Editorial Review

The Howdy Doody Show was a phenomenal success. After its1947 crossover from radio to television, lines to see the show weretremendous, as fans were eager to watch the antics of the spunky,freckle-faced marionette and his cohorts. Goldberger's Howdy Doodyventriloquist doll is a playful reminder of those days. He's the mirrorimage of Buffalo Bob's pal, with everything but the strings. He hasfiery hair, great big ears, wide blue eyes, and a liberal peppering offreckles. Howdy sports a dark blue neckerchief, sunny yellow armbandsover a red plaid shirt, and red-and-white plastic cowboy boots. He's a30-inch, lightweight stuffed fellow with a vinyl head and hands. Thestring pull hidden on his back gets his jaw a-flappin'. The doll'saction is a bit stiff--it takes some expert positioning to keep Howdy'shead from following the motion of the string--but after a littlepractice it gets better. Included in the case is a set of simple,encouraging (and quaintly illustrated) black-and-white instructions forthe beginning ventriloquist. You'll want to practice in front of amirror before you lasso your own admiring fans. It's Howdy Doody time!--Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cool and fun
I looked all over for my son and daughter for venntriloquist dolls.These provided hours of amusement and play... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls    2. Stuffed Toys    3. Puppets    4. Pretend Play    5. Wacky    6. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Wacky    2. Gross   

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Outdoor Play    3. Activity    4. Wacky   

Reviews (2)

Great toy, easy to put together.
I love Lego sets because you can actually "play" with them when they are done.I bought this set along with the big Air comp and my son and I raced for a while with it.

Snowboard Boarder Cross Chase is fantastic!
I bought the Snowboard Boarder Cross Chase for my 10-year old on his birthday last week and he just loves it!He plays with it every day -- he had great fun building it and has had an amazing time playing with it.He has quite a lego collection and this has to be one of his all-time favorites.An excellent lego and highly recommended!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

While few have ever wondered what would happen if you combined the delightfully odd SpongeBob SquarePants with the classically bizarre Mr. Potato Head, it's happened. And the world is better for it. This set features a basic SpongeBob doll that can be accessorized with three different sets of eyes, two mouths, two arms, a hat, a spatula, a net, a jellyfish, and Gary the snail. From there, you're free to alter SpongeBob's moods or locate him at home or at work making Krabby Patties. We found the component parts to be easily interchangeable and the toy to be as addictive as SpongeBob's TV show. Hopefully future editions will feature SpongeBob's pals Patrick and Squidward. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (11)

No storage
It is just like Mr. Potato Head except not as many pieces.There aren't very many options to dress SBSP, but he is always a fun toy.After a year of play, he is a little torn at the edges, but overall in good shape.

Not Mr. Potato Head
I should have paid more attention to the reviews. He is top heavy. There's also no way to store the extra parts like Mr. Potato Head. But I love Spongebob anyway and he's now a part of my collection.

Spongebob
This is not worth the money! Spongebob is so top heavy that he doesn't stand up on his own! I don't see anyone else that listed this as a problem, maybe its just us! haha ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Wacky   

Subjects:  1. Wacky    2. Gross   

Editorial Review

Lite Brite offers a whole new dimension to creative play with the latest rendition: the Lite Brite Cube. While the space to create on is a bit smaller, artists now have four pegged panels into which they can poke colors. The cube requires adult assembly, but once that’s done, it’s just like you remember. Choose a design sheet from the eight included--or go freeform with solid black paper--and start plugging colored pegs into their respective spots. Over 500 pegs are included in a rainbow of colors, and the cube has two drawers to store them in. (These drawers fall out quite easily and can cause a mess of spilled pegs, so be careful when transporting.) New to the peg world are Power Pegs--up to four of the same colored peg molded together for quicker completion. The Lite Brite Cube has a blue plastic handle at the top so artwork can be carried around (and shown off) easily. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Disappointment from alongtime Lite Brite fan...
I am a (...)college student at the University of Pennsylvania and I recently received the Lite Brite Cube as a gift from my dear mother.It was a wonderful gift idea, as I have always loved Hasbro's Lite Brite series of play things.When I first opened the Lite Brite Cube on that magical morning in May, my eyes filled with tears.These were not tears of sadness mind you, but tears of pure joy.I had a feeling my mother would get me the Lite Brite Cube, but it wasn't until it was sitting there in front of me, shining with all its beautiful lights and colors, that I knew it was for real.My mother really loved me, she knew the Lite Brite Cube was my only desire -- my only love.

