price:$14.99
Fisher Price
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Disappointment) 『I was really excited to find this in a store and bought it for my son for Christmas. When I got home I carefully opened the package and put it together. It was fairly easy to assemble, though the younger kids will definitely need help. It seemed pretty sturdy for a blocks and rods type of toy. I loaded up the bucket with the included ball and took my first shot. It was like brushing an ant off your shirt. The ball launched (more like fell) about a foot and landed softly on the carpet. I tried a few more shots with equally boring and disappointing results. I didn't attempt to build it in other ways, so hopefully we will find a better way and make this lame-o thing work.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (bristle blocks) 『My grandchildren love these blocks that are very much like the ones that we brought down from the attic that their parents used. The quality and variety are excellent. It is a shame that for this much money that there are no printed sample projects to get kids started.』
(Great Fun!) 『Bristle Blocks (300 piece set)
My grandsons play with these by the hour, every day. They just LOVE them, so I'm getting a great big tub of them to add to what they have already, so they can make even more creatures.』
(Awesome for all ages!!!) 『These blocks are awesome. I bought them for my 3yo and 2 yo daughters for easter. They have a lot of fun figuring out different ways to put them together. Even my 22yo son had fun with them. SO I guess they are great for all ages.』
(Family fun for all!) 『I purchased this item for a gift and for our home. Great fun for all, very imaginative play!』
(A great toy for the last 31 years, at least.) 『We bought this toy first for our son when he was 2 years old. We all had fun playing with Bristle Blocks. Our son was still too young for LEGOs. He is now 32 years old, and I purchased Bristle Blocks (300 piece set) for his daughter's 2nd birthday. She loves playing with them and so does her 3 and a half year old brother. They enjoy playing with them together, and there are enough blocks for several children to play all at the same time.』 『3 years&up. Interlocking blocks with soft, sturdy bristles encourage tactile play while allowing all kinds of creative building and patterning! Each set includes red, blue, green, and yellow blocks, plus characters. 300 piece set includes clear storage container. Largest block measures approximately 5 1/4" x 2".』
price:$23.11
Revell
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Really nice little V8 engine) 『This is a skill level three kit, age 12+ years. Younger children may be ok with adult supervision. This kit will fit together if you take your time. It does not just snap together. Styrene Glue, epoxy, a small file set and a sandpaper assortment is required. You must trim the flash, file down the ejection pin marks and dry fit each part before gluing. If you are skill level three, then of course you already know this. If you have built plastic model cars or planes before, then this kit should be no problem. If you are looking for a simple kit that can be put together in a afternoon, this is not it. Allow a few days of off and on work to finish. I got my first Visible V8 as a Christmas present in 1961. I have built five Visible V8s since and I am working on #6 now. There is a DVD available that gives step by step instructions for building the Visible V8 on E ---, if needed, however with some time and effort, these kits become a nice little model to show to all your friends. Please remember, this is a scale model and not a toy for little kids to play with, even though it is listed as a toy on Amazon. The Visible V8 is a great educational tool for that young future auto mechanic or engineer.』
(Revell 1:4 Visible V-8 Engine) 『If you have no experience on model, stay away! I do and it was still hard. But it overall was fun and maybe looking to do another! The model turned out great!』
(Great fun and educational too) 『My father bought me one of these when I was a kid. I still remember learning how the mechanical and electrical systems of a car engine work together as a single system. A great educational project for a mecahnically minded child and an even better child/parent team project.』
(Do Not Buy This!) 『Despite some of the bad reviews, I purchased this to build with my son. From the first step, this was a disaster. The tiny nuts that were supposed to fit in to the base did not fit for the most part. They had to be filed and cut to accommodate the nuts. The rest of the steps were not any better. For a model that cost $50, this was a tremendous disappontment. I also noted that the people who gave positive reviews did not specify that they built this.』
