6 +

80604

Ready, aim, zap! Our testers delighted in running, hiding and firing the futuristic laser pistols that came with this two-player laser and vest set. The vests featured front and back targets that registered "hits" with realistic laser lights and sounds. The guns had three modes--rapid fire of 25 shots, max blast and a popular silent mode. Play proved best suited to the outdoors. Smaller and younger children experienced some frustration as the elastic straps of the vest were not very adjustable, and the vest fastener unlocked easily. NOTE: Twelve "AA" batteries required (not included).

6 +

617850

A fun way to decorate your body! This craft kit came with washable skin markers, sponges, three sheets of tattoo transfers, plus illustrated instruction tips. Kids could pick a tattoo from the sheets provided, cut it out carefully along the dotted lines--scissors required--and transfer the tattoo to a part of the body. Then, using the washable skin markers, kids coloured in the tattoo. Children had a blast with this kit, and could colour and recolour the tattoos; it was a wonderful group activity. NOTE: A washcloth worked better for tattoo transfer than the tiny sponges supplied; skin markers, like washable markers, will rub off.

Apr-72

Our testers found this battery-operated toy noisy and messy. This kit, which promised airbrush effects using markers, included a base unit with a tube connected to a nozzle and marker holder, eight brush-tip markers, two cardboard stencils and paper. All of our testers complained that the markers did not fit easily or properly into the marker holder, and the tube (hose) was so short that it restricted drawing. While air did blow ink onto the paper, it also blew it on hands and uncovered parts of the table. The cardboard stencils did not hold up well. NOTE: Three "C" batteries required (not included).

6 +

Apr-69

Finger fun! This craft kit let kids design and paint the dome of two very large and funky rings. Our testers loved the six bright acrylic paint colours, but unfortunately, because the paint was acrylic, children had to wait 15 to 20 minutes between paint sessions to allow for drying. Two brushes were also included. The rings were a bit big for small fingers, but all of our artisans were pleased with results. NOTE: Acrylic paint may stain clothing and household surfaces; advisory on box.

6 +

Apr-23

Shaping the inner artist! This kit included materials and a helpful Walter Foster booklet to teach children the basics of drawing through the use of simple shapes. Each kit contained 12 coloured pencils, eight markers, a lead pencil, a pencil sharpener, paper and the book, which had pages to be completed. Kids found the steps easy to follow and were soon able to complete a turtle, a giraffe, a crab and other animals, working from basic geometric shapes. Children found this to be a fun and rewarding activity, and requested it often.

6 - 8 yrs

34580

Kids were eager to "do" their nails, courtesy of this sectional nail decorating station, but soon discovered that the supplied fake nails would pop off and the glitter failed to stick and ended up everywhere. This toy came with a four-part plastic nail station, fake nails, glitter, decals and adhesive (including glue stick), and our testers--especially younger ones--did enjoy making their nails pretty. However, as fake nails did not stay put, play value was not long lasting.

6 +

33383

Rings and things--that just what kids were making with the two special plastic hand press units featured in this popular kit. Children had a choice of making eight dome and gem-style rings, or bracelets and necklaces (fashioned using plastic tubes and charms). Our testers quickly mastered assembling the ring components and "squashing" them together using the ring press. The bracelets and necklace tubes had to be positioned it the tube press, filled with glitter and water, and then plugged up with a bead stopper--a bit more work, but great results nevertheless. Fun to wear and share; great individual or group activity. NOTE: Some leakage experienced with bracelets and necklaces.

6 +

8023 21

Alien invasion! Kids enjoyed the theme of this craft kit which let them create alien beings or space craft. Each kit provided eight bright colours of modelling clay (one which glowed in the dark) as well as moulds to help make the models. The seven moulds worked well, but younger children needed help inserting metals springs into the clay for antennae. The clay itself needed a lot of work before it was malleable enough to use easily. Still, kids were delighted with the far-out aliens they were able to make. NOTE: Baking required to complete craft; those worried about fumes should try baking in a toaster oven located outside of the house.

