Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center

Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center
From Hasbro

Customer Reviews

toys
Overall very pleased. The product received promptly and as expected.
Communication re shipment and receipt times was great.

Cheerful entertainment
Very simple toy. Works on a pneumatic system. There is a ball popper, ball cage and three accessory systems. It also has very good battery life. I wish they had given some extra balls. Once the ball is dinged it wont work well. Iam unable to find other balls that fit in the poper. Overall a very good toy, buy when it is on sale.

A home run toy purchase
Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center
Our family is living in furnished apartment while we transition to a new house. Most of our toys are in storage. I bought a selection of toys to keep the boys (age 3 and ten months) in our small space. This toy is such a hit. Both boys like it. My ten month old is fascinated. He has played with it off and on all day long every day this week. I watch his coordination improve as he figures out how to start the music, etc. It's just wonderful fun!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
Treat your baby to some poppin', droppin' funtime with the Busy Ball-Tivity Center Assortment from Playskool. Designed for ages nine months and up, this air-powered activity center will delight babies with its high-rolling balls, exciting sounds, and adorable toys. This fun, stimulating, and durable set entertains baby, while also encouraging hand-eye coordination and healthy auditory and visual development.

The Ball-tivity Center encourages hand-eye coordination and visual and auditory development. View larger.

Hours of Interactive Fun
The Ball-Tivity features cute jungle animals and a ladybug that entice little fingers to grasp and explore. Mom or baby can press down on the ladybug to start the action and keep things moving. As the air starts to flow, lively music plays and animal sounds seem to bring this activity set to life. Parts appear to magically move, making this exotic adventure pure delight for a curious child.

The bright colored balls swirl around the pool. View larger.

Stimulates the Senses and Encourages Healthy Development
The Ball-Tivity engages all of baby's senses, and encourages hand-eye coordination while introducing your child to the relationship between cause and effect. Colored balls swirl around the pool, inviting little hands to reach in and pull them out, then drop them back in to watch them swirl around and around again. You or baby can also place a ball on top of the volcano and see it hover. Stackable palm tree, elephant and alligator pieces all spin, twirl and chomp when placed on their separate ports, or they can be stacked for a different perspective.

The Ball-Tivity Center requires four "D" batteries (not included), and comes with monkey and palm tree snap-in pieces, three balls, three stacking pieces, and instructions. For your child's safety, all plastic fasteners should be removed and discarded before play.

Tiny Love Wonder Wheel Review

Tiny Love Wonder Wheel
From Tiny Love

Customer Reviews

cheap
My little guy doesn't like this at all. I was hoping it would entertain him but it doesn't.
It may be good for some kids but not my son.
Very flimsy
I'll try it again when he is a little older.

love this "Tiny Love Wonder Wheel"
I bought the Wonder Wheel to keep my 18 month old grandson busy on a 14 hour road trip. It did the job; he loved it and is still enjoying it post trip. He plays with it in the house also and is already learning his animals and what they say. I loved it so much I bought one for a gift for a friend.

Entertaining
This item is entertaining for my 18 month old son. I'm not sorry that I purchased it- I think it is worth the money. My only complaint that was written in a previous review is that there is a duck in the middle of the toy, but no button on the steering wheel that makes a duck sound. It was probably omitted due to space, but the company should consider this in redesign.

Product Description

Wonder Wheel is a baby-activated steering wheel for developmental fun on the road. When your baby touches the image on the remote control steering wheel, that image on the farm panel lights up and makes animal sounds. This engaging cause-and-effect activity toy features lights, animal sounds and music, plus a honking horn. Requires 2 "AAA batteries" (for wheel) and 3 "AA" batteries (for farm panel). Batteries included. Use for front-facing car seat travel only.

Amazon.com Gift Card Review - Best Christmas Gifts

Amazon.com Gift Card
From Amazon.com

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1.E-mail a gift card ›› E-mail a personalized gift card for immediate delivery.

2.Print at home ›› Print a personalized gift card on your own printer. (Remember to have your credit card handy when you're ready to print).

3.Send a gift card by mail ›› Mail a personalized gift card (shipping is free, of course). Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery.

Spyro Gyro Artistic Motorized Pen Set Review

Spyro Gyro Artistic Motorized Pen Set
From Hog Wild

Customer Reviews

spyro gyro
My artistic 8 yo thinks this is really neat. He hasn't been playing with it as much as some of the other Christmas presents, but it seems like one of those things that is going to come out for some very creative pictures in the future.

