Indoor and Outdoor Fun with the Playmobil (5238) Wireless RC Pirates Ship with Underwater Motor!

Thank you to Playmobil for sending us a sample remote control pirate ship for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are our own.

We receive toys to review several times throughout the year. You would think that when we review the toy, we just watch the kids play and interact with the toy and take notes for the review, but we don't. The truth is that my kids aren't allowed to get anywhere near the toys until I have played with them first! Any excuse I can have to play with toys is welcome. “Sure I will review that toy….”

Playmobil sent us the Pirates Ship with RC Underwater Motor to try out and review. I will admit I was excited to get my grubby hands on this one, likely more than any other toy we have reviewed. And we have reviewed some amazing toys.

The Pirates ship comes in a giant box and all of the parts are separated and bagged nicely. I love how Playmobil boxes are large enough to assemble your toys in, reducing the chance of lost parts.

At first, the assembly seemed a little bit intimidating (some kits are complex), but the ship came together fairly easily.  My 10 year old son was able to help with just about everything.

One aspect of the build was a bit hard and would have kept a child from assembling the ship alone. The rigging definitely requires an adult. To rig the ship you must carefully measure and cut string and then tie the pieces in a very particular way. Honestly, there may be some adults who would find it not so easy, but the detail of the rigging is wonderful when done and really adds to the impressiveness of the ship. The total build time with rigging was under 45 minutes, half of which was the rigging.

Like with all Playmobil sets, this RC Pirates Ship was designed with many fun details.  For example, the anchor has a perch and can be lowered down into the water with a crank.  There's also a hideaway for a treasure chest that is can be filled with golden doubloons, chalices, and other treasure.  The three included figures, came with a whole slew of swords, pistols, and more.

The ship looks fantastic, but how well does it work? . . . A great deal better than I was expecting. The ship moves faster than I expected and can turn in a much tighter radius than I would have guessed. Reverse is lethargic, but that didn't bother me at all. Masted pirate ships don't go in reverse in real life at all!  The motor was also surprisingly quiet.

The kids had a blast playing with the ship in water (after it was pried from my hands). Our 4 year old nephew had no problem controlling the ship. The wireless controls are intuitive and responsive.

I don't think I have ever met a Playmobil toy I didn't like,  but I certainly like the Pirates Ship with RC Underwater Remote the most so far. The kit is well designed, very high quality, and the play value is through the roof. The issue I had was not unexpected: The ship does not like rough or choppy water. It can handle a little bit, but this toy would not do well at the beach or a large lake, it really is for very small bodies of water like a pool or small fish pond.  That being said, the kids had a blast making waves in the pool so that the members of the ship's crew would lose their balance and fall down, just as they imagined pirates would do on the rough seas.

This Playmobil RC Pirate Ship has tremendous play value.  It can be played with outdoors in the water during the warmer months, but can also stand alone without the motor for indoor play.  This would be the perfect toy to keep in mind for upcoming Holiday gifts.  You can find out more about this and the other Playmobil pirate-themed toys at www.playmobil.us.

Transformers Construct-Bots Not Only Transform, But Introduce a New Form of Play with Interchangeable Parts

Thank you to Hasbro for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

We have two huge fans of Transformers in our house, so when we were sent the Hasbro Wheeljack and Ironhide Transformers Construct-Bots to “try” for ourselves, there was quite a lot of excitement. I quote “try” because who are we kidding, to play with!

The Elite Class Transformers Construct-Bots kits, but not the Scout Class, come in wonderful reusable cases instead of throw away boxes, what a great idea. The storage container-like cases can be used to store the disassembled kits or any other knick knacks you may have. I always ask myself why building block toys come in throw away boxes when it is so important to store and keep track of your parts after play. Nice touch.

The kits are bright and colorful and scream to be opened. Although the kits state they are for children 6 years old and up, the assembly was not easy for our 9 year old. A couple of the parts needed a bit more force to get them together than he could muster. Once assembled, the Construct-Bots are appropriate for kids aged 6+ to play with. The toys convert from vehicle to robot easily….. after a bit of practice. Once you master transforming one robot, you will be able to transform the others because they all have a similar design.  I can see a parent needing to help a younger user a few times to master the conversion (Our 9 year old did it fine on his own).