6 +

C4908C

Hair-raising fun! This craft kit had a magic wand--beading wand, that is--which was a hit with children wanting to decorate their hair. Each kit contained 1000 beads, 24 pom poms, beading want, 10 bead stoppers, design tray, elastic and instructions. Kids enjoyed making bracelets and necklaces with the numerous beads and elastic provided, but were ecstatic over the ability to thread light-weight beads into their own or dolls' hair using the supplied threader. The bead stoppers kept the hair beads in place; they were also easy to remove. This fun and easy craft provided many happy hours.

6 +

C4909C

Foam fashions! Children happily made cool-looking brooches, rings, chokers, bracelets and a foam bag using the materials supplied in this craft kit. Each kit included precut foam bag (purse), shapes, cord, plastic needle, precut foam shapes on five sheets, six ring mounts, six brooch mounts, six safety pins, foam braid and instructions. The foam pieces proved to be soft, durable and easy to work with. Children enjoyed making and wearing their foam jewellery, but adult assistance was required to make the foam bag as instructions were difficult to follow. NOTE: Some adult help also needed to attach safety pins to brooches.

6 +

86421 00097

View to a thrill! Kids loved learning how a kaleidoscope works by making their own. Each kit included short and long cardboard tubes, cardboard connector, mirrored acetate, eyepiece, clear disk, end cap, self-adhesive hologram sheet, glue, brush, trinkets and illustrated instructions. The instructions were easy to follow, and kids were delighted to see the materials they put into the kaleidoscope--beads, little blocks, even cereal--dance and roll when the tubes were turned as they peered through. NOTE: For best results, measure the mirrored acetate into thirds.

6 +

98905 15100

Wow! The fun of glitter without the mess! Our testers thought the sparkling glitter stickers they made using this kit were awesome. Each kit included a supplied compact plastic workstation with storage slots for brushes and stickers, plus capped wells for storing glitter (brushes, stickers and glitter supplied) as well as a sticker lifter and instructions. Kids found it easy to make glittery art using stickers; some had difficulties using their sticker lifter, but soon discovered that fingernails work well. Overall, our testers loved this craft.

6 +

26056 10004

Works of art! This kit provided kids with the materials and inspiration they needed to create portraits of family, friends--and even pets! Each kit included 20 blank portrait sheets, white blank frames, memory books (English and French), portrait drawing technique sheet, glitter glue, and nine non-toxic, washable markers. Children really enjoyed using their imaginations to create portraits, and then decorate and frame their masterpieces. The memory books also let kids to record their family tree, but the portrait activities were enjoyed most.

S3CC 21

Here's the buzz... kids loved making bugs with this mould-and-bake clay craft set. This kit had all of our testers enthusiastically creating the four bugs shown in the full-colour instructions (spider, caterpillar, ladybug and grasshopper) as well as other insect pals. The step-by-step instructions were easy to follow in English or French, and children were very proud of their brightly-coloured creations. Lots of clay included--enough to make worms, too! NOTE: Parental supervision required for oven baking of the clay, and cutting pipe-cleaner bug legs for younger kids. Families concerned about chemical fumes released when clay is over-baked can try using a toaster oven set up in a porch or garage.

S3CC 20

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...! This nautically coloured clay kneaded easily, and formed cleanly to produce realistic models of some of the most ferocious creatures in the ocean--shark, ray and eel. Kids found they could easily complete the creatures for which instructions were provided, and could use extra clay to share or make other creations. Check the balance of models with toothpick stands before baking. NOTE: Adult assistance required for baking the clay in an oven; a well-ventilated area recommended.