(Parts Don't Fit Together Well) 『Revell could have had a winner with this kit. Instead they made a poorly crafted model in which the parts do no fit together well. It's bad craftsmanship and frustrating. Stick to Tamiya models. They are well made and have great customer service; I once found a part missing in a Tamiya kit and e-mailed them for a replacement... It arrived within days.』 『This 1:4 Scale Visible V-8 Engine Plastic Assembly Kit from Revell is the winner of the 2008 Parents Choice Award and Silver Honor - 1995 Doing&Learning Toys. What better way to see how an internal combustion engine works than to be able to see all of the parts move! As you turn the crank, each of the parts move, just like the real thing. The Visible V8 Engine features moving pistons and connecting rods. A hand crank operates the pistons, camshaft rocker arms and valves. The kit includes a rubber fan belt and vinyl ignition wires. Also included is a display stand and screwdriver for construction. A superb educational tool on the inner workings and construction of a V-8 engine! This is a skill level 3 model, recommended for ages 12 and up.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (My son really enjoys this) 『This was a Christmas gift for my son. He really enjoys building different configurations and playing/controlling the water in the resulting structure. He may be too young (3rd grade) to understand about the manufacturing processes the hydrodynamic set can illustrate; but he loves to build things and take them apart and build something new - so the fact what he creates has no "real world" equivalent doesn't really matter. He got the second set with the eletric pump as well.』
(A very fun and educational toy) 『I had one of these sets when I was a kid so I got it for my son. We set up one of the factories and he played with it for hours. Spraying water, mixing in colors and soap, and just experimenting with the flow of water really held his interest. He now experiments by creating his own designs and flow patterns. This is now one of his favorite toys.』
(Hydrodynamic Deluxe Building Set) 『Okay, so I was looking for an educational toy. Since my son is knob turner and button pusher who loves to make messes, I figured this was just the ticket. I was right. Once the "contraptions" AKA factories are built, the water flowing and widget spinning, dripping "mess" is not only fun to watch, but allows for troublshooting of water flow issues through opening and closing valves to change the flow dynamics. A lot of fun. The only downside is that the manual shows very few canned ideas on what to build, and the pictures are a little hard for the kids to follow. If you just "freestyle" the building, it is much more fun. Be sure to have a couple of towels handy as when things go wrong at the plant, it can get wet! Definitely recommend for the kids that love to tinker. And its not another VIDEO game.......』
(Best Toy for my 8 year old son) 『I love this toy for my son. He spends so much time manipulating it and discovering all that it is capable of. This is really his best toy ever. It is a bit difficult to assemble the tanks and green rings, but oveall I highly recommend this toy.Hydrodynamic Deluxe Building Set』
(Lots of wet fun!) 『My 10 yr old son loves his Hydrodynamic set. He has to do a bit of planning as he builds his own creations. Once built, adjustment to the water flow rate and direction are usually needed. It helps him understand that everything is affected by something else in the system. We have the deluxe set and use most everything in the set when building. I went to the pet store to buy more tubing and items not supplied but helpful such as "T's" and a manifold usually used to supply air to different locations in a fish tank. I am wondering if the designers of this toy actually used the set. The large tanks require a fair amount of force to assemble as the green rings can be very difficult to press onto the tanks. In addition, being a teacher/engineer, the set could be made educational by explaining concepts of gravity, force, pressure, vacuum and flow. Overall, if your child likes building and water this is a fun one. I was thinking of adding one over my aquarium for fun. Enjoy!』 『Build a model of a manufacturing plant with working tanks, pipes, valves and pump with this unique construction toy. A color instruction book provides building instructions and several examples of different structures you can build with the set. With the』
price:$24.99
LEGO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Awesome...) 『I just got it yesterday and my 2 year old started playing with it rightaway and didn't let go untill she slept. We named the characters, seated them sideways so that they can watch the scenery from the bus. Opened and closed luggages many times and placed them in the under carriage compartment.
So colorful and lively, this bus drew my girls attention the second she saw it. The only down side of this set is the Grandfather figure, it would be more fitting, for us, if it were a father figure. Well, I guess Lego Group shows their respect for the Grandparents and reminds us not to forget about them. I can always get a father figure from some other set.
