45-201

Holding pattern... In our retest of this terrific-looking styrofoam and plastic airplane toy, the results and problems were just as disappointing as the first time. This toy exhibited ingenious design of an engine powered by air, but suffered from fragile construction. A sturdy pump attached well to the plane but kids had trouble reading the gauge and pumping air into the plane's fuselage. Extra wings and tail pieces were provided to make repairs, but the plane was also plagued with stability and flight problems. Our testers were really disappointed at the way the plane flew and how easily it broke when it crashed--often on the first flight. NOTE: Best launched outdoors in a large, wide, open area.

8 +

7 30767 43810 4

Catching a tail wind! This outdoor toy, with a ball attached to a long, nylon "tail", was meant to be swirled around a player's head and then fired off and caught for points. This toy proved extremely popular with kids, who loved playing with it alone or with pals. Little air holes in the ball were supposed to create a "scream" when the toy was flung, but this was more like a whistle. Still, kids had a blast with this toy and its high-flying action.

8 - 12 yrs

8015

Load 'em up and let 'em fly! Kids had a lot of fun with this lime green, orange and black target shooting toy. The 41 cm x 20 cm (16" x 18") durable plastic launcher was shaped like a cool ray gun with a trigger and pull-back power-slide handle. It launched 5 cm (2") soft plastic rings in a spinning motion, which improved both distance and accuracy. The bright orange rings were easy to see when they flew, but tended to disappear on occasion. While kids had some initial problems loading the launcher, they had a blast once they got it firing. NOTE: Read instructions to avoid jamming. Weapon toys tend to invite inappropriate play; although rings are soft plastic, they can hurt if shot at point blank range, and children need to be reminded not to shoot at each other or at pets.

8 +

05-104

Zap 'em, cowpoke! Kids loved playing laser tag with this toy, which came with two strap-on vests and two large, futuristic laser pistols. The "stingers" made amazing sound effects and offered long-range firing features. Space cowboys and cowgirls loved running around and zapping each other as they played this game outdoors. NOTE: 24 "AA" batteries required (not included).

8 +

1400

Kids enjoyed traditional yo-yo play with this cool-looking "return top" that was supposed to spin three times longer than regular yo-yos. While testers found that the toy did spin well, children experienced difficulty getting the toy to return properly, and so could not always do tricks effectively. Strings were hard to rewind and tangled easily. Testers also found the small print instructions rather difficult to follow. but had fun just playing normally with the yo-yo.

8 +

252

From foot to feline! This fun craft kit let children make their own cuddly kitten from a cotton sock. Each kit included cotton sock, stuffing, pre-sewn cotton tail, needle, thread, pins, ribbon, adhesive, felt, pattern sheet, collar tag and instructions. While fashioning and sewing the paws proved a bit tricky--adult assistance was required--kids enjoyed this craft--especially decorating kitty's face with the sticky felt. Children also were thrilled with the results and loved having their own little sock pet.

8 +

97111

Kids were all smiles after creating their own glamorous masks in three easy steps using this craft kit. Each kit contained four masks, four hair pieces, eye stickers, template sheet for tracing patterns, four pots of paint, paint brush, glue, sparkles, jewels, feathers and flowers as well as instructions. Children had to trace a pattern onto the mask, then paint and add stickers and sparkles, and finish by decorating with the jewels, feathers and flowers--fun to do and lovely to look at. NOTE: The glue was dry in every sample tested, so have your own glue on hand, as well as additional paint brushes if you have more than one crafty kid in the house.

8 +

132498 & 021898

Children were happy with the cute critters they created with these craft kits--birdies or kitties. Each kit included three felt pieces for each creature, three beanie bags, six eyes, hats, polyester stuffing, ribbon, rhinestones, needles and thread, thimble, pipe cleaners, pins and pincushion, needle threader, glue, and other decorating materials (e.g. beaks with tongues for birdies and noses for kitties). Kids found these crafts to be challenging--the beaks were hard to do, and most had adult help with the sewing--but all loved decorating and were happy with the resulting toys. NOTE: Check contents as rusty needles were found in the kitty kits.

