larvae (which arrive in a small container with all the nutrients they need). Your children can watch the larvae increase dramatically in size, form chrysalides, and finally emerge into full-fledged painted ladies (it's suggested that they release the butterflies after a few days of observation). This would make a wonderfulactivity for families with kids of any age, but younger children will need help assembling the observationchamber and reading the instruction booklet. (Note: The manufacturer recommends that butterflies should not be set free in temperatures lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.) --Rachel Radway ... Read more

Reviews (65)

DEAD BUGS
I purchased this for my 7 year old daughter for christmas. I was guarenteed 3 live larve.They are all dead and I can not get ahold of the company. I would rate this a big Zero

Butterfly Garden
My sister gave this to my 8 year old daughter for her birthday.I also have a 4 year old daughter.This is one of the best gifts my children have ever received!From the start, both of my children were enthralled with the metamorposis from caterpillar to butterfly.The bonus is that there is very little that is required of parents except to make sure the instructions are followed.The caterpillars come in a plastic container that has all the food they require to grow and change.Even though one of the chrysalides fell off the paper disc under the lid, it still was able to continue metamorphosis at the bottom of the butterfly observatory.We just released our three beautiful painted lady butterflies yesterday after three weeks of wonder and excitement.Luckily my daughter's birthday is in July so we could release our butterflies when the weather is warm and the flowers are in full bloom.I recommend that you keep your butterflies safe in their observation chamber for at least two days.Two butterflies emerged before the third one did and I was afraid they weren't eating the food I provided (sugar water).Not wanting the first two to starve, I had my daughters release all of them less than a day after the third butterfly emerged.That third butterfly didn't seem ready to fly off yet and stayed in the garden on a post unmoving for a long while. I watched it to make sure it was unharmed and breathed a sigh of relief when it finally flew off.I couldn't have asked for a more fun and educational gift!

Excellent
I purchased this for my daughter's 4th birthday. The caterpillars arrived on her birthday, which she loved even more. They are now in chrysalide form and she is so excited because she can see them grow and grow every day. This is an awesome toy and have reccomended it to everyone with and with out kids. I also bought a book called "From Caterpillar to Butterfly" and it describes the metaphorsis excellently to her. 2 thumbs up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Learning    3. Science    4. Bugs    5. Butterflies   

Editorial Review

Today’s video games with all their bells and whistles had to begin somewhere, and that somewhere was your living room, in, say, 1982.Remember Asteroids, Missile Command, and Breakout? How about Centipede, Adventure and Gravitar? This TV Games Video System--just a "smart" joystick and nothing else--delivers 10 classic games in all. The joystick has the typical up-down-left-right movements, and single functions to select, start, and reset games. Front-and-center is a big, red fire button ("fire" being the only way to propel or kill things back then). The unit hooks up to your TV via those yellow and white AV output jacks (which should already be on your TV or VCR), and requires 4 "AA" batteries. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Awesome
This is great! Al the games are classics! I have had no problems whatsoever! They're all great! All of them for 20 bucks.=That's the best deal I've ever had! Thei is a perfect gift. It's so easy to set up. All you need is 4 DoubleA batteries. The bottom line is, This toy is awesome!

great fun!!!!!!!!!
This toy is awesome! It has great gmes including:CENTIPEDE, MISSILE COMMAND, ASTEROIDS, BREAKOUT, YAR'S REVENGE, ADVENTURE, VOLLEYBALL, PONG, GRAVATAR, and CIRCUS ATARI. I have had no problems. It's so easy too! All the great classics for $20.00! Right there at home! It is not a waste of money at all!

Old flashback classics - did Breakout® get weird?
I was a fanatic of the Atari 2600 - I owned one and I still have preserved it today. Yes, these games reminiscent me to the olden days playin' on me 2600. Even it is also imitating the traditional Atari 2600 controller!

Downside:

Breakout® is a neat conversion though the problems with Breakout® is that the paddle sensitivity is too hard, which means it's too fast. These don't fit well for the Atari controller and it was designed to play on the Atari Paddle, that was another add-on controller that you turn on a scrolling wheel.

