price:$2.00
LEGO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Power Miners 8957 and 8956 sets) 『I've been a Lego nut since they were invented practically (I'm the proverbial little old lady in tennis shoes who still plays with trains, erector sets and my huge antique Lego collection). An issue I have with current Lego toys is the vastly specialized array of pieces; I think more creative thinking gets done with the older style sets. But I guess constant specialized products drives the high-hype toy marketing business model.
However, these days I get my Lego "fix" when friends usually put one or two of the small Lego sets in my Christmas stocking, and I now have a 7-year old in the family again to buy Legos for; he likes the construction and city services sets.
This year I got 8956&8957 in my stocking.
Since I don't follow Lego advertising or magazines, I don't know what the "Power Miners" theme "story" is about except some kind of underground/mining theme, so I don't know what the little robot-like crystal guys are. Are they "the enemy"?
I presume that as usual these sets are targeted at boys, and designers seem to think boys' toys have to be about some kind of war with good guys&bad guys. (Do the good guys have to be so ugly and menacing looking?) This is too bad, as these could have been about neat mechanical devices for mining, and from these two and pictures of others, they do have sort of fantasy mining and tunneling devices, like the 8960 is similar to the devices actually used for tunneling. I'd prefer to think of the little crystal guys as robot helpers like R2D2, that you send into tight spots too dangerous for human workers.
The 8956 is a neat little tricycle trencher-digger that is fun to play with. However, the instructions show the trenching cutters pointing the wrong way; they wouldn't work the way they're shown in the instructions. The package cover does get it right. I was also disappointed that while both 8956&8957 have pieces shaped like gears that go on the axles, they don't function as gears, they're just for looks. These aspects of the models are disappointing because Legos can be good for exploring mechanics if done right.
I agree with another reviewer of 8957 that it is poorly designed.
Some points: it is structurally unsound (comes apart too easily).
The ball and socket joints are good (but very tight, even painful to assemble), but aren't used that well or realistically.
The device won't stand up properly and tips over too easily, depending on what you do with the tool arms. And I shudder to think what would happen to the operator if one of the two tools was actually used on rock - the reaction forces would probably send the whole vehicle flying apart.
Another problem: the cab has two joy-stick type controls (??), but they are positioned behind the operator, and the man figure can't actually hold them. This bugged me so much that I ditched the pick ax and the funny little red gizmo (fire extinguisher? emergency flare? water bottle? Hand held laser rock cutter?) that were held by the little black pieces on each side of the cab, and swapped the black pieces positions with the green ones that the joy/shift sticks are fastened to, which moved the sticks forward where they can actually be put in the operators hands. (Besides the pick and the red gizmo would probably get caught in the tool arm mechanisms and brain the operator: bad worker safety design.) I gave the pick and the red gizmo to the two crystal robot guys to use.
The 8956 detail stickers (I don't like the stickers in general; too specific) put engine exhaust ports right beside the operator. Bad idea and/or careless design.
Still, I had fun putting the two sets together and will soon take them apart and see what else I can come up with. The two little sets are a nice combination for the price.』
(Great set!) 『Boy, is this ever a fun set! It went together very quickly for an eight-year-old, about 20 minutes or less, and provides TONS of fun! He particularly likes the claw action of this guy, and had been waiting for it for quite awhile. It stays together very well and even combines with other sets to make monster big trucks to mine the crystals. Very well loved in this house, highly recommend!』
(Kid's Review) 『It is a pretty good set. It is really cool when you get the stone chopper with it so you can build the cave cutter and it is a pretty good one.』
(MINE MECH!!!!) 『awesome!!! pros nice and small miner rock monster cons none』
(Perfect Power Miners Starter Set for the 8-12 yr. old lego nut) 『Since the Power Miner sets and story started being featured in all of the lego club member catalogues and magazines, it hit the top of the must-have list for my 10-yr. old lego nut (knocking out, at least temporarily Star Wars, Transformers, and Indiana Jones). Although he used his allowance to purchase this one and the usually cheaper Stone Chopper (for some reason it currently costs more on Amazon), this is your best bet for a good under $10, starter Power Miner set.
- It has all the necessary ingredients for playing and imagination power: figurine, rock monster with crystal, accessory (mining pick) combined with a substantial versatiile mining vehicle.
- It combines with the Stone Chopper (using instructions found on the legos site) to make a larger piece. (Apparently, this is big deal with Lego nuts - and both can be found for less than $20). As a side note, other sets that can be combined to make larger more powerful pieces include: 1) LEGO Granite Grinder/Thunder Driller and 2) LEGO Claw Digger and Crystal Sweeper.