Features

• Set includes 5 ink colors, 3 interchangeable shapes (circles, squares, triangles) and the incredible Spyro Gyro Motorized Pen
• Fun activity pen for adults and kids
• Requires 1 AA battery (not included)

Best Baby Products

LeapFrog Alphabet Pal® Caterpillar Review

LeapFrog Alphabet Pal® Caterpillar (Colors May Vary)
From LeapFrog

Customer Reviews

Loud and irritating
My son recieved this as a gift for his first birthday. My first reaction to seeing it was along the lines of "oh crap, his first annoying, loud, electronic toy", which proved to be true. But my son likes it okay, mostly because he loves hearing the ABC tune.

It's cute, and with all the abuse it's taken even in just a couple of months it's held up - it's been dropped, stepped on, and generally banged around. I have mixed feelings about its phonics value, since it has only one pronunciation per vowel. I also have an issue with some of the censoring. While I certainly don't want my kid's toys saying something inappropriate, I think they went too far. So far I have found that you cannot make any words that end in "as", "az", "ax", "uk", or "uc". My biggest complaint is the volume. This toy is way too loud, even on its lower setting. If my husband or I accidentally trigger this toy at night, it can wake my son up down the hall, through a closed door. But this toy is meant to be played with at close range. I don't know why it even has a louder setting. This is one of my pet peeves about many of the toys out there.

If we hadn't recieved this as a birthday gift, I would not buy it.

Cute...but annoying
I really like the LeapFrog products, we have quite a few. But this caterpillar has an annoying voice. My son likes it for a few minutes, then even he gets sick of it and turns it off. I like the concept, but the voice could be better. And I don't understand why it plays Christmas music for some of the letters. The legs easy to push, and the pronunciations are great too. My son really likes the way he "walks", wobbling back and forth. We also bought one for our nephew who isn't talking. His mom says it has helped him with sounds and words, so that makes me feel better!

Get a different ABC toy
My son seems to enjoy this toy okay but it drives me crazy. He did not use it when learning his ABCs; he preferred a toy with buttons easier to push and larger letters. But he picks this one up every now and then. It has a music mode that plays short songs but if you even barely touch another button it changes to a different song. The string is too short to pull; I am not sure of the purpose of it. I would get rid of this toy if my son didn't play with it at times. Overall I think it is annoying and would recommend getting a different ABC toy.

Features

• Press one of his 26 feet and listen as your caterpillar Alphabet Pal says the letter, makes the sound or says the color printed on that foot
• Four learning modes teach letter names, letter sounds, colors and music
• Press the button on Alphabet Pal’s back for a special musical surprise! Pull Alphabet Pal’s string to hear the ABC song!
• Develops gross motor, language, auditory, and cognitive skills
• Alphabet Pal provides children a fun opportunity for imaginative, self-directed play

12/08 Bestsellers

Crayola Color Explosion Designer

Crayola Color Explosion Designer
From Crayola

Customer Reviews

My granddaughter was pleased; loves to draw.
Crayola Color Explosion Designer
Great price; even came in cheaper than W/M. My granddaughter loves to draw and was thrilled to receive the gift for her b/day.

Editorial Reviews

From the Manufacturer
Crayola Color Explosion Designer lets kids crank up the fun and create unique, surprising designs that burst from the paper with the twist of a dial. Using a single Color Explosion marker, kids can fill in the spaces on the special design disk that clicks in place over the paper. What happens next is explosive, as funky multi-colored designs magically appear! Kids can literally create 5 million different designs by moving the design disk into different positions on the paper, guaranteeing a different spiral design every time. The Color Explosion Designer comes with a plastic cover that holds two design discs, lettings kids proudly create awesome, perfectly drawn designs. The set also includes a 20-sheet tablet of black Color Explosion paper and 2 Color Explosion markers. The plastic unit fits directly over the pad and works well with both Color Explosion black and Color Explosion white paper.

12/08 Bestsellers

Crayola Color Explosion Glow Board - Best Christmas Toy

Crayola Color Explosion Glow Board
From Crayola

Customer Reviews

Not at this price!
I cannot believe what this seller is asking for this toy...[...]?!? I just paid [...] for this at Wal-mart not even two weeks ago. We gave it to my son for his 6th b-day. He and my daughter (who is 11) really enjoy it. She loves to draw, so it works well with her imaginative side. He is learning to write words and is having fun writing lil messages for different ppl in the family. There is one removable drawing board which is easy to clean if you just put it under the sink and wash. The other is not so easy. We just use wet napkins and wash and dry. So far, so good.

