Toy Review - Gobblet Gobblers by Blue Orange Games

The following is a special review by toy tester, Micah, age 13:

Now, there is a very popular game that most people know about called tic-tac-toe. Tic-tac-toe was easy to learn and quick to play. Now it’s been redone and made even better in the great new game, Gobblet
Gobblers.

Now the rules of Gobblet Gobblers are very simple and easy to learn, but first: setting up the game. The game involves two people which choose colors and set up their pieces. Each player starts with six pieces. The pieces are divided into the sizes large, medium, and small; two for each size. The pieces are designed to slip over the pieces smaller than itself.

Now, to play the game. The board and goal are exactly like tic-tac-toe. The board is four pieces that you can put together to make nine squares. The goal is to get three of your pieces lined up. To start, the person who is going first, places any sized piece of his anywhere on the board. Now, the second person can either place on of his pieces on the board, or place another piece on his opponent’s piece, if his is a bigger size. Then, the first player, if his piece has not been eater, can either place a new piece, or move an existing piece to a different spot. This continues until one person gets three in a row.

The reason I like this game so much is you’re learning great tactics and having fun all the time, in less than five minutes per game.

Toy Review - Crepe Rubber Puzzles

Crepe Rubber Puzzles are great for little hands that are learning how to solve puzzles.  The rubber material is soft and flexible and easily manipulated.  Bright colors make these puzzles especially attractive.  The designs for the puzzles are also enticing to small children; a wide selection of crepe puzzles are there for the choosing, such as a train, a plane, cats, ballerinas, a helicopter, a race car, flowers, and much more.  The puzzles are all designed so that the pieces all fit together snugly within the one, large, border piece.  Once the puzzle is together, it will stay together rather well.  When you are ready to try the puzzle again, just a small amount of pressure will knock the pieces out so that it can be tried again.  A classic toy to be sure, it is more than likely a happy memory for kids of all ages.

I have written about some of the Lauri Toys, but it has been a long time.  You can see a couple of reviews here: http://townsquaretoys.blogspot.com/search/label/Lauri

The Classic Skwish by Manhattan Toy

Skwish is a classic toy; you have probably seen it before and didn't know what to call it. It seems both odd and simple at the same time. The bright colored sticks and beads all strung together in a springy, flexible, somehow orderly mess. It is really a great example of tensegrity. What is that? Check out this link from Wikipedia. Whoever thought this toy up was ingenious to say the least.

This toy is hypnotic and fun for little ones. It can easily be grabbed and held on to. There are multiple sliding beads that move up and down the rods, to keep hands and fingers busy. Bright, shiny, and non-toxic, this toy has been around for years and promises to be around for years to come. Pick one up today at Town Square Toys.

I also want to let you know that this is a Parents' Choice winning toy. They had a list made up of 25 Classic Toys from the last 25 years. The Skwish made the list! How great is that?

Puzzibits are Flexible, Hexagonal Coolness!

I had never heard of Puzzibits before we got them in the store. The name had a cool ring to it, but the toy is way cooler. I have always been a fan of the building toy and I am definitely becoming a fan of this one.

Puzzibits are little hexagonal pieces of a tough, flexible plastic that interlock to form whatever you can think of. There are three sides on each Puzzibit with loop-like extensions. Alternating with these extending pieces are little pegs that the extensions fit into. The pieces join so that when put together, the connections are hidden on the underside of the creation so that the top just looks like a mat of hexagons. (Check out the bottom of this post to see an image of the pieces up close; see how they fit together.) The pieces come in all kinds of colors, so you can make some really creative patterns and designs.

The way Puzzibits goes to the next level, however, is by being flexible. You can twist and turn the pieces to create three dimensional creations, totally unlike other building toys. The pieces are soft plastic, so you don't have to worry about them breaking or scraping anything. The plastic that they are made of also helps them to hold on to each other so that creations don't fall apart too easy, nor do they shatter if dropped; usually they don't even pop apart and if they do, it is far less tragic than dropping a Lego ship or building. (Anyone else been there?)

Most of the Puzzibits sets are actually three in one sets. Instructions are included on how to make the three designs, but it won't be long before your little one deviates off that path and starts creating stuff from his or her imagination. You might even find yourself sifting through a pile of puzzibits yourself and building something awesome. They can get addictive. The pieces are small and are not for children under 3.

One last thing that I liked is that the box that the Puzzibits come in serves as a pretty good carrying case. It is cardboard, but I found it to be fairly sturdy. It isn't going to last forever, but it does have a little handle on it and it works well. If nothing else, it provides storage, to keep the little Puzzibits from invading every corner of your house!

Back to School Sale!

We have a great Back to School sale going on right now. You should check it out! Seriously. http://www.townsquaretoys.com/category_s/261.htm Have fun and thanks for visiting!

Clay Play Tools Playset Toy by Melissa and Doug

The kid in me loves this toy. So does the artist in me. Melissa and Doug did a fabulous job in designing this toy: there is such a wealth of textures and possible activities that this toy provides. You have a rolling pin, two more textured rolling pins, five textured blocks, a cutter, and four tubs of colored dough. Even the lids of the dough cups have an animal shape that can be imprinted. The set is designed with bright primary colors. And, with a little help and inspiration, your little one can be shown how to make the secondary colors as well so you can have a rainbow of colorful creations. The box is sturdy and wooden, great for carrying everything around. I wish I had had one of these when I was a kid. *sigh*

Shape and Color Sorter Toy by Lauri Toys

My 4 year old daughter loves to draw. However, occasionally she tears herself away from the coloring books and crayons to do something else. We got her the Lauri Toys Shape and Color sorter and she has had alot of fun with it. When she was a little younger, she used to make piles of the different colors: red, yellow, green and blue. She would them switch it up and make piles of the different shapes: heart, stars, squares and triangles. This toy has small pegs that the child can stack their sorted piles onto. The sorter builds color recognition, sorting skills, shape identification and develops hand eye coordination. She loved to mix and match the shapes to make multi colored stacks and create her own combinations. If you are a fan of toys made in the USA, Lauri manufacturers about 99% of their items in Smethport, PA.

Steph