August 2011 Notable Toys — Water Activities

Fully automatic for maximum speed, this blaster lets users just pull the trigger to begin the drenching action. Fill the water clip, attach it to the blaster and begin sending soaking streams up to 25 feet away. Requires no pumping action.

Pump-handle water blaster blasts a spinning stream of water up to 20 feet away. Detachable stock adjusts to different reaches. Water blaster comes with spinning barrel, detachable stock, tactical rails and a water clip.
— As of 6/14/2011 this product had 4.3 out of 5 stars from 7 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Gets opponent very wet; spinning barrel is amusing.  Cons: Uses water in the clip too fast; extra clips are expensive.

The Anchors Away Pirate Ship is made of durable plastic construction and features two fun characters, a squirting shark and a constant running water fountain. Kids can keep the water moving by pumping or pouring the water into the crows nest; the spinners cause a current in the ship which moves floating objects around. Kids can aim and squirt water from the water cannon to see the steering wheel spin, and the anchor raises and lowers by cranking the handle.
— As of 6/6/2011 this product had 3.2 out of 5 stars from 39 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Interactive; keeps kids engaged. Cons: Numerous reports of the plank and the cannon squirter breaking; expensive; water flow in fountain isn't strong enough to make the wheels spin smoothly.

The Intex Mushroom baby pool features a built-in mushroom shade for added comfort on hot days. It has a soft, inflatable floor that allows for gentle play. Adult supervision required at all times.
— As of 06/02/2011 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 12 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Shade keeps baby protected from sun; easy to blow up; inexpensive. Cons: One customer said one of the floats that came with the pool had a hole in it; if you aren't kneeling next to the pool when the top is on it's hard to see the baby in the pool.

This three-position adjustable, removable canopy protects baby from the sun and folds for storage just like the Baby Spring Float. There is a mesh play space for toys and splashing. Dual inflation chambers and low seat enhance security; the included sun canopy blocks 90% harmful UV rays. Features a "rainy day ducky" design and includes a carry/storage bag. 34"L x 30"W x 3"H. 1.64 lbs. Ages 9 to 24 months.
— As of 05/21/2012 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 199 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Thorough sun protection; folds up easily; the mesh area for toys is convenient. Cons: One customer complained of a leak around the hole where you inflate the float; One customer said her baby flipped over and was held under water because her legs were still in the hole.

This water table helps children develop "put and take" and early motor skills. They can: drop balls down spiral, watching them go round and round and down into the lazy river; turn the Ferris wheel to scoop up and drops off balls; fill the cup and pour into the funnel to power twin water wheels; and turn the spinner that powers the "lazy river."
— As of 05/24/2011 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 7 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Assembly is somewhat difficult; one customer received a box with missing pieces, but the company replaced them when she called.
— In a May 2012 survey, Barbara Fineblum, owner of Barstons Child's Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly that they "just sell Little Tikes" in the furniture/play house category.

Slick Sand will not get wet. Slick sand is saturated with silicon vapors. Silicon is a very slippery substance and these vapors reverse the way Slick Sand interacts with water. When kids pour water on it, the water will stay on top and flow, instead of wetting the sand and sinking down as happens with ordinary play sand. Paired with the fun experiments, the science behind Slick Sand is explained.  Kids will be introduced or further versed to terms and concepts like hydrophobe, hydrophile, conservation of mass, the biological composition of sand, and surface tension. Non-toxic. Slick Sand Includes: 1lb each of Red, Yellow, Blue, Green & Purple Slick Sand; Instructions and Information on Slick Sand.