Does your Atari 2600 doesn't work anymore? Have you not preserved it? Do you miss those kind of games and want to go flasback style? Then this television game is for you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Car Racing    5. Sports    6. Action and Adventure   

Reviews (54)

Absolutely Wonderful Toy!
The whole family enjoys this toy! It took us a few minutes to get the sensitivity just right, but once we did, we loved it.My 2-year-old loves to dance and run around to make it play music.My 9-month old laughs as it plays music when she crawls around it.It even makes music when the cat approaches it!This is a great toy.I would highly recommend it!

We Love Musini
My 6yr & 15mo old both love the musini, as do my husband and I.The volume is loud enough and the machine has been tough enough to withstand being dropped by my 15mo old.There are a lot of different sounds and songs, especially with the extra cartridge.The only problem we have encountered is when it gets set at the highest sensitivity (10)it doesn't play but if I turn it down slightly it works perfectly.This has provided hours of entertainment for my family.

Never worked very well.
Maybe we were using this incorrectly, but it never seemed to work very well. Music stopped and started sporadically. Kind of a disappointment for [$$].

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Electronic    4. Music    5. Activity    6. Musical   

Editorial Review

This award-winning globe could help children become A+ geographystudents. The Explorer Globe II is jam-packed with hundreds of facts, trivia,and useful scholastic information about every aspect of the geographical world.It electronically verbalizes everything from area population, capitolcity/country, state/province, large bodies of water, currencies, high points,distance, and more. Other remarkable features make the Explorer an even moreuseful reference tool. It has a world clock that, once set from your home area,will tell the time in every other part of the world. And any country can beselected to hear a sample its national music (yes, Tahiti does have a nationalanthem). The globe sits on a sturdy base, which features a dashboard full ofinteractive functions and an attached soft-tipped stylus. This stylus is the keyinstrument: use it to touch virtually any point on the surface of the globe toretrieve information. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Problem Stylus?!!
Got it as a birthday gift for our daughter - great product to teach kids about "the world around" and she adores it.

The product lacks precision and accuracy. At the beginning the problems started with identification of smaller state/country and later ended up in total chaos. Manufacturer suggested replacing the stylus (FYI - Leap Frog identifies this as a generic complaint and will replace 2 styluses free of cost), but the problem continues to exist. Leap Frog once again suggesting the stylus replacement!?

Just wondering if I could get a total replacement and the product remain worry free for a while!

great
this is a great globe bout it for my daughter for her communion she loves it thanks

Not builtto last
My kids who are 11 and 8 got this globe for Christmas.They had it for about two weeks when it suddenly died.I thought maybe it was the batteries so I changed them and it still did not work.They never really got any use out of this.In the brief time that I did work it always acted as if it were "shorting out" or something.This toy is NOT worth the money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Geography    4. Activity   

Editorial Review

IlluStory is a multi-award winning kit that lets you write and illustrate your very own professionally typeset, hardbound book! This kit includes markers and special book pages for creating an original story that is mailed to the publisher in the postpaid envelope provided. Each book features up to 12 pages with 20 typeset words, and includes a Title page, Dedication page and a special "About-the-Author" page. The author's name, book title and illustration are laminated onto the cover. You have your choice of six cover colors to choose from. Additional reproductions and rush service are optional. The IlluStory kit now offers an Internet production option that includes online drawing tools and allows for more words per page, a choice of font styles and colors, and faster delivery times at no extra cost. IlluStory has won many prestigious awards such as the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award; Dr. Toy Best Toy Award; Parents' Choice Classic Award and the Family Life's Best Learning Toy Award. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Watch out -- only limited text is allowed!
Beware! -- this kit only allows 20 words per page and only contains 12 pages. I returned it because I wanted something where my 10-yr-old neice could write a short story.
(I think this is why it's recommended for ages 5-9.)

EXTREMELY GREAT PRODUCT!
We ordered these for our children for last year's Christmas, it was about the best thing they've ever recieved! It challenged them to come up with their very own story, using thier imagination and when the books arrived, they were so proud! They gave a copy of their books to thier teachers at school and copies to thier Grandparents. We will be ordering more of these for the kids and also to have on hand for birthday parties, or other gift giving occasions involving kids. I highly recommend these.