S3CC 19

Go fish! All of our testers were eager to model the attractive, unique sea creatures--puffer fish, clownfish and turtle--with the brightly coloured clay provided in this craft kit. Each of the steps was illustrated with a photograph as well as short written instruction, making it easy even for our young testers to be successful with their creations. A sculpting tool and six small blocks of clay were also included. Some children found that for these models, a piece of hanger wire made a better support between fish and base than the suggested toothpick. NOTE: Adult assistance required for baking the clay in a 130-degree Celsius oven; a well-ventilated area recommended.

6 +

K3 4013

Colourful bugs, birds, salamanders and snakes... kids had great fun making small animals of the rainforest with the superflex clay provided in this kit. Each craft set included eight bars of modelling clay (white, black, yellow, green, blue, red, orange and beige), a modelling tool and clay roller, glitter, pipe cleaners and easy-to-follow instructions. Children found that the superflex clay would get really sticky when worked a lot or used on a hot day, but popping the clay in the refrigerator seemed to help. Overall, kids were delighted with their exotic looking creations, and enjoyed this craft. NOTE: Baking in oven required to complete craft.

6 +

FX4004

Flex your creative muscles! This new take on the popular modeling clay let kids make and bake models that were more bendable and flexible than regular clay--but still very tough. Each pack contained eight assorted colours of clay (white, red, blue, yellow, green, beige, orange and black) as well as a sculpting tool. Instructions advised that wires be inserted into some models, and our testers found that some creations were flexible to a degree; breakage did occur on smaller, skinny or flat models. However, overall, children enjoyed this craft tremendously, and played with their models a lot after making them. NOTE: Clay contained PVC and plasticizer, but no fumes released during baking.

6 +

K3 4011

This modelling craft set provided enough soft and pliable clay in attractive colours to produce seven of the cutest bears our crafty kids had ever seen. Each kit included eight bars of Sculpey III clay in white, black, yellow, chocolate, tan, red, blue and brown, modelling tool and accessories, play scene and easy to follow instructions. Children were very pleased with their little bears, but due to their fragility after baking, kids could not really play with them using the printed play scene. Great group birthday party activity. NOTE: Adult assistance required for oven baking.

6 +

K3 4014

Explore the ocean depths! This modelling kit let kids make all kinds of bright, colourful undersea creatures--turtle, fish, shark, eel and ray. Instructions were excellent, easy to follow, and children were thrilled with their creations. The clay was very soft and pliable, and baked well. However, the resulting models were on the fragile side, and required careful handling. NOTE: Adult supervision required for oven baking.

86421 00108

Pour crystals into a mould, submerge in water for just one minute, and what do you get? Bouncing balls that really work, and eventually... mould. Our testers were delighted and amazed that this simple craft kit that included seven packages of bright coloured crystals (including glow-in-the-dark), four moulds in interesting shapes, plus clear instructions really resulted in fun, bouncy balls. Instructions required that balls be sealed in a plastic bag to retain their bounce, but after about a month, over half the balls made and stored by our testers grew spots of mould. Health Canada reported, "Toxins produced by some moulds could be very dangerous and harmful to a child's health. Inhalation of moulds could also lead to respiratory infections."

64000

They're right, you can't. This painting set included oddly shaped brushes--an elephant's foot, thumb print, an ant roller, a shark's tail and a chicken's foot--which were funky to look at but did not work well as painting utensils. The kit also contained a paint tray, three bottles of paint and six sheets of paper as well as five stampers. Kids were frustrated by the fact that none of the novelty brushes provided a clean design and the pictures on the box indicated. Children wanted to go back to their regular stampers and brushes after trying these.

6 - 8 yrs

ISBN 1 155144 188 8

Whale facts and math facts were combined in this CD-ROM to make learning math skills more appealing, but some kids failed to be enchanted. Players found the program, which featured only two levels, to be slow, and children tended to ignore the accompanying workbook. However, math skills could be seen to develop with adult guidance and nature-loving kids did enjoy the sea world setting. NOTE: Playable on both Windows and Macintosh systems; plastic storage holder for CD-ROM tended to rip.

