Editorial Review

Many high-tech toys start with a fun and fascinating idea only to make it frustratingly complicated in the execution. Leave it to LEGO to make a technologically advanced toy fun to play with. The enormous 718-piece LEGO Mindstorms Robotic Invention System lets you construct a variety of moving robot vehicles and then program them from your Windows 98- or Windows Me-compatible computer. The robots are all based around a bright yellow basic unit, which serves as the functional heart of whatever is being built. The brick receives commands from the computer via an infrared tower unit. The computer interface is incredibly user-friendly and intuitive. What's most impressive about the system, however, is the variety of robots that can be built. There are detailed instructions for each one, and since these are LEGOs, builders are free to come up with an endless variety. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (55)

The Best Toy I have Played with in 40 Years
This system is phenominal. We own version 1.5, purchased a year ago and we have not put it down. And trust me, this is not for kids only. I only wish there was something around like this when I was 12 - I was stuck with Robbbie the Robot replicas.
When my son opened it for Christmas, we knew it would be a big hit. We have spend uncountless hours working on this together (quality, quality time) and the problem solving skills he has gained have put him in a position that he can now program a computer in Visual Basic at 12 years. (Not that this system teaches you VB, but it sure teaches you logic and structure, necessities for any program language)
We have since bought all the expansion kits, a few books and have built robots capable of some unbelievable feats.
Keep in mind that older Technic sets work well with these sets as well as many of the other Lego sets you have.
I would recommend this set to anyone, especially those who longed for a real robot as a child, not a "flashing lights only" Robbie.

Best think ever
I have this toy for more then a yeat and it still is fun,i keep making stuff i even made a robotic hand, this is the best thing ever well what are you wating for buy it!!!

Beware of software incompatibilty
Unless you have Windows 98 or Windows ME, it may not work (who knows -- you may get lucky). I refuse to use either of these operating systems, which I consider wretched. The Mindstorm official FAQ says it was tested only on those 2 operating systems. For those who can get it to work, apparently it's a great product.

Great Product, but IR Tower has problems w/certain computer
Great Product - but like another reviewer, I had the same issues with the IR Tower and XP. Non of the Lego Support Documents were of much use, but using an older PC with Windows 98 did the trick.

A MUST!!!!!
I am an engineering student and we use these in our robotics lab. Adults with an interest in programming can use java or C to program, children can use the included software. The software is an easy to use visual drag and drop type software. I would recommend every parent to purchase this toy. It allows the kids to learn the basics of programming and see the immediate results when the program is downloaded to the robot. My 9 year old daughter never lost interest in my assignments. This is one of the best learning toys I have ever seen. I am planning on purchasing on for myself to use with my daughter (lots of little parts, messy children will need some supervision or most of the robot will be in the vacuum). Children between 7-12 will enjoy the product, with alot of assistance from parent, over 12 should have no trouble at all with it. Excellent for education, and a lot of fun for a parent - child activity. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Did you know that painted ladies (the butterflies, that is) taste with their feet and have 10,000 eyes? You and your kids will be fascinated by all you learn about these beautiful creatures with the Butterfly Garden from Insect Lore. The kit comes with a relatively easy-to-assemble observation chamber; supplies for feeding the butterflies (you provide only sugar and water); an informative booklet of clear instructions and butterfly facts; and a certificate for three to five free painted lady caterpillars. The metamorphosis from larva to butterfly takes about three weeks from when you receive the caterpillar larvae (which arrive in a small container with all the nutrients they need). Your children can watch the larvae increase dramatically in size, form chrysalides, and finally emerge into full-fledged painted ladies (it's suggested that they release the butterflies after a few days of observation). This would make a wonderfulactivity for families with kids of any age, but younger children will need help assembling the observationchamber and reading the instruction booklet. (Note: The manufacturer recommends that butterflies should not be set free in temperatures lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.) --Rachel Radway ... Read more

Reviews (62)

So fun I Bought My Own!
I bought one of these last year for my nieces. I also got one for me, and I'm in my 30's. I waited until the spring time to send in my caterpillar certificate. They came in their own little container with just enough food. So you don't need to feed them anything. I tried to put some real food such as leaves from the plants they like to eat in the wild, but they preferred the food that came with them. I think I received 6 caterpillars and they all turned into butterflies. I let them go a day or two after they emerged. Kids are completely fascinated by the process from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. One word of caution, it may not be the best thing to get for Christmas since you may have to wait until spring to get your caterpillars. They will send them in the winter, but I didn't want the butterflies to die on me or freeze to death if I let them go.

Our kids loved this
Our daughters received the Butterfly Garden from their grandfather. The whole family really enjoyed the entire process from catepillar to butterlfy. Very educational for the kids. Unfortunately, though we had three cocoons, only one of the butterflies actually survived. Nevertheless, this is a great gift and one I just bought for my nephew.

Tons of Fun and Educational too!
My daughter received this toy from her cousin. She is 5. At first my son was a little grossed out by the worm looking caterpillars but once they grew and I pinned the paper disc with the attached chrysalides to the netted garden, it was worth it. My 2 kids just sit there and watch. It's better than TV. One caterpillar died but 3 have already emerged. My daughter has named the three butterflies and she loves watching "Crystal" balance herself on the orange wedge that she placed in the hut. I find myself checking on them at least 4 times a day because it is so interesting. We are waiting for the last one to emerge before we set the other three free. My daugher doesn't want the last one to be lonely.

A wonderful combination of fun and education
My daughter had a wonderful time learing about butterflies and watching them emerge. This is a fantastic teaching tool, with clear instructions and easy to use equipment. I can't rave enough about this toy!!!!

