March 2009 Notable Toys — Science & Nature

Targeted for ages ten and up, this edition enables a younger audience to experience one of the most significant technologies of the early 21st Century — especially appropriate in the midst of our auto industry crisis and global energy situation. By constructing and operating a unique reversible hydrogen fuel cell, powered by water and sunlight, children build a model car that actually runs on water! And in so doing, they join auto manufacturers in experimenting with a technology that will power not only automobiles, but electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones. This new edition has a beautifully redesigned car body with a display stand and a rewritten 64-page, full-color experiment manual, and retails for $169.95. Available fall 2009.

As a follow-up to the bestselling Power House kit comes Power House Green Essentials Edition, targeted towards a younger audience of ages 10 and up. This kit teaches children about the timely issues of alternative energy and sustainable living, by conducting 30 experiments and building ten energy-related models: the power house itself, a greenhouse, a solar cell array, a passive solar collector, a solar oven, an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a hydrometer, a lemon battery, and a wind power generator. They can even sow seeds in the greenhouse! The kit comes with a 64-page, full-color experiment manual and retails for $89.95. Available now.
— “Most anything from Thames & Kosmos, like the Power House, Wind Power [and] Creative Cosmetics,” sells well for education, according to Patti Tepper Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Games & Books in Oklahoma City, Okla.
— Three of 40 retailers mentioned science kits by Thames & Kosmos when discussing best-selling educational items in fall 2009.

Get ready to Explore Space with this exciting mini-kit! Young Scientists recreate a solar eclipse, match planets to their descriptions, make their own “moonlight,” recreate the phases of the moon, construct a constellation box, identify mystery constellations, and design constellation cards. Explore Space will make Young Scientists want to be future astronomers! Launch date: February 2009.

Get ready to Save the Earth with this exhilarating mini-kit! Young Scientists learn about acids and bases, use pH paper to test rain water, make Styrofoam magically disappear, create pulp from old newspapers, recycle paper, make new paper, recycle leaves in a peat pellet and learn about the three R’s! Go Green teaches Young Scientists all about recycling and how they can help Save the Earth! Launch date: February 2009.

Harnessing high-tech magic, when kids drop the strange “egg” into a container of water, all manner of foaming bubbles and fizz whoosh through the void. When it’s finished, a small creature of unknown origin and form lies at the bottom. It should be picked up and placed into another jar of water. Slowly, fantastically, it begins to grow, and within three days, it’s three times bigger. "These 'Freaks of Nature' aren't just any typical animal. They are wacky cross-breeds. Including a Horsefly (a fly with the head of a horse), a Bullfrog (a frog with the head of a bull), a Catfish (you guessed it, a fish with the head of a cat) and more," Aaron Ackert, sales manager for Geospace International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2009. THIS PRODUCT WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO MARKET AND IS NOT AVAILABLE.

Children can make their own Inter Galactic Worlds and Biome Systems, as well as ant space food. They will see ant gardens, ant pools and ant baby hospitals. "All the ECO System range of kits are also designed to be interconnected. So Ants and Worms can go and explore the ECO Dome and Future Farms," Agatha Pan, international sales manager for Tree Toys Corp., told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.

This hydroponic farm features 'magic' capillary wick feeding of special liquid nutrients to big biodome gardens where kids can grow their own sandwich fillings — without soil. It offers "leading-edge science for feeding populations where soil is poisoned or non-existent. We supply lab equipment and chemicals for kids to make their own liquid nutrients [and] purify and balance pH. Twin tanks and twin drainage reservoirs means two separate farms can compare different nutrients at same time," Agatha Pan, international sales manager for Tree Toys Corp., told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2009.

"A Pirate's Quest" is the story of a one-legged pirate who loses his family heirloom peg leg. The pirate's journey begins by a tiny lake where his peg leg had drifted away during the night. He vows to find his leg by following the moving water from the lakes to the rivers to the ocean. And he never gives up. The story is beautifully illustrated with paintings by award-winning wildlife artist and host of the PBS television show "Your Brush with Nature," Heiner Hertling. Launch date: September 2008.

"The Riddle in a Bottle," filmed by award-winning wildlife filmmakers Laura Sams and Robert Sams, shows how life on earth is connected through moving water. The Riddle Solvers try to solve a puzzling riddle that mysteriously floats to their inland riddle stand from the far away ocean. Kids can join them as they meet sea turtles, a singing pirate and more. Launch date: October 1, 2008.

From the award-winning Banana Slug String Band come 10 toe-tappin’ tunes that celebrate all things water. Each song makes a perfect introduction to an elementary science lesson or just some danceable fun. Kids can grab their waders and wander from spring to sea in a musical adventure that’s wet and wild. Launch date: March 6, 2008.

Two to 36 players match color photographs of rocks, minerals and gemstones with relating trivia facts or physical/chemical properties. With two levels of play, students will unearth three rock types and dust off some interesting trivia. The game involves practice with 70 different rocks, minerals and gemstones and includes color game boards, calling cards, plastic markers and an instructional guide. It teaches the physical characteristics of rocks and minerals, the rock cycle, and the characteristics, uses and names of rocks, minerals and gemstones. "All our games offer multiple levels of play and are aligned with national standards. They are made with the needs of every learner in mind," Alyssa Brown, product development manager for World Class Learning Materials, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

BARSKA’s Point ’n View is a state-of-the-art integration of a high-quality 8 x 22 roof prism binocular and .3MP digital camera that is equally at home on a nature outing, sporting event or vacation. Instead of packing a separate binocular and digital camera, Point ‘n View gives you the convenience of both in one compact device. The Point ‘n View is packed with features that allow one to see, save, and share special moments with friends and family. Simply look through the binoculars and record the scene with the digital camera; then, download it to your PC and print it or e-mail it to friends. It includes a carrying case, instructions, software and cables. Launch date: 2008.

This undercover fingerprint kit comes with file cards, an ink pad, a fingerprint speciman card, fingerprint lifting tape and powder, a magnifying glass and a paint brush so that little kids can record and identify fingerprints.
— “Deliveries are very quick,” Tim Hayes, owner of Learning Express in Sudbury, Mass., told TDmonthly of this preferred vendor in fall 2008. “The pricing is fair. They're easy to do business with and the product sells extremely well.” Nearly 10 percent of 52 retailers named Alex as a favorite supplier.

Build exciting projects with the Electronic Playground (EP-50) such as Voltmeter, Alarm, Radio Announcer and many more.

Power a clock with the Cola Clock Kit. Learn how batteries work when you use cola to make a chemical reaction that powers a clock.