Parents and Children Enjoy the Spring Weather with Easy-to-Assemble Guillow's Gliders

Thank you to Guillow's for providing sample toy planes and gliders for us to base this review upon and for providing additional products for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

My boys have recently gotten very interested in making paper airplanes, so when we were offered an assortment of Guillow’s gliders, I knew they would be really excited and they were not disappointed. These gliders are made of plastic, foam, and/or balsa wood, so they are lightweight and fly great, plus they were very easy to assemble. We assembled all of them within 10 minutes.

Guillow sent us a variety of these simple planes, seven in all (the small ones came as a set of 2), and my boys have played with them for hours.

The gliders really fly very well and far, and they’ve had fun launching them and seeing who’s could go the farthest or fastest. They have literally spent hours playing with these airplanes.

We’ve had a few “fatalities”, as in the airplanes have broken, but most of them are still in great condition after all that play time. The materials used are fairly sturdy, but because they have to be light enough to fly, they will not last forever. While they do last though, they are tons of fun. My kids (and husband, I won’t lie) have really, very much enjoyed playing with these and they will continue to have fun with these for as long as they last.

These Guillow gliders are recommended for ages 8 and up because of small parts. They have many varieties of airplanes, rockets, and other gliders on their website, www.guillow.com. All seven of these gliders combined retail for $19.75, so these are easy on the pocketbook as well. In fact, Guillow has toys starting at $1.79. Visit their website to see their full selection.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

The Zing Air ZoomZooka 4-in-1 Air & Water Blaster Can Be Played With Year Round

Thank you to Zing Toys for providing a complimentary sample ZoomZooka toy gun for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Water guns are fun for any kids and the Zing Air ZoomZooka is an extra fun one because it’s not only a water gun, but also an air gun! The air gun can launch the included plane, rockets, and suction darts more than 50 feet, which would make it a great gun all in itself. But, stick that gun into water and you get rocket powered water that shoots 50 feet as well! This gun is really a blast indoors and out and can be played with year round no matter the weather.

My kids have literally had hours of fun with the ZoomZooka. They both love it most as an air gun, but the water play is fun too. We’ve had unseasonably cool weather and tons of rain, so their outdoor play with it has been limited, but once we get a few nice days, they’ll probably change their minds. They have contests to see who can launch the bullets the furthest and they really love chasing my poor, defenseless dogs with them too. This is one of their favorite air guns and I don’t think they’ll be growing tired of it any time soon.

The ZoomZooka 4-in-1 Air + Water Blaster can be purchased at many major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Toys”R”Us, and Amazon.com. It retails for approximately $15.  It's currently on sale on Amazon for just $11.48 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

To learn more about this and other Zing Air toys, visit ZingToys.com.

Aeromax Pretend Play Summertime Toys

Thank you to Aeromax, Inc 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.

Kids can now go on their own journey to outer space with the new Jr. Space Explorer Inflatable Space Shuttle from Aeromax Toys. This fun space shuttle has lots of realistic looking features like an instrument panel and gauges. There are even two QR codes that can be scanned to watch real space shuttle videos. This inflatable toy is ideal for kids ages 3 and up and can handle a weight of up to 90 pounds. The space shuttle can be used in imaginative play at home or as a floatie in the pool.

My kids love playing with their space shuttle in the pool. Because of the extra wide wings, it stays afloat and balanced well.  They can ride around in it pretending the water is outer space and that they are going on space missions. It was pretty easy to blow up and as well constructed as you’d expect a quality inflatable toy to be. The QR code videos are really neat and we loved watching those as well. This toy certainly has help us beat the summer boredom and our boys look forward to more time playing in outer space.

The Aeromax Inflatable Space Shuttle retails for $34.95 on their website www.aeromaxtoys.com, where you can find more Jr. Astronaut toys, including pretend play costumes and fun props.


