TDmonthly's ToyFair 2006 Preview--Science & Nature Product Category

Volcano Kit by SCHYLLING

The kit lets kids build and erupt their own volcano using Paper Mache. All necessary materials are included inside the kit, including an educational booklet filled with information about real volcanoes. Launch date: July 2004. 5/19/2008 (Price: $14.99)

Crystal Growing Kit - Jade Green by TOYSMITH

Kids can grow their own crystals with this kit. The kit includes a base rock, crystal formula, a growing tray, a magnifying glass, a spatula and instructions. Adult supervision is required. 5/19/2008 (Price: $6.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Volcano Making Kit by TOYSMITH

Kids can make their own volcano and then watch it erupt. The kit includes a volcano mold, fast drying plaster, paint, a stirring stick and a paintbrush. Simply add baking soda and vinegar and watch the volcano erupt with bubbling lava. Adult supervision is required.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly in a May 2013 survey that this toy is their best-selling activity kit. 5/19/2008 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Crystal Soil and Sensitive Plant by INTELLI-KID

Two fascintating experiments in a tube: the hidden world of roots and the Sensitive plant. Just add water and watch the crystals grow up to 100 times their original size! Sow the Dwarf Sunflower seeds and observe the roots growing. Discover the SENSITIVE plant (Mimosa Pudica), which reacts to touch, water and darkness. Its leaves close and open in seconds! Plants germinate in just a few days! The crystal soil allows you to see the roots growing just like in clear water!  All the components except the seeds are reusable and recyclable. Contains approx. 10 seeds of Sensitive Plant (Mimosa Pudica), 10 seeds of Dwarf Sunflower, Crystal Soil, 2 peat pellets, 1 stick, and instructions. Age: 6+ 5/12/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Crystal Soil by INTELLI-KID

Complete growing kit, includes...Jack-Be-Nimble Miniature Pumpkin, Heavenly Blue Morning Glory, and Mammoth Sunflower seeds! Just add water and watch the Crystal Soil grow 100 times its size in 30 mins. So simple every child can do it. Guaranteed to sprout. 5/9/2008 (Price: $8.46) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Max Goes to Jupiter - Science Adventures with Max the Dog by BIG KID SCIENCE

Max accompanies astronauts as they explore Mars and its fascinating moons.
“The Max series has proven very popular with kids who have any interest in dogs, space, or science,” Big Kid Science Co-Founder Jeffrey Bennett told TDmonthly. “The books are known both for having an exciting storyline and for teaching interesting and accurate science.” Launch date: Oct. 1, 2008 5/8/2008 (Price: $16.95)

Star Pilot by THE YOUNG SCIENTISTS CLUB

The kit includes a specialized astronomical device called the Star Pilot™ which navigates the sky and locates the brightest stars and constellations. A poster, SLOOH Telescope Card and activity book are included, along with an illustrated, color manual that includes fun astronomical information, experiments, diagrams and constellation legends from cultures around the world. “This kit is a very unique astronomy device that has been invented, designed and patented by Brown [University] professors,” The Young Scientists Club President Esther Novis. Launch date: July 2008. 5/8/2008 (Price: $17.50) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

BUTTERFLY GARDEN by EDUCATORS RESOURCE

The entire class can watch caterpillars as time and nature work their magic in creating beautiful butterflies. Includes a coupon which is returned to the laboratory for the Butterfly Culture (yields 5 caterpillars), 11 1/4 inch tall habitat for your butterflies, a butterfly feeding kit, instructions on their care, and interesting facts about their lives. 5/7/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Compact Curiosities Owl Pellet by COPERNICUS TOYS

The kit allows kids to dissect a sanitary owl pellet which contains the skeletal remains of an owl meal. Learn about the owl’s habitat, place in the food chain and predatory skills. Use some archaeological skills to piece together the skeletons using the enclosed bone chart. Launch date: May 2008. 5/5/2008 (Price: $5.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

TickleMe Plant by COPERNICUS TOYS

The kit offers a quick and easy plant-growing experience. Kids learn the seed-to-plant process that ends with a fun interactive plant. Launch date: March 2008. 5/5/2008 (Price: $14.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Prehistoric Plant by DUNECRAFT INC.

The kit provides kids with an interactive, hands-on learning experience. Kids will be able to witness the seed’s transformation into a plant inside the terrarium, and then learn to take care of the plant. “Our kits are fun and educational,” DuneCraft Inc. Public Relations Specialist Alicia Borley told TDmonthly. “The lure of growing a prehistoric plant as well as everything included with the Prehistoric Plant would be why this would be picked over another kit.” Launch date: February 2008. 5/5/2008 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

GeoSafari Tyrannosaurus Rex by EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.

