Posted in Building sets on Jul 27th, 2011
When kids build and experiment with this stacking-plank construction system, they’ll develop an understanding of basic physics and engineering principles while fostering unlimited creativity. Precision-cut wooden Contraptions™ planks simply stack together—without glue or connectors—to create unbelievable ball track structures including ramps, funnels, chutes and crazy contraptions like the “Black Hole” and “Bounce Plate.” Watch this [...]
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Posted in Best Board Games, Building sets on Mar 10th, 2011
Here at MindWare, we know that learning never stops. And the best way to learn is by asking questions, so it’s no wonder we were all very excited to learn that March 14 is International Ask a Question Day! But instead of us asking you the questions, we thought it would be fun to turn [...]
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Posted in Best Board Games, Building sets on Dec 30th, 2010
I love New Year’s Eve because we always join a group of families to celebrate with special food and games for the occasion. When the kids were younger, we would have a mock New Year’s countdown at 8 p.m. with noisemakers, sparkling cider and the usual fanfare. Now our children are old enough to make [...]
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Posted in Building sets on Jul 27th, 2010
Posted in Building sets on May 27th, 2010
Each of my nephews went through a stage where they were completely enthralled with big machinery. They barely knew how to talk, but they already knew each and every piece of equipment at a construction site: front loader, back hoe, grader, excavator, bulldozer—they were fascinated with huge, noisy, complex machines. Kids like seeing things being [...]
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This Christmas we traveled to see some family on the 27th (after Santa had paid his visit), and what to my wondering eyes should appear when I walked in the door, but a miniature robotic arm waving at me (with a chef’s cap in its claws!) My nephew’s favorite gift of the whole season was [...]
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Best Developmental Toys for All Ages What a life small kids lead—playing all day, eating snacks, taking naps—sounds fabulous to us adults! But that play time is vital for children as they learn about the world. While playing they learn about sharing, cause and effect and using their imaginations. Certain toys, such as puzzles, building [...]
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Posted in Building sets on Dec 8th, 2009
Our little neighbor is a frequent visitor at our house. He loves to come over and rummage through our basement toy closet, which is packed full of retired toys that were once favorites of my kids. With all there is to choose from, he always pulls out the same toy — a “Marble Run” that used [...]
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Posted in Building sets, Gift Ideas on Dec 4th, 2009
Finding the perfect toy that’s educational and stimulating for small children can be tough. Here’s out list of our top picks for preschoolers, perfect for any little one on your holiday list: Pattern Play (Ages 3+): These bright, colorful blocks provide a great introduction to math concepts such as sorting, matching, symmetry, congruence and fractions. [...]
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Posted in Building sets, Science & Nature on Oct 2nd, 2009
Have you seen the T.V. show MythBusters? It’s currently the #1 show on the Discovery channel and my teenage son loves to watch it. It reminds me of his old favorite, Bill Nye the Science Guy, with zanier — and often more disgusting — experiments. The premise of the show is to separate scientific truths [...]
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