Great gift
this item was a great find at the price. Really looks great in the dark. Looked else where but this was the best price. Thank you

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
With the Crayola Color Explosion Glow Board, kids can take their creations to a whole new level of fun. The glow board comes with six vibrant neon markers, which can be used to draw on either of the board's two drawing surfaces. Once their drawing is complete, kids can illuminate the colored inks with the touch of a button, as the board's lights give the ink an intense glow.

Children can illuminate the colored inks with the touch of a button. View larger.

Kids are able to create a multitude of different drawings.

An Electronic Easel
The Crayola Color Explosion Glow Board offers a unique way for kids to display their art, as it lights up drawings much like a neon sign. It incorporates several violet lights under the drawing surface. When lit, these lights cause the ink to take on a vivid, striking glow. The board's surface is reusable -- ink erases in an instant -- making it good for hours of fun at a time. Children can easily display their artwork by using the easel back to prop the board in place. And the board's two separate drawing layers give kids even more room to doodle. Using the glow board's controls, kids can choose to display one layer, or flash between both for an exciting billboard-like effect.

Drawing with the Glow Board
The glow board's markers come in six dazzling neon colors -- red, blue, yellow, green, orange, and pink. With these colors at their command, kids will be able to create a multitude of different drawings. Perhaps they will envision a galaxy with stars and planets, or render an undersea adventure. The markers have medium tips, which can draw thickly but also offer the ability to draw finer images. A tracing sheet comes with the board to help kids get ideas for their artwork. This toy is recommended for children ages six and up, and requires three AAA batteries (not included.)

Party Supplies Toy - Coloring Castle

Party Supplies - Coloring Castle*
From Birthday Express

Customer Reviews

It's a great party toy
We had this at our twins' second birthday party, and all of the kids loved it. They loved crawling through the doorway and being inside, and they loved scribbling all over it. It doesn't travel very easily after it's been set up, but it was a really fun thing to have at our party!

cardboard castle
this toy is very hard to put together and not very durable. however, it was fun to color and the cost was good.

Product Description

Party Supplies - A royally fun party activity for girls and boys. Kids enjoy hours of fun coloring and then playing inside and around the outside of this cardboard castle. Measures 32"H, with open-air courtyard so kids can stand up in the middle. Easy assembly.

LAZERTAG Multiplayer Battle System - Top Christmas Toys

LAZERTAG Multiplayer Battle System
From Hasbro - Freight Collect

Customer Reviews

Laser Tag
This was a Christmas present for my Grandson who is 10. He had it out of the box and was playing with it all day. He was very happy with the way it worked and had lots of fun sharing it with his cousin. Seemed very durable for the older kids if used correctly.

Excellent toy for an 11 and 15 year old.
I brought this set for my 11 year olds birthday. They have had so much fun with it. I have had to keep a supply of batteries on hand because it is his first choice of toy everyday. Either the neigbhors or cousins of my 15 year old sons plays with him everyday. They play in the basement and outside. It was a great investment. It is the only thing that got him off the sofa from playing video games.


RJones

Outdoor Fun!
The guns are well-made, simple to use, and provide a good alternative to what might be an otherwise boring workout routine! What's really nice is that they are backward compatible with earlier models of Hasbro Lazer Tag weapons. I play with a small group about once per month, and are able to use all models without compatibility issues. While having two guns is fun by itself, you may want to consider picking up two sets of these to make gameplay even more exciting. Finally, though each weapon can be set to play two teams against each other, if one places the sliding switch between team 1 and team 2, you can accommodate a third team!

Features

• Tag or be tagged in this intense, real-life lazer combat game!
• Complete two-player system lets you battle in intense real-life lazer combat with two or more players (additional taggers sold separately).
• Train your tagging skills in single player mode with the video-game attachment!ou want
• Customize you firing power with the SHOT BLAST attachment!
• Includes 2 PHOENIX LTX taggers, 2 SHOT BLAST attachments, 2 PINPOINT SIGHT targeting units and 1 video game module.

ChessCentral Timekeeper Chess Clock and Game Timer

ChessCentral Timekeeper Chess Clock and Game Timer
From ChessCentral

Customer Reviews

Wow!
I thought this was a misprint. Now that I received it, it's gotta be a misprint. This timer is so much better than the price. It's so much better than any other quartz clocks available on Amazon.

