Learning Expressions

A Toy Review for You: Loopdedoo

Greetings Learning Expressions Readers!

Over the past few weeks, “Loopdedoo” chat has started circulating around the home office. Come to find out, this oddly familiar word is not a reference to the frustratingly addictive children’s song “Here We Go Loop de Loop” but rather a tool for making fabulous twisted accessories. Frankly, I just assumed one of my coworkers had spread the catchy ditty around the office in an attempt to catch colleagues humming under their breath on the way to meetings.

No sooner was I becoming acquainted with what the Loopdedoo was than I was being asked to evaluate it based on our “form, function, and fun” toy review model. My initial “Oh, awesome!” was quickly replaced by an “Oh no!” as I recalled my earlier attempts at bracelet-making, which, not to be dramatic, were basically a demoralizing amalgamation of twine, tangles, and tears.

But you know what? After I suspended my fear of fine motor craft kits and wrapped my head around the basic techniques of the Loopdedoo, I made a bracelet that I actually wanted to wear! And the fact that I made this Loopdie without speed dialing Sandie (resident Learning Express arts and crafts guru), makes the Loopdedoo my all-time favorite jewelry-making kit. It also makes me feel confident that your child will soon be looping and loving it!

Form

The sturdy Loopdedoo package contains 18 skeins of vibrant embroidery floss, one Loopdedoo spinning tool, two alligator clips which can be used for making longer accessories such as belts, and instructions. The Loopdedoo features kid-powered looping knobs and a convenient drawer for storing materials. The tool seems very durable and there is an extensive array of thread colors ranging from black and white, to hot pink, to sea foam green. The full-color instruction booklet presents the various looping styles and offers step-by-step guidance with many illustrations. The only tool you’ll need that’s not included is a pair of scissors.

Function

Instructions prompt users to choose one of four looping styles. Each style requires a different technique and the styles are presented by level of difficulty. Naturally, I chose the easiest style listed, the “Color Block.” 

The booklet breaks it down into more detail, but before you can start turning the knobs and “looping” your bracelet there are some setup steps:

1. Choose your desired colors, bundle them together, and double knot them around one of the hooks on the Loopdedoo.
2.  Wrap your thread bundle around the opposite hook and back to the original several times to create the “core” of your bracelet. The more you wrap, the thicker your bracelet will be.
3. If you wrapped three times (which I did) you’ll need to measure four additional lengths for your looping thread (the thread wrapped around the core to make those eye-popping patterns). One length is the distance between the two hooks.
4. Cut the thread after you’ve measured the amount you’ll need for looping.

Confused yet? Well I was for a few minutes, but setting up the Loopdedoo is much easier than it sounds the first time you read the instructions. The package says that you can create a bracelet in about ten minutes, and after you conquer the learning curve, a ten-minute bracelet on your second try is not far-fetched.

Fun

As I started spinning the thread around the core, I started smiling. My bracelet emerged quickly and smoothly, right before my eyes. I started feeling more creative as I established a color pattern. The Loopdedoo did most of the wrapping work for me; I just had to make minor positioning adjustments as I went along. And discovering those little tricks to success is actually part of what made this project so much fun.

Because the Loopdedoo is kid-powered, crafters feel a real sense of connection to their jewelry (a machine isn’t automatically spinning your bracelet, you are spinning it). And there’s an undeniable sense of pride that goes along with cutting your first Loopdie from the hook and sizing it on your wrist. Kids can create cool, wearable pieces of art. The Loopdedoo is also a perfect sleepover activity. One child could be choosing her bracelet colors while another starts spinning. There is a dazzling array of thread colors which makes Loopdedoo a perfect craft for boys and girls alike. Boys may be more interested in spinning backpack pulls and bracelets with their favorite team’s colors and girls may opt for patterned bracelets and necklace designs.

So there you have it, readers, an arts and crafts product that leaves even inexperienced users beaming with accomplishment instead of sulking over mangled balls of string (not that I’ve ever experienced that firsthand). 

Happy Loopdie-making! 

Blog: Putting the Zing in ZING TOYS | Vendor Spotlight

Zyclones, and Z-Curves, and Zartz, oh my!

AmaZed by my Zealous use of Z-words? These are some of the bestselling products from one of our favorite vendors here at Learning Express—Zing Toys. With the school year finally coming to an end, and kids gearing up to spend more time in the great outdoors, this week’s blog will go behind the scenes at an innovative company, which puts a new and unique spin on outdoor (and often airborne) fun. Check it out!

Company History

Zing Toys (based in Portland, Oregon) was officially incorporated in 2006. The company is dedicated to creating new and innovative products, which will inspire kids to get off the couch, turn off the television, and get outside to play. You can see how perfectly this fits in with the Learning Express philosophy. How do we get kids to lead healthy, active lifestyles? We make it more fun than the alternative.