Unlike the classic Transformers, the Construct-Bots are made so that children can switch the parts between two or more bots. This requires at least partially disassembling each bot in order to reassemble them with new parts. Again, a child as young as 6 years old may have difficulty with this.

The fun factor is pretty much out of the park with these kits. Transformers, vehicles, guns, buggies, robots, all the usual things required to unleash some play fury. My only complaint is the material used for the tires. The tires are made of plastic and just don't feel right. They spin easily, but tires not made from rubber or silicon just aren't good enough by my standards. I would happily pay a little extra money to get the tires right, they are that important.

Although disappointed that the tires aren't made of rubber, the Transformers Construct-Bots are great fun and the kids love them. I cannot imagine that a child opening one of these kits as a gift this Holiday would be disappointed in any way.

At the Hasbro Construct-Bot website there are games, videos, and even an app for your smartphone or tablet to enhance your child's play. The kits sell for $9.99 and up and would make excellent gifts for any child from 6 to (*cough*) 43 years of age.

The LEGO Build-It Book, Vol. 1: Amazing Vehicles

Thank you to No Starch Press for providing a complimentary copy of this book to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lego’s have been part of my life since before I was the age my kids are now (6, 6, and 9). I am sure many of you are in the same situation and understand my thrill to see my kids enjoying a toy that was also such a huge part of my own childhood.

Whenever I get a chance to check out a LEGO product I jump at it. Recently we received the LEGO Build-It Book (Volume 1):  Amazing Vehicles and I was excited. Not only did I get to play with LEGOs, I had a grown up excuse to do it!

The Amazing Vehicles Book includes 10 sets of instructions for some very cool vehicles ranging from race cars to a baby stroller (that's right, a baby stroller!). As I expected, the instructions were colorful and precise. The book spends a few pages making sure readers understand some of the building concepts using a comic like style and layout. Although the book is slightly geared towards adolescent readers, it's definitely not too young for adult LEGO enthusiasts.

I started by heading out to my local LEGO store to buy all the parts I needed using the provided parts list. I estimated the parts would cost me less than $15. We own thousands of LEGOs already, but I thought it would be a nice touch to use the exact parts and colors used in the book.

Although I was able to get a few of the parts required at the store, they didn't have what I needed and the trip was mostly in vain (can a trip to a LEGO store ever truly be in vain?). I went home deciding I was going to use what I had and make the best of it. But isn't that part of the charm of playing with LEGO ? For the record, LEGO's Pick A Brick is an excellent online service where I could have ordered every single part I needed, but I felt like a kid again and wanted to play right away!

I’m going to cut to the chase and state I was not able to finish any of the projects in the book. The book's instructions were superb and easy to follow and 95% of the parts required are mostly common, but in the end I didn't have enough to finish anything. At first I was feeling like I failed in some way, but then I realized something:  I just played with LEGOs for a few hours and had a blast. And I am 43 years old!

After my attempts at making some cool vehicles, my kids weren't impressed and had me step aside, it was pro time. My 6 year old son Luke made his own interpretations of some of the book's designs.

Whether I finished any of the projects in the book is secondary to the fact that I had a blast trying. I felt like a 7 year old again pushing through my kids' mountains of LEGOs looking for that perfect piece or color. This LEGO Build-It Book book is an excellent guide and reference for any level of builder and I heartily recommend it. What an excellent companion to a LEGO kit for a gift. If you want a gift that's truly unique, order all the parts at Pick A Brick to go along with the book for a flawless LEGO experience!

You can learn more about LEGO Build-It Book (Volume 1):  Amazing Vehicles at Shop.Oreilly.com.  This paperback book retails for $19.95 and just $21.95 for both the paperback and the ebook.

Timeless Toys for Children

This post has been brought to you by Jennifer Viloria.

Choosing toys for you children can seem a daunting task especially with the range of options on the market. Toys go in and out of fashion every year, but there are some staple toy and game designs that have stood the test of time. Let’s take a look at some of the toy classics that seem to stay at the top of the charts, year in and year out.


The world of Lego . . .

Lego has come a long way since the company was first created in 1932 in Denmark. The brightly colored interlocking bricks are a firm favorite with children of all ages. Lego sets inspire and encourage children to use their imagination, developing their artistic creativity.

There are literally thousands of different sets of Lego toys available with a variety of themes including robots, outer space, the Wild West, towns, and cities, but you can still purchase a basic set for under $20. The company has also branched out with its range of video games, which can be enjoyed by children of all ages and can be played by the entire family.