Bottom Line: My 10-year old nephew put his hard-earned allowance against it after weighing many options (endlessly), and is happy with the choice and it's still providing endless playing power.
』 『The one-of-a-kind Mine Mech is an experimental mining walker built to go where the other Power Miners vehicles cant. Its enhanced movement and armor make it perfect for exploration and emergency rescues, and its spinning plasma cutter and crushing claw m』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Exactly what it says to be) 『My family and I have already built an igloo with this tool. Now I only wish we had more of them so we could build faster. Obviously you need good, packable snow. Icy hard chunks, large icy grains (like gruss), and really dry, cold, fluffy powder don't pack well enough but that's true for snowballs, snowmen, and any other type of snow-construction.』
(12 reviews and an online description--still no size given) 『I would think that would be a standard feature for an online product. I have seen several products of this type, some as cheap as $1.99, but they are quite small. It would take forever to build a fort with one which makes a block about the size of two bricks. This one costs enough that it may be larger, but there's no way to tell.』
(snow block maker) 『Arrived quickly&tons of fun. Kids have had a blast playing with this in the snow.』
(snow brick mold) 『Really enjoyed this this winter with my family!! We made walls and built an igloo and built walls and made forts. It really held up. We bought the snow ball maker too. It works great!!!』
(Great for Kids and Big Kids too!!!) 『My kids loved this. I bought this for them along with the snow ball maker. Living in Wisconsin they have had a lot of snow to use it on. It seems just as sturdy as the boys.』 『Snow Block Maker』
『Pipsqueek will look really elegant in this white sundress with sun hat as she explores the flower patches. The other girl hamsters will like this too!』
price:$1.07
Wild Planet
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (watch which are not able to show time) 『This watch looks like total fun for a boy and he loved to receive it as a Christmas present, but it was difficult to set up the time - the adult help required. Much worst, by evening we were totally frustrated to find that as a watch this item is useless as in a few hours the time it showed was completely incorrect. Few reset up didn't help.
From joy of having cool watch his attitude turned to "my folks gave me total junk".
Don't recommend for somebody over 3 years old.』
(For boys under 8) 『Sould not be for child under age 8 I could only give 2 stars since I mistakenly bought for a 13yr old.』
(Delighted!) 『My almost five year old boy (who wanted a watch) got this tonight for Channukah, went to bed playing with it, writing notes, loosing all the little pieces and then sleeping with it on his arm. He is delighted.』
(You HAVE to get this for your budding spy!) 『James Bond move over, this spy watch is all the rage here in Ohio! When we bought this watch last year for Christmas, our little guy (8) couldn't wait to use it. Went to bed with it on, picked up spies all over the world (easy, since he knew what time it was) and he LOVED writing messages and sending them off to his spy friends. The imagination this thing sparks is nothing short of amazing. He still loves it and uses it all the time. Highly, highly recommend.』
(Cool, Fun) 『My granddaughter LOVES her spy gear. The only drawback to this watch is the teeny tiny secret message capsule. Cool in theory, but a little too small. She still loves to use it, but has trouble manipulating it alone, and gets frustrated to have to ask "the enemy" (aka parental units) for help putting her message back into the capsule. I've included my review of the spycase breifcase below--these are some cool toys for kids.