It's o.k.
Works fine and is quite durable. My only regret is that I should have bought a digital instead. The flags don't drop on the minute, instead they just kind of hang up for anywhere from 15-45 seconds after the time is up.

An adequate timer, leaves a little to be desired
This is an adequate timer, and it does its job. There were just a few things which I found disappointing. First of all, it is larger than I was expecting: 4 inches by 7 inches by 2 inches. Second, the sound made when pressing the buttons to switch the timers is not very pleasant; it is a pretty loud and plastic-sounding snap. Thirdly, if you press the buttons halfway down, instead of causing both clocks to stop (which is useful for rules challenges, for example), it causes both clocks to run -- not very useful! You have to flip the power switch on the back off to stop both clocks.

That being said, it is a reasonable clock for amateur use, and the seller was great: very prompt shipment (I placed my order on Sunday and received the product on Wednesday), and they even threw in a battery for free.

Features

• Now you can own a stylish chess clock in black at a terrific price! No more over-winding problems.
• This battery-operated Quartz analog clock is an economical chess clock which is reliable, accurate, and sturdy.
• No more guessing on time because this clock has a large, easy-to-read display.
• This clock is perfect for schools, clubs or tournament play. No more over-winding problems. Uses 1 AA battery (not included).
• You get a user friendly game timer with Quartz accuracy at an unbeatable price!

More Chess Items and Curios

Chess Tactics for Kids - Best Christmas Gifts

Chess Tactics for Kids
By Murray Chandler

Customer Reviews

Great Tactics Intro
This book is a very good introduction to a number of essential tactical concepts. For novice players looking to improve quickly, attention to the lessons in this book will be a big help. The lessons build from simple concepts to more complex motifs in a logical manner, which makes the material easy to grasp.

I recommend the book.

Chess tactics and combinations to make you a more powerful player quickly!
This is a great book that compliments "How to Beat Your Dad at Chess." It covers various chess tactics that come up or can be created to win material, gain positional advantages and impose checkmate.

Overall, the book is highly readable with good diagrams and easy to follow text. It is thorough in covering important and commonly used tactics, but not overwhelming for new players.

I think Chess Tactics for Kids is a misnomer in a sense since this book is appropriate for almost any adult and probably wouldn't be very useful to kids under 12 years old unless they have more than a casual interest in chess. However, younger kids could certainly grow into it as their interest peaks and they master more fundamental skills.

I've been playing chess for years and got a lot out of this book. I think it's perfect for teenagers and highly recommend it to adults who have not read seriously on chess and are somewhat intimidated or bored by move-by-move type chess books. I also recommend it to younger kids with more advanced chess skills or who are serious doing their homework to improve their skills.

I wish this book was available when I was learning to play chess. It would have saved me a lot of time learning things the hard way and wading through a lot of overly complicated move-by-move type books that I wasn't ready for.

Chess Tactics, Traps and Combination books - the best way to get better
When you are a beginner there is nothing better than studying books on Tactics, Traps and Combinations in chess. This is because the mind of a beginner can certainly understand 1 + 1 = 2. The value of the pieces is clear and coming out ahead can be calculated. This is a point that is a first step in learning chess! Tactics, at any point of the game are important to learn. Knowing what they are, how they work and recognizing them at a glance is necessary if you are going to become a good chess player. "CHESS TACTICS FOR KIDS" works on the most important starting tactics by showing you what they are and giving brief examples. This is not a tactics workbook where you will find hundreds of examples (a good book to get after this) or a traps book (a book also good to get) where you can see the tactics arise from the first move of the game. It is a book where you will learn the "mechanics" of the tactics. The brief chapter on each tactic is a great way to get started!

More Chess Items and Curios

New Excalibur Saber IV Electronic Chess Computer Review

New Excalibur Saber IV Electronic Chess Computer
From Excalibur Electronics

Customer Reviews

Great powerful chess computer and training tool
The Saber IV is powerful enough to beat a large majority of chess players in the world but it can also be set to low enough power level to keep the oponent interested. The estimated 1750 strength rating put this chess computer at a class A player level acording to U.S. Chess Federation, or just 2 levels below a Master level. For the beginner, you can set the play level to low enough level so you are competetive with the computer but as the player strength goes up you cna adjust the computer level upward to always have a worthy oponent and keep the game interesting. The portable size and the low price makes this the best investment in a chess set.

Ok
I had ordered this for my niece as a Christmas gift. I was confused on thinking it was one of the ones that talks to you. But It was my fault.

Educational
This Chess set is great for those who want a challenge,and for those who would like to step up there game.

