So cool: WowWee’s new FlyTech Butterfly

I’m always on the look out for toys that fly–that don’t hurt. As a professional toy tester, I do feel a responsibility to stick my fingers near the propellers (as I think most 8 year olds would) to see if it hurts. Most really do! For the past few years I’ve been a huge fan of the Kid Galaxy planes–they work, easy to launch and very satisfying. I still like those a lot. This week we received Wow Wee’s new Fly Tech Butterfly ($24.99). While I’m not big on gender specific toys, this pink and purple butterfly really works. Much like the Kid Galaxy launcher, you hold down the button until the wings really start to flutter–aim and there it goes! It’s really easy to use (the age label is 6 & up). The launcher takes 3 AAA batteries.

Interestingly all the boys loved playing with it but said they wouldn’t because it was sooo pink.  There is also a yellow and orange butterfly (is that less gender specific or is it the butterfly itself that makes it gender specific?) We didn’t have one the day we tested this product with kids.  I wonder if a blue butterfly would have sparked the same reaction from our boy testers. Would girls play with a blue butterfly? This would make an interesting research project.

In either case, the company also makes a mosquito! My suggestion, have a fly off–which flies further.

Trends from Toyland: Hasbro’s Biscuit, My Lovin Pup

Most of the hype this holiday season will probably be for Hasbro’s high tech, interactive Kota (a 40″ triceratops). At toy fair, Kota looked pretty amazing– friendly and interactive in a playful way. There is another entry in the Furreal line that should not be overlooked. Biscuit is an over-sized golden retriever that also looks extremely promising. He can sit up, give you a paw, bark, sit down on his hind legs–really great if you can’t handle the real thing.  Apparently all the new york press commented on how great Biscuit would be for city dwellers—no need to walk or pick up after Biscuit.  Biscuit will retail for $150– so again, a big holiday gift.

Trends from Toyland: IToys ME2

We’re looking forward to trying out IToys new ME2 - a plug-in that encourages kids to move around. The more they move around in the real world with the hand-held ME2–the more award points they get for playing on line.  The ME2 has sensors that monitor movement. Of course we will need to have our testers weigh in on the games (kids create their own avatar to play on line).

The ME2 is part of a new (positive) trend in toyland.  Last year Fisher-Price introduced the Smart Cycle for preschoolers- a stationary bike that also requires kids to cycle in order to play the video games.   Parents that we talked to really like the idea of anything that gets kids up and moving– one of the reasons the Wii has been such a hit.  At least you know the kids are moving something besides their thumbs.

Trends from Toyland: EyeClops BioniCam

One of my favorite toys last year was Jakks Pacific’s EyeClops, a magnifier that you can hook up to your tv and see anything really up close (your skin, the rug, anything that you can reach or bring to the EyeClops).  Seeing your skin that blown up is really, really interesting (and delightfully gross).  Everyone wanted to play with this product when we tested it.

This year the company is bringing out Eye Clops BioniCam that allows you to move around and capture images at 100x, 200x or 400x magnification.  You can record the images and  view them on the color LCD screen.  Best yet, you  can then take them back to your television or computer and look at the images on a larger screen.  When hooked up to the computer you can print or email your discoveries.  Fun for science projects! (Yes this is another USB opportunity!)  The suggested age range is 6 & up–but I think it will be most enjoyed by the 9 & up crowd.  Suggested retail is $79.99.

We look forward to testing this one!

Toy Trends: USB plugs Dominate Toyland

Last year everyone was talking about magnets.  Everything from toddler toys to construction toys used magnets in some creative way.  This year the buzz is all about “USB” capability.

Traditional toys like Hot Wheels, Barbies, Groovy Girls–now all will have an on-line component where play is just a USB cord away.  Borrowing from the amazing successful Webkinz model, more and more companies  are offering a toy that also “unlocks” a unique play experience on line.  From the response of our toy testers, this seems like a smart move.  School aged kids love collecting toys  (stuff animals, cars, action figures) and this generation is tech savvy — so it’s a perfect combination.  We will be testing these new products with kids in the coming weeks.

Leapfrog also offers the USB cord as a way of uploading/downloading info to their new platforms.  Sprig Toys, a new line of vehicles will also work with action figures that hook up to a USB plug on board the vehicles.  VTech’s new promising art platform, KiddiArt Studio, also uses a USB connection.

Several years back there were toys (mostly dolls) that required parents to “download” information to the toy (your child’s name, birthday, favorite color,etc.) …and we received many complaints that this took too much time and frankly was too complicated for less than tech savvy parents.  Two things have changed–the iTunes interface has made the whole “download” thing much less overwhelming for parents.  Things have changed: the toy/computer interface works better, parents are younger and more techy themselves,  and for slightly older kids, they’ll be doing the plugging in–and let’s face it, they’re really good at it.

Trends from Toyland: Sprig Toys

We got to meet with the folks from Sprig Toys, a new company that is scheduled to launch a line of action vehicles for the 4 & up crowd.  The vehicles will be chunky and rugged–nothing ground breaking in that department–but what is a huge departure is the method and technology that they will use.  The trucks will be made from re-purposed plastic and wood.  Literally made of saw dust–the vehicles have a strong green component, but not one the company feels is the key to their company–just their way of doing business.  Cool.

The action figures will plug into the vehicles via a USB port built into the vehicles and from there the vehicles can suggest “adventures” for the child to participate in.  From our point of view the directed play mode is not that important since we strongly believe that kids can generate their own adventures. It was clear that the folks from Sprig think so too–and therefore you can turn off the directed play mode.
The lights and sounds are generated by the motion of the vehicle (not batteries).  Also clever. The “electronic base” in each vehicle can also be removed for repair and perhaps, most importantly for smart recycling.  Much like a toner cartridge, you can take this component out of the vehicle and not just send it to the landfill.  All good.

We look forward to testing the vehicles out with kids.  The company is producing the products in Canada–no paint, no phthalates, no lead….They’re off to a very good start.

Eye Clops: So gross and so cool

When we received Eye Clops (Jakks Pacific $49.99) during the summer, it was at the end of a very long day of toy testing. I know that sounds like fun, but after several hours of screening games with poor directions–it can get a little tired.
Anyway we plugged the Eye Clops into the tv and followed the suggestion to put the device (that magnifies up to 200X) up to fabric we had in the room–the sofa, a sweater, etc. — the fibers looked like something out of “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”…but the coolest and grossest thing we did was to try it out on our skin. The smoothest skin to the naked eye became a sea of scales–with some odd variations in coloring. Let’s just say I called the dermatologist the next day!

While kids are having such a great time finding new things to use the Eye Clops on–they are having a hands on science experience that’s fun and interactive! And because kids can see the results on a large tv, it really does allow younger kids to explore the concept of magnification that would usually happen much later in an intro lab situation.

Eye Clops received an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. For more information visit www.toyportfolio.com.