WOW! This thing is cool!
I recieved my Butterfly Garden yesterday and boy, was I excited! The pop-up mesh butterfly habita is so neat. I've always wanted one! I sent away for my caterpillars today. If you want to give something or get something GREAT, the Butterfly Garden is a good idea! :) ... Read more

Editorial Review

This award-winning globe could help children become A+ geographystudents. The Explorer Globe II is jam-packed with hundreds of facts, trivia,and useful scholastic information about every aspect of the geographical world.It electronically verbalizes everything from area population, capitolcity/country, state/province, large bodies of water, currencies, high points,distance, and more. Other remarkable features make the Explorer an even moreuseful reference tool. It has a world clock that, once set from your home area,will tell the time in every other part of the world. And any country can beselected to hear a sample its national music (yes, Tahiti does have a nationalanthem). The globe sits on a sturdy base, which features a dashboard full ofinteractive functions and an attached soft-tipped stylus. This stylus is the keyinstrument: use it to touch virtually any point on the surface of the globe toretrieve information. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Best present my kids ever got
I'm not one for electronic toys, normally. But this globe is terrific. The second day after she received it, my 6-year-old had learned all the continents and oceans, and could find each of them within two or three seconds after the globe called them out. She's working on countries now. Her first-grade class had to make a collection of 100 items of their choice. She chose to collect 100 country names, which she patiently copied from the globe while listening to music snippets and basic facts about each one. Last month, we read that geologists believe India was once a seperate island, which eventually crashed into mainland Asia. I asked her what mountain range was made during that crash, and she barely paused before answering the Himilayas. And what's the biggest mountain in the Himilayas? Mt. Everest.

But the best part is when the kids go to bed. Then I get to challenge my wife to Eureka, to see who can find the most countries, cities and continents as they are called out randomly by the globe. She always wins. But I'm improving, and one of these days....

My only complaint (like many of the other reviewers) is that the globe started malfunctioning after several months. In our case, the sensors must have shifted inside the globe so that instead of giving you information for the country you select, it tells you about it's neighbor 2 inches to the left. But the company will replace the globe for free...I just had to ship it back to them at my own cost (no big deal). Many people complain about the Stylus failing. But a replacement stylus is pretty cheap. And if you play with it as much as we do, you can't expect it to last forever, can you?

Pity!! Good toy that doesn't last
This interactive globe is really good at introducing geography to the kids. It's a real pity that the pointer's touch system becomes insensitive after regular use. Toy lasted less than 3 months.

Fun but broke after a few months
Defintely a great concept but the touch pen quit working after about half a year. Now its just a plain globe. Ratings are based on function level after it quit working, since I found many similar sotries on the web. Sad the quality is so LOW. It would be all 5s otherwise

Be Careful Before you Spend Your $100
It's frustrating really. We purchased an explorer globe for our son who loved to play the states game in the Lap Pad book. We used it a total of 4 times in 6 months because once we got it we realized it wasn't quite at his level, (he was just 5). We put it up and when a friend came over whom was interested in purchasing one for her son, I let her try it out. It turned on just fine, but the pen would not work. I changed the batteries but with no luck. It worked randomly for a few times after that but it no longer works at all. We have had it for only a year and it has been used no more then 10 times. Leap Frog only warrants their products for 3 months. Our 3 months were up and their was nothing we could do about. We spent $100 on what was supposed to be a great, long term educational product, unfortunately not even the company that makes it can back it up. Their goes another $100 wasted on this company. We're done spending money on their products. Note: Watch out for Leapster and Leap Pad products as well.

Very educational and fun
I have a son, and he loves it. He always points to different parts of the globe, and I create stories for him. Its a joy to watch him grow and learn, and this toy has helped him do that. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

What a fantastic experience!
Raising butterflies with the Butterfly Pavilion was an experience that my kids and I will never forget. I'm a single parent trying to raise two young kids on my own. I'm busy and don't have much time to take them outside to experience nature. I wanted to give them something that would nurture their respect of nature. Boy did I pick the right item. We mailed our free certificate and about 10 days later, we received our caterpillars. Within about 7 days, they changed into chrysalides. We waited about a week, then suddenly, the butterflies started hatching. In fact, we got to see 4 of them come out within about 30 minutes of each other. It was the most fantastic experience. We kept the butterflies inside the netted habitat for about 5 days, then released them outside. My little 4-year-old girl cried as she had to free her "butterfries", but understood why it was important to do so. We'll never forget this experience and highly recommend the Butterfly Pavilion to everyone.

THE best summer project!!!
The kids have never been so excited about what will happen next. We couldn't wait for the caterpillars to come in the mail...counting the days. They all (10) did what they were supposed to do: eating, growing, spinning web, hanging. One did not turn into a chrysalis, and one chrysalis did not hatch, but we had 8 butterflies. They are easy to care for. They even lay eggs and the eggs hatch into tiny caterpillers. We haven't past the 2nd set caterpillar stage yet, but are hoping...

FUN, EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING
I AM VERY HAPPY TO SAY THE LEAST. WE GOT THE CATERPILLARS A WEEK AFTER MAILING OUT THE CERTIFICATE. THEY TURNED INTO CHYSALIDES ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER AND IN A WEEK AND A HALF OUR 1ST BUTTERFLY "PENNY" EMERGED. MY 5 YR OLD WAS EXCITED AND ANXIOUS TO SEE HER OTHER BUTTERFLIES. BY THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE ALL OUT. MY 1 YR OLD GOES CRAZY SEEING THEM FLY. WE JUST REALEASED THEM TODAY AND ONE FLEW ON KAELA'S SHOULDER AND SHE WAS DELIGHTED THAT "PENNY" AS SHE SAYS KISSED HER GOODBYE. WE WERE SAD TO HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE BUT LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM AROUND. WE HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE ORDERING MORE CATERPILLARS. I MUST SAY THAT IT IS SUPER EDUCATIONAL. MY DAUGHTER LEARNED ALOT FROM THE STAGES THEY GO THROUGH TO THE AMOUNT OF EYES THEY HAVE, HOW LONG THEY LIVE,HOW THEY BREATHE...ETC. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE. ESPECIALLY SINCE NOT ONLY DO YOU EXPOSE YOUR KIDS TO NATURE BUT YOU CAN REUSE THE HABITAT OVER & OVER AGAIN. MY CHILDREN LOVED IT AND SO WILL YOURS.

Spendid
Spendid!! Simply, spendid!! Creative,educational-fun!!
(Coin a new word: Educational-fun!!!) As well as affordable
and very cleve!! Good show!!

I enjoyed this as much as my son!!
Both of us being 'nature buffs', my 6 year old son and I had a wonderful time with this.
We sent away for our catarpillars (every day he would say, 'have they come in yet'?) and when they arrived, put them in the habitat.