6 - 8 yrs

EI 9209

Dig this! Budding paleontologists had a blast with this CD-ROM, playable on both Windows and Macintosh systems, which let them explore the world of dinosaurs through nine different activities. Some activities taught compass directions, map reading and math (Compass Capers) while others just inspired laughter (Dino Diner, where dinosaurs showed if they were herbivores or carnivores by either gulping down or throwing out selected plates of food). Players earned certificates of achievement that could be printed out and displayed. NOTE: Raptor Dig Excavation Kit for hands-on play also included; toy was enjoyed but not essential to the enjoyment of the software. Skeleton of hands-on kit did not hold together well.

6 - 10 yrs

0-439-10854-3

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***Kids found this eerie, creepy and spooky good CD-ROM to be addictive as they roamed through a big old mansion in search of missing objects. Children loved the graphics of this software as well as having their names appear on the gates that opened, and in other places. The object of the game was for the player to escape the mansion by collecting pieces of a puzzle after solving the "I spy" puzzles. Kids loved the riddles and rhymes, and the program also offered them the chance to write their own "I spy" rhymes. This software, playable on both Windows and Mac systems, had kids coming back to the mansion to play again and again.

23017, 23768

Although kids loved the idea of making tattoos using these Windows CD-ROMs featuring popular toy icons, their enthusiasm disappeared as they had problems printing out their creations and the resulting tattoos were not as expected. While the designs excited kids at first, the tattoos themselves were essentially patterned "tape" placed on the skin which looked like band-aids. Kids lost interest as it was very hard to figure out how to print and create the tattoos using the special paper and once that was accomplished, results were disappointing.

6 - 8 yrs

11164348

This colourful and entertaining CD-ROM had children climbing ladders, exploring caves and unlocking doors--all the while learning new words and developing spelling skills. With their friendly frog and firefly guides, kids learned letter combinations, combined letters to spell words, expanded vocabulary, built sentences, classified synonyms, antonyms and homophones, learned about verb tense, identified contractions, and enjoyed short stories. The software featured good graphics and sound, and offered a workbook to be printed out. NOTE: Playable on both Windows and Macintosh systems.

57113

This attractive, hand-held math game based on the popular software series had a nice design and easy-to-push buttons--and a program that was beyond second grade students. The game featured three levels of math questions which were more like grade 3 or 4 math drills. In order to answer questions, players had to line up logs on the screen, and CJ the Frog and friends would jump from log to log to get to the answer cave. Players were rewarded with "Great!" for right answers, and "Oops" for wrong ones. Kids who were eager to play this game at first soon lost all interest. NOTE: Two "AA" batteries required (included).

57114

This hand-held electronic spelling toy based on the popular software series was attractive, portable and very boring. Children did not show the slightest interest in playing the game after the first time or two. The toy was made of sturdy plastic, with buttons that were well placed and easy to operate; its small screen featured a black-and-white line drawing superimposed over a colour backdrop. While this toy claimed to offer spelling activities, it was more of a memory game--a word flashed on the screen with letters missing, and then disappeared. The player had to move the wheel to fill in the blanks. Children frequently missed the flashed word and, with no way to review the request, had to guess what they were supposed to be spelling. The CJ character said "Oops" and "Great" and "Go", but not the word to be spelled. NOTE: Two "AA" batteries required (included).

6 - 10 yrs

1-57231-577-6

Animal trackers! This entertaining Windows CD-ROM had children joining Miss Frizzell on a search for missing animals transported to incorrect habitats. While visiting seven geographic zones, including rainforests and deserts, kids learned where the animals lived, what they ate... and whether they would eat people too! Children enjoyed trying different experiments and earning a certificate using this software. While it only offered one level of play, it was satisfying and fun for our testers.