8 +

8024 04

Kids were pleased with the brightly coloured fish models and flowered glass candle holders they created with this "transparent" modelling clay. Six colours of clay and a plastic sculpting tool were provided, as well as five googly eyes. Instructions were vague, but children found that the most successful way to use the clay was to roll it out very thin on a sheet of firm plastic (i.e. freezer bag), peel it off carefully and then spread firmly on the glass (votive candle holder or glass jar, not included). The glass itself was then rolled to further secure the designs before baking. The clay was not completely transparent after baking but the colours were enhanced by the process. NOTE: Adult supervision required for clay clean up and baking.

8 +

450

***BEST BET AWARD 2000***Picture this! This craft kit invited young artists to use wood, papier mache, paint and various other craft items to produce a fun 20 cm x 25 cm (8" x 10") frame to hold a 10 cm x 15 cm (4" x 6") picture. After painting the wooden base frame, children could then paint or use papier mache on precut animal shapes to add to the frame. Kids further adorned their creations with glass gems. An easy-to-bend wire hanger finished the project so the framed picture could be hung. This kit included generous amounts of craft materials, and children were thrilled with their works of art.

8 +

ISBN 1 57054 187 6

This sturdy, spiral-bound book offered great easy-to-follow instructions to make eight different designs of bracelets, chokers, anklets and necklaces, as well as straw-coloured hemp and a small packet of beads. While kids really enjoyed making the jewellery, they did have some problems using the natural fibre, knotty hemp and small beads; additional larger beads would have been appreciated. Still, enough materials were included to make three or four bracelets, and the items were made and worn with pride or given as gifts.

8 +

290

Put a cork in it! That's the finishing touch to this simple yet rewarding craft that children enjoyed. Each kit included two glass jars, small pots of non-toxic, acrylic paint, paint brush, wire, beads, tin, glue varnish, pattern sheet, cork stopper and instructions. Children tended to ignore the tin as it was hard to cut, but enjoyed painting the jars and stringing the beads to create a unique storage keepsake. Kids were very pleased with their results and happily stored rock collections and other small items in their completed crafts.

8 +

C4910C

Kids were keen to make to cool-looking mirror and jewellery pictured on the box of this craft. Each craft set included two packs of air drying modelling material, mirror, gold paint, jewellery mounts, (for rings, earrings, broaches and choker), mould tray, glue, paint brush, velvet ribbon and instructions. Children soon found that bubbles formed when putting the moulding material into the moulds, and although no baking was required, the craft needed to be left overnight to dry. Kids would have liked more than one paint colour (gold) to finish their pieces. However, this craft worked well and children made some very nifty accessories.

8 - 10 yrs

320

This craft kit provided kids with the materials to make two miniature journals that could be worn around the neck courtesy of a beaded chain. Children had the choice of two covers for the journal, which also featured white pages for the interior as well as six small coloured pencil and one small lead pencil. Kids enjoyed making their journals and loved wearing them, keeping them with them at all times so they could jot down messages, write poetry or use as an address book. A fun and useful craft.

8 +

98905 15400

Just wrap, snap and style! All of our testers loved creating their very own personalized friendship dolls. This craft kit, which consisted of 25 dolls, three hair clips, three pins and eight gift cards, let our testers "dress up" miniature dolls which they created themselves by snapping together two-piece doll shapes. Kids adored the wide variety of styles they could make by following the easy-to use instructions and looking at the box illustrations--some even attempted the "Spice Girls"!. While testers experienced some difficulty when making their first dolls, all loved the craft once it was mastered. The dolls could be left as is or turned into brooches, hair pins and necklaces. This craft was a huge hit a birthday parties!

8 +

1964920276

Gummy good! This seven-step craft kit had kids engrossed with making their own gummy treats from seaweed as well as learning about seaweed farmers in the Philippines. The kit included sour mix, coloured and flavoured sugar, powdered and regular seaweed, molding starch and English instructions, as well as the story of "sea vegetables". Moulds for the candies were not included, but could easily be fashioned using fridge magnets, and our testers got a real kick out of making their own goodies. NOTE: Stovetop or microwave oven activity; adult supervision required for younger children.