Board Games to keep everyone happy . . .

Board games have always been a great choice to help children engage with others, learn skills such as letter recognition and reading, as well as helping to improve manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination. One of the main attractions is that these games promote a fun way of interacting together as a family, no matter the age range.

The good news is that despite the apparent technological takeover in terms of mobile interactivity and video gaming, favorites like Monopoly, Scrabble, and Hungry Hungry Hippos are still up there as some of the most popular pastimes available for families. It’s not hard to see why: these games provide lasting entertainment, even as your family grows and changes, providing plenty of value for your money at the same time.


Pocket money toys . . .

All toy shops carry what is known as pocket money toys. These are individual toys or toys that are part of a collection; think magic kits, Barbie toys, sticker sets, painting packs, and Play-Doh.  The list is virtually endless. These toys are not only fun for kids to collect but are cheap enough to be bought with your child’s allowance, meaning kids learn the value of money and saving from an early age.

Sometimes even the simplest toys are the best way to challenge a child, feed their curiosity, and boost their practical and mental skills. From building blocks to prompt a toddler’s hand-eye coordination to the most complex doll houses and space stations to fire up the imagination, these timeless toys are much more than easy entertainment.

Disruptus and Arrazzles . . . Two New Out-of-the-Box Thinking Games from Funnybone Toys

Thank you to Funnybone Toys for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Funnybone Toys is a leader in toys that not only are fun, but are artful and thought provoking as well. We have received games from them before and have loved them and still play them now. So when Funnybone offered us two more of their new games, Disruptus and Arrazzles, we knew they would become favorites quickly.

Disruptus is a hard game to explain, it’s more of a learn-by-doing game, but in a nutshell, you take two things and create something new and then everyone has fun rethinking the idea and making something new and/or improving upon it.

Please take two minutes to watch this video demonstrating the logic behind Disruptus.  It takes innovation and disruptive thinking to play and master this fun and entirely unique game. We had to adapt play to suit my 6 year old, but we all had a blast with this interesting game.

Arrazzles is a different kind of game because free thinking and design is how you play. Each octagon-shaped piece is slotted and features one metallic color on each side and they even have a hole in the middle to help you design with pipe cleaners, pencils, or whatever else you can find. Once connected, the colors bounce off one another and make the designs even better. To play, you can split the pieces up, or just place them all in the middle and have at it, designing whatever you want. Then, other players can try to figure out what you created or you can set themes and have everyone make something related to it.

This free play method really builds imagination and lets everyone get their creative juices flowing. These pieces are also really well built and thick so they are sure to stand up to many hours of play. We really love creating with this and this has found a permanent place in our living room because we pull it out so often.

Both Disruptus and Arrazzles retail for $24.99 on www.funnybonetoys.com.

BENDASTIX . . . a New Arts & Crafts Construction Toy

Thank you to BENDASTIX for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

BENDASTIX are a brand new way for children ages 6 and up to unleash their creative sides with no restraints. BENDASTIX are like other construction toys in that you can build anything your imagination designs but they are different because there are no rules and the possibilities for building are endless.

BENDASTIX are soft, bendable craft pieces that can be shaped and molded into anything and they never break. They are able to be used to build creatures, decorate items, things to wear, and much, much more. We received the Big Box Kit to try out and it came with close to 100 pieces of bendable fun!

We have made dragons, aliens, glasses, snakes, flowers, and many other things with this fun and unique craft kit. It even comes with stickers you can use to give your designs some added flair and we’ve had a blast using them with the colorful stix. Both my kids and I really love playing with these and unleashing our creative sides.  They will certainly be much-loved over time. BENDASTIX are very sturdy too, so with proper use they should last a long time.

BENDASTIX can be purchased at www.getbendastix.com for $19.95 + $6.95 S&H.

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3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

1.  Guidecraft 42pc Roadway System($80.00) - This wooden toy by Guidecraft is a system of roads your child can build in various configurations to suit whatever scenarios he or she has thought up.  The one-sided pieces interlock much like a jigsaw puzzle.  To help you envision the actual size of this large floor toy, the width of each 2-lane road is 5" across.  Although my children do enjoy playing with trains, they much prefer playing with cars and trucks.  This roadway system is far less limiting than a set of train tracks.  Our children can build a whole town to their liking without getting bored like they did with their printed play mats.  These roads are the perfect size for 1:64 scale die-cast cars (not included) and would also likely accommodate 1:43 scale toy cars.  Use even larger vehicles if you make each road a one way street.  This toy is perfect for a child from age 2 until he or she loses interest in play with toy vehicles and action figures.