When I was a little girl, I caught a bunch of catarpillars, put them in a shoebox, with grass, leaves and whatever else I thought they might eat. I punched holes in the shoe box lid and then covered the box, and basically forgot about it until a few days or so, opened it and saw my catarpillars had made cocoons. Before long, they were moths and I remember how excited I was to see them!

With this habitat, you get to WATCH the whole process of metamorphosis and it is truly amazing AND educational!! When they finally transformed into butterflies, my son was so thrilled, altho a little saddened when we had to set them free.

I'm thinking about purchasing this again, one for my son and myself, and also one for his second grade teacher so his whole class can enjoy the experience.

If your child enjoys the wonders of natures and would love to witness the miracle of transformation of catarpillars into butterflies, this is DEFINATELY well worth the money! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

mothers best friend
some kids have favorite toys which they can grow out of, get bored with etc.. The fun with this play set is, no matter how young or old your child is, if they like dinosaurs the fun is endless with this playset.. there is so many different varities of dino's to choose from that its hard to choose your favorite, also, the accessories add the imagination of real life dino atmosphere... They can learn about the different species, what they ate, who could fly, swim, who was bigger, faster.. etc... this is an awsome all round toy..

Great review from the child I bought it for!
I purchased this toy for a dinosaur loving little boy who lives in another state. I figured this was a good buy, to get him something different than the usual Wal-mart gift. (Hoping that I wasn't getting him something that he already had.)

He loved it! He loved the volcanoes.......that was way cool for him. And the fact that it could be packed up got rave reviews from the Mom.

If you've got a dinosaur lover, this is a great gift!

It ROCKS!!!!!
This playset is very reilistic and has lots of dinosaurs! It also has a reilistic mat that you can put your dinosaurs on! Set include my favorite dinosaur, T-rex!! Get this for your kiddos! The'll love it! :)

Great Dinosaurs!
My 4 year old son saw this same set at a neighbor's house and he didn't want to put them down! LITERALLY! (We had to carry him home screaming apologizing profusely for his behavior to everyone) Even days after, he wanted to go over and play with them. But the screaming episode afterward kept bugging me and didn't want to go through that again.

So I asked my neighbor where she got them and logged on to Amazon.com to find them. The local Toys R Us were sold out.
For less then $25- it's a great collection.
With so many dinosaurs in various sizes, trees, rocks, volcanos and a playmat in a great carrying case- I couldn't resist to get them.

We took them to the beach just last week and there were 3 other kids ranging in ages of 2 to 5 and we were amazed how quiet they were playing with them. Only problem was getting them back from them when it was time to come home. It was their turn to scream =)

The names of the dinosaurs are underneath them, so if Mom and Dad can't remember which is which, flip them over and with confidence call out the name. Therefore impressing the kids to the end of the earth. "Mom you are so smart" my son once told me. Hey, it felt good!
And soon you and the kids will be able to recognize their names without peeking.

Great gift for all ages and he continues to play with them months later. ahhh peace and quiet.

GREAT toy set! Great Price!
My 5 year old nephew LOVED this set, he is very into dinosaurs. Even his three year old sister liked to play with it too. The dinosaurs are large, and some have moving parts. This is a must for any child that loves dinosaurs! ... Read more

Features

• Simply connect this microscope to any PC and watch as the tiny things are magnified to incredible size -- and displayed on your monitor
• Up to 200X magnification for seeing the tiniest particles and microbes, bigger than life
• Requires USB port and 4 AA batteries(not incl.)

Editorial Review

Sibling to the award-winning Explorer Globe, this junior version can help children become interested in geography before they even start school. The Junior Explorer Globe is jam-packed with fun facts, trivia, and useful information about every aspect of the geographical world. It has four modes of interactive play, ranging from having kids search for certain pictures on the globe to playing regional music from each continent. The globe sits on a sturdy base, which features a dial to the four play functions, an on/off switch, volume control, and the attached penlike stylus. This stylus is the key instrument: kids use it to touch virtually any point on the surface of the globe to hear information and answer questions. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Awesome Globe
This is a great globe for toddlers. My three sons ages 3-6 love explorering the continents and animals. THis globe is geared for the young and to teach them about continents and animals. Don't believe these other bad reviews from anal parents get this globe and your children will love it and by the way not all kids love all products because every child is different.

Watch out for stains on furniture
The toy has little rubber feet on the bottom which will leave little purple circle shaped stains on wood furniture. My son's brand new furniture was damaged and Leap Frog will not pay to have it cleaned. They were aware of the situation, however, they did not issue a recall. They simply changed the rubber feet on the toy for the new production runs, but they left all of the old ones on the store shelves. So which one will you get - the new or the old? This toy isn't worth the trouble. Leap Frogs' customer (dis)service is horrible. I will never buy another leap frog toy again. Watch out for this company - all they care about is making a buck.

BETTER THEN I THOUGHT
When my brother bought this for my 3 year old daughter I thought he had wasted his money, there was no way my daughter was going to pay attention to this globe. I was wrong! My daughter loves it and within 5 minutes she was telling me about the Statue of Liberty and the Great Wall of China. She and I love it so much that I am buying one for my neice's birthday present.

A complete waste of money!
Can't believe Leap Frog, a name associated w/great, educational products would put out such a junker of a product. Doesn't teach even what the United States are, or where they are, Mexico? Don't know where that is. Don't even think about educating your child about where they live and the states, no states even defined, or rivers, or lakes, or mountains, or landmarks. Need I say more. I seriously wish Leap Frog would give me a refund. My mom is really bummed because she's the one who got it for my dd. She was so excited about getting this, "really cool globe" and it's just collecting dust. Big, huge, waste of money....and not cheap, I might add.

Cartoon Globe, Dont Buy It
The Globe has no countries, only continents, no rivers, not even Hawaii (important for American kids), you cant even see the shape of England because of the cartoon of Big Ben over the UK. The information is mainly about animals that live on the continents, and not too interesting facts about them either. The music IS NOT really from the countries of regions its supposed to be from. The globe cannot be rotated to see the South Pole adequately. My daughters first question was 'Where is Germany?' (because we live there) but its not on the globe, then 'Where is Washington?' (where her grandparents live) also not on the globe. My daughter loves globes, maps, time zones, etc but this toy is uninteresting to her and of little educational value. However my 21 month old likes to tough the elephant with the pen to make it roar. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The ProMedia 2.1 THX-Certified, three-piece computer audio system from Klipsch transforms your desktop into a high-performance audio entertainment center. Two 35-watt satellite speakers deliver full-bodied stereo sound, while a floor-thumping 130-watt subwoofer provides low-end slam from your favorite music, games, and movies, reaching down to an impressive 31 Hz.