The winner of this giveaway may choose one of the following toys as their prize:

• Junior Space Explorer Shuttle (ARV $34.95)
• Astronaut Space Pack Super Soaking Water Blaster (ARV $15.95)
• Fire Power Super Soaking Fire Hose with Backpack (ARV $12.95)
• Sky Scraper and Glow Disks Refill Pack (ARV $14.45)

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Good luck in the drawing!

Snipe Hunt Would Make a Great Indoor or Outdoor Party Game

Snipe hunting is an activity in which some families take part in order to entertain their children by hunting for an imaginary creature called the "snipe".  What was normally a fun outdoor activity has been transformed into a game that can be played indoors or out by Education Outdoors.  This game is the new Snipe Hunt, a hide and seek type game that can be played with two or more players ages 6 and older.  After having played it, I think this game would be suitable for anyone ages 3 and up, especially if a preschooler is playing with an older child or an adult.

Each game comes with two snipe . . . Smartin and Biela, plus a nest and four AAA batteries.  Just gather two or more players and you have all you need to get started.

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Each battery-operated snipe has an internal timer.  When positioned in the nest properly, the timer in each snipe will stop.  Both snipe can chirp and has eyes that light up and flash.  Our three children all seemed to think Biela was the cutest.  Perhaps they just like the color red?

The weather has been too hot and humid to play outside, so we have been enjoying playing the Snipe Hunt game indoors.  Since we had 3 players, one child would hide the snipe and the other two would see who could find it first.  We kept the snipe turned off using the on/off switch on the bottom and turned it back on once the child knew where he or she would like to hide the snipe.  Once turned back on, the timer starts inside the snipe.  After several minutes have passed, the snipe would chirp and its eyes would flash in order to give the "hunters" some help with locating it.  With two very cluttered bedrooms, there were tons of great hiding places for the snipe.  The chirping is loud enough to be audible, but subtle enough to not make the snipe's location obvious.

Needless to say, our 8 year old son was the most skilled hunter.  Between our 5-1/2 year old twins, our daughter enjoyed the game the most.  The other two had enough of the game after 4 rounds or so at a time, but our daughter wanted to keep going.  I think Snipe Hunt would make a great camping or party game because it can be played with two teams as large as you would like.  It also teaches children to be quiet and really listen and to use their senses.

To learn more about Snipe Hunt, visit www.educationoutdoors.net.  This game retails for $24.99 and can be purchased on Amazon.com, at REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, Borders, L.L.Bean, Uncommon Goods, and other specialty retailers.


Thank you to Education Outdoors for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Kid Driven Toys: Sky High Tink . . . a Friction-Based Outdoor Toy

I am always delighted to be able to share about a new battery-free toy with my readers.  This one is especially unique because it is a flying toy that is geared towards girls, something that is not very common.  The Disney Fairies Sky High Tink is a friction-based toy that is activated by pulling a string.  When the string is pulled, Tinker Bell starts to spin and soars up into the air.

Because this is a projectile toy, it needs to be used outdoors in an open space away from crowds.  In fact, there are several things to which you would want to pay attention while your child is using this toy.  The toy needs to be held with the arm straight out from the child's body, so that it will not be too close to his or her face.  Tinker Bell needs to be inserted facing away from the child and the toy needs to be pointing towards the sky and not towards the child or anyone else.  This is not a toy you would want your child to use unattended.  No matter how many times my husband and I explained about where to point (and not point) the toy, I have seen both our kindergartners point it at their own faces because they were curious to see how the toy worked.

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Like with most string toys, you really need to be careful to release the string slowly after pulling it so that it will recoil properly inside the toy.  Using this toy takes some practice.  The Sky High Tink is recommended for ages 4 years and up, however, my husband and I were able to use it much more easily than our three children (ages 5, 5, and 8).  Our 5 year old daughter was only able to make Tinker Bell fly about half the time.  Sometimes when she pulled it, the string would jam.  I think it may be because she is not doing it in one smooth motion.