8 - 9 yrs

70112

This craft allowed kids to decorate a small. clear acrylic box with multi-coloured seed beads to achieve a mosaic-type effect. Most children were pleased with the colourful finished product, but were somewhat frustrated at first by the mixed beads--not separated by colour as indicated on the package--as well as difficulties encountered while tracing supplied stencils and cutting out double-sided adhesive tape. NOTE: Instructions mention that the finished keepsake box is fragile (beads can fall off) and should be used for display or potpourri.

ISBN 1 57054 354 2

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***Dear diary! This compact, spiral-bound book with dramatic black pages came with its own silver gel roller pen. Kids loved writing and drawing in this book, filling in the fun fact pages with such information as birth weight, the funniest things that ever happened, the weirdest things a body can do, etc. plus lots of blank pages for the children's own creations. The silver pen ink looked fantastic on the black pages, and all results were very professional looking. Kids were thrilled with this craft; this is one worth keeping for a lifetime.

8 +

30767 43887 & 30767 43771

Kids were eager to decorate their nails using these compact nail painting sets that came in small, clear plastic packets on a long chain. Each kit came with three bottles of washable coloured polish as well as one bottle of glitter. While the instructions promised that tiny, beautiful images (moon and stars or butterflies) could be painted onto nails, a steady hand, patience and extra tools (toothpicks) were needed to apply the detail and achieve acceptable results. Adding a clear coat of real nail polish under and on top of the washable polish preserved the images for a day or so. NOTE: Without clear coat, polish peels or washes off very easily.

8 +

86421 00113

Whether used as purses or lunch bags, our testers were very pleased with their 180 mm x 230 mm (7" x 9") hand-made backpacks fashioned from classy looking recycled black rubber. This kit included step-by-step illustrated instructions, purple lacing, four pieces of rubber, two straps (non-adjustable), elastic, wooden button closure, and decorative wooden beads. While some younger testers needed help lining up the pieces--especially corners--for lacing, all were happy with the results and used their backpacks to carry personal items or lunches. NOTE: Scissors not included; actual backpack smaller than image appearing on box.

8 +

K3 4010

Letter perfect craft! This kit let kids mould, bake and make their own necklaces, bracelets, earrings and key chains that spelled their names or a special message. Each kit included seven bars of brightly coloured Sculpey III clay, string, alphabet rubber stamps and ink pad, cutting and rolling tools, as well as instructions. After rolling out the clay and stamping a letter, kids would bake their creations to form beads or small objects they could string or attach. Children were delighted with the letter beads, which were both attractive and durable. NOTE: Parental help required to square beads and to supervise baking.

8 +

K3 4015

This craft kit let children create their own soft, cuddly looking baby animal brooches, necklaces and fridge magnets to keep, wear and trade--but some kids found the superflex clay very soft and sticky to work with. Each kit included eight bars of modelling clay, modelling tool and accessories (necklace cord, pin bars and magnets). The step-by-step instruction booklet did show how to mould small creatures with the clay, and children were pleased with the animals they made, but this kit was most successful for kids who could fashion sculptures with little kneading or reworking. NOTE: Clay needs to be baked in oven to complete craft.

8 +

K3 4012

Kids were eager to play with this modelling clay, but making it work was on the sticky side. Each kit came with seven blocks of superflex clay, cookie cutters, roller, modelling tool, cards and other accessories so children could make eight unique greeting cards. Kids soon found that the amount of detail required for the clay designs for the cards meant that the clay had to be handled and moulded quite a lot--and that made it hot and sticky. Younger children needed extensive adult assistance to achieve desired results. This kit worked best for older sculptors with patience and experience. NOTE: Baking required to complete craft.

8 - 12 yrs

A051750

Bathe with the fishes! This craft kit let kids mould their own scented seashore soaps, which they were pleased to use in the bath or give as gifts. After an adult helped to melt the lightly scented, pastel coloured glycerin disks in the plastic cup set in hot water on the stove, children could pour the soap into moulds shaped like a fish, starfish, clam shell or mermaid. It took about an hour for the glycerin to harden, but soaps separated easily from the moulds. The kit also came with 20 pearlized beads that could be used in the soaps or strung on elastic cord (included). An inflatable goldfish was provided for display of the pretty soaps. NOTE: Microwave use not recommended.