The Guidecraft Community Buildings($80.00) are also made of wood and are the perfect companion for the roadway system.  This set of 6 buildings includes a gas station/car wash, fire station, police station, hospital, school, and a store.  This is an extremely sturdy set and having real buildings that your child's own figures can enter and cars can drive through is so much better than buildings printed on a mat or a rug.  Each building stands approximately 6-1/2" high.

To learn more about either these wooden toys, visit www.guidecraft.com.

2. Lite Brix Building Toys($19.99 - $99.99) - These are light-up translucent model kits called Lite Brix by Cra-Z-Art.  Each kit comes with all you need to build a specific model, including decals, plus a battery pack, which requires 3-AA batteries.  Included in the instructions for our Lite Brix Space Trooper($24.99), were instructions to rebuild the model into an alien with the same pieces.  We used two Space Trooper kits to build the two models pictured above. These building toys are recommended for children ages 6 and up.  All Lite Brix pieces from each kit can be used with pieces from other Lite Brix kits.  They are also compatible with other popular brands of build bricks.  Since each of the parts are unique, it is fun to see what types of things my children can build using these pieces in conjunction with ones from other sets.  If you have a child who enjoys building like mine, then Lite Brix will add new life to his or her creations.  Visit www.superlitebrix.com to view all the Lite Brix kits available.  You can purchase Lite Brix toys nationwide at major toy retailers, such as Toys"R"Us and Amazon.com.

3.  Your Santa Story Personalized DVD ($29.95) - This is a DVD of a personalized message recorded to your child or children from Santa Claus.  It is meant for the DVD to be discovered and watched on Christmas morning.  The personalization includes your children's names, their hometown, names of their pets, special messages or recognition of achievements, a thank you if your child had left goodies for Santa and his reindeer, and where to find an extra surprise gift Santa left somewhere in your house.  Although this is the first year Your Santa Story is available to the public, I had the pleasure of testing it out on my 3 children last year.  I tied a red ribbon through the DVD and hung it on our Christmas tree for our children to discover on their own on Christmas morning.  You should have seen their mouths hanging wide open when they realized Santa was talking directly to them on the DVD.  There were huge smiles all around, especially when Santa got to the end of the message and told the children that they each had one more present hidden inside our shoe bench.  If you are looking for a new way to help keep the magic of Santa Claus alive, visit www.yoursantastory.com to learn more about this personalized DVD.  Since this is the first year Your Santa Story DVDs are available, please know that there are only limited quantities available for 2012.

4. Micro Chargers Loop Track($19.99) - This Micro Chargers racetrack is one of the winners of the Good Housekeeping's 2012 Best Toy Award.  It comes with a micro stunt car, a handheld charger (requires 2 AAA batteries, not included), a loop track, and a trading card.  The racetrack is easy enough for a child 7 years or older to put together.  The exclusive stunt car that comes with this set only takes 8 seconds to charge and could go up to 600mph if it were a full scale car.  Of course, the cool thing about this track is the loop, which the stunt car goes through twice, once on the way down the track and a second time when it slingshots back from the end of the track.  Last year, Santa brought our son, who was not quite 8 at the time, a slot racing set.  It turned out to be too sophisticated for him, but the Micro Chargers toys allows him to have the thrilling speed in a more age-appropriate toy.  This track can accommodate two stunt cars at once. You can purchase additional stunt cars separately.  Visit www.microchargers.com to learn more about this and other play sets.  Micro Chargers toys are available at major toy retailers, such as Target, Toys"R"Us, Kmart, and Amazon.com.

5.  World Vision Plush Farm Animals ($25.00) - World Vision sells gifts that give to benefit children and families around the world.  One of the ways World Vision helps families is by providing them with farm animals that produce eggs or dairy products.  These adorable and cuddly plush animals measure approximately 5" tall and are safe for children as young as newborns.  Currently we have Pallu the Pig, Chuma the Chick, and Gertie the Goat.  Each plush animal is sold separately.  You also have the option of purchasing Chuma the Plush Chick plus 2 chickens to donate for $50 or a Gertie the Plush Goat plus a goat to donate for $100.  Such gifts mean so much more and would be a wonderful way to teach a child about helping those who are less fortunate.  To learn more, visit the World Vision Gift Catalog.