AWESOME
This was a gift to our 5 year old son for his birthday and the finished product is going under the Christmas tree for grandparents this year.What a wonderful and creative idea.My son had so much fun creating his story and we spent a lot of quality time together in the process. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Arts and Crafts    3. Learning    4. Drawing    5. Markers    6. Paper Crafts   

Reviews (5)

*Star* of Lego
This is a blasted coooooooooooooooooooool toy! It is so fun! And it is not boring! It has so many secrets! And it includes many mini-figurines.(cool ones)Buy It!

not as good as megabloks dragons
Lego isnt that fun nowadays. all they really do is just get rights from movies and make there own sets from that idea like spiderman, starwars, and all that stuff. and lego isnt that cheap either, you would usualy see this sets price(...).
and most of the pieces are small and undetailed. i still like my legos, but mega bloks products especailly dragons are way cooler that orient expedition. See it your self at your local toy store or on megabloks.com

Not the best out there
This is a nice toy but, the megabloks dragon sets are better for older/colectors get this toy if you want to have fun building not just have something that looks nice which the mega bloks dragon sets look very nice. ... Read more

Editorial Review

For kids who want to experience the magic of growing their own garden, this kit is a fun andinventive experience. It contains everything you need to grow a small terrarium complete with an entirecommunity of tiny fantastical inhabitants. Paint the special planter with the paints (three primary colorsincluded), fill with soil, and then plant the enclosed beans and grass seeds. Then it's time to arrange the tinyfairy cottage, use the green pebbles to make a tiny path, and decorate the garden with the rocks, shells, and plastic animals that come with the kit. As the beans sprout and grow, you can cut and shape them sothey look like miniature trees--and for variety, add pepper, lemon, cantaloupe, and tomato seeds and watchjust what comes up. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

AWESOME GARDEN!
I bought this for my 5 year old for christmas, and she had a ball painting the planter and then planting the seeds. Once it started to grow, we have had a ton of fun trimming and caring for the garden.I let her play with her polly pocket dolls on it because it belongs to her and she uses it as her "enchanted fairyland."So what if a little dirt gets on the floor, it cleans up.This is by far one of the few times I have not felt like I wasted my money.My 8 year old son even likes to be the landscaper.

garden
according to my 10 year old daughter"This little garden is a great thing to have . I love coming home from school each day and seeing how it had grown since morning. It grows so fast you almost don't have to wait. the grass comes up fast and the beans soon follow.it looks cute in the window . I love it !! "

Erin"s Jungle
I bought this for Xmas for my 6 yr. granddaughter. I wanted to have something to do while I was visting, and that she could enjoy once I went home. I let her do it herself. Grass and beans were planted wherever she decided. Of course she planted both everwhere. Within 2days the grass was up. The beans appeared the next day.My son just sent me a picture. The grass is taller than the house and the beans are everywhere. You can hardly see the house. I laughed my socks off. She doesn't want to cut the grass. Now if I could find out what grass they used,maybe I could get some to grow in my yard. Great gift. She invites her friend over to view the jungle. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Pretend Play    3. Gardening    4. Arts and Crafts    5. Craft Kits   

Editorial Review

This neon green and grape roller coaster is impressive in both size andscope. When fully built the coaster stretches 6 feet long and stands 3 feethigh. The directions are detailed and clear, and we had no trouble putting ittogether. It did take us a bit over five hours, though, and it's likely that anychild under 12 will need parental assistance. But assembling it is half the fun.When finished, the track careens so hazardously, it's hard to believe the carswill stay on, but they do! The plastic chain hauls the three cars up slowly,just like a real roller coaster, and the sound effects box re-creates the noiseso perfectly you'll squirm with anticipation. After reaching the top and passingthrough the serpent's mouth, the cars begin their dizzying descent past thesound effects box, which has now switched to emitting enthusiastic and terrifiedscreaming. Gravity and centrifugal force whip the little cars along the rest ofthe track until at last it reaches the beginning of the ride, only to be towedup for another round. If you don't have 6 feet of space, there are instructionsfor a smaller version, and you can turn the sound effects off if you prefer toplay quietly. Entirely worth the time and effort, this is ideal as a familyendeavor. --M. Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (125)

GREAT BUILDING
Mon son got this for christmas and when I first saw it I thought "Oh no." But then once we opened it up and actually started to build it, WOW! I am always amazed by k'nex and how they make it work, it was a lot of fun to build, took about 5-6 hours ( We are not experts yet on the k'nex) but well worth the effort. It has withstood being moved from room to room, having the dog topple it over and being jumped on by the friends who have played with it. It comes with the option of a small or large track (we went for the large) and the instructions are easy to follow. My kids, 8 and 5, have not grown tired of it yet. Definitely a better buy.