The satellites' exclusive Klipsch MicroTractrix horn maximizes clarity and high-frequency dispersion from CDs, MP3s, streaming radio programs, and other audio. The high-output, digital-hybrid-amplifier-driven ProMedia 2.1 offers a convenient headphone jack and dual stereo analog inputs, one for a more or less hard-wired connection from your computer's line or headphone output jack, the second to accommodate a portable audio device such as an MP3 or minidisc player/recorder.

Klipsch operates with a philosophy that demands accuracy in every aspect of sound reproduction, which--in the case of the ProMedia 2.1--has resulted in THX Certification. THX is an exclusive set of standards established by the world-renowned film production company, Lucasfilm Ltd., and products undergo rigorous quality and performance tests in order to receive this certification.

What's in the Box
Two satellite speakers, one subwoofer, two 9.5-foot lengths of speaker cable (22 gauge), a user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• THX-certified, three-piece computer audio system
• Exclusive Klipsch MicroTractrix Horn maximizes digital technologies such as CDs, MP3 downloads, and streaming radio programs
• 200-watt digital hybrid amplifier driven ProMedia 2.1 incorporates a convenient headphone jack as well as a miniplug input
• Compatible with gaming consoles and most portable audio devices
• 31 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response range

Reviews (92)

Great for music listeners!
I just picked up a set of the Promedia 2.1 a few days ago, and they sound great! Prior to buying these, I was using another decent 2.1 system, but I felt that it lacked midrange (especially on male vocals) and an overall full sound. The Klipsch deliver on both. In comparing the two systems side by side in my room, the Klipsch are far superior in sound quality. Of course the Klipsch are a bit more money, but it is well worth it if you plan on listening to a lot of music. They create a nice sound stage, and vocals sound smooth. I'm using a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz soundcard (great card!). The sound quality on the speakers is also great at low volumes, which is where many lesser systems suffer. And of course, they will get as loud as you need but still remain "listenable." Gamers and heavy DVD watchers should consider saving up for the Promedia Ultra 5.1 (assuming you can afford it and have the space).

I do have a few complaints. Like many other reviewers here, I am disappointed with the feeble wires from the satellites to the sub. A slight touch of the wires can cause the sound to crack or stop altogether. As someone else posted, Klipsch sells replacement Monster Cables on their website ($30 plus shipping). I may have to consider them. It would also have been nice to put the power switch on one of the satellites.

All in all, these are terrific speakers. They are the most "musical" speakers I've heard. I would have given them five stars if it weren't for the few shortcomings I mentioned above.

Best of the Best
I have had my Promedia 5.1 speakers since the first day they came out and beleive me they had a waiting list for hundreds of customers. Why such a big fuzz over a computer speaker set you ask? Well the answer is simple, these are not your ordinary computer speakers. Forget about Polk, Creative, Boston, and Altec Lansing, the keyword here is Klipsch. Those other speakers don't even come close to the shear power and fidelity these speakers produce. And if it is bass that you want, Klipsch hands down manufactures the World best Bass. I hooked up my speakers to an Audigy Ex card, that allowed me to hook up my PS2/Xbox and DVD to my system. There are few games with 5.1 capabilities but it does come in handy when you watch DVD's. The sound is simply amazing, and if you dont beleive me just read the other reviews on this page. Still not impressed well just hearing these speakers out once will do the trick.

EXTREMELY CHEAP AND SHORT LIVED BUT BLISS WHILE IT LASTS
The first set I bought on 02-02-07 started going funny after 8 months and then I would'nt dare turn it off in case it would not come back to life and then it died 2 weeks before the end of the warranty. The dealer acknowledged that there was a unreparable problem with the unit and replaced the whole thing brand new and no charge...no wonder. As of today, 04-06-21, the replacement unit just died again and without warning this time. Alas, since the sound of this unit is so incredibly beautiful, I will buy another one but I will gladly pay the extra for a long term warranty since I will have to change the unit every year or so. By the way, the day you don't hear the zipper sound out of the satellites when you turn off the unit, it's shot! Enjoy.

Poor design, mine crapped out
The sound is great at first, but there's a design flaw in this product that made mine useless. The right satellite speaker has the subwoofer and volume dials on it. But it's really cheap construction, and after a while the rubber dials start to vibrate and make a "chirping" sound during play. This occurs even when played at a reasonable volume. I babied these speakers and still had this problem. If you're thinking about buying these, ask yourself one question. Do you feel lucky?

awsome
the speakers are awsome. i have had them for over a year and not 1 problem yet. they are almost as loud as my home theater system. there are two bad things about it. the wires from sub to sat are a bit to short. the power switch is on the sub. i dont even bother too turn my speakers off and no problems so the switch isnt realy a problem unless u are worried about your electrick bill ... Read more

Reviews (8)

no frills robust
I bought this recently and am happy with it. Several points:

1. It arrived promptly, but padding was on three sides of the
box, with one side unpadded, so that shipping wasn't perfect.

2. The box only has a US address, and does not mention
"Made in China" which can be found only on the bottom of
the microscope.

3. There were only five slides, and 2 page handout (manual),
I would have expected a better manual and explanations
if it was meant to be use as a toy by new comers.

4. (...).

5. I consider the electric light a non-essential, since
the table lamp also allows lighting from top for
object not a slide.

6. I realized later, I paid 10% tax + 10% shipping, so a local
store might have been a better deal.

In summary, it is a robust no frills medium power microscope.
But it cut corners on the manual and essential accessories.

I am sure every kid who got this as a present will have
to figure out how to get accessories (and how is he/she
supposed to know which ones are essential?). Unless they
use it as a supplement to school work. I wish there was
more choices in this range (...) on Amazon, since it
is a convienient place to buy, and I reviews for this
product convinced me my money was well spent.