6. Chipmunks Christmas CD($9.99) - One of our children's favorite Christmas songs is "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)".  That is why I knew that the Chipmunks Christmas CD, which is new for 2012, would be a huge hit with them.  This CD includes Holiday favorites, such as "Here Comes Santa Claus", "Up On the House-Top", "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)", "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and 14 more popular Christmas songs.  This would be the perfect first Christmas CD for a child because it is fun, endearing, and upbeat.  It would make a very nice stocking stuffer or an wonderfully affordable gift.  Chipmunks Christmas on CD is currently selling on Amazon for $9.99 with Free Super Saver Shipping or on MP3 for $5.99.

7.  The Trash Pack Collectible Trashies ($6.99 - $11.99) - Whether your child is a long time Trash Pack toys collector or wants to start a new collection, The 5-pack and 12-pack sets of Trashies would be a great way to add to or begin a collection.  Most of the Trashies in each multi-pack are hidden, so it is always a fun surprise to open each trash can to see what is inside.  Series 3 in the blue trash cans were only recently introduced and my children are so excited to see what new Trashies Moose Toys has dreamed up.  Leave it to them to turn trash into something adorable and collectible.  These Trash Pack multi-packs would make an affordable gift, plus you can always open the packages to use the individual trash cans as stocking stuffers for multiple children.  To learn more about the current series of Trash Pack toys, visit www.trashpack.com.

8.  RoseArt Art Supplies ($1.29 and up) - For any child that considers himself or herself an artist like our daughter does, a basket full of art supplies would make a delightful gift.  RoseArt does make all the basic supplies a child may need to create a masterpiece, such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, and watercolor paints, but they also offer so much more.  RoseArt makes fun and unique products, like Color Blanks, Swirl Pencils, Neon Metallic Crayons, Glitter Magic Markers, and more.  If you remember to include a sketch pad in your child's RoseArt gift basket, it will surely keep him or her busy for many hours on Christmas day and during Christmas vacation.  Visit www.RoseArt.com to view their full selection of art supplies and craft kits.  You can find RoseArt products at most major craft and office supply retailers.

9.  The Amazing Spider-Man Hero FX Glove ($14.99) - If your little Spider-Man fan likes to play pretend, then this realistic glove will provide many hours of fun.  It would make a great addition (or alternative) to a Spider-Man costume for playing dress-up.  The various sound effects can be activated by motion or by pushing the button.  Our 8 year old son has so much fun with this glove, mimicking Spider-Man's movements, and pretending to be fighting evil villains.  This glove requires 2 AAA batteries, which are included and is recommended for ages 4 and up.  You can purchase the FX glove from most major toy retailers.  To learn more, visit the Hasbro Toy Shop.

3.75" Marvel Avengers Figures and Spider-Man Figures ($9.99) - Also from Hasbro, are a wide assortment of 3.75" super hero figures from the Avengers series and the Spider-Man series.  My children want to collect them all, so I know first-hand that gifting one of these figures to a child who wants to complete a collection would be a much-appreciated gift.  Each figure comes with a fun weapon or accessory to make it unique from other versions of the same super hero.  These would make affordable gifts for children 4 years old or older and would also make very nice stocking stuffers.  You can find these figures at most major toy retailers nationwide.


Although complimentary product samples were sent to facilitate this gift guide, with the exception of one company who paid small fee instead, all opinions expressed are my own.  

Zometool Smart Building Kits

Building sets are an essential part of childhood playtime, and Zometool is a fun and unique twist on typical sets. Playing with sets from Zometool helps to teach children about architecture, engineering, geometry, and math. These simple “sticks and balls” open a world of options for children and adults of all ages.

Zometool sent us their Creator 1 kit which contains 246 pieces all stored away neatly in a compact carrying case and has an idea booklet as well. We all immediately got to work playing with the struts and nodes and all had a blast creating with the Zometool set. Our favorite was making a big bucket of bubble solution and using it to make amazing 4D projects with a bubble contained inside our project. The kids (and adults too!) had a great time making stuff, using the bubble solution, tearing them apart and starting over. The boys learned so much while making structures, so that just made it an added bonus.