The genius of the Zing products is that they completely satisfy the boyhood desire to shoot stuff, but the engineering and design make them safe both indoors and out. Kids won’t get hurt and windows won’t get broken. I don’t think it can get much better than that.

While Zing toys are primarily sold by specialty retailers in the USA (like Learning Express), the market is constantly expanding and evolving. They’ve had a whole bunch of great publicity in major media outlets. The Zyclone was featured on The Letterman Show, the Z-Curve Bow was on Live with Regis and Kelly, and the Zing Shot was written up in the Wall Street Journal.

Zing toys really speak for themselves, so check out these Rapid Reviews of our favorites!

Our Favorite Zing Toys

Zartz
This is one of the staples of the Zing Toys line—a suction-cup arrow made of SOFTECH tough foam that sticks to any surface for 15-30 seconds before releasing. You can literally play with these anywhere. The Zartz Funpack comes with one Zartz arrow and two target shields to take the game of tag to a whole new level.

 

 

Zyclone
This toy is a feat of physics and aerodynamic engineering. Zing uses something called “Z-Spin technology” to launch a soft foam Zing-Ring from the hand-held canon. The ring then glides through the air. You really have to see it in action to get the full effect, but this is great for playing catch in the park.

 

 

Z-Curve Bow
I’m a big fan of this one in particular. For someone who is hand-eye-coordination challenged, the design of this bow makes it very straightforward to launch the arrows. Then the challenge is all about actually hitting your target (and not about how many times you can poke yourself in the eye in the process). The Z-Curve Bow can send missiles soaring over 100 feet, and I’ve seen it done. The two foam ones have great bounce-back action and won’t damage any walls if you’re playing indoors. The set also comes with one suction-tipped Zartz arrow (mentioned above). Way fun! Even Regis and Kelly think so (see below).

 

My conclusion? Zing Toys produces high quality products that get kids moving. I simply can’t think of a better way to start the summer.

Thanks for reading!

Toy Review: Hot Dots® Jr. and “Ace” the Talking, Teaching Dog by Educational Insights

This week on the blog we’re putting the spotlight on the Hot Dots Jr. product line from Educational Insights. And better yet, we’re giving away a set for FREE! (See below for details.) Hot Dots Jr. harnesses the power of easy-to-use technology to engage kids in independent learning. Keep reading to find out how it shakes out in my 3F’s of toy quality—form, function and fun!

Form

Hot Dots Jr. has two essential components—“Ace,” the talking, teaching dog, and the individual activity card sets. Ace is a chunky, 6" long electronic pen (3 AAA batteries required, not included), which is designed for little hands. He doubles as part learning companion and part magic wand, as I’ll explain in the “function” section. The Hot Dots Jr. activity cards come in sets of 36. They are double-sided with bright illustrations, which provide 72 early learning activities suitable for preschoolers, and come in a cute little box with a convenient handle for carrying. The different card set themes are The Alphabet, Patterns & Sequencing, Beginning Phonics, Colors, Shapes, and Numbers.

 

As with all of Educational Insights’ specialty products, Hot Dots Jr. is made with high quality materials and sturdy construction. This toy, including the heavy-stock cards, is designed to hold up to wear and tear. Ace and the card sets are packaged individually so more than one child can play at once.

Here are some early sketches by Riley Wilkinson, the Creative Director at Educational Insights, showing how Ace was developed!

 

 

 

Function

The magic behind Hot Dots Jr. is that when Ace is pressed to an answer dot on the card, he gives immediate feedback. Ace laughs, lights up, buzzes with excitement, and either cheers for a correct answer or gently redirects an incorrect answer. It’s interactive, self-paced, and allows for independent discovery. The activities reinforce essential early learning topics and are great for helping kids get ready for school or catch up where they need support. Here are some examples of the activity cards: 

You can also watch Ace in action in this video!

 

Fun

Hot Dots Jr. is completely addictive, and that’s because it’s just plain old fun. I think we often associate electronic technology with screen time, but this is a perfect example of how technology can be applied in a way that is both engaging and active. It’s the perfect balance between learning and play, which “aces” (see what I did there?) the Learning Express challenge.

Thanks for reading, and don’t miss the chance to win a free Hot Dots Jr. giveaway below!

 

Thanks to Educational Insights, we have a FREE “Ace” (the talking, teaching dog pen) and Hot Dots Jr. card set to give away this week! Leave a comment on this post with your first name, your email address (so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner), and the name of your favorite school subject. Entries will be accepted now through Wednesday, June 1. A random winner will be selected and announced Thursday, June 2. Thanks for playing along!

Toy Review: Blurt!® Game by Educational Insights

Rapid word recall! This week we’re testing out a great family game called Blurt!, which challenges your vocabulary and cognitive reflexes. And better yet, we’re giving one away for FREE! (See below for details.) Keep reading to find out how Blurt! was invented, and how it shakes out in my 3F’s of toy quality—form, function and fun!