SWEET!
I got a plastic microscope for (...), (...), and it was a piece of junk. It was all plastic and didn't work properly. We returned that one, and saw this one on Amazon with all of the great reviews, and decided to get it.
It has very nice picture quality and is all metal. It isn't all that expensive either considering the quality it is. The only downer is that it doesn't have blank slides. It does have some very nice prepared slides though.

Very Fun!!!
When I recieved this telescope for my Birthday, I was very excited!!!! When I began to use it, I wasn't disapointed at all!!
This so called "toy" I very good for education and fun, it is also very durable.
Before I recieved this I got a cheap one from the "Toys R' Us". It claimed to be very high magnified, and to work well.
I tried it and was very disapointed, there was no metal and when you changed the slide, it didn't change the picture!!
I immediately returned it.
This microscope has worked perfectly. It has perfect focus, and some cool prepared slides. If you are looking for a fun, educational, affordable Microscope, This is for you. On this microscope, there is a ton of magnification and there is almost no plastic!!!
It is perfect for anyone 10+.

Best "Toy" we ever bought!
After pouring over dozens of microscopes to possibly buy our 8-year-old daughter for Christmas, we found this one with the few, but good, reviews on Amazon. We were not disappointed. I know nothing about chemistry and have never used a microscope. We had this out of the box and running smoothly within 10 minutes. The instructions are very simple and the quality is exceptional. I have heard that poor quality plastic microscopes often dissuade children from pursuing science because they are so frustrating and disappointing. This one is great. It comes with five slides that show up really well. They are fascinating to look at and we spent all day gathering other items to look at. Our daughter likes science even more, and now she's anxious to take the microscope to class to show her friends. She's used it many times since Christmas and hasn't grown tired of it. I think she'll enjoy it even more when summer arrives. Some of the slides, such as frog's blood or mosquito head parts, sound gross, but they actually are unexpectedly pretty and colorful. Although it is supposed to be for children age 11 and up, our 8-year-old had no problems with it. The microscope is sturdy, nonfussy, and should hold up fine with any older child that wouldn't knock it off a table. I have never rated a toy higher than this one. Highly recommended!

My 1st Lab Microscope
When I received this microscope, the light bulb was shattered and I had to replace it $3. I think the reason being not enough packing bubble was used. It only surrounded the box on three sides, which left the one side and top and bottom unprotected. I think this is the best microscope for the money, but the packing could have been much better. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Snot & Toe Jam! OH MY!
Real life bodily functions (almost all of them) and other gross stuff are brought to light in an educational game. Compete with friends, "gross" them out, complete a science experiment and win the game! Though you may not agree that the subject matters are acceptable in polite society, this game is a blast to play. 5 stars for a fun time, educational about snot, vomit, toe jam, ear crud and stuff like that and 5 stars for durability !!

Engaging!
My oldest son, age 10, along with his best friend, 10, started playing this game. Within minutes, they were in hysterics, doing the things the game told them to do and learning all the way. My 8 year old son joined in and he too had a blast. The questions challenged them to think about things differently, to try out new things, and of course, to use science as part of their everyday life. The directions were easy to understand, the board itself a visual delight, the goop an added bonus (as far as they were concerned) and the resulting laughter was worth every penny spent on this game. I recommend it highly--so does my son who wants to purchase it as a birthday present for his other friends! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Likes to tinker
I bought this for my grandson's birthday. He is 10 years old and ADHD. When he would visit me, he always wanted to start tinkering with something, either a clock or an old radio. This gift is perfect for him, it is not in the least frustrating and the outcome is very rewarding for him. He will sit and work with the set for an hour at a time.I have recommended this set to many of my friends.

A Happy Granny in Michigan

Very versatile kits for kids 6+
I got 2 kits - one for my 6 yo and one for my 8 yo. Both boys love the kits and can build the projects. The parts are durable yet easy to configure. The directions for the projects are clear. I highly recommend this toy for kids who like to build and are even marginally interested in science/electronics.

Excellent Excellent Excellent
My 5 year old son has an interest in how things work and likes to "experiment." We go this as a first step toward learning about electricity, and it has not disappointed.

The projects range from fast simple ones (can get a light bulb and a switch going in a minute or so) to more elaborate more interesting ones (we actually built a working AM radio).

There are endless projects in the book with easy to follow directions on how to put them together.

The "snap" mechanism for connecting components is extremely clever -- it eliminates the challenges of bad connections on wiring boards I grew up with. The snaps are a little hard for a 5 year old to push close, so I find myself helping on them -- although the kit is aimed for somewhat older kids anyway.

Only "complaint" I have is that they could have put a couple educational points about how the circuit is working in the book near each circuit -- to spell out the "learnings" of each project.

Overall though, this is definitely one of the best science kits of any type that I've seen, and absolutely worth the investment.

No More Gameboy
My 8 year old son got this toy for Christmas and for the first time in a year, he's put down the Gameboy. It's perfect for his age. And the payoff with flashing lights and sounds is a jackpot for him every time he finishes a project. I really can't tell you much fun and how educational this toy is. I love it too and I'm his 40 year old dad. He has to fight me to see who snaps together the next project.

Great Educational Toy
I bought this for my son(8 yrs old) for X-mas. He hasn't stopped playing with it. He was able to follow the directions/designs on his own. Really a fun educational toy! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Re-create Mother Nature's beautiful designs on the wings of butterflies with this kit from Balitono. It includes 4-inch wooden butterflies that can be used as refrigerator magnets, hanging sculptures, window decorations, and toy treasures. The kit offers three butterflies, nontoxic acrylic paints in five colors, shiny varnish, and a paintbrush. Each figure also comes with a press-on magnet, hanging accessories, a suction cup (for window use), and a small gift tag. An easy-to-follow instruction sheet includes compelling facts about the nature of butterflies. Colorful illustrations on the box show a wide variety of butterflies young artists might like to paint. A coded diagram inside identifies each species by name. Children may want to give these items as gifts, use them to decorate their rooms, or simply use them in creative play. --Joan DeClaire ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Great Memory!!
My 8-year old daughter received this Paint the Wild Butterflies as a birthday gift, when we started the project together, I was surprised that my 5-year son got really into it too. We had a really wonderful time painting, imagining and laughing at the table while doing this project. I have never seen activity kits with actual handcrafted wood and the butterflies actually look life-like as opposed to be machined made. The paints are suprisingly good quality, it dried quickly and we were able to change colors and added stripes and spots. I did wish there was more than 1 paintbrush to do all 3 at the same time. My daughter made it into a eye-catching ornament with gift card for her dad and my son and I each made a magnet. It is most definitely a memorable project and it captured my kids' artistic expressions which I am sure will bring smiles years from now.