6 - 8 yrs

ISBN 0 7356 00139

Triple treat! This software package offered three CDs to engage children in adventures that help build math, reading and thinking skills. The first CD had kids blasting off into outer space to help save a space station by using math skills. The second CD involved helping Sam the monkey play hide and seek in six rooms of a museum by using reading skills. The third CD asked players to free sea creatures from a villain's boat by using such thinking skills as sorting, classifying, telling time, discerning patterns, and geography. All CDs offered three levels of difficulty. Very little adult assistance required; kids enjoyed these programs! NOTE: Playable on Windows systems.

6 +

507047

This fun and educational CD-ROM was a huge hit with kids, who loved helping Sam the Lion rescue Reader Rabbit from the dragon's castle. Children had to solve problems requiring skills in spelling, math, science, reading comprehension, writing and more. Our testers, especially those in grade 2, found this creative, well-designed software both fun and challenging. There were lots of opportunities for learning new concepts like fractions and Roman numerals while reinforcing existing skills. NOTE: Playable on both Windows and Macintosh systems.

EI-4023

In this retest of a toy first reported on in the 1999 Toy Report, children found many of the same problems plagued this construction set as before. Kids were supposed to make interesting shapes using pennies, nickels, dimes or quarters bound together with special clips. While the clips themselves were easier to use this time (not so tight), there were still not enough of them provided to complete the dragon figure; instructions to complete other models were not included. Children found the resulting figure dull and unappealing and declined to play.

6 +

23248 & 23250

Built from scratch! This fun toy had wannabe mechanics eagerly building either a racing car or a dune buggy using a tool supplied in the package, but the big payoff was transforming the autos into different vehicles entirely. Kids had a wonderful time converting the racing car into a jet and the dune buggy into a tank. The toys themselves worked great and stayed together well after construction, and children enjoyed hours of imaginary adventures using the vehicles. NOTE: Good instructions; many small parts.

6 - 8 yrs

5936

Jungle fever! This small building kit featured 126 colourful plastic pieces and a great theme that captivated kids. Would-be explorers could build a mysterious temple and jeep, and imagine adventures deep in the jungle as the set also included palm tree fronds, map, skeleton, spiders, snake, scorpion, explorer figure and movie camera. This set could be enjoyed alone or as an add-on to other building sets. Good instructions; all pieces stayed together well and provided kids with hours of entertainment.

9122

Sand and scorpion! This 75-piece building set contained all the materials needed to construct a desert dune buggy with driver, several desert duelling accessories, and a trap for catching a dangerous scorpion (toy included). Younger testers required adult assistance to build the toy as the pictorial instructions were rather complex, but they enjoyed playing with the completed model. Older testers preferred building the vehicle only. Instructions were for the main buggy shown on the box. Overall, testers liked the theme--especially the scorpion.

6 +

34110

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 1999***Make way for the little green dump truck that could! This 152-piece construction set featuring girders, plates and blocks that snapped together to form ramps and platforms for three different industrial sites was a huge hit with our testers. They loved making the toy's remote-controlled dump truck run up and down the ramps, as well as having it scoop up small red and blue plastic balls with its front loader and dump them into the platform's chutes. The command centre allowed for four control pads and eight vehicles (one is included). NOTE: Three "AA" rechargeable batteries required (included), not to be used in NiCad recharger.

6 +

65808

Build up and up and up, and watch the marbles roll down! That was the attraction of this 100-piece construction toy, which provided colourful plastic interlocking columns, chutes, rails, bridges and wheels to create a marble run. Younger children struggled when building, as the only guide for construction was on the box; adult assistance made for successful completion of the run. Kids did love watching the marbles zip down this toy once it was assembled. NOTE: Choose the building spot carefully as the constructed marble run is difficult to move.

80205

In this outer space version of the "Operation" game, children had to extract tiny plastic organs from an alien's corpse (the game board) without touching anything and making the alien scream. The organs had to be removed using special little tweezers which were hard to manipulate, and the organs themselves were so small they were nearly impossible to grab. This game for two to four players also had a card element, and players had to roll dice and move around the board and land on the autopsy squares before they could use the tweezers. Kids liked the alien screams at first but soon lost all interest in this game. NOTE: Two "AA" batteries required (not included).

