October 2014 Notable Toys — Science & Nature

Turn this plastic mason-style jar into your own little habitat with real plants and tiny figurines. Set includes a 5” h x 3 ¼” w jar, decorative lid, potting mix, organic chia and wheat grass seeds, garden figurines, decorative sand, river stones and a plant mister. Add dimension to your garden with translucent and glow-in-the-dark stickers – hold it up to the light and watch the fireflies glow.
— In a September 2014 survey, three out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that this product was one of their top-two best-selling science & nature toys.
— Barbara Fineblum, owner of Barston's Child's Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly in October 2014 that this was one of her store's best-selling jewelry and accessories item.
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award

Part pet, part toy, the HEXBUG Aquabot 2.0 provides kids with the fun experience of having a pet fish, without all the messy clean-up. The portable fishbowl allows kids to bring their pet fish with them wherever they go! Includes repositionable background and name tag. HEXBUG Aquabot 2.0 is available in two styles, the Angelfish and Hammerhead Shark, and ten translucent colors. The Aquabot 2.0 swimmers are equipped with an inner pulsating LED glow and a hi-tech sensor allowing you to wake the sleeping fish by tapping on the tank. Styles and colors are selected randomly at time of shipment based on availability.
— Mary Tague from Toy Town in Key Biscayne, Fla., told TDmonthly in an April 2015 survey that the Aquabot was their best-selling bath toy.

Put your name in lights with vibrant electroluminescent wire (EL wire for short) and a pegboard. Learn about electric circuits and lighting technologies. Write up to eight characters, or combine two kits to make longer names or words.

Build an electronic musical device that works like a simple theremin, an instrument in which the pitch is controlled by the movement of your hand. In this device, a light sensor inside the UFO’s dome senses the changing light level as you move your hand above it, changing the sound.

Use a recycled soda can to make a fun and educational motorized gondola cable car. Assemble the support and motor, attach a soda can and decorate it with the included stickers. Set up the cable string and watch your gondola travel along the cable. Requires 2 AAA batteries, not included. Made by 4M - Toysmith.
— In a March 2015 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that 4M from Toysmith is their best-selling line of eco-friendly toys.

The multi-model cabability of ENGINO TOY SYSTEM is proportional to the number of parts contained in the sets. The inventor pro series is the ultimate range more suitable for intermediaste and advanced users who literally "play to invent" ! The models created with these sets are bigger and more elaborate and can move with the new compact dual output motor. The series starts with the 40 models set and goes all the way to the 100 models set which has 2 motors and extra gears for even more complex builds. Each set contains printed instructions for selected 10 models while the rest can be downloaded free from engino's website.

All you need is sunshine, water and your creativity to make unique and beautiful sun art prints! Place natural objects like flowers, leaves, shells or even man-made objects on the sun-sensitive paper. Add the foam letters to spell out a message. Use the enclosed dry erase markers to write or draw designs on the acrylic panel. Set outside on a sunny or overcast day or even indoors in a sunny window. Sit back and watch as the sun turns the paper a beautiful blue! Everything needed to make 15 unique and beautiful sun art prints! Kit includes 15 sheets 8” x 10” SunArt paper; one 8” x 10” acrylic panel; three 8” x 10” sheets of decorative clip art; two dry erase markers and 78 foam letters. For ages 6+. Made in USA.

Build, Create and Animate! OGOBILD is a line of creative construction toys created to promote open-ended play and stimulate a child's imagination. This kit contains Animate It! Express software, which was developed with the Aardman Animations studio (the creators of Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run) and is the premier UK education stop-motion animation software. Teaches the basics of stop motion animation. Allows kids to make their own animated movies with Animate It! Express. Takes advantage of the OGOBILD System's Versatility. Share finished films with family, friends, and the world!
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award

Build this Strandbeest kit yourself! It has a very interesting mechanism: blowing into the fan makes the animal start walking against the wind. The wind power is conveyed to the legs by 2 gears. The 28-page science guide gives you the history of the real Strandbeest that Theo Jansen started building in1990. The guide also includes easy-to-follow assembly instructions.

Giant-sized solar science fun! This 50 foot long balloon soars high in the sky powered by the sun. Demonstrates buoyancy, convection, thermodynamics and solar power. Teaches Bernoullis Principle and Pascals Principle. Great for science classes and the perfect start to a science project. Bright direct sunlight on a calm, cool day has the Solar Balloon soaring in just minutes. Includes one 50 foot long by 29" diameter Solar Balloon, 400 feet of string, complete instructions and science learning guide. Made in USA.