8 +

ISBN 1 57054 317 8

Kids were kept in stitches for hours with this sturdy, spiral-bound book that came with a plastic pouch full of materials for creating fun, simple sewing crafts. The full-colour, step-by-step instructions in English let kids make a scented sachet, needle book, strawberry pin cushion, drawstring pouch, dishtowel apron, mouse and cat. In addition to learning the basics of sewing, children were delighted with all projects they completed. NOTE: Craft includes pins and needles with sharp points; scissors required (not included).

8 +

474

This craft kit offered the opportunity to make interesting shapes out of the wire provided and create a letter holder. However, children found that the wire was difficult to shape and making a letter holder was not overly appealing. Still, those who completed the craft were happy with the results. Each kit included a pine base with pre-drilled holes, paints, paint brush for derail, chunky brush for big areas, wire and pattern guide.

8 +

DFM68630

With 350 levels from grade 3 to grade 8, this Macintosh software (on diskette) did encourage kids to play and learn about fractions and decimals. The object of the program was to move from one corner of a maze to a house by passing through gates, climbing ladders, crossing rivers, and solving math problems. The sound and graphics were not as flashy as on other software, and kids found the games to be a bit like schoolwork, but overall this software proved educational as mathematical concepts were mastered.

ISBN 0 7894 1234 9

Kids were initially attracted to this Windows and Macintosh CD-ROM that featured earth science activities related to rocks and minerals, earthquakes and volcanoes. However, subsequent testing revealed problems with frequent stalling of the program and jerky animation, which caused interest in the software to wane. As a result, children were unable to complete activities because of these functional problems.

11528

This Windows CD-ROM had the popular appeal of the K'NEX theme, but failed as functional software. The search-and-recovery game invited players to collect pieces of the Power Tower crane that had been destroyed by the evil Mine Raiders--that is, if the software was running correctly. Two-thirds of testers experienced serious problems: the software froze and required rebooting at the end of each level; graphics loaded inconsistently, leaving text illegible at times; the game would load but the graphics were so poor it wouldn't run properly; or, once the game was removed, it refused to re-install. Joystick recommended. NOTE: Interactive comic book and two K'NEX figures to build also included.

8 - 10 yrs

ISBN 0 7845 1345 7

Call of the wild! With this simulation program, kids were able to create their own safari camp by adding cabins, roads, pools, outhouses, etc. to the existing tourist camp and then placing the right mix of animals, grasses and trees in the park area. Three advisors--ecologist, business manager and village elder--helped with the decisions. All of our testers were fascinated with the interactions between park, camp and village and eagerly designed their camps. NOTE: CD-ROM is playable on both Windows and Macintosh systems.

8 - 10 yrs

98073-9721

This CD-ROM, playable on both Windows and Macintosh systems, challenged kids to solve 14 mysteries by collecting clues which were awarded after completing various tasks. With dozens of levels and three modes of play, there were many puzzles to figure out. While children enjoyed using their "brain power" and analytical skills to play through this game, older children found the presentation to be somewhat juvenile and younger children struggled with many tasks. Still, overall, kids enjoyed the island-hopping activities.

8 +

99029

College, career. marriage? Kids can choose such life options when playing this fun CD-ROM version of the classic board game. One to two players can pick a car, hop in and "drive" around the board to pick up cash, collectibles and even "win" a family. The player with the most money (or life tiles) after everyone has retired is deemed the winner. Kids enjoyed playing the two styles of game offered, and loved the game-show style background music. Excellent graphics. NOTE: Playable on Windows systems.

8 +

11526

After seeing the exciting commercials on TV, kids were eager to build these cool-looking racers, insert and pull the ripcord, let 'em fly and wash 'em break. However, while constructing the model was fun (colour-coded instructions included), the toy failed to take off and break up as seen on TV. After a bit of fiddling, it was discovered that holding the model off the ground before using the ripcord was more effective, but smash results were still disappointing. Building this toy was fun, and the driver figure was a hit, but there was no big breakaway.