My granddaughter LOVES this toy. We gave it to her for her 7th birthday. She is in super-spy mode from daylight to dusk, and then some. We call her Ms. Shin Impossible. She has played with this almost non-stop for 3 weeks now. We also got her the wristwatch&she loves them both. We'll be adding to her spy collection for Christmas. One of the great things about this case is the extra room it has in it&it's secret compartment. She has such a great imagination and will turn any common object into a "spy" something-or-other and store it in her super secret spycase compartment! The "intruder detector" is also great fun for her&her friends. this really is a fun, durable toy for kids that like to pretend they're a spy. 』 『The Ultimate Spy Watch 8-in-1 Wrist Gadget from Spy Gear gives you spy tools for all missions! This is a true spy watch for the 21st century, with state-of-the-art electronic gadgets, world time, a motion alarm and a decoder screen -- all protected by locking armor. Measures 10" long.』
price:$4.19
LeapFrog
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great Game) 『I bought this for my young three year old back at Christmas. As with all LeapFrog games, there are multiple levels so the game will grow with her as she learns. She has already picked up most of the basic concepts on the first level. And I like how the game not only teaches the concept of colors and counting, but allows her the freedom to color her own butterflies.』
(Great Leapster game for Preschoolers!) 『My daughter loves to play this game (it's great for those long car rides). It teaches about shapes, colors, numbers,&more. It does have some games that are just for fun, which all kids need every now&then. But for the most part, this game keeps her interest&she really seems to enjoy it.』
(Boring.) 『My daughter is 4.25. She got her Leapster 2 for the holidays. This is her first experience with any type of "game system". She hasn't played games on the computer either. I bought Disney Fairies and Pet Pals as her first 2 games. She is totally bored with Disney Fairies. She played each of the "games" on it once or twice, could do all of them (other than the Level 3 on the one game where you actually have to be able to do full blown math), and hasn't picked it up since. And she tells me it is boring. If your child already knows how to match colors, shapes, and numbers, don't even bother with this. Not worth it.』
(Disney Faires Leapster games was loved by 4 year old neice) 『My 4 year old neice loved the game. She wouldn't but it down all day. Very educational.』
(extremely limited) 『As I said in my review for Nihao Kailan, what a piece of junk. I'm sure they spent all of 2 minutes creating this game. It is really cute, but there are only 4 extremely short games. The cut scenes don't move- they just show a few pics of the fairies. One of the 4 games seems to drag a lot. This game makes the really short Dora games look like masterpieces. Shame on them for having the gall to put out this stuff.
Having said that, they are very cute little games. I would wait to buy them when they go under $7. I wonder if this is any indication of the other new character games??!!! Creature create is much better.』 『Leapster - Learning Game: Disney Fairies』
price:$3.02
LEGO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Nice little set) 『For a small set, I was really impressed that the cockpit can open. The Space Police minifig is cool as well. I would buy several more for my collection. Buy now before you have to pay more than normal retail price.』
(Well Designed New Space Police Vehicle!) 『Great new overall designed Space Police vehicle. Using only 69 pieces, Lego has put together a cool looking small ship. Great for your 6 year old on up just getting into the Space Police theme (easy build) or the adult collector.
Pro's - Design(especially the front two wings)and simple yet effective color scheme, opening/closing cockpit, 2 flick-fire missiles, great new helmet design for your Space Police commando w/air tanks on back and new Rench mini figure w/weapon. Note Rench is same designed head as Kranx but instead he's green and also has different torso design.
Con's - Really none, except I always like to see the Space Police with a hand held weapon. None included here.
I highly recommend this for the new, young collector as a starter and the adult Lego collector for overall design and mini-figs.』 『Equipped with twin flick-launching freeze-ray blasters, the Space Polices Raid VPR super-pursuit spacecraft is ready to chase down any criminal in Galaxy City. But when Rench comes to town, the Space Police Commando will need all of his hi-tech vehicles speed and maneuverability to bring an end to the space-crooks futuristic crime spree.』
price:$3.10
HIT Toys Company
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Too many parts) 『This is a good toy train system. Our daughter loves it. But when she doesnt want to play, she rips out all the parts and they are scattered all over.』
(Cheaply made) 『This toy is so cheap. It has one engine and that is it. I am very disappointed in this purchase.』
(For any Thomas child its fun) 『For any Thomas child this is a fun toy. You might want to buy more track because Thomas comes around so fast before you can get the fix it tunnel over to its spot. other than that the kids love it. Its a bit finicky about having the tunnel in its exact position』