Awesome for family fun
I bought this for my daughter for christmas and we made it a family project, we each painted a butterfly and it was alot of fun, gave her a chance to use her imagination as to what she wanted HER butterfly to look like...She attached the magnets and we now have it displayed on our refridgerator. I would definately reccomend this for a child who loves to be creative.

Cheap wood pieces
This kit is a great idea, but the butterflies break apart pretty easily. Need to make them of more durable wood.

Easy craft project for kids
My son at age 7 enjoyed this kit. It comes with 3 wooden butterflies, paint, paintbrush, etc. There is a small pamphlet included with some information about butterflies. We added our own glitter glue and other items to make the butterflies more decorative.

KIDS LOVE BUTTERFLIES!
Ever since I read j.singh's The Butterfly to my kids they've been obsessed with caterpillars and butterflies and just about the entire insect kingdom. So, undoubtedly, I've been cajoled into buying pretty much every butterfly book on the market (i plan to bill Singh!). Now having read all these books I consider myself a sorta self-proclaimed authority whose mission is to save parents time and money. And so here are the winners according to me and my two wonderful children. The gold medal goes to GOOD NIGHT SWEET BUTTERFLIES (for the illustrations color and content); the silver medal to FROM BUTTERFLY TO CATERPILLAR (for content and pictures); and the bronze to WAITING FOR WINGS (for content). There are plenty of others but these are a good place to start. Hope I've been helpful. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

ADHD son loves this
My son has a thousand motors working without this kit, I rarely can slow him down. I bought this and he loves it! He will sit and play with it. This kit stimulates his brain enough that he doesn't have to run around, tearing down the house, chipping the walls, screaching, teasing and peeling paint. Anyone with ADHD kids out there know what I mean? Gotta have something like this, for kids like these!!!

It doesn't contain a huge amount of pieces like a box of blocks and after a few tries with adult help, I would say an eight year old can do this alone. It isn't dangerous. There are a couple of parts that can be torn easily by rough kids but a lot of stuff can still be made any way.

Make lazer sounds, sirens, make songs come out, or fans, a ufo spin off toy (launches in the air),several types of games to play, a doorbell, a couple of computer part thingies, other light blinkie things, even stuff your kid can only dream up. Has lots of noisy sounds that will drive you nuts so send the kid somewhere else. LOL.

Wonderful toy
My son received this for Christmas and has not stopped playing with it. He has asked me to get this for his cousins for their birthdays. One warning, the music chip can be REAL annoying (prefect for kids!).

This is an AWESOME toy
My 7 year old just LOVES this kit. It is so easy to use and so much fun. I would recommend this for any scientist in your house!

Easy, Educational and Entertaining
I bought the regular version - ages 8 - 108 for my 8 year old son. He loves putting together one of the over 200 experiments. He can do it by himself because the pictures show EXACTLY what pieces are needed and where to put them. He is learning how electrical things work without even knowing it. Short explanations of the experiments are included.

An excellent introduction to Electronics.
The best point in favour of this product is that it is lego style toy that does not intimidate a child with intricate electronic components. My 6-1/2 year old daughter started playing with it and was very excited to have completed her first project to light a bulb with a switch. Theories of electricity followed naturally when initially the bulb did not lightup. I showed her the shiny metal strip beneath the connectors and explained conductivity a little.

Another major advantage is that there are mostly no wires, and the components are hidden from view, giving it a very un-complicated look that a child can easily comprehend. This difference makes possible for my daughter to actually play with it.

The only problem seems to be the quality of plastic used. It looks as if it might break if a component was bent while snapping in. Still, I highly recommend this product. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beep Beep Vaarrrrommmm rat-tat-tat-tat
Those are the noises my nephew, with some help from his father, was making with this kit after just a few minutes. We gave it to him for his 7th birthday and, though a bit young to go it alone at first, he is learning a lot and it is a great activity for him to enjoy with his parents, grandparents, etc.
It's a great toy AND educational tool.
He is at a stage where he wants to really figure out how things work and LOVES the kit and the oportunities for experimenting it offers.
While I was driving home from his birthday party he called my cell phone to let me listen as he talked into it and his voice came out on the radio.
It's a hit.

Excellent Introduction to Electronics
We purchased this for our daughter (8 yrs) and she loves it. It does a good job of explaining electronic concepts and allows for varying levels of experience to enjoy the projects. Everything you'll need is included and the experiments are flexible, progressive and "really cool".

The right toys can make all the difference
Experimenter's kits are something of a dying breed. Electronics & hobbyists shops used to be almost everywhere it seemed, and carried educational kits like these. God, all the fun we had as kids playing with stuff like this. Every child should be exposed to these toys at as early of an age as possible imho. Helping a child get a head start on life, and sparking his or her imagination/desire to learn, is always a good thing. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Teacher and Parent
I bought this for my son's third birthday. He's already an avid entomologist. The larvae arrived just as expected already shedding its skin, which each one did multiple times. It was fascinating for my husband and me as well. The three of us found ourselves glued together watching these amazing creatures as the larvae shed it's final skin and entered the pupa stage. Several days after the fully-formed ladybugs emerged (they were yellow at first), we set them free into our back yard. They have a distinct appearance which is slightly different than the ladybugs we're accustomed to seeing around here. Therefore we have been able to easily identify them when we come across them in our yard.

We received about 14 or 15 ladybug larvae and all survived to become ladybugs except for one, which I consider to be pretty impressive. The container was especially effective because my son was not able (or tempted) to manhandle to ladybugs, yet it was easy to keep the water filled with the specially designed lid and water tube. We had an excellent view of all the events taking place inside. I would recommend purchasing books to go along with this. We had four different simple books relying upon excellent photographs and easy-to-understand descriptions. This heightened my son's (and our) anticipation and helped us to better understand what was happening.