A great toy!
I (...) built this toy when I was ten. This toy works very good if put together right. Many people would think this is a very hard toy but It really wasn't at least for me.

I give this 5 stars

Fantastic!
This easily is the best present that my 8 year old son has ever received.Even though it took about 5 hours for my husband and son to assemble, the assembly was easy, with color coded pieces and a clear instruction manual.Once it was finished, we all sat in awe.It looks like something out of an amusement park!We all sat and watched this thing go around for about an hour.My husband and I like it as much as our son does.We highly recommend this! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction    2. Building Sets    3. Models    4. Activity   

Editorial Review

This lacquered child's guitar is a great first instrument for young enthusiasts, or kids who just want to jam with an adult. It embodies every feature professional electric guitars do; all parents need to supply are lessons. At 30 inches, it's not intimidating but inviting. Its just the right size for elementary school amateurs, but its small, smooth body (including a solid maple neck and fingerboard), real steel strings, and "vintage" coil make it sound and feel as real as a grownup's guitar. A headphone jack can be used for speakers, and the output jack next to it can be used for the amplifier.--Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Put this item in perspective.
There are some real morons typing reviews for this guitar.
This is by no means a high quality professional guitar and don't expect it to be so. It's a beginners toy that comes complete with an amp for around $60! You can't get a real quality guitar with an amp at that price. There's no sense in paying more if you're not sure if the kid getting it is going to follow through with actually learning to play it.
I did have a string break while tuning it put replaced all of them for less than $6 and it actually improved the sound. I've been playing it daily for about a month and am still on the first battery.
Instructions aren't in the box but if they were the price would be higher. Go buy a quality "How to play" book at a music store and it will tell you everything from tuning to playing it. Online lessons are out there for free.
You can't beat this item for what it's meant to do, i.e. introduce a child/adult into playing an instrument.
Now, quit expecting wine on a beer budget and buy this model.

Great gift
My son received this guitar as a gift and he thinks the world of it.He is always playing it and he thinks that it is the best gift ever.He is 8 years old and this is the perfect size for him to handle.The only problem we had which was easily fixed by a friend who plays guitar is that one of the strings became loose after playing around with it the first time.I would recommend this for any young wannabe guitar player.

A Great Guitar
I think this guitar is a very good product and durable. It is a good learning devise. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Electronic    3. Music    4. Stringed Instrument    5. Musical Instruments    6. Stringed Instruments    7. Learning    8. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)   

Reviews (20)

GREAT Butterfly Kit!
I have been rasing butterflies for 5 years and I LOVE this kit! It's so cool to see them chow down on their nutrient and then change into a chrysalis. I have a suggestion:DO NOT move your caterpillars around a lot, they are delicate and when moved too much, it kills them. Keep them in a quiet, warm place and watch and learn! I have chrysalids right now and they are almost ready to hatch! Tip: mist your chrysalids every other day. This increses the chance that they'll emerge healthy!

Wonderful--Raise generations of butterflies!
My son (age 5) got this from his grandparents for Christmas and it has been terrific fun for all of us.The first set of ten caterpillars grew visibly day-by-day, then pupated and emerged as butterflies in a few weeks.There is a lot of great information about painted lady and other butterfly species online and having this project got my son very interested in how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly so soon I found myself showing him multi-colored pictures of imaginal discs (the larval structures that produce the butterfly wing, leg etc. during metamorphosis) online at websites I found--a great way to get him interested in developmental biology.The first time we talked about this he decided they were actually "magical discs", given what these groups of cells can do...the whole process has been very entertaining for the whole family....It is also really fun to have butterflies flitting around and caterpillars growing in the pavilion in the kitchen when it is gray and wintery outside.

How to raise more than one generation of critters inside:
Since we sent our coupon for larvae out immediately after Christmas, we had butterflies dancing around the pavilion and mating in February when there were no plants outside to collect for the next generation of caterpillars to eat.Anticipating this, I ordered a mallow plant and some additional larval food from Carolina Biological Supply Company at about the time when our caterpillars turned into chrysalises:there is an online store and the stuff to get is the L918 culture medium (144040).This will feed about 80 larvae.(Unfortunately the Insect Lore company, which makes the Pavilion, only sells caterpillar food in small quantities along with additional larvae, which we certainly didn't need).