(Similar to other Trackmaster stuff - it's okay.) 『The Trackmaster stuff seems to be all the same. My kids love it at first and then lose interest. Not like the wooden Thomas stuff that they have been playing with for years!! The Spin N Fix is a little hard to figure out--the crane piece doesn't always let go and sometimes only one side of the crane picks up the red spinner. It also comes with a little tool that lights up red and makes an AWFUL sound every time your little one presses the button. The sound actually scares my 4-yr-old! Anyway, the tracks are like all the Trackmaster sets--they don't fit together the best, and it's hard to make tracks that will match up unless you follow specific instructions--kind of takes the creative fun out of it. If you've never bought Thomas, do yourself a favor and go with the Wooden Railway system--it is the best!!』
(MaksMom) 『I ordered this for my son for Christmas because he loves Thomas. He is also into fixing things with his little toys so I thought this would be the best of both. He likes putting Thomas and his other trains onto carrier that brings the train to the fixing area and pretending to fix it with his toys. The only thing I would say was bad is that it is a largepiece and finding a storage spot for it when he want to play with just the tracks is tough. Other than that I would recommend it to all Thomas enthusiasts.』 『THOMAS TrackMaster - Spin&Fix Thomas Set Make your Thomas&Friends TrackMaster world bigger! When Thomas's trucks prove to be too heavy, his brakes fail and he soars into a forgotten siding. There, Thomas discovers Hiro, one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor. But before Thomas can help his new friend, he needs to repair his brakes at the Sodor Steamworks - the newest and bigger repair yard on the island! Guide Thomas into the lift and use the claw to pick him up and move him to the repair area. Use the spinner to turn Thomas and make your repairs. A light-up tool with real welding sound effects helps to get the job done! It's easy to put a favorite story in motion with Trackmaster playsets and accessories. Includes: Track pieces Motorized Thomas Thomas requires 1 X AA battery (not included) Welding tool requires 3 X button cell batteries (demo batteries included) Ages 3+ NOTE: Not for use with some Trackmaster engines ONLY compatible with other Thomas&Friends TrackMaster vehicles&playsets.』 『With the Thomas and Friends Spin and Fix Train Set, kids get to be train conductors! Children will love sending Thomas the train around the tracks and into the model steamworks for a tune-up. They can a operate the railroad switches to send Thomas into a revolving pod, turn on the repair tool to generate flashing lights and sound, and then use the crane to pick Thomas up. Designed for kids four years and older, this model train set provides hours of imaginative play.
Ages:4+
Requires:
Three LR44 batteries for tool (included)
One "AA" battery for train (not included)
Adult assembly
What We Think
Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor:
The Good: Model railway system with colorful steamworks for fun on and off the track.
The Bad: Single railway loop makes for a short ride.
In a Nutshell: Kids will love manipulating the giant crane and numerous rail switches.
With switches, rotating parts and other interactive features, this train set is the perfect place for a railway adventure. View larger.
The repair tool generates flashing lights and sounds. View larger.
All Aboard Thomas the Train! The Thomas and Friends Train Set is more than a railroad--it's a large, colorful train yard where kids can reroute Thomas and make a number of exciting train-car repairs. Much of the action is centered around the Sodor Steamworks, where kids can operate a crane with a claw that lifts Thomas into the air, or rotate a dial that spins Thomas around in a rotating pod.
With railroad switches located at intervals along the track, kids can send Thomas along one of two routes into the steamworks. The flip of a switch will send Thomas out of the steamworks and around the track again. Otherwise, Thomas remains in the rotating pod, where kids can slide the crane into position, and then lower the claws to grasp and lift Thomas into the air. Other options include rotating Thomas with the spinner dial or turning on the repair tool to generate flashing lights and sound.
Reroute to the Sodor Steamworks for Exciting Repairs Because younger children may initially find it difficult to operate the crane or spin the rotating pod on their own, helpful instructions for play are included. Adults may want to demonstrate how to slide the crane into position and engage the claw to lift or drop Thomas.
In order for Thomas to make a complete loop around the track, the rotating pod must be manually positioned in its proper place, and a switch must be disengaged. It may take children a few tries before they are able to send Thomas smoothly in and out of the pod, but with a little help from adults, kids will love their dual role as conductor and repair specialist.
The Thomas and Friends Train Set measures 24 x 15 (W x D) inches and works best on hard surfaces. Adults will want to assist with assembly, which takes approximately 30 minutes with the help of illustrated instructions. While the repair tool comes with batteries already installed, adults will need to help install the train's one double AA battery (not included).
What's in the Box Spin and Fix Thomas Train Set, repair tool (LR44 batteries included), Thomas the Train ("AA" battery not included), assembly and play instructions.