Once launched, Tinker Bell flies up quite high.  I had attempted to make a video of her, but she flies through the field of vision too quickly.  This is a cool toy when our children can get the fairy to launch.  I do not recommend this toy for a child who gets frustrated easily.

You can find Sky High Tink by JAKKS Pacific at many major toy retailers, such as Toys"R"Us, Amazon.com, Target, Walmart, and more.  This batter-free toy retails for $19.99.

Thank you to JAKKS Pacific for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

The Thomas the Tank Toddler Swing . . . a Fun Outdoor Toy

Kids of all ages love to swing, so when they’re little having an outdoor baby swing is a must to keep them safe. The Thomas the Tank Toddler Swing from Kids Only is a perfect swing for older babies and toddlers.

Shaped like children’s favorite, Thomas the Tank, this swing features a high back for comfort and safety, a restraint system to keep baby inside, heavy duty nylon ropes, and it installs easily on any swing set. Recommended for children 9-36 months, this swing is sure to be fun for you little one.

This swing is well made from durable plastic and the restraints hold nicely, though you should never leave your child unattended in the swing. My niece (6 months old) fits fine in the swing even though she’s not quite at the age limit, but she does sit on her own and she is weighs nearly 20 pounds, so a smaller baby might not do as well. She loves sitting in this swing and playing outside with the big kids on sunny days.

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You can purchase the Thomas the Tank Toddler Swing at Toys R Us, Amazon.com, Walmart, and other major toy retailers for approximately $29.99.

Thank you to JAKKS Pacific for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

The Air Storm Z-Curve Bow and Z-X Crossbow from Zing Toys Make Fun Outdoor Toys

Ever since my days of watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer on television, I always thought it would be so cool to be able to say, "I call crossbow!" . . . Well, now I can.

I actually wanted to try these toy bows and crossbows for awhile, but our children were just too young.  If you play online games as an archer, you must wonder what it is actually like to use one.  I was a bit curious, but I never was curious enough to actually sign up for archery lessons.  Since our son turned 8 this year, I felt he was old enough to use a projectile toy such as the Air Storm Z-Curve Bow and the Z-X Crossbow under strict supervision.  Our 5 year old twins, however, are barely old enough to even be around someone using these toys.  They needed to be reminded constantly to stand off to the side or behind the person holding the bow.

I chose the Z-Curve Bow because it looked like an easy-to-use long range bow.  It also comes with both 2 foam-tipped Z-Arrows and one suction cup-tipped Zartz arrow . . .

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My husband, who is the strongest among us, thought that the Air Storm Z-Curve Bow had quite a lot of resistance.  Of course, it depends on how far back you want to pull the arrow in order to make it go further.

My husband actually much preferred the Air Storm Z-X Crossbow, which comes with 3 suction cup Zartz arrows.  It is handy that it has places to store the two extra arrows underneath when they are not in use.

The crossbow works with a trigger mechanism that has a safety.  The safety is automatically turned on when you cock an arrow.  One thing we wished was different is that, after you release the safety, you cannot turn it back on.  You would need to shoot the arrow if you are worried about the crossbow accidentally being triggered if you needed to put it down or leave it unattended.

Please watch our short video demonstrating both toys . . . 

For the video, we had set up cups as targets on a park bench.  Although I did not capture it on video, there were a few times that the suction cup arrows missed the cups, hit the back of the bench, and stayed where they hit.  I was astonished at how well they attached themselves to a painted wooden surface.

Surprisingly, our 8 year old son preferred the Curve Bow over the Crossbow.  He found the crossbow to be very difficult to load.  It really does take a lot of muscle.  He also found that the crossbow had a kick to it when he triggered it.  He thought the Curve Bow was easy to load and, although he could not pull the arrow back as far as an adult, he could pull it back enough to make the arrow travel quite far.

To learn more about the new Air Storm product line from Zing Toys, visit ZingToys.com.  We have been seeing Air Storm toys everywhere in recent weeks, including our local Walmart, Toys "R" Us, and Target stores.