6 +

LER 5053

This board game for two to four players is designed to help kids learn about fractions, as they try to be the first player to completely fill all four of their pizza pans with the correct fraction pieces. Even younger children could play, as they used the sides of the game pieces featuring pizza toppings rather than the sides with fractions on them, and simply matched them to the board. In fact, children of all ages preferred this version of the game, disregarding the fractions. Game pieces tended to slide off the game board during play, and some kids did not find the educational theme appealing. Still, most had fun playing with the pizza pieces.

6 +

5002

The object of this wooden puzzle was to stack four clusters of wooden spheres in correct order into a triangular rack. This puzzle helped kids work on their 3-D visualization and problem-solving skills. Children who liked puzzles enjoyed the challenge; others found the interest to be short-lived after solving the puzzle quickly. Answer to the puzzle can be found on the web site. Makes a nice desk sculpture.

6 +

ISBN 1-894042-23-9

With this tasty package, you can chew gum and read at the same time! In less than 40 minutes, kids were enjoying great-tasting gum that they made, rolled and cut themselves--with very little clean-up (thanks to a disposable tray and stir stick). In addition to ingredients (corn syrup, gum base, sugar mixture, stir stick, tray), this kit also included a fascinating full-colour book full of fun gum facts and jokes. Our testers took great pride in their bubble gum creations--yummy fun! NOTE: Cooking in microwave or conventional oven required.

6 +

222

This satisfying digging activity provided kids with everything they needed to unearth dinosaur "bones"--metal hammer and chisel, protective glasses, paint, paint brush, and a dino fossil (stegosaurus, T-Rex or triceratops) encased in "dinostone". Kids tackled the challenge with excitement and enthusiasm, and really felt like they were digging up dinosaur bones. Once the excavation had been completed, the dino bones could be snapped together an painted, creating a realistic, stable model. NOTE: Outdoors activity; younger children may require assistance.

6 +

27

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***It's alive! This digging kit had budding paleontologists uncovering a mummified triops (in reality, a storage container), but what really got kids excited was the opportunity to hatch and grow triops eggs. These critters did indeed grow in the clear plastic aquarium provided, when distilled water was used (not provided) and the creatures were fed triops food and monitored with a thermometer (provided). The trips grew from eggs to about 5 cm long, providing children with a fascinating example of the circle of life from birth to death. The kit also included a digging tool, paint brush and paints, as well as an instruction book. A blast from the past!

6 +

LER 2472

Fun with physics! This introductory kit came with materials and a great activity guide that provided detailed instructions to build loop-the-loops, a button spinner and more--all showing hands-on the basic principles of force, friction, motion and gravity. Kids could play and learn while doing 12 neat experiments, which were set up on tables or floors; some required the use of common household items. Our testers found that this kit was even more fun when parents joined in.

6 - 10 yrs

LER 2473

Like ducks to water! Kids could splash, float, dive and sail their way through this exciting science activity kit. Children enjoyed exploring and learning about the wonders of water as they experimented with a thin plastic toy boat, an eyedropper, balloons and other materials. The numerous experiments were well presented in this kit's excellent booklet and proved fun and easy to follow; kids under 10 required some adult assistance. Great educational value. NOTE: Some household items necessary to complete experiments. Be prepared for some water mess.

6 +

LEARNED ENTERPRISES INTERNATIONAL

This strategy game suffered from two problems--poor instructions and a weak ending. One to four players took turns trying to "lock out" numbers on the board game by rolling one of three dice supplied with the game. The game provided kids with lots of practice of their math skills, but higher numbers were much more difficult to capture than lower ones, requiring multiple matching rolls--and the odds were against that. The unclear instructions did not help, and house rules were often put in play. Still, kids did have fun. NOTE: 3-D stands for "3 dice".