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (nerf darts) 『we bought our grandsons nerf guns for christmas. never order guns w/o extra darts. 36pk is perfect size』
(don't last long!) 『These darts really don't last long in our house. Reloading them and shooting them over and over makes them start to tear. The darts themselves also hurt at close range! But my boys love the guns that they go in, so I guess it's worth it.』
(Have to be sure to grab these!) 『If your N-Strike gun runs the clip feature for ammo, be sure to grab these. The other darts don't work very well in the clips, they jam th gun, get stuck "dripping" out of the gun, etc. These are the only ones besides the whistle darts that will work in the clips. Believe me, we've tried! If Santa is bringing a clip gun, be sure to grab these. I'd try at the local r-us store first or target. They're tons cheaper than this really high price of twenty bucks. Can't hardly believe they're this high here. Highly recommend!』 『Load up your NERF LONGSHOT CS-6, N-STRIKE RECON CS-6, or RAIDER CS-35 blaster (each sold separately) with this 36-pack of N-STRIKE series Clip System darts and keep the game going even longer! These foam darts measure about 2 1/2-inches long and are specially designed for high-flying, high-performance blasting.』
price:$3.66
Pressman Toys
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Fishing Game) 『This was a good game to play with my grandchildren. It helped them learn their colors and how to count not to mention patience in getting a fish on their hook. I also used the game at a baby shower. The adults liked the challenge.』
(Disappointed:() 『We got this toy for Christmas for our little girl and we just opened it for game night for the first time. Put a new battery in it and turned it on but all it did was make the motorized noise. Tried another brand new battery from a different pack and it did the same thing. My daughter is making the best of it and just fishing anyways but you can't actually play the game so she was pretty disappointed.』
(Lots of fun but cheap plastic) 『Pros: * Inexpensive * Lots of fun * Even older kids and adults can have a little fun with it
Cons: * Very cheaply made (minus one star for this) * Only one speed - may be a little too fast for younger kids
Other: * Uses 1 C battery * Introduced my 3 year old to "cheating" as he figured out how to stop it from spinning while he caught a fish :) * MADE IN CHINA 』
(fishy fun) 『this is for our 3 year old. trying to fish with the poles promotes eye/hand coordination. she loves games, but board games are sometimes too hard to understand or she doesn't have the patience for them. this is perfect and we can play it together.』
(NOT A POPULAR GAME IN OUR HOUSE) 『The age range listed for this game is 4-7 years but I would recommend it for the higher end of the age span. This game ends up frustrating my kids more then anything else.
You can play this game with up to four people. The object of the game is to catch the rotating fish when their mouths are open with a plastic pole. We had a few problems with this game: the game rotates too fast for smaller kids; trying to track fish can lead to bumping into each other; and the plastic poles were flimsy and hard to use properly.
This game would be great to practice fine motor and coordination skills but I would only recommend it for two players at a time. Any more then two players leads to screaming among the younger set.』 『This fun action game includes deluxe plastic game base, 21 colorful fish, 4 plastic fishing poles and instructions. Requires one 'C" battery (not included). 1-4 players.』 『The musical Let's Go Fishin' game is a test for the eyes, hands, ears, and patience. As the pond circles the base (to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat") see how many more colorful fish you can catch than your fellow players. The trick is that the fish are moving up and down as they circle, as well opening and closing their mouths. Can you time it just right and bring home dinner? This game for one to four players includes four fishing poles, the musical game base (which can rotate with or without music), 21 colorful fish, and complete instructions. Requires two AA batteries (not included).--Heather Hawkins』
price:$1.71
KIDS II
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (durable) 『My boys had one of these and they loved it. They chewed on it, threw it around, and mistreated it; yet it held up and protected the pictures inside. They learned the name of family member using this little album. Great buy!』
(satisfactory) 『Overall I was satisfied. It is a cute baby book and the pictures fit well. However my particular book had stray markings on the cover and inside the pocket on the cover that I had to remove with nail polish remover. Most of it came off, a little bit smudged and wasn't removed completely. A little disappointing. I am hoping they don't notice since this is a gift.』
(Cheap, chemically book) 『Received this as a gift. The characters are cheap and tacky. It is a cheaply-made piece of Chinese junk and it smells so chemically that I'm sure it would have shortened my child's life if I hadn't thrown it away.』
(Cute book, but plastic is weird.) 『Got this for my son's 1st birthday. The pages have fold-over flaps that make it virtually impossible for baby to get the pictures out. The graphics are cute and all pages are meant for horizontal photos except the little one on the cover. The Little Einstein logo on the back back does NOT obscure the photo as someone else stated. It is under the photo. The plastic pages did have a strong smell at first (like a new vinyl shower curtain) so if that concerns you, don't buy this. Also, some of the printing on the cardboard display wrap came off on the cover and I can't scrub it off for anything. The handle does NOT have liquid in it and seems sturdy - someone else said it looked like it would break easily and I don't feel that way at all. This book is a good value for the $.』
(Great baby gift!) 『I received this as a gift. My son is 8 months and loves looking through the book. When he sees the page that has mommy and daddy on it, he talks really sweetly to it. It melts my heart it's so cute. I also like this book because our family lives far away so he gets to see his grandparents everyday in this book.
The quality is nice and the pages are easy to load and have a flap that fold over so baby doesn't get their wet fingers all over the picture. So far it has been easy to change the pics. It has just enough space for all the important people in my son't life!』