How to do it:We set the mallow plant in the pavilion and the butterflies laid their eggs on the leaves where we could watch them darken and emerge as very tiny 1mm long new caterpillars.After 4-5 days of watching the caterpillars eat the mallow plant (making little tracks on the leaves) we prepared them new homes in caterpillar media.To do this, you can use either the original plastic containers that the first generation larvae are shipped in (clean them out and dish wash them) or use another small clear-sided plastic or glass jar with a lid.Clean the containers well (I wiped the inside with a paper towel with isopropyl alcohol on it after dishwashing to kill bacteria, which will contaminate the food and make the larvae sick).The food will come in two plastic containers (nearly full).One of these can be frozen for subsequent generations.Transfer the contents of one container to a covered microwaveable container and heat on medium in the microwave (swirling every 10-30 seconds to mix and avoid overheating) until it is a solution.Pour media into the bottoms of the larvae containers to a depth of about a quarter inch (this will make 4-5 new containers).If there is a lot of condensation on the sides after the media has hardened, you can wipe this away with a paper towel--I did this, but then again alcohol-wiped the inside solid surfaces and lid above the media.Cover the containers loosely (leave the lid slightly ajar) and put them somewhere to dry.I laid a clean paper towel over the collection of covered jars to keep dust/dirt from drifting in given the activity level of the children here.After a couple days of drying, these were ready for larvae.If necessary (ie., if not using the previously shipped containers) make very, very small air holes in the lid.Then use a toothpick or matchstick to collect each 2-4 mm long larva off of the mallow plant leaves and tap to drop them into the new container.Put a clean paper towel over the top of the container (under the lid) and re-cap the jar--now the paper will serve as a scaffold for new chrysalises to hang from and will allow air in while preventing the tiny caterpillars from escaping.Try to be relatively aseptic about this.

It appears that we're going to get about 20-30 new caterpillars from the first generation, which I should be able to accommodate with the larvae cups made above...hopefully by the time we've run out of this food and been through a couple more generations it will be summer and warm enough to release all of the butterflies we have outside.The pavilion is well made and sturdy enough that it should accommodate many other projects involving insects.All in all, we've been entirely pleased with this--a great gift that's had my son on the phone describing his butterflies' recent development to grandma and grandpa several times!

One more tip:the adult butterflies seem to become upended on the floor of the pavillion at times while they are flapping around and have trouble gaining traction to right themselves on the slick nylon surface.This shortened the lives of several of ours until I saw it happening and put some packing material (like easter straw) in there for them to stand on.

Wonderful for child and parent
My two daughters, ages 5 and 8, each received one of these as a Christmas present.We sent away for the caterpillars and they arrived in one week.I have to admit that even I, as an adult, really enjoyed watching the progress of the caterpillars as they transformed into beautiful butterflies.My only compaint is that we weren't prepared when two of the butterflies became entangled in the webbing surrounding the cocoon.There was nothing in the instructions about what to do so we had to watch the butterflies suffer until they finally died from exhaustion.We told the kids that it was simply part of nature.Other than that, what a great experience! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science    3. Bugs   

Reviews (11)

Best way to learn about Electricity without *wires* !
Outstanding game which *grows* with your child -- as you can upgrade the kit. Projects range from simple to complex. Snapping connections is easy for the kids. Just as an example, my child quickly picked up the concepts of "switches" once he assembly the first few projects. Also helps in troubleshooting -- what is the diff bet. a open and closed circuit ?

Only "con" -- wish there was more details about the project and how does it work. Many project are variations of a "base" project. Say -- substitute bulb with the Motor.

As an enhancement it will be very cool to have small LEDs on the connections showing the flow of electricity !!

Overall a must have science kit for children ! You won't waste your money on this one !

great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This a great Circuit set I loved playing with it and you can even make your own curcuits It is very educational and fun.
I think this a five star product for anybody who likes science or circuit sets, it also not very complicated so a child doesnt even need help because it is so easy and fun.

A fun toy that stimulates thought. . .
I bought a similar kit (Radio Shack's Electronics 202 Snap Kit, same manufacturer though) for my 7 year old daugher who loves puzzles for Christmas.