6 +

LER 5056

This board game for two to four players offered early readers a starting point for long and short vowel recognition. Players tried to match the vowel sounds on their word cards with those on the illustrated board, and the player to get rid of all his or her cards first won the game. This was not a teaching game; children had to have reading skills already to figure the game out. While early readers enjoyed playing at first, this game did not provide enough challenge to keep kids interested in repeat play.

ISBN 1 57054 253 8

A-mazing! This full-colour book with cardboard stock pages contained 28 different mazes, including mazes requiring a plastic wishbone (supplied) to solve the puzzle, a maze that spanned four pages and had holes for jumping back and forth between pages, and a maze with a raised printed path to solve with eyes closed. Kids had a blast solving these puzzles. The book recommended using fingers to trace the maze paths, but many children would have preferred to mark down the solutions. NOTE: Try using a clear plastic overlay and washable marker if kids want to draw the paths.

6 +

12

Is it a puzzle or a geometry lesson? This toy was comprised of a series of curved wires which connected to form a sphere, and then could be easily manipulated to create a number of fascinating shapes ("stars", "orbs", "flowers", etc.). Instructions were a bit difficult to follow, but kids soon discovered how to make the shapes or disentangle the wires if necessary. An intriguing toy. NOTE: Keep away from young children as they may try to put the wire circle around their necks.

6 +

211

Kids quickly became fans of this humorously illustrated deck of cards that offered three simple games to play for two to four players. Instructions were easy to follow, and the baseball theme appealed to both younger and older children. Games used matching, simple addition and strategy skills, and children were greatly amused by the cartoon depictions of baseball scenes and jargon, including "Yer out"! While younger kids needed some parental assistance, older kids played well on their own. This game was fun and taught good sportsmanship.

6 - 7 yrs

LER 5050

Kids laughed and learned when they played this colourful, co-operative board game for two to four players, slithering along the python path and sounding out simple words. Players tossed four dice and then had to sound out words that could be made with the consonants featured on the dice--"bet", "bat", "ball" and "back", etc. Children who were starting to read had the most fun making new words when their opponents were at a similar reading level. Older kids added to the challenge of the game with bonus points for trickier words--"ban", "lug", "sow", etc. NOTE: Reference sheet with 192 possible common words included.

204

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***This simple yet engaging numbers and memory card game kept kids joyfully "getting rid of ugly rats"! Each 54-card deck came illustrated with great full-colour pictures of cats and the aforementioned rats. The cat cards had lower-value numbers on them, and the rat cards had higher-value numbers--the object of the game was to become the player with the lowest score. This game, designed for two to six players, relied on skill and strategy as well as luck. These cards were a hit with kids, and provided a great travel activity as well.

200

The best thing since sliced bread! Kids loved using these die-cut, bread-shaped cards to create "slamwiches" and "double deckers" as they flipped cards into a centre pile. Each game for two to six players included 55 cards (44 food cards, three thief cards and eight muncher cards) and all were illustrated with fun, full-colour pictures. The object of the game was to collect all the cards, but along the way, children learned how to make combinations, recognize series and anticipate action. NOTE: Best played with more than two; great travel game.

6 - 8 yrs

LER 5055

This beginning phonics board game with a fun underwater theme got kids using their noggins to match word ending with beginnings. The game had a spinner and fishy "pawns" as well as key cards with the double consonant beginnings and three-letter ends. The player able to blend cards and create the most number of words became the winner, but all kids won as they learned through play. The graphics and theme of this game for two to four players was appealing to children, who enhanced reading skills while having fun.

6 +

10005

Children found this abbreviated version of checkers to be a great way to learn and grow with the classic board game. This version consisted of a beginner board with fewer spaces and "pawns" than a traditional checkers game. However, a full-sized sheet of paper with a traditional checkers playing field was provided along with the sturdier cardboard beginner board, so a regular game (or two variations] could be played. NOTE: Parental assistance required to teach beginners; kids could not learn in 10 minutes as advertised on box.