I highly recommend this toy. Very simple yet very appealing for small kids, educational too. Just don't forget to supervise them. Although the parts are not that small, you'll never know, kids manage to pull off some incredible stunts.』
(always compare to the lego site before buying) 『duplo products are great, always compare when buying to the lego site, 50% of the time way cheaper at lego despite prime membership here』 『Take a ride on the Duplo Bus! Take a fun trip on the Lego Ville bus! Get picked up at the bus stop, and don't forget to put your luggage in the storage compartment before you get on board. Next stop, fun and imagination! Bus includes driver, girl and grandfather figures plus accessories. Just the right size for smaller hands! Bus has working cargo doors! This Lego Duplo set has 14 pieces and measures over 8 inches (20cm) long. Recommended for ages 2 to 5.』
price:$4.27
Mega Brands America Inc. - Megabloks - Montreal
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (I like this kit) 『I like this toy because it can move and has a lot of stuff in it. it can open its cockpit and it can move its wings. It was hard to put together, but i stayed up late because I wanted to finish it. So I did. It was very nice packet. if you have this packet, you should look on the shield on his mask bc he was brighter than my other Halo guys, they were not light. I liked this packet, recommend getting this. T, age 6.』
(Fun, but not Lego-quality.) 『A friend bought this for me as a gift, and it was certainly enjoyable to put together. However, I was expecting Legos and this simply isn't quite Lego-quality. While the pieces are Lego-compatible, on their own they are very prone to coming apart and some of the connection points took some effort to snap together without breaking the entire thing. It simply isn't durable, and while it looks pretty cool sitting up on a shelf, it's not meant to be played with.
If you're really into the Halo series specifically, by all means buy this. But if you're just looking for a cool machine to put together, then steer clear of "Mega Bloks" and stick with Legos.』
(dont be so harsh) 『I have been a huge lego fan for years. I am going to start out by saying that mega bloks are not lego quality. With that said, even the most devout lego enthusiast has to admit that the quality of lego products has diminished greatly in the last few year. I have especially noticed this with the star wars series. This is the first set I have put together of the halo series and I have to say I do not agree with the bashing of quality or the negative comparison to lego. This set came with an alternate instruction sheet and extra parts to give the set some extra stability (mainly with the wing section which has been talked about in a previous review, I don't think they used the amended instruction sheet). I consider these, quality wise, to be just under that of any lego space set. I have several star wars sets and you cant play with those either due to them falling apart. So to finish up, these are awesome for any collector and look very cool when put together. The mini figs are great and have several points of articulation. Another plus is that the retail price of a mega bloks set is half that of a lego set of equal piece value. Barely less quality for half the price. Sounds good to me. Plus...come on...its Halo.』
(POOR, POOR, POOR product.) 『Agree with first reviewer about fan parts, but will add that LOTS of parts do not stay together. We bought 3 of the Halo sets for my 5 yr olds birthday. HOW SAD. These things DO NOT stay together. The scorpion, the warthog, the hornet, none of them are playable (unless your gold fish likes to swim around them in its bowl.) DO NOT BUY.』
(Frustrating) 『Everything was going fine building the thing till I got to the semicircular pieces for the turbofans, they just wouldn't stay on. Those parts appear to be defective. I had to do some redesigning so I could buttress the top off them with some thin 2 slot pieces which appear to have done the trick without hurting the hornets appearance. Overall a frustrating experience.』 『CHOCKING HAZARD - CONTAINS SMALL PARTS - NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (be aware) 『This track is great, and works fine. Just be aware that if this is the only track you have, you will need 2 of them to complete a circle. The Christmas train didn't come with a track, so I ordered this one, but when I got it, it didn't connect, so I have to order another one. It may say something somewhere about it, but I didn't see it.』
(Lego track) 『Great, I expected it to be electric track, I did not notice the small print that says nonelectric toy.』
(just fun..) 『If you have any of these then you already know how great they are. they are very durable. i have stepped on a few pieces and not break them.. (115 lb. gal) but it does hurt I will tell ya that. I guess it could break if it was treated badly. Of course they are fun, they keep my son busy for hours especially since he has tons of these tracks. Educational, well yes in some way...my son has to figure out just how much track he needs, short, long, straight or curved to complete his track. So yes they have to think and re-do their track if it won't work out. I have seen my 7 year old have to think, ok if I put this piece here then what else will I need and that sort of thing. After its done and put together, not so educational but still fun.』