The kit features 30 snap-together parts, a rock-like base with six plant fossils, a dinosaur jawbone fragment, support rods, a full-color T-Rex action poster and full-color assembly instructions. The skeleton displays beautifully after assembly. “Dinosaurs are very popluar right now and our product is a great quality for the money,” Educational Insights Inc. Advertising and Public Relations Coordinator Heidi Bultman told TDmonthly. “Also, our dinosaur can be put together over and over again, and does not use glue.” Launch date: January 2008. 5/5/2008 (Price: $99.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Interactive Kaleidoscope by Ekos USA

Watch solid picture transform into dazzling kaleidoscopic images!  Each kaleidoscope includes 10 interchangeable science and nature discs with educational information on the back. 5/2/2008

Earthworm Nursery™ by INSECT LORE

The nursery allows kids to hatch baby earthworms from real earthworm cocoons, and then watch them dig and grow in the special multi-chambered greenhouse habitat. Kids can even release the matured earthworms safely into their backyard. The educational and ecological kit comes with approximately 50 Vermipod™ earthworm cocoons, a greenhouse habitat, special growth soil and an instructional guide full of earthworm facts and activities. 4/24/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Critter Carnival® by INSECT LORE

Kids will enjoy finding bugs and observing them play and perform in the miniature amusement park. The park is equipped with a slide, a swing, a maze, a tightrope, a Ferris wheel and a teeter-totter. The escape-proof domed habitat provides 360-degree views and features an extra-large built-in magnifier lid. The play park is suitable for ladybugs, pillbugs, grasshoppers and more. ( Watch Video) 4/24/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Hydraulic Mini Scissor Lift by AG INDUSTRIES

The kit takes approximately 30 minutes to build and will allow kids to observe and learn all about how the lift is powered by water. Everything needed is included in the kit except for scissors, a ruler and water. Launch date: April 2008. ( Watch Video) 4/24/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dino Dig – Tyrannosaurus Skeleton by KRISTAL EDUCATIONAL INC.

This kit allows kids to excavate, restore and display a 12" replica of a Tyrannosaurus skeleton. The kit comes with a skeleton replica embedded in a 12" x 9" slate-like slab of rock, an excavation tool, two brushes, two paint tablets and instructions. Launch date: February 2008. ( Watch Video) 4/11/2008 (Price: $24.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Conduction Experiment by PACIFIC SCIENCE SUPPLIES INC.

Conduction Experiment feature constructing a “conduction tester” and explores the conduction of electricity. Kit contains: 2 battery holders, bulb holder, light bulb, alligator connector cords, and sample pack. Packaged in bright, colorful PacSci packaging. 4/2/2008

Molecular Model Set by PACIFIC SCIENCE SUPPLIES INC.

Do you want to see what water looks like? How about carbon dioxide? The Molecular Model Set is an excellent way to visualize organic and inorganic compounds and gain a better understanding of the actual structure of complex molecules. Set includes a sturdy wooden storage case, connecting springs, 35 colored balls and an experiment guide. 4/2/2008

Newtonian Demonstrator by PACIFIC SCIENCE SUPPLIES INC.

The Newtonian Demonstrator is excellent for demonstrating Newton’s Third Law of Motion and the principle of Conservation of Momentum.  The unique design provides for better results and stability.  Instruction manual included. 4/2/2008

Exploring Bubbles by PACIFIC SCIENCE SUPPLIES INC.

Playing with bubbles is always a favorite activity. But did you know there is science involved? Exploring Bubbles sets out to teach how this fun activity is a great physics lesson. The kit allows soap films and bubbles on metal frames to be studied, showing that a soap film always adopts a configuration with the least surface area, and also allows a simple measurement of the surface tension of water. PacSci’s Exploring Bubbles kit includes a 16.5 cm diameter trough for soap solution, six different metal frames for making and manipulating bubbles, and a metal ring and sensitive spring scale for the surface tension measurement. A detailed experiment guide is included. 4/2/2008

Exploring Optics by PACIFIC SCIENCE SUPPLIES INC.

Explore the science of light and the physics of how light works with mirrors, lenses and prisms. No matter how complicated a camera, a telescope, or a microscope is, it consists of one or more of these basic elements. The experiments in this kit will help you understand their principles. PacSci’s Exploring Optics kit includes a laser, acrylic mirror, equilateral prism, cylindrical double concave and convex lenses, 4 cards and experiment guide. 4/2/2008

ScienceWiz™ Cool Circuits by SCIENCE WIZ / NORMAN & GLOBUS INC.

Part of a line of ScienceWiz Thinking Games, this puzzle game created by Harry L. Nelson and Hiroshi Yamamoto provides 40 challenges at different skill levels. Players put a puzzle card down and solve the puzzle by making sure all the pieces are looped together, at which time the board will light up with the solution.



( Watch Video) 3/31/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Steve Spangler's Geyser Tube by BE AMAZING!

Not only are MENTOS® great to eat, but these amazing candies are loaded with wonder. Learn how to create an enormous geyser by combining MENTOS® with soda. The eruption is amazing—up to 25 feet high—and so is the science just beneath the surface. The Geyser Tube™ allows you to load the candies and safely disperse them into the soda bottle.
— When asked about their best selling novelty toys in a September 2011 survey, Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly: "We sell lots of the Geyser Tubes from Be Amazing! Toys."
— In a Fall 2013 survey, two out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Be Amazing was a best-selling brand of science toy. ( Watch Video) 3/24/2008 (Price: $5.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mini World Amazing Sea Monkeys by BEST OF BEST

Sea Monkeys look best when viewed from above!  Amazing Sea Monkey Mini World includes:  #1 Water Purifier, #2 Instant Live Eggs, #3 Growth Food, a calibrated feeding spoon, specially designed pipette to help refresh the watery home, a trilingual user guide, a scientifically designed and tested Mini-World tank, and the exclusive multimagnifying lid that allows proper air exchange and optimized viewing.  Assorted. 3/24/2008 (Price: $15.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]