8 +

12524

Air command! This sophisticated 370-piece building set featured cool metallic colours which let kids build a Cobra Striker, copter or other craft. Children enjoyed the added feature of a missile launcher and three foam missiles as well as other moving parts, like the copter blade. This set will please seasoned K'nex builders, but care should be taken when following instructions, as the new colours are similar enough to cause some confusion. Some parental assistance may be required. Still, this toy was quite enjoyed both during building and imaginary play following construction.

8 +

13145

Dinosaurs rule the earth... again! This 283-piece building set had kids creating exciting stegosaurus, brachiosaurus, triceratops models and more (six in all) as they built these walking units one at a time. The instructions proved easy to follow and the remote control for motorized movement worked well. Children thought these models were very cool indeed, and enjoyed both building and playing with them. NOTE: Two "AA" batteries required (not included).

8 +

15107

Mega cool! This complex 511-piece colour-coded construction set proved to be an exciting challenge for our testers. The dual power controller, which operated two independent motors (powered by four "AA" batteries, not included) allowed the "masher" to move backward and forward, while its "bucket wheel excavator" spun as it was raised and lowered. Instructions to build two other innovative models were also included. This set provided hours of fun for accomplished builders, and more than enough pieces to they could create their own machines. NOTE: Younger testers required adult assistance to fine-tune their machines.

8 +

12129

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1999***Rock on! Our junior construction workers greatly enjoyed building this 305-piece plastic building toy that featured panels, wheels and balls as well as other specialty pieces. Testers found that pieces were fairly easy to snap into place, and the resulting rock and ore transport vehicle stayed together well and rolled smoothly. In addition to building the three models illustrated, kids enjoyed creating their own way-out vehicles to carry the "balls of ore" around. This kit's colour coded instructions were very easy to follow.

8 +

11057

This 135-piece robot model building set came with a metallic coloured plastic base and storage area. Kids found the robot models difficult to build--they had some problems snapping pieces together--but it was the base that was found to be useless. The base could hold pieces while building but did not store them (no lids) and the flat area did not inspire either building or after-building play. The robots, when built, were stationery with no special functions. Kids enjoyed this set most when they scrapped the robots and constructed their own creations.

8 - 12 yrs

4970

Journey to the centre of the earth! This 167-piece building set had young adventurers constructing a fierce-looking under-the-earth drilling machine and searching for rare ore and crystals. The fanciful, wheeled machine was very impressive looking when built, and featured a chrome-coloured corkscrew drill, plus working lights and laser action. Kids loved making this model and enjoyed lots of imaginary play as well. NOTE: Two "AAA" batteries required (not included).

8 - 12 yrs

7161

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***Kids were transported with this 375-piece building toy that had them building a Star Wars sub and imagining adventures long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Children loved the details of this set, including the clear bubbles and orange "lights" that were on the sub. The little Jar-Jar figure was a hit. The colours were appropriate for a craft that would go under the water, and overall kids thought this building toy was way cool.

8 - 12 yrs

7171

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***This 894-piece building set, with three separate Star Wars racers to build, was a galactic hit with everyone! The set opened up to reveal three separate boxes, each containing one pod racer--Anakin's, Gasgano's and Sebulba's. The racers measured approximately 36 cm (14") each and looked remarkably like those from the movie; they soon proved to be as mush fun to fly as they were to build. The characters included were also popular, especially R2D2. Excellent instructions made construction easy for kids, and after building the fun just... rocketed!

8 +

7150

***CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2000***The Rebels and the Empire continued their epic battles courtesy of this 407-piece building set made of durable plastic, which had kids clamouring to build the Tie Fighter and Y-Wing. These were very good representations of the space craft from the movie, and children loved both building them and playing with the completed models. This set featured a little Darth Vader figure (a hit!) as well as figures of hero Luke and robot sidekick R2D2. Kids were thrilled with the theme.

388

Our testers found building this colourful racer model out of its over 388 foam pieces too much of a challenge, and most children failed to complete the car. Complaints included pieces that would not fit together easily, unclear instructions as well as a finished model that did not roll well nor appeal to its intended age group. Instead of being a fun activity to occupy time, this toy was dismissed as merely time-consuming.