I never saw her open it and it migrated to the bottom of the pile (she didn't know what it was).I discovered it unopened a few days ago (1 day after Xmas, basically) and told her what it was all about.We started making things (the 1st project is a light with a switch) and she fell in love with it.I had to head off to work.When I came home, she took the kit back out (she had put all the pieces back into their shipping slots so as not to lose anything) and showed me some 'cool projects'.The 202 kit has a motor & a spinning disc that she found to be very neat.

I've taken the time to explain polarity and she's listened.She knows how to check her work before testing her projects.When things don't work right, she's learned some trouble-shooting procedures to identify a potentially open circuit (missing a snap segment?) or a reversed diode.

Last night she built an AM radio that actually worked (though very low volume).

I've started to show her how to substitue parts (lowering the speaker volume on sound projects by placing a higher value resistor in series, etc).

My only regret is that I didn't realize there was a more complete kit (Electronics 303 Snap kit) that can interface to a Computer too. . .

If you have a child that is into building blocks, puzzles, or is inquisitive as to how things work (this basically sums up all children) this is a must. . .

btw:My older daugher (9) and my son (4) will flock to us when we are working on 'cool projects' now.

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science   

Reviews (20)

a ten-year-olds point of veiw!!!!!!!
in the reveiws, i saw alot of age ranges, from 2 1/2 to 12!!!!!! This toy is great if you like dinosaurs and my friend is 11 and has this toy too. i like playing with it alot (it is fun for the dinosaurs to attack my Geotrax train set!....witch is also a great toy you can find on amazon) these dinosaurs are great (5 thumbs up to my favorite dinosaur the brachosaurus, who is also the biggest in the set i should add.....) But at first when i was getting this toy i was looking forward to the playmat, but now i dont even play with that or the rocks, volcanos or tree's, dinosaurs are the best part. and i realized that i actually put this toy back! i have a whole lot of toys and most of them are still out this very moment!!!!!!!! and i really like reading there names at the bottom of each dinosaur!!!!!!! Overall, this toy is a big hit (and for you moms out there, my mom tells me that this toy keeps me busy and quiet so she can relax!!!!!) and i totally reccomened it! i hope you enjoyed seeing a childs point of veiw on this toy!!!!!

Hours of fun
I bought this for my three year old son.He loves it.It comes with a plastic play mat and over 10 dinosaurs, plus trees, rocks and two volcanoes. He loves it and it entertains him for hours.But the best part for me is the plastic storage tub.Everything fits easily back in, and it takes up very little space (around the size of a large shoe box).

DINOmite!
If you have a child who loves dinosaurs then this is the toy for him/her! It's perfect size for (not to small where the pieces will get lost and not too big to store) and it comes with it's own storage container (I wish every toy came with it's own storage container). You child will spend hours of creative play with this great toy! I highly recommend it! And you can't beat the price! My 5 yr. old son set this up in his bedroom and he plays for hours up there. He LOVES it! I think I might buy him another set just to add more to his collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pretend Play    2. Animals    3. Dinosaurs    4. Play Sets   

Editorial Review

A discerning laser tagger packs a sidearm built by top-selling LaserChallenge--the best of the best opts for LC's Radar Extreme, a tricked-out IR blaster thatboasts a 350-foot range. The Radar Extreme set outfits two elite gun-fighters with laserpistols and sensor vests, complete with convincing digital sound effects. Improving onthe Team Force 2000 set, Laser Challenge's Next Generation pulls out all the stops. Thegun sports a Max Blast option (one shot counts for three), a silent mode and autoor semi-auto fire. The vest can be strapped on or clipped to your belt, and its electroluminescent display is visible at 350 feet (although you may wish LC had left out this feature whenyour deadeye buddy guns you down). --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (54)

I keep shooting myself!
Everytime i shoot the gun i just happen to shoot myself! Even when i'm pointing the gun someplace else, i still shoot myself. Maybe I threw something away that I shouldn't have, I'm not sure....oh, and also , how do you make teams, my mom bought two packs and my whole family can't figure it out. If anyone had similar problems please give feedback or something.