I can honestly say that this has been well-worth the price we paid for it. Soon we're going to get a refill kit of ladybug larvae and begin anew.

A ladybug lover's dream
My 3-year old absolutely LOVES ladybugs, and this item was a big hit with her. We kept it on the kitchen counter, near where we eat, and the ladybugs and their activities were always a popular dinner conversation topic! When the weather turned warm enough, we released the ladybugs in our yard and watched each and every one of them spread their wings and fly away. I am sure we will order additional larvae and do it all over again. The product is sturdy (we just had to remind our daughter not to jostle or try to lift the dome) and makes it easy to achieve successful results. A very fun and experience for the entire family!!

A neat learning experience...
My 4 year old daughter is a ladybug nut. We got this for Christmas and sent away for our larvae which come in a tube in the mail with all the food they need. Even the adults were fascinated watching the larvae turn to pupa and then to ladybugs. The customer service was very helpful when we called because our bugs stopped doing anything. They told us the bugs were "dormant" because it was too cold in my daughters room. We moved them to a warmer spot and within 30 minutes had ladybugs!! Definitely worth the cost. It is clean and sturdy thank goodness! Although the inside does get slightly messy (of course). We loved it. ... Read more

Features

• Hours of hands-on experiments designed by a team of Harvard graduates, scientists, educators, and parents.
• Award-winning winning science kits designed for children between the ages of 5 and 12.
• Each set contains a 8 1/2" x 11" instruction booklet with dual instructions, one for adults and one for young scientists.
• Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products, National Parenting Seal of Approval, Teacher's Choice Award
• National Parenting Publications Honors Award, Learning Research Institute Outstanding Resource Award

Reviews (1)

Young Scientist Kit
Doing science doesn't get any easier than this!As a homeschooling mom I was looking for a way to make science interesting and educational at the same time.This kit does both.It was also a tremendous help to have supplies included in the kit. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Map accuracy
We liked the description of the map puzzle and thought it would be perfect for our puzzle-loving toddler, but we read an Amazon review (dated 11/03) noting that the upper peninsula of Michigan was colored the same as Wisconsin. Obviously, accuracy is important for an educational toy, so we planned on buying it and painting the piece to fix the Michigan problem. But when the puzzle arrived, both parts of Michigan were yellow, and Wisconsin was blue - the manufacture has fixed that oversight!

Note however that some of the small Northeastern & New England states are combined on single puzzle pieces, so in fact the puzzle only has 44 pieces, not 50. Toddlers won't mind because the puzzle is fun, but parents might think twice before buying for children trying to learn all the states.

Awesome educational toy
My 4 year old loves maps, so this was a great Christmas present for him. Now he knows where all of the states are and almost all of the capitals! He also knows the Pledge of Allegience now. The only thing I don't like is the speaker is on the back of the puzzle, so if you set it on the carpeted floor or couch it's muffled (and you have to lay it almost flat otherwise the pieces will fall out). But the volume is real loud if you hold it upright and there's no volume control. But overall, it's a great toy and one of my son's favorites. I bought another one for a family member and she loves it too.

GREAT STORAGE DRAWER FOR PUZZLE PIECES
My son is a USA puzzle nut, so he was thrilled to receive this gift. What I especially like about this puzzle is: #1:Each shape fits into its own compartment, so my 2 year old daughter can figure it out too if she keeps turning the piece around until it fits #2: There is a storage drawer on the side for easy clean up. I just wish there were a volume control on it (when the states are pushed, the name of the state is recited along with other facts, but I can live with that.

Inaccurate
The upper peninsula of Michigan is blue and looks like it's part of Wisconsin. My 5 year-old niece lives in Wisconsin and my parents are from the UP. I won't buy this product because I don't want my niece to think that the UP is part of Wisconsin!

Amazing educational tool!
My two granddaughters (aged 2 and 5) have this puzzle and both know most or all of the state capitals and state nicknames. The 2-year old especially puts together the puzzle, dumps it out and puts it together again over and over for hours on end. My daughter says that when neighbor kids visit, this puzzle is the toy of choice. Based on this, I bought one for my grandson, aged 3. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Dinosaur devotees will be roaring over this radio-controlledTyrannosaurus Rex as he growls and roars, moves his head, thrashes histail, and even blinks his beady yellow eyes. He can also turnrealistically and walk forward a few steps on a hard surface, growlingand roaring at the same time, if you choose. T-Rex is 11 inches tall and21 inches from nose to tail, with textured, flexible brown rubber skinthat bends and moves. The controller is shaped like a stone with twobone-shaped joysticks to control the dinosaur's walking and turning.Buttons on the side of the controller make T-Rex move his head and frontfeet, snap his jaws, roar, and blink his eyes. The controller slidesopen in the middle for use, and you have to be careful not to pinch yourfingers when you snap it shut. T-Rex requires a total of six AAbatteries, two for the controller and four inside the dinosaur, and thebattery compartment inside the T-Rex is rather difficult to access.Despite these small drawbacks, this dino is one cool dude that willthrill any kid in the midst of the inevitable dinosaur phase. -- Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (51)

This toy is the best! Worth your money!
My favorite dinosaur is the Tyrannosaurus Rex, so i bought it. The toy is completely reilistic! It has everything you wish for in a R/C toy! It's head is very great and reilistic and it's sounds are too! But be careful. After about 3 or 2 years, i was playing with the toy when suddenly it's ankle snapped in half. My mom can't get it back together again. So be careful about bagnning this toy around like a doll. If you do it's going to breck soon. But if you don't, it lasts for about 3 or 4 years. But since my birthday's coming up in 3 weeks, my mom is going to buy another one! I thank Jesus for this wonderful toy! :)

T-Rex is pretty cool, but winds up in the closet anyway.
I had high expectations for this bad boy, but let me give you the pros and cons:

Pros:

Mobility, coupled with an array of growls, roars and twitches, will keep your attention for a short while. I do give the creators credit for a sincere effort at realism, however...

Cons:

The clawlike arms are not mechanized, and just hang there.
There is a loud clicking sound (gears?) as he moves his head.
Although the legs move, the tail is stiff and non-functional (tags along on non-powered wheels protruding from below).
The big guy has trouble negotiating anything other than smooth, flat surfaces.