8 +

12135

Big stompin' fun! This 249-piece construction set let kids build two different "K'NEXosaurs" (approximately 40 cm each), which could be made to stomp around by using the kit's wired "power controller". The creatures could move, swing their tails and wobble their heads. Most kids found the most fun was in the building--the stomping attraction wore off after awhile--but with two models to construct, they just took apart one and built the other. NOTE: One power pack motor included; two "AA" batteries required (not included).

8 +

413287 150019

This beautifully designed wooden game for two players (or teams) harkened back to classic board games--and was a lot of fun too! Kids needed just three minutes to learn the rules of this fast-paced and lively game. The objective was to build the maximum number of towers, which could be from one to five pieces, and the colour of the top piece determined the "owner" of the tower. Towers grew as play continued until their were no empty spaces or moves left on the board. Strategic and cognitive skills were required for this game, but both young and older children (and parents also) enjoyed mastering and playing this game.

1023-21 5109-5

Ask and answer! This set of two decks of long, bookmark-shaped cards covered math, language, science, social studies and other areas through 1000 questions and answers. Kids enjoyed the challenge of answering such questions as "What force from the sun pulls on the earth and keeps it in orbit?" (Answer: gravity.) Children were pleased when they answered correctly, and learned new things when they responded incorrectly. The cards were joined together at the top with a clasp, and were easy to handle and read. A great travel activity. NOTE: Focus is on U.S. geography and history.

8 +

ISBN 1 57054 251 1

This full-colour, spiral-bound book with thick cardstock pages came filled with explosive information about volcanoes, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods. Kids were fascinated by the very graphic pictures, and enjoyed playing with the "before and after" flaps showing the impact of natural disasters. The books contained a limited number of science experiments that needed common household supplies, so this book appealed most to kids who like reading rather than science activity-driven children.

8 +

EI-8875

Children were attracted to this brightly coloured, talking toy with a small spinning globe and key pad buttons to push for questions on geography. Some children had problems with sound clarity, and the globe was too small to be very useful, but overall, kids did enjoy matching wits with the quizzing toy which boasted having over 5,000 facts. The size and weight of this toy made it ideal for lap/car play. NOTE: Four "AA" batteries required (not included).

63702

At first glance, this 3-D puzzle game looked like it was easy and for younger kids, but players soon found it to be both challenging and fun. The six purple hippos featured two pegs of different lengths that fit into the 12 holes of the swamp (game board). The object of the game was to arrange the hippos in the swamp so they would sit flat; if they did not all sit flat, players had to try again. Helpful hints to solving the puzzle were provided in an accompanying booklet, but kids enjoyed figuring out this game on their own. Good travel toy.

8 +

103

This ice is nice! The goal of this two-player game of skill and strategy was to build a pyramid-shaped igloo out of blue and clear plastic ice blocks. Players took turns to place their blocks, beginning with an eight-block base. Points were scored by connecting colours horizontally or diagonally, and trying to block the opponent at the same time. Older children enjoyed the strategy involved; younger kids just used the blocks to build patterns. Each game took about 10 to 20 minutes to play. NOTE: Blocks have sharp corners; look carefully for the instructions tucked into the side walls of the packaging.

8 +

80212

In this snazzy game with sound effects, "Battleship" meets "The incident at Roswell" as two players battle it out to uncover a UFO that has crashed in a moonlit desert. Kids try to locate pieces of the spacecraft by calling out possible locations and then marking them on the board with cactus-shaped pawns. Along the way, players could run into such hazards as abandoned mines, coyotes and rattlesnakes--all with different sound effects. The first person to reassemble the UFO won, but kids had a blast just finding the spacecraft. NOTE: Two "AA" batteries required (not included).

8 +

ISBN 0-525-46002-0

Mouth-watering muffins! This baking kit included a sturdy, oven-safe tray for a dozen mini-muffins along with a full-colour cookbook, jam-packed with 12 easy-to-follow recipes plus food facts and funnies. The tasty recipes provided enough dough to make 24 plump little muffin treats. While some of the ingredients (corn meal, lemon peel and plain yogurt, etc.) were not necessarily common to all kitchens, substitutions were easily made. Kids loved making and eating their creations. NOTE: Parental supervision required around oven; tray should be dried immediately after washing to prevent rust spots.