Zometool has been catching attention with awards from Dr. Toy and Creative Child Awards because of just how great their kits are. You can learn more about Zometool toys, including where to buy, on their website, www.zometool.com. The Creator 1 kit retails for $59 and is designed for kids age 6 and up because of small pieces. Zometool also has an exclusive discount available for 3G2S readers that gets you 15% off your order by using the Code: Garnets on their website before December 31st, 2012.  You must order by December 16th to receive your order in time for Christmas by Standard Shipping.

More Zometool kits that would make great Holiday gifts are Crazy Bubbles, Pyramid Puzzle, and the Ice Crystals and Stars Project Kit.


Thank you to Zometool for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

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100-Piece Magneatos Better Builders Set by Guidecraft

Guidecraft is a leader in children's toys and for good reason: they feature quality products that engage children's brains and stand up to the test of time. We own several developmental toys from Guidecraft, and, after many months of playing, none of them have shown any signs of wear. Because of this, saying yes to another review from Guidecraft was a no-brainer.

This time, Guidecraft sent us their newest building set, a new version of their classic Magneatos, in a 100-piece set. This Magneatos Better Builder Series has super strong magnets, unique rod and ball builders, and nearly endless possibilities for creation. It also includes a convenient storage bin and 22-page activity guide to get your little architect's creative juices flowing. The magnets are all safely and securely built so there's no risk of choking or other hazards for children over 18 months old. An Oppenheim Platinum Best Toy Award Winner, you can rest assured knowing that this toy is both fun and educational.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

As soon as we opened the box, we were in love with Magneatos. We've never owned anything like these before, so that just added to the fun. The inner magnets are very strong and easily "stick" together so the designs we make stay in place until we're done but they come apart easily when we're ready to tear them down. We had a blast building houses, towers, hotels, bridges, spiders and other creatures, and even using them to spell out our names. Both my kids, ages 5-1/2 and 11, loved this set, and even my husband and I enjoyed building with them.

Magneatos help to build both fine and gross motor skills because they are relatively small but they require gross motor muscle use when taking them apart. I loved coming up with building challenges for my boys and seeing their faces as they tried to figure how to construct what I'd imagined for them. We've literally had hours of fun with these since we got them a few weeks ago and I'm sure we'll have many, many more hours of use in the years to come.

As with all Guidecraft products, these will surely be around for a long time because of how sturdy they are. In fact, I'd say my kids will outgrow them long before they need to be retired. You can purchase Guidecraft's product on their website, www.guidecraft.com. This 100-piece set of Magneatos Better Builders retails for $159.95.  You also have the choice of the smaller 30-piece and 60 piece sets.

Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

A NOTE TO 3G2S READERS: As an effort to give back a little, I will be adding an extra optional entry in some of my giveaways to "Like" the Facebook page of various small businesses or blogs that I have identified as needing a little love.

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Biodegradable & Recyclable Wearables Stunt Plane

Pretend play is so important for children, so when I heard about Wearables by Kid Constructions, I was anxious to have Quinn try out this fun product. Wearables take construction play to the next level by adding role playing. Children can now design their own fun eco-friendly cardboard vehicles, put them together, then step into the drivers seat, literally. It’s a unique and clever approach to craft play for children.

Quinn received the Wearables Stunt Plane, complete with shoulder straps and spinning propellers. This corrugated cardboard plane is preprinted and precut so we all worked together to color it right out of the box. We used markers and it took three of us about an hour to complete that step.

Next we put it together, which took maybe ten minutes and Quinn got to playing. He loves zooming around the house in “Blue Propeller”, the name he christened his plane with. This was a fun art project for us all and Quinn has had hours of imaginative play with his airplane. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the cardboard and was shocked that the fully assembled plane is a huge 40”x44”x11”. It is just the right size for my 5 year old and he’s really enjoyed playing with it.

You can learn more about Wearables on their website,www.kidconstructions.com. Wearables currently come in three fun vehicles: a Stunt Plane, a Princess Carriage, and Dozer (bulldozer) and each one retails for about $24.95 on Amazon.com and Toys R Us.

Thank you to Wearables for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing and additional product for our contest prize.

A NOTE TO 3G2S READERS: As an effort to give back a little, I will be adding an extra optional entry in some of my giveaways to "Like" the Facebook page of various small businesses that I have identified as needing a little love.
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