Basically, I think the problem with toys such as this, is simply the lack of child interaction. After a short time, the novelty wears off, and junior goes scurrying back to the lego blocks. I also purchased a very well-conceived E.T. figure for my 5-yr. old son (4 at the time). The vocal effects were excellent, but like Mr. T-Rex, he was soon gathering dust in a box in the closet.

Bottom-line: Child interaction is priority #1. A good jigsaw puzzle will beat the heck out of fancy, mechanized toys. Fool me twice - shame on me.

Very poor quality, cheap mechanical parts, VERY disappointed
I orded this toy for my son's main Christmas present. I put the batteries in and tried it out. Half of the functions didn't even work. I returned it for a replacement. (Very easy and convienent return policy!) When I got the 2nd one a few days later, all of the buttons worked, but the gears and mechanics where of HORRIBLE quality and very cheaply put together. The gears would miss and get stuck on some of the funtions and it would just jerk around. The gears are incredibly LOUD! It constantly made a VERY loud high pitched screeching noise as it's head moved around. This toy is a neat idea, but just too cheaply made. After trying out 2 separate dinos, I recomend you pass this one up and find a different toy for your kiddos.

Battery waste
This toy eats batteries. If you leave the dinosaur on, which is relatively easy to do, when you are not using this toy, the batteries run down. Over night! The first one we got of this toy broke within 24 hours and was replaced. The second one got played with a few times and then left in a closet. My son is not too interested in it because every time he takes it out to play with it, the batteries are, inevitably, dead. Not very child friendly.

does not live up to expectations
I gave this item to my nephew for his birthday. He played with it once. It did not do half of the stuff it was supposed to be able to do. It had new batteries and the things that did work, quit working while he was playing with it. I was very dissatisfied with this product... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

12" Raised Relief Explorer Globe
It's amazing how much a child learns by having access. We are an American family living in Germany and felt my 5 year old would have a greater understanding of where we live and where our extended family lives.

There should be one in every house!
What a great, inexpensive globe. It's fascinating to watch a child spin a globe - even if they don't seem like they are learning anything, at least they are getting a general idea of the immense size of our world! Since getting this globe, my 5 year old son has learned about the continents and the oceans, found Australia on his own and pointed out that Antarctica is bigger than the USA. It seems that the globe gets loose from it's stand somewhat easily, but it is easily tightened. All in all, a great buy with terrific educational value.

poorly designed stand
The globe itself is ok and has a lot of educational value for kids starting out in geography, but the stand is so poorly designed that when you rotate the globe on its axis, the stand easily detaches from the globe. The whole point is to be able to rotate it, so in effect it's not very usable if you have to keep fixing the stand again and again. A heavier stand that would not move when rotating the globe would probably work better. The attaching mechanism needs redesign too -- right now it's just a screw in the base. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

U. Milton's Ant Farm a fun way to learn about Toil & Death
Uncle Milton's Giant Ant Farm is a fun, interactive way to teach children ages 5 and up about unceasing, backbreaking toil and the cold, inescapable reality of death. My little ones had a front-row seat as worker ants labored, day in and day out, until they inevitably died of exhaustion, their futile efforts all for naught. The ant farm, complete with stackable tiny ant barns, see-through 'Antway' travel tubes, and connecting 'Antports,' is a child's window into the years of thankless, grueling labor that await them as worker drones in our post-industrial society. It's the fun way to teach your kids to accept their miserable fate stoically. The ants, which come separately from the farm, are bred in New Mexico and mailed directly to your home. Within days of arriving, a majority of the ants die at the hands of the small children responsible for regulating the temperature, humidity, and food supply in their delicate pseudo-ecosystem. Even under optimum conditions the ants survive no more than 20 weeks in the farm. As a result, children are assured the chance to contemplate the inescapability of their own mortality and the whole family will be reminded that the spectre of death hangs over every creature on this Earth. The lesson that the ants' labor is all in vain becomes clearer as time passes. During the first two to three weeks, the exclusively female worker ants are extremely productive, building an elaborate system of tunnels and hills amongst the miniature green trees and red plastic houses dotting the interior of the plastic dome. However, because neither male ants nor a fertile queen is provided with Uncle Milton's Giant Ant Farm, making reproduction impossible, the farm is doomed to extinction from day one. You'll learn such fascinating things about the natural world, like the fact that the social structure of an ant colony is extremely complex, with individual members occupying such castes as soldier, messenger, and larvae attendant. At some point, Uncle Milton's ants become cognizant that their hierarchical structure has been stripped away, rendering their already near-meaningless existence totally futile. There seems to be a breaking point at about the 22-day mark when the dejected ants begin to die off en masse. At this point the ant farm enters what is known as the "death-pile phase." A spot is chosen by the worker ants to deposit their dead, and the burial mound steadily grows as the few remaining ants devote more of their time to gathering and burying others. Yes, with Uncle Milton's Giant Ant Farm, arbeit macht fun!

Extremely Interesting
Really neat to see ants run through tunnels, have meetings, and dig. They can really work hard! Very durable, but carefull not to scratch it. All in all, a fun pet.

It's just an ant farm
You guys are creeping me out - especially the angst or guilt ridden one who feels that ant farms teach children the futility of life in general. My god!! I can only hope that you did this tongue in cheek, otherwise - I feel sorry for your kids and I think you need to take some Prozac!! Thanks for all this helpful information (and yes, I'm being sarcastic!!)

Whats up with the liberal
Boy you Liberals need to take it easy and have some fun. Warning, your child will also become a LIBERAL if: 1]You don't buy him a BB gun 2]you don't get him a mini bike 3]you don't buy him a hatchet and chop a tree down (a tree is a renewable resorce) and 4]Make sure he has been spanked when disciplined, this will make him aggressive, last thing you need is an uncompetitive whimpy, whiny, LIBERAL as a son. OH, and buy him an ant farm, even let him kill the ants himself.

Great concept, mediocre implementation
The Ant Farm is a wonderful educational toy, but the quality is disappointing as other reviewers have said. The plastic has rough, unattractive edges from manufacture, and the bottom is not perfectly flat, so it can wobble a little bit. None of this will matter to my nephews, but certainly the manufacturer should do a better job. ... Read more