Great Fun Outdoors, Not So Good For Indoor Use.
The guns have a pretty far range. And you have to have a steady hand. When testing them out,I would be able to aim at least 5 feet away from the vest and get a hit off. I thought about how much that would suck when playing in real life. Then I noticed that the vest was next to a reflective object.I then hung it on a nail about waist high.After that,you really have to start aiming at the vest to hit it. And let me tell you,it's not very easy. Just try not to play indoors too much,or you'll be accused of cheating.

One of the reasons I got this set,was because of the "Silent" feature.But,I never found it.I think I heard someone mention that the power switch must be a certain way,but it was only on/off in mine.If someone can point me in the right direction on this one, i'd really appreciate it.

The game itself is really fun to play,especially at night.One fun scenario you might want to try is one-hit elimination.I just thought of it when I bought it.Basically,you set the game up and everyone gets shot 9 times.When the warning alarm turns on,then you can begin the game.This brings real strategy into the game because if you get hit once,it's all over. You should also try this with "capture the flag".

Another thing is, that this game isn't only for little kids.It's pretty fun to play with other adults as well. So if your an adult looking for an alternative to the expensive sport of paintball,or you just dont want to buy airsoft,this is the next best thing.

Pretty decent toy
Got this as a birthday gift for my 9-year-old.It wasn't what he asked for but turned out to be a "hit"...no pun intended.We all took turns and, although it isn't always accurate, it's still a lot of fun.The sounds alone are enough to get him and his "videogame addicted" friends up and running around for a change.It seems durable enough, and rechargeable batteries are probably a good idea.Although after a day of continuous play, the batteries are still going strong.It's a great toy for any kid that loves to act out the video games they sit and play. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Sports    3. Games    4. Electronic   

Reviews (29)

Future American Idol!
My kids adore this machine!Not only does it go through all the ABC's, shapes, and favorite songs, but it gives them a chance to sing to the music too.They love the microphone effect.Make sure you stock up on batteries!My kids run them out because they use it all the time.I would definately invest in some earplugs if you don't like listening to all that music.I find it very cute when my kids go around singing those songs, though.

Leapfrog does it again.....
We bought this toy for my daughter's 2nd birthday and she loves it.I have had no problems with this toy at all.This has a volume feature and my daughter loves singing into the microphone.The songs this plays are great too!All in all, leapfrog has done it again with another great toy.

My daughter couldn't hear herself sing.
The volume for the microphone is so low that it is hard to hear the child singing.Also the microphone cord when moved causes static and if the mic is too close to the speaker it will cause high pitch noices. Lastly the voice comes out sounding muttled and that is not when I was using the voice effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Math    6. Alphabet    7. Music    8. Activity    9. Musical    10. Counting   

Editorial Review

The manufacturer assures you can "make movies like they do in Hollywood." That's a stretch, but kids with lots of ideas can still work wonders with this handheld digital video recorder. Besides making movies, still images and audio can be recorded, allowing for a number of other innovative media projects. The included software provides a kid-friendly interface for editing, mixing, animation, special effects, and multimedia use. The finished products can be viewed on a computer or e-mailed to friends. A couple of notes: the camera can record only 4 minutes at a time. Your little director would have to record and splice a slew of takes to make a full, feature-length piece. And, it's not Mac-compatible. The PC specifications seem multitudinous, but they're actually no more than most current computers already feature. The majornecessary component is a USB port (cable included) as without it, recorded material can't be downloaded. Four AAA batteries are required for the camera. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Questions
To all the people who bought this: Do you have to watch it on a computer? or can you put the little disc thingie in a DVD player? Please answer me!

It isn't just a toy!
While most people would look at it and think it's a cheap plastic toy, it is nothing of the like. Most proffesional filmmakers would look down on it and scoff at the four miniute limit, but hey, if you're making a movie close to your house, then it doesn't matter. Also, being only four miniutes, those four miniutes are going to be super-high quality. Having editing software included is a big plus, and the conveneint USB cord makes it just as good as my webcam, even better. This is not a toy, even though its awesome low price might lead to beleive otherwise. This is an awesome product, absoloutley awesome. A great idea for any kid who ever wanted to make or star in his own film.

Great Present
This toy is really fun and it truly helps you with projects. My friends and I love to make movies. This is a great present. One thing is for sure: you won't find the toy at the bottom of your child's toy closet. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Electronic    3. Cameras