Form

The game of Blurt! was spontaneously invented by a man named Tim Walsh. One day, Tim needed to entertain a group of restless students. He opened up a dictionary and started calling out definitions. The kids enthusiastically “blurted” out their guesses for the matching word, and a new game was born.

Blurt! comes in a classic, sturdy box and includes a colorful jumbo game board, 6 game pieces, die, 300 playing cards, and instructions. The playing cards are kept in a box, which is labeled “Draw” and “Discard.” I found this very helpful (having gotten my Trivial Pursuit cards completely mixed up on more than one occasion).

There are three definitions (“clues”) and their corresponding words on each side of the playing card. The side with the stars has an easier set of words, so you can decide how much of a challenge you’re up for. All of these game pieces are made from high quality materials and will stand the test of time.

Function

Blurt! game play is very straightforward. Here are the basic rules:

1. One player begins as the Reader. The Reader rolls the die and reads the corresponding clue on the card.

2. All the other players blurt out word guesses.

3. The first player to blurt the correct word moves ahead on the game board.

4. The card box is passed clockwise to the next player (the Reader for the next round).

5. First player to return to start, wins!

Pretty simple, huh? I love games that are easy to understand so you can start playing right away. The beauty of Blurt! is that it’s pretty flexible as well. You can play individually, or as teams, and there are “Bonus,” “Advanced,” and “Junior” play options described in the instructions.

The play is pretty fast-paced and entertaining, so even little ones will like being involved. Those of you who have played Balderdash will recognize that Blurt! focuses on a similar word/definition concept, but makes it infinitely more kid-friendly. This is a fantastic way to build cognitive recall reflexes and develop vocabulary.

Fun

Blurt! will have you laughing in no time. It’s amazing how quickly your tongue gets tied as you try to spit out the right word. Within the first couple minutes of playing it, we had a pretty funny moment. A player was trying to answer the “kitchen in a ship or plane” clue and ended up very enthusiastically shouting “poopdeck!” instead of “galley.” Priceless. Watch this video to see Blurt! in action.

 

Thanks for reading, and don’t miss your chance to win the free Blurt! giveaway below!

 

 

 

  Thanks to Educational Insights, we have a FREE Blurt! game to give away this week! Leave a comment on this post with your first name, your email address (so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner), and the name of your favorite childhood game. Entries will be accepted now through Wednesday, May 25. A random winner will be selected and announced Thursday, May 26. Thanks for playing along!

Toy Review: Playfoam® by Educational Insights

Squish, squash, and sculpt! This week we’re pulling apart a unique “creativity substance” called Playfoam. And better yet, we’re giving one Playfoam 8-Pack away for FREE! (See below for details.) Playfoam was created by Educational Insights, the sponsor of the first-ever Teachers Tournament on Jeopardy!® which aired earlier this month. Keep reading to see how it shakes out in my 3F’s of toy quality—form, function and fun!

Form

Playfoam is an interactive modeling compound made from a top secret recipe. Under close examination it looks like a whole bunch of little pellets, which are magically held together by something that sticks to itself but not to you. (I was almost reminded of Dippin’ Dots ice cream, especially since each pack comes with different colored scoops of the Playfoam.) It’s surprisingly light in terms of weight, but can be tightly compacted in terms of volume.

The whole line of Playfoam was recently repackaged and the result is very attractive and inviting. I for one couldn’t wait to open it up and start playing, especially when I realized there was a sparkle pack!

Here are some sketches by the Riley Wilkinson, the Creative Director at Educational Insights, showing the development of the repackaging.

 

 

Function

In my day, the go-to modeling compound was Play-Doh, but oh my, how the times have changed! There has been a HUGE amount of innovation and expansion in this particular market. Playfoam is part of this new generation of creativity substances, and when it comes to its functionality there are two major perks:

1. Playfoam has zero mess. You can play with this stuff on carpet and it won’t leave anything behind. You can feel the stickyness that keeps it all together while you’re playing with, but it doesn’t leave any trace on your hands when you put it down.

2. It’s infinitely reusable. Playfoam will never dry out. Ever.

Now that’s what I call mom-friendly magic! This is perfect for preschoolers who are developing their creativity and fine motor skills. It’s malleable and easy to shape, but there’s nothing delicate about it. It’s robust and substantive, so kids can really roll up their sleeves and go to town.

Fun

Playfoam taps into both the creativity and construction play patterns. It’s completely open-ended, which means the possibilities for fun are limitless. Check out this video to see it in action!

  

Thanks for reading, and don’t miss your chance to win the free Playfoam giveaway below!

 

  Thanks to Educational Insights, we have a FREE Playfoam 8-Pack to give away this week! Leave a comment on this post with your first name, your email address (so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner), and the name of your favorite artist. Entries will be accepted now through Wednesday, May 18. A random winner will be selected and announced Thursday, May 19. Thanks for playing along!