8 +

80-15700

All of our testers were initially excited at the look and feel of this 30 cm x 26 cm x 5 cm (12" x 10" x 2") portable laptop-style electronic toy. However, some of the more computer-savvy kids were turned off by the small screen, simplistic graphics, jerky motions and largely ineffective mouse; others who stayed with it really enjoyed many of the games and activities, which ranged from vocabulary/spelling/grammar activities to math activities and just-for-fun stuff. Extra activities could be added with cartridges. Attempts to use a printer with this unit, although a feature, proved unsuccessful. This is not a real computer, but could offer value as an introductory toy. NOTE: 4 "C" and 2 "AA" batteries required (not included); earphones, a 9-volt AC adapter, additional RAM storage and expansion cartridges, as well as links to IBM-compatible PCs sold separately.

6300

No castaways in this game, only seafaring fun! This game's 3D puzzle board featured eight rows of waves and calm waters, called sliders, which offered channels for players so they could move their boats ahead or astern, or push the vessel sideways. Forty puzzle cards showed the positions of the sliders and boats to start each challenge. By moving the sliders from side to side, and moving the one to nine boats around on the board, skillful skippers could pilot their red boat into port. The game board also had a "locker" (drawer) built in for stowing away the puzzle cards and nine boats between play sessions.

8 +

9450

Capture the fortress! Kids became the chief commanders of their own army of 20 castle-shaped pieces in this doubled-sided strategic board game for two to four players. Would-be Napoleons who had mastered the rules had loads of fun developing their battlefield strategies and challenging their opponents. Younger testers benefited from adult help in understanding and remembering the rather complicated rules, and enjoyed practice games of two players until they felt comfortable with the various moves. Strategy-loving players of similar ages and abilities were best matched and really got the most from this game.

EI-3625

High flying adventure! Our testers quite enjoyed making and flying the pre-printed paper aircraft which came packaged in an official looking top secret "portfolio". This kit included very scientific looking instructions, plus pre-scored cardboard outlines to punch out and make three U.S. Air Force planes and one V.I.P. transport (two of each model). Information on aerodynamics and flying tips were also featured. While all of the children required some adult assistance during the construction of the paper airplanes, they were excited to see them fly once completed--and fly they did! NOTE: Tape required (not included).

8 - 10 yrs

22000

Multiplication drill with a rappin' beat! This funky-looking math teaching tool in turquoise and purple plastic had the shape of a flashlight and an infectious sound. When the toy was turned on, kids were invited to solve math problems on three levels. Its first level would recite times tables from 0 to 12, and the two higher levels would quiz children on them. Kids could choose numbers by twisting rings on the toy, or line up three lightning bolt symbols for the toy to choose random numbers and challenge them. Kids liked this cool toy that made doing math drill fun. NOTE: Four "AA" batteries required (included); batteries difficult to replace; toy may answer in irregular manner as batteries run down.

8 +

0600595757, O600595765

Write on! These beautifully designed kits appealed to creative children with a love of writing. Each kit provided materials for writing an original fairy tale or adventure story, including a fold-out for page planning, facts on famous authors, word suggestions, "do not disturb" door hanger, writers' club identity bookmark, illustration stickers, and more. Children who enjoy expressing themselves got a big kick out of seeing their "byline" on stories they created themselves.

41100

It appeared to our testers that the greatest magic of all involved learning one of the tricks in this magic set. While lots of supplies were included--balls, thimbles, rope, cards, etc.--the instructions proved too complex and challenging for most of our young magicians. Diagrams were not always clear and some tricks took many steps to complete. Some very focused testers took pride and satisfaction in the tricks they did manage to master.

8 +

80899

Totally RAD! Kids delighted in operating this large, radio-controlled robot named RAD that worked well on floors, carpets, driveways and grass. This robot could be directed to pick up toys or deliver snacks (tray included), and children loved its robot movements and voice. The device also featured flashing eyes and a (soft) missile launcher. Kids enjoyed playing with this futuristic toy for the 20 to 30 minutes its battery pack allowed. NOTE: High battery consumption; 6-volt rechargeable battery and battery charger required (not included); 9-volt battery for remote control required (not included).