More Chess Items and Curios

How to Beat Your Dad at Chess Book Review

How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit chess)
By Murray Chandler

Customer Reviews

Good bok, but not so much for beginners or little kids
Because my kids would like nothing more than to beat their dad at chess, I got this book for my 7 and 4 year old sons. The book does a great job explaining different types of mating patterns, but the explanations are too brief and too abstract for my kids. I learned a lot reading the book, but I'm not sure my kids did. The title makes it seem as if the book is for young children. It is really for intermediate to advanced players. For them, this is a great book. For little ones, I would not recommend it.

One of the best beginner to intermediate chess books available...
This book really improved my beginning chess. First, Chandler gives a great overview of why pattern recognition is important. Then he proceeds to show certain board set-ups to demonstrate various checkmating techniques. Don't be fooled by the title, this is a great book for all beginning chessplayers; more experienced players may already have seen this material, though probably not nearly so elegantly presented! When I began playing correspondence chess with some of my (equally matched) friends, this book did more for me than almost any other (some tactics books were also very helpful, and should be part of your learning experience). In fact, my recommendation would be to tell your friends about this book, but keep it secret from your chess enemies!

White Queen on E2 Complicates (breaks?) #8
I'm a weak player, but curious, so I set up both Chessmaster and Chess Genius with the layout shown for Damiano's Mate, the 8th Deadly Checkmate, but the first example from the introduction.

Neither engine cooperated with Chandler's script by taking 7.Kg1, because both recognized another option: While 7.Qh5 didn't change the outcome of the game, it extended it by nearly 60 moves!

It seems unlikely that this board position is (as Chandler describes) the same one where Grandmaster John Nunn recognized the winning combination in two seconds, because the white queen on e2 changes everything!

That doesn't mean the book is worthless, of course, but it does shake my faith in the author somewhat. If I were a GM, I would recognize the typo and move on; as a novice who is probably the target of this book, I find the gap between explanation and reality most confusing. Has this error been corrected in a revised edition?

Product Description

This is not just a book for kids - for 'Dad' read any opponent who beats you regularly! This book teaches the 50 Deadly Checkmates - basic attacking patterns that occur repeatedly in games between players of all standards.

Each mating motif is carefully and simply explained, and several illustrative examples are given. A final test enables the reader to grade his pattern recognition abilities, and the last chapter explains what to do if your Dad is Garry Kasparov.

Fun, instructive - and guaranteed to improve your game.

More Chess Items and Curios

ChessCentral's Chess Pieces - Christmas Gift for DAD

ChessCentral's Chess Pieces, Board and Tote Bag Starter Kit
From ChessCentral

Customer Reviews

Chess on the go
Another great starter package from ChessCentral, this package is good not just for weekend tournament or weekly club players, but also for people in search of a nice travel package (for business trips, family vacations, etc.). The carryall bag has ample room for the roll-up vinyl board and the "standard USCF" Staunton design plastic chess pieces. Regardless of whethre you're playing at a club, in weekend tournaments, or just want a set to carry along when you're on the run, this package offers an excellent value.

Great deal
I've bought a lot from Chesscentral thru Amazon. I lucked out when I got this one as it also came from Chesscentral. What a great product for a great price. I know you will love it.

Chess Central is amazing
I love it! The best tournament chess set at a low price. I have purchased several sets from other chess shops, but none have had the durability this set has (and all were much more expensive). The pieces are weighted, the chess board is indestructible and the bag holds it all plus a chess clock and score pad easily. Terrific!

Product Description

The Chess set- The Centurion Chess Set is a Staunton design full tournament-size and felt padded plastic chess set. Get the durability of impact resistant plastic along with the classic Staunton look. The Centurion chess set features a full 3.75" King with a stable base of 1.5" diameter. The perfect set for both club and tournament play - balanced and durable. The Board - This vinyl chess board is made to resist tears, spills, and daily abuse. The squares are blue and buff for the best contrast and visibility. You will love this lightweight, roll-up chessboard! It is easy to take to tournaments, clubs, or next door. Clear and legible algebraic notation, 20"x 20", with 2.25" square size meets all chess tournament standards. The Canvas Chess Bag - The Carry-All Chess Bag is the perfect answer for carrying and storing all of your chess equipment. The 21" x 8" carry-all chess bag is made of durable canvas and will hold a rolled-up chess board, a full set of chess pieces, scorebook, pens, and a chess clock. Very handsome and extremely durable.

25 Great Games for Friends and Family