Thank you to Zing Toys for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.

Review: Backyard Safari Outfitters Kids Field Gear & Patch Program

Last summer, we had the opportunity to try out some of Backyard Safari Outfitters' field gear for kids.  Our children enjoyed these toys so much that I was more than happy to try a few more this year.  Now a small handful of Backyard Safari Outfitters products require batteries, but the majority of products are battery-free, including the Camouflage netting, Expedition Two - Hiking Stick, and the Mega Magnifier we received.  These items, topped off with the Backyard Safari Outfitters Essential Field Gear Cargo Vest  we received last year, made the perfect setup for some fun outdoor adventuring.

We do not have that much "nature" around us where we live, but it was still fun for our children to use their imaginations to pretend that they were out in "the wild."  The Backyard Safari Patch Program makes these mini adventures even more real to children.  Iron-on patches now come with many Backyard Safari products.  Children can earn these patches for completing special missions described in the included Pop-Up Field Guide and can then have the patch ironed onto their Field Gear Cargo Vests.  For example, the Expedition Two - Hiking Stick comes with the "Expedition Two - On the Trail" patch.

Since most of these products are recommended for children ages 5 and up, it was not a surprise to me that our 7 year old son got the most enjoyment out of them.  The 48" tall hiking stick was the perfect height for him.  He was also able to use the camouflage netting without it being too clumsy or cumbersome.  Out of all the products, his favorite was the Mega Magnifier.

The Mega Magnifier is super-durable and user-friendly.  It can be used to magnify objects from either side.  My son loved looking at various insects up close.  Since this magnifier floats, he will most likely be taking it with him to the beach this summer.  Seeing everything larger than life is so much fun and this is a product that even our preschoolers can enjoy without any assistance.

I do think this magnifier needs to be used with adult supervision outdoors.  It turns out that, even though the viewer is not glass, it can still focus sunlight enough to start a fire.  Our son had a tree trunk smoking in about 10 seconds.  It happened accidentally while he was looking at an ant on the side of a tree.

To learn more about these products and other Backyard Safari gear, visit BackyardSafari.com and Backyard Safari on Facebook and Twitter.


Thank you to Backyard Safari Outfitters for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  This review has been written as part of a campaign for Team Mom.

Review: Playmobil "Extreme Team" Hand-Launch Toy Glider

With temperatures averaging in the low 50s here, our children had to wait quite awhile to have a chance to try out their Playmobil Glider outside.  Luckily, the weather on Mother's Day weekend was more Spring-like, so we were able to finally get outside without anyone complaining they felt cold.

When I first took the glider parts out of the box, I saw that the glider was made of some type of foam and thought to myself that my children would probably break this toy in less than 5 minutes.  I could not have been more wrong.  This glider has crashed into trees and the sides of houses more times than I can count and it is still in perfect condition.

Assembly of the glider and the little Playmobil pilot was fairly simple.  The pilot's gloved hands actually snap onto the controls so there is no need to worry about him falling out of the airplane during even the roughest flight.  The only complaint I have is that the helmet does not click onto the pilot's head.  It only sits on top, so we had to glue the helmet in place so it would not be lost during play.

Please take a few minutes to watch the "Extreme Team" Playmobil Glider in action . . . 



As you can see, the adults had a much easier time flying this glider.  Our 7 year old son got the hang of it after some practice.  Our 4 year twins, who have no concept of aerodynamics, have not mastered flying this glider yet.  They do, however, enjoy playing with the glider indoors, making it zoom and soar while holding it in their hands.  The glider even comes with plastic clip-on pilot's wings to wear on their clothing.  I also love that this toy does not run on batteries . . . only kid-power.

To learn more about the Extreme Team Glider and the Jet Team Glider from Playmobil, visit PlaymobilUSA.com.  This toy retails for approximately $19.99.

Thank you to Playmobil for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.