Once I wiped away the tears and took a nap with my mother to calm down, I used the Lite Brite Cube for the first time and, I must say, I was extremely disappointed by the overall quality of this particular product.In years past, I have always used my Lite Brite to make pictures of my favorite things in life: flowers, bunny rabbits, and especially, CANDY!!I love CANDY!But whenever I tried to make pictures of CANDY on the Lite Brite Cube, the black coating would peel off and cause me extreme discomfort.It got to the point where I couldn't even use the Lite Brite Cube, for the discomfort it cause me was so severe.I began losing control of my bodily functions every time I so much as thought about the Lite Brite Cube -- all because of the disappointment I was feeling at a crucial element of my youth ruined by the corporate codfeathers who designed the Lite Brite Cube.

While I recommend the original Lite Brite(Tm) to any mother looking for the perfect gift for her college son, I simply cannot give my reccomendation to the Lite Brite Cube.I'm sorry......very, very sorry.I love you mom.

The good news and the bad news....
I have a six year old daughter who is a calm player. She has two wild child friends who are very destructive, ages seven and ten. The Good News:
One rainy day I pulled out one of her Christmas gifts: the four sided LITE BRITE CUBE and they all played very nicely and quietly for an hour or two. Believe it or not none of them had ever seen a LITE BRITE before! I thought "What a gem....a great toy IMPROVED UPON by making it four sided so a bunch of kids can all play at once with very little "Gimmee! Gimmee!" (they tryed to fight over colored pegs...but there are little shelves to hold the pegs in nicely).
The bad news:
The pages went very quickly! And I'm havin a devil of a time finding refills. I asked my friends "Do they make them? They must!" Well, searching online I found out they DO indeed make them (in popular pictures like SCOOBY DOO and SPONGEBOB) but, man oh man, they cost about $5.99 for 8 sheets!!! Thats too much! For $5.99 you should at least get, say, TWENTY sheets!!!

WHERE'S THE OLD LIGHT BRIGHT??
I GOT THIS LIGHT BRIGHT FOR MY 7 YEAR OLD VISUALLY IMPAIRED SON TO HELP WITH FINE MOTOR AND THINKING IT WOULD BE LIKE THE OLD LIGHTBRIGHTS.HE HAS AN OLD ONE AT HIS G'MAS THAT HE ENJOYS.
ON THE LIGHT BRIGHT CUBE YOU MUST USE THE PAPER OR THE PEGS FALL OUT.FOR HIM FEELING THE HOLES TELLS HIM WHERE TO PUT THE PEGS AND WHEN YOU PUT THE PAPER ON HE CANNOT FEEL THE HOLES!I REMEMBER THE OLD LIGHT BRIGHTS THAT YOU COULD USE THE PAPER OR NOT AND THE PEGS STILL STAYED IN, THESE PEGS FALL OUT WITHOUT THE PAPER.IT WAS A DISSAPOINTMENT.GUESS I WILL LOOK FOR THE OLD STYLE AT A YARDSALE.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Wacky   

Reviews (18)

My son loves it
Our whole family likes playing with this toy.The thing is that we can't find the refill stink pods.We have checked everywhere we know to check and no one wants to use us find them.Even the manufactor won't help.Like I said we love the toy and want to continue to play with it, but without the refill stink pods the toy is useless.