6 +

10003

The game of kings, mastered with ease! Kids had a royally good time learning to play chess using the progressive approach offered by this board game version. Players really learned how each chess piece moves and were ready to play a "real" game of chess after they had played the well outlined and fun quick games--Power Pawns, King's Conquest, Raging Rooks, Tricky Bishops, Mean Queens and Krazy Knights. Each set came with two game boards (a full paper board and a small cardboard one for the learning games) as well as a set of plastic chess pieces and excellent instructions. A great game for beginners--young and old alike!

6 - 7 yrs

6051

This entertaining board game for two to four players featured a game board made up of interlocking puzzle shapes--so the game board was different every time. Kids enjoyed this fast-playing (10 minutes) game that had players collect the zoo animal babies and return them to their proper habitat. Children enjoyed the variety of the changing game board as well as the animal theme. A simple game with a twist. NOTE: For best results, place board pieces on solid, flat surface.

6 +

19428, 20966-68, 20972

Girl power! Barbie goes global with this series of dolls representing girls from all over the world--Barbie, Lara, Ana, Tori, Chelsie and Nichelle. Each doll came with specific accessories (clothes, purse, CD-ROM player, video camera, guitar, etc., different for each doll) which kids enjoyed using to create play scenarios. Each package also included a mini "Generation Girl" magazine which the dolls were supposed to have published. These cute teen dolls provided lots of fun dressing, undressing and typical doll imaginary play.

6 +

70-800

Kids wanted to love this small, cute, furry, talking toy with moving beak and eyes but soon found that it took a lot of patience and persistence to learn "Furbish". This toy was able to dance, play tricks and speak after a careful reading and following of the complex instructions provided in its little booklet. Children who "knew" the booklet inside and out--and who had adult assistance--were able to get this toy to operate as promised. However, most just enjoyed it as a baby animal toy. NOTE: Four "AA" batteries required (not included).

6 +

52063

Mission: possible! Kids who wanted to keep their journal contents secret found an ally with this special diary made of hard plastic that could only be opened with a magnetic key swipe card--or an alarm went off when the diary was tampered with. Each diary also included 30 sheets of paper, marker and a mini night light for after-hours scribbling. The magnetic key swipe card did not always work on command, and the marker tended to bleed through the pages, but overall this high-tech diary was quite enjoyed. NOTE: Three "AAA" batteries required (not included).

6 +

20762

This toy was a chip off of the old racecar--computer chip, that is! This well-crafted, hand-propelled car featured a computer chip and miniature display screen on its underside, which allowed the toy to calculate start and finish times, store top scores, and offered kids three hand-held electronic games to play. Children were impressed that the screen also functioned as an accurate time-piece. Designed for use with Hot Wheels track, the car worked fine with the power charger booster (track and booster sold separately). Adult assistance was required to decipher the detailed instructions provided in eight languages. NOTE: Two "AG13" or "LR44" (watch or pill) batteries required (included).

6 +

23028

Manicure magic! Kids had a blast making their own nail polish using this special durable plastic nail centre and supplied materials. Each play set included five empty bottles and the steps for making polish were easy to follow. They used the mixing guide to make designer colours, added the ingredients in the bottle, placed the bottle in the motorized shaker, applied polish to nails, and placed nails in the air dryer. The nail polish later washed off easily with soap and water. While shaking the bottles by hand worked faster than using the motorized shaker, this feature was a big hit with kids. NOTE: Colorants may stain some fabrics/surfaces (noted on box); three "AA" batteries required (not included).

35361

Out of this world! This detailed, miniature plastic play set provided 12 spaced-out toys in one, as each set included two space vehicle, an astronaut, alien, probe (four pieces), parachute, launcher and claws. All pieces could be attached together or played with separately. While the parachute didn't always work perfectly, there were enough exciting pieces that junior space cadets enjoyed many hours of imaginative play exploring space, searching for new life forms or capturing the alien.