(Wonderful product) 『We purchased a Lego train for our grandson for Christmas along with an extra set of straight rails and a set of curved rails. That way he could build a bigger track for his train to run on. We were thrilled at the quality of this product. We were also amazed of how smooth and quiet the train ran on the tracks. We plan to add more track and cars to his set in the future. Also, the upside of this train and track is that a child can build scenery, houses, etc. around the train track and play with this gift continuously.』 『Take your train farther! Add straight and curved rails to your train track layout -- turn more corners and go even further than before! Includes 8 curved rails and 8 straight rails. Tracks do not conduct electricity and therefore are not compatible with LEGO 9v Trains.』
price:$15.84
LEGO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Lego duplo trains) 『My 3-year old loves it. It compatible with other Thomas Lego duplo products and makes the tracks much longer. He plays for hours.』 『A whole world of train adventures starts here! This deluxe cargo train set has it all! Load and unload the train's cargo wagons at the warehouse with the big loading crane and fun conveyor belt. Duplo bricks are sturdy, colorful, and safe for a toddler's hands. Deluxe Train Set includes tracks, trains, vehicles, workers, and much more. Raise and lower the hook on the crane! Use the working conveyor belt to load and unload the train! Fill up at the gas station. This Lego Duplo set has 116 pieces and really makes sounds when you fill up at the station. Recommended for ages 2 to 6.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Young builders fun!) 『Magnets are always fun. This set adds to an existing set well, but doesn't lend to owning by itself.』
(Magnetix are great!) 『I got these for our children for Christmas. The great thing about Magnetix is you can add to your existing collection and build bigger things. The kids never seem to get tired of them.』
(Great Toy... Keeps 'em busy for hours!) 『I bought this and another set for my 5-year-old son. He LOVES them and plays with them for long periods of time. Excellent toy for helping to develop fine motor skills. I wish there were a few more pieces inside the kit, but for the price I paid from Amazon I really can't complain about that either. A keeper!』
(Magnetix) 『My grandson loves this toy. I bought him four different sets and they are all worth it. He loves to build things and this makes it so easy. I am very pleased with this product and will probably buy him more.』 『Assemble unlimited creations with 60 magnetic pieces. Includes translucent color rods, triangles and squares. Compatible with all other Magnetix Building Sets.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Lego Advent Calender) 『My son enjoyed this very much. Lots of legos to build. He still plays with the legos.』
(Lego's Advent Calendars are always fun) 『Before Christmas we promised the Lego Advent Calendar to our son, but it turned out to be sold out at the local Lego store or at lego.com . So we were elated that amazon.com had it! My son had a great time putting it together. It's a tradition for him to also put together the previous (two) years' calendars, he likes them so much. Each Advent Calendar is a different little community of people doing different jobs. So with three calendars, he's got a whole city of toys to play with. Lots of fun.』
(Thought it would be a bit better) 『The idea is a great one - get an advent calendar for your children where they get to open it and have a new little Lego toy each day leading up to Christmas. Well, each toy isn't exactly what I expected. About every third day, you get a Lego person, which my children love, and then the next two days, you get a "prop" to go along with that person (a 6 pc. Lego BBQ or a 10 pc. Lego Ice Cream cart). Most of the props are things my kids won't use with their current Lego sets, and trying to split the days among the three kids meant that some days, one child would get a silly prop toy that doesn't do any good without the next day's prop toy and the previous day's Lego person. Overall, a bit disappointed, but I'm glad we tried it once - won't be doing it again, though.』
(Fun for boys and girls.) 『Both my son and daughter really enjoyed waking up to each new lego prize. No matter how small it was a fun item to add to their collections.』
(Lego Advent calendar) 『If your kids love legos, they'll love this! It stretches Christmas out for almost a month. My boys are 7 and 9 and they really enjoyed it. Some of the other advent calendars (My little pony and Littlest pet shop for example) give the kids just a few toys and the other days they get stickers to put on the box or cardboard items to use to play with their toys, like a cardboard pet bed or bone. Cardboard? Seriously? Those are going to go right in the trash. Lego has it right. The kids get a Lego minifigure or the pieces to make a lego item EVERY day. No cheating here. I'm very happy with what we received. I'll be looking for these from now on. Thanks for reading!』 『Children who love to build can countdown to the holidays with 24 days of building fun. Behind every numbered door are mini-figures and other cool, constructible LEGO City accessories. Includes eight mini-figures. 196 pieces.』