HOLY CRAP THIS REEKS!!! i mean rocks
Hey all
it is i
your fellow companion,
Jonathin Quentle,
here to tell u about another of my many toys.
This one i had a predicament about....
what are the stink pods filled with? Well the answer is simple...
I dont actually know the answer but im sure it's simple.
After using both pods a few times, the stink tends to run out.
My suggestion? fill it with common household items such as crap, maybe a little yellow stuff but i dont reccomend that becuz u wanr=t the crap to be as tough and durable as possible. The crap is actually better than the regular pods because not only does it deal out a great amount of stink but also a nice dirty stain that wont wash out.
Have fun with this great toy. Let it's stink fill the air like a great magical stinky wonderland. It will fill your senses with excitement and joy (and stink) in which youve never experienced before.
till next time, im
Jonathin Quentle!!!

You get what you pay for......
I bought this toy for my son for Christmas. He absolutely loved it. As far as all the bad reviews about how strong the smells are, well, you get what you pay for. It definately does what it says and afterall, isn't that why you bought it in the first place. It's great to see that a toy finally does what it is advertised to do. It literally brought tears to our eyes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Wacky    2. Gross   

Reviews (23)

GREAT FOR BOYS
THIS TOY IS THE ULTIMATE BOY TOY.MY LITTLE BROTHER ORDERED THESE AND LOVED THEM.YOU CAN LITTERALLY PUNCH SOMEONE AND IT WON'T HURT A BIT.YOU JUST BLOW THEM UP AND THATS ALL.I EVEN SOMETIMES PLAY WITH THEM.THIS TOY IS FOR LITTLE AND BIG KIDS,UNLIKE SOME PRODUCTS.MY ADVICE TO YOU IS ,BUY THIS TOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a little disapointed
this was the must have toy for my soon to be 4 year old son this year. in fact he only wanted this and didn't ask for any thing else. he was beside himself when he opened them Christmas morning and played with them on and off all day,now 24 hours later they already have a leak. we are very disapointed i didn't expect them to last very long, a month at best, but 1 day is a little much. i will probably replace them because he loves them so much but it's a shame they can't make them a little more durable

STUPID PEOPLE
This is a great toy. the lady you dislocated her sons arm, is stupid! Why would you continually yank at your sons arm, until it was out of the socket, is beyond belief. It everyone out there, this is a great toy, and like another review said, all you have to do it release the suction before removing your arm!! if you are an idiot then Sock'em Boppers are not for you, if your not an idiot then buy this, your kids will be just fine!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Wacky   

Subjects:  1. Cards    2. Playing Cards    3. Wacky    4. Activity    5. Games    6. Card Games   

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Activity    3. Outdoor Play    4. Wacky   

Subjects:  1. Wacky   

Reviews (3)

molly's advise reveiw
If you buy this for your child then you are making the right decision because this toy will tech your child how gravity works.This toy will also last along time and it will stay in contact.It will stay in contact for awhile because the lego don't break but it might fall apart.

am.........
ok well its ok to build but small and not durble. i think it was pretty fun.

This is the greatest Lego Sports set ever
Not only is easy to put together, which my finger pads appreciate, but there are a ton of different things that you can do with this set.We bought this for my 7 year old during a 4 day cabin vacation, and he literally played with it the entire time. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ITS THE BEST
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE BEST AND THE CHEEPEST ONE. WELL IT IS FOR YOU AND ME.

craig cd player
this cd player is very good. i have had mine for over a year and it just broke a week ago. its very, very durible. if ur lookin 4 a cd player that will last, this is the one.

Go Craig
This player is stylish,durable,and best of all silver! I gave this product 3 stars for education value because you can also listen to edu.cds. It's keeps you very busy on road trips ranging from 5 minutes to 2 hours. I really enjoy it. I've never not brought it with me in the car except when I've forgotten it(which I hardley ever do). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Electronic   

Reviews (1)

Hoberman Glow in the dark Mini Sphere
When looking for a gift for a child with autism or sensory issues this is one item that is sure to delight. Also suitable for an office buddy.This might pinch little fingers though.

Some may say they have a difficult time finding items for special needs kids to give for holiday gifts or birthday presents.

This will expand from 5 ½" to 12". The texture is very different and actually not pleasant for me due to having eczema on my hands. I feel it irritates my skin, but luckily both my sons have played with the Hoberman® Mini Sphere™ since I introduced it to them.

The Hoberman® Mini Sphere™ consists of black and neon green hubs. They can be snapped in place to keep the circled shape so you can roll it along the floor. We enjoyed the glow-in-the-dark effect by entering the bathroom and turning off the lights to see the magic.

The Hoberman® Mini Sphere™ almost resembles a miniature holiday tree in the upright position. This will stand flat and returns to this position after being opened. I had my non-verbal autistic son sit in front of me on the floor as I demonstrated the opening and closing sequence to the Hoberman® Mini Sphere™. This is quite mesmerizing to watch and it has a sound effect of the hubs flicking one another during this process.

This is a great stress buster for your desk at work or the home office and a fun crowd pleaser at a party. Since this is also glow-in-the-dark it would be good for outdoors in the summer time.

My older son liked to place his hand inside and twirl the Sphere around.The price is a bit steep, but it has stayed in great condition thus far. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science    3. Activity    4. Outdoor Play    5. Wacky    6. Glow-in-the-Dark   

Editorial Review

Children who love word games, logic puzzles, secret codes, mazes, and math mysteries will stretch their mental muscles with Visual Brain Storms. This set of 100 cards, each of which includes a humorous, full-color drawing, promises "the world's best brainteaser questions." The characters in the questions often have funny names (Professor Pith Bugby pops up often) or faces or dilemmas to solve. The answers and explanations are on the back of each card, along with a related bonus question. Many of the puzzles involve math concepts, spatial reasoning, logic, or sequential thinking, but some can be solved with plain common sense. Here's a sample: "Frank and Helen's annual singles elimination tennis tournament has drawn 18 players this year. How many matches must be played before there is a winner for the year?"Answer: "Every match will produce one loser, and every person other than the winner will lose once and only once. Eighteen players makes 17 losers; therefore it will take 17 matches to have a tournament winner." Visual Brain Storms is a humorous, painless way to improve those higher-order thinking skills. Visual Brain Storms: The Smart Thinking Game is for one or more players. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The thinking man's game!
Binary Arts is a leader in family and thinking games and Visual Brain Storm is the perfect example. Binary Arts gives you a game that can be played with one person or teams and the fun and entertainment is just the beginning.

The easy directions, printed on the box, have you playing inless than five minutes. The storage of the game is a breeze since the onlyparts are the game cards themselves. The hours of enjoyment and fun for thewhole family is what makes this game a sure fire winner.

The game callsfor ages 11 and up and some the cards may be a little too hard for theyounger crowd.In the solitaire version you play each card and scoreyourself. In the head to head you dived up into teams and you can put atime limit on each question.

Finally there is a team version which callfor you to place the card where everyone can see it, first team that thinksthey know answer calls out finished and the other teams have 1 minute leftto play. So if you're looking for a great party game Binary Arts may justhave the answer.

Absolutely the most fun educational toy I have ever seen!
I bought this toy for my 5 year old 2 years ago, when I startedhomeschooling and she is now doing the intermediate and advanced levels(which still challenge me). She always wants to play rush hour beforestarting her math lessons to put herself in a "mathematical mindframe" (her words). Every child who comes to our house & playsthis game is hooked and asks to play next time. I am a teacher byprofession and this is a very unintimidating logic & reasoning game(for all ages)- I would highly recommend! I have just ordered 5 more to give asx-mas gifts this year. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Brain Games    3. Cards    4. Playing Cards    5. Wacky    6. Activity    7. Family Favorites    8. Card Games    9. Learning   

Features

• The Simpsons Magic 8 Ball!
• This Special Edition Magic 8 Ball Game is completely customized.
• Ask it life's questions, shake it and then turn over The Simpsons Magic 8 Ball for your favorite Homerisms.
• Answers include: "D'oh!"
• , "You said it weirdo", and "WOO-HOO!"

Reviews (5)

Try this
to those who like the simspons like me the toyis great. the tv show is great how great can the toy be. the toy is different from others .It may break and the plastic may be sharp. i am willing to buy the toy but with a lower price

hillareous
this is a great holiday gift for those simpson lovers.Although i do agree with the other reviewer who says that the questions will not respond to yes or no questions like it should.Such as "Thank you come again".What these phrases do is show you the characters favorite catch phrases are such as D'oh!I'm suprised and disapointed that they didn't have ay curumba! (Bart)

Not Very Useful
Normally I love magic 8 balls. However this one is not very enlightening because the answers are not variants of yes or no. For example is "Mmm... Something" a positive or negative response? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Party Games    5. Grownup    6. Wacky   

Reviews (1)

Yes!
I thought I would never get this item till I went on Amazon.com!!!!!! I am crazy about poogles! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Wacky    2. Electronic    3. Interactive    4. Walking    5. Talking    6. Noise-Making   

Editorial Review

Bringing a new look to the classic peg solitaire game, here comes Hoppers. Since peg solitaire is a jumping game, what could be more natural than designing the pegs to resemble frogs? Players choose their preferred level of difficulty (from beginner to expert) and select one of the 40 cards included with the game. Following the diagram on the card, 4 to 12 frogs are placed on the game board lily pads. Then it's time to get hopping. Frogs leap over each other until there's only one left on the board. The beginner setups will be easy enough for most players to master quickly. The expert setups will take a lot of cogitation and some false starts before they're solved. If players have jumped and jumped and are still stumped, each card has the solution on the back. When play is done, frogs and playing cards can be tucked away in the nifty storage compartment beneath the game board.--Wendy Slotboom ... Read more

Reviews (7)

FUN WAY TO MASSAGE YOUR BRAIN!
This is a great toy to develop your child's strategic thinking. The game is relatively simple. Organize your frogs as per the cards, jump one frog over the other and remove the jumped-over frog. The objective is to leave just one frog. You can only jump `adjacent' frogs along the lines (see picture).

The recommended age is 8 but younger children (supervised!) are just as enthralled. I had to improvise on the instructions, but I've taught the concepts to two 3 year olds - my buddy's son and my own. You will be amazed that they get it!

It is the greatest travel game. My son got this when he was 3 years old, and 4 years later it is still his first choice when we ask him to pick some toys for a trip........and he has a GameBoy!!

It is very durable, constructed very well and has seen no wear in 4 years of regular use. This is one of the toys that'll, literally, last you a life-time.

This is definitely a precursor for any parent looking to teach their kids Chess. Solving each situation requires you to think a few steps ahead.

This is probably the least expensive way to develop a new dimension in your child's brain.

VARIATIONS:
This toy also comes with a single "Red Frog". The objective is to leave the red frog standing.

OTHER SIMILAR TOYS:
FlipIT - This toy made by the same company, is a more difficult version of Hoppers. It is a 4X4 grid with Turtles instead of Frogs. The turtles can be placed on their bellies (green side up) or can be turned-turtle (orange side up).
One jumps over the turtles but the turtles do not come off the board - they just flip over. They flip over each time they're jumped over - green to orange and orange to green. The objective is to turn all turtles the right (green) side up.

Hop Hop Hop
Another fun game for those who can't read or who can't read English. The youngest likes to put the pegs in. It is good practice setting up the games from the cards. The little frogs can get lost, but the neat box the game makes into helps with that. And, you don't need all the frogs to play most of the set ups.

I had a Hoppin' good time!
My friend got Hoppers as a birthday present and we all played it.It was really fun and it got more challenging as we went on.What you do is: You pick a card and place the frogs on the pgs of what the picture shows on the card. Then you take one frog and jump it over one.The one that it jumped over, take it off the peg.The object it to have 1 frog remaining.It is very educational because you have to think when you play it.It is very durable because there is a pull out drawer under it that you store the frogs and the cards in.It's a great game that you can play in the car, especially for long vacations.Hoppers is hours of fun for everyone! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Amphibians    4. Frogs    5. Brain Games    6. Puzzles    7. 3-D Puzzles    8. Wacky    9. Strategy Games    10. Brain Teasers    11. Activity    12. Family Favorites    13. Learning   

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Push and Pull Toys    3. Wacky    4. Activity    5. Vehicles    6